Lara Love Hardin does an excellent job of making you feel the claustrophobia of jail, the despair of drug-abuse, and the fear of losing children. She also brings the problems of the incarcerated and probationers to light. Great upbeat ending. ( )

Nobody writes about female friendships better than Robyn Carr and her latest novel, The Friendship Club, is a perfect example.

Marni hosts a successful cooking show on television. Like Ina Garten ( The Barefoot Contessa), the show is filmed in her own home, where she is ably assisted by Ellen, who has been with her for twenty years. Ellen is creative with food but has no desire to appear on camera, she is happy to leave that to Marni.

Sophia is interning with Marni and hopes to have a career in broadcast journalism. Marni's daughter Bella is anxiously awaiting the birth of her first child with her husband Jason.

Although Marni has very successful career, her love life could use some work. She was widowed at a young age and now is divorced from her second husband after she caught him cheating on her. Ellen was a longtime caregiver for her seriously ill husband and is wary about getting into a new relationship.

Sophia is excited about a new man in her life, but soon discovers that he is possessive and potentially dangerous. Marni had experience with that with her first husband and begins to worry about Sophia. Bella has concerns about her own marriage as well.

As the story progresses, Marni finds herself unexpectedly attracted to a new man in her life and Ellen's retired firefighter neighbor would like to start a romance with her. Marni jumps in with both feet and encourages Ellen not to let her past get in the way of a possible happy future.

I liked that we see relationships at all stages and ages- young Sophia, Bella and her husband as they await the birth of a baby, and Marni and Ellen in the 60s opening up their hearts to new possibilities.

Robyn Carr's characters are always so interesting, and seeing older women excited about new romance is enjoyable and refreshing to read. And no matter how long ago you went through a pregnancy, you can relate to Bella's situation. Carr's male characters are well drawn and realistic too.

I enjoy foodie books, and reading about Marni and Ellen's recipes and Ellen's volunteer work feeding people fleeing wildfires was fascinating. The Friendship Club is a wonderful book to gift to your girlfriends on Galentine's Day, I highly recommend it.

Thanks to Harlequin Books for putting me on their Winter 2024 Blog Tours. ( )

Lara is an excellent writer in this very personal memoir about her life of crime and addiction. I like her style so much that I bought her ghostwritten book about the man jailed unrightfully for 39 years. ( )

Compelling memoir of someone who made it out of addiction. ( )

Wow. Lara is a typical "soccer mom," but she is also a drug addict, stealing credit cards and other items from her neighbors to support her, and her husband's, drug habit. She gets caught and goes to jail, and eventually prison. Somehow, despite the shortcomings and prejudices of the criminal justice system, she eventually turns her life around after her release. With, I might add, the help of supportive people around her, and eventually her own strength.
How many other women (and to a lesser degree, men) haven't been unable to crawl back into society after committing a crime?