Three Wishes: A Novel

From Publishers Weekly

Three chick-lit heroines are better than one in Moriarty's witty debut starring Sydney-based triplets Cat, Gemma and Lyn Kettle. Borrowing a convention from mystery novels, Moriarty opens with a prologue whose events must be explained through subsequent chapters: in this case, what led one sis to imbed a fondue fork in another sis's pregnant belly at their 34th birthday celebration dinner? Moriarty gleefully describes the triplets' turbulent previous year, which forces them to abandon the roles they've played since childhood. Sarcastic and abrasive marketing executive Cat must grapple with her husband Dan's affair, a miscarriage and a drinking problem, while flighty Gemma, a full-time house sitter, probes her fears of commitment when she meets charming locksmith Charlie. Lyn, a successful entrepreneur, wife and mother, has perfected the art of time management ("Sex with husband. Check"), but she's quietly seized by bouts of panic. Despite such unoriginal problems, Moriarty's novel is a winning combination of smart-alecky fun and feel-good mush (mostly the former). Her writing is smart and playful ("Death was the hot bath you promised yourself while you endured small talk and uncomfortable shoes"), her characters are quirky and lovable and her clever plot turns—like the rekindled love between the triplets' divorced parents—are fun. Convenient coincidences and a general predictability don't distract too much from the sassy pleasures.

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From Booklist

The Kettle sisters are a strange sight when they are together--a beautiful set of triplets, with two identical and one fraternal. Over the course of their thirty-third year, their lives all take turns no one could foresee. Lyn's perfectly scheduled and organized life begins to fray as debilitating panic attacks come on suddenly in parking lots; Cat, Lyn's identical twin, thinks her marriage is indestructible until her husband admits to having an affair with a young law student; and Gemma, who acts much younger than her sisters, goes from job to job and can't sustain a relationship with a man for longer than six months. Separately, they are strong, independent women struggling with divorce, pregnancy, parents, and jobs. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with as they fight with passion, laugh with gusto, and push each other to be their best selves. Moriarty's first novel, written with wisdom, humor, and sincerity, is an honest look at sisters who have a bond stronger than anything life throws their way. Carolyn Kubisz

Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

“Three funny heroines are three times the fun.” — Dallas Morning News

“An entertaining exploration of an offbeat, yet surprisingly ordinary, family. You’ll long to make friends with these delightful young women.” — Woman's Day

“Moriarty’s first novel, written with wisdom, humor, and sincerity, is an honest look at sisters who have a bond stronger than anything life throws their way.” — Booklist

“A joyful, bighearted valentine to sisters. Full of charm and cleverness, Three Wishes is a rich, enticing birthday cake of a book.” — Patricia Gaffney, bestselling author of The Saving Graces

“I adored Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty... it’s fresh, very, very funny, accessible and entertaining. But it’s also intelligent and unsentimental about family dynamics." — Marian Keyes, bestselling author of Under the Duvet

“A funny, wry, touching tale of triplets. . . . Each of the beautifully drawn characters is so vividly alive, their triumph becomes your own.” — Australian Women's Weekly

"A compelling story. Once you’ve started this, you won’t want to put it down.” — Cleo

"Three Wishes is a funny, light novel drawing on themes that anyone who has struggled with their identity as part of, and separate from, their family will thoroughly enjoy.” — Good Reading (Australia)

“A quick read and a great debut.” — San Antonio Express-News

“Moriarty has written a cheeky, chunky first novel with wit, humor and a lively story that is just the thing to stick in a beach bag.” — Melbourne Herald Sun

“I adored Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty... it’s fresh, very, very funny, accessible and entertaining. But it’s also intelligent and unsentimental about family dynamics. Moriarty doesn’t pull any punches, and I appreciated how she didn’t produce any last-minute sugar-coating out of the hat. I really did believe in the strength of the characters to pull through; in fact it made me believe in the resilience of the human race!” — Marian Keyes, author of Sushi For Beginners and Under the Duvet

From the Back Cover

A New York Times bestseller, Three Wishes is the funny, heartwarming and completely charming first novel from Liane Moriarty, also the author of #1 New York Times bestsellers The Husband's Secret and Big Little Lies.

Lyn, Cat, and Gemma Kettle, beautiful thirty-three-year-old triplets, seem to attract attention everywhere they go. Together, laughter, drama, and mayhem seem to follow them. But apart, each is dealing with her own share of ups and downs. Lyn has organized her life into one big checklist, Cat has just learned a startling secret about her marriage, and Gemma, who bolts every time a relationship hits the six-month mark, holds out hope for lasting love. In this wise, witty, and hilarious novel, we follow the Kettle sisters through their tumultuous thirty-third year as they deal with sibling rivalry and secrets, revelations and relationships, unfaithful husbands and unthinkable decisions, and the fabulous, frustrating life of forever being part of a trio.

--Marian Keyes, bestselling author of Under the Duvet

About the Author

Liane Moriarty is the number-one New York Times bestselling author of Big Little Lies, The Husband's Secret, and What Alice Forgot, as well as The Hypnotist's Love Story, Three Wishes, The Last Anniversary, and the Nicola Berry series for children. Liane lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two children. www.lianemoriarty.com.au