Review by Booklist Review
Best friends Unity and Ellen are in serious ruts. High school teacher Ellen, whose son's dream of going out of state for college is arousing financial anxiety, hasn't dated since she became pregnant on the night of her junior prom. Unity, a successful handyman, is grieving after her soldier husband was killed three years ago. Each woman goads the other to venture out of her restrictive comfort zone, daring the other to take on a list of challenges, ranging from singing karaoke to wearing sexy clothes, skydiving, getting a tattoo, and having sex. Summer brings big changes. Ellen accompanies her son, a dozen other high school athletes, and her good friend Coach Keith on a bus tour of Pacific coast universities. Unity, who works at a senior living community, is speechless when a septuagenarian friend tries to set her up with her great-nephew, but then she thinks about her bet with Ellen. Readers, especially fans of RayAnn Thayne and Robyn Carr, will enjoy how prolific women's fiction master Mallery (Sisters by Choice, 2020) orchestrates community connections, friendships, and fulfilling romances.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Mallery (Sisters by Choice) entices with this summery standalone about best friends choosing to go outside their comfort zones. Lifelong friends Unity Leandre and Ellen Fox have supported one another through thick and thin. Now Ellen fears that her son, Cooper, won't go away to college because he knows she depends on him and Unity worries she'll never break free of grief for her husband, Stuart, who died three years earlier. To break out of their ruts, the women challenge one another with summer to-do lists. Ellen's list includes getting a tattoo and ending her sexual dry spell, while Unity focuses on expanding her social circle and moving her business to an office. When Ellen agrees to chaperone a college trip for Cooper and his classmates, sparks fly between her and her fellow chaperone, high school coach Keith Kinne--but Keith wants more than just casual sex. Meanwhile, Unity meets handsome, successful Thaddeus, but she isn't convinced she can have a relationship with him without betraying her love for Stuart. Mallery's authentic characters and their refreshing summer escapades are sure to resonate. The emphasis on the power of friendship and the joy of new romance make this sparkling novel a sure hit with women's fiction fans. Agent: Annelise Robey, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Aug.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Single mom Ellen Fox is in a rut. A rut so big that her soon-to-be college-bound son is contemplating going to a college nearby so he can "take care of her." Overhearing this confession to one of his friends, Ellen decides to make some drastic changes in her life, to make sure she isn't holding back her son. Her best friend, Unity Leandre, supports Ellen's decision and helps her create a list of ways to spice up her life. In solidarity, and not because she is in a huge rut herself after the death of her husband, Unity decides to tackle a list of her own. The Friendship List is born, and the two women spend the summer making over their lives and tackling items such as new wardrobes, getting tattoos, and going on dates. Through adventures that are sometimes hilarious and other times poignant, the friends begin to deal with what has been holding them back and support each other as they push themselves toward a more fulfilling future. Tanya Eby voices each of the characters with humor, charm, and compassion. The characters are dealing with some serious emotional weight that Eby portrays with a heartfelt honesty. VERDICT A fun read filled with both lighthearted humor as well as emotional depth.--Courtney Pentland, Omaha, NE
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