There is a big difference, and a lot of growth as an author, between Liane Moriarty’s first work Three Wishes and her most current novel Big Little Lies. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy Wishes, it just means I sort of forgot the author of one of my favorite books wrote it half way through reading it because it was just OK.
Our story begins at a thirty fourth birthday party for the Kettle triplets, there is an argument that leads to a fork landing in a pregnant triplet’s stomach. We then rewind to the previous year and meet our sisters. Cat has been trying for a year to get pregnant; she offhandedly mentions to her husband, Dan, while watching a soap opera on TV that if he ever cheated on her she would have to know. Dan takes this as his opportunity to mention to twenty year old her recently slept with. Lyn is our successful triplet; she runs her own business, she has a wonderful husband, a not so wonderful stepdaughter and a mischievous toddler. Gemma is our flighty twin; no relationship of hers has lasted more than 6 months since her wedding was called off years earlier. Her new boyfriend, Charlie, looks like he’ll go the distance until a terrible connection he holds to the Kettle family is revealed.
Our narrative jumps from sister to sister which can be confusing if you’re having trouble keeping who is who straight. The stakes aren’t particularly high and like most Moriarty books everything is OK in the end; this is a harmless summer reads for an afternoon by the pool or the evening your husband decides to watch all the episodes of Ballers currently streaming on HBOGO.
Important follow up question: Is Ballers any good?