Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Friends with Secrets: A Novel

Top positive review

A Memorable and Thought-Provoking Novel

Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2024

Christine Gunderson, the Author of “Friends With Secrets” has written a delightful, intriguing, and captivating novel. I loved everything about this well-written and entertaining book. This book crosses through many genres: Friendship, Family, Political Fiction, Motherhood, Careers, Mystery, Thriller, Contemporary Fiction, Chick-Lit, and Drama. There is also the essence of humor and wit. Many of us can imagine how we have balanced motherhood, marriage, children, friendship and career, and still managed to get things done or not. Some of us have aspirations, goals and dreams, and wonder if the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. In the thought-provoking novel, Christine Gunderson takes us on a fictional journey where she vividly describes the settings and the colorful and vivid characters that we can relate to. Let’s not forget if we add “SECRETS” as an ingredient to this mixture. In this book, the author discusses the differences in being wealthy or poor, and how people are quick to judge others.

Perhaps the last two people that one would expect to be friends is Ainsley, a wealthy wife and mother with a supportive political husband. Ainsley seems to be so organized and polished. On the other hand, Nikki, a fired TV Journalist is now a stay at home Mom with four children and a supportive husband. Nikki is lucky to find a pin to keep her pants attached, when she hasn’t sewn the button on. Nikki is extremely disorganized and overwhelmed with her lot in life. Both women meet, and just click, and have some amazing adventures together. There are past secrets, unscrupulous characters, blackmail, murder, and danger, as the two women try to solve the puzzles from the past and present. This is a powerful story of friendship, family, motherhood, careers, and finding oneself. The author discusses the importance of honesty, communication, justice, love, and hope. I would recommend this memorable story.

3 people found this helpful

Top critical review

Critical reviews›

JazzberryJimJam

Quick, easy, fun brain popcorn

Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2024

I found the characters and plot fun, if a little over the top at times. It's not a particularly unique plot or message, plenty of things were predictable, and the author could have probably benefited from a thesaurus with how often she repeated certain words (prance and atavistic are first to come to mind), but it was funny and I had a good time.

I do wish the author would have done a little more around destigmatizing sex work and pole dance. The dancers are usually described as being dancers to escape desperate situations, and there's a lot of focus on the negative aspects of club work with only a few instances where one of the main characters reflects that it wasn't all terrible. This just felt disingenuous to me as someone who has a lot of friends who work in clubs and enjoy in, and as someone who pole dances for fitness and recreation. The book didn't feel against the work, but it also didn't exactly feel in support of dancers and destigmatization.

Also, neither really here or there and pretty niche, but I'm curious how many clubs the author actually visited while writing this book. Very few clubs or studios use brass poles, especially clubs and studios in places as humid as the DC metro, so it just kind of took me out of the story a bit.

43 people found this helpful

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From the United States

JazzberryJimJam

Quick, easy, fun brain popcorn

Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2024

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43 people found this helpful

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EmReads

Better than expected

Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2024

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I was not sure I would read the entire book based on the first couple of chapters. From the time I saw a baby being called “Baby Joe” more than once or twice- ok we have established that Joe is the baby, but he is called this through the entire book by all the characters as though that is his name. That was irritating to me but once the story gets going he is featured less. Then there was an error, a word misused twice. The person was said to be “careering” about rather than careening. Finally the book takes place in the fall and basketball is a big theme, but Sept-Oct is not basketball season. I tried to reconcile this in my mind thinking they were just practicing, but no, it was stated they were having a winning season. The story was good and I did read until the end which was satisfying so if you are not an overly critical reader this should be fine especially if you are reading for free as I did.

2 people found this helpful

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Marilynn Mollica

Witty writing.

Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2024

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2 women from different backgrounds with vastly different lifestyles form a friendship. How do women make friends as adults? Typical way through our children. And that begins the story. But it misses its mark a few times that make you slap your forehead?
Does Nikki never really consider that Ainsley
is her blockbuster story until Ainsley suggests it? Is Ben so forgiving that he only needs a few hours to deal with an explosive secret that could implode his career? Would 3 women who have built a successful business reveal secrets to 2 women they're just meeting? But primarily, why is Ainsley sharing her painful secret that she must keep hidden with so many people? Did she never think one of them could tell someone and this would all be public? Too contrived and a little nonsensical. But the saving grace are Nikki's thoughts. The writer has given her a perspective and sense of humor that most women can relate to with a chuckle.

One person found this helpful

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Elissa Casiano

Quick, fun read

Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2024

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A little over the top with the girl power theme for me, but I really appreciated the inclusion of relationships where there wasn’t either a domineering husband or a wife who was an obnoxious shrew hiding behind the guise of feminism. The main characters both have loving, supportive husbands who are also successful and accomplished in their own right, which is such a rarity in women’s fiction anymore that it really stood out.

Overall, I enjoyed the characters, the plot (even if it did go a bit beyond what was believable at times), and the fact that despite being set in the DC area, it didn’t have much snarky political commentary in it. I’d definitely read another book by this author.

13 people found this helpful

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Shawn

I want to be friends with the FMCs

Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2024

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I decided to read this book on a whim because it was free on Amazon from editors picks. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I could relate to Nikki in all her chaos. The two FMCs are what make the story for me. The side characters are refreshing & fun. I do think the plot overall was a little predictable but I did enjoy the last twist. I think this book tackled some big/dark issues but in an interesting twist with some humor sprinkled in. I hope this is not the end of Nikki & Ainsley.

8 people found this helpful

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Julie S.

My Lip Curled…

Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2024

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…every time I read that same overused expression in this book. Also, so much that was both painfully unlikely and at the same time painfully predictable in here that it made my eyes roll so many times I lost count. That said, this was not terrible, but also definitely not great.

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Calcolore

Did not excite me

Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2024

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Filled with cliches, this novel was mediocre and bland. The characters lacked depth and believability, and the storyline was not new or intriguing. Many times the author tied up the action too quickly and tidily, when she could have built suspense with more extended drama. I gave it three stars because it did hold my attention enough to read through to the end, which again was too tidy and basically turned into a cliche. The author missed the opportunity to give the story more depth and detail, in my estimation.

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Home

Weak

Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2024

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They kept glossing over the danger to the niece and classmates even after learning of murder. Too cutesy for what was supposedly a dire situation. The friendships, marriage, and mothering aspects were clever and witty.

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