Review: Four Friends by Robyn Carr

Publish Date: March 25, 2014
Trade Paperback {p.366}
Genre: Women's Fiction
Source: Publicist
Gerri Gilbert, Sonja Johanson, Andy Jamison, BJ Smith

Gerri can't decide what's more devastating: learning her rock-solid marriage has big cracks, or the anger she feels as she tries to repair the damage. Always the anchor for friends and her three angst-ridden teenagers, it's time to look carefully at herself. The journey for Gerri and her family is more than revealing—it's transforming.

Andy doesn't have a great track record with men, and she's come to believe that for her a lasting love is out of reach. When she finds herself attracted to her down-to-earth, ordinary contractor—a man without any of the qualities that usually appeal to her—she questions everything she thought she wanted in life.

Sonja's lifelong pursuit of balance is shattered when her husband declares he's through with her New Age nonsense and walks out. There's no herbal tonic or cleansing ritual that can restore her serenity—or her sanity.

Miraculously, it's BJ, the reserved newcomer to Mill Valley, who steps into their circle and changes everything. The woman with dark secrets opens up to her neighbors, and together they get each other back on track, stronger as individuals and unfaltering as friends.

The characters and their issues draw you in as a reader because they are real and relatable. I was drawn to some characters more than others, but I still wanted to know the outcome for all of them.

Of the four friends, I was most interested in Andy and her budding relationship with her carpenter. I instantly adored Bob, the carpenter. I didn't understand why everyone in their lives was finding it hard to believe that Andy would be involved with Bob, but I however immediately got her attraction to him. They got to know one another as friends before it became something physical. I must admit, Bob may have been my favorite character of the entire book.

Sonja, I was iffy about. But once her marriage blew up, I loved her. The Sonja after her marriages falls apart was stronger, more real than the Sonja before. I didn't like her husband George before nor after. He just seemed so uncaring about what Sonja was going through.

Gerri, I felt for what she was going through, but at times I felt she should be focused on her own issues instead of telling Andy what she needs to do. When she should have been nosing into anyone's business it should have been Sonja's but BJ had to pint out everything going wrong there to Gerri. That proved to me that Sonja was right in her assessment that Gerri and Andy are friends and just includes Sonja.

I truly did enjoy every minute of this book. Great story, great characters, my only issue was the characters excessive use of the word "gd." But it was not enough to deter me from the story.