Thirty-nine-year-old Jesse was a bartender and tattoo artist having the worst time of her life. No home and no job. Her estranged forty-one-year-old sister, Jennifer, had her life together with a beautiful family, but it wasn’t all perfect. She was dying inside. Out of the blue, the sisters received a call telling them that their deadbeat mother had died, leaving them a large inheritance. However, the estranged sisters must shelve their differences, find their new brother, and complete a prescribed journey to claim the estate. The siblings had only one week to fulfill the task or lose the bequest to charity. It was a race against time. Will they succeed in their quest? Find out in The Key to Circus-Mom Highway by Allyson Rice.

The Key to Circus-Mom Highway by Allyson Rice is a fantastic novel everyone should read. It was all comedy, drama, heart, family, and the opportunity for new beginnings. This novel was multifaceted, and I enjoyed reading it. The plot, development, and storyline were unique, and each character left a great impression. I was initially irritated at Jesse and Angie for their life choices but realized that I had judged both women too hastily. There are backstories to all situations, and humans react differently to tragedy. In hindsight, people may not make the best choices, but life is a learning curve. My heart broke for Jack, his military experiences, and the guilt he bore. Sean and Jennifer showed that communication is vital in relationships. No matter how unconventional, family is everything if love, respect, and loyalty are present.

The Key to Circus-Mom Highway is a twisted trip through the past and present. Jennifer, Jesse, and Jack have lived almost half their lives without any knowledge of their biological mother. They receive news of her death and are informed of a large inheritance she left them. Strings are attached to the enormous sum of money, though, and they are led on a post-mortem scavenger hunt to uncover more information about the mother they share. Allyson Rice relates how a first impression is not always the best or most accurate representation of a person, as Jennifer, Jesse, and Jack unravel their mother’s past while dealing with their feelings of abandonment.

Allyson Rice has developed a realistic trio of siblings who have real-world problems and their own anxieties. I had a little trouble with the way the scenes broke apart into flashbacks, but I was still able to keep pace with the story. There were times the story almost read like a screenplay, as I could see the scenes unfolding in front of me like a movie. Through the pages I learned about their mother’s jagged past and the siblings’ emotional traumas, and I couldn’t help wondering if the author’s experience with women’s retreats influenced the tone of the story. Overall, the book was filled with diverse characters who made the reading experience fuller and more enjoyable. I recommend The Key to Circus-Mom Highway to experienced readers who enjoy chick lit, a little humor, and stories about the emotional growth of fictional characters.