This book took a long time to get going, and I felt like it focused a little too much on Gwen's troubles while Iris was just ignoring her own. However, I preferred it that way. Gwen's issues were equally as serious as anybody else's in this novel.

I enjoyed the gradual build-up and the genuine reconnection at the end. This book also has a lot of comedic/ironic parts that some people could like.

I tried.. I tried loving the characters, the plot, the story.. But I couldn't. It was hard to relate to the characters. It was hard to keep focus on the story as it just goes in circles, going nowhere. The only thing I love was the cover.

As a person who deals with a lot of body issues, this book hit close to home due to it.

I am very much into slow burns and feel that this book was very good when it came to building up tension and the storyline flowed well, even though at times some of the characters I could not relate to. If this does not bother you (like me) then this is a good read.

It was a realistic read and I would see this more of a comfort read than anything complex with a chunky storyline.

Honestly it was one of the hardest books to read that I personally have read in this entire year. The characters are super “glass half empty” kinda people. And yes, finding or making friends as an adult sucks, its hard, but if you don’t try to be positive and a good friend yourself its even harder. I would not recommend this book.

I didn't seem to have many of the issues with this book as others did. Perhaps it is because of my age so my mindset is quite a lot like the characters. Especially with Gwen. I am a lot like her but without the children. Yes, I have body issues. And yes, quite recently I have reconnected with a childhood friend of mine.

This book was slow to get off of the ground and sometimes I felt it dealt a tad too much with Gwen's problems while Iris was just avoiding her problems. However, I liked it like that. Too many times we get the glamourous second/third wife's perspective and forget about the 'frumpy housewife'. This book showed us that Gwen's problems were just as important as anyone else's.

I liked the slow build and the final true reconnection. I also found a lot of comedic/ironic areas in this book that some people may have missed.

I recommend this book especially to those who have taken a different path in life and have become a housewife, and to those who have a career but may be somewhat older than the norm for books of this type. Geez, I hope that made as much sense to you reading this, as it did in my head!

*ARC provided by the publisher Cedar House Press, the author Megan Leavell, and NetGalley.

DNF for me my dudes. I could not connect with the main character at all, and her absolute hatred of her body and appearance was super cringe for me.

This was a slow burn read for me but it was a cute, light read. Good for summer! Very relatable book for most that have grown apart from close childhood friends and how they can find their way back to each other.

This book ended up being a DNF for me. I got about 30% of the way in, but I honestly think this is probably better for an audience of married-with-kids readers, rather than single, childless ladies like myself. I really struggled to connect with the characters or the plot - it just wasn't for me.

I really wanted to love this book. The premise seemed fun and I was hooked by the blurb. Unfortunately, I could not stand the characters. The main character felt like a whiny cardboard cutout. She complained constantly about her weight and didn't have much personality. I couldn't bring myself to finish the book

Thank you to Net galley and Cedar House press for an ARC of this book.
The cover and blurb drew me to this story as I had never heard of this author before. I was really excited to dive into this cast of characters. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me from the first chapter. The female characters were so unlikeable and I could not relate to them throughout this story. I found myself skimming a few chapters just hoping it would get better.

I didn’t finish this as I couldn’t get into it. I had high hopes after reading the description but still couldn’t get into it.

I really liked this one. Interesting plot with good character development, with interesting insights into human beings.

This was a good depiction of female friendship later in life and "friendship" as people grow apart. I don't see many books about friendship between older women like this so that was nice.
It opened with Gwen writing Christmas cards and putting a rosy spin on her life and photos of Iris' perfect NYC life, and I liked that the author used Christmas cards and tabloids rather than social media for the portrayal of the character's "perfect" lives.
I did pick it up thinking it would be funnier (Gwen taking on the neighborhood pyramid scheme seemed funny) but I think the main characters came off as pathetic, not a good or bad thing but expectations changing.
And I think that there was more room to explore their relationship and delve deeper into the root of their insecurities, the resolution was too quick and unsatisfying between the two.

Founding your best friend is like founding your other half. You may be both alike or completely
opposite but each one of you completes the other one. especially when you found your best
friend while still being a kid. That would result in a much deeper relationship unless one needs
to go away. Growing together as a best friend is the best thing that could happen but growing
apart will create this invisible wall that either one would want to break and that wall could be the
main reason for avoiding friends.

Gwen and Iris had found their happy place within each other. They are both completely different
but that does not stop them from being the best of friends. But the harsh reality of life had taken
them apart. Gwen is pretending to have the best family she could ever have but the truth is she
is struggling to raise her family, along with an unemployed husband. She can not even take care
of herself but her social media says a different story for it shows a happy family. And Iris is also
pretending to be happy. Her social media shows that she could be anywhere during holidays
that everyone is dreaming of. Showing parties with famous people but all these glamorous
things are hiding the real Iris that only Gwen knows. They haven`t spoken for decades but
decided to do so and meet. Are they going, to be honest to each other like how they used to be
or are they still going to continue pretending? Is it safe to disclose their current situation or they
are afraid that the only person who they think would understand them would judge them?

It was a really nice story. a story that could make you realized that what others think does not
really matter and will not help you but would surely make you anxious. Taking care of yourself
doesn’t need the approval of others. You may need the help of other people but only those who
matter like family and your real friends. It was a good read. I did not even think that I would like
this but in the end, I did like it. What a beautiful relationship Gwen and Iris had. One of the
stories that are worth treasuring.

Thank you to Net galley and Cedar House press for an e-ARC of this book.

I really hoped to love this story, as I was drawn in by the beautiful cover, but unfortunately the characters were so detached, I Inturn was also detached from the plot. The story wasn’t really seeming to go anywhere, dragging on for the first few chapters, and both Gwen and Iris, as well as all the other female characters were so unlikeable, I had to stop reading.

If the characters were more realistic and not so much like cardboard cutouts that don’t eat carbs and only talk about their weight and appearance, I may have been more inclined to continue reading.

DNF’d @ 25%

First off the cover of this book is stunning
So is the story that is so true. The plot centres on two friends Gwen and Iris who've lost contact from each other over the years but assume the other is having the "perfect" until Iris moves back to a town she ran away from years ago.
I loved the plot of this book. It was so relatable in this social media age where we assume other people are living a life more glamorous than ours. Forgetting that life isn't picture perfect and happens to everyone. I also loved how Ms.Leavell gave each character a voice and we the readers life from their perspective.
I loved this book and think it would be a perfect book to read this summer if you're looking for something to read.

Reasons for Avoiding Friends was a throughly enjoyable read. I loved the character development and found Gwen's voice to be very distinct.

The premise was interesting, but the story itself passed my expectations. There was a subtlety that left the book to be very genuine feeling to me.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so entertaining. The character dynamics and development were amazing, and the plot was so intriguing as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - a really true-to-life depiction of the realities of "adulting" and I found the characters truly engaging. I want to know what happens next for Gwen and Iris!

Thank you to Netgalley and Cedar House Press for an electronic advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was, first and foremost, a mismatch between reader and book. I read some light women’s fiction, but it is not my primary genre. I enjoy it on occasion, as a quick and fun read, or as a “palate cleanser” after a book on a heavy topic.

The premise for the book drew me in - childhood friends, now grown women in their late 30s, have grown apart. Each believes the other has a charmed “perfect” life with everything each ever wanted. Gwen is a mom to three, resettled in their small Wisconsin hometown after living in Chicago. Iris is slim, fashionable, and rich - living a glamorous life in New York City. Circumstances bring them back together, and each discovers that the other’s life is not what it seems.

Unfortunately, I found these two characters to be unappealing and shallow. Gwen’s insecurities and Iris’s delusions about her drinking problem made this a difficult read. I wanted to root for these characters, but I couldn’t. I knew that everything would be neatly tied up with a bow at the end, and given the depth of the problems these characters had, I found this difficult to accept.

One bright spot for me was the portrayal of the relationship between Gwen and her passive-aggressive mother, Eileen. I know a mother-daughter pair with the same dynamic, and I found this relationship to be sadly accurate.