Just Like the Bronte Sisters

Laurel Osterkamp

Jo Beth and Skylar are about as close as sisters can be, despite seeming complete opposites: Jo Beth is a daredevil ski racer, while Skylar loves to read. But then everything changes.

I have a hard time summing up “Just Like the Bronte Sisters,” since, while it’s not a long read, the plot is quite complex, and doesn’t fit neatly into any one genre category. It’s sort of a coming-of-age romance, kind of a sports story, and kind of a thriller, with a dash of what might be magic thrown in. Readers expecting your run-of-the-mill genre fiction should be forewarned that that’s not what’s going to happen, and should be prepared for some twists and turns along the course.

But if you’re open to some genre experimentation and melding, “Just Like the Bronte Sisters” is a gripping read, with some crazy unexpected plot twists. Jo Beth is training for the Olympics and Skylar is studying to get into Cornell, where she wants to study literature. Then both their careers are derailed, and they both end up in dreamy romances–or are they nightmares? Is Jo Beth paranoid, or are her best friend and lover really out to get her? Is this a Jane Austen love story, or a Brontean Gothic tragedy? Trying to figure that out kept me turning the pages right to the very end. The story’s a bit dark for a typical romance, but literature buffs will enjoy all the literary name-dropping, and suspense fans will enjoy the way the book keeps you guessing. And skiing fans will enjoy all the fast skiing action. Recommended for readers looking for “women’s fiction” that’s a bit different.

My thanks to the author for providing a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Buy link: Amazon