I absolutely love this type of book. It's about women who are just about to hit "middle age", and even though they're each in incredibly different circumstances, they're both seemingly trapped.

Even though their marriages are part of their respective sets of problems, their stories are truly about finding themselves, and what makes them feel like they're in control of their own lives. And it all goes to show, that the grass only LOOKS greener on the other side.

The story is a quick, relatable read, but I almost didn’t want to finish it because it felt too cliche. Anytime I read a story about a mom, she’s always concerned about her weight, comparing to other moms, and doubting her marriage. Overall it was a nice story but entirely predictable.

I was given a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and I hate not finishing a review book, but life is hard enough right now without forcing myself to read this. The plot focusses on two women in their late 30s who were friends at school. Gwen has moved back to where they grew up and has 4 kids and an out-of work husband. Gwen's husband hasn't actually been home since I started the book, she hates her mother but speaks to her every day, and is upset that her kids are growing up. The other character Iris is a trophy-wife in New York. Her husband is having an affair with her best friend, her step-kids are nasty and the hired help is out to get her. It's all very negative, gossipy and unpleasant. There is SO much internalised fat shaming and diet talk. Every page. And the women are all in competition with each other. Everyone is nasty and unpleasant, while the book is written like this is light and breezy. Oh and there is an MLM plot. I'm a quarter in, and I am just not interested in going on with this book.
As a post-script though, I skipped to the end, and one of the characters is calling a neighbour a bitch behind her back, and this is described as a nickname. This book is not social commentary, it's where feminism came to die.

Not a bad book, but I’m definitely not the target demographic for this one.

Reasons for Avoiding Friends follows the POV of two women who were childhood best friends, but have since grown apart to lead different lives.

They meet again when Iris, visits to stay with Gwen’s family. And though they try to reconnect, there’s this barrier between them as they both try to pretend their lives are great, when really they aren’t at all.

The reasons I didn’t enjoy this book as much is because I had difficulty relating to the characters and the pacing felt a little slow to me.

If you enjoy reading about women trying to figure out their lives later on in life, you might enjoy this!

Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the title of this one and after finishing it I think it was a proper fit for the book.
Gwen and Iris were childhood friends who grew up and have very different lives.

Both women have good lives but seems to think the other one has a better life.

I liked the book and it was a fast read, It included many issues in the complicated lives of women that we do not discuss or deal with. Gwen's character was over obsessed with her weight and that seemed consuming at times. It is a good story of the value of true friendship.

Thank you NetGalley and Cedar House Press or the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I thought the front cover looked so cute that I decided to try out this book. But the book to me was OK in general.

Gwen and Iris were best friends but Iris moved to New York after getting married and Gwen is now a struggling mother of three, juggling with every day life. They haven't spoken in years until one day, Iris decided to visit her hometown in Wisconsin and reconnect with her old friend.

The story is told from the perspectives of Gwen and Iris. To me the plot started a bit slow and it was a bit boring at first and to me the characters seem to be always whiny all the time complaining about weights and in general every thing. None of the characters to me were likable in my opinion. However, the writing was good and towards the middle, the story got a bit interesting with Gwen and Iris bonding and trying to bond with each other. The ending was a bit expected.

Overall, this was an OK book--worth three stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

This is a book about friendship and comparison. The question is: is the grass always greener on the other side? This book switches from the perspective of Gwen and Iris, two childhood friends who have grown in very different ways.

I enjoyed the sentiment of the story and the growth of the characters. Overall. I found it to be a little slow, though.

Since I’m a sucker for covers I’ll admit that’s how I was drawn in. Then I read the summary and it seemed like a story I would like. I liked the author’s writing style but felt like the pace was too slow for my taste. It felt like it took so long for something to happen and everything felt like minor issues blown up so it was hard to connect with the characters. I’d still recommend it to others but it wasn’t the book for me.


Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

The plot and the characters felt disjointed that I decided to DNF halfway through as I wasn't enjoying it.

Gwen and Iris are childhood best friends who grow apart after their paths diverge in adulthood. Gwen is back in their hometown dealing with three busy kids, an unemployed husband, and a mother who is a little too involved in her life. Iris is married to a wealthy attorney and lives a life of luxury in New York City. Neither of their lives are exactly what they appear to be. When Iris finds herself at a personal crossroads, she appears back in their Midwestern hometown. This book will have you believing in the redemptive quality of returning to your roots, being honest with those closest to you, and knowing that it’s never too late to start over.

Although I found this book slow to get into, I appreciated how it came together at the end. I think this would best be enjoyed by someone who could relate to nearly 40 year old Gwen and Iris or need a reminder that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Thanks to Cedar House Press and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.

I loved the cover of this book and was expecting a good story about best friends. However, I was disappointed and finally just gave up on reading the book. I did not finish the book. It felt like moving from one thought to another without actually finishing the first thought. Nothing actually drew me in a kept me interested. This just wasn't my kind of book. I do appreciate the author Megan Leavell, publisher Cedar House Press, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.

I don't know why this book has such a low rating. I really liked it a lot. it asks the question, is the grass always greener on the other side? And more importantly...be careful what you wish for! It also shows that what you see on social media isn't always the truth. I liked that Gwen and Iris reconnected and bared their souls to each other, eventually, and then came together and became a force to be reckoned with.

There is nothing wrong be being a stay at home mom and there is nothing wrong with wanting more than that. There is also a bit of mean girls from the moms in the neighbourhood. There were so many themes explored in this book, like body image, addiction and infidelity. I really enjoyed it and being immersed in the lives of these two women and their families.

Thanks NetGalley and Megan Leavell for an ARC to review.
A feel good book about friendship, family and what's really important in life. Does the Instagram picture perfect life you see is the truth or half of it or the total opposite

I did enjoy this book but I am not the biggest fan of dual point of view. So I found that a little tedious)but that could just be me). The first half had me page turning and wanting to know more but then it seemed to drift off. I would recommend to a friend but I wouldn’t rave about it

Gwen and Iris grew up together, best friends who shared all the adventures of childhood. Life moved on, they drifted apart and whilst Gwen stayed, Iris moved on, literally and metaphorically.
This story is told from both women’s point of view as they reflect on love, life and friendship. All is not what it seems
I really enjoyed it!

Synopsis
Gwen and Iris grew up together. Eventually, they drifted apart. The two friends went separate ways, to live their own, very different lives. While Gwen remained in their hometown in Wisconsin, Iris left for New York. Years later, the two friends have lost contact with each other, and while it seems that they are living perfect lives, they will come to realize that things are rarely what they seem.


Thoughts
💭I was first drawn to this novel because of its cover and title. I then read the description and thought that it could make for an incredible read. While I think that this novel touches in some important subjects, I found a bit difficult to connect with the story as a whole.

💭”Reasons for Avoiding Friends” is told in dual perspective, through the voices of both Gwen and Iris. I am a big fan of multiple POVs, so to me, this was a positive aspect of the novel.

💭Also, I really liked that this novel explores the complexity of friendships, and of human connections, especially between women. More often than not, our society pits women against each other, and it seems that in friendships between women, competition is always lurking in the background. To me, this was one of those important themes that were explored in this novel.

Overall, "Reason for Avoiding Friends" was an okay read, that I would rate at 3/3.5 stars, because I cannot compare it to my 4 star reads of 2021.

Thank you to @netgalley, Cedar House Press and Megan Leavell for providing me with an eArc in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely loved the first half of this book! Very easy to relate to one of the main characters and written with the ease of someone who knows the day to say struggles of family! In addition, it was interesting to see the opposite position and see how things aren’t always what they appear to be even for the most glam of women! The book lost me a little somewhere around the middle? I kept waiting for a larger plot to emerge that just didn’t? Overall, the lack of “drama” or “suspense” didn’t keep me as intrigued as I would have liked but the characters were well written and descriptive. Thank you again for the advanced copy.

A heartwarming and poignant look at two childhood friends. A touching story of identity, friendship., and reconciliation. Well written women's fiction that will appeal to a broad audience.

Great story following two friends - Iris and Gwen - and their lives. Iris and Gwen were inseparable, childhood friends, but as adulthood and real life took hold, they lost touch. Both appear to have the lives they always wanted - Gwen with her suburban home, picture-perfect family and dog to match- and Iris, with her socialite NYC life and rich, lawyer husband. But not everything is as perfect as it seems. Iris's husband Michael is incredibly difficult and is currently jobless. She's also stuck in a pyramid scheme. Iris is an alcoholic and her husband is sleeping with her best friend.

When Iris decides she needs a break, she visits Gwen in their suburban Wisconsin hometown. Now, both women are trying to keep up with appearances and living the "life they always wanted."

Megan Leavell showcases how sometimes, the grass really does seem greener, and how important friendships can be - and how much it hurts when your best friend disappoints you.

Reasons for Avoiding Friends
by Megan Leavell
Pub Date: September 14, 2021

Thank you to @netgalley and #cedarhousepress for an advanced copy of Reasons for Avoiding Friends in exchange for my honest review.

The book is about two old friends, Gwen and Iris, who’ve drifted apart. At 39, they both seemingly have the lives they dreamed of growing up; Gwen is a married mother of three and Iris is in New York having left her childhood town behind. But both realize they aren’t as happy as they thought they would.

When Iris’s New York life implodes she has nowhere to go, and goes out on a limb and heads to her hometown and Gwen. Both are hiding their dissatisfaction and have plenty of secrets, while also feeling out their old friendship.

I generally enjoyed the story. But there were a few things that were annoying… it got repetitive listening to Gwen constantly complain about her weight, it felt like every time the book was in her voice it came up. As a 39 year old woman, I get it, but I don’t think it needed to be repeated that often. It also got frustrating that people just wouldn’t talk to each other and be honest! And watching Gwen be a doormat to everyone in her life! The title also didn’t resonate with the story for me.

Overall, it kept my interest and I wanted to see what would happen, but just had a few things that bothered me.

#netgalley #reasonsforavoidingfriends #bookreview