This book was a great read and once you get started, it really is hard to put down. Even with a toddler in the house I somehow managed to read it in about two days.I was attracted to the book by the blurb, it seemed quirky enough that I would like, and I saw there was an overbearing mother in the picture. Having one myself I was interested. I have to say that the character of 'Momma' and the affect she has on her children seems very authentic. I could understand why Rose, the daughter that stayed behind to care for the cruel mother, was the way she was, and why her sister 'the one who got away' was the way she was too. I liked how the dynamic plays out later in the book between the sisters and found them particularly engaging.The characters are very real. None of them 100% perfect all of the time. Sometimes they infuriate you or make you slap her head, while in the next scene make you giddy, or a little teary.The book is often witty and Rose's take on situations are sometimes laugh out loud funny. There are some twists and many secrets revealed throughout the book. Some more unexpected than others, but once revealed, you definitely feel an 'ah-ha' moment. The scenes are described beautifully, never with more description than needed, which is just what I like. I've been known to only glaze over overly descriptive passages in most of the books I read, so this was a definite plus for me.I'd recommend the book to anyone who likes a coming of age story, murder mystery, or a romance. Rose a great heroine who is stronger than she thinks right from the beginning. It'll be interesting to see with her new found confidence where the next book in the series will take her.