In ROAD TRIP, Mary Kay Andrews introduces us to sisters Maeve and Therese Dunigan, who couldn't be more different. Their mother, Mary Helen, passes away after four months in hospice and leaves them some shocking news. 

We learn that it's perfectly in character for Maeve to drop everything and care for their mother. It’s also not a surprise that Therese doesn't show up at all. Until the funeral. And she's late. To say that there is a frigid atmosphere between the two is a complete understatement. And it's Savannah, Georgia, where there is practically never any ice. Maeve believes that Therese is selfish and irresponsible, while Therese feels that Maeve is judgy and way too uptight. Both are correct.

"Andrews writes novels about family and friendships. There also is some romance. ROAD TRIP has that trifecta in delightful shares.... [The book is] a perfectly lovely novel that is the epitome of the summer read."

But Maeve and Therese share the hope that the proceeds from Mary Helen's estate will help them financially. Therese has nothing as her acting “career” never took off. Maeve finds out that she's been let go from her job as a college professor of creative writing. They really need the money that the sale of their mother's house, with its paid-off mortgage, will bring them. So it's a complete shock when their uncle Keith shows up and tells them that the house is fully mortgaged.

It turns out that Mary Helen spent all of her retirement money and mortgaged the house to send it to a shyster preacher who gave her cheap ceramic praying hands in return. She has boxes full of them. Perhaps the only thing left of value is a portrait of Lady Geraldine Rossington. Their mother told them that it is a painting of one of their ancestors and is very valuable. But she loved to spin tall tales, so they really don't put much stock in that.

However, when Therese happens to see a newspaper article about an identical portrait selling for over a million dollars, she takes note. The only other thing their mother left them was a coffee can filled with small bills, which she collected over the years so that her daughters could travel to Ireland to look up their family history. There are lots of secrets. 

In Tarrymore, where the family is from, Therese meets Esme Rossington, who lives in the gardener's cottage now that the huge Rossington estate has been donated to the National Trust. She dresses in disheveled clothing, and drinks and smokes incessantly. There are very few people Esme likes, but Therese pushes her way in and gets her to reveal a lot about the mystery of the paintings. 

Why there are two paintings of Lady Geraldine is a true mystery. Is one of them a fake? Were there actually two paintings? And to make the mystery even more confounding, the portrait was stolen during a robbery by the IRA in the 1970s. While all the other paintings were recovered, the portrait was not. Where was it all this time? And why was it sold now?

Andrews writes novels about family and friendships. There also is some romance. ROAD TRIP has that trifecta in delightful shares. Maeve meets Liam, who works in the Tarrymore distillery, and the electricity is immediate. But Maeve will be in Ireland for less than a week. Is their relationship doomed?

There is a dog named Sinead who becomes an important part of the story. There are lambs frolicking in the Irish hills. There is beautiful weather (most of the time) and abundant fragrant gardens. There also is a bit of danger and lots of mystery. This combination results in a perfectly lovely novel that is the epitome of the summer read.