Review: The Friendship List by Susan Mallery

The synopsis for this book caught my eye and this turned out to be a perfect summer read! I enjoyed the romance and the different relationships in the book. I haven’t read many books by Susan Mallery, but now I want to read more in the future.

I voluntarily reviewed a compilmentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links, see disclosures for more detail.

About the Book:

Already a worldwide success in mass market and trade paperback formats, Susan Mallery’s newest hardcover is an emotional, witty, and heartfelt story about two best friends who are determined to help one another shake things up and live life to the fullest…only to discover that possibilities are everywhere–especially in the most unexpected of places.

Ellen and Unity have been best friends basically since birth, but they couldn’t be more different. Unity married her childhood sweetheart just after high school and became an Army wife, moving from base to base…until her husband’s shocking death in the line of duty leaves her a widow. Grief-stricken, it’s time for Unity to come back home to Ellen—the only person she can trust to help her rebuild her life. But Ellen has troubles of her own. Boys never seemed to notice Ellen…until one got her pregnant in high school and disappeared. Her son is now 17 and she’s wondering what to do with herself now that he’s heading off to college and he’s literally her entire world.

But now that Ellen and Unity are reunited, they’re done with their stale lives. It’s time to shake things up and start living again, knowing that they’ll always have one another to lean on. So they create a list of challenges they have to accomplish–everything from getting a tattoo to skydiving to staying out all night. And whoever completes the most challenges is the winner. But with new adventures and love just around the corner, there’s no such thing as losing…

My Thoughts:

I gave this book 3/5 stars (good!)

Straightforward–and at times “fanning myself” steamy–romance.

The friendship list, or actually a list of challenges each woman made for herself to get out of their respective ruts, was a cute backdrop to the story, but overall it wasn’t a main plot point. Mostly, this is a story about Ellen and Unity breaking free of their fears about love and moving forward in life and learning how to be strong independent women.

I really appreciated the portrayal of the teens in this story, and the humorous incidents involving them and their parents handling the situations. It is realistic (although Keith’s over the top statements regarding his daughter and coming after guys with a gun is pretty silly and honestly very outdated) and refreshing overall.

I liked Ellen’s story better than Unity’s, mostly because I couldn’t identify with Unity’s situation and her actions, statements, and decisions made me irritated. Bless her friends for sticking by her even though she acted so bizarrely, because I don’t know if I could have been that gracious. In the end, I liked her growth and how she finally matured as a woman rather than remaining stuck.

Let me just give props for the swoony male love interests. *Fans self again* Wooo baby.

Great summer read! (Then you’ll be able to say you’re fanning yourself due to the heat and not because the book is making you, ahem, overheated)