Fans of Netflix’s Virgin River, Jill Shalvis, and Susan Mallery will fall in love with this heartwarming, relatable, and charming beach read, where two best friends discover second chances only happen once in a lifetime. After a cancer scare turns out to be a false alarm, Bree Robinson decides it’s time to swim outside her comfort zone. Together with her best friend, Jill, she forms an … comfort zone. Together with her best friend, Jill, she forms an anti-bucket list — starting with a steamy fling. Only it turns out that her one-night stand is also the handsome architect renovating her house — and the chemistry between them is off the walls.
Ever since a motorcycle accident took her husband’s life, Jill Kelly has been living on autopilot. Even when she learns the fairy tale Maine cottage they once dreamed of owning is up for sale, she isn’t sure she’s ready to let go — or open her heart to the idea of starting over.
Bree may be diving headfirst into her new lease on life, but Jill is doing all she can just to stay afloat. And when Bree discovers Jill has been hiding a devastating secret all these years, the waters muddy even more. Can Bree and Jill find strength in themselves and each other to embrace the second chances they’ve been given?
I was thrilled to receive Friends Like Us in my bookmail this month from Forever Publishing. Friends Like Us is a light beachy women’s fiction novel that follows Bree and Jill, two friends navigating their 30s in their small Maine town. This book is dual POV allowing the reader to get into the heads of both women.
I really liked both women. Bree has a cancer scare an decides to finally do all the things she’s wanted to like have a one night stand, get a dog, and sing in public. Of course she ends up falling hard for her one night stand who is equally smitten with her and the new contractor in town. Jill on the other hand is dealing with grief of losing her husband. She’s estranged from her mother and is just really lost. I’m not usually one for a grieving story arc, but this one worked for me. I enjoyed her journey of finding peace. As with most cosy beach stories, the book is set in a wonderful small town with a delightful cast of side characters.
A feel-good story you won’t forget! Friends Like Us is the heart-wrenching journey of two friends at different points of their life, both needing a change to move forward. I feel like I have several aspects in common with both Bree and Jill, so this story hit very close to home for me and will be one I hold very near to my heart. A beautiful story of friendship, adventure and discovering genuine happiness begins with loving yourself! This was such a wonderful emotional journey and I’ll definitely revisit it again soon.
Friends Like Us is a sweet womans fiction book where 2 women take the courage to take second chances.
Bree had a cancer scare and decides she needs to change up her life a little. While her bff Jill has been grieving the loss of her husband at such a young age and begins to think of her future and making some changes, something she hadn’t allowed herself to do since his death.
The story takes place in a coastal Maine town. One that is touristy but at the same time small town and homey.
I love a good friends book with the added bonus of Romance as well. If your looking for an uplifting womens fiction I suggest trying Friends Like Us.
I would like to thank the author Sarah Mackenzie as well as Forever Publishing for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this story, but didn’t love it. I didn’t realize it was women’s fiction, which is a genre that can be hit or miss for me. The writing was good and the characters interesting, but there’s a lot going on, with multiple storylines that seemed to wrap up too quickly and conveniently. I feel like I only superficially got to know Jill and Bree and that their deeper issues were revealed then glossed over. There were too many balls being juggled at once. I would have preferred a series books that concentrated on each of the friends rather than lump them all in one.
Still, it was well written but just not my cup of tea. I enjoyed the setting, though, as a fan of Maine and a citizen of New England.
This is a wonderful book about friendship, love, loss, grief, losing ones self and trying to figure out who you are and want to be, what you want to do next in your life, the loss of great and all consuming love, the possibilities of new love, fear, self doubt and judgment, family, and so much more. Bree and Jill have been friends for what seems like forever. Both are seemingly at crossroads of their lives, but in very different ways and yet both are stuck in neutral. After a health scare Bree makes an “anti-bucket list” to get out of her rut. Jill is mourning and feeling guilt about the loss of her beloved husband. As they both navigate their lives in a sweet small town, they know that what ever happens in their lives they will always be there for each other. Some romance, lots of emotional growth, some laughter, family figuring it all out and really wonderful insight and hope for the next in this really fun series. Everyone should know friendships like these women do.
I received an copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Jill and Bree have been best friends forever and they just had a very scary scare with Bree and cancer. Thank goodness it was just a false alarm, as Jill could not handle losing her best friend. She is still trying to get a grasp on losing her husband and how to now maneuver life without him.
Bree realizes that maybe she needs to step outside of her comfort zone. Do things she wants, and the cancer scare put into perspective how quickly life can change. With the hope of her friend Jill, the two come up with an anti-bucket list of things they want to do and accomplish in life. Bree surprises herself, with admitting a few things out loud once Jill pushes her beyond the simple wants in life.
Jill is a little envious of Bree’s feet first approach to her anti-bucket list and wonders if she is allowing her grief to hold her back. Can she become stronger and let the past go, to move forward like her husband would have wanted? Changes come about in their little quaint town and outsiders may just push these two to make otherwise unattainable seeming dreams come true.
This as a light hearted fast read novel. Friendships, small towns and the feeling of what true friendship means. Life is short, and these girls take the opportunity to do things they would not have otherwise. Thank you to Forever Publishing for the free novel. This is the second in the series, however I was able to read this as a standalone, but I would like to read the first one also.
This was my first book by Sarah Mackenzie. It is the story of two female friends that have different things going on in their lives (a cancer scare for one and the struggle to move on after the death of her husband for the other). Their support for each other is endless and the friendship is strong enough to survive thoughts and suggestions as to what the other should do. There is a one night stand that turns into a lot more and the chance of a lifetime to make a dream come true.
I liked this book, but it didn’t keep my undivided attention which is my standard for 5 Stars.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
Great novel to chase away the winter doldrums! It has enchanting characters, a great story, and loving friendships. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love a book where the most important relationship is a strong female friendship. Jill and Bree were two great characters, and I loved their bond and how they helped each other through hard times. Essie, Renee, Linda, and Ashley were also great characters, and I’d love to see them all get their own books too! Cranberry Cove was a great town, and a place I wish was real so I could go visit it! This was my first Sarah Mackenzie book, but it definitely won’t be my last! I received an ARC of this book on netgalley, and this is my honest review.
I loved this second book of this series. It was a sweet, and emotional story. The characters were all wonderful. I look forward to more books from this author.
I received an ARC from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) through NetGalley for an honest review. Friends Like Us is a wake-up call. Bree had a cancer scare and decided she was going to step outside her comfort zone. So she and her best friend Jill made an anti-bucket list. We see how life changes once you have a wake-up call and life does change when you have a wake-up call. This book to me is a wake-up call without me actually having a real wake-up call. A chance for me to think about my life and what changes I would make.
Bree, Jill, and all their friends think about their life after Bree’s wake up call and I hope you read the book to see how life changed for all of them, plus think about your own life.