Fans of Virgin River and Sweet Magnolias will love this charming, relatable beach read about a single mother finding love and friendship where she least expects it. Single mom Renee Rhodes seems like a woman who has it all together–perfect house, perfect kid, perfect yard. But now that her daughter is away at college, she doesn’t know what to do next. Without weekly PTA meetings and … next. Without weekly PTA meetings and after-school chauffeur duty, Renee isn’t sure who she is anymore. What she is sure of is that she probably shouldn’t be crushing on her new boss, who couldn’t possibly be interested in a middle-aged mom . . .
Sadie Landry is drowning in the stay-at-home mom life. With a toddler running wild, a husband who is growing more distant by the day, and a mother-in-law who has a comment on every-little-thing, Sadie is one mommy-and-me class away from losing it. When she learns that she is pregnant again, Sadie knows that something has to change for the sake of her family–and her sanity.
After a birthday party bake-a-thon nearly turns into a three-alarm fire, Renee comes to her neighbor Sadie’s rescue with comfort, competence, and a killer pie recipe. With their unlikely friendship and a newly hatched plan to open a bakery, can Sadie and Renee finally have the lives they’ve always dreamed of?
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3.5 Stars
There is a lot of drama going on in this book for both of the main characters, Sadie and Renee. Sadie’s husband Ethan feels a little shallow but the rest of the characters are well developed. From the book cover and the title, I expected the friendship would have developed while Renee and Sadie were growing up instead of as adults. All in all, it is an uplifting positive story.
Thank you NetGalley and Forever for an advanced copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Forever Friends
By: Sarah Mackenzie
*REVIEW*
Forever Friends is a charming story about two women on opposite ends of the spectrum who form a friendship. One is an empty nester, and the other is the just beginning school mom. It’s a beginning and an ending, but these women find common ground somewhere in the middle. I enjoyed this story about female relationships and bonds. The story is entertaining and sweet with relatable characters. I recommend for fans of women’s fiction. You will not be disappointed!
Forever Friends Cranberry Cove Book 1 by Sarah Mackenzie is a book about friendship and love. This was a very quick and charming read. Sarah writes a wonderful story that drew me right in and kept me engaged until the last page. I read this in one sitting. The story is well written and the characters are well defined. This is about finding friendship no matter what age or stage in your life you are at. An older empty nest Mom and a stressed younger Mom even with the age difference that have so many of the same issues. This book gave me all the warm fuzzies. I wasn’t sure about the ending but now realizing this is only book 1 I am happy that it was left the way it was so the story can continue. I can’t wait for the next book to come out. I will definitely be reading more from this author.
Forever Friends by Sarah Mackenzie is the first book of the Cranberry Cove series.
The story is about two women and how their friendship, as different as the two women are, help them through their unique struggles at the differing points in their life.
Renee Rhodes looks like she can win mom of the year for having such a perfect looking life while raising her daughter as a single mother. She is so well put together, and manages her life in utmost perfection, that is one to be admired. However, when her daughter leaves home for college in the West Coast, and with no one to dote on, her life is suddenly turned upside down.
Sadie Landry is a stay-at-home mom, with a toddler, and another on the way. Her life, unlike Renee’s, is a topsy-turvy whirlwind, and a husband that seems to become more distant.
A near catastrophic baking event leads to an unlikely friendship between these two women. I loved how the writing was told in two alternating view points with amazing dialogue.
The was a beautiful story with characters that I enjoyed being part of their lives. I was immersed into the story and loved every bit of this read. It was heartwarming, enjoyable and highly entertaining. I loved the setting in Cranberry Cove, Maine and the small town feel with an amazing cast of characters you will fall in love with. I cannot wait for the next installation of this amazing start of the series.
Heartwarming, charming, and uplifting!
Forever Friends is a lighthearted, engaging tale that takes you on a journey to the idyllic Cranberry Cove and into the lives of the middle-aged, single Renee and the frazzled, young mother Sadie as they discover together the importance of taking chances, finding contentment, discovering one’s true self, and embracing the future.
The prose is fluid and smooth. The characters are kind, supportive, authentic, and endearing. And the plot is a sweet, compelling tale about life, love, family, friendship, communication, self-discovery, happiness, and romance.
Overall, I would have to say that Forever Friends is an emotive, thoughtful, cosy read by Mackenzie that does a beautiful job of reminding us just how important, powerful, and meaningful female friendships can truly be.
We all have problems and situations to deal with. It’s how we deal with those things that shows who we are. We get to see how Renee and Sadie handle what’s thrown at and offered to them. I think this is a great story line where the former babysitter moves back and is now a great neighbor and will become a great friend and maybe more to the mother of her previous charge. This story also shows what dealing with motherhood is all about. Definitely not the easiest job. I loved these characters and this story. I hope you enjoy it too. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.
FOREVER FRIENDS by Sarah Mackenzie is a contemporary, adult work of women’s fiction focusing on neighbors and friends-divorcee, single mother and physician’s assistant Renee Rhodes, and married mother of a two year old toddler Sadie Landry.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Renee and Sadie) FOREVER FRIENDS follows Renee and Sadie as they navigate the minefield of everyday life. Sadie Landry is a graphic designer by trade but opted to stay home and raise her child but Sadie is struggling with her direction in life which includes a husband who is hiding a secret, and a surprise pregnancy for which she is ill-prepared. As she slowly spirals out of control preparing for her child’s second birthday party, her neighbour and friend Renee Rhodes, takes the lead, and offers support where Sadie needs it the most. When Renee’s baking skills become the hit of the party, a local real-estate agent suggests Renee open up her own pie shop, a shop where Sadie’s grandmother’s recipes will be the menu of choice.
Sadie Landry battles between head and heart when Renee offers a partnership using Sadie’s grandmother’s recipes. As ‘Hester’s Bakery’ begins to take shape, Sadie quickly learns that all is not well in her married life. Secrets and lies, and issues of trust threaten Sadie’s tenuous hold on her emotional well-being. Meanwhile Renee Rhodes has fallen for her boss, widower and physician Dr. Dan Hanlon, a mutual attraction that quickly turns into something more but Renee also has issues of trust having witnessed the infidelity of her first husband, and as such, Renee begins to second guess the man with whom she is falling in love. With her daughter Tansy away at university, and her sister Bree keeping secrets, Renee finds herself caught between two worlds, and feels like she is losing control
FOREVER FRIENDS is a story of family and friendships; failures and success; secrets and lies. We are introduced to Sadie’s husband Ethan, their two year old son Lincoln, and Ethan’s meddling mother Annette ; Renee’s daughter Tansy; her sister Bree, and Renee’s boss and lover Dr. Dan Hanlon. The character driven premise is entertaining and captivating; the characters are colorful, energetic and real- our heroines are courageous and supportive as they take the tentative steps towards controlling their futures.
Forever Friends, by Sarah Mackenzie, is a story of friendship and what it means to be a true friend. Although young mother Sadie Landry and empty nester Renee Rhodes are coastal neighbors in small Cranberry Cove, Maine, they have only been casual friends. They have known each other since Sadie babysat for Renee’s daughter, Tansy. Then, when Sadie’s husband, Ethan, purchase her grandmother’s house as a wedding gift for her, it made her Renee’s next door neighbor.
Unfortunately, Ethan’s job, which was originally to be mostly distance software development, now requires him to be in Boston more often than not. Sadie is struggling with her ‘single’ mom status with an energetic two year old, and Renee comes to her rescue when Sadie accidentally burns the cupcakes for little Lincoln’s birthday party. From that point on, they seem to be there to save each other, regardless of whether the storm is of nature or life making.
Renee, who had been a single mom herself, is now struggling with her empty nest situation with her daughter studying on the west coast and pulling away from the closeness they had shared. Her receptionist job for local doctor and object of her eye, Dan Hanlon, is not enough anymore. Opportunity has presented itself to her to begin her own business but she isn’t sure she has the gumption to do it on her own. Could a merger of sorts between Renee and designer Sadie be a real possibility?
I really enjoyed this story of an unlikely friendship that come full circle and seems so real. This is women’s fiction at its best. I do recommend this book!
I loved this book.
The events that each of the main characters experienced was very relatable.
I definitely recommend this book and this author.