Take a photo of a barcode or cover
Picked up this book because it was set in Gig Harbor. I love a story of new beginning and I was really rooting for all of the book club gals. I really felt connected to Karissa and wish I had been able to connect with the others as much. I loved feeling like I was right there with them in their daily lives. Cute easy read!
3.5 stars! This is a cute, feel good story about the importance of female friendships and community. I found some of the characters to be a bit unlikeable (some were intended to be, and others weren't intended to be but still were). But overall it was a cute story of women supporting each other through tough times and I generally enjoyed it.
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fun read. Liked the four women highlighted in this story. The way the author tied in books and quotes to their lives I especially appreciated. Would make for a good Hallmark movie.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I was not familiar with any of Sheila Roberts previous books so I was not sure what to expect. I found the premise for this story to be one that I would typically enjoy so I was excited to read The Best Life Book Club.
Karissa is ready for a fresh start to her life after she discovered her husband and next-door neighbor who was her best friend, are having an affair. Karissa along with her daughter move to a quaint town of Gig Harbor.
Karissa soon discovers that her neighbors, Alice and Margot, are also in need of a life makeover. Along with Alice's older grumpy sister, Josie, the four start a bookclub.
I felt like between each lady's life and problems, Karissa's work setting, and their bookclub that there was too much going on and not enough depth. I got to 60% and I was not enjoying this book at all.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Karissa is ready for a fresh start to her life after she discovered her husband and next-door neighbor who was her best friend, are having an affair. Karissa along with her daughter move to a quaint town of Gig Harbor.
Karissa soon discovers that her neighbors, Alice and Margot, are also in need of a life makeover. Along with Alice's older grumpy sister, Josie, the four start a bookclub.
I felt like between each lady's life and problems, Karissa's work setting, and their bookclub that there was too much going on and not enough depth. I got to 60% and I was not enjoying this book at all.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The Best Life Book Club by Shelia Roberts (2024)
A touching tale of expanding your heart, making new friends, coming to terms with change and other things beyond our control, and becoming a better person. Karissa and her daughter Macy make a big move to another town following Karissa's husbands' and her best friends betrayal. Great a giving her daughter pep talks about being excited about the move, a new school, and making friends is much easier than doing it herself.
Two of her neighbors, 57 year old Alice and 30 something Margot, welcome Karissa to the neighborhood and friendships begin to blossom. Add in Alice's wise-cracking, unwanted advice giving older sister Josie and a book club is born. Their first book is an inspirational self-help book that sets the tone for the rest of their stories.
New friendships are made, anxieties are overcome, bridges are built, and personal growth slowly comes about for each of these women. A delightful HEA novel that will bring both laughter and tears and make you long for your own best life book club!
Thank you, Sheila Roberts, for sharing your gift of writing of the strengths of women and the bonds we make.
A touching tale of expanding your heart, making new friends, coming to terms with change and other things beyond our control, and becoming a better person. Karissa and her daughter Macy make a big move to another town following Karissa's husbands' and her best friends betrayal. Great a giving her daughter pep talks about being excited about the move, a new school, and making friends is much easier than doing it herself.
Two of her neighbors, 57 year old Alice and 30 something Margot, welcome Karissa to the neighborhood and friendships begin to blossom. Add in Alice's wise-cracking, unwanted advice giving older sister Josie and a book club is born. Their first book is an inspirational self-help book that sets the tone for the rest of their stories.
New friendships are made, anxieties are overcome, bridges are built, and personal growth slowly comes about for each of these women. A delightful HEA novel that will bring both laughter and tears and make you long for your own best life book club!
Thank you, Sheila Roberts, for sharing your gift of writing of the strengths of women and the bonds we make.
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“The Best Life Book Cub” by Sheila Roberts is a second chance type of novel, drawing on the popular theme of female bonding that takes place in a book club. I love this type of story and I was really looking forward to reading this. The story centers around Karissa (reeling from her husband deserting her for her best friend), Alice (a grieving widow who has developed a fear of driving), Alice’s sister Jo (a not-so-grieving widow who is on bad terms with her daughter) and Margot (recently laid off and trying to get her life back on track). Karissa moves to a charming new town, makes new friends, begins working for a small publishing house, and is immediately attracted to her boss.
The story was charming and as comforting as a nice cup of tea on a rainy afternoon. Yes, the outcomes for all these women’s troubles seemed to have been produced by effortless magic. Only in a fairy tale could someone experience such success with so little efforts and so little time. But that’s not to be unexpected in this type of novel.
However, there were some things that made it rather difficult to love this novel. First, the point of view shift between the four characters was abrupt and made it difficult to follow. Perhaps making a new chapter with each POV shift and labelling the chapter with the character’s name could solve the problem. I had to constantly go back to double check who was the character in focus, which was rather disrupting. The second issue (which is not the author’s fault, but probably due to it being an un-proofed digital ARC) was that in numerous places the paragraph spacing was off, which again disrupted the flow of reading.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC of this novel. My opinions are my own.
The story was charming and as comforting as a nice cup of tea on a rainy afternoon. Yes, the outcomes for all these women’s troubles seemed to have been produced by effortless magic. Only in a fairy tale could someone experience such success with so little efforts and so little time. But that’s not to be unexpected in this type of novel.
However, there were some things that made it rather difficult to love this novel. First, the point of view shift between the four characters was abrupt and made it difficult to follow. Perhaps making a new chapter with each POV shift and labelling the chapter with the character’s name could solve the problem. I had to constantly go back to double check who was the character in focus, which was rather disrupting. The second issue (which is not the author’s fault, but probably due to it being an un-proofed digital ARC) was that in numerous places the paragraph spacing was off, which again disrupted the flow of reading.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC of this novel. My opinions are my own.