The Best of Us: A Novel

I purchased this novel for my recent Caribbean vacation and found it enjoyable. It was not "deep" in any way, but the novels and relationships I could certainly relate to with my own group of friends. Found it an entertaining beach read.

This book left me needing more. Sarah Pekkanen is one of my favorite authors. Her novels pull you in and make you feel like you are there, in the story, hanging with the characters. I felt that way with these friends as well. I wanted to be there, in the story with them,.

Fabulous summer read! Fabulous anytime read! Don't wait for summer! Read it now!

This book left me needing more. Sarah Pekkanen is one of my favorite authors. Her novels pull you in and make you feel like you are there, in the story, hanging with the characters. I felt that way with these friends as well. I wanted to be there, in the story with them,.

Fabulous summer read! Fabulous anytime read! Don't wait for summer! Read it now!

I'm a big fan of Sarah's writing and always enjoy her new releases. In BOU she smartly puts all the characters in one environment and then lets their insecurities and conflict fly. Recommend for anyone who likes a nice women's fiction story dealing with friendships, romance and family struggle.

As expected, Sarah Pekkanen has written another great book about women and the relationships that shape their lives. I plowed my way through this one in two sittings and will be recommending it to anyone who will listen!

I enjoyed this novel, the first I have read by this author. There was nothing new or particularly interesting about the characters, their personalities, or their solutions to the issues confronting them. However, the setting was exciting and quite different from the norm. The writing flowed nicely and made for a nice relaxing read.

This is a fun book, quick to read but it's not going to win any literary awards. The writing is basic, vocabulary simplistic, and character development is weak. The plot is predictable and the writer makes an attempt to be contemporary. It 's perfect for the beach or travel when you want something light and not very sophisticated.

I enjoyed this book and the cast of characters. A college connection loosely held over the years, varying degrees of success (life, love, financial), and weather bring this story to a unforgettable climax.

I have been a fan of SP's since her first book and her writing continues to get even better. This book drew me right in and the setting was incredibly described. Fast moving plot, relatable characters and humor make this book another gem from this author.

The characters are like us, everyday people and people we know, but what happens to them on a Jamacian vacation was newer like it was planned. The interactions of the characters and the unexpected events keep you revited to your seat until the end.

This book a good read. Would have truly enjoyed it as a beach read vs these cold winter months. There's a good, close to life story for most of the characters with a good pace to the story. It shows how friendship can survive time and change and how everyone's life might not be what it appears to be from the outside.

I've been a fan of Sarah Pekkanen since her first book and always look forward to her novels. When I first cracked open The Best of Us, I was a bit intimidated knowing there were so many main characters but Sarah writes in a way that I could easily follow along and each character is easy to get to know. While they are all different and have their own problems and personalities, I found that I sympathized with their struggles, from stressed-out mother of four Tina, to seemingly put-together Allie, insecure Pauline and flirty Savannah. During an all-inclusive dream vacation to Jamaica, the four couples will struggle with internal and external forces of nature from a hurricane to infidelity, jealousy, grief, infertility, medical scares and more. This is one not to miss and like all the rest of Sarah's novels, it is one satifying read that leaves you desperate for the next Pekkanen novel!

The story was good but a little predictable. I did like it for an easy summer read. I would recommend it to
read at the pool or on the beach. I did like the characters and found them interesting. It was fun to see
where the characters would end up at the end of the story.

This book didn't do it for me. I would say, don't waste your time. With friends like these, you wouldn't need enemies.
Not to say I always have to like the characters to enjoy a book, but I didn't find these characters likeable, OR interesting.

After reading the heartbreaking yet spectacular Skipping a Beat, Sarah's sophomore novel, I have been determined to read more by her. However, I didn't get around to it until recently when The Best of Us, her newest book, ended up in my hands. Thankfully, The Best of Us was an amazing and well crafted tale that brought laughs as well as tears and pulled on my heartstrings constantly. So basically, I'm now beating myself up for not reading more by her sooner!

The Best of Us tells the story of four women, three friends since college and one newcomer, who are brought together for a friend's lavish, week long birthday celebration in Jamaica. For Tina, the trip means finally getting a break from her adorable but exhausting children and getting closer to her husband Gio. Allie, on the other hand, hopes the trip will put her mind at ease at a recent and shocking revelation, one that may change everything for her and her precious family. Savannah, a soon to be divorcee, hopes the trip will also provide distraction... from her impending divorce and the feelings she still feels toward her husband. Last but not least, Pauline, the organizer of the party and wife of the man who the party is for, hopes this celebration will serve as a way to get to know her husband's friends among other things. What will happen to each of these women and their husbands? Only time and more pages will tell in this shocking and page-turning tale that will have any reader dying to know what will happen next.

As mentioned before, I'm always a little hesitant to begin books that are told from multiple POVs. However, I'm happy to report this tactic worked quite well for The Best of Us. Sarah did a great job of digging into each women's lives and bringing their unique voices to life. I felt that each was well developed, and truthfully, I came to root and like every one of them....even though they did all have their moments. What I liked most about Allie, Tina, Pauline, and Savannah, though, was that they were just average, ordinary women, trying to make it in this world. Each was faced with hard and sometimes deadly problems within the book (from tumultuous diseases to marriage problems to stay-at-home-mom blues) and the solution to them weren't always easy and cookie-cutter clean. Instead, it took work and some mistakes to make things work, which made The Best of Us even better, in my opinion.

Moving on, I really enjoyed the plot in this one as well. I'm always happy to read contemporary, especially when tropical vacations are involved. Like I said above, the book had a lot to do with each woman and her problems, and this really kept the book moving along. I was constantly dying to know what would occur next. Like whether or not Savannah would end up back with her husband, or what exactly Allie was facing. Plus I especially enjoyed the little twists and turns introduced half way through. One in particular really managed to shock me, but I won't say any more about that.

Sarah's writing was also fantastic. She did a great job of developing each character and keeping the book moving. However, at times, I did feel that the book was occasionally a little stilted, especially at first when everything was setting up.

In all, The Best of Us is an enjoyable new addition to the adult contemporary genre, and while I didn't enjoy it as much as Skipping a Beat, it's still something I highly suggest. I can't wait to see what Sarah has up next!

Grade: A-

This review refers to the NetGalley edition.

Four couples, each with secrets and undiscovered bonds. A dream vacation in Jamaica that turns dangerous with the arrival of a hurricane. Sounds exciting, no?

But this book is the REAL so-called "mommy porn" - two of our characters, Allie and Tina, are thirty-something moms living out their days stressing over balancing households and the demands of children. They are offered (and accept) a chance for an all-expenses paid, ultra-glam vacation in Jamaica to celebrate their old college friend's birthday. A beautiful villa, relaxing spa treatments, gourmet food prepared by an in-house chef, tropical adult beverages and even, at one point, some high-grade pot shared in a hot tub.

Forget 50 Shades, The Best of Us is mommy porn at its finest - I'll take a luxurious tropical vacation with good friends over Christian Grey any day. Even the hurricane was an exciting, dramatic event - the antithesis of the monotony of domesticity.

A good, fast read celebrating the bonds of friendship, the endurance of love under the demands of marriage and daily living, and reminding us all that sometimes we really just need a BREAK from it all.

Fans of Jennifer Weiner, Emily Giffin, Patricia Pearson, and Sophie Kinsella will likely enjoy this book.

A group of college friends embark on a week long trip together to Jamaica to celebrate a birthday of one of their own. The ladies are excited to get a break from the reality of their daily lives. Tina is a mom of four and her days and nights seem like a blur. She needs to get a good night sleep and just a little time to herself. Allie recently found out her biological father and his father both died from a genetic family illness. Savannah has been hiding the news her husband cheated on her and is now in the process of a divorce. Last is Pauline, she is hosting the party for her husband Dwight's birthday. She is an outsider to the group dynamic, but she is putting an all out effort to make this trip a huge success hoping to win back some favor with her husband.

What could be more perfect than a group of friends spending a week together dining on gourmet dinners, languishing hours on the beach, drinking till all hours of the night? As the weather turns from perfect to a pending hurricane the groups begins to falter. Forcing each woman to reexamine herself and her priorities. Each of the woman seeing even her friends differently than before they arrived.

I immediately connected with Tina, what mom wouldn't! I related also to Allie. They were my favorite characters from the beginning, even their husbands. I could picture all of them so easily, their lives are so like mine. Savannah not so much. But I could respect how she was trying to push through better than ever and let's be honest there is always a Savannah in a friendship! You could see potential issues with someone like Savannah, so that really didn't shock me. But I was surprised most by Allie!

We try very hard to limit visits with others to just a few days, I swear no good comes after about day four! Not only are the characters dealing with their own issues and each others issues, but a hurricane makes a sudden change of course heading right to them. Reminding them all what matters most.

I love Sarah Pekkanen's writing! Her characters are always so authentic and their issues seem to easily connect to her audience. It's real life at it's best and worst. When I first read about the book I had this idea of a bunch of ladies getting together and hanging out at a resort living the life, maybe things get a little sexy. I was wrong. It's a story about couples, friendships, and finding your strongest self to get through the hard stuff.

I am definitely recommending THE BEST OF US! So as the weather gets warmer this will be a perfect book to throw in your beach bag as you head to the beach!

Tina is the mother of four young children and she finds herself drowning under their demands, and losing a vital part of herself in the process. Allie has just discovered that a genetic illness runs in her family and is devastated by the news and how it will affect her family. Beautiful Savannah is reeling from the news that her husband has been cheating on her. These three friends from college come together to celebrate their old friend Dwight's 35th birthday. Dwight's wife Pauline invites the women and their husbands along on an all- expenses- paid vacation to Jamaica in the hopes of disguising the cracks in her own new marriage.

While at first the friends indulge in gourmet meals and relaxing days on the beach, as a literal hurricane approaches the beach a figurative one does as well. As each woman's story is fleshed out and secrets begin to form among the various group members, the turmoil grows and each woman will have to take a step back to re-evaluate themselves and their friendships.

I can't help it, I have loved every one of Sarah Pekkanen's books to date and I begin counting the days to her next publication as soon as I'm finished her most recent book. The plot of The Best of Us is so decadent that I couldn't help but dive in as soon as I received my copy. Who among us hasn't dreamed of an all-expenses paid vacation away from everyday life before? I devoured the book and each one of the women's stories quickly. The writing is spot-on as usual, and topics such as love, marriage, friendship and motherhood are touched on with considerable insight.

Pekkanen has done an excellent job of showcasing each of her character's flaws in a way that presented them as being "real" people. Granted, I didn't like any of the characters all of the time. Tina seems unable to ever put herself first, Allie fails to confide in her husband when it's crucial that she does so, Savannah is selfish and that girl that you love to hate, and it seems that Pauline doesn't love her husband quite enough. However, that's real life, and I appreciated that dose of reality.

Although I wish that The Best of Us had been a little more focused on the theme of flawed marriages, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I will be recommending that it be in every beach bag this summer. The only bad news about finishing it? Now I have to wait impatiently for her next book to come out. I already can't wait!

The Best of Us is a reminder of why it is good to dip into adult reads every now and then. The intensity of the character relationships set against the idyll backdrop of Jamaica is certainly a winning combination, contrasting the whimsy of the all-expenses paid adventure to the reality of each woman's real life. Ultimately, the authenticity of what Allie, Tina, Savannah and Pauline experience really captured my attention and kept me turning the pages until the very end.

Pekkanen certainly has a knack for writing characters. Each of her main characters are completely different from each other, and not in a way that feels stereotypical. These differences between them make their relationships extremely interesting, as they might be head to head with each other even with their friendship and shared history. I particularly enjoyed seeing how it was at all possible for Savannah, Allie and Tina to have been friends; their history and the fact that they were definitely a part of each other's lives ever since their college days resonated strongly with me.

While in Jamaica, each of them is being forced to deal with their own life crises -- all while being faced with unlimited drinks, fun in the sun, budding flirtations, unexpected visitors and so much more. I think it was extremely interesting to have placed everyone on what should have been a relaxing trip, and instead having it turn into a trip full of secrets, revelations and shenanigans. Even though there was certainly a good dose of craziness, the story still felt surprisingly real too.

The Best of Us managed to combine the loveliness and fun of a vacation with a dose of heartfelt reality and interesting relationships dynamics. While reading about the extreme indulgence Jamaica offered was certainly enticing, it was, in the end, reading about how these four women managed to gain a different perspective on life that really made this novel enjoyable.

In The Best Of Us, Sarah Pekkanen explores friendship and marriage when college friends reunite for a week long vacation in Jamaica. It is Dwight's thirty fifth birthday and his wife, Pauline, has arranged the all expenses paid trip to celebrate. Tina, a harried mother of four is worried about leaving her children behind but can't resist the lure of temporary escape. Allie is confronted with an uncertain future while Savannah is still recovering from a broken heart after her husband left her.

The villa is a private piece of paradise, with Pauline ensuring their every whim is catered for and the group, which includes Tina's and Allie's husband's, are eager to take advantage of the once in a lifetime experience. Initially, the good humour and college reminiscences flow as freely as the alcohol and good food, allowing the reader to develop a good sense of who these people are and what they mean to each other.

I found it easiest to relate to Tina but each of the women is familiar in one way or another. While I thought the women were well developed and realistically flawed characters, their path in the story is predictable. Allie, for example, who always puts others before herself, commits a selfish act while the sultry Savannah flirts outrageously to hide her own insecurities. The men are marginalised for the most part - even birthday boy, Dwight- though they provide context for the women's everyday lives.

As a hurricane approaches Jamaica, unrest builds amongst the house guests and the camaraderie is slowly tainted with envy, guilt, secrets and lies. The women of the story are eventually forced to come to terms with the choices they have made and find a way to move forward in their lives.

The Best of Us is an engaging novel, I found it a quick and satisfying read and it is sure to be enjoyed by fans of ensemble women's fiction.

Whenever I see a new book by Sarah Pekkanen is coming out I am sure of two things: (1) I will be reading it soon after it comes out and (2) I will love it! There are only a few authors I have come across that seem to be able to actually make me laugh and cry over and over again throughout the story and that can create characters that either feel like they are inside my head, experiencing the same feelings and issues I am, or are people that I wish I was friends with. None are perfect but all feel very real. The characters in The Best of Us are no exception.

When an invitation to celebrate their college friend Dwight's 35th birthday on an all expense paid trip to Jamaica is received, neither Tina, Allie or Savannah can think of a good reason to turn it down. Tina, a mother of four that finds herself exhausted the moment her eyes open every morning, is hoping some relaxation and time alone with her husband, Gio, will allow her to feel like a woman again, not just a mother who is constantly failing everyone. Her best friend, the always optimistic and caring Allie, needs something to take her mind off a devastating revelation regarding her birth father, information that could mean a painful, debilitating future for her and which is making it hard for even her to keep her spirits up. She hasn't been able to confide her worries to her husband, Ryan, and is hoping the trip will clear her head and allow her a week to forget about the future. And their spunky friend, Savannah, is trying her best to get over her husband's infidelity and her possible divorce by making herself even sexier than usual in an attempt to make herself feel desirable again. Maybe a Jamaican fling is just the thing to get her groove back!

When Tina, Gio, Allie, Ryan and Savannah arrive at the airport they are beyond excited to discover they will be traveling on a private plane and that Pauline, Dwight's wife, has spared no expense to make this trip as wonderful as possible for all of them. Every tiny detail has been carefully planned and, while the others find Pauline to be haughty and hard to get to know, she is determined to make sure everyone has a great time. She figures if Dwight, a man who has always seemed on the outside of every other group, is able to have a once in a lifetime birthday with his friends, he might not realize that Pauline, and their marriage, are not all they appear to be.

While this group of old friends celebrate a week in paradise, with endless supplies of gourmet food and the best booze you could hope for, old secrets and desires begin to surface and everyone's carefully constructed facades begin to crumble. By the time a hurricane sweeps through to clear the landscape around them, mistakes have been made, deep seeded truths have been revealed and each of the woman have reevaluated everything they thought about their lives and those of the people around them. With all the uncertainty that swirls around them, even as they board the plane to head back home, it seems one thing is glaringly true for all of them: unless you can be honest with yourself and accept who you really are, you cannot be truly happy or be all you can be for those you love.

I am always shocked at how relatable Sarah Pekkanen's characters are! While I do not agree with all the choices the characters in The Best of Us made I can say that, seeing the situation through their eyes, I am able to at least understand why they made those choices. My favorite character and the one I related to the most was Tina. Being a mother who often feels like I am somehow failing someone no matter what I do (when I'm at work I don't have as much time for my son and husband, when I'm home and doing stuff around the house I am missing out on something my family is doing, God forbid I try to take an hour for myself...it can be exhausting!) and I can completely relate to her feelings of wanting to escape it all and then the guilt that instantly encompasses her. I also felt such kindred spirit when she was incredibly excited to be on vacation with other adults one minute and then instantly home sick for her children the next. I have felt that a number of times and it was usually through Tina that I experienced my weepy moments reading the book. The other tear worthy moments for me revolved around Pauline's storyline involving her disabled sister, Therese, and it really helped explain her more prim, closed off personality.

While so much of the story is heartfelt and tender, there were also plenty of the witty, snarky character moments I have come to love in Ms. Pekkanen's stories and they really helped to level the heavier actions and moments. Savannah is the life of the party and that friend that everyone seems to have, the one that has to always be the center of attention but that you love anyways because she has a big heart. She made a lot of mistakes and seemed to be at the center of every late night drinking binge, but when the reader gets a peek into her battered heart and mind after her husband's infidelity, you just cheer her on in discovering who she really wants to be.

Reading a Sarah Pekkanen novel can be a very cathartic experience: you will laugh, cry, then laugh some more and, by the time you turn the last page, you have not only gone on an adventure with her characters but have gotten the chance to put youself in their shoes and maybe thought a little bit more about what you might be going through at that particular point in time. Set against the idealic paradise of a private villa in Jamaica, The Best of Us is a vacation in a bottle and a chance for every reader to vicariously enjoy the trip while also possibly thinking of how they might react experiencing the same problems as the characters.

Tina, Allie, Savannah and Pauline are four women with very different lives. All four have their own set of issues to overcome and all four think that the others are great examples of what life could be. Tina, Allie, Savannah and Dwight all attended college together and have remained friends over the years. They've added their spouses into this mix and Dwight's wife, Pauline, has invited all of his friends and their wives to Jamaica for one week to celebrate his birthday. When a near tragedy strikes, all four women will be forced to take inventory of their lives and make some hard choices in The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen.

Tina worked as a nurse in a busy and hectic emergency room. She was used to chaos and stress . . . or she thought she was before having four children within eight years' time. Now she's always tired. She simply doesn't have the energy to cook "elaborate" meals such as homemade lasagna any more. She worries about money because she knows that her husband, Gio, may suffer as a contractor due to the economy. Now she's feeling guilty because she's leaving her children for one glorious week in Jamaica.

Allie has two glorious children and a loving husband. She works part-time as a social worker and keeps fit by jogging daily. She loves her adoptive family and is grateful her mother has volunteered to take not only her children, but Tina and Gio's four, so that they can all go on this one-week vacation to Jamaica. Allie's life is good but she's recently received some news that has her terrified. Does she admit her fears to her husband? Does she follow through with special testing or just ignore the issue and enjoy life?

Savannah has always been the flirt. Now that her husband has left her for another woman, and not even for someone better in her opinion, Savannah is determined to prove that she is just as lovely and desirable as anyone else. Although the invitation included Gary, Savannah is determined to go on the trip alone and enjoy herself as much as possible in an effort to forget Gary and the fact that she's truly alone.

Pauline is determined to make this week in Jamaica as enjoyable as possible. All she wants is for Dwight and his friends to have a good time and for this birthday to be memorable. She knows she's gone a little overboard but wants to impress Dwight's friends. She's also a little jealous because she simply doesn't have the history with Dwight that the other women have with him. She's also forced to face whether she should reveal her family secrets relating to her dying sister and more.

Ms. Pekkanen has provided a wonderful study of friendship, family and the effects of tragedy or near-tragedy on relationships. All of the characters are quite likable, even when they are doing something rather detestable. This one week in "Paradise" reveals that no one is ever what they may appear to be and that even "Paradise" has problems. All of the main characters have secrets that they are forced to deal with over the course of this vacation. The Best of Us is crammed with drama, revenge, secrets, affairs, romance, death, guilt, self-awareness, jealousy, envy, and forgiveness. Although Ms. Pekkanen deals with some weighty issues, she does so in a way that never detracted from this reader's enjoyment. If you're looking for a contemporary fiction read that shows the grass is not always greener, then you want to read The Best of Us.

NOTE: I received a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review.

In Sarah Pekkanen's latest novel, The Best of Us, four groups of friends - most of whom have known each other since college - gather together for an all-expenses-paid, adults only trip to Jamaica. While the group reconnects and relaxes, a hurricane, and its not-so-subtle symbolism, hurtles towards the island and the group. Even in this dream landscape, surrounded by good friends and the most luxurious settings, the group finds that while they can run from their problems, they cannot hide from them. As the storm outside builds and eventually rages, so too do the pressures and strains of each woman, and friendships are tested in unfathomable ways.

Ms. Pekkanen's characters are always so wonderfully complex, and the cast of The Best of Us is no different. There is something slightly despicable in each of the women, but that is what makes them so powerfully real. Better yet, Ms. Pekkanen caters to a myriad of women with her characters - from the stay-at-home mothers to the women driven by their careers to the women who have miraculously found that balance between family and work. Tina, Allie, Savannah, and even Pauline are archetypes of the truest kind, and while no one reader will be able to relate to all four of the women, each reader will be able to find one of the women with whom to empathize.

Another reviewer called The Best of Us the best kind of Mommy porn, and this working mother unequivocally concurs with that reviewer. Women everywhere, regardless of maternal status, will agree with the sentiment that the idea of an all-expenses paid vacation to a luxurious private home in the Caribbean, replete with chef, fully-stocked bar, masseuse, and private jet, sounds like a little slice of heaven in spite of the hurricane that hits the island. It is at once a decadent fantasy and a testament to how stressful real life is for women, when even the dangers of a hurricane have some appeal. Ms. Pekkanen excels at the ability to portray the unique stresses and fears women face in modern society, and The Best of Us is just another example of her skill.

In this culture of Mean Girls and Supermoms, where women continue to backstab and downplay other women's successes in hopes of climbing further up the corporate ladder, where women still struggle with "having it all", Ms. Pekkanen showcases the positive aspects of female relationships and brings a breath of fresh air to this landscape of female bullies and the ongoing debate of work and family vs. work or family. Her characters have a strong sense of identity and more importantly have a strong sense of friendship. They might disagree and even fight, but they will always forgive and forget. It is at once extremely touching to behold and heartbreaking because of how rare the friendships portrayed in The Best of Us really are. If anything, Ms. Pekkanen shows us what is possible and not what is, and it is this message which readers should take to heart.

The Best of Us is a fast-paced, thoroughly escapist and utterly enjoyable book on the true meaning of friendship. While the circumstances in which the group of friends finds themselves may be extreme and idealized, the substance behind the friendships is not. Add to that a stunning and exotic backdrop and a trip of a lifetime, and the combination is an addicting combination of fun and truth. With The Best of Us, Ms. Pekkanen solidifies her reputation as not only an excellent storyteller but also a superb observer of life as her books drive to the heart of what people want.

In The Best Of Us, a group of old college friends go to Jamaica together with their spouses to celebrate their wealthy friend's 35th birthday. The friends have kids, marital problems and other secrets that they are eager to leave behind for a while to have fun. With a hurricane approaching, tensions run high on the island as all the issues bubble to the surface.

The Best Of Us follows four women on this trip to Jamaica. Tina is an overworked wife and mom. Her four kids are tiring her out, and she and her husband Gio are struggling to make ends meet. Tina's BFF Allie is married to Ryan, and is hiding a secret about her health. Their friend Savannah reminded me of a Samantha/Sex & the City type. She loves to flirt and party, but her marriage is unraveling due to her husband's infidelity. Pauline is the woman who organized the Jamaica trip as a gift to her husband Dwight. She is cool, calm and collected on the outside but she's harboring a secret that's tearing her apart.

I love the idea of an all-expense paid luxury group trip to Jamaica- so that part of the book was pure escapism. I'm sure many of us dream of leaving our home, work and family responsibilities behind for some R&R on the beach. But a lot of the book is also about the friends dealing with their real-life problems, which is more reality than I usually look for in my reading. I could probably relate to Tina the most - being dragged down by cooking, cleaning, etc. and wanting to have more time to herself and her husband. So, some of the real life stuff wasn't really the escapist sort of read I usually gravitate to. But, I did like when the perfect vacation started to fall apart as the friends stopped being polite and started facing up to their issues. The friendships rang true, and sometimes you loved them and felt protective and sometimes you wanted nothing to do with them.

Veteran narrator Cassandra Campbell reads the audiobook. Campbell is one of the readers of the multi-voiced audiobook The Help, and many other audiobooks. Campbell is a good fit for this story, she sounds age-appropriate, and makes each character come alive. She sounds cool and detached for Pauline, and suggestive for Savannah. I had no trouble keeping track of each woman's story, due in part to the narration. Campbell gets into character and takes her time with the pacing, matching the relaxed tone of the island. She also ramps up the tension when needed. It's an audiobook I thought about when I wasn't listening to it, eager to get back to the story.

The Best Of Us is a juicy read that's perfect for a day at the beach. It's easy to get lost in the drama of The Best of Us maybe you'll come out of it a little wiser just like the friends in the book.

This was a real stinker. The characters were well developed, which kept me reading, but there's nothing like getting 65% into a book only to find out this story is going nowhere. Then, it starts getting preachy. The punctuation annoyed me. Each character's internal dialogue felt fake, even if it was close to being true. The wrap up was near awful. The climax was an actual letdown. The book sounds like it came from the perspective of someone who has only observed life, not lived it.

I must confess, upfront, that I am not a fan of chick-lit. It just never seems to ... speak to me. Apparently, I wasn't reading the 'right' books.

The Best of Us grabbed me, from the first paragraph, and never let go. It's been a long time since I read a book in one sitting. But, I simply couldn't put it down.

There was nothing I didn't love about this book: the settings, the characters, the dialogue - all of it was pitch-perfect to my reader's ear. With 4 female protagonists, three of them long-time friends, one would expect a little ... bleed-over ... in personalities. One would be wrong.

Each woman was unique, individual, and so well written that, by the end, I felt I'd known them for years. Their relationships and marriages were natural, normal, and (in a couple of cases) enviable. It didn't take long for me to become fully vested in their lives, loves, and troubles.

If, like me, you've avoided this genre - I promise, The Best of Us will change your mind. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go fill my Kindle with more Pekkanen prose.

And find a friend with a villa in Jamaica.

~*~*~

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary electronic galley of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com [...] professional readers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. (Originally posted 04/05/2013 on my blog.)

The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen
Pauline was so happy to be pulling off her husbands big birthday party. A week in Jamaica for them and his other college friends and their spouses. In total 6 people.
Savannah was to bring Gary but she hadn't told anybody they were getting a divorce. He had found a younger nurse. He was an anesthetist doctor and she sold real estate/houses.
Allie was married with 2 teen kids, everything on an even keel when she wasn't working as a social worker. Her mother and father would watch all the kids. Ryan her husband also worked for the local company, engineer dept.
Tina was the one with 4 kids and her husband, Gio was in the local company in the architecture dept. She just couldn't seem to get things balanced and there was always something to do...
Dwight was the dot com millionaire who was going to be treating them all to whatever their hearts desired in the weeks time.
The house and island are pure paradise. Along with the food and body massages, huge rooms and there are other surprises for the upcoming days of adventure.
Love the detailed descriptions, this would so make such an awesome movie!
Everyone although keeping their most private secrets to themselves are having a wild time of relaxation as they reminiscence about college days and it seems everything is NOT so good in paradise after all....

This novel is about a reunion of college friends. Pauline organizes the trip in honor of her husband’s birthday. Dwight has been incredibly successful but remains somewhat socially awkward. She rents a large home in Jamaica and the group fly down on a private plane. While she tries to remain in control, her own past comes back to haunt her when her disabled sister’s condition deteriorates. What could have been an interesting story about how relationships change over time instead turned out to be more like a bad college frat party with bad behavior all around.. I found myself disliking every character. Pauline seemed to be the only one capable of acting like an adult, but her better side was only shown through tragedy. Even the impending hurricane does little to make the characters see reason. I finished it in hopes of something redeeming by the end, but I was disappointed.

The Best of us is Sarah's fourth novel. She decided to go a different direction by bringing her characters to the beach in Jamaica.
Synopsis:
Dwight's wife Pauline has put together the ultimate celebration for his birthday. A trip to Jamaica to a beach house with his college friends. Pauline has experienced them before but will do anything for him to make him happy. Tina is the young mom in search of a break who is encouraged to go by Allie who is the ray of sunshine and seems to have a perfect life. Then there is Savannah the single about to be divorcee. Can she be trusted? Will this trip be what everyone hopes it will be?
My Thoughts:
I am always excited to get one of Sarah's novels. I was especially excited that it would be a beach read this time around. She writes characters that we can all identify with. The mom who is overworked and needs help. The wife who wonders if her husband will really be there for her? Or the friend who is going through a divorce and having to pick up the pieces.
Who doesn't need a break? What would make the perfect getaway to you?

The Best of Us evokes a roller coaster set of emotions. The author has an exceptional ability to present four distinct female personalities that we can easily relate to. The writing is uncomplicated and a joy to read.

The four women this book is about have reached a point in their lives where escape to a
luxury villa in Jamaica with a group of old college friends is needed. Motherhood, marriage, demands, and workloads are bearing down on them. They are ready to have fun in the sun, and relieve their minds from the anxieties of their current problems.
However, it is not the luxurious vacation that helps them deal with life, but a fierce hurricane, that points to them in the right direction.

Although I didn't care for all the characters, they were needed and set the drama of the interrelationships. There is never a dull moment and despite my not liking the actions of particular characters, I was emotionally involved from page to page.

The descriptions of the villa in Jamaica and all the other luxurious activities,
are written so well that it provides a effortless vacation for those of us who can't get away.

The Best of Us" by Sarah Pekkanen is a story that will touch readers no matter their married status. It's about four couples who are in different stages of married bliss who all get together to celebrate a friend's birthday. He is a self-made millionaire, so they are invited to a week-long vacation in a luxurious Jamaican beach-front house.

During this time, the women (and the story is mostly about them) come to different realizations about their marriage. It's a time of realization and reflection for the individuals who make up the group of friends.

When a hurricane threatens them, some real truths emerge.

Readers who love stories about relationships, love, and friendship will greatly enjoy this book. A perfect beach read, it's also a perfect weekend book. Get out a few chocolates and a glass of wine and prepare to make some new friends.

Read the whole review at: [...]

Dwight Glass is turning 35. His wife, Pauline plans a big birthday party, since Dwight is an Internet millionaire they spare no expense on the lavish trip and vacation. It's an all expenses paid trip to Jamaica for them and four friends from college. Savannah arrives alone, she says her husband, Gary, a doctor is too busy. In fact, they are getting a divorce because he had an affair with a much younger nurse. Tina has four kids, her husband, Gio works in a local architecture department. She has trouble keeping things together.Then there is Allie, with two teen kids and works as a social worker. Her husband Ryan is an engineer. The trip is paradise, but tensions run high and soon they are tested as friends as well as people. A force of nature in the form of hurricane Betty, brings them together and brings out what is the best in each of them. I enjoyed this book. I liked the character development. Like good friends they are engaging and at times incredibly annoying.

This is the most on point book I've read in quite a while. Leaving the novelty of Jamaica and richness of Dwight behind, the everyday issues each of the women in this book face, including Pauline, rang true with me or people that I'm close with. I so wish my sister had the opportunity to read this book before she left this world a few months ago. It just struck a chord with me and I'll be highly recommending it to all of my friends.

This was a really fun book to read. Just the idea of an all expense paid vacation to a beautiful villa in Jamaica was enough to hook me! The characters of Allie, Tina, Savannah, and Pauline were so written so well, you really felt you knew these women personally. The friends get together, relive old times, retell old stories, and generally let their hair down and escape their everyday lives-no work, kids, etc to worry about. Old hurts and feelings resurface, and by the middle of the week, these adults all start acting like they are kids again. Looking back, I am reminded a little of the movie "The Big Chill", though these characters are celebrating a birthday, not mourning a dead friend.

All in all, a good book-a quick and fun read-I would definitely recommend reading it-and I will keep an eye out for Sarah Pekkanen's other works!

I’ve read a few of Sarah Pekannen’s novels and from the very first one she became one of my favorite authors. Her newest novel The Best of Us is just another reason why she is such a well liked author among readers. I listened to The Best of Us on audio narrated by Cassandra Campbell who has fast become one of my favorite narrators. She has one of the easiest voices to listen to and between the tone of her voice and the story being told I become lost in time for a while.

Who wouldn’t want an all expense paid vacation at a luxury villa in Jamaica? Well a group of old college friends sure can’t turn down a birthday invitation from Pauline, their college friend Dwight’s wife for this trip of a lifetime. Dwight is the one in the group who always seemed to be on the outside and yet has managed to be most successful and is very wealthy. Pauline Is sparing no expense on this trip wanting to make it memorable for her husband.

As everyone is spending time on the beach suntanning and indulging in yummy cocktails and food they are also thinking about their lives both past and present and for the women this was not only a trip of a lifetime, it was also an escape from lives that were becoming overwhelming at times.

Tina is a full time mom with four young kids and she’s having s hard time remembering what it was like to have a life of her own and take pride in it. Ally, a mom as well, is struggling with the news that she may have inherited a genetic disease and Savannah is hiding the fact that she’s getting a divorce from her cheating husband. Then there is Pauline who was never part of the college group and from the sidelines she wonders about the relationships that these women had with her husband as well as hiding secrets of her own. This vacation will force them all to reevaluate their lives and decide what is most important to them.

I really enjoyed the audio production of The Best of Us. Between the storm raging on the island and in the character’s lives Cassandra Campbell really brought it all alive for me. I could almost feel the storm battering the villa they were staying in and I could relate to the characters struggles as well except for Savannah who was not a favorite of mine. As always I’ll be anxiously awaiting Sarah Pekkanen’s next novel while I enjoy catching up on her backlist.

When a man/s invites three of her husband's female friends from college to join them on an all expense paid trip to Jamaica to celebrate the husband's birthday, you know - YOU KNOW - drama will ensue.

And so it does.

Dwight Glass was a gigantic nerd back in college, so much so that he was virtually ignored by everyone. Well, everyone except Allie, who saw in Dwight a kind, good hearted man. That Dwight eventually becomes Bill Gates-ian in his accomplishments should be the ultimate revenge. But Dwight's too good of a guy for that.

His brittle wife Pauline decides to throw him the 40th birthday of his - or her? - dreams. She gamely invites Allie, along with Dwight's other two college pals, Tina and Savannah, and their husbands. Each woman comes with her own burdens, even Pauline. She knows that her marriage to Dwight is not the stuff of fantasies, and her own hard won successes teeter on her unstable family history.

Allie at first appears to be too perfect. She anticipates harried mother of four Tina's every need, going so far as to help with laundry and childcare. She champions Dwight. She adores her husband. But yet the more we get to know her, the more unlikable she becomes. What begins as a predictable character turns into something else entirely.

With her four young children and contractor husband, Tina lives under constant strain. Her husband's business is not as successful or secure as they would like, and the exhaustion that comes with parenting four kids overwhelms her at times. She has no small amount of insecurities, yet, as with Allie and Pauline, she will surprise you.

Finally, there is Savannah. Taught, toned, surgically enhanced Savannah, whose doctor husband recently left her for a nurse. She undoubtedly feels desperate, whether to prove her desirability or her independence. Savannah's reluctance to tell her friends the truth about her marriage stems not so much from her embarrassment at having been dumped as from her shame at suffering any amount of pity. She's hurt, which makes her dangerous. Here, again, Pekkanen zigs when we expect her to zag. In many ways Savannah is the least likable of the four women, yet I rooted more for her than the other three. Her vulnerability is real and we feel it.

Seven people together in a beach house in Jamaica for a week is fertile ground for storytelling, and Pekkanen doesn't disappoint. She presents her characters as flawed individuals, but she demands that we care about them. Jamaica, too, is a character, infusing the novel with a steamy, laid back facade that disguises its dangers and anxieties.

This is a fantastic beach read.

Thanks to edelweiss for the preview.
Published on cupcake's book cupboard
@VivaAmaRisata

I liked the plot and storyline of this book but found it difficult to like any of the characters. Tina & Gio were annoying; Allie & Ryan both wishy-washy; Pauline & Dwight kind of sad; and trampy Savannah & cheating Gary were downright loathsome. By the end of the book, they had all grown rather tiresome with their narcissistic whining. One thing I found highly irritating was the author's constant use of "he said/she said" in the conversational exchanges. There are ways to establish who said what in a dialogue without inserting superfluous explanatory passages in nearly every segment. As a reader, it makes me feel as though the author thinks I'm not smart enough to understand unless she spells it out for me . . . and leaves me feeling mildly insulted. Overall, an enjoyable read if you want something quick, light and easy.

Sarah Pekkanen's The Best of Us is a marvelous novel about friendship. But it is also a journey of self-discovery as each of the women comes to terms with the various challenges facing them as they enjoy a decadent week long vacation in Jamaica.

Tina, Allie, Savannah and Dwight were best friends in college. Tina is now married to Gio and is a stay at home mom to their four young children. Allie is married to Ryan and now their two kids are older, she is working part time as a social worker. Savannah is a real estate agent and unbeknownst to her friends, she and her husband Gary are separated and on the verge of divorce. Dwight is a socially awkward millionaire and it is his wife Pauline who has arranged the extravagant celebration for his thirty-fifth birthday.

As they embark on their trip, each of the women is at a crisis point in their lives. Tina loves her four children, but Gio's long hours leave her as the kids' primary caregiver and she is exhausted emotionally and physically from the demands of motherhood. Allie has learned devastating information about her birth father that leaves her reeling. Savannah is hoping the trip will take her mind off her conflicted feelings about Gary's infidelity and their impending divorce. Pauline is faltering under the weight of the secrets she is keeping from Dwight.

All of the characters in The Best of Us are well-developed and multi-faceted. Tina and Allie are the most realistic and easy to relate while Savannah and Pauline come across as a little superficial. But there are hidden depths to each of these women, and their reactions to the unfolding drama are not as predictable as one would think. I wavered between liking and disliking each of the women throughout the story, and by the end of the novel, my opinions of each of them had dramatically altered from my first impressions.

The lavish party and lush tropical location counteract the more serious aspects of the storyline. Spirits are high with the liquor flowing freely and there is much laughter as everyone begins to relax and enjoy themselves. There are many light-hearted moments as everyone partakes in luscious meals and explores their idyllic surroundings.

The plot is unpredictable and Sarah Pekkanen keeps the reader off balance with some very surprising twists and turns. As the story progresses, the sense of camaraderie is occasionally marred by squabbles and jealousy. Loyalties shift as perceptions change due to some of the events that occur between the various characters.

But what makes The Best of Us such an outstanding read is the growth of the characters. They each gain new insight not only about themselves, but one another as well. The bonds of friendship are challenged but will emerge stronger than ever in the wake of unexpected revelations. An emotionally satisfying and compelling novel that I highly recommend.

I received a complimentary copy for review.

Sarah Pekkanen just keeps on getting better and better. While this story of four college friends who travel - with their spouses - to a remote location to celebrate one of the group's 35th birthday, may be filed with people making difficult, and sometimes disturbing choices, Pekkanen uses her deft touch to keep the characters real, believable and compelling. The characters in this novel are fully realized adults, but that doesn't mean they don't remember college or that they can't fall back into old patterns and old hurts. Sometimes it is best to leave the past behind us, and sometimes visiting the past helps remind us why we are where we are today. Pekkanen shows us all of this with page-turning plot and well-placed humor. A winner.

On the occasion of Dwight's thirty-fifth birthday, his wife Pauline wants to do something special for him. So she plans an all-expense paid trip to Jamaica for his close group of college friends and their spouses. Tina, a mother of four, is overwhelmed caring for her family while her husband Gio works long hours to keep them afloat. Allie is hiding a secret about her medical history, and her husband Ryan seems unaware of the change in her. Savannah's husband has left her for a younger woman. A trip to paradise seems to be exactly what they all need. But things happen, as they always do, including a hurricane, turning the trip into an opportunity to re-evaluate lives and relationships. To be honest, I had a hard time liking some of the characters in the beginning, but as the story unfolded, I started to get some insight into their personalities. The novel was well written and perfectly paced. I have been a fan of the author's since her first book, but I think that this one may be my favorite. It was thought-provoking and honest, and kept me enthralled from the first chapter. A warm and witty look at relationships of all kinds.

First, THANK YOU Atria books for providing me with an ARC of The Best of Us!

Pekkanen is one of my favorite authors for a reason. She is magnificent at writing women - all women (and that is not to say she only writes women - all of her characters are multi-layered and complex). No matter the age, status, or circumstance, she writes strong women characters and The Best of Us is no exception. Pekkanen has provided another set of women that we can all relate to in some way. Their stories are real and will touch close to home for many readers. You will find authenticity in her characters and her story.

Pauline, Tina, Allie, and Savannah are similar in age, but that's where the similarities end. From a stay-at-home mom of four to a childless, real estate agent going through a tumultuous divorce, these women create a dynamic that will have readers chuckling, shaking their heads, and maybe even saying, "AMEN sister" (or maybe that's just me)!

The corresponding male characters (all husbands to the women) are equally well-developed. Readers will experience some of the same emotional moments about them. From a cheating narcissist to a nerdy millionaire, the guys build their own dynamic that readers will delight in.

Now, onto the story, Pekkanen is a genius. Which of us hasn't, at some point, thought about an all-expenses paid trip to some reclusive, tropical island? No kids, no laundry, no dishes, no work, no bedtime or waking time. Instead, margaritas, snorkeling, sleeping late, sunshine, reading, and a full week of alone time with your spouse. Pekkanen gives readers a chance to live that out, at least in imagination, through this amazing story. The bonds, friendships, and secrets build up and tear down throughout so it never becomes just a simple, one-layered frolic at the beach. This story offers much more. As a storm approaches the island and threatens the end of this wonderful vacation, several storms brew inside the house that none of the couples were expecting.

The Best of Us is a great story, from a wonderful author and readers will enjoy the ride experienced from this quick and well-written read.

--Side note: can anyone look at a Pekkanen cover and NOT fall in love? I don't think any of her books have had a cover that didn't instantly make me want to read the book. They are all so...well, just perfect!

*I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and views are my own. I do not receive compensation for my reviews.

Sarah Pekkanen just keeps on getting better and better. While this story of four college friends who travel - with their spouses - to a remote location to celebrate one of the group's 35th birthday, may be filed with people making difficult, and sometimes disturbing choices, Pekkanen uses her deft touch to keep the characters real, believable and compelling. The characters in this novel are fully realized adults, but that doesn't mean they don't remember college or that they can't fall back into old patterns and old hurts. Sometimes it is best to leave the past behind us, and sometimes visiting the past helps remind us why we are where we are today. Pekkanen shows us all of this with page-turning plot and well-placed humor. A winner.

On the occasion of Dwight's thirty-fifth birthday, his wife Pauline wants to do something special for him. So she plans an all-expense paid trip to Jamaica for his close group of college friends and their spouses. Tina, a mother of four, is overwhelmed caring for her family while her husband Gio works long hours to keep them afloat. Allie is hiding a secret about her medical history, and her husband Ryan seems unaware of the change in her. Savannah's husband has left her for a younger woman. A trip to paradise seems to be exactly what they all need. But things happen, as they always do, including a hurricane, turning the trip into an opportunity to re-evaluate lives and relationships. To be honest, I had a hard time liking some of the characters in the beginning, but as the story unfolded, I started to get some insight into their personalities. The novel was well written and perfectly paced. I have been a fan of the author's since her first book, but I think that this one may be my favorite. It was thought-provoking and honest, and kept me enthralled from the first chapter. A warm and witty look at relationships of all kinds.

First, THANK YOU Atria books for providing me with an ARC of The Best of Us!

Pekkanen is one of my favorite authors for a reason. She is magnificent at writing women - all women (and that is not to say she only writes women - all of her characters are multi-layered and complex). No matter the age, status, or circumstance, she writes strong women characters and The Best of Us is no exception. Pekkanen has provided another set of women that we can all relate to in some way. Their stories are real and will touch close to home for many readers. You will find authenticity in her characters and her story.

Pauline, Tina, Allie, and Savannah are similar in age, but that's where the similarities end. From a stay-at-home mom of four to a childless, real estate agent going through a tumultuous divorce, these women create a dynamic that will have readers chuckling, shaking their heads, and maybe even saying, "AMEN sister" (or maybe that's just me)!

The corresponding male characters (all husbands to the women) are equally well-developed. Readers will experience some of the same emotional moments about them. From a cheating narcissist to a nerdy millionaire, the guys build their own dynamic that readers will delight in.

Now, onto the story, Pekkanen is a genius. Which of us hasn't, at some point, thought about an all-expenses paid trip to some reclusive, tropical island? No kids, no laundry, no dishes, no work, no bedtime or waking time. Instead, margaritas, snorkeling, sleeping late, sunshine, reading, and a full week of alone time with your spouse. Pekkanen gives readers a chance to live that out, at least in imagination, through this amazing story. The bonds, friendships, and secrets build up and tear down throughout so it never becomes just a simple, one-layered frolic at the beach. This story offers much more. As a storm approaches the island and threatens the end of this wonderful vacation, several storms brew inside the house that none of the couples were expecting.

The Best of Us is a great story, from a wonderful author and readers will enjoy the ride experienced from this quick and well-written read.

--Side note: can anyone look at a Pekkanen cover and NOT fall in love? I don't think any of her books have had a cover that didn't instantly make me want to read the book. They are all so...well, just perfect!

*I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and views are my own. I do not receive compensation for my reviews.

There is something about a once in a lifetime vacation at a private villa that includes a personal chef and pristine empty beaches with a bunch of old friends that conjures up a dreamy feelings. I couldn’t wait to get started on this one as I’ve loved every Pekkanen novel I’ve read. Escapism at its best, Pekkanen delivers a treat with The Best of Us full of wonderful characters, a twisting plot, a few secrets, and a setting I’m sure anyone would be envious of.

This is a perfect beach read and I wish I could have devoured it on my honeymoon, but Netgalley doesn’t often allow the luxury of waiting long to read their review copies. I finished it a few weeks before the wedding and as soon as we decided to rent a private villa for our honeymoon I wanted to wait to post my review so I could briefly discuss the novel from personal experience. Pekkanen nailed it.

The tight quarters of a house, particularly when there is strife and secrets among certain individuals in the group, was perfect. You’re relaxed, your guard is down on vacation and these characters are old friends that had kept loosely in touch over the years and were all at different stations in life. You can only imagine what comes to the surface. I was surprised and shocked several times and appreciated the unpredictability.

I enjoyed all the characters and what they brought to the table, even though I didn’t love them all – or agree with all of their decisions. They were all so different and it was easy to grasp who was who from the first pages which I loved as sometimes this can be difficult when multiple characters are involved. I thought the interactions between them were realistic and there were some intense moments that raised the stakes for all involved and I found myself rapidly flipping pages to see what would occur.

The Best of Us didn’t carry quite the same weight for me as the more intimate stories such as Skipping a Beat did for me, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Pekkanen vaults us right into the heads of her characters so we know their motivations, fears and goals. There is something for everyone in this one.

As a side note - If you’re searching for a vacation and think this is out of reach, just Google it. It may not be as exorbitant as you think. You don’t have to have a private chef and if you’re going with friends you can all pitch in with the cooking – and share the costs of the villa. If you don’t mind being a five minute walk to the beach or go off season, the prices are even better. You’ll have more privacy and won’t be on a resort’s timetable. You wouldn’t have to listen to the incessant poolside music and activities. Or maybe it’s just me and the hubs. We’re older now and aren’t looking for a party vacation. Or it could be that we don’t have children we might like babysitters for which resorts offer. Anyhow, just consider it if you’re interested. I’m not sure I would ever return to a resort again.

Thank you to Washington Square Press for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

I would have to cede that this book will appeal more heavily toward the female demographic, although I don't particularly like that designation. For example, 20% in to the book, the male characters have only looked geekily handsome in a tux, rippled abs, and run off cheating respectively. Of course my heart is kind of with Tina who has very young kids and a sleep debt of several years. But Allie is a sweetheart and who could be cold to Savannah whose husband has left with a nurse after she put him through medical school. Finally we have Pauline who married money but puts her heart into the deal. And they are off on Pauline's private jet to an island paradise.

The writing is pleasant. The plot keeps my interest. And honestly, drama is always more fun among luxury. I mean this novel had me with, "whenever we want." The characters have enough depth to them to keep us interested in their various foibles. The relationships gain dimension on the island and we do in fact to learn more about the marriages and their evolution. The book is fun, has a handful of insights, and the writing is smooth and skillful.

This was my first Sarah Pekkanen novel and I really enjoyed it! (the front cover was a draw). I purchased the audio which was excellent! I have read all Emily Giffin and Jennifer Weiner books and she is a similar author--so would encourage fans of these authors to read this book! It was so realistic and each and every woman or man in a married relationship or single would enjoy ---especially young mothers.

I am so looking forward to reading more from this author and purchasing another audio or e-book tonight! Very sexy, funny, and will keep you laughing ---very well written! Good food, sex, romance, travel, and more!!!!

Pauline is throwing a huge spectacular party for her husband, Dwight. She has invited all of his friends for an exotic birthday party in Jamaica. The guests include Tina and her husband Gio. Tina needs this vacation. She has not had a break from her children in a long time. Then there is Allie and her husband, Ryan. Allie is keeping a secret from Ryan. Finally there is Savannah. She arrives alone. This is due to her husband cheating on her. Everyone's secrets come out when hurricane Betty sweeps in.

I liked the girl friendship relationship between Tina, Allie, and Savannah. However I don't know if my friendship would be as strong as their's if it involved infidelity. Also, I did not really feel like they were the best of friends. The way that they treated each other was kind of mean.

In fact, I felt that everyone in this book was self-centered except for Pauline. What Pauline was going through, I felt sorry for her. In addition, that she did seem kind-hearted and everyone just walked all over her.

Also, I could not believe how quickly everyone just changed right away. It was like since they were in another place they did not have to account for anything. Sorry for say but Jamaica is not like Vegas where the saying goes "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas." The ending was pretty predictable. Overall though this was not a bad book. It is a quick read.

A group of old college friends get together for an all-expenses paid trip to Jamaica. By all-expenses paid, I mean Dwight, the resident millionaire, is footing the entire bill. Leer Jet, chef, private villa? Yes, Dwight has it all! The trip was planned to celebrate Dwight's birthday, and has been micro-managed by Pauline, Dwight's alpha wife. Pauline has made sure every t is crossed, and every i is dotted, but when she needs to leave the island unexpectedly, well, as the saying goes, "when the cats are away the mice will play." You find out that not everything is as wonderful as it appears. There is a lot more to their relationship than meets the eye.

Tina and Gio are married, and just slogging through the daily grind of life. We have all been there. Kids, bills, just trying to do it all. Tina feels she cannot be honest with Gio about her frustrations, and it's taking its toll on their marriage. She loves Gio, but she also doesn't want to feel guilty about wearing yoga pants every day! Girl, you have our support. Wear those damn yoga pants! Raising kids is hard work!

Allie and Ryan are the picture-perfect couple. In my mind I imagined all of her perfectly framed family photographs, and her Shutterfly albums for every occasion. She has it all, and she is kind-to boot. She's the girl we all love to hate. Oh, I see, you pre-addressed envelopes for thank you cards to write after your kids birthday? How very efficient of you. (bitch!) I'm lucky if mine ever get done! When Allie's perfect facade begins to crack, you don't feel vindicated, you feel saddened for her. Does she have ALS? Would that cause someone to break down like Allie did? Hmmm...all things you will want to know.

And then there's Savannah...the loosey-goosey, soon-to-be divorcee. She flirts with all the men, and flaunts her assets. Now, I've never experienced divorce first-hand, but I sure hope I don't behave like Savannah does in the aftermath of her husband's infidelity and betrayal. Don't get mad, Savannah, get even! haven't you seen the First Wives Club? Getting even is sort of what she ends up doing. Aren't you intrigued?

You won't want to miss this newest book by Sarah Pekkanen. I read Skipping a Beat last year, and loved it!! She's a fabulous, amazing author.

The Best Of Us
by
Sarah Pekkanen

Essentially...

This is a book about four very different marriages and the trip of a lifetime.

My thoughts after reading this book...

College friends gather together for a once in a lifetime all expense paid trip to Jamaica. Here are the basics...everyone is now in their mid thirties. Tina and Gio have four children. Money is tight and Tina is exhausted. Allie and Ryan could have been the perfect couple but Allie is hiding a secret about a potential health threat. Savannah is reeling from her husband's infidelity. And then we have Dwight and Pauline...Dwight is one of the college original four but he is now a kabillionaire. The trip has been planned by his wife Pauline. Dwight was the ultimate college geek but his brilliance and dot. com companies have made him amazingly successful. His wife Pauline has her own set of insecurities. So...everyone is on Dwight's private jet heading to Jamaica and...oh...a hurricane is headed there, too!

So...Jamaica is a mix of fun and not so much fun. Savannah is determined to bring sexy back...Tina is just trying to not be tired...Allie turns to Dwight for compassion and Pauline is determined to keep her family a secret...I loved it all.

The book is a mix of great writing, college flashbacks, midlife crises, tons of great food, fun, angst, jealousy, doubts, and a hurricane that settles it all! Again...I loved it!

My thanks to NetGalley and the store for sending me this book!

I received a copy of The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen in exchange for an honest review.

This book was great! The characters were so real, I totally got sucked into the book and I lived many lives in the day and a half it took me to read it! The characters would absolutely resonate with so many women (and men), even those of us who would choose to deny it.

Sarah Pekkanen did a great job with developing the personalities of the characters in the book and watching the secrets of their souls and their insecurities unfold and how it affected their lives was fascinating.

I would totally recommend this book to anyone.

This book was a change of pace for me, because I've gotten used to reading novels with action-based paranormal themes. And this was not one of those books.

While there is an over-all story arc, the journey of the characters is more important than the final outcome, in my opinion. Each is flawed, troubled by one thing or another, and comes baring baggage. Throw them into close proximity and drama is bound to happen. And happen, it does.

This novel is compelling, well-written and exacting in the way that Pekkanen explores these characters, exposing the good with the bad. I liked the tone and intricacies in this novel, and I'll be sure to check out other works from this author in the future!

***I received a copy of the novel via NetGalley in exchanged for an unbiased review.***

I love all of Sarah's books, but 'The Best of Us' is my new favorite. The characters are so relatable, and for anyone who when to college in the 90s, and is now dealing with the realities of marriage, career and family, this is a must read.

When four college friends get together for an all expense paid vacation to Jamaica to celebrate a friend's birthday, you can't help but want to be there and keep reading. There is a character for everyone. Tina,the stay at home mom who is overwhelmed and never gets out; Allie, the perfect, have it together friend; Savannah who is getting divorced and is still as sexual as she was in college; and Dwight, their shy friend who was always on the outskirts of their group.

These four characters along with their spouses try to spend a week reliving the past and instead they discover their futures. When a hurricane comes and traps them inside their villa together, the friends realize that not everything is always as it seems.

I really enjoyed this book. When I finished reading it I wanted to call my college roommate and then do a lemon drop shot.

Rarely am I able to finish a book in one sitting. Not since I had kids anyway. Over the weekend, I found myself in bed by 10PM which is incredibly early for. However, my brain wouldn't turn off so I picked up The Best of Us by the newest book by Sarah Pekkanen. I've read some of her previous books and knew I would enjoy her newest. I read the entire novel in a few hours. I couldn't put it down until I knew how it ended.

In The Best of Us, three women and their husbands are offered a dream vacation: an all inclusive trip to Jamaica courtesy of an old college friend who struck gold with his dot com business. Tina is a tired stay at home mother of four (!) who needs a break but feels guilty for leaving her children for a week. Allie, who has been the rock for everyone around her, holds a secret that upsets her balanced sensibilities. Then there's Savannah who exudes sensuality and confidence but her separation from her husband has affected more than even she realizes. They're all excited to help Dwight, now a millionaire, celebrate his birthday in style. While everyone seems to return to their easy friendship from their college days, Dwight's wife Pauline feels like an outsider. The trip is supposed to be relaxing and fun, but old feelings resurface and new wounds are inflicted. Everything builds as a hurricane barrels towards Jamaica and the four couples must make peace with not just their circle of friends but themselves.

Reading this novel reminds me of the dynamics of my circle of college friends. Pekkanen portrays characters that are real and complex. Even Allie, who was so annoyingly perfect at first, until we learn that she has secrets and fears just like everyone else. I wanted to hate Savannah but was able to empathize with her. It was also fun to imagine myself in their shoes. Who wouldn't want a no-strings attached all inclusive Jamaican vacation with all the `tinis I can drink? Not to mention an in house gourmet shelf and massages on the beach?

I was in a major reading rut recently, and The Best of Us got me out of my rut.

If you have read Sarah Pekkanen's books before... know this is Sarah style.... all grown up. Steamy good!

Tina barely recognizes herself in the mirror anymore. With 4 children under the age of ten she feels like she drops into bed as early as possible and still wakes up tired. She is barely hanging on and is only in her mid 30′s...

Allie looks together on the outside. She runs every morning, has managed to keep her cheerleader figure, and has the type of marriage that is enviable. Yet Allie is holding on to a secret that is eating her thoughts up day and night...

Savannah has always been the looker. She can still turn guys heads and likes to do it. She enjoys a good party, loves the attention on her, and smiles a beautiful smile hoping no one will see behind the look of perfection, she hides her husband's infidelity.

Pauline married Dwight and knows she married well. Dwight is quiet and a little socially awkward but he is beyond rich and Pauline wants for nothing. Pauline can't exactly say she married for love, but she has grown to love Dwight and all of his awkwardness. When the idea comes to her to throw him an over the top birthday party with his friends from college and their spouses.... Pauline did what she does best - she plans the ultimate get together that no one can refuse.

When invites arrived at the homes of Tina, Allie, and Savannah for a week-long all expense trip to a luxury villa in Jamaica to celebrate their college friends 35th birthday - it was the invite of a lifetime. As they pack their bags and plan for the trip, the friends have no idea the extra baggage each one is secretly carrying.

Sarah Pekkanen taps into the pulse of many of us when we are in our 30′s. Life is starting to take shape... marriage, family, careers, bills, homes... and trying to juggle it all when in some ways you still feel like you are too young to be dealing with all of this and when and HOW did it happen? Where did the freedoms of youth go?

Now, imagine that a "blast from the past" comes a knocking on your door in the form of an invitation to the life break that your heart longs for... even without all the extra bells and whistles that are added into the trip Sarah Pekkanen has in this book, it is a sweet sounding deal! Although I admit, the extra awesomeness added to the trip in the book was fun to imagine!
In The Best Of Us, four couples are brought together for the trip of a lifetime. What really makes this work is that you as the reader get to spend time getting to know each of the couples, as each is dealing with something, even if it is not on the surface when the story begins. It is amazing what can happen in a week and we deal with it all - the good, the bad, and the ugly... all is revealed.

Fans of Sarah Pekkanen's previous books are in for a different taste as The Best Of Us is written a little bolder and with more adult content. Don't feel that change is bad, The Best Of Us is filled with Sarah's great writing, humor, and I for one was thrilled to go along on this trip, and I think you will too.

Reviewed by JoAnne
Book provided by NetGalley for review
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

I found this book tedious and kept losing interest and my place as I read. The premise of the book sounded great – college friends getting together to celebrate one of their birthdays and they are invited to a week away in Jamaica to do so – relaxing at a sumptuous villa, all expenses paid. But it was anything but. The characters did not do much except drink, drink and drink some more and then smoked some pot as well.

The characters had many layers to them and all were dysfunctional in one way or another. There were so many possibilities that never were explored. I would have been drawn in better if Dwight was more central to the storyline instead of a bystander many times throughout. Some of them were responsible parents, some had careers/jobs and most needed this getaway more than they could say. The infighting, the arguments and secrets did nothing to endear me to any of them. None seemed to want to be with their spouse either so instead of bonding with each other as well as with their friends they seemed more to be pushing each other away.

The descriptions of Jamaica is what helped this book. I felt like I exited the plane with them and saw everything they saw through my eyes as well as theirs. The words had me picturing white sand, blue sky, sparkling clear water, delicious food, the less than smooth helicopter ride and to die for snorkeling trip. I could see the vividness of the colors and almost taste the salty air and feel the cool sand on my feet as well as hear the destruction of the villa being battered by the storm.

There was friendship and family, lots of heartache, backstabbing, insecurities, misunderstandings, arguments and some love but almost no romance. Each couples dirty laundry was aired for all to see and the title did not fit the premise of the book since it really wasn’t the best of us for any one of them but the worst of us throughout. The book ended abruptly. It would have been nice to have a few more chapters where the characters resumed their normal lives and showed the impact their week away had on them and their families.

I haven’t read books by this author before and can’t say that I plan on reading any others in the future.

Favorite Quote: It had been another flawless day, Pauline reflected as she glanced at the platters of hors d’oeuvres the chef was preparing: pan-seared baby crab cakes, mini London broil sandwiches on sourdough croutons with spicy mustard, tropical fruit skewers, and a trio of tapenades-olive, eggplant, and red pepper-with garlicky crostini for dipping.

I received a copy of The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen in exchange for an honest review.

This book was great! The characters were so real, I totally got sucked into the book and I lived many lives in the day and a half it took me to read it! The characters would absolutely resonate with so many women (and men), even those of us who would choose to deny it.

Sarah Pekkanen did a great job with developing the personalities of the characters in the book and watching the secrets of their souls and their insecurities unfold and how it affected their lives was fascinating.

I would totally recommend this book to anyone.

Having read and enjoyed the prior novels by this author, I anticipated another great read. I was disappointed with this latest novel, and especially how Ms. Pekkanen has taken a different direction in her writing style. It seemed evident to me she is cashing in on the "sex sells" mentality.

The story is about college friends, who as couples, (with the exception of one single, Samantha, who is later joined by her husband) get flown to Jamaica by a college chum Dwight - ex nerd who is now filthy rich - to celebrate his birthday. Dwight's wife bends backwards and no expense is spared.

This story is so unbelievable it is laughable. The "steamy scenes" are more "fillers" and it is lacking in substance compared to prior works. It pains me to give 3 stars, but I had such high hopes and I suppose there is a reading community who enjoys a "harlequin" type story.

Personally, I expected more and hope Ms. Pekkanen 's future novels parallel her earlier work.

I like this author, so was excited when she had a new book out. I like the idea of this book, with a group of old college friends getting together for a vacation. What I didn't like were the unfaithful trysts & the lame parts with the hurricane.

I've read all of Sarah's books, and have loved each and every one. THE BEST OF US is my favorite thus far! I related so much to the characters and Sarah weaves their voices together seamlessly. I promise you'll be happy you picked up a copy.

I wanted very much to like this book and that's what kept me trudging through to the end. Too bad I did, because it was an absolute disappointment. Characters were trite - with the possible exception of Pauline. Unfortunately she's one of the minor characters who is never fully developed. Too bad, because she's the only one who's even moderately interesting. Don't bother with this book, unless you have ABSOLUTELY nothing else to read.

I just finished Sarah Pekkanen's latest book ("The Best of Us") and I absolutely loved it.

My favorite component about this novel - and ALL of Sara's books - is Sarah's gift of character development. You KNOW the characters. You feel like they're your friends. But at the same time, Sarah doesn't bog the novel down with too many details either. It seems that every word is well used!

I know good character development does NOT mean I'll **like** every character!! It takes true skill to create a character that you love to dislike. (I didn't hate Savannah, but I couldn't picture being her friend either.)

Many of us won't get to experience a 'trip of a lifetime' like the characters in this book did. But even still, it was down to earth and a fun read! I didn't want the book to end!

I think "The Best of Us" is a book any woman can relate to because there's a piece of us in each character. We've been at our wit's end; we've wanted to be the perfect hostess; we've dealt with betrayal; we've dealt with serious illness. We are these characters and we're secretly rooting for all of them. The story is romantic and suspenseful and wonderful. You won't regret the purchase.

Initially, I liked the way the author built the characters. I could see them and relate them to people I know or have seen on TV perhaps. But the whole story line just didn't gel with the characters. Also, since this was set as a vacation in Jamaica, it was predictable that marijuana would be introduced into the story somehow. Having developed the players as fairly decent, stright-forward family-types, I didn't appreciate the author throwing them all into a pot-party scene. At this point, I really lost interest in the whole book.

Pekkanen’s fourth book uses the setting of an all-expenses-paid trip to Jamaica to reunite four college friends and delve into the issues of marriage, children, health, and friendship. As is usual for Pekkanen, The Best of Us is characterized by a strong voice and sympathetic, engaging characters.

Three couples are invited to spend an all-expenses paid week in Jamaica to celebrate their rich college buddy's 35th birthday. All of their various marraige problems come to a head as a hurricane also threatens the fun of their vacation.Stereotyplical characters, medicre writing, and a predictable story line make this a pretty banal read--even for chick lit.

An amazing read! You don't need a beach or pool...this book takes you on vacation with your best friends. Sarah is such a talented author, while reading this book you will feel as if these girls are your new best friends. You get all wrapped up in their lives, plus you get a trip to the islands? Enjoy!

I've been a fan of Sarah Pekkanen since her debut book "Opposite of Me". I've enjoyed each book since, so it was no surprise that I LOVED the Best of Us, too. This is the perfect read if you are aching for a tropical getaway. Sarah does an excellent job bringing you on vacation with these college friends for a 35th birthday bash. This book is full of sun, fun and secrets! It will keep you wanting more and wondering what will happen next. Definitely a great read if you are heading on vacation or for a day at the beach.

The book was like BUBBLE GUM. The author spent way to much time talking about details that didn't matter, and the characters were superficial and totally uninteresting. The concept of the all expenses paid dream vacation was a silly premise for the story considering the lack of relevance in current relationships of the former college friends. The birthday vacation surprise coordinated by the perfect prim, and proper wife, Pauline made the entire plot DUMB. Realistically there is no wife that would invite her husband, Dwights long lost college friends, all female, to spend a vacation with him. The vacation was a frat party drunk fest and it got annoying to read about their immature and outrageous behavior. I would not recommend this book.

Brought this book on vacation to read at the beach. Instead I read every minute that I could. Identifying with each of the characters was easy as each personality was easily depicted. Well Written! Bought one for a sick friend to take her mind off surgery.

The Best of Us masterfully describes the nuances of marriage through the lens of four couples. A relationship could be any of the four or perhaps some of each. Sarah Pekkanen thereby captures the complexity of our own relationships.

Kept me interested in the people and built towards good conflict but the ending was too fast and felt rushed and clipped. I would haven enjoyed more fleshing out the fallout of their choices before wrapping up.