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The Key to Happily Ever After
by Tif Marcelo is a light-hearted look at sisterhood. Three
sisters are given the family business by their parents, each
with an equal share. Anyone with a sister will go through
the trials and tribulations of these siblings as they struggle
to understand how to run the family business and get along
without their parents to mediate.
While the focus is on the sisters and their new responsibilities,
they also search to find their own happy endings. Weaved throughout
the story is the family life and the Filipino culture. Besides
the sister dynamics, readers will enjoy the scenes with the
brides and the wedding scenarios.
“I put in the wedding angle
because a lot of folks in the military have had more than
one wedding. Sometimes there is a situation that requires
people to get married right away. I, myself, had two weddings.
My first one was when I was in college, and it had to be thrown
together in a month. My future husband was a year ahead of
me, and we wanted to get stationed together. My mom still
talks about the wild ride. Later we did the Church wedding.
Everyone was in their military uniform and came over during
lunchtime. Ever since then, I have been obsessed with weddings
and why people choose what they want."
People will sympathize, laugh, and
take a journey with the three sisters: Mari, Jane, and Pearl.
Each personality fits their birth order. Mari, the oldest
sister, is used to calling all the shots, a type-A personality.
She's very organized and a rule follower. Jane is very even-keeled
as most middle sisters are, and becomes the mediator between
Mari and Pearl, the youngest sister who is always doted upon.
Each sister brings something vital to the business and of
course the story.
I wrote all three sisters coming from
a place of goodness and love. They had communication issues.
I based it on my “sister military spouses” who
all have a certain way of communicating, which can be different
than where other people are coming from. Both the fictional
and actual sisters rely on one another for their particular
strengths. Because their parents are not around, the sisters
must sit down and talk it through.”
The Key to Happily Ever After is an appealing and
charming tale with strong family ties. This is a lively and
touching story examining the importance of family, friends,
trust, and the formidable and beneficial bonds of sisterhood.
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