Sisterchicks in Gondolas (Sisterchicks Series #6) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "From the minute-and I do mean the very minute-that Sue and I exited the Santa Lucia train terminal an unexpected sense of confidence filled me..." (more)
Key Phrases: Campo Apostoli, Grand Canal, San Marco Square (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product 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!

Discussion guide included

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.

About the Author

Robin Jones Gunn is a God-lover who has been telling stories all her life and writing them down for publication the past twenty years. A world traveler and mom of a grown son and daughter, Robin confesses she’s still crazy about her husband after twenty-nine years of doing life together.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Publishers (May 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590525051
• ISBN-13: 978-1590525050
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #124,244 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FAITH-FILLED FUN FROM THE CANALS OF VENICE, March 25, 2006

By	Heather Ivester (Georgia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Venice ... as Gunn says, is "the city that Italy wears proudly like a diamond-studded broach on the cuff of her tall boot." From the very first page of this book, I felt like I was whisked away to the land of canals and chilled Italian gelato ice cream. It was almost comical how I could actually hear the sweet sounds of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" being played by an Italian violinist every time I opened the book.

The setting in the jewel of Italy is magnificent, and the characters captivated me as well. Jenna and Sue have been sisters-in-law for almost 30 years, yet their friendship has become tightly knit only in the last five. In exchange for cooking for a group on a retreat, the women are invited to stay in a 15th-century restored palace on a quiet Venician canal. The descriptions of this palace are breathtaking.

What's even more fun is that Sue and Jenna decide to sleep on the roof of the palace, since the other guests need all the bedroom space. And we're right there with them. Narrator Jenna says, "The evening air swirled with the scent of salt air and garlic. Accordian music floated our way from one of the alleyways..."

Not only do readers get to enjoy the scenery, we're also gently pulled along into the author's deep Christian faith. While on the rooftop, Jenna ponders her relationship with God. She remembers how He comforted her years ago when her husband left her with a newborn daughter to raise. Even though she'd prayed fervently for her marriage to be restored, she was left alone, as a single mom. Yet God carried her through the years.

Her sister-in-law, Sue, is also entering a new season of life as the caretaker of her husband. Both women find rejuvenation in the sights, sounds, and tastes of Italy, and their journey is one that readers around the world can relate to.

I couldn't get enough of this wonderful, faith-driven writing. And it's laugh-out-loud funny too! Now I've become a new Sisterchicks fan, and I can't wait to read the other books in this bestselling series.





- Reviewed by Heather Ivester for Mom 2 Mom Connection, www.mom2momconnection.com

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Armchair traveling at its finest!, May 11, 2006

By	Christian Book Previews.com "Christian Book P... - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Readers who love exploring the world will relish the pages of Robin Jones Gunn's Sisterchicks in Gondolas. Finding God's purpose in mid-life transition emerges as the main theme, as two sisters-in-law share a retreat along the dreamy canals of Venice. Both have experienced recent disappointments and even tragedy, yet their faith prospers during their Italian adventure.

When Jenna receives an invitation from a mission organization to volunteer in Venice, she invites her sister-in-law, Sue, to join her. In exchange for cooking for the group, the women are invited to stay in a 15th-century restored palace. Deep spiritual growth takes place as the women talk and pray while sleeping beneath the stars on the palace rooftop.

The retreat allows the women time to explore the winding roads their lives have taken. Jenna was left by her husband and spent years in bitterness as a single mom. Yet she shares with Sue how God's "abiding Spirit was like the moon. A sliver of comfort and light rising even on the darkest night." Sue is also emerging from her own nightmare, facing the years ahead as a caregiver for her husband, who barely survived a debilitating accident.

Through friendship and the refreshment of travel, both women sense a new plan God has in store for them. They share a dream of serving Him through helping other women in trying circumstances. Their newfound joy is contagious, spilling into the hearts of readers.

It's not surprising at all that Gunn's Sisterchicks series has sold over three million copies worldwide. Her faith-driven writing offers a wealth of insight. I'd recommend this book to anyone experiencing a major life transition or wanting to experience armchair traveling at its finest. -- Heather Ivester, Christian Book Previews.com

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Uplifting and hilarious!, August 5, 2006

By	Diane Slusher "mamaslush" (Applegate, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have read everything Robin Jones Gunn has written...I laughed, cried and cheered through the Christi Miller and Sierra Jensen books with my young teen-age daughter (who is now all grown up). We both loved the Glenbrooke series. And now...I've read every one of the SisterChicks books. I want to go on a trip with a friend like that! Robin makes the cities come alive...she makes sisterhood/friendship into an incredible treasure, and she uses scripture in a way to challenge, uplift and encourage the readers. Keep it up!