This book reminded me how important female friendships are and that your real friends will always be there for you no matter what. Truly a great read. Very entertaining. It is hard to put down because you become so connected with the characters. They were all described in such a way, you felt like you really knew them.

This was a story of three women who have been friends since their school days in a small town. Each of their lives has taken a different path. Annie is married to a minister with four sons and resides in the same town she grew up in. Jo is married with two daughters and has had substance abuse issues and is the midst of a divorce. Sondra is married to an older Los Angeles millionaire and has no children. They reunite when an event brings them together for a camping trip and their lives unfold. It was entertaining and a quick read.

Great read where old friends come together to share moments and adventures together while lifting each other up.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book, all thoughts are my own. This book follows three childhood friends who come together when one of them has a crisis and needs help. The three head out on a camping trip - hence the title Campfire Coffessions. This book was great, told from all three prespetives of discovery and healing this was a great read. - totally recommend.

Friends with challenges trying to help each other. Friends facing danger on a camping trip together. Unfortunately, the friends are not the most likeable, nor are the challenges/dangers they face on their camping trip the most believable. I did enjoy reading their story though. Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity.

Three women who were childhood best friends reunite under stressful circumstances. Each in some way has lost touch with their deeper self with problematic results.

Annie, a pastor’s wife with four rambunctious sons, has become the penultimate caretaker at home and at church. On the verge of exhaustion, she relies on antidepressants to get through her day and subsequently collapses after taking a few too many. Shondra is a successful real estate agent and deeply unhappy in her marriage to an older wealthy man who has lost interest in the intimate aspects of a relationship. In her desperate need for love, she succumbs to a player who takes advantage of her. Lastly, Jo is a recovering alcoholic who is unable to forgive herself for her addiction and the impact it has had on her family. She is pursuing a divorce based on her feelings of unworthiness.

When they hear of Annie’s medical emergency, Shondra and Jo set aside their own issues and come to Annie’s side with a plan to take her on a camping trip reminiscent of their childhood adventures. The trip brings the women together for not only an adventure, but for some deep soul-searching and sharing of secrets that they have been reluctant to reveal to anyone. Basically each women rediscovers that sharing their deepest thoughts and feelings with true friends provides the opportunity for compassion and insight.

I liked the premise of this book, but the writing felt flat to me. I never felt fully engaged with the characters despite understanding their individual and collective challenges. Some of the events on the camping trip seemed to be a bit “over-the-top” when viewed collectively over a weekend. Overall this was a mildly entertaining novel, but not one I would read again.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

Annie is an over scheduled minister’s wife in a small town, raising four boys and responding to the needs of others before her own. Something’s got to give and it is Annie. A hidden reliance on pills leads to an accidental overdose. While her husband Dan struggles to cope, Sondra and Jo, her childhood best friends, rush to her side as support.

Sondra has a seemingly happy marriage to James, a wealthy older man who generously provides her with everything a woman could want…except intimacy. When handsome Adam flirts with her, she responds. She doesn’t know what happens next will threaten her marriage and her lifestyle.

Jo is an alcoholic and is separated from her husband. She wavers between wanting him back and wanted a divorce. She attends AA and worries that her past behavior may cause her to lose custody of her daughters.

These are the three friends who have always put other’s needs and desires above their own. These are the three friends who decide to go on a camping trip where they can confess their problems to each other. This camping trip comes close to being deadly and will make each woman aware of what she truly values.

While I enjoyed Camping Confessions, I found some scenes over the top and not believable. However, this family drama was well written and engaging. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Books Fluent and Kristine Ochu for this ARC.

Annie, Sondra and Jo grew up as best friends in a small, Midwestern town. Now, in middle age, they have grown apart. They will soon be back together for their reunion. Annie is a pastor's wife. With four sons and constant church duties, Annie's life has quickly become overwhelming. She has lost herself and come to rely on antidepressants until the day she takes one too many and collapses. Sondra is married to a rich, older man in LA. Sondra loves James, but they have not been intimate in a while. Sondra is manipulated by someone who sees her weakness and is blackmailed. Jo is a recovering alcoholic who is contemplating divorce because of her own failings. When Sondra and Jo hear of Annie's troubles, they race back into town and plan to steal her away on an epic camping adventure like they did when they were young. Hoping to invigorate their souls and remind Annie of the good days, the fearsome threesome may solve more than they intended.

Campfire Confessions is a heartwarming story of friendship and overcoming obstacles. Each of the women has a unique, yet timeless story of believing that they are not enough for those around them. Annie is overwhelmed, completely exhausted by her day to day life of giving herself away and becoming a martyr to what she believes her duties are all while her husband and kids continue to expect and ask more of her. I'm surprised she didn't collapse sooner. Sondra is a strong woman who is asking her husband for exactly what she wants and is still able to be manipulated by her own insecurities. Jo is fighting her demons and still believes she is not good enough for her husband. The camping trip was fun, comical and life changing. I loved that they were able to work through some things within the safety and comfort of one another. These women's stories are a reminder that nobody is perfect, everybody needs help sometimes and communication is key in relationships. While none of their problems were fully solved in the end, the women were able to tackle the mental load and embrace their issues in order to begin moving on.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.