Blended families happen often around the world. A lot of them work out perfectly. With NO WAY NEVER SISTERS the opposite is true.

Tweens Melisa and Roxy are not anything alike. Meli is artistic and has a small group of friends. Roxi is into sports and has always been popular at school. They detest each other deeply. Not so with their little brothers who get along like best friends.

Now the worst news they could get arrives when their parents announce they are engaged. This means marriage is next. The girls are shocked. They’ll never be friends and now they are going to be sisters? No way will this ever work.

They come up with The Master Disaster Plan to prevent this marriage from ever happening. Their hope is that this plan will show their parents how much the two families are different and incompatible. They start by trying to sabotage the renovation of the house they plan to live in as one family. It’s one catastrophe after another which does cause some disagreements with the parents, Evi and Carlos, but is it enough to put an end to this blended family disaster?

Working together has an unexpected effect on them. The two girls begin to like each other. But their original plan to break up the family is too far along and seems to be getting the desired result. Is it too late to make things right?

The story is shared in compelling fashion with alternate viewpoints through the 20 chapters. This choice of storytelling is perfect to bring out the emotions of Meli and Roxy. Each girl also misses their divorced parent hardly in their life anymore. Meli’s father is far away working in Spain while Roxy’s mom is dealing with mental health issues and has moved to New Jersey.

Blended families gets a touching and heartwarming look with this story of sisterhood. Recommended for young readers who love a good story with engaging characters.

BOOK BIRTHDAY: March 10, 2026 PAGES: 288

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: NO WAY NEVER SISTERS by Chantel Acevedo & Natalia Sylvester

1. Meli has scoliosis and you get a feel for what challenges the condition brings. I’ve known several kids like Meli and having to wear a brace is not fun, though very necessary to stop the curvature of the spine.
2. The two little brothers (AKA The Benjamins) were in the background of the story but brought many humorous sidelights.
3. A great result in showing how one might perceive others incorrectly through a series of misunderstandings. First impressions need a second and third look to see the true value of a person.
4. The two authors had never co-authored a story plot which could have brought disastrous results. Not so here as they pulled it off with a memorable story kids will love.
5. Spanish is often used in short phrases, and Meli’s Abuela is a grandmother any kid would be lucky to have.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Chantel Acevedo, praised as “a master storyteller” by Kirkus Reviews, writes novels for kids and adults alike. Her Muse Squad duology and The Curse on Spectacle Key are Florida-set adventures inspired by her love of history and the importance of friendship. No Way Never Sisters is her first coauthored book. When she’s not crafting stories, she’s inspiring young writers as a professor at the University of Miami!

Natalia Sylvester writes books for children, teens, and adults. Her young adult novel, Breathe and Count Back from Ten, was named a Pura Belpré Honor book and Schneider Family Honor book by the American Library Association, and Running is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard book for teens. Born in Lima, Peru, she grew up in Florida and Texas. No Way Never Sisters is her first coauthored book, and her first middle grade novel!

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