Sisterchicks on the Loose!    by Robin Jones Gunn Order:  USA  Can Multnomah, 2003 (2003) Paperback      Reviewed by Melissa Parcel 'SISTERCHICK(n.): A friend who shares the deepest wonders of your heart, loves you like a sister, and provides a reality check when you're being a brat.' Forty-something best friends, Sharon Andrews and Penny Lane, are set for adventure. The two opposites - quiet, controlled Sharon and impulsive, motorcycle-riding Penny - made a promise years before while working in the church nursery. They vowed that when their children graduated from high school, they would take a trip to Finland, seeking out Penny's long lost relatives. Sharon barely recalls the pledge, when a FedEx package arrives one day from Penny with a plane ticket inside. After a great deal of soul searching, encouragement from her husband, guilt trips from her mother-in-law and children, and prayers for help, Sharon boards the plane for the trip of a lifetime. The two women suffer multiple setbacks and problems, not the least of which is Sharon's lost luggage and the fact that Penny doesn't even know if the aunt they seek is still alive. Through laughter and tears, they make friends with people who help out with their various dilemmas. Penny and Sharon learn about themselves and about their deep love for their families during the week and a half they are away. But most of all they learn how much God loves them and how much He wants to bless their lives. I laughed and cried along with these two women, sharing their insights. I saw a lot of myself in both Sharon and Penny. Sharon's devotion to her family (wanting to fix everything and make things right) really hit home. I would love to be more like Penny, who is outspoken and stands up for what she believes. All of the characters are well drawn and will resonate with readers, leaving them with an appreciation for friendship and a longing for a best friend, if they don't already have one. Sisterchicks on the Loose! is a novel to savor (discussion questions are included.) I have long been a fan of Ms. Gunn's Glenbrooke stories, and am pleased with this new series. The second book, Sisterchicks Do the Hula!, is due out in February 2004. Enjoy Sisterchicks on the Loose!, and pick up an extra copy to pass to a sisterchick of your own. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews