I was really intrigued by the title of this novel. What could possibly make you want to avoid you friends?

Iris is a grab the bull by the horns type of woman, who goes after what she wants, and always gets it. Gwen likes to keep the peace without stirring the pot, and feels as though she is always one step behind. They were the best of friends, only brought closer through their differences… until one day they were not.

This is so relatable. The older we get, and the more “adulting” we do, the harder it is to stay in touch with friends, especially when they don’t live in the same city or even state. So what you see is what you get when it comes to social media, and usually that’s only the best of the best.

Interesting circumstances bring Iris back to her hometown in Wisconsin, where she reaches out to Gwen to get together for the first time in over a decade in person. One awkward situations leads to another, and she ends up staying with Gwen for three weeks.

Told from alternating perspectives, both women are still keeping secrets, but how long before one of them cracks? And can friendships really last through all of the deceit?

A special thanks to Megan Leavell, Cedar House Press and NetGalley for this ARC. The book comes out September 14!

CW: addiction, alcoholism, emotional abuse

This book was good but not my normal read. I enjoyed it but not too much going on in the drama area. I enjoyed a few of the characters for sure. And a few I didn’t connect with. Over all this book was a good read from the normal thriller drama that I normally read.
Iris was one to remember for sure. She was not what she seems for sure.
I would recommend this book to friends who need an easy mindless read to get out of everyday life.
Thanks NetGalley for this advanced copy!

Iris and Gwen, lifelong best friends, haven’t seen each in over a decade. Gwen, an almost 40 year old stay at home mom, is stressed about all the weight she’s put on, fitting in with all the “mean moms”, worried about her marriage and her husband’s unemployment, raising her three kids, and how to handle her overbearing and extremely unpleasant mother. While Iris, living “the dream” in NYC, is an alcoholic in rehab, and unhappily married to an older wealthy man who seems to be having an affair.

Iris reappears on Gwen’s front step seeking a place to stay and Gwen can’t turn her away. Over the course of three weeks these two women rediscover their friendship and help each other through some difficult circumstances and big decisions.

I thought this book was just ok. Gwen’s experiences are somewhat relatable to any stay at home mom, struggling to raise kids, worrying about weight gain and making friends. Gwen’s mother is awful. I don’t think I know anyone in real life who treats people including their own family quite like she does. She is selfish, spiteful, jealous, and mean. Iris isn’t a character I can relate to either. She moves to NYC to escape small town and marries a filthy rich man thinking it will solve all her problems. Does money ever solve all the problems?

The title is not really referring to avoiding actual friends. I think it’s referring to all the “mean moms” or casual friends who we wouldn’t trust with our deepest secrets. My advice, find your person or persons who you can be your self with and cut out all the toxic people from your life. Thank you to @netgalley for the free arc.

'Reasons for Avoiding Friends' by Megan Leavell is a book about friendship and honesty. I like this book because it is thoughtful and has moments of humor. The characters have human flaws which I find relatable. I would have liked to find out how Iris' life came together. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I recommend it to all the women out there. Gentlemen I would put this book on the woman fiction shelf it is a good choice for the lady in your life. This book was given to me be NetGalley with the understanding that I would give it an honest review.

I think we all have friends we went to school with and we’re super close and as you grow older adulting gets in the way. I think this book is a good message that we all have things we hide behind what looks like our perfect lives we share on social media. I enjoyed this book but I did feel it was quite long and could of been a lot shorter as I feel a lot of the chapters didn’t tell me anything!

Gwen and Iris were best friends growing up in Westlake, Wisconsin. Each woman living opposite lives as adolescents, but almost wishing they had the others. Iris dreamed of leaving Westlake to grow a career and escape all of who she was to become who she wants to be. Gwen, on the other hand, wants a family. She wants to become the mom that hers never could be. And these women do exactly as they dreamed as girls, until they realize that achieving their dreams won’t solve all of their problems, in fact, it will create even more. Gwen and Iris grow apart throughout the years, but finally, at age 39, they come back together to help each other realize that their dreams really have come true.

I love that this book and the characters are so relatable, particularly Gwen. The experiences of feeling like an outcast and a failure can apply to all individuals. The frustration of daily life of having kids, a husband, and an overbearing/self-absorbed mom provides an opportunity for anyone to relate to. Even Iris’s mom and her lack of presence in her life. This book manages to hit the emotions of the reader by really digging into the struggles of life - the things we all don’t really like to admit or talk about, but the things we all still feel.

I also love the friendship between Gwen and Iris. They both have so many internal and external struggles, but in the end, they can relate and be there for each other in a way that no one else can.

My absolute favorite character is little Bea. The way she was written just made me fall in love with her, even with her little mischievous moments!

There were times I felt the story was just kind of mundane. There was no real climax. It just displayed a couple weeks time in these women’s lives. Additionally, I’m not a fan of the title. I forgot the name of the book a number of times as I was reading it and I think it could be better titled to really stick in the readers mind.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review of Reasons for Avoiding Friends! When I read the description of this book, I was excited to check it out because I love it when books focus female friendships. However, this was a bit of a let-down. Personally, I couldn't gel with the writing style. The inner dialogue of the main characters overtook each scene and made it confusing to follow along.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange of an honest review.

I enjoyed this book, however it was fairly slow. I am not the right age demographic so I can imagine it would resonate a lot more with other readers. The ending felt a little rushed, and I wasn’t too fond of the writing style. Nevertheless, it was a fun and easy read!

I revived an ARC of this copy for an honest review. Reasons for Avoiding Friends was such a great and easy read. The storyline was constantly moving, both of the narrators were relatable. Other characters in the book were great- I got mad at Gwen’s husband and loathed Susan! Overall, I think this is a great novel to pick up.

With both Gwen and Iris as a narrators, you fully understand their thoughts and feelings throughout the novel. Gwen and Iris were the best of friends growing up, but as they grow older their lives begin to separate until they’re both a distant memory. One day, Iris heads back to Wisconsin to try to put her life spiraling out of control off a little longer. Gwen’s life is at a standstill as she realized moving back to her hometown is not everything she wanted it to be. Both friends must figure out how to confront their problems together again.

“Reasons for Avoiding Friends” by Megan Leavell was a pleasant surprise.

I recently was having a conversation with my sister about how difficult it is to make friends as you get older. At the same time, we may have little or nothing to do with the close friends of our childhood. But occasionally, you will be reunited with a friend you have not seen for decades and together again, it’s like no time has passed.

Gwen and Iris were besties growing up in Westlake, Wisconsin. Both were anxious to flee their small town. Iris sought refuge at Gwen’s home because her mom was completely unreliable, while Gwen’s mother constantly found fault with Gwen who tried her hardest (but seemingly failed) to be everything her mother wanted to be.

While Gwen made it as far as Chicago, she returned to Westlake when her father became ill. It was there she and her husband, Michael, raised their three children. But Michael has lost her job and Gwen is not only struggling to fit in with the other school moms, but she still isn’t living up to her mother’s expectations. Meanwhile, Iris is living the good life with her husband, Julian, but she worries Julian is cheating on her with her closest friend, Stephanie. Julian’s swanky birthday party ends with her in rehab, but Iris is convinced she does not have a drinking problem, and decides that this is the best time to catch up with Gwen.

The novel alternates between the two women’s point of views, but while the author’s writing is bright and fresh with plenty of humor sprinkled throughout, I found myself to continue to be frustrated with both Iris and Gwen. I wanted to see both women behave much more smartly, though I understand that we all may make foolish choices, especially when trying to impress those closest to us. I do wish some of the secondary characters like Michael and Gwen's mom (who seemed quite clichéd) were better developed. Overall, I found “Reasons for Avoiding Friends” to be an entertaining, light-hearted read, which was the perfect antidote after such a frustrating and painful year. If you’re looking for an escape, you might enjoy this novel. Three and a half out of five stars.

Thank you Megan Leavell, NetGalley and Cedar House Press for the eARC of this novel.

Reasons for Avoiding Friends is the story of two childhood friends, told through alternating points of view. Each woman has gone on to live the life she thought she wanted: one woman is a New York socialite, and the other is a housewife still living in her hometown. When they are brought back together, the walls that they have built start to come down and they are reminded of the comfort that comes with being able to be yourself around those who like you just as you are.

I identified the most with the housewife character, Gwen, as I think most readers will. She has always battled self-esteem issues from growing up as an only child under the constant scrutiny of a perfectionist mother. She has taken a different approach to parenting her three children, and some of the situations with her kids had me laughing out loud. I thought it was interesting how some of her childhood "self-talk" carried through to the present day, and it was nice to see how she overcame those insecurities. The "mean" neighbor character sort of exaggerated these feelings and made for some good laughs too - maybe not everyone has known a mom or neighbor like this, but many of us have, and I found it entertaining and I liked how it also underscored the main character's struggles.

The socialite friend (Iris) was more difficult to like at first, however, as you peeled back her layers and the author delved deeper into her past, it was easier to sympathize with her. Her loyalty to Gwen also said a lot about her character.

Overall, I thought this was an easy, quick read with interesting characters and a slightly satirical commentary on suburban mom drama and the struggles than many women I know battle at some point in their lives.

Tw: alcoholism, addiction
Thank you NetGalley and Cedar House Press for the eARC of this novel!
After reading this novel I understand that I am not the target age demographic. I enjoyed the writing style and the back and forth narration. It created a full story having both Gwen and Iris’ views on things. I also enjoyed the premise, the idea that even after all that time friends could reunite was nice. However there were quite a few things I didn’t enjoy. Iris’ alcoholism didn’t seem to be taken seriously, she just left rehab and kept drinking. For something that was such a large portion of the plot it seemed like the ending didn’t match the amount of time spent on it. I also didn’t like the constant comparison of women. So much of the novel was Gwen wishing her life was different and Iris basically regretting choosing a career over a family. Overall this just wasn’t the book for me but I think that there are people who will resonate with the message. Thank you again to NetGalley and Cedar House Press!

I received a ARC of this book. I enjoyed most the book it was a nice easy read. Iris and Gwen are living 2 very different lives but they both feel like the others live is better. I just the ending had been slightly more developed felt is was a bit rushed.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange of an honest review.

It was an enjoyable read. A bit slow but fun non the less.

The title (Reasons for avoiding friends) has me at the very beginning. Doesn't it sound like reality sometimes? I believe that we all have days when we would rather stay home, with wine, pizza and alone. Completely alone. But, suprisingly, it is not a point in this book. This is storyis something more than just hiding in our apartments. It is much about the way we live and the way how we show it to the others.

Gwen and Iris were bestfriends as a kids. Two completely different girls found a match and create a incredible fond which was supposed to last forever. Unfortunately, the adulthood crashed it into the pieces and both of them choose their way in the opposite directions. Now, over a decade later, they decided to meet.

Gwen is having a perfect family life. Wife, mother of 3 and the dog. Living in the suburbs, in the beautiful house. Sounds nice, isn't it? But this is far from the truth. The truth is that Gwen is pretending. She is hiding that her husband is between jobs, that her kids are problematic and the fact that she stopped taking care of herself long ago. Instead, her Facebook page is full of family photos when they are all smiles. Perfect picture, right?

Iris is in a similiar situation. She is also faking her happiness in the social media. Instagram is full of the exotic holidays, expensive clothes and fancy parties with infulential people around. She also has a secret to hide behind these idyllic lifestyle she created.

It is easy to keep the illusion when you spend like an hour or two. It's much harder when you spend three weeks in the same house.

Reasons for avoiding friends is touching. Talking bout one of the most important and current situation that we can observe in our everyday life. Social media are not dangerous, unless people started using it in the wrong puropse. Like here - to show and prove that something is better than other, to compare, to compete. It is not healthy and uncessary cause create the pressure and can make other feel insucure even. There are many many psychological publications about this particial case.

I found the story nice. It was brilliant to see exaclty how the friendship is changing after so many years of silence, how to get to know each other one more time. It is also interesting when the author is describing the neighborhood - the women, the kids that are somehow "force" to compete, to get better and better, no matter the cost. It is everywhere, no matter, city or small town, and it is good to remind yourself that this cant be the only factor to meansure our happiness or family life.

On the other side, I dont really like Iris. I dont get her behaviour, her motivations and exaplanations. She is 40, but it seems to act like the teenager - without taking any responsible of her action, escaping from problems. She is that kind of women who is not trying to fix old things - she's rather byuig a new one. Sometimes this approved will work, but there are many situations in life when I would rather do opposite. So she's not the one that I would like to be friend with.

The book is good. Just good. Not the best I have ever read. Not the one that I would keep in mind. Enternating, funny and make me feel that I need to focus much more on what's going on inside my family than taking care of what other people think.

3,5/4

The story follows Gwenn and Iris. With alternate chapters told from each point. The novel moves along at a good pace and is well written. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I thought that the book was okay. I felt it was a bit predictable with both of the long lost friends wanting the others lives and realizing it's not as glamorous as it seems. They also put others down and themselves down constantly. I personally couldn't relate to the book to enjoy it.

I left this review on Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4009965454?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

When the book is published, I will leave the same review on Amazon. Will I be reminded, as there is a gap between now and then?

I requested an ARC of this book from NetGalley because the premise intrigued me. I voluntarily leave a review. As always, I try to avoid all spoilers and focus instead on what made the book stand out for me.

It's almost time for summer break (I work in a middle school), and I wanted a book to help me kick it off. You know the type -- light, fun, interesting -- of book perfect for summer. Leavell has it right here. Iris and Gwen are best friends who have grown apart because, well, life. (And can't most of us relate as adult women? The friends we had in high school still tend to be around, but many of them have been relegated to Facebook likes and loves as we age.)

Why did I like this book? I liked the storyline. There really is a sense of empowerment for both Iris' and Gwen's arcs, but it was not shoved down my throat. Both protagonists had to slowly come to their conclusions and seize empowerment. It was like reading a story about friends.

I did take this to the beach yesterday and almost finished it before my family showed up to fly kites. (So, yes, perhaps Gwen's storyline was a little more meaningful due to my own life.) I recommend this book for anyone who is a mother or a Facebook friend to those from the past.

This book was ok. The story follows two people: Gwenn and Iris, the chapters alternate to display each point of view. Sometimes in life, childhood friends grow apart and this is what happened with these two. It felt a bit dramatic as each wanted each others life and felt like their own life wasn’t great.
I found it difficult to relate to the characters and found it was an awful lot of putting each other down.. what happened to female solidarity?!

The grass is greener on the otherside. Or is it? Really? That's basically the premise of Megan Leavell's new book Reasons for Avoiding friends.

The story follows Gwenn and Iris. With alternate chapters told from each point of view. They were best friends in school but lost touch when their lives went separate ways. It was all boo hoo my life sucks, wish I had hers!!

Honestly, this was one female put down after another with not a lot of anything else. I just couldn't relate to either character and found myself racing through the second half of the book just to get it over with.

I'm sorry this really isn't the book for me. I'm not even sure who I'd recommend it to either