I did not know what to expect when I read this book. It was like no other book I have ever read!

Part 1:
Sarah- a phone call changes her life
Miriam- Meeting someone special who changes everything
Beth- Become an expert at placing all of our memories into compartments
Part 2:
I thought she be renamed turmoil and changes for all 3 of our characters.
Part 3:
New beginnings for these 3 women and a great friendship shared through all of it!!

Second Acts by Teri Emory was an enjoyable read begining to end.  I especially liked her reference to Savannah and Tybee Island it shows her  research as accurate.  The novel tells the story of three long time friends Sarah, Beth, and Mariam and the loves (men, children, parents, work, passions, etc.)in their lives.  Each a stong woman. Book clubs will enjoy this book because there is so much more meaning just below the surface.

I loved this book! I instantly was drawn into the lives of three strong and relatable friends, Sara, Beth, and Miriam. The book focuses on their relationship, both personal, professional, and their transformation throughout the years. Their stories begin in their college days and alternates between Sarah, Beth, and Miriam, in the first person. The characters and story lines were well developed and easy to follow. The minor characters were a
so well developed. I found myself identifying with each one in some way and rooted for them all.

Second Acts is a great summer read! It hits home with the importance of friendship and celebration of life, even when times are difficult. The writing is realistic and there are always Second Acts in life!

Thanks to the Author and Net Galley for the opportunity for an honest reivew.

Sarah, Miriam, and Beth each has a distinctive voice in this novel which can be read as a history of women who came of age and maturity between the 60s and 9/11. Emory has woven historical events and realistic bits of life through the alternating chapters. I felt like I knew these women; I went up and down with them and rooted for them. Clear writing and careful plotting made this a winner for me. Not all of it was expected, which was also a plus. Their friendship survives so much as they move through their lives. We should all be so lucky. Thanks for the ARC. You will like this if you like strong women's fiction. Two thumbs up!

A perfect read for many women, however, as a teenager, i struggled to get into the book as I didn't feel a connection with the characters, I think this is because of my age and life experiences. I'm sure many people will love this book, but it wasn't for me.

I really liked this book.

Written from the points of view of three different women, Beth, Sarah, and Miriam who have been friends since college in the 1960s, The author demonstrates astute observations on love, aging, and life.

The women have faced various crises in their lives… losing a child, a parent, a job, a lover; the one constant has been their friendship and mutual support. Once free thinking young women with boundless options, they have endured many choices and challenges and are now embarking on the “second acts” of their lives.

Well written, this book is engrossing, entertaining, funny, sad, infuriating, satisfying.

This was a great read. It’s really well written, in a fashion where the story jumps off the page and pulls you in. The writing itself feels smooth and intricate, Ms. Emory has an amazing writing style and it shows.
The story itself was a breath of fresh air, I read it at the best time possible. I found the characters and the plot well-developed and interesting.
This was an entertaining, but touching read, perfect for fans of Women’s Fiction. I recommend it.

I didn't feel the sisterhood the author tried to create. It just felt like three shirt stories trying to be interwoven together. Each of the three were entertaining, but I didn't feel the connection the premise promised.

This is the story about 3 friends. Women who met in college and are still friends in their 50's. Each is different. They have experienced the feminist era of their 20's and chosen different paths. But, they have stayed supportive friends through it all. The author did an excellent job of giving us enough insight into the brains and emotions of these women that the reader is able to engage. Most chapters give you one women's view and life but several times the weaving of their stories is what I really enjoyed.
What I really loved about this book was how relatable it was. I am so tired of 50 years being portrayed as one-dimensional. These woman, work, love, (even have sex!) and are productive in all aspects of their lives. They are now approaching the "Second Act" of their lives with their feet firmly planted and their friendship supporting them. It was easy for me to identify with each of them and feel their experiences as they did. It's definitely a feel better after you read it kind of book.

This was a good read, a really nice story of friendship through the trials and tribulations life throws our way. The story follows the life's of three college friends, Sarah, Miriam, and Beth - each chapter dedicated to their story. There is a lot going on in their lives and a lot has happened in their past, and I particularly liked the strength of their friendship throughout the years and into their fifties, where the book is now set. I did find Sarah the least interesting of the three, as a lot was initially about her job, however, I warmed to all three ladies and enjoyed the story. A nice, easy read that, although wasn't fast paced, will leave you smiling and happy you read this book.

College friends Sarah, Beth, and Miriam are entering middle age and their lives are going in new directions. Sarah's ex-husband dies and leaves her a surprise message when she leaves it the most. Beth and her husband Jim are struggling in their marriage and she has a choice when her 1st love contacts her. Miriam finds something unexpected but does she have the courage. Together they find a Second Act for their friendship and life.

A great beach read - read in one sitting on my sunlounger - a lovely story of friendship and of the lives of a group of women.

A wonderful description of modern-day middle aged women who come to grips with the lives they've made and decisions they've regretted. Some of the male characters are not well-defined, but the interwoven plots keeps one invested in their stories.

This novel tells the stories of three middle-aged friends and the kinks and curves their lives take during their middle years. A solid story to spend the afternoon with, but the stories do not intermingle much and overall it's just a middle of the road read.

The book is the story of three women who were college roommates and are now in their early fifties. That was probably my mistake, since I do not have much insight into that stage of life, it was hard to connect with the characters.

It traces the current lives of all the three women with each having their own hardships. Though each woman is journeying alone and trying to handle their lives, the other two are always there in the periphery to lend a hand or a shoulder as necessary.

Their lives are very different from what they had imagined when they had set out after college, but they have held on to each other steadfastly.

It was a good read and has very realistic settings, though more stories of how they bonded would have been a bonus.

Thanks to Amberjack Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Second Acts is an enjoyable book that follows three college friends through the highs and lows of their jobs, relationships, and families. It starts when the girls are in college and ends when they're in their 50s, just after 9/11. The book is written in alternating chapters, one friend after the other, which is an interesting way to write a story and makes the book fun to read.

I really liked the three characters. They were all different, and the trajectories of their lives were different as well, but they remained close and connected throughout their experiences. I thought they were well written. The themes of love and loss in different forms were sensitively explored, and in the end there was a sense of journeys taken and goals reached.

I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it.

Second Acts is a beautifully written story of friendship. Loved this book.

I got really excited when the publisher granted my wish and allowed me to read this book. It's such a beautiful, emotional story. I didn't know this author before, but now I'm a fan.

3.5 stars

A heartwarming and impressively-written saga spanning 20 years of friendship between three women.

What I liked: the references to feminism, the female energy, the settings.

What I didn't like: the characters felt underdeveloped, the ends were tied up very quickly and neatly.

Overall: an enjoyable read that didn't take too much concentration.

What a pleasure to read a novel where the lives of women in their fifties takes centre place and doesn't resort to the usual trope of trying to reclaim youth.

Instead what we get is a book divided into sections, each focusing on the first person point of view of three characters, Beth, Sarah and Miriam and also offering insights into the friendship that has sustained them all for so long. As they live through death, divorce, career challenges and crises of insight, the universality of these experiences is maintained in a steady, well-paced narrative.