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Lissamore #1
The Kinsella Sisters
Home is where the heart is! Free spirit Rio Kinsella finds herself settled in the picture-postcard village of Lissamore on Ireland's West Coast. It's where she took her first step, had her first kiss and conceived her beloved son Finn. But now Finn's spread his wings and flown the nest, what's to keep her here? An old flame and a new prospect may provide the answer! City girl Dervla is poles apart from her bohemian sister. A businesswoman with a quick mind, a hard heart and a nose for a good deal, she has no time for love. But is there anywhere she can really call home? And will the arrival of a new client throw her glossy magazine life-style into disarray? Torn apart by a long-standing feud, the Kinsella sisters are reunited upon the death of their wayward father. But on clearing the family home, they discover a secret so intriguing it could change their lives forever! Welcome to blissfully unpredictable Lissamore. It's guaranteed you'll never want to leave!
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 19, 2009
28 people are currently reading
209 people want to read
About the author
Kate Thompson
16 books29 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Kate Thompson (born 1959) is an Northern Irish actress and romantic novelist who also writes as Pixie Pirelli (the writer heroine of Sex, Lies and Fairytales). She was born in Belfast and studied English and French at Trinity College, Dublin. She spent many years as an actress in theatre and television, most notably in the Irish drama serial Glenroe. She married the actor Malcolm Douglas in 1985 and has a daughter Clara (born 1987). In 1989 she won the Best Actress Award in the Dublin Theatre Festival. Her first novel, It Means Mischief, published in 1999, became a bestseller. The Blue Hour was shortlisted for the Parker Romantic Novel of the Year.
Love Lies Bleeding is remarkable in that the first 25 chapters are available free by e-mail and the final part of the book, The Clandestine Chapters, can be purchased bound with silk and printed on home-made paper.
Kate Thompson (born 1959) is an Northern Irish actress and romantic novelist who also writes as Pixie Pirelli (the writer heroine of Sex, Lies and Fairytales). She was born in Belfast and studied English and French at Trinity College, Dublin. She spent many years as an actress in theatre and television, most notably in the Irish drama serial Glenroe. She married the actor Malcolm Douglas in 1985 and has a daughter Clara (born 1987). In 1989 she won the Best Actress Award in the Dublin Theatre Festival. Her first novel, It Means Mischief, published in 1999, became a bestseller. The Blue Hour was shortlisted for the Parker Romantic Novel of the Year.
Love Lies Bleeding is remarkable in that the first 25 chapters are available free by e-mail and the final part of the book, The Clandestine Chapters, can be purchased bound with silk and printed on home-made paper.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 20, 2021
Rio and Dervla are sisters who haven't been in touch for a very long time. They get in touch when their father dies. Rio has a grown up son Finn and Dervla is an estate agent.
The Kinsella Sisters starts off a bit slow in the beginning but things get interesting when Dervla arrives. They become friends with their new neighbour, Adair. I loved Rio and Finn's relationship. I liked Rio more than Dervla but other than that I didn't really care for any other characters.
I have read few books by Kate Thompson to know her writing style by now. She writes in-depth which I could see here. It is a moderately paced book which isn't for everyone. I found myself getting bored right at the start but I persevered because Kate's books can take a turn sometime in the later half. Overall, not a bad read.
2.75 stars
The Kinsella Sisters starts off a bit slow in the beginning but things get interesting when Dervla arrives. They become friends with their new neighbour, Adair. I loved Rio and Finn's relationship. I liked Rio more than Dervla but other than that I didn't really care for any other characters.
I have read few books by Kate Thompson to know her writing style by now. She writes in-depth which I could see here. It is a moderately paced book which isn't for everyone. I found myself getting bored right at the start but I persevered because Kate's books can take a turn sometime in the later half. Overall, not a bad read.
2.75 stars
December 5, 2009
Irish sisters Rio and Dervla haven’t spoken for many years, and neither is particularly bothered by this as they live very separate and different lives. However, the death of their father Frank reunites the pair, and they both regret the time spent apart.
Rio lives in picturesque Lissamore with her grown up son Finn and takes any job she can get her hands on. Dervla is a successful estate agent and loves the single high-life. They befriend their new neighbour Adair and his snobby daughter Izzy, but soon Rio and Dervla unearth a shocking secret that will change everything.
Can the sisters survive this next hurdle?
After a little look on www.fantasticfiction.co.uk, I was surprised to see that Kate Thompson has been writing since 1998 and has released 10 other novels. Avon have given Kate’s books a new lease of life with their funky and fresh looking covers, and they are certainly more appealing to younger readers. The review of her other works have been positive on Amazon so I was sure that I would like this one. The little endorsement from Marian Keyes on the cover also didn’t do it any harm and will probably make even more people pick this up for a read!
The book begins a few years before the main story, a good 8 years or so in fact, which allows us to get a glimpse into the life and times of Lissamore and Rio. I enjoyed the prologue as it sets the scene with new neighbour Adair, and brings up the problems between Rio and Dervla. The transistion back to present day was seamless, and the author dove straight in with the main storyline of the reuniting of the sisters and the subsequent shock for the pair of them. For quite a while, we see only Rio and so I was unsure whether Dervla was going to feature heavily or not, but she soon makes an appearance and stays put as the other main character. I liked Rio more than Dervla, maybe because I saw more of her but I just felt I could relate more to Rio and she seemed more real to me.
As well as the two Kinsella sisters, the other characters in the book are extremely well written too. I particularly liked the way Thompson has written the close relationship between mother and son Rio and Finn. They are incredibly close, Finn is a lovely man and its nice to see a positive relationship being written rather than a destructive one as we too often see these days. I wasn’t keen on the character of Izzy but that was the point of her really, and Adair wasn’t around enough for me to care either way. Clearly Thompson enjoys exploring different relationships and their changes in her books, and they were all so well written that they were a joy to read.
As well as the relationships in the book, there is an element of travel within as well. The characters of Finn and Izzy are keen scuba-divers, and this is a theme well-explored in the book. Thompson has clearly done her research as she writes about it with good authority, and in an understandable way. Because of their hobby, the book travels from Ireland to Thailand with the pair and the writing of Koh Samui is so good, you can really imagine yourself there in the blistering heat with them! Thompson’s writing is very descriptive, but reads smoothly. She writes in the third person, my favourite way of reading a book, and it was a delightful book to sit and lose yourself in.
If you love a really well-written and enjoyable tale, then I highly recommend you look for a copy of the Kinsella Sisters. It would be an ideal book to take with you on your hols, perfect for picking up and putting down as you please. You can lose yourself in the relationships of these believable characters, and imagine the gorgeous scenery and sea-views of Lissamore, and the blue sea of Thailand as you read! I am tempted to look for more of Kate’s work after reading this, and am thrilled to reveal that there is a sequel being written to be called The O’Hara Affair, although its not due for release until 2010… I wait in huge anticipation! Highly recommended by me.
Rio lives in picturesque Lissamore with her grown up son Finn and takes any job she can get her hands on. Dervla is a successful estate agent and loves the single high-life. They befriend their new neighbour Adair and his snobby daughter Izzy, but soon Rio and Dervla unearth a shocking secret that will change everything.
Can the sisters survive this next hurdle?
After a little look on www.fantasticfiction.co.uk, I was surprised to see that Kate Thompson has been writing since 1998 and has released 10 other novels. Avon have given Kate’s books a new lease of life with their funky and fresh looking covers, and they are certainly more appealing to younger readers. The review of her other works have been positive on Amazon so I was sure that I would like this one. The little endorsement from Marian Keyes on the cover also didn’t do it any harm and will probably make even more people pick this up for a read!
The book begins a few years before the main story, a good 8 years or so in fact, which allows us to get a glimpse into the life and times of Lissamore and Rio. I enjoyed the prologue as it sets the scene with new neighbour Adair, and brings up the problems between Rio and Dervla. The transistion back to present day was seamless, and the author dove straight in with the main storyline of the reuniting of the sisters and the subsequent shock for the pair of them. For quite a while, we see only Rio and so I was unsure whether Dervla was going to feature heavily or not, but she soon makes an appearance and stays put as the other main character. I liked Rio more than Dervla, maybe because I saw more of her but I just felt I could relate more to Rio and she seemed more real to me.
As well as the two Kinsella sisters, the other characters in the book are extremely well written too. I particularly liked the way Thompson has written the close relationship between mother and son Rio and Finn. They are incredibly close, Finn is a lovely man and its nice to see a positive relationship being written rather than a destructive one as we too often see these days. I wasn’t keen on the character of Izzy but that was the point of her really, and Adair wasn’t around enough for me to care either way. Clearly Thompson enjoys exploring different relationships and their changes in her books, and they were all so well written that they were a joy to read.
As well as the relationships in the book, there is an element of travel within as well. The characters of Finn and Izzy are keen scuba-divers, and this is a theme well-explored in the book. Thompson has clearly done her research as she writes about it with good authority, and in an understandable way. Because of their hobby, the book travels from Ireland to Thailand with the pair and the writing of Koh Samui is so good, you can really imagine yourself there in the blistering heat with them! Thompson’s writing is very descriptive, but reads smoothly. She writes in the third person, my favourite way of reading a book, and it was a delightful book to sit and lose yourself in.
If you love a really well-written and enjoyable tale, then I highly recommend you look for a copy of the Kinsella Sisters. It would be an ideal book to take with you on your hols, perfect for picking up and putting down as you please. You can lose yourself in the relationships of these believable characters, and imagine the gorgeous scenery and sea-views of Lissamore, and the blue sea of Thailand as you read! I am tempted to look for more of Kate’s work after reading this, and am thrilled to reveal that there is a sequel being written to be called The O’Hara Affair, although its not due for release until 2010… I wait in huge anticipation! Highly recommended by me.
July 16, 2009
Even though it was a little slow to start and there are numerous tautologies that grated on my nerves (uber, Jo Malone) I thoroughly enjoyed this.
I am quite familiar with this part of the world (the west of Ireland) and I felt the work described it beautifully.
A truly lovely piece of chick-lit.
I am quite familiar with this part of the world (the west of Ireland) and I felt the work described it beautifully.
A truly lovely piece of chick-lit.
June 22, 2009
Lovely and moderately unpredictable story of 2 estranged sisters and the small town that they revolve around. Family, loss, humor and lots of gorgeous Irish countryside imagery.
February 16, 2023
The Kinsella Sisters written by Kate Thompson was a really enjoyable read.
A modern story with strong storylines and an engaging and appealing writing technique, this was a feel good, read.
If you're looking for a read which won't cause you angst or have you biting your nails but will leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling, I recommend this book written around family, love, life and parenting.
A modern story with strong storylines and an engaging and appealing writing technique, this was a feel good, read.
If you're looking for a read which won't cause you angst or have you biting your nails but will leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling, I recommend this book written around family, love, life and parenting.
June 25, 2018
I found myself really enjoying this book. It was a breath of fresh air and lovely and girly. Loveable characters with lives that I need to know more about! I did curse you Ms Thompson when I found I need to read the next book (or two) to find out more about the girls! But no worries - both books found and purchased!
April 5, 2020
Hmmm.
The book started out with two estranged sisters who discover a secret. The sisters make up quickly and the “secret” is forgotten until the very end and with no further explanation. The ending was abrupt and several lives were left hanging. Is there a part two?
The book started out with two estranged sisters who discover a secret. The sisters make up quickly and the “secret” is forgotten until the very end and with no further explanation. The ending was abrupt and several lives were left hanging. Is there a part two?
September 23, 2020
Beautiful read
Wonderfully written story, characters described with
Great empathy, relationships very well crafted
A real feel good gently unfolding and heart warming
Very much enjoyed
Wonderfully written story, characters described with
Great empathy, relationships very well crafted
A real feel good gently unfolding and heart warming
Very much enjoyed
January 30, 2023
Some books are just not as easy to read as others. I read it bc of my Irish heritage, but I really found the plot drawn out and unnecessary. It does leave the opportunity for additional books, but I don't think I will be rushing out to read them any time soon. Nice characters, a few good twists.
June 22, 2023
All I can say is; what did I just waste my time reading? This was a tragedy of nonsense. Nothing was resolved, the ‘secret’ between the sisters was never developed and the characters were all incredibly unlikeable. I truly wish I’d given up on this the first time I told myself I should.
August 25, 2018
Good but inconclusive
October 27, 2019
Loved!
April 3, 2020
This is a laugh-out-loud story of family. A perfect read for these stressful times!
November 18, 2021
a great story about a sisters' newfound relationship. quite a slow start but got better.
May 5, 2014
I had read nothing of this Irish author's books before but I'm glad I've now discovered her. This is a lovely story of Rio and Dervla Kinsella and their lives in the west of Ireland. While Dervla is a hard-headed and successful business woman, Rio is a single mother with a variety of jobs and little money. Following a feud of many years, the two sisters are reconciled on the death of their father. From then on, their lives intertwine as Dervla copes with the recession and Rio learns to live without her beloved son, who is travelling in the Far East. Thompson paints a vivid picture of the village of Lissamore but this is by far eclipsed by her characterisation of Rio. She is a wonderful character and I can't wait to meet her in the other two Lissamore novels, The O'Hara Affair and That Gallagher Girl.
August 27, 2009
Jill Mansell, Katie Fforde, Patricia Scanlan, Freya North - when Amazon says these were other authors bought by people who bought this one, you know really how it's going to be. It's a thoroughly comfortable read - nice characters (the bohemian sister, the prissy estate agent sister, the film star ex-lover, the millionaire with the stuck up daughter...) and a lovely Irish west coast setting. I enjoyed it well enough, ideal for a light read during the working week, I just thought it was a little bit pedestrian and predictable..."must-read blockbuster" is overselling it a bit.
September 6, 2009
Clearly the first of several books (like some of her other books) and I found the ending unresolved to due this. However, well written with interesting characters, although it'll take some major reworking for Izzy to redeem herself!
Read
February 24, 2011I'm at Chapter 11 now and I am liking it so far.
July 13, 2011
I really enjoyed this book, i love reading books that are part of a series an that you can really fall in love with the characters. I could'nt wait to read the next two books that followed!
August 15, 2011
I loved this book it’s a real page turner. A summer read that I could not put it down.
April 15, 2012
Good chick lit, read during Christmas break, and it had a lovely warm summery feel!
August 22, 2012
Loved it. chick lit it might be but it"s good all the same. Looking forward to the next installments
December 3, 2009
Easy read for bedtime/holidays
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews