Second Acts

Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

As I get older, I find myself drawn to older female characters so I can relate. My only is heading to college next year so I cannot really enjoy books with main characters in the early 20’s like I used to.  I enjoyed reading about these almost life long friendships and their experiences in love, work, and life. I only wish I had first known when the present day story started (late 90’s, early ‘00s) because the references to a Palm and Windows on the World really threw me.

What I loved:   Sarah was my favorite character. Maybe it was because she started off the story, but I think the author made her personality come alive more than the others since Sarah never really traveled back into her memories like her friends. She is witty, sarcastic to the point of almost being brutal, and has a confidence in herself that the others lack.

What I didn’t love:  Beth had to be the most boring character to me. I would have rather seen more depth in regards to the death of her son instead of her time in Italy in college. I think her experiences of loss and as a mother shaped her into the person she is today and it was barely acknowledged in the story.

What I learned:  Friends made in college last a lifetime.

Overall Grade:  B-

Oh Teri Emory, where have you been? I know this is your first novel, but so beautifully written that I can't believe you've waited this long to share your bounty.

Three women, Sarah, Miriam and Beth share their stories. Love, friendship, death, disappointments all make up this wonderful novel. The book never becomes mawkish, rather it is wonderfully hopeful and satisfying.

Emory sets the story in the year preceding 9/11, allowing each woman to recount her history. Since they are exactly my vintage and the story is set where I live, this was extremely moving for me. The themes explored such as sexism, death of a child, divorce and disappointments make this timeless.

It recalls the wonderful books of authors such as Rona Jaffee. I will remind you all when this is published in the fall because I don't want anyone to miss it!

A lifelong friendship since college ties together three friends, Beth, Miriam and Sarah. Confiding in each other as life happens, the three women face relationship issues, career challenges and more. It was nice to read about older characters with different life experiences behind them. A good read for fans of women's fiction.

The later lives of three college friends are told in the first person in alternating chapters. We get the chance to see all three through each other's eyes as well as follow their stories closely. Each have had different life experiences but their friendship remains a constant.

I'm not usually a fan of this kind of book, but this is so well written, has a depth to it and deals realistically with women in their fifties (they're not all trying to relive their youth with unlikely affairs), that it makes a very refreshing change.

I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it. It's about three women who meet and become friends in college in the 1960's and follows their lives up to 2001. A more detailed review is on Good reads which is linked below. Thank you allowing me to read and review this book.

What a pleasure to read a novel where the lives of women in their fifties takes centre place and doesn't resort to the usual trope of trying to reclaim youth.

Instead what we get is a book divided into sections, each focusing on the first person point of view of three characters, Beth, Sarah and Miriam and also offering insights into the friendship that has sustained them all for so long. As they live through death, divorce, career challenges and crises of insight, the universality of these experiences is maintained in a steady, well-paced narrative.

3.5 stars

A heartwarming and impressively-written saga spanning 20 years of friendship between three women.

What I liked: the references to feminism, the female energy, the settings.

What I didn't like: the characters felt underdeveloped, the ends were tied up very quickly and neatly.

Overall: an enjoyable read that didn't take too much concentration.

I got really excited when the publisher granted my wish and allowed me to read this book. It's such a beautiful, emotional story. I didn't know this author before, but now I'm a fan.

Second Acts is a beautifully written story of friendship. Loved this book.

Thanks to Amberjack Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Second Acts is an enjoyable book that follows three college friends through the highs and lows of their jobs, relationships, and families. It starts when the girls are in college and ends when they're in their 50s, just after 9/11. The book is written in alternating chapters, one friend after the other, which is an interesting way to write a story and makes the book fun to read.

I really liked the three characters. They were all different, and the trajectories of their lives were different as well, but they remained close and connected throughout their experiences. I thought they were well written. The themes of love and loss in different forms were sensitively explored, and in the end there was a sense of journeys taken and goals reached.

I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it.

A great beach read - read in one sitting on my sunlounger - a lovely story of friendship and of the lives of a group of women.

A wonderful description of modern-day middle aged women who come to grips with the lives they've made and decisions they've regretted. Some of the male characters are not well-defined, but the interwoven plots keeps one invested in their stories.

This is the story about 3 friends. Women who met in college and are still friends in their 50's. Each is different. They have experienced the feminist era of their 20's and chosen different paths. But, they have stayed supportive friends through it all. The author did an excellent job of giving us enough insight into the brains and emotions of these women that the reader is able to engage. Most chapters give you one women's view and life but several times the weaving of their stories is what I really enjoyed.
What I really loved about this book was how relatable it was. I am so tired of 50 years being portrayed as one-dimensional. These woman, work, love, (even have sex!) and are productive in all aspects of their lives. They are now approaching the "Second Act" of their lives with their feet firmly planted and their friendship supporting them. It was easy for me to identify with each of them and feel their experiences as they did. It's definitely a feel better after you read it kind of book.

This was a good read, a really nice story of friendship through the trials and tribulations life throws our way. The story follows the life's of three college friends, Sarah, Miriam, and Beth - each chapter dedicated to their story. There is a lot going on in their lives and a lot has happened in their past, and I particularly liked the strength of their friendship throughout the years and into their fifties, where the book is now set. I did find Sarah the least interesting of the three, as a lot was initially about her job, however, I warmed to all three ladies and enjoyed the story. A nice, easy read that, although wasn't fast paced, will leave you smiling and happy you read this book.

College friends Sarah, Beth, and Miriam are entering middle age and their lives are going in new directions. Sarah's ex-husband dies and leaves her a surprise message when she leaves it the most. Beth and her husband Jim are struggling in their marriage and she has a choice when her 1st love contacts her. Miriam finds something unexpected but does she have the courage. Together they find a Second Act for their friendship and life.

This was a great read. It’s really well written, in a fashion where the story jumps off the page and pulls you in. The writing itself feels smooth and intricate, Ms. Emory has an amazing writing style and it shows.
The story itself was a breath of fresh air, I read it at the best time possible. I found the characters and the plot well-developed and interesting.
This was an entertaining, but touching read, perfect for fans of Women’s Fiction. I recommend it.

I really liked this book.

Written from the points of view of three different women, Beth, Sarah, and Miriam who have been friends since college in the 1960s, The author demonstrates astute observations on love, aging, and life.

The women have faced various crises in their lives… losing a child, a parent, a job, a lover; the one constant has been their friendship and mutual support. Once free thinking young women with boundless options, they have endured many choices and challenges and are now embarking on the “second acts” of their lives.

Well written, this book is engrossing, entertaining, funny, sad, infuriating, satisfying.

I did not know what to expect when I read this book. It was like no other book I have ever read!

Part 1:
Sarah- a phone call changes her life
Miriam- Meeting someone special who changes everything
Beth- Become an expert at placing all of our memories into compartments
Part 2:
I thought she be renamed turmoil and changes for all 3 of our characters.
Part 3:
New beginnings for these 3 women and a great friendship shared through all of it!!

Second Acts by Teri Emory was an enjoyable read begining to end.  I especially liked her reference to Savannah and Tybee Island it shows her  research as accurate.  The novel tells the story of three long time friends Sarah, Beth, and Mariam and the loves (men, children, parents, work, passions, etc.)in their lives.  Each a stong woman. Book clubs will enjoy this book because there is so much more meaning just below the surface.

I loved this book! I instantly was drawn into the lives of three strong and relatable friends, Sara, Beth, and Miriam. The book focuses on their relationship, both personal, professional, and their transformation throughout the years. Their stories begin in their college days and alternates between Sarah, Beth, and Miriam, in the first person. The characters and story lines were well developed and easy to follow. The minor characters were a
so well developed. I found myself identifying with each one in some way and rooted for them all.

Second Acts is a great summer read! It hits home with the importance of friendship and celebration of life, even when times are difficult. The writing is realistic and there are always Second Acts in life!

Thanks to the Author and Net Galley for the opportunity for an honest reivew.

Sarah, Miriam, and Beth each has a distinctive voice in this novel which can be read as a history of women who came of age and maturity between the 60s and 9/11. Emory has woven historical events and realistic bits of life through the alternating chapters. I felt like I knew these women; I went up and down with them and rooted for them. Clear writing and careful plotting made this a winner for me. Not all of it was expected, which was also a plus. Their friendship survives so much as they move through their lives. We should all be so lucky. Thanks for the ARC. You will like this if you like strong women's fiction. Two thumbs up!

A heartwarming tale of love and abiding female friendship during times of adversity. It is tempting to draw allusions between Second Acts and novels like Sex and the City and indeed, I could see Sarah, Beth and Miriam becoming as much a phenomena as Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda, but in some senses, I felt that the story that Second Acts had to tell was all the more vital to the current cultural climate.

This novel seemed to tell a story that needs to be told right now - that despite challenges - cultural, personal or professional, what matters is the human connections we make which make life meaningful. Although I am not yet reaching my own second act, I could identify with each one of the central protagonists and felt like they were presented to the readers as beacons of what life can be if only we stick to our own notions of who we are and what we believe in. I couldn't say which of the women I liked most, but I felt that I identified with Miriam's story the most and yet I know that friends of mine would have a different view. I suppose that's the beauty of this novel, it shows us many different walks of life and how different decisions can impact on the life we live now.

As much about looking backward as it is about looking to the future, Second Acts encourages the reader to accept the role of their past in their present and future and grow and change because of it.

One of the most affirming messages I got from the book is that although life might be hard, there is always our second act to help us achieve the life that we want.