"My Year of Casual Acquaintances" by Ruth F. Stevens is a witty and insightful exploration of self-discovery, relationships, and the complexities of human connection. The novel follows a protagonist embarking on a journey of casual encounters—romantic, platonic, and unexpected—while navigating personal growth and redefining what she truly wants from life. Stevens crafts a compelling narrative filled with humor, charm, and moments of introspection, capturing the awkward, exciting, and sometimes messy realities of modern dating and social interaction. With its relatable characters and sharp, engaging prose, "My Year of Casual Acquaintances" is a refreshing and entertaining read that offers both humor and heartfelt reflections on love, friendship, and the search for meaning in everyday encounters.

Perhaps the best review I can give to ‘My Year of Casual Acquaintances’ is that I bought its sequel within about ten minutes of finishing it.
The novel tells the story of Mar Meyer, a 50-something woman, fresh from divorce but affluent enough to live overlooking the Californian coast and to retain membership at what sounds like quite an exclusive fitness club.
What starts as a rather empty existence for Mar soon gets filled up in a number of ways. From the over enthusiastic 30-something Whitney to the overly pessimistic ‘Judge’ Judy, Mar learns a little something about herself with every encounter and new person she meets.
Some of them are more influential than others – Sunny and Grace become something closer to friends; Nancy and Vincent challenge Mar’s selflessness; Charlie is the main romantic interest, while Jax is a noisy distraction and Nic a malevolent (posing as benevolent) nuisance.
Then of course there is Audrey and Petey but you’ll have to read the book for them.
It’s not strictly a decision by Mar to meet all of these new people, rather it’s a more organic result of putting herself forward more and choosing to get involved in the things around her. While she is a somewhat unlikable character at the beginning of the novel (though not to the extent that others felt, at least for me), as she jumps the various hurdles thrown at her, she becomes a more rounded person with whom we can empathise.
In truth, there’s not too much wrong with this novel that I can point to as a glaring fault. I did think the schism between mother and son mended perhaps a little too easily – I feel like the meet-ups and arranged events would have been a tad more uncertain and unnerving for Mar. I also thought that Vincent got glossed over just a little too easily as well, as if suddenly realising that the end was in sight and let’s get there quickly.
But these are minor things that mostly come to my attention after finishing the novel and having a day or two to process it. As I say, I went and bought the second book almost immediately after finishing, so that’s a solid review in and of itself.

My thanks to Black Rose Writing, via NetGalley, for the eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

My Year of Casual Acquaintances is fun and entertaining. It's a fast read with surprises throughout. This is the first book of Stevens that I've read, but I'm definitely a fan and will look for more.

When I started this book, I wasn’t sure I would finish it. Margaret, the main character, is self-involved and aware of her flaws but seeming not to care, thinking it’s everyone else who is the problem. However, after a divorce that rankles and upends her life, she attempts to get her life back on track, making new friends and rejecting them just as quickly. But over time, she begins to grow and change in a way that is not perfect, but is heartwarming, and I ended up rooting for her and finishing the book in a single day.

The premise of the book was intriguing to me, but but the execution is not working for me. The main character is main character-ing a lil too hard if that makes sense. Soft DNF for now but might pick it back up later.

Everyone's reaction to being divorced is different. Margaret's reaction was to shorten her name to Mar and to restrict herself to casual relationships while she tried to rebuild her relationship with her son and adjust to the reality of her ex being with another woman. When she finds someone that might be a potential long term relationship, she pushes him away.. Was that a mistake or is she just not ready? A very interesting read and one that will resonate with everyone who has ever had to rebuild their lives after a divorce.

My Year of Casual Acquaintances by Ruth F. Stevens is a delightful romp through main character Margaret’s life after divorce. Stevens is so adept at character development that readers will easily develop their own feelings about each of the casual acquaintances in Margaret’s life and the role they play in her transition to being a single woman following her divorce. It’s a well-written fictionalized look at life’s challenges and the need to seek companionship when we are at our most vulnerable and how people who come and go in our lives may provide something that we need, even if we didn’t realize we needed it. Well done!

Really enjoyed this book. The beginning put me off a bit admittedly, but Mar(garet) really redeemed herself throughout the story and it was very enjoyable to read about. All of the side characters were interesting and written well. Nothing felt artificial or fake here, real stories about real people. All of the plot points were moving in some way. Loved the pace and that the writing seemed to flow naturally. Makes for a soothing read. Looking forward to reading the sequel.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a fun book!

Margaret is a very flawed human and at some points I thought I hated her. Really it just gives a good insight into a person who doesn’t have it all together. The chapters were funny and quick to get through and I liked that it flipped through her “casual acquaintences” I wish there was a chapter on heather as she seems like such a great daughter in law and I could read a whole book on her. Michael came across as an arse but what he was annoyed about made total sense.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read and review this book.

Mar is a recently divorced middle aged woman trying to figure out what she wants her life to look like now. She joins Seaside Fitness where we meet her casual new acquaintances that each impact her life in some way.

I struggled to connect with Mar in the first half of the book, but was rooting for her and her happiness towards the end! This book was about finding yourself after a marriage ends, trying new things, and forming new relationships. Mar grew so much as a character throughout the year that this book takes place. You’re never too old to start over.

At fifty, Mar Meyer finds herself doing something she never dreamed possible-starting over. Her husband leaving her for another woman, Mar is faced to navigate uncharted territories like finding a new home, making new friends, and even dating. This is the story of the year of her rebirth.

Throughout the months, Mar does just as the title suggests- meets a variety of people, some of which having a more long term presence than others. From younger friends, to forging a stronger relationship with her son, to the one that may have gotten away, Mar grows in what she never dreamed possible. But leaving one’s comfort zone does not come without some element of discomfort. Can Mar rebuild her world when finding newfound happiness feels so fleeting?

One of the reasons I decided to read My Year of Casual Acquaintances was because I read and enjoyed author Ruth F. Stevens last novel, Stage Seven. Though very different stories, there is a common thread of touching upon Alzheimer’s and its effects, a disease that must be important to the author.

While I enjoyed being taken along on Mar’s journey of self discovery, I couldn’t help but be frustrated with some of her decisions in the moment- namely those revolving around her son and Charlie, a man she dates. In those instances I felt Mar came across as frustratingly selfish and a tad self serving. Then again, one could argue everyone has their own set of work to do on oneself, regardless of age.

Obsessed with this cover!! Not obsessed with the book. I think it could have been good if the main character was more relatable but she was insufferable.

Mar Meyer’s marriage is over after 28 years and it’s time to put the pieces of her life back together. The big relationships in her life are a mess. Her mother is distant and her son is angry, so Mar’s reinvention is shaped by virtual strangers.

MY YEAR OF CASUAL ACQUAINTANCES takes a unique approach by introducing us to a new person each month who helps Mar find her way in her new reality. Some of these characters move through her life quickly, while others establish themselves more firmly, but all of them help Mar chart her future.

I enjoyed seeing how the author wove these tangential characters into Mar’s life. It’s a good reminder that even small pebbles can create big ripples. This is a slow moving, reflective story. I was surprised at the amount of depth found in this novel and found myself wanting more at the conclusion. Fortunately Ms. Stevens gives us a glimpse at what happens after the final page with a sneak peek at a sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for an advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

I thought this book was so bland. I needed to read almost 3/4 of the book to find it interesting. For me, the most interesting part of the book was Charlie, the Sexy Eyes, a yogi and best-seller novelist 💗

The book's pace was so slow, I was impatient to read it and almost gave it up, but no, I finished it. Even, I anticipate the sequel for the sake of Charlie 😁

My Year of Casual Acquaintance probably was my first romance with the elderly as the main character. But, wait, can fifty categories be elderly? 🤔

After reading the book cover to cover, I understand why this book was so slow and bland. I ever experienced what Margaret did: moving on from break up. It needed time to heal, digest and process what happened. It may seem slow but somehow it's progressing, it helps us move forward, and even grow.

We may meet people who help us to heal the pain but at the same time facilitate us to be the better version of ourselves that we never imagined, which is good.

In conclusion, this book is about the process of healing and self-development. Margaret was so annoying at the beginning of the book but she improved to be better, after what she experienced by meeting many people through the gym and neighbourhood. She became wiser and more mature although she needed to undergo an unpleasant incident. But, don't we often need a punching moment to make us realize something?

Besides Margaret's character development and her romance with Charlie, I also highlighted her family's relationship that was ruined because of her ex-husband, Henry, dishonesty. He hid all the facts just to be seen as a good guy, as always. The character of someone I dislike 👎🏻

In the end, I can say, I like the book and somehow this book taught me about patience. If I hadn't read the book until the end, I wouldn't have got the enlightening insight and thrilling sensation to wait for the sequel.

Good job, Ruth! Thank you for allowing me to read the book in advance. Good luck! 💗 May readers like the book ✨

My Year of Casual Acquaintances was a book formatted unlike any other I have read. It takes a look at a middle-aged, newly divorced woman's life as she struggles to figure out what she wants her new life to look like. Each month introduces a new acquaintance, someone who impacts her life meaningfully, no matter how small a time span. As the year passes, she learns more about herself and what parts of life she wants to prioritize.

I thought this book was well-written, fun, and entertaining. The characters felt very real, and I found myself rooting for most of them. The story felt very realistic, which was compelling to me. The small bit of romance woven throughout the book was well done.

I did feel that some of the dialogue was a bit formal or unlike how actual human beings talk to each other, but this was relatively rare. I also didn't love the physical descriptors of every character- it felt a bit body shaming at some points, or at least overly focused on body size and shape. This was a minor part of the book, but something that consistently happened.

I am excited that the sequel is also being released this year- I have never seen such a quick succession in novel release dates, but I can't wait to see how the story continues! It left off at a place I am very interested to see more of.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC! This book will be released on September 26th, and I definitely think it is worth the read.

Such a fun read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this novel very much! This was so much deeper than I expected. The characters are relatable and believable.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of the book.

This was a book filled with funny little stories and events as Mar - not Margaret - tries to find herself and start over. It was a cute story, but not one that I couldn't put down

Love the Idea of this novel. However it was a tedious read that dragged and dragged. Little character development.