Beth & Amy by Virginia Kantra: The modern retake on Little Women and the second novel in the March Sisters 
Series, explores the lives and struggles of younger siblings Beth and Amy, who have grown up in their older sisters’ shadows. Both girls return home for older sister Jo’s wedding; Beth leaving her boyfriend Colt on tour having vomited on stage after being struck with stage fright, and Amy leaving her successful business in the hands of others, nervous about seeing lifetime crush Trey again. Naturally, both are overjoyed to be returning home despite their successes elsewhere and it isn’t until things heat up that their childhood insecurities play a huge hand in shaping the drama that unfolds.
For all intents and purposes Beth’s life appears to be quite the fairytale given her music success – yet, boyfriend Colt is something of a self-absorbed talent leech who is used to getting his own way and whose musical fame results from Beth’s talented song writing ability. But her real struggles aren’t seen and she suffers alone, swept up in the shadows and demons of her mental health nightmare. Alternatively, Amy, bright, determined and business savvy, knows she needs to strike a financial deal with her Aunt Phee realising she can’t take things to the next level unless she has that kind of financial support. The catch is of course, Aunt Phee will only give her the money if she leaves New York and returns home to Bunyan for good. To add to Amy’s complex decision is her love tangle with Trey, who she has loved her whole life, and who just also happens to be Jo’s ex-boyfriend.
From start to finish, Beth and Amy’s story was swathed in classic elements of sister rivalry and yet, at its core all four sisters were on different, albeit equally valid journeys in finding who they are as adults underpinned by the love they shared for each other.
Sister bond, the complication of loving someone yet always feeling like you will never measure up, were the key themes explored, along with the idea that self-judgement and inferiority complexes in families, are the things that both make us and break us. Both Amy and Beth were uniquely crafted, and despite their sibling issues, had very different goals in life – making it all the more rich and engaging. And whilst there were moments that were incredibly frustrating and at times too clean, there was so much to love about our two younger March sisters that was both reminiscent and yet completely fresh from the classic original .
On the whole, any woman who is lucky enough to have a sister or two will feel a strange sense of familiarity about this one and the overarching element of unconditional love will no doubt ring very true, serving to remind us that our family is the most important thing and to listen when our sisters don’t know they need to be heard.
Book Info:
Publication: 11th May 2021 | Berkley | The March Sisters #2
Amy March is more like her older sister Jo than she’d like to admit. An up-and-coming designer in New York’s competitive fashion industry, ambitious Amy is determined to get out of her sisters’ shadow and keep her distance from their North Carolina hometown. But when Jo’s wedding forces her home, she must face what she really wants…and confront the One Big Mistake that could upend her life and forever change her relationship with Jo.
Gentle, unassuming Beth grew up as the good girl of the family. A talented singer-songwriter, she’s overcome her painful anxiety to tour with country superstar Colt Henderson. But life on the road has taken its toll on her health and their relationship. Maybe a break to attend her sister’s wedding will get her out of her funk. But Beth realizes that what she’s looking for and what she needs are two very different things….
With the March women reunited, this time with growing careers and families, they must once again learn to lean on one another as they juggle the changes coming their way.
