Review - That's What Friends Are For

That’s What Friends Are For by Marcie Steele

Published: December 2015

Book Blurb: Best friends tell each other everything… right?
Sam and Louise have been best friends since they hung their coats side by side on the first day of primary school. Now in their thirties, they’re just as close, but life is a little bit more complicated…

On the outside, thirty-something Sam seems to have it all; the gorgeous husband, the beautiful home and the flourishing business. But things are not quite as rosy as they seem. So when handsome stranger, Dan, walks into her life, Sam finds his attentions hard to resist.

Louise might seem like life and soul of the party, but her outgoing exterior hides her sadness about the heartbreak in her past. She just wants someone to love – but all Louise gets left with is a quick fumble with an ex at the end of the night.

When a glamorous face from the past returns to shake things up, things get even more complicated for Sam and Louise. And just when they need each other the most, they’ve reason to wonder whether they ever really knew each other at all.

Book Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads

*Please note that changes were made from the time I received an ARC and the time the book was published. The title of the published novel is The Little Market Stall of Hope and Heartbreak. I believe the title and cover artwork much better depict the story than the previous cover and title.

My Review

Please note that there were likely many changes from the ARC I received and read to the book that was published. My review is based on the ARC I received from NetGalley.

I enjoyed the basic guts of the story but the execution and writing style had room for improvement. I was a bit bored while reading the story and almost didn’t finish reading it half way through. I hate not finishing a book in case it does get better, but this one really didn’t click for me.

The basic themes of the novel were admirable. The story was filled with the idea that secrets kept between friends and family can come around eventually and hurt you. True friends will always find a way to work through their troubles. There was the theme of love; new love taking off on the beginning of life’s adventure and old love dying with no hope for tomorrow. There was also the theme of infidelity and that notion that you shouldn’t take the people in your life for granted, because they aren’t always going to be there if you treat them like they don’t matter. I thought the themes presented in the story were all important but I thought the reading was a little slow-paced for my liking.

3/5 Stars

I received a complimentary review copy from NetGalley. All reviews 100% reflect my honest opinion.