Reasons for Avoiding Friends is about two women who have hit their middle-life. They used to be such good friends, they knew each other so well. And yet, they haven’t spoken in years. Then Iris shows up needing Gwen’s help, and guest room.
I enjoyed this story. I liked how Gwen and Iris kind of stumble around each other trying to find that rhythm they used to have. As they move through their story, we get to watch them realize that they don’t need to pretend, they can be who they truly are.
These women are completely relatable to me. They are wives, mothers, friends, trying to make it all work. I enjoyed their story, and I found myself really invested in what was happening to them. I think that the beginning was a bit slow, but it picks up as we get to know the characters and situation. So, I guess I would call this one a slow-burn with a great payoff. This one is great for readers that enjoy character-drive stories of friendships and life.
Where to Find This Book:
Growing up, Gwen and Iris were the best of friends, even if they couldn’t have been more different. Now Gwen is living her hometown dream, or so she reminds herself while juggling endless parenting drama, an unemployed husband, and a neighborhood pyramid scheme. Never mind that at age thirty-nine, her social circle still resembles middle school. Her life is everything she ever wanted it to be, but nothing like she had planned.
Iris was never destined for the ordinary. When she moved to Manhattan, she shed her old life for a better one-but not without a cost. From a distance, Iris’s life couldn’t be more charmed, but no one knows about the cracks in the image she’s worked so hard to cultivate. No one knows the real Iris at all. Except for Gwen. But Iris and Gwen haven’t spoken for years. Until…
When Iris’s past catches up with her, she turns to the one person she could always count on-but she isn’t the only one keeping secrets, and as Gwen scrambles to preserve an illusion of domestic bliss, she finds herself wondering when they went from telling each other everything to sharing nothing. Now, a little wiser, and most certainly a little older, Gwen and Iris discover that the truest of friends accept you just as you are, and that loving yourself is sometimes the best way to find happiness.
Just the Facts:
Reasons for Avoiding Friends by Megan Leavell
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Page Count: 305 pages
Publisher: Cedar House Press
Pub Date: September 14, 2021
Megan Leavell is a full-time writer and part-time dreamer. She enjoys writing about the relationships that define our lives, and her books are sprinkled with her signature warmth and humor. Megan is also the author of several bestselling novels under the name Olivia Miles. She lives on the North Shore of Chicago with her husband, daughter, and an adorable pair of dogs.
Author Links:
Instagram ~ Website ~ Facebook
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I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.
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