I saw so many good reviews of Friends Like Us that I knew I had to read it. Thank you so much to @readforeverpub and @netgalley for the review copy. I didn’t realize this was book two in a series, so I will absolutely be going back and reading the first book, Forever Friends!

This is the story of two best friends who are having some hard times. Jill’s husband Simon passed away after a bad motorcycle accident and she’s having a difficult time trying to figure out her life without him. Her BFF Bree is rethinking her whole life after a alarming cancer scare. They are both trying to regroup and they lean on each other for support. In Bree’s new lease on life, she adopts Finn, a rambunctious, but absolutely lovable golden retriever. I love that Bree was embracing her new life challenges and has to encourage Jill who is so focused on her lost future with Simon. 

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book features a long time friendship of women Bree and Jill. These women have each been through a lot one had a scary health scare the other faced the loss of her husband.
The story is well developed and really shows the strength these women have as they have each other's back while they weather the storms of life.
Masking pain is hard to do but you can be sure these strong friendships are up for it.
Very touching book to read.

Pub Date: 26 Jan 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Bree has a near miss with breast cancer and best friend Jill is right there by her side. They decide Bree needs an anti-bucket list to make sure she lives her life to the fullest after her health scare. 
Bree tries karaoke and ends up with a hot one-night stand. Jill realizes that watching Bree happy that she is paralyzed and stuck in a rut as well...she lost her husband a few years back in a motorcycle accident. She still mourns him daily. 
Both women need one another dearly and to move on in love. 
A sweet romance and endearing story about love and loss.

Friends Like Us by Sarah Mackenzie is the 2nd book in the Cranberry Cove series, and my first book in the series. When Bree Rhodes survives her cancer scare, she is determined to really live again.  Jill Kelly, Bree's best friend is struggling to move on after her husband died in a motorcycle accident.  This is a wonderful book about friendship and stepping out of your comfortable zone.  This book is also a perfect escape from the cold, when it's negative 3 degrees outside.  Just look at that wonderful cover.  I highly recommend this book.  
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I reeeally enjoyed this one. It was adorable while still being current & fresh. Now I want to go back and read book 1. I’m a new fan of this author!

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 #foreverpublishing for my copy in  exchange for an honest review.

#foreverfriends #friendslikeus #sarahmackenzie #foreverpub #womansfiction #friendship #reparingrelationships #romance #romancebooks #bookstagrammer #ReadersOfInstagram #canadianbookstagrammer #bookworm #readmorebooks #nsbookstagrammer

This book took a bit to get into and very friendship based. I enjoyed the characters just wish they were a little better developed and for a couple just got a bit of them here or there. I did enjoy they were mid 30s and still trying to figure life out. With some added closed door romance. There is cancer and young widower in the story so some serious topics at play as well. But overall a fun cute story and would love to see the others get some happy. 

3.5 stars
2 steam

Friends Like Us is what every woman strives to achieve - a level of comfort, love, camaraderie, and mutual support.
Whether they are weathering a storm or going out to eat together you can be sure that Bree and Jill are in the zone. They know how to have each other's back which is totally priceless.
Good thing too- because Bree is recovering from cancer while Jill her bestie is processing the loss of her husband Simon.
How does a woman simply dust off and move on when there's so much pain?
Can having a supportive structure help heal the wounds? Can you find love again?
Will these two venture back out, mask the pain, heal the wounds, and run for their lives by spreading their wings and being open to new possibilities in life and love?
There's so much relatability here and those who follow me know that I love a great romance to set me apart from the normal thrills and chills.
This is more than just a great beach read as this one really warms the heart and soul.
On this NorEaster snowy chilly day this read is a breath of fresh air, sunshine, heated moments, and loving memories.
Thank you Sarah, the pub, NetGalley, and Amazon Kindle for this ARC in exchange for this honest review

"Maybe the whole point of trying something new is to end up in a place you never knew you needed to go."

After finding out her breast biopsy was negative, Bree Robinson feels like she has a new lease on life.  She starts an "anti-bucket" list to make her live her life to the fullest.  Her best friend Jill is working on redefining her own life a year after her husband died.  Friends Like Us follows both women as they find the new paths in their life that will allow them to live their lives to the fullest.

Friends Like Us is the second book set in Cranberry Cove, a small beach town on the Maine coast.  It was nice seeing a book set on the Maine coast compared to the plethora of books set on the Carolina coasts.  Friends Like Us is more about female friendship than romance.  Yes there is a romance within Bree's story but it isn't the center of the story.  I liked that.  It's nice to focus on the bonds of friendship compared to romance being what defines someone.  Sarah Makenzie leaves it open to see the stories of other women in future books.  I can't wait to see if that's true because I want to know how Ashley will handle the next chapter in her life after the ending she received in this book.

Thank you to Forever Pub and Netgalley for a copy of Friends Like Us in exchange for my honest review.

We love a story that features female friendship.  Can we get more of these please.

Having a friend that I have had for over 20 years, this book was really sweet, and made me think a lot about our friendship.  It was a beautiful book about 2 women who care deeply for each other doing what they can to help one another be their best self!

Can't wait to read more books like this. 

TW: Cancer

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.

Two friends each looking for a new beginning.

In Cranberry Cove best friends Bree and Jill are both on a path to new beginnings. Bree having just found out she does not have cancer is ready to take life by the horns! She has her eye on an historic house she would love to renovate into a bed and breakfast inn. It has been her dream for as long as she can remember, but can she do it? When a handsome architect accidently comes into her life, things are about to change in a big way.

Jill is still mourning the loss of her husband and does not quite know how to move on with her life. When she sees her dream house that her and her husband always wanted, should she take a risk and make her dream a reality?

This was such a heartwarming novel by Sarah Mackenzie. Two friends who support each other while still trying to find their own way, just warmed my heart. The characters were so thoughtfully written. The supporting characters were a mix of such personalities as well, that it really added to the story. I can not wait to visit Cranberry Cove again. Thank you so much to the author  Sarah Mackenzie, Forever Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book to review. It was fantastic ! All opinions expressed for this review are unbiased and entirely my own.

The juxtaposition of Bree trying to get her sex on while Jill was struggling to overcome her grief at the loss of her husband just didn't work for me. It's as if this book didn't know whether to be chick lit or women's fiction. I couldn't connect with the characters or the storyline. DNF.

Life is only worth living with friends you love and Jill and Bree are the perfect example of this in #friendslikeus
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Bree survives a cancer scare with Jill by her side, just as Jill survives being a young widow with Bree by her side. Best friends side kindergarten they are there for each other through thick and thin. Together they decided to make an anti-bucket list. 
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They push each other through the twists and turns of life with a ferocity of love that only comes with the closest of friends. There are bumps along the way but a friendship as strong is worth the price in gold. 
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This book has an incredibly supporting cast of characters that I simply adore and the small town atmosphere that I fell in love with. Fans of Virgin River will fall in love with this book as I did.
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I will definitely be reading more books my Mackenzie in the future. She has a new fan from me.
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Thank you to #netgalley and #foreverpublishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Thanks to Forever and Netgalley for an advanced copy of Friends Like Us by Sarah Mackenzie!

Friends Like Us is a sweet women's fiction book where two best friends take the courage to go for second chances and to push themselves out of their comfort zone. 
Bree has a cancer scare and she decides it's time to change up her life a little, while her best friend Jill is grieving the loss of her husband and is thinking about her future. 

I want to move to Cranberry Cove. It seems like the perfect coastal Maine town and loved all of the cute local businesses.  While things all work out in the end (and why I love books like this) the women in this book were facing real challenges and struggles and I loved the friendship and women supporting each other. 

If you're lookng for an uplifting, women's fiction I recommend checking out Friends Like Us. I want to go read the first book Forever Friends in the Cranberry Cove series, though you don't need to read it!

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.

This is the second book from the series but can be read as a standalone. It tells us the story of best friends Jill and Bree and their other friend Essie. I love the friendship between these three. Jill is still trying to move on from her husband’s death three years ago; she is good at hiding her emotions and has been pretending to be okay for the past three years. Bree had a cancer scare and someone who has stayed within her comfort zone for years. Essie is one friend you got who will tell you things like how it is even if it is hurtful.
 
This story will explore more about Bree and Jill’s lives, how they will move out of their comfort zone, and see the world from a different perspective. It is a lovely journey towards a new beginning and also will help their friendship grows even stronger. I love the character’s development, the little town of Cranberry Cove, the author’s writing style, and the story’s overall setting. It is a light and feels good read that you shouldn’t miss.

This reminded me a little of Jill Shalvis Wildstone series and if you’ve been following me for awhile you’ll know that I’m obsessed. It had that same small town feeling and there’s multiple storylines and plots to follow, which I love. Bree and Jill are lifelong best friends who are both at a crossroads in their life. Bree just had a cancer scare that made her wake up and reevaluate everything and Jill is grieving the loss of her husband. I adored their friendship and the way they supported and encouraged each other. Following two characters means you get two love interests, and while this definitely leaned more towards women’s fiction, you get a little spice in the romance department as well. Cranberry Cove was the cutest little town, there were some interesting side characters that I figured out were featured more in the first book so I’m definitely going back to read it after liking this one so much. Recommended when you’re in the mood for a feel good, fun and heartfelt read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I'm so bummed I didn't like this one more, but unfortunately it just didn't work for me at all. While the bare bones of the plot was great, and is what drew me to pick it up, but everything else just fell completely flat. The main thing that made this one difficult for me to get through was the super over the top writing. While I knew to expect a certain amount of cheesiness (an was looking forward to a sweet read), it was just too much for me in this case. I found the dialogue to be a bit ridiculous, and it felt like almost the entire story was dialogue. I didn't feel I really got to know the characters since there was so much going on in such a short story, especially with two "main" characters, in Bree and Jill. While this one was a big miss for me, I know it will be the perfect read for many readers!

2/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I never learn. I should read book synopses but rarely do.  I read the blurb that Friends Like Us was for fans of Jill Shalvis and Susan Mallery and then requested the arc from @readforeverpub. 

It wasn’t far into Friends Like Us that I realized this might be a mistake for me because one of the friends lost her husband a few years ago and has been stuck and unable to move forward while the other friend had a recent cancer scare. I would have known this had I read the synopsis. Jill’s situation is eerily  similar to mine.

The friendship between Bree and Jill felt so genuine and is really what kept me reading. Both found healing with Bree stepping outside of her comfort zone and Jill realizing that in order to move forward, she has to let Bree in on a secret that has been eating away at her. I kept myself emotionally distanced from Jill’s struggles to move forward in life after her husband died to protect my own grieving heart.  The author treated this topic gently but with grief, we never know what might trigger us and unfortunately for me, there were a few areas that caused me to close off from the story. But this has nothing to do with the book but everything to do with my own personal triggers. 

I realized after reading this that it is the second in a series but I didn’t feel like I was missing any part of the story. There is romance involved but it is fade to black for those who aren’t a fan of steamy romance scenes.