This is hard for me to say I was such an avid friends fan but the whole franchise was just kind of tainted when Marta refused to acknowledge she didn't hire a diverse enough cast for 90s NYC. Girl just own it.

I'll Be There for You: The One about Friends by Kelsey Miller was interesting enough while I was reading but ultimately mostly forgettable and I skim read most of it. I do want to give this book another try when I'm not in a reading slump though.

I enjoyed this book simply because I enjoy Friends the show. I do acknowledge that it wouldn't work in today's time though which is what I also appreciated about this book, and how it pointed that out. I really enjoyed reading about all the behind-the-scenes things that I either knew and forgot about or didn't know and enjoyed learning. I'm currently in the process of finishing re-watching Friends for the umpteenth time, and this book makes me want to start the rewatch over again.

I'll Be There for You, a comprehensive look at one of my all-time favorite shows, Friends, really hit the mark with me. As an admitted superfan, I was a little nervous- sometimes, authors doing a behind the scenes retrospective can be a bit too snobbish about shows like this. In this case, I had nothing to worry about. Kelsey Miller dives deep into the beginnings of the show, its seasons, and the lasting impact. She doesn't shy away from pointing out flaws, but does so in an objective way, while also pointing out how beloved this show is to many people. This is definitely a great book for fans of this show.

Few shows are as iconic as Friends, even all these years later and as a huge fan, I was tickled to get to read and review this title.

Tell me ALL the behind the scenes, remind me what must have trends the show started (HELLO, every haircut I ever had thanks to Rachel) and how the show will truly always be there for me.

A huge thank you to Netgalley & Harlequin for giving me a book all about one of my favorite shows!

A fun, informative read about a beloved TV shows! I would definitely recommend this to the die hard Friends fan in your life!

If you’re a channel-surfer who gets excited when there are Friends reruns on TBS (or if you’ve re-watched the series on Netflix as soon as it was added), then Kelsey Miller’s recent release, I’ll Be There For You: The One About Friends (Hanover Square Press) is for you. Miller provides readers with an inside look at how six virtually unknown actors catapulted to stardom and became not just co-stars, but family (yes, they were really friends!) on a television show that changed the face of comedy in the 1990s and early 2000s. The show was created based on “that time in our lives when your friends are your family,” and not only struck a chord, but affected American culture in a number of ways. Miller explores the behind-the-scenes elements of the show, like how the cast handled their newfound celebrity, managed multiple contract negotiations as a united front, continued the show after the devastating tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, and recognized when it was time to say goodbye after 10 seasons. This book is a fun trip down memory lane apart from the sections that get political (highlighting the show’s missteps when it came to social issues and trying to relate it to the #metoo movement). Despite the fact that it has been 20 years since the first episode aired, Friends remains a timeless fan favorite. Now excuse me while I go chill with my Friends.

This is a rather interesting look into how "Friends" came together. It's well written and an enjoyable read. I definitely think fans of the show would enjoy reading this.

For a decade even my parents respected that there was a half hour on Thursdays that was sacrosanct. I watched all the episodes, read about its stars, and bought books and merch about the series. I thought I knew everything I needed to know about Friend, but it turns out that while taking me down memory lane, this book gave me a new appreciation about the phenomena that was the show.

I found this book to be so fascinating! As someone who grew up watching Friends, it was neat to see how the show came together and learn behind the scenes knowledge. I especially liked hearing about the actors and how they were cast! Very cool.

All fans of the TV show Friends will adore this comprehensive look at the program, done in grand style by pop culture expert/journalist Miller. Named a Mental Floss Best Book of 2018, among InStyle’s 10 Books You Won't Be Able to Put Down, and a Bustle Book to Know, I’LL BE THERE FOR YOU covers the history, cast, insider stories, and impact — even The Rachel “do” which I hugely dug. Highly recommended!

Pub Date 23 Oct 2018

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine. #IllBeThereForYou #NetGalley

Kelsey Miller's I'll Be There For You is entertaining as it's synopsis suggests. The book reflects the light hearted fun that I remember from watching Friends. Is it the ultimate tell all? No. Are the cast members interviewed? No. Are there some backstage and behind the scenes anecdotes? Yes. Would fans of the show enjoy it? I did. It's an easy read, brings the funny, talks about casting, and the infamous salary negotiation. I'd say it's a nice gift book.
3.5
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

I grew up around the hype of Friends. It was a large part of my high school years. I remember Friends night at my friend Alisa's house every week. It was tradition and you didn't have to be invited. You just went. Reading this book was like reliving that time. The flow of the book was perfect. Kelsey didn't dwell on one subject too long except perhaps for the start up of the creators. Otherwise, it was engrossing, fun, emotional and everything I would expect from a book like this. I remember enjoying the way the show wrapped up. There was closure but still lives to be lived by the characters. I felt like this book left the same impression. It was closure for a sensational show but also left you looking forward to the success to the people we had come to adore. Job well done!

Kelsey Miller has written The One About Friends

Fun non-fiction about Friends, a show that leaves few of us indifferent–watched it or avoided it, you’ve definitely heard of it. Although I have fond memories of watching to see if Ross and Rachel would make it, I still wish this history could have skewed a little more scandalous–no mention of the fact that Jennifer Aniston’s then husband (and former guest star) Brad Pitt was oddly absent from the finale taping at the beginning of 2004, the same year he was on location filming Mr. and Mrs. Smith with his future wife Angelina Jolie. Otherwise, interesting background on the six lead actors before they took the roles that would change their careers and lives forever (and their work post-Friends) and author Kelsey Miller sheds light on the discriminatory case brought against the writers’ room years before the #timesup movement.

Wendy Ward
http://wendyrward.tumblr.com/

An interesting read, full of details about the history of the show and the actors. This is a great book for people who loved the show and want to know more about how it came to be, along with the hiccups along the way. It answers many questions likely common among readers, and some rather obscure.

This book was such a pleasant surprise, and an absolute treat to read. I was prepared for a historical account of the FRIENDS phenomenon, a show which I've grown up with, that has shaped my adolescence and remained accessible through adulthood via the power of streaming platforms. I was thrilled that this delved into the cultural landscape that made FRIENDS the icon it was, and comparative analysis of why that would likely not be sustainable today.

LOVED this. Such a good book for fans of the show. Make sure you have seen every episode otherwise you will be spoiled!

I was so disappointed and frustrated with this book..
This book wasn't a "definitive retrospective of Friends," it was a long op/ed piece on why Friends wouldn't fly in today's society.

Kelsey Miller, will you be my friend?

This felt like I walked into Central Perk, ordered coffee from Gunther, and sat down to relax while listening to my friends talk about their favorite people.

Anyone who knows me knows I am a Friends super-fan. I regularly re-watch the entire series 3, 4, 5, 6 times a year. I could easily walk into a room, see Monica on the screen, recite her next line, and then describe the entire episode. That's how bad my addiction is...

Not going to lie either, last weekend I went out drinking with my real life friends and began talking to them about Friends and this book and the characters as if I knew them personally.... I may have a problem!

Kelsey Miller wrote The One about Friends so flawlessly. It's easy to read, it follows the plot of the show, hits on details that many people find problematic in the show today, as well as how the show managed to stay relevant nearly 15 years after the last episode aired.

Friends has been referred to as a "comfort food show" which I can 100% agree with that statement. I watch Friends because it's familiar, it's relatable, and it makes me feel peaceful. I can honestly say I have never had another show that makes still me smile after seeing the exact same episode 17 times. So yes, Friends is my comfort food. It's my relaxation show. It's my go to show for anything and everything. I am thrilled to have grown up watching it and now, as a functioning adult, I can look back and be grateful a show like this ever existed. Nothing will compare to Friends.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for the e-arc!

This was an interesting book about the background of the show, Friends. It’s about the real life friendships and lives of the group that everyone loves (or almost everyone). It also discusses the scandals and problems the show faced with diversity or lack there of. Times have definitely changed since Friends first aired but it remains a show I will always watch.

Like the show, this book is a go-to comfort that I read in between other books. If you love Friends, then pick up this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.