California Girls

Add the cream, egg and extract and mix by hand or by machine on low speed just until a dough forms, then gently fold in the almonds and raisins. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly 5–10 times, just until the dough is smooth. Do not overwork.

Divide dough into two balls. Pat one ball into a 9-inch circle, smoothing the exterior edges. Plop half the filling in the center and spread into a circle, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Fold the circle in half and press the borders together. Cut into 6 wedges. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the other ball of dough. Bake until golden brown, about 12–14 minutes.





Questions for Discussion

These questions contain spoilers about the story, so it’s recommended that you don’t read them until after you’ve finished California Girls.

        Finola was the first of the sisters to be dumped, and in a truly jolting way. What did you think of the way she reacted to her husband’s pronouncement, then Treasure’s? How do you think you would have reacted in those circumstances? Did you admire Finola’s professionalism,

or did you wish she had reacted differently?

    What were the similarities and differences between each of the three sisters’ breakup moments and the days that followed?

    How would you describe the sisters’ relationship? How did it evolve as the story developed?

    At the start of the book, Zennie is annoyed that the world seems to insist that people pair up two by two. Do you think that a romantic relationship is essential to a happy life? Why or why not? Do you know people who are happily single? By the end, of course, Zennie has found true love. How did you feel about that?

    Would you ever carry a baby for someone else? Why or why not? What would you think if your daughter, sister or close friend agreed to carry someone else’s baby? How would you advise her? How would you support her?

    Ali struggled with feelings of invisibility all her life. Could you relate to that? Do you think her parents really did each have a favorite child, or did Ali misinterpret that? Explain your thoughts. How did falling in love with Daniel change her view of herself?

    What did you think about Daniel when he first appeared in the book? Did your feelings about him change as you continued to read?

    What surprised you about California Girls? What made you laugh? Which scenes brought tears to your eyes?

    With which sister do you share the most in common? Give some examples.

    Although Mary Jo wasn’t a point-of-view character in the book, she certainly made her perspective very clear. Why do you think she wanted grandchildren so much? What did you think of the way the story resolved for her, reuniting with a lost love and getting a grandchild in a most unexpected way?

    What lessons did you take away from this book, if any? Did it make you think about your own life in a different way? How so?

    Susan Mallery has a long-standing promise to her readers that every book she writes will end in a satisfying way, with the main characters in a better place at the end than they were at the beginning (and lots of surprises along the way). Unusually, in California Girls, that meant that Finola got a divorce. Do you think that was the right ending for Finola’s story? Why or why not? What about the other sisters? Did Zennie and Ali get the endings they deserved?



#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery delivers a heartfelt new novel about twin sisters overcoming their disastrous love lives and finding their true happiness.

Enjoy this preview of The Summer of Sunshine & Margot.





Summer of Sunshine & Margot

by Susan Mallery





Chapter One


Social interactions fell into two categories—easy or awkward. Easy was knowing what to say and do, and how to act. Easy was witty small talk or an elegant compliment. Awkward social interactions, on the other hand, were things like sneezing in your host’s face or stepping on the cat or spilling red wine on a white carpet. Or any carpet, for that matter. Margot Baxter prided herself on knowing how to make any situation fall into the easy category. Professionally, of course. In her professional life she totally kicked butt. Personally—not so much. If she were being completely honest, she would have to admit that on most days her personal life fell firmly in the awkward category, which was why she never mixed business and pleasure and rarely bothered with pleasure at all. If it wasn’t going to go well, why waste the time?

But work was different. Work was where the magic happened and she was the one behind the curtain, moving all the levers. Not in a bad way, she added silently. Just that she was about empowering her clients—helping them realize it was all about confidence, and sometimes finding confidence required a little help.

She turned onto the street where her nav system directed her, then blinked twice as she stared at the huge double gates stretching across a freeway-wide driveway. She’d been told the private residence had originally been a monastery built in the eighteen hundreds, but she hadn’t expected it to be so huge. She’d been thinking more “extra-big house with a guest cottage and maybe a small orchard.” What she faced instead was a three-story, Spanish-style former church/monastery with two turrets, acres of gardens and an actual parking lot for at least a dozen cars.

“Who are these people?” she asked out loud, even as she already knew the answer. Before interviewing a potential client, she always did her research. Overdid it, some would say, a criticism she could live with. Margot liked being thorough. And on time. And tidy. And, according to some, annoying.

Margot pressed the call button on the electronic pad mounted perpendicular to the gate and waited until a surprisingly clear voice said, “May I help you?”

“I’m Margot Baxter. I have an appointment with Mr. Alec Mcnicol.”

“Yes, Ms. Baxter. He’s expecting you.”