Two years ago, after carrying the large paperback of the first book, The Seven Sisters, in my beach bag for six years, I finally set aside time to start the entire series, which consists of eight long books.

Well, I just finished the last book, Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt, and boy, what a journey that turned out to be!

Each book centers around one of the six sisters adopted by “Pa Salt,” a billionaire, with each one named after a star in the Seven Sisters constellation, also known as the Pleiades. Despite not being exceptionally well-written and sometimes needing a good editor, I enjoyed all the titles. They border on melodrama and were all a tad predictable, but I didn’t give a fig; they all hit the right note for warm summer days on the patio. These books with dual timelines are full of family dynamics, intrigue, and romance, and incorporate some historical figures and history in each exotic setting (Switzerland, Paris, England, Ireland, Australia, Africa, and Brazil), and one has to admire Riley’s research and imagination. If you decide to start on this series, be sure to have the next book readily available, as each ends with a cliffhanger.

My other minor gripe was that these sisters were all smart people, but throughout their upbringing, no one thought to ask their father, Pa Salt, his real name? (I know!)

If you’re a fan of epic novels by Diana Gabaldon, Sara Donati, Beatriz Williams, and Kate Morton, try these addictive books.