This was just so well written, I sped through it. I loved the quote in each chapter. I loved the characters. I just felt good while reading it.

The Best Life Book Club by Sheila Roberts is a charming story that revolves around themes of friendship, community, the healing power of books and most importantly, starting over.

As the story begins, newly divorced Karissa Newcomb moves into her new home in Gig Harbor, Washington, with her nine-year-old daughter. Karissa’s move from Seattle also involves a new job at a publishing house. Karissa is welcomed to the neighborhood by her kind neighbor, Alice, a widow in her late fifties and forty-year-old divorcee Margot, who is out of work after being laid off. Karissa finds herself enjoying their company and they eventually start a book club along with Alice’s cantankerous older sister Josie. Needless to say, with each of the members facing their own set of difficulties, their discussions about the books they read soon turn into heartfelt conversations about their own lives with each of them sharing their own troubles and wisdom, inspiring one another to affect positive changes.

The author does a wonderful job of depicting female friendships – the camaraderie between the friends and how they support one another – with kindness and honesty. Each of these women is quite different –in terms of both life experiences and personality - and it was fun to see how they grew to respect and care for one another. It was interesting how each of their own life experiences and varying perspectives helped the others deal with their own challenges. I enjoyed the descriptions of Karissa’s experiences at work and the peek into life at a publishing company. The romance angle in the narrative is light and does not distract from the primary narrative, which is a plus point for me.

The author touches upon several sensitive themes – infidelity, betrayal, bereavement professional struggles and complicated family dynamics, among others, with heart and humor, making for a light-hearted read despite the heavy themes. I would have liked had these topics been explored with a bit more emotional depth. The ending was a bit too neatly tied up, but that was to be expected.

Overall, with a cast of endearing characters and engaging storylines woven into a fluid narrative, I found this to be an entertaining and heartwarming read.

Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Karissa leaves Seattle with her daughter, to go to Gig Harbor and start a new life. She soon finds out that her neighbors, just like her are dealing with their own problems as well. She decides to start a book club to bring them all together. The women soon lean on each other as they grow through life’s ups and downs.

I loved how relatable all the characters were. Roberts did a great job writing real life scenarios and making the reader feel like they’re in the story. I really enjoyed this book and can see it becoming a book club pick! The perfect summer read!

📘: The Best Life Book Club by Sheila Roberts
🗓️: May 7, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley, Sheila Roberts, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Reviewed on NetGalley, Amazon, and Goodreads.

The Best Life Book Club by Sheila Roberts was a very sweet novel about a woman who starts over after a breakup with her daughter in tow. She gets a job with a small publisher in Washington State and starts up a small book club with her neighbors. They all grow from being in the club and it's very cute. Great beach read! Thank you to the author publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book!! I couldn’t put it down.
I just loved all the characters. I highly recommend this book.

This was fun. I loved reading about all the characters improving their lives and overcoming their obstacles. I liked all the characters too. I did enjoy this book, however, I did find it very slow at times which is not my favorite reading style. Overall, I liked it but I do have gripe with Josie’s storyline. Personally, I think they were all too hard on her. Was she mean to Carol’s husband? Yes, but it’s what he deserved. I am on Josie’s side. Sometimes people are losers and Carol needs to accept that her husband is one.

The Best Life Book Club is the story of Karissa Newcomb, who moves to Gig Harbor in the Pacific Northwest with her young daughter. She is looking for a change of scenery - and life - after a painful divorce. She starts a book club with three other women who also are at a crossroad.

I wanted to read this book because I loved the idea of the book club setting. The Pacific Northwest also was appealing!

This is a gentle, heartwarming book about second chances. There is plenty of friendship, romance, and a lot of feel good moments. I recommend this for fans of small town fiction, chick lit, and women's fiction.

This was a cute book. I enjoyed it. It's about 4 different women and where they are in this point of life. In this story you can follow each women and how they got to where they are now and how they became friends. It was a really good read and very heart warming. I don't know why this book reminded me of a movie I once saw that I can't remember the name to it.

Cute story about a small group of neighbors who become friends and form a book club It's a little far fetched in my opinion, because not only do they all have issues to resolve, but there is a big age gap and one of the ladies is really hard to take. Nonetheless, they all help each other through the issues they are dealing with and become quite the cheering section for one another. Like I said, cute story!

The Best Life Book Club by Sheila Roberts
Contemporary chick lit, and romance.
Karissa Newcomb and her daughter move to Gig Harbor for a restart. Karissa is freshly divorced and hoping this new town will re-energize their lives. She meets Alice and Margot in her new neighborhood and realizes they could all use a boost. Since they all love reading, they form a book club and invite Josie along and soon the four have formed a special friendship.
Each of the women have their own lives, loves and problems, but together, they support and listen.

It’s difficult to find new friends over school age and this book is a great proponent of finding and creating your own circles that can add to the richness of your living. Three romances, lots of extended family and issues. One book club.
It’s a wonderful story that had me laughing and crying along the way.
I had an ebook and a paperback to follow the different women and their storylines. I’m not sure an audiobook for this one would be an effective method given the multiple couples.
The chapter headings are supposedly quotes from books that may apply to the chapter itself but they are, in fact, totally fabricated by the author. Many of the quotes are spoken from a recurring character from prior novels. Kind of an Easter egg for the readers.
Engaging and endearing.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

I love my book club I am in and so I think any book with Book Club in the title intrigues me, as I have such wonderful memories of my group. I enjoyed the different phases of life the characters in this book were in. Covering different generations I think can give a book good depth. The characters personalities though were a little annoying at times. I don’t expect deep thought provoking characters from romance books, but I do like it when I feel connected to the characters. Margot was my favorite character personality. The others were just a touch whiny for me to truly connect with them. I did like the story line of the book though and did enjoy it as a whole!

Sheila Roberts never disappoints. She consistently delivers feel good stories that brighten your day. The Best Life Book Club is no different.

This is a fabulous story about friendship, women coming together from different phases in life. It's such a hopeful feel good novel.

I really wanted to enjoy The Best Life Book Club, hoping it would capture the charm and depth of "The Lonely Hearts Book Club". Unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. While it's a cute chick lit novel about starting over and forging friendships in the unlikeliest of crossed paths, it lacked the substance I was looking for.

The writing felt very juvenile, and the book was overflowing with clichéd tropes. The most grating aspect was the repeated toxic positivity. Instead of offering genuine insight or emotional depth, the narrative was saturated with Pinterest-worthy quotes that felt more shaming and guilt-inducing than uplifting. This "positive vibes only" mantra can be particularly grating when people are coping with situations such as financial troubles, job loss, illness, or the loss of a loved one, being told that they need to look on the bright side can seem downright cruel.

Here are some examples that highlight this issue:

“Divorce is hard, but there are worse things in life.” Yes, like war, she thought. Her own battle felt smaller as she took in the sea of grave markers where men who had lost their lives when they’d barely had a chance to live lay buried.
"Having a mother to nag you beats being an orphan, she told herself."
"No one loses all the time, Annie Wills had said in her book. Forget your losses and move forward and you’ll become a winner."

These vapid sayings kept making me cringe and really took away from any character development or growth, as they seemed hollow and overly simplistic. The narrative pushed a contradictory message that felt avoidant of genuine human emotions and prevented any real progression for the characters.

If you're looking for a light read filled with female friendships and some eye-roll-worthy tropes, you may enjoy The Best Life Book Club. However, if you prefer a more realistic, messy, and authentic story that real people can relate to, this book might not be for you. Personally, I found it lacking in the depth and realism that make a story truly resonate.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced release copy in exchange for an honest review. Releases on May 7, 2024.

I read this in between two intense books and it was a perfect light, effortless, positive read. The characters were likable and the story flowed well.

This book was such a lovely read. Making new friends and each finding their own story kept me turning pages! Wonderful characters who made me like I was a part of them! Enjoyed it so much!!

I am so grateful to NetGalley for providing access to this now published book. However, it ended up not being a great fit for me. Despite feeling guilty, I am not finishing this one. There’s just so many amazing books out there that I am over spending time on books that don’t compel me.

The Pacific Northwest setting brought firefly lane vibes. The mixed age group of the protagonists was a draw. Of course, the book club concept is what really drew me. I love my book club and the relationships it has forged so I thought this story would resonate with me.

None of the characters were felt relatable to me. Between alternating timeframes and a host of ancillary figures and choices that just didn’t seem natural, I just didn’t connect.

Honestly, I might recommend this one to my mother. Nothing spicy. Nice and cozy. Valuing the support women provide one another. All good things! Just didn’t make me want to keep reading.

Thank you for providing me an ARC to read in exchange for writing a review of the book.

Karissa’s life has recently undergone significant changes. She divorced her husband, bought a new home in a new city, and started a new job. Her best friend, Allegea, had an affair with her husband, and they are now starting their new life together. Karissa couldn’t afford a home locally and wasn’t sure she wanted to stay close to watch her ex-husband begin his new life.

Karissa is settling into her new home and job, and she has become friendly with her neighbors, starting to make new friends. They form a book club together and eventually start writing a book together.

It is always enjoyable to read books about people who love books and enjoy reading them. This book was written from many different points of view. At times, I found the transitions between characters a bit tricky as they weren’t necessarily laid out clearly.
It is a cute story about second chances and new beginnings. I would rate the book 3.25/5. This is definitely a book I could take on a summer vacation or recommend as a summer read for a book club.

Title: The Best Life Book Club
Author: Sheila Roberts
Genre: Fiction
Rating:4 out of 5

It started as a book club. It became a way to build a better life together.

Karissa Newcomb is ready for a new start in a new neighborhood, as far away as she can get from Seattle, where her husband cheated on her with the neighbor who was supposed to be her best friend. She and her nine-year-old daughter are moving on to the city of Gig Harbor on the bay in Puget Sound. She even has a new job as an assistant at a small publishing company right in Gig Harbor. Her new boss seems like a bit of a curmudgeon, but a job is a job, she loves to read, and the idea of possibly meeting writers sounds fabulous.

Soon she finds she’s not the only one in need of a refresh. Her new neighbors, Alice and Margot, are dealing with their own crises. Alice is still grieving her late husband and hasn’t been able to get behind the wheel of a car since a close call after his death. Margot is floundering after getting divorced and laid off in quick succession. They could all use a distraction, and a book club seems like just the ticket. Together, the three women, along with Alice’s grumpy older sister, Josie, embark on a literary journey that just might be the kick start they need to begin building their best lives yet.

This was a sweet read about friendship. And books, of course. I enjoyed how much all the ladies grew and changed—and how they helped each other grow into who they wanted to be. These women have all been through tough times, but they learn from those experiences and don’t let it make them bitter. There’s some love and romance scattered throughout, but I wouldn’t categorize this as only a romance book. It’s about much more than that.

Sheila Roberts is a bestselling author. The Best Life Book Club is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

TITLE: THE BEST LIFE BOOK CLUB
AUTHOR: Sheila Roberts
PUB DATE: 05.07.2024

This is one of the best uplifting story I have read recently - it is a celebration of friendships, and a joyful read overall about how books help heal and unite people.

Karissa with her daughter moves to Puget Sound for a fresh start where she starts working for a publishing company. There she meets new friends and neighbors with troubles of their own, but their book club brings them solace as they support each other through their grief and loss, and through tough times and difficulties, and also the simple joys of their new found friendship and little wins.

This is the perfect palate cleanser and a great book to read on vacation or relaxing by the pool.

Overall: 3.5
Spice: 0

Divorced and trying to figure out life afterwards, leads the FMC to moving into a new house and making friends with neighbors and coworkers who decide to start a book club. Each picking a different book that relates to where they currently are in life. In the mist of this club, the FMC finds love again not looking forward and with the help of her daughter. This is a cute summer light read for those later in life trying to figure out what to do next. You have witty banter and a lot of sass.