#FriendsWithFriends #NetGalley
Awesome.
Take Ainsley. The gorgeous mother of two lives a picture-perfect life with her husband, Ben—aspiring politician and heir to a candy fortune—in suburban Washington, DC. But in reality, Ainsley has no idea what she’s doing and is terrified someone will figure out who she really is and where she came from.
Nikki’s fighting to keep afloat as a stay-at-home mother of four, subsisting on chicken nuggets and very little sleep. She’s a mess on the outside, and inside yearns for the validation—and the paycheck—of the television news career she left behind. When a dangerous figure from Ainsley’s past becomes a coach at her kids’ school, she fears the worst and confides in Nikki, spilling every detail of her former life. Together, they devise a plan to expose the coach and safeguard their kids. But can they protect their own lives—and their new friendship—in the process?
I loved it. Order your copy today.
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for giving me an advance copy.

I enjoyed this smart, witty, well-written fictional novel about two women who form an unlikely friendship to protect their children. Told from Ainsley’s and Nikki’s perspectives, the narrative is relatable and refreshing with it's wry humor and descriptive stream of consciousness. With one woman desperately trying to escape her past and the other trying to get back to hers, the story gradually draws you in until you can't put the book down.

What you see isn’t always what you get.

I have no idea what I was expecting but wow, this story was a big surprise.
Two mothers with two different lifestyles end up bonding together in an unexpected way.
An addictive, fast-paced and emotional story about motherhood and friendship mixed with a bit of suspense and humor. Loved it.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.

𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 by Christine Gunderson released July 16, 2024.

I see that I’m in the minority based on other reviews but this was too outlandish. Also, the Hugh Hefner-reference…..had that not been so ridiculous I may have finished but this was poorly written and that was icing on top.

This was a fun read!

Without giving much away - seemingly polar opposite moms Nicki and Ainsley band together to get a new figure at their children’s middle school out of their school and lives.

This book reminded me a lot of both Eliza Starts a Rumor and the Finlay Donovan series. It explores a lot of themes like what is expected of women (and mothers) in general.

I flew through this book - it kept my interest the entire time.

I loved this book and my favourite part was the friendship that developed between two characters that from the outside didn’t look like they would be friends at all. Nikki and Ainsley’s friendship was one where they stuck up for each other, supported each other and believed in each other. While this was developing, they also managed some detective work with the aim of keeping their children and a whole bunch of other females safe. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

📚: Friends With Secrets by Christine Gunderson
⭐️: 4.5/5 (rounding down on #goodreads)

The gist: Two modern day moms - Ainsley, whose husband is running for governor and looks polished and poised to those around her. She’s super organized, is always on time, and volunteers for everything. Then there’s Nikki, a mom of four who abruptly became a stay-at-home mom. She’s the one crying in the formula aisle at Target needing a break. (Relatable.)

Together, these moms become friends on a mission when a predatory person from Ainsley’s past becomes a coach at their children’s school. Ainsley’s secrets from her past spill out, and Nikki and her bond together to keep them - and their kids - safe.

The good: Okay, I really didn’t expect to like (love?) this as much as I did. It’s a beach read with a light dose of suspense, and a few laughs as a mom juggling completely unrealistic expectations in today’s world. It’s not a fast paced page turner, but it’s a fun read that made this mom feel not so alone.

The eh: I know I enjoyed this so much because of the overwhelmed mom angle within the plot - and that may not land (or be relatable) for everyone. Without that, the secrets are revealed pretty early in the story — those looking for a thriller, this is not it.

A big thank you to Lake Union Publishing via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Friends with Secrets is out now!

I enjoyed reading Friends with Secrets b y Christine Gunderson. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

Nikki is struggling to keep things together with four young children and longs to return to work as a TV news anchor.
Ainsley is the immaculately attired, perfectly organised wife of the heir to a candy fortune who is now running for governor. But if her past is exposed, it could ruin her husband’s political ambitions.
When their kids become friends, the two women find they share misgivings about the school’s new basketball coach, Wyatt, and combine forces to uncover the evidence to expose him.
This was a compelling debut with the perfect blend of domestic life and mystery. The main characters were relatable and easy to like, and their blossoming friendship was the novel’s true strength. In fact, their partnership could easily turn into a series of books.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed Friends with Secrets. Two very different moms meet up and end up becoming close friends. Ainsley is married to a wealthy man running for Governor. Nikki is the harried mother of four ex-news anchor who is barely holding things together. Ainsley has some secrets in her past and when she recognized the new girls basketball coach, the two women work to expose him.

While the subject matter is very serious, the book was actually pretty funny. I loved the friendship between Ainsley and Nikki. I can't wait to read more from the author.

Friends with Secrets by Christine Gunderson is a gripping page turner and I read it in one sitting.
I truly enjoyed every moment of this book.
It was engaging and fun.

In their prior, real lives, Nikki and Ainsley would probably never have met, never mind become close friends and allies aligned in exposing the danger in their small town and putting themselves in peril. However, the life of the former high-flying professionals is now deteriorated to struggling to make it through the day, keep small children alive, and get everyone where they're supposed to be on time. While I'm not in that life stage any longer and certainly never had the chance to expose a terrible person and horrible secret in my community, I deeply enjoyed this view of the chaos, pathos, and triumphs of two unlikely heroines joining forces for good and saving themselves at the same time. Very relatable, funny, gripping in its unblinking view into motherhood, marriage, and friendships. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

⭐️4.25
Once again, you cannot judge someone’s insides by their outsides. Ainsley and Nikki are completely different-Ainsley is extremely wealthy, polished and a little TOO put-together. Nikki is an unemployed reporter, mom of four, and has more food in her dirty minivan than her house.

The two women unexpectedly form a friendship over a brewing threat to their private school community.

The chemistry of these characters is perfection! I just wanted to hang out with these women and their friends.

This one was so fast paced and enjoyable, I was shocked when at the end, I saw how many pages it was. I absolutely loved it.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6367343929

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Pub date: August 1, 2024

I enjoyed the premise of the novel and the scandalous side peaked my interest. I felt some parts were unrealistical. But I loved the strong female friendships

"Friends with Secrets" by Christine Gunderson is a suspenseful story and I was drawn to this book's unique blend of humour, action, and thrills. The premise alone had me hooked: two suburban moms, Ainsley and Nikki, team up to take down a suspicious figure from Ainsley's past who has become a coach at their kids' school.
From the start, I was invested in the story and found myself racing through the pages to uncover the truth. Gunderson's writing style is engaging and easy to follow, making it a quick and enjoyable read.
What I appreciated most about this book was its relatable portrayal of motherhood. Both Ainsley and Nikki are flawed and authentic characters who struggle with the pressures of modern parenting. Their friendship is raw and genuine, highlighting the isolation and challenges that many mothers face. The author does an excellent job of capturing the ups and downs of motherhood, making it easy for readers to connect with the characters.
The plot itself is well-structured and suspenseful, with plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing. The characters are well-developed, and I found myself rooting for both Ainsley and Nikki as they navigated their struggles and worked together to uncover the truth.
One aspect that particularly stood out to me was the way Gunderson tackled complex issues like motherhood, identity, and friendship in a respectful and light-hearted manner. The author shows that even amid the chaos, friendships can bring joy and support to our lives.
Overall "Friends with Secrets" is for anyone looking for a fun and suspenseful read that also explores the realities of motherhood. The characters are relatable, the plot is engaging, and the themes are thought-provoking.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I am definitely not the audience for this one. Despite the description, I found this neither funny nor suspenseful. I could not relate to a single character and found it so boring I was skipping pages almost immediately. Didn't even make it to the end.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Christine Gunderson for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Honestly, if you're under 30, or if you're not a mom, you'll have a hard time relating to anyone in the book. I found the story was extremely long for nothing, and the plot was lacking. I skipped most of it from 50% to 90% because of how boring it was. Disappointed:(

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of Friends With Secrets by Christine Gunderson. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was easy to read, kept my interest and fast paced. This was a fun book and not my usual thriller. It was a nice change. There was some action, humour, scary moments, and good old friendships. It talks about motherhood and being a "super-human mom" which all mothers can relate to. It was a great read and I would highly recommend it. My first by this author, but I will look for more. A 5 star rating from me.

Secrets, motherhood, and sleazy men that the main characters get tasked with taking down? Once I got rolling in this one, I could not stop. This book is about friendship and identity in adulthood/motherhood. I really enjoyed it.

Ainsley and Nikki are two moms living in the DC suburbs who couldn't be more different from each other. Ainsley has the perfect life: perfect husband, well-behaved kids, and the kind of wealth that makes being a mother look easy, But she's hiding a secret about her past she's worried will unravel her dream life. Nikki is a reluctant stay at home mom and former journalist whose household appears to be falling apart at the seams looking for the big story that will help her break back into her former career. Ainsley and Nikki's worlds combine when they realize that a new coach at their kid's school is far more dangerous than anyone could imagine, one that threatens Ainsley's image and could launch Nikki's re-entry into her former career.

I LOVED this book. I don't know if it was because I knew the setting so well, or so deeply related to so many of the reflections on motherhood throughout. Ainsley and Nikki are wonderfully well-developed characters, who find themselves true friends - the kind of friend that you wish you had to support you in your own motherhood journey. The mystery element was compelling and the twists were surprising. Gunderson does a fantastic job at avoiding the usual mom-shaming stereotypes and cliches. The book doesn't just pass the Bechdel test, it absolutely crushes it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Christine Gunderson for the ARC.