The Best of Us - Sarah Pekkanen

The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen

Genre:  Women’s Fiction

Pages:  335

Publishing Date:  January 1, 2013



Synopsis from Goodreads:

Following a once-in-a-lifetime invitation, a group of old college friends leap at the chance to bring their husbands for a week’s vacation at a private villa in Jamaica to celebrate a former classmates' thirty-fifth birthday.
All four women are desperate for a break and this seems like a perfect opportunity. Tina is drowning under the demands of mothering four young children. Allie needs to escape from the shattering news about an illness that runs in her family. Savannah is carrying the secret of her husband’s infidelity. And, finally, there’s Pauline, who spares no expense to throw her husband an unforgettable birthday celebration, hoping it will gloss over the cracks that have already formed in their new marriage.
The week begins idyllically, filled with languorous days and late nights of drinking and laughter. But as a hurricane approaches the island, turmoil builds, forcing each woman to re-evaluate everything she’s known about the others—and herself.


My Thoughts:
My book club book for November. 

I had read a previous book by Pekkanen (The Best of Me) that I recall enjoying.  So I was looking forward to this read, and the story certainly was engaging. 

This is a book of friendships and secrets and love.  While these friends are away on a dream vacation, both the best and the worst are revealed.  None of the secrets were especially shattering, most were predictable.  Still, the characters were engaging even though there wasn’t a lot of character change through the book.  I related to Tina and her life, although I only have two young kiddos at home. I can understand the all-demanding nature of being at home with them.  So it was nice to see her get a break. 

I will say that Savannah as a character completely annoyed me.  I could have done entirely without her and her drama.  And the fact that her actions never had consequences…annoying as well.

I liked most of the story although there was a scene or two towards the end that I felt was over the top and impractical.  But I definitely kept turning the pages throughout to confirm where it was all going. 

There was a lot of drinking, some swearing, and some sexual innuendo.  All of those things knock the book down a star in my estimation.

However, the characters and fantasy plot made for a fun read overall.