The Friendship List
A Novel
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4.2 • 588 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“Sparkling… A sure hit with women’s fiction fans.” —Publishers Weekly
Two best friends jump-start their lives in a summer that will change them forever…
Single mom Ellen Fox couldn’t be more content—until she overhears her son saying he can’t go to his dream college because she needs him too much. If she wants him to live his best life, she has to convince him she’s living hers.
So Unity Leandre, her best friend since forever, creates a list of challenges to push Ellen out of her comfort zone. Unity will complete the list, too, but not because she needs to change. What’s wrong with a thirtysomething widow still sleeping in her late husband’s childhood bed?
The Friendship List begins as a way to make others believe they’re just fine. But somewhere between “wear three-inch heels” and “have sex with a gorgeous guy,” Ellen and Unity discover that life is meant to be lived with joy and abandon, in a story filled with humor, heartache and regrettable tattoos.
Don't miss New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery's heartwarming summer novel, The Summer Book Club, where conversations over a glass of wine turns into something much more in this journey of motherhood, friendship and love.
Get lost in more beach reads by Susan Mallery: The Summer Book Club - Coming February 2024! The Happiness Plan The Sister Effect The Boardwalk Bookshop The Summer Getaway
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Lifelong buddies Ellen and Unity are both single and happy. Well…more or less. When Ellen’s college-bound son starts worrying about leaving his mom all alone, the besties realize their lives could use a kick in the pants, so they come up with a list of exhilarating dares to get them excited again, like getting tattoos and skydiving. The Friendship List made us feel like we were good friends with best-selling author Susan Mallery’s warm and relatable heroines. We enjoyed sharing their most vulnerable moments, and we loved witnessing the divorced Ellen and widowed Unity rediscover what real passion feels like. Although Mallery throws some very hot guys into Unity and Ellen’s path, the romantic elements of the novel take a back seat to the characters’ inspiring bond. That makes this read as sweetly empowering as it is hot and steamy.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
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.
Customer Reviews
See AllComplicated
Two friends struggle to overcome past pain and loss so they can move forward
Couldn’t get through the first chapter.
Um gross. I don’t know any parents that actually talk to their daughters like this. The writing is boring and trying way too hard.
Wonderful read!
Great book. Didn’t want to put it down or for it to end. Another great book, Susan Mallery!