Sissie Klein Is Completely Normal: A Novel

by Kris Clink

Overview

Perfect for fans of Robyn Carr’s Virgin River Series, the author of Goodbye, Lark Lovejoy returns with a stirring story of a mother’s enduring love, a family’s betrayal, and the ultimate act of forgiveness.

One mistake can steal your innocence. One promise can plague a friendship. One secret can tear apart a family.

Sissie Klein barely remembers the night that tore her from the carefree life she knew. Not long after the shocked teen is pushed into marriage, she’s rushed to the hospital where a catastrophic delivery seals her destiny.

Sissie is determined to give her daughter the opportunities she forfeited, but some fates can’t be avoided. Tragedy strikes, leaving behind a legacy of deceit—and an orphaned toddler.

Told with heartbreaking honesty and shrewd humor, Sissie Klein Is Completely Normal examines the ties that bind us—some inherited, others chosen—none without their share of agonizing tangles.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781684630998
Publisher:	SparkPress
Publication date:	11/09/2021
Series:	The Enchanted Rock Series , #2
Pages:	392
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Kris Clink’s relatable characters rely on humor and tenderness to navigate complicated relationships. Set in middle America, her novels are laced with romance, heartbreak, and just enough snarky humor to rock the boat. When not writing, Kris spends her time searching for an open karaoke mic and an understanding audience. Her pups run the house Kris shares with her doctor husband, who’s stretching his skills as an editor-in-training. Kris is a mom, an empty nester, and a huge fan of Willie Nelson. She loves talking about writing and books, and looks forward to attending your book club by Zoom until she can meet you in person. Kris lives in Wichita, Kansas.

Editorial Reviews

A warmhearted tale about second chances that will satisfy fans of romance and family dramas.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Reading Sissie Klein Is Completely Normal feels a lot like coming home. Kris Clink's stories are filled with warmth, heart, and characters you'd swear are real people. Don't miss this lovely book!”
—Trish Doller, author of Float Plan

“Sissie Klein Is Completely Normal is a bittersweet and compulsively readable reminder that no matter what life may hand you, it’s never too late to carve your own path. Kris Clink is a gifted storyteller and I can’t wait to read what she writes next.”
—Camille Pagán, best-selling author of Don't Make Me Turn This Life Around

Once again, Clink delivers a beautifully crafted story, rich with family drama and all the emotions that come with it. Told with impeccably sharp wit, superb dialogue, and unrelenting heart, Sissie Klein Is Completely Normal is sure to keep readers up too late, eager to turn to the next page.”
—Bethany Crandell, author of See Jane Snap

“A quaint and heartfelt exploration of familial devotion and the sacrifices parents will make for their children. If you love contemporary relationship fiction, this book is for you.”
—Suzanne Park, author of Loathe at First Sight

“Seeing another angle of Lark Lovejoy was so much fun! Three cheers for Sissie finding her way to her heart!”
—Leah DeCesare, author of Forks, Knives, and Spoons

“Kris Clink's lyrical writing draws us into the life of Sissie Klein, whose life is upended when she finds herself pregnant at sixteen. With wit and humor, we root for Sissie through the years, meeting wonderfully drawn and flawed characters along the way.”
—Lyn Liao Butler, author of The TIger Mom's Tale

“Kris Clink skillfully creates characters that jump off the page—real and relatable—and the charming Sissie Klein is no exception. Readers will cheer for funny and flawed Sissie as she's set on a course that challenges her every expectation. Fans of women’s fiction and family stories will fall in love with Sissie Klein Is Completely Normal.”
—Sarahlyn Bruck, author of Designer You and Daytime Drama

“I loved the characters in this book. They jumped off the page with such authenticity that sometimes it was hard to forget they were fictitious. I can summarize this book in one word: inspiring.”
—Zibby Owens, creator and host of award-winning podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books

Praise for Goodbye, Lark Lovejoy:

“A wonderful new voice in women’s fiction.”
—Kristan Higgins, author of Life and Other Inconveniences

“I didn’t want to say goodbye to Lark and the cast of characters in Kris Clink’s debut.”
—Leah DeCesare, author of Forks, Knives, and Spoons

“You’ll want to say hello to these charming, complicated, and refreshingly flawed characters.”
—Amy E. Reichert, author of The Optimist’s Guide to Letting Go

From the Publisher

2021-08-06
After getting pregnant at age 16, a young woman tries to make the most of the hand that life has dealt her in this novel.

Sissie Klein may have been date-raped. She’s not sure because she was so drunk that she can’t remember what happened after she and her best friend, Della Castro, went out on the town. When she wakes up naked the next morning in 23-year-old Caleb Dietrich’s apartment, she’s focused only on getting out of there. Unfortunately, a few weeks later, she has a bad virus that prompts a blood test, and she learns that she’s not going to be able to put the night behind her because she’s pregnant. After considering her various options, Sissie decides to keep the child, and her father effectively bullies Caleb into taking responsibility for the baby and Sissie. For reasons that aren’t entirely convincing, Sissie soon agrees to marry Caleb, and they begin to follow a traditional path. Caleb finds a job nearby, and Sissie takes on the role of homemaker. Their baby girl is born; years go by; and they gradually settle into a routine as a normal family. It seems Sissie may have made the right choice marrying Caleb after all, until a tragic accident occurs and she learns devastating secrets about the man she thought had become a perfect husband and father. Told in the first person throughout, Clink’s narrative takes readers on a journey through multiple decades as Sissie navigates a life that developed all because of one wild night in high school. The author creates relatable, rounded characters and dives deep into their thoughts. There are certain topics that would have benefited from further exploration, like Sissie’s feelings about her first sexual encounter with Caleb or the fact that her father, in many ways, becomes the villain of the tale. Similarly, many intriguing subplots are left with unanswered or dangling storylines. Even so, the narrative’s insightful examination of the relationship between maturity and self-sacrifice is expertly wrought, and Sissie is so likable that readers can’t help but root for her all the way to the end.

A warmhearted tale about second chances that will satisfy fans of romance and family dramas.

Kirkus Reviews