Sisterchicks in Gondolas by Robin Jones Gunn

Book Description:  Sisterchicks Take the Boot! (and we don’t mean shoe thievery) 

Jenna and Sue have been sisters-in-law for nearly thirty years but inseparable friends for only the last five. When Jenna is invited to a week’s stay at a fifteenth century restored palace on a quiet canal in Venice , Sue is her travel companion of choice. The catch? They must cook for a group that is staying at the palace for a retreat. It’s the first time Sue has been this far from home, and both women are coming out of a valley season of life where they operated each day in long shadow s of fear. Entering into the lilting gondola-paced Italian lifestyle and discovering corners of Venice most tourists never see, they welcome a new time of refreshing. And over boiling pots of pasta, they dare each other to dream again. 

Ciao bella! 

SISTERCHICK n.: a friend who shares the deepest wonders of your heart, loves you like a sister, and provides a reality check when you’re being a brat. 

When Jenna is invited to Venice for a week of cooking for a small retreat group, she knows just who to take along: her sister-in-law Sue. With her Dallas drawl and wild tangle of red hair, Sue desperately needs her own retreat from the pressures of the past two years…and blessedly for their guests, Sue actually knows how to cook (unlike Jenna)! With about six words of Italian between them, a map, and a keen appetite for gelato, they puzzle out the lovely city together. During their stay, Jenna and Sue become victims of grace in ways they never expected—starting with their accommodations: a restored fifteenth-century palace on a quiet canal complete with a stairwell perfect for mattress sledding! Coming out of a time of dark shadows in their lives, these two friends dive into a new season of refreshing and realize that sometimes when serving God, the most important thing to do is just show up…and watch for goodness and mercy to follow close behind. Come join Jenna and Sue over boiling pots of pasta in this lilting gondola-paced adventure! 

My Thoughts: I love...I mean ABSOLUTELY LOVE! the Sisterchick adventures!

I've read them all because once you've read about the Sisterchick adventures you just can't wait to go another Sisterchick adventure!

In case you're new to these fabulous reads, you must first know the meaning of a sisterchick:  SISTERCHICK n.: a friend who shares the deepest wonders of your heart, loves you like a sister, and provides a reality check when you’re being a brat. 

Don't you just LOVE that definition!

Now, Sisterchicks in Gondolas isn't quite like the other adventures. First of all, Jenna and Sue are sister-in-laws as well as best friends.  And secondly, Jenna is asked to serve men who are missionaries.  

Jenna asks Sue to go on this trip and off they "adventure."

When Jenna and Sue first arrive at "the grand palace" they are amazed at the beauty and the wondrous staircase.  They each pick a fabulous bedroom to sleep in that first night but when the missionary men begin arriving Jenna and Sue realize that there are just enough bedrooms for the men.  No bedrooms for them!  They are quite disappointed but being industrious and imaginative women they discover extra bedding in the hall closet and decided to sleep under the stars on the fabulous roof that is more like an extra garden room instead of a roof.

Sue and Jenna realize what a wonderful adventure God has given them and they serve Him with a willing heart.

I love the escapade that they have on the wondrous staircase!  

This is one sweet, graceful read!  A must read for the woman with a servant's heart!

Story Behind the Book
Sisterchicks in Gondolas was birthed after Robin experienced Italy for herself. “In the summer of 2004, I went to Venice with my lifetime fellow Sisterchick from Ireland , Ruby,” she says. “We explored the city with our daughters and discovered the joys of Italian living.” With a splash of humor, grace, and a few zany antics, this latest Sisterchicks release continues to celebrate the unique and timeless bond between women friends. Entertaining and delightful, the story also challenges readers to examine their relationships with one another and with God.

*This book was provided for review by Multnomah Publishers*

• • Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Multnomah Publishers (May 1, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1590525051
  • ISBN-13: 978-1590525050