The Good Daughter

I loved The Good Woman(which was book 1 in the Brennan Sisters series,) but I not only loved The Good Daughter, I couldn't put it down. I had to finish it. I had to know what happened with the characters. Jane Porter always makes me feel like I know the characters and I care about them. In The Good Daughter, there is a lot of emotion, and I felt like I was going through the emotions with them. There were parts that made me cry, laugh, think, sigh, and even cheer. I don't want to give away any details, because part of the joy in reading this book was the characters and how they develop and change from the beginning to the end. Everytime I pick up a Jane Porter book, I know that I am going to like it, but I am always surprised at how much she is able to move me and make me connect with the characters. I always learn something about myself and this book was no exception!

Another incredible book from Jane Porter, who is one of my all-time favorite authors. The Good Daughter is the second book in the Brennan Sister Trilogy (and hopefully they’ll be a fourth book!). This one is about Kit, who surprise - is the good daughter of the family. She always tries to make everyone happy, keep the peace and stay under the radar….boring…except that under Porter’s gifted hand, she is so not boring. I think, so far, Kit is my favorite sister. She’s a teacher and a lover of books and she’s bravely started her life over at forty. She desperately wants to be a mother and contemplates whether she should just adopt, rather than settle for a man who’s not quite right. There were many things to love about this book. There’s guy, of course, who is super-hot and I loved him. Also, I was grateful that much of her family is still in the story – so we get to catch up on Meg & Jack, Tommy & Cass, as well as Sarah. Brianna calls in – and has some surprises of her own, which is another reason why we need a fourth book! Sadly, a significant portion of the book is spent on mom and dad, and mom’s losing battle to cancer. Some of it’s hard to read and I’ve already warned some of my friends who are in similar situations. In additional to cancer, there are a few other dark elements, which honestly surprised me. But Porter has a way of writing that compels you to keep reading. I just end up caring so much about her characters that I have to see that they’ll be okay. Also, I think these things showcased how strong and brave Kit is and how she’d do anything to help those in need. The book is a fast read, as always – started on Saturday, finished on Sunday. I can’t wait for book three, which comes out in September. I already miss the Brennan family!

The Good Daughter lived up to my expectations following The Good Woman. Fantastic series with lively characters you enjoy getting to know. I love meeting a family and wanting to read more and more about them. It's going to be very hard to wait for September for the third and final book in this trilogy and I know I won't want it to end!

  Kit Brennan has always been known as the good daughter by her other sisters.  She's a school teacher, loves to read and is always there for her family.  While in Capitola, where her family has a beach house, Kit meets Jude.  He’s everything she’s not and not someone that her family would approve of.  He’s a bad boy that wears a leather jacket, rides a motorcycle and has tattoos.  They couldn’t be more different, but there’s just something about him that draws Kit in.  Can opposites really attract?  Or are their lives too different? At school Kit gets a new student, Delilah.  She’s very withdrawn and not like the other kids.  Kit finds out that Delilah is hiding a very dark secret.  One that can threaten her very own well-being.  Kit is caught between wanting to do the right thing as a teacher and adult, but not wanting to do anything that would potentially put Delilah in harm’s way.   In the meantime, Kit is battling being single, but wanting a child of her own.  She has been seriously considering adoption, but not getting the support from her family.  They don’t think that a single parent should have a child and they’re not too keen on adoption.  Will Kit listen to her family’s advice or will she follow her heart? Once again, Jane Porter has written another 5 star worthy book.  This book is full of twists and turns, passion and romance and love and heartache.  The author does a great job touching on some serious subjects in a tasteful, respectful manner.  I really enjoyed reading this book and getting to know the Brennan sisters more.  I think it’s a story that many can relate to, but not a lot would admit to.  I would definitely recommend this book to others.  I would, however, suggest reading the first book in this series, The Good Woman, prior to this one.  It will give a better sense of the dynamic of the family.  I loved this book and read it in a day.  It was one that was hard to put down and you didn’t want to end.

A Lilac Wolf and Stuff Review The Good Daughter continues from the 1st story, The Good Woman, but it's from a different sister's perspective. These books are about the Brennan sisters. The first was about Meg and the mess she creates by having an affair. This continues where that ended but now it's from Kat's perspective. Kat is tired of waiting. She spent 10 years with a man who turned out to not really love her at all. He just wanted a girlfriend. She wanted a family. Now she's lost hope of ever finding someone. She does some real soul searching in this novel and makes some choices for herself even as she is watching her mom die from cancer. I do have to admit that I'm in love with this family. They aren't always perfect and it's presented in a realistic way. But they love each other and are close, it's the family I dream of having. Jane Porter has such a smooth writing style that there are never any boring spots, it's a real page-turner. I love how she can seamlessly go from one story about one sister right into the next about another sister. She did give a little peek at how Meg is doing, too. I truly love these Brennan Sisters books and can't wait for the next one. *fingers crossed* I can review that one, too! I wonder if she'll write about all the sisters?

The second book in the Brennan Sisters trilogy, focuses on Kit Brennan. Kit is about to turn forty and she is still single and without kids. She loves her job as a teacher at Memorial Catholic High School, but she is ready for a family. With her days filled with teaching, but at night and her weekends are filled with helping take care of her mother. Her mother, the woman she looks up to is dying of terminal cancer. Between her mother's illness and having gone on a number of bad dates Kit realizes maybe a husband isn't in her immediate future, but maybe a baby could be. Kit is considering adoption. After telling her girlfriends her plans to adopt, they push her to keep dating instead. Well to date everyone except that scary biker guy, Jude Knight. So instead she goes out with Michael. Michael, good looking, smart, appears to be perfect. The right kind of guy. Kit is the good daughter, maybe she should keep dating Michael even though she really wants bad boy Jude. Battling her own inner voice Kit unravels a childhood secret, one that may just finally free herself to trust her instincts. Jane Porter is one of my favorite authors. I've always enjoyed reading her books, but THE GOOD DAUGHTER is by far my favorite novel by her. Maybe it's because I connected to Kit so much. I was privileged enough to take care of my mother was dying of terminal breast cancer. The scenes with Kit and her mother were so well written, so truthful...I was laughing while still wiping away my tears. This is a very different book, than THE GOOD WOMAN (the first book in the series). This for me was a page turner. I wanted to know if Kit would give in and go for Jude, how Kit would deal with her relationship with Michael. There is an issue with one of Kit's students and you want to see how that whole story unfolds. I didn't want to say good bye to the end of this book and I don't get that a whole lot, but I am very happy to know THE GOOD WIFE will be out this fall and I get to catch up with the sisters again. I HIGHLY recommend!

4.5 stars. In The Good Daughter, the second installment of the Brennan Sisters trilogy, Jane Porter brings her readers another novel that is as heartwarming as it is poignant. It a journey of self-discovery for middle sister Kit as she struggles with an impending loss, unsettling memories from her past and what she wants for her future. In The Good Woman, high school English teacher Kit Brennan broke up with her longtime live in boyfriend. She is quite close to her family and she shares a tight bond with her sisters. As the middle daughter, Kit is the family peacemaker. Her twin sister, Brianna, is the family wild child while Kit is content to stay out of the limelight. She does not do anything to rock the boat and she is not very assertive. But all of that begins to change when Kit meets a man that her family most likely will not approve of. Kit is very reflective in The Good Daughter. Her forays into the dating scene ended with disastrous results and she is contemplating what she wants for her future. With the purchase of her first home and with a few successful home renovations under her belt, she realizes she does not need a man in her life. What Kit really desires is a family and she knows what she is considering will not go over very well with her rather conservative and very Catholic family. The two men that Kit meets prove that appearances can be deceiving. Michael Dempsey is a clean cut professional and new to the area. Kit is not really interested in dating, but she has a hard time saying no so she agrees to go on a date with him. Kit is quite uncomfortable with some of the things he reveals and she realizes that something is not quite right about Michael. The other new man in Kit’s life is Jude. He is sexy and mysterious. A bad boy biker type that Kit is drawn to despite the fact that he is nothing at all like anyone she knows. Like many people, Kit is guilty of judging someone based on their appearance, so she quickly dismisses the possibility of any type of relationship with Jude. Eventually Kit’s personal and professional lives converge and both men play key roles in this part of the storyline. We discover the secrets both men are hiding and Kit learns a lot about herself as the story arc plays out. The Brennan family remains on the periphery for much of The Good Daughter. While Kit shares many scenes with her parents, most of the interactions with sisters Meg, Sarah and Brianna are mainly on the telephone. Her brother Tommy and his wife Cass are still at an impasse in their struggle with infertility. Brianna is dealing with a health issue of some kind. Neither Brianna and Kit have yet to come to terms with an incident from their childhood. The Good Daughter is full of deep emotions and some of the scenes moved me to tears. Jane Porter provides Kit with a happily ever after ending, but the remaining unresolved storylines will leave readers impatiently awaiting the next book of the Brennan Sisters trilogy which is scheduled for release later this year.

Perfection! I loved The Good Woman, so I was eager to read The Good Daughter, but I didn't think there was any way I could enjoy it as much as the first. Little did I know that this book would exceed all my expectations. We meet Kit in the first Brennan Sisters book, and she's sweet. Nice enough, very helpful, supportive, and the kind of woman you'd want to be friends with. In The Good Daughter, we find that Kit has an extraordinarily complex story and a rich inner life that I just didn't expect. I won't spoil the book for those of you who haven't read it, but I'll tell you that this book made me laugh, cry, and grip the chair cushions in suspense. This is definitely one of Jane's best books to date, and that's saying a lot! Jude Knight also happens to be one of my favorite heroes...as a lifelong fan of the bad boy, I definitely appreciated the love story in this novel. All in all, The Good Daughter is a beautifully written, intensely personal, gripping look at one woman's life, career, and family at 40. I can't wait for the next book. September can't come soon enough!

It's the last book of a series that left me wanting more. I hope the author writes at least a one or two more books about the Brennan Sisters.

I think this is a very good book

I love Jane Porter and have read her for a very long time. I love her books about family or extended friends in which you really connect with the characters. And I liked this book, however some of the aspects, (I don't want to give everything away) of Kit's professional actions didn't ring true to me as an educator and the mother of children in a Catholic school. Also, the end is wrapped up without any true resolution of conflict between Kit and Jude that was not fully fleshed out to make it believable. It seemed as if Porter didn't want to exceed a specific page limit and thought, "Oh, gosh, I've got to wrap this up."

I really wanted to read this book partly because of the title The Good Daughter, I consider myself a good daughter so it caught my eye. However I wanted to read Jane Porter’s latest work even more after I read a little bit about. I was so into this book that I kept losing track of time. I get involved in a lot of books, but this one kept me hooked all the way through. I hated to put it down when I had to do something else. Kit is a loving, caring, nurturing, busy teacher turning 40. I felt a connection to Kit right away and what all she is going through. She’s dealing with her mother’s illness that isn’t going to get any better, she has a child in her class that is in a bad situation that she’s trying to help, and she’s tired of dating losers. She also wants to be a mother and she’s ready to become a mother even if she has to adopt and be a single mother. You can tell Kit has what it takes to be a good Mom. Watching Kit interact with her family shows us a great view of a loving family that is always there for one and another. Kit takes care of her Mom for a week while the family has another commitment. This part has some emotional moments. Keep the Kleenex handy. When Kit is trying to save Delilah the girl that she knows has family problems she meets Jude. Jude isn’t Kit’s idea of the perfect man for her at all but she can’t control her feelings. She finds herself falling for Jude. Jude is a good guy with a Bad Boy imagine. How can you not like a Hot Bad Boy with a good heart? He too is also trying to help Delilah, he’s the next door neighbor to her family. Jane Porter has wrote a fabulous story. This book is part of a series but I didn’t have any trouble following along with out reading the book before this one. After reading this book I will certainly be looking for the first book in this series and anxiously awaiting the next book. This book has a lot of emotion in it, wow I just really enjoyed this book and would recommend it. I think you’ll enjoy it.

I enjoyed this book until the last 50 pages. I felt that the author had fallen asleep, and decided to tell a totally different story when she awakened. The author went off on tangents that made no sense. Kit, the teacher in the story made VERY stupid (excuse me) mistakes for someone who was supposed to be bright. The author left many unanswered questions and even introduced parts of the story that were never fully addressed. Finished the book feeling like I wasn't sure what I'd just read. Disappointed~

I loved the second installment of the Brennan Sisters. The author continues to develop the characters in this strong family. There are twists and turns, and a special guy named Jude. I couldn't put the book down and can't wait for the third book.

Great story...must read!!!

Jane Porter’s second novel in the Brennan Sisters series is a joy to read and share. Thank you to Jane and Book Sparks PR for sending me a copy for a review. Synopsis: Kit is the good daughter. She is the peacemaker of the family and helps out with her mom’s illness. She also teaches high school English at Memorial. Lately, Kit is feeling restless and is about to turn forty. Recent events in her life make her wonder if she will ever find marriage and a family? On a holiday at the beach house in Capitola; Kit meets a man who appears to come from the wrong side of the tracks. Her friends warn her to stay away but will she? Then a student in her classroom is having difficulties at home. Will Kit be able to help her? My Thoughts: This novel is a page turner. Ms. Porter brings her characters to life with her wonderful descriptions and witty insides. I could not have been happier with the second installment in the series. Kit is a character that I can truly identify with some of her trials. The places I struggled were the choices that the characters in this novel made. This only makes for a great read. The plot describes a single woman who has had struggles with various relationships in her life. One that particularly hit home is being in your late thirties and still on the dating scene. Many women could identify with Kit’s struggles.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Though it is a sequel, it can also stand alone as a single book. The pacing and subject matter were so different from the first book. I'm looking forward to the third installment!

The second book in the Brennan trilogy follows a different sister than the first book, but picks up about where the first book left off. Again, Jane Porter did a wonderful job of catching my interest and getting me, once again, emotionally attached to Kit in the same way she got me attached to Meg in the first book. This book was a real page turner - I just couldn't put it down. I found myself itching to have time to read so I could try to get to the end of the book to see how it all turned out. I am definitely looking forward to the next Brennan novel.

Kit Brennan is a Catholic school teacher who has recently come out of a 10 year dead end relationship and a brief period of bad dates. She’s struggling with taking care of her sick mother, being there for everyone in her family and trying to decide whether or not she wants to be a single mother. On a weekend getaway with some girlfriends she meets Jude. She’s attracted to him but brushes off his interest as doing the right thing. Much to her surprise, when there’s trouble with one of her students, Jude shows up in her life again and she struggles with her feelings for him and the thoughts that her family wouldn’t like him and thinking that he wasn’t the right kind of guy for her. I loved Kit! I think she might be my favorite Brennan sister. She’s easy to identify with from her need to be there for and putting everyone else’s needs above her own to her decisions on wanting to adopt a child as a single mother. Dealing with a mother who is sick, a date with a man who turns out to be the father of one of her students and moving forward with the adoption process, Kit has a lot to deal with. When Jude re-enters her life she tells herself all the reasons why he’s not the right person for her, but that doesn’t help her need to be with him. Jude, in the meantime, tells her that there can never be a future for them and does his best to stay away from her because he isn’t what she needs. Jane Porter did another AMAZING job with The Good Daughter. It was another book that I couldn’t put down and read it in a day. The very real life situations that she dealt with in the story easily connect the reader with the characters. The simmering attraction between Kit and Jude was great and I loved them together! I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series and can’t wait to see where Jane Porter takes us next in the lives of The Brennan Sisters!

Jane Porter in the Good Daughter addresses the misconceptions of first impressions. Once the stage is set and all the characters connect, it is hard to put down and leaves you hanging for the release of the Good Wife. Jane is able to include in her books, everyday situation’s that you are able to easily picture having to deal with on a daily bases. Kit’s has to deal with family expectations, sister rivalry, the dating scene, hard decisions and Catholic upbringing of worrying what everyone else thinks. I do agree that Jude has to be my favorite male hero. He has strong values to do the right thing and not turn the other check, which is so common in society today! Which leads to Michael, who is a perfect perception to society and evil behind the scenes.  

Being the peacemaker and giver of the Brennan family has never been difficult for Kit. It is truly a natural gift she has received from God. But being the giver in life and “settling” has not given her the things she needs to feel whole. At 40 years old, she is faced with bitter truths and the need for reflection. Kit values her Catholic faith, her family/friends, and her students. She touches the hearts of each person she meets, but will she ever get “her” needs met? I hope you will take this journey with Kit as she pushes thru with her nonjudgmental personality and discovers a beautiful gift that God has selected just for her. As usual Jane Porter has not disappointed her captive audience.

Can't wait for the next book to come out.