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The Friendship List
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[ ] Dance till dawn
[ ] Go skydiving
[ ] Wear a bikini in public
[ ] Start living
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 convin ...more
[ ] Go skydiving
[ ] Wear a bikini in public
[ ] Start living
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 convin ...more
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Hardcover, 384 pages
Published
August 4th 2020
by HQN
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This is a romance/chick lit. The cover does not really fit the book. I really enjoyed the book, but it was not what I was thinking. Ellen and Unity are trying to get over something big that happen in their lives that has made them not date or have sex in years (a lot of years). During this book both of them gets over everything and starts dating again. I have to say I really love Ellen, but Unity I really did not love. The characters are super developed, and the plot was fun. Some of parts of th
...more

An engaging story with the perfect balance of friendship and romance, whimsy and charm, Smiles and sobs. Susan Mallery is a masterful storyteller who always manages to brighten my day. Ellen and Unity have been best friends since they were very young. Ellen is a single mom to a teenage son and has not been out on a date since she got pregnant at 17. Unity lost her husband three years ago and still has not been able to remove his clothing from the closet. When Ellen overhears her son telling a fr
...more


The Friendship List was so much fun to read!
Two friends each stuck in their past. Following self-imposed rules that shouldn't exist. Rules which stop them from living a full life.
Ellen Fox is a single mother. Her son is finishing high school and it is time to decide about picking a college. Ellen admits she doesn't want him to leave the nest until she realizes he is not even considering the college he wants because he feels responsible for her and he is willing to sacrifice his future for he ...more

The Friendship List by Susan Mallery
Chick lit romance. Really good and emotional chick lit romance.
Strong friendships. Emotional growth and tears. Heart full of feel good after reading this.
How can these two women, that have had rather sheltered lives, learn to be so self aware and want to grow? And then do it.
They didn’t want to change at first. It’s only as they deal with life and challenges that the women realize they like what they’re adding and living. But is not all easy and tears flow i ...more
Chick lit romance. Really good and emotional chick lit romance.
Strong friendships. Emotional growth and tears. Heart full of feel good after reading this.
How can these two women, that have had rather sheltered lives, learn to be so self aware and want to grow? And then do it.
They didn’t want to change at first. It’s only as they deal with life and challenges that the women realize they like what they’re adding and living. But is not all easy and tears flow i ...more

Favorite Quotes:
She’s a wizened old cow who hasn’t had sex in over a decade. I’m sure her girl parts are about as interesting as day-old bread.
“Are you wearing eyeliner?” “Yes. And it’s not easy to put on. I tried a smoky eye yesterday, but I just looked like I got in a fight.”
It’s all I can think about. I’m glowing so much, I’m practically radioactive.
My Review:
As with every Susan Mallery book I have been lucky enough to stumble upon, The Friendship List was better than an all-day all-you-can-e ...more
She’s a wizened old cow who hasn’t had sex in over a decade. I’m sure her girl parts are about as interesting as day-old bread.
“Are you wearing eyeliner?” “Yes. And it’s not easy to put on. I tried a smoky eye yesterday, but I just looked like I got in a fight.”
It’s all I can think about. I’m glowing so much, I’m practically radioactive.
My Review:
As with every Susan Mallery book I have been lucky enough to stumble upon, The Friendship List was better than an all-day all-you-can-e ...more

Friendship list was quite a refreshing read about taking risks with new relationships, getting over grief, finding love and new beginnings.
Ellen and Unity were best friends and have been singles for a long time. They were quite content with their lives until... Ellen overheard her seventeen year old confessing to putting his life on hold about college to be there for his mum, because he was all his mum had...and Unity got kicked out of the seniors pickle ball league and told to go hang out with ...more
Ellen and Unity were best friends and have been singles for a long time. They were quite content with their lives until... Ellen overheard her seventeen year old confessing to putting his life on hold about college to be there for his mum, because he was all his mum had...and Unity got kicked out of the seniors pickle ball league and told to go hang out with ...more

When best friends realize they’re both in a rut, what will it take to shake up their lives? Susan Mallery's
The Friendship List
has some ideas.
Ellen is happy. She likes her teaching job, she has a great relationship with her teenage son, Cooper, and she loves spending time with her best friend, Unity. She’s a little nervous about being able to afford Cooper’s college tuition on her salary, but they’ll figure it out. Not bad for someone who got pregnant at 17, right?
Unity has a successful han ...more
Ellen is happy. She likes her teaching job, she has a great relationship with her teenage son, Cooper, and she loves spending time with her best friend, Unity. She’s a little nervous about being able to afford Cooper’s college tuition on her salary, but they’ll figure it out. Not bad for someone who got pregnant at 17, right?
Unity has a successful han ...more

My review on www.bookread2day.wordpress.com Twitter@bookread2day
The Friendship List is a perfect feel-good read for anyone who has ever wanted the courage to change, or written a bucket list. This is the perfect book I recommend.
I first became a fan of Susan Mallery after watching a book that she had written that was turned into Christmas film, Marry Me At Christmas. After the film I read the paperback You Say It First.
I thought that The Friendship List was absolutely fabulous reading about the ...more
The Friendship List is a perfect feel-good read for anyone who has ever wanted the courage to change, or written a bucket list. This is the perfect book I recommend.
I first became a fan of Susan Mallery after watching a book that she had written that was turned into Christmas film, Marry Me At Christmas. After the film I read the paperback You Say It First.
I thought that The Friendship List was absolutely fabulous reading about the ...more

5 - "We’re doing this..?" "…We are. We need to." Stars!
I absolutely devoured this book. Susan Mallery is in general a winner for me, but I am not a massive fan of what is termed Women’s Fiction. The book may have been lumped into that category due to the characters being mid-thirties and having a lot of life experience under their belts, but for all that to me, it still read more contemporary romance than WF.
"Not living your life is a dumb ass way to spend your day."
Mainly because it wasn’t all ...more
I absolutely devoured this book. Susan Mallery is in general a winner for me, but I am not a massive fan of what is termed Women’s Fiction. The book may have been lumped into that category due to the characters being mid-thirties and having a lot of life experience under their belts, but for all that to me, it still read more contemporary romance than WF.
"Not living your life is a dumb ass way to spend your day."
Mainly because it wasn’t all ...more

This is too goofy. DNF @ 64%.
Two BFFs in their mid-30's are having a crisis. One is a three-year military widow; the other has been a single mom since she was 17. Neither has even been on a date with another man.
The only topic in this book is sex. What's wrong with that, you ask? One woman identifies herself as nearly a virgin (really?), and both of them are as innocent as newborns - I'm sorry, but that's just not realistic. They have internet and tv; they aren't living off world. One day they b ...more
Two BFFs in their mid-30's are having a crisis. One is a three-year military widow; the other has been a single mom since she was 17. Neither has even been on a date with another man.
The only topic in this book is sex. What's wrong with that, you ask? One woman identifies herself as nearly a virgin (really?), and both of them are as innocent as newborns - I'm sorry, but that's just not realistic. They have internet and tv; they aren't living off world. One day they b ...more

I see I’m in the minority on this one but this book did nothing for me. Unlike most of the other reviews who loved this book and thought so much of it, it just did nothing for me. I wanted to like it but just never truly connected. DNF. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

The Friendship List is an enjoyable, feel-good book providing a needed break from dark, psychological thrillers; police procedures and deep, literary and historical fiction. Author Susan Mallery is one of the best in the genre.
Ellen Fox and Unity Leandre, both 34 years old, are best friends and serve as each other’s support system. Ellen has been raising her 17 year old son as a single mother having gotten pregnant in high school. Unity has been a widow for three years. They are both emotionally ...more
Ellen Fox and Unity Leandre, both 34 years old, are best friends and serve as each other’s support system. Ellen has been raising her 17 year old son as a single mother having gotten pregnant in high school. Unity has been a widow for three years. They are both emotionally ...more

Absorbing, touching, and sweet!
The Friendship List is a heartwarming, engaging story set in the small-town of Willowbrook that takes you into the lives of Ellen, a single mother who has spent the last seventeen years taking care of her son and is finally ready to spend a little more time on herself, and Unity, a young widow still struggling with the loss of her husband and the all-consuming grief that is preventing her from moving on.
The writing style is witty and light. The characters are multi ...more
The Friendship List is a heartwarming, engaging story set in the small-town of Willowbrook that takes you into the lives of Ellen, a single mother who has spent the last seventeen years taking care of her son and is finally ready to spend a little more time on herself, and Unity, a young widow still struggling with the loss of her husband and the all-consuming grief that is preventing her from moving on.
The writing style is witty and light. The characters are multi ...more

Please note that I received this via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
Well this was really good! I enjoyed the two main characters (Ellen and Unity) and their "list". I also felt frustrated with both of them while still rooting them on. I also really liked the epilogue we got in the end. I think Mallery typically does not include those in her romance novels. Both of the heroes (Thaddeus and Keith) were great though I wanted to shake Keith a lot especially when it concerned his ...more
Well this was really good! I enjoyed the two main characters (Ellen and Unity) and their "list". I also felt frustrated with both of them while still rooting them on. I also really liked the epilogue we got in the end. I think Mallery typically does not include those in her romance novels. Both of the heroes (Thaddeus and Keith) were great though I wanted to shake Keith a lot especially when it concerned his ...more

This pains me to give Susan Mallery two stars, but really I’m being kind. I had high hopes for this book. It started out so well but then quickly disintegrated into sex talk, orgasms, masturbation and more sex talk (and sex! Detailed sex). The characters would just suddenly talk really crudely and it was so jarring to me. I always joke I’m a PG type of reader but really I don’t mind PG13 or even R sometimes. But this was toooooo much. It took over the plot. We even got a glimpse of teen sex! Whe
...more

I received this as an ARC from Netgalley.
I've not read anything by this author before. She writes well - her prose flows and the characters are brought to life in a few well-chosen phrases.
However, I am clearly in a minority here as I can't give it 5 stars.
The story of two 34-year-old friends who challenge each other to get out of a rut after Ellen overhears her son say he can't go to college and leave her because she has no life - is a great way of starting the action.
However, I found Ellen ...more
I've not read anything by this author before. She writes well - her prose flows and the characters are brought to life in a few well-chosen phrases.
However, I am clearly in a minority here as I can't give it 5 stars.
The story of two 34-year-old friends who challenge each other to get out of a rut after Ellen overhears her son say he can't go to college and leave her because she has no life - is a great way of starting the action.
However, I found Ellen ...more

Susan Mallery has an uncanny knack for writing about female relationships that I’ve never quite found in another author. I’ve read several of her books that focus on sister/sibling relationships and she always nails the dynamics at play between family members. This time around she explores the relationship between two longtime best friends, Ellen and Unity, who are as close as sisters anyway and once again she created wonderful characters that felt so damn real.
Ellen and Unity have both gotten a ...more
Ellen and Unity have both gotten a ...more

I love all of Mallery's books and the books are all great summer reads. But The Friendship List is such a happy ever after book. The ending was a feel good ending and I am so glad I read it when I did.
I gave this book 4 stars and I can't wait for her next book. ...more
I gave this book 4 stars and I can't wait for her next book. ...more

Jul 23, 2020
Ivana - Diary of Difference
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
tbr-jar
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am hoping to read this during the summer! Very excited!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Books for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Pub date - 8/4/20.
Susan Mallery is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. She consistently writes wonderful women's fiction/romance novels full of heart and charm. There's a lot of sex positivity and discussion of safe sex in this novel and I thought they were really well done. My favorite part of this novel is the amazing female friendship! I love when women band together to build each other u ...more
Susan Mallery is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. She consistently writes wonderful women's fiction/romance novels full of heart and charm. There's a lot of sex positivity and discussion of safe sex in this novel and I thought they were really well done. My favorite part of this novel is the amazing female friendship! I love when women band together to build each other u ...more

Straightforward--and at times "fanning myself" steamy--romance.
The friendship list, or actually a list of challenges each woman made for herself to get out of their respective ruts, was a cute backdrop to the story, but overall it wasn't a main plot point. Mostly, this is a story about Ellen and Unity breaking free of their fears about love and moving forward in life and learning how to be strong independent women.
I really appreciated the portrayal of the teens in this story, and the humorous i ...more
The friendship list, or actually a list of challenges each woman made for herself to get out of their respective ruts, was a cute backdrop to the story, but overall it wasn't a main plot point. Mostly, this is a story about Ellen and Unity breaking free of their fears about love and moving forward in life and learning how to be strong independent women.
I really appreciated the portrayal of the teens in this story, and the humorous i ...more

Thank you for the advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
Ellen is a thirty-four and a single mom to seventeen-year-old son Cooper while Unity is the same age as Ellen and a widow. Her late husband an army man died three years back in the line of duty. It is so difficult for her to overcome the pain and is stuck. For Ellen, her life has always been going to work, taking care of her son and her home. She overhears a conversation between her son and his friend and is disappointed to know t ...more
Ellen is a thirty-four and a single mom to seventeen-year-old son Cooper while Unity is the same age as Ellen and a widow. Her late husband an army man died three years back in the line of duty. It is so difficult for her to overcome the pain and is stuck. For Ellen, her life has always been going to work, taking care of her son and her home. She overhears a conversation between her son and his friend and is disappointed to know t ...more

Life is meant to be lived. Change may be necessary. A bucket list is always a great place to start!
So, it goes but first Ellen must convince her son she has a life separate from his so he can move on to college.
Unity her bestie decides to help Ellen move out of the comfort zone by creating a list of things to do while also changing her own course in life.
Selling a family home, marrying a 'coach', wanting to have children --oh it's all GOOD! So GOOD!
Ellen keep in mind hasn't dated since her teen ...more
So, it goes but first Ellen must convince her son she has a life separate from his so he can move on to college.
Unity her bestie decides to help Ellen move out of the comfort zone by creating a list of things to do while also changing her own course in life.
Selling a family home, marrying a 'coach', wanting to have children --oh it's all GOOD! So GOOD!
Ellen keep in mind hasn't dated since her teen ...more


📚 Hello Book Friends! What a perfect summer read! THE FRIENDSHIP LIST by Susan Mallery is a wonderfully uplifting book. It is a witty and sexy story with relatable characters. In an attempt to get themselves out of their life rut, two best friends create a friendship list containing things they have never done. The items are things that they would normally not do such as skydiving, getting a tattoo, and having sex with a handsome man. They both will face their past and contemplate their future. ...more

Can two best friends change their lives over the course of one summer, even when their friendship is tested? Ellen Fox is a single mom whose life is just fine. No she has never dated since having her son, who is a year away from going to college. But she has always felt that she has had true contentment. However, after overhearing his concerns for her well-being, she wonders if he will seek whatever future he deserves.
Unity Leandre is Ellen's best friend. Unity is a young widow who still hasn't ...more
Unity Leandre is Ellen's best friend. Unity is a young widow who still hasn't ...more

I love to read a book about strong female friendships and this is certainly the case in The Friendship List.
Ellen is a thirty-something single Mom whose son is about to enter his last year of high school. She is quite happy with her life - she enjoys her work, her friends and her son who has turned out to be an amazing kid. She overhears her son remark to his friend that he won’t be applying to colleges away from home. He explains that his Mom would be lost without him, that he’s all she has. T ...more
Ellen is a thirty-something single Mom whose son is about to enter his last year of high school. She is quite happy with her life - she enjoys her work, her friends and her son who has turned out to be an amazing kid. She overhears her son remark to his friend that he won’t be applying to colleges away from home. He explains that his Mom would be lost without him, that he’s all she has. T ...more

This was the perfect book to start reading on the day I wanted to escape into my own bubble. The book was about friendship… Duh… The title did say that… It was warmth and love wrapped in tears and laughter. It was real and beautiful. It was everything I wanted in that moment of time.
When Ellen overheard her son not wanting to go to college because his mum needed him, she vowed to start living. Unity was still living with memories of her dead husband. So the list started. The list of things they ...more
When Ellen overheard her son not wanting to go to college because his mum needed him, she vowed to start living. Unity was still living with memories of her dead husband. So the list started. The list of things they ...more

Apr 08, 2020
Dianne
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
netgalley,
galleys-arcs
May I say...WOW! I loved the way that Ms. Mallery reversed how the characters are usually written in romances. Instead of the women having to save men from themselves and falling in ln love with them first, the author reversed that, and it was the women who needed help and some convincing!
We have a story of two best friends, one who had a child out of wedlock and one who lost her husband three years ago. For each of them, those relationships were the only ones they ever had. These two are now re ...more
We have a story of two best friends, one who had a child out of wedlock and one who lost her husband three years ago. For each of them, those relationships were the only ones they ever had. These two are now re ...more

Two close friends who are more like sisters, realize that they may be stuck in the past with their dead and failed relationships so they make a pact to make changes. This is an extremely well plotted story with much laughter, tears, growth and a heavy dose of reality that will have you not only entertained, but thinking about your own life and where you are headed. The relationships are well written and not only do the characters share a strong bond, but you will find yourself bonding with them
...more
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#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming and humorous novels about the relationships that define women's lives—family, friendship, romance. She's best known for putting nuanced characters into emotionally complex, real-life situations with twists that surprise readers to laughter. Because Susan is passionate about animal welfare, pets play a big role in her books. Bel
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“Moving backward meant more suffering, and staying stuck was just as bad. That left moving forward. There had to be an answer somewhere. All she had to do was find it.”
—
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