The Language of Sisters

From acclaimed author Cathy Lamb comes a warm and thoughtful novel about the secrets that can break or unite a family—and the voices that resonate throughout our lives...

Toni Kozlovsky can’t explain how she knows exactly what her sisters are feeling—only that the connection seems to happen out of the blue, just when they need it most. Since Toni, Valerie, and Ellie were little girls growing up in Communist Russia, their parents have insisted it’s simply further proof that the Kozlovskys are special and different.

Now a crime and justice reporter, Toni lives on a yellow tugboat on Oregon’s Willamette River. As far as her parents are concerned, the pain of their old life and their dangerous escape should remain buried in the Moscow they left behind, as should the mysterious past of their adopted brother, Dmitry. But lately, Toni’s talent for putting on a smile isn’t enough to keep memories at bay.

Valerie, a prosecuting attorney, wages constant war against the wrongs she could do nothing about as a child. Youngest sister Ellie is engaged to marry an Italian, breaking her mother’s heart in the process. Toni fears she’s about to lose her home, while the hard edged DEA agent down the dock keeps trying to break through her reserve. Meanwhile, beneath the culture clashes and endearing quirks within her huge, noisy, loving family are deeper secrets that Toni has sworn to keep—even from the one person she longs to help most.

As poignant as it is humorous, The Language of Sisters explores the echoes of the past that can cling to the present—and how love, laughter, and family can rescue us time and again.

OUTSTANDING PRAISE FOR CATHY LAMB AND HER NOVELS

IF YOU COULD SEE WHAT I SEE
“Lamb’s story is earnest, heartwarming and, at times, heartbreaking.”--RT Book Reviews

THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF MY LIFE
“The blending of three or more generations and the secrets they harbor keeps this story moving briskly, culminating in a satisfying ending that makes us believe that despite heartache and angst, there can be such a thing as happily ever after.”--New York Journal of Books

SUCH A PRETTY FACE
“Stevie’s a winning heroine.”--Publishers Weekly

HENRY’S SISTERS
An Indie Next List Notable Book

“A story of strength and reconciliation and change.”--The Sunday Oregonian

“If you loved Terms of Endearment, the Ya Ya Sisterhood, and Steel Magnolias, you will love Henry’s Sisters. Cathy Lamb just keeps getting better and better.”--The Three Tomatoes Book Club

THE LAST TIME I WAS ME
“Charming.”—Publishers Weekly

JULIA’S CHOCOLATES
“Julia's Chocolates is wise, tender, and very funny. In Julia Bennett, Cathy Lamb has created a deeply wonderful character, brave and true. I loved this beguiling novel about love, friendship and the enchantment of really good chocolate.”—Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author