Four Friends

Geri and her husband Phil are very busy, with two full-time, all-encompassing careers (she works for Child Protective Services and he is an assistant district attorney) and three teenage children. They don't always have time to do everything they want, but they have a solid marriage- or so Geri believes.

Andy is Geri's best friend and is on the verge of her second divorce, this time from a hot younger guy. Her son is Geri's son's friend, but he has been very distant lately, something she attributes to her marital problems with a guy he doesn't really like. Her second divorce in ten years has left her depressed.

Sonja is a curious mix of Type A control freak and New Age yoga instructor. She forces Andy and Geri to power walk every morning, show more and has always been there for her friends with a friendly shoulder to lean on, and taking charge when they need help with anything. She keeps her wealthy, older husband George on a tight leash, monitoring his diet and stress levels to keep him healthy, but she is unaware that he is deeply unhappy.

BJ is the newest woman in the neighborhood, a single mom with two young children. She keeps to herself, running alone every morning, but occasionally she can be encouraged to join the ladies in their early morning walks. There is a mystery to her, but one that most readers can at least in part guess.

Their worlds seem to come apart one summer when Geri learns that her perfect marriage may not be so solid. Maybe because I have been married as long as Geri, I was most involved in her story. I felt that Carr delved most deeply in her character, and she realistically portrayed the challenges of balancing a marriage, raising teenagers and having a demanding career. And she wrote a few very hot sex scenes for this long married couple.

Andy finds herself inexplicably attracted to the man remodeling her kitchen- fifty-three-year-old, balding, not-turn-your-head-attractive Bob. Bob and Andy get to know each other with their nightly chats, and everyone can guess where this is headed, but it is sweet watching it happen. If you don't root for Bob, well, I don't want to know you.

Sonja is stunned when George can't take anymore New Age nonsense and leaves. She completely falls apart, and it is up to her friends to put aside their problems to come to her rescue. It takes awhile, but eventually we get to Sonja's backstory and the reason for her control issues.

Mysterious BJ has a fascinating story, but perhaps because she is the one furthest from the circle, we don't find out as much about her as the others, until the end of the story. I liked BJ, she has good intuition, and a prequel or sequel with her character would be interesting.

Watching these four women help each other and deal with issues on their own makes for a terrific read. I was drawn into their lives, and felt like I could be watching their stories play out from my window in their neighborhood. Some characters are given more time than others, as there are too many characters to give all equal time. (Bob and Geri's mother-in-law were two of my favorites.)

The author clearly believes in counseling; many of the characters go into marital counseling, psychiatric counseling, and group counseling. At times, it seemed to be that everyone was in counseling.

This would be a good book club pick. There are many issues at play here- domestic abuse, depression, marital infidelity, divorce, raising teenagers, menopause, and keeping secrets among others- enough to keep a lively talk going, and there are discussion questions at the end to guide you. show less

4.25 Stars — I'm a huge fan of Robyn Carr's contemporary romances, so I was excited to give her women's fiction a try. Like the title states, the book is about four friends who live on the same block, and how they support each other through the toughest times in their lives. The story addresses the challenges many 40-something women face, such as infidelity, divorce, raising teenagers, and depression, in a relatable, down-to-earth way. Though the subject matter is heavy, Ms. Carr is able to leave readers with a sense of hope when it's all said and done.

Reading FOUR FRIENDS stirred up all kinds of emotions for me. I got attached to this group of friends quickly, and though I might not have had their experiences personally, I could show more sympathize with them. The book starts with Andy throwing her husband's things out on the front lawn, and within a couple of weeks, Sonja and Gerri are facing marital crises too. Gerri's problems are particularly surprising because her marriage seemed unbreakable. BJ, the quiet neighbor on the block with her own dark secrets, comes out of her shell when the trouble starts and joins the group, saving Sonja's life in the process.

Most of the men in this book were just awful, but there was one gem in the bunch - Bob. He's the complete opposite of the selfish, egotistical jerks who Andy usually attracts, and I enjoyed watching their romance bloom. Thank goodness for Bob!

The constant throughout the book is friendship. It's the strong bond between the four women that sees them through and makes them stronger in the end. I greatly enjoyed meeting these four friends, and I'd recommend their story to fans of poignant women's fiction.

Source: Review copy from the publisher through NetGalley show less

Friends Amore

Four affluent women friends in the neighborhood of Mill Valley near San Francisco stand by each other through thick and thin , through the happenings in each others lives. Robyn Carr sure has an amazing gift of writing about the characters lives and tells about what happens in a family with so much drama. She writes about timely subjects of the present day, i.e. infidelity, depression, A gay son in family, divorce,redemption, which makes Four Friends well worth reading!

I liked this book a lot. I was really drawn in and stayed up late a couple of nights to read it. 3 friends and then a 4th one joining in later. They support each other through their husbands cheating, teenagers, health issues, relationships, etc... I have not read this authors other books so I had no pre-conceived ideas of what to expect. It was just a good book.

I need to add that this book touches on domestic violence more than a little. I don't want to give any spoilers but it's in there and it may give you something to think about. The book discussions at the end of the book focus somewhat on some of the sex in the story, and the issues with growing older and sex drive that sometimes happen to women. This might strike a cord with the show more over-40 or over-50 crowd as well. show less

They were three suburban queens, and they had the perfect lives. But when each Gerri, Andy, and Sonja's lives begin to crumble before their very eyes—as if the entire neighborhood is falling apart—these three women discover that life in paradise isn't so grand after all.

Gerri's realization that she has an imperfect marriage is startling because her husband was the one person she could always depend on. She and Phil were the power couple of Mill Valley; it was never part of the equation for him to slip. Andy's marriages were never so secure, but it doesn't mean her most recent divorce is any less heartbreaking, and it certainly doesn't mean she won't survive the aftermath. Sonja's entire system of belief and lifestyle collapses when show more her husband tells her he can't tolerate her anymore, which pushes her to the brink of sanity—with indeterminable hopes of coming back. The new girl on the block, the closed-off but well-meaning BJ, never had the perfect life—never had the privileges of the upper middle-class—but when she enters the other three women's radar, her fresh perspective and sobering background help everyone find the strength to piece their disintegrating lives back together again.

What's so extraordinary about a book like Four Friends is that it isn't completely innovative but it still absorbs you completely; it isn't groundbreaking or terribly thrilling—in fact, it's very contemporary, very domestic, very everyday—and that's just the thing: it's for everyday women, a story whose emotional relevance everyone understands.

Each of the four women's subplots combine with the others smoothly, creating a comprehensive, clear picture of not only the individual struggles, but also the overarching friendship. It's impossible not to get involved in the lives of these outwardly "normal" women, because their stories are so personal, so real. It makes for the best women's fiction; it brings to light issues that the everyday woman—if not you, then at least your best friend, or your sister, or mother, or daughter—faces regularly or has faced before.

Robyn Carr writes with a confident hand, creating lovable, vibrant characters and an engaging plot. Even in its normalcy, the storyline is anything but boring! I love just how interesting everyone from the book is. There are so many amazing secondary characters introduced—the children, the mothers-in-law, and so on—that I wish each of them had had equal screen time (page time?), but most of the novel revolves around Gerri.

All four women will undergo life-changing mental, physical, and spiritual transformations in the wake of their seemingly impossible-to-win battles, and although it might put them through hell, it guarantees they will emerge from it all—perhaps, even stronger than they were before.

The magic of Four Friends is that these four women face what everyone faces in middle adulthood: menopause, abuse, divorce, unfaithful spouses, wayward children, heartless exes, distant lovers, and unexpected acquaintances; but it comes with encouraging and empowering anecdotes on the importance of family, companions, and of course, friends.

Pros: A feel-good novel that sends you on an emotional roller coaster // Gerri is an incredibly lovable, incredible human character; I admire her so much! // Each of the women's stories is told in perfect harmony and balance // Fluid, easy to read; well-written and stylistically conversational // Includes both R-rated romance and G-rated sentiment // Taking a glimpse at these four lives is fascinating; you will become immersed!

Cons: Most of the characters are two-dimensional. They're likable and interesting but I wish Carr would have gone into more depth with them // Ending feels rushed, messy, and like a quick fix

Verdict: Four Friends is one of those books that overflows with love, in all of the familial, romantic, and companionable sense. It's a cozy story about family and devoted, symbiotic relationships, but also possesses scorching chemistry—the kind of fire that genuine love never loses—and emotional upheaval with which everyone will be able to sympathize. Robyn Carr fans will be pleased with her traditional "feel good" style and sharp characters, but should definitely expect something different with her newest novel. Four Friends goes beyond the usual romance formula in acknowledging the resilience of the human heart in times of deep personal turmoil, as well as highlights triumph amidst chaos thanks to the power of simply having one other.

Rating: 8 out of 10 hearts (4 stars): An engaging read that will be worth your while; highly recommended.

Source: Complimentary copy provided by publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Little Bird!). show less

Four Friends promised to be the same kind of women's fiction as Robyn Carr's earlier novel, The House on Olive Street, a book I absolutely adored. In my opinion this attempt, however, fell short of the mark.

Again, the main cast is a group of mature women (late 30s to mid 50s) who share some commonality, although they are each in very different situations. The Four Friends live on the same street in a quiet, upscale neighborhood in California. The only thing the women have in common, at the beginning, is this, and that three of the four power-walk every morning before work. The fourth is very private, to the point of off-putting, and she is a runner.

The three who walk are married at the start. One by one, their marriages crumble, each show more for different reasons, but ironically, all within days of each other. The reader wonders whether there might be an alien ship hovering over the neighborhood, messing with their lives, or perhaps the water is contaminated. But no, the timing is all a coincidence. An all too convenient coincidence.

With long-time marriages crumbling the women now, of course, have something in common, which brings them closer together. Eventually they draw the fourth woman, the runner, into the fold, and learn of her secret, tragic past.

Each woman individually works through her changed situation, but the stories unfold in a somewhat melodramatic, soap-opera style. There were times when the story dragged to the point when I was tempted to put it down. But wondering what happens to each of the characters, who are expertly portrayed, kept me reading.

Carr does a nice job of tying up all the loose ends in a very believable fashion. She is a skilled and talented writer whose prose is always a pleasure to read. I guess if I'd never read The House on Olive Street, I may have like this book better. show less

From my blog

This was a great friendship story, highly recommend if you have a book club of close friends or want a reminder to appreciate the friends you have. I enjoyed each character and following their lives, they all had a special voice, all very different which we made it easy to follow. Robyn Carr's writing style reminded me of a favourite author, Kristin Hannah. This wasn't emotionally painful, just genuine female heartache with family, career and friend life. I didn't identify with any but would have been friends with them.

Sonja made me laugh the most. She had an emotional break which I hate to say had me laughing and crying in buckets, she seriously had a meltdown but it was the funniest scenes to me. Before she had the show more meltdown I was laughing saying 'she is hot mess, totally a nut'. The thing is her friends thought this also, but it was why they loved her, it was sad to see her break but I loved how Robyn dealt with her husband, friends and the new Sonja's outlook on it, brilliant.

One thing about love and life I have found is that it is never as perfect as it may seem and you should just enjoy the moments. The emotional wrecks the friends had to deal with, mainly marriage problems was real and most had the rug pulled from under them issues. The story made me say enjoy life, each moment and to face the uncomfortable conversations as they may save your marriage and happiness.

Being a parent is highly overrated to me, lol, there is no damn handbook that can ever help you with the crap that you have to face but we have to learn how to do it with love. I appreciated all the avenues Robyn Carr took to reveal the journey the women faced. Parenting, spousal commitments, adultery, abandonment, gay marriage and children, destructive behaviour and overall decisions in order not to lose yourself throughout the madness of life.

The best part was this book is for the women in their 30's pushing 40, I loved to read about women my age, the reality was more genuine and realistic to me. I have also been really blessed with my friendships. Two friends have been in my life since nursery school and we all go 38 this year, our friendship continues to grow, very fortunate.

I was surprised I was asked to review this as I usually go for the mystery, gory crime books but it was perfect timing, my mood called for this and I loved it. My first introduction to Robyn Carr, I will definitely read her books again.

A favourite quote

....grandmother used to say, 'Your kids don't belong to you - they're only on loan for you to raise. They have their own lives, their own destinies. So you better get out of the way.' Kindle at 70% show less