This book was very enjoyable. It was a great ode to the importance of female friendships as well as being an enjoyable thriller. Definitely recommend.

The book is written in a light and humourous tone. There's a good story but its buried under too much fluff and filler that it doesn't feel as serious as it should be. I skimmed through so much unnecessary details and then the ending is rushed. I was especially disappointed with Ben who seems too good to be true.

“Friends with Secrets” is a debut novel by Christine Gunderson. I liked this novel more than I thought I initially would, which was a pleasant surprise. This book is told in two POVs - Nikki and Ainsley. Nikki is a former news reporter, currently full time mother. Ainsley appears to be a put together mother of two, but she’s insecure and keeping her past hidden from many - including her husband running for governor. Nikki and Ainsley have children at the same school and end up teaming up after the hiring of a new girl’s basketball coach - who gives off the “ick” factor. The two women bounce well of each other - sometimes Ainsley taking the lead, sometimes Nikki. It’s an unlikely friendship/partnership to uncover the truth about the coach. I did like how this book pointed out some interesting points (mainly along Ainsley’s past and the coach’s persona) and I really liked that there was a nice red herring too. Could this book have been tighter - yes. I also found the ending a bit abrupt, but for a debut novel it was a solid and enjoyable read.

Friends with Secrets was an engaging, fun read from start to finish.

The main characters, Nikki and Ainsley, were well written and likeable. I especially enjoyed that their flaws and insecurities were laid bare early on, allowing the reader to fully understand their motives and fears. Alongside the main plot the underlying commentary on how women and mothers are viewed and treated by society provided context for Ainsley's fear of disapproval about her past and Nikki's struggle with her self worth. The husbands of the main characters were idealised examples of supportive, caring and engaged men, showing that a more equitable balance between parents is possible.

The overall plot surrounding the basketball coach and his past (and present) crimes was well crafted. By writing the story as a 'howdunnit' rather than 'whodunnit', Gunderson was able to give voices to marginalised supporting characters and thereby create a more nuanced telling of the breadth and depth of the abuse. I particularly enjoyed Ainsley's interaction with Destinee's mother, her compassion and empathy really shone through.

I don't feel that the title fits the content of the book, in my view only Ainsley really has a secret and that's just an opening to the main plot.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. Incredibly fun read. The perfect book for when you're in a reading slump or need a slightly different genre.

This multilayered novel about two friends and the pressures of motherhood is so incredibly relatable, especially the parts that showcase the unrealistic and insurmountable standards women are held to in today’s society. While not necessarily a fast paced, page turner of a book, there is plenty of action in this drama/mystery!

I thoroughly enjoyed the unlikely friendship between the two main female characters and their unique backstories. Their mission to right the wrongs in the world and protect their children keeps you hooked throughout. Beware of the dirty and shocking secrets lurking in everyone’s closets, our FMC’s are out to expose it all! The pacing is very well written with a good mix of action and intensity, while also balanced by the humor of these witty women.

If you’re looking for a realistic read about female friendships and parenthood that’ll keep you engaged and even make you laugh out loud, look no further!

Thank you to NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

👭Ғeмale ғrιendѕнιp
👭Ѕυѕpenѕe
👭Darĸ paѕт
👭Dυal POV

Nιĸĸι and Aιnѕley нave тнeιr cнιldren ιn тнe ѕaмe ѕcнool , ғroм wнere тнey ѕтarт play-daтeѕ ғor тнeм. Nιĸĸι нaѕ recenтly gιven вιrтн тo Joe, нer 4тн cнιld and ιѕ ѕтrυgglιng вeтween мoтнerнood and lιттle тιмe ѕнe geтѕ ғor нerѕelғ. Conтraѕтιngly, Aιnѕley нaѕ a perғecт lιғe, нer rιcн нυѕвand wнo нaѕ aмple oғ вυѕιneѕѕ wealтн and ιѕ now plannιng тo вecoмe a polιтιcιan.

Тнe ѕтory ιѕ very well-wrιттen ғroм dυal POV'ѕ oғ Nιĸĸι and Aιnѕley and Ι loved нow тнeѕe тwo мoтнer jυѕт clιcĸed ѕo ғaѕт & вecaмe ѕυcн good ғrιendѕ. Ι adored тo read тнeιr тrυѕт over тιмe & нow тнey ѕυpporтed eacн oтнer ιn "мodern мoтнerнood" wнιcн ιѕ leѕѕ ѕeen тнeѕe dayѕ Ι gυeѕѕ. Anoтнer тнιng Ι lιĸed waѕ тнe ѕυpporт ғroм тнeιr нυѕвandѕ! Ι мean really!?

Тнe мaιn ploт ιѕ wнen Aιnѕley wιтneѕѕeѕ ѕoмeone ғroм нer paѕт aт тнeιr cнιldren'ѕ ѕcнool. Ѕнe нaѕn'т тold a ѕoυl aвoυт нer darĸ paѕт (eхcepт нer ѕιѕтer wнo waѕ a parт oғ ιт) and ιѕ ѕcared тo looѕe нer ғaмιly ιғ нer ѕecreт ιѕ oυт. Нowever, нer ғrιendѕнιp wιтн Nιĸĸι тυrnѕ lυcĸy ғor нer.

Твн Ι loved all тнe Мaιn cнaracтerѕ ιn тнe вooĸ- Nιĸĸι & нer нυѕвand and Aιnѕley & нer нυѕвand тoo. Тнere ιѕ a ѕтrong тrυѕт & ѕυpporт вeтween тнeѕe тwo мoтнerѕ & love ιn тнe reѕpecтιve ғaмιlιeѕ. Ѕo wнen all oғ тнeм υnιтe тo ѕave Aιnѕley, ιт ѕυrely woυld worĸ oυт.

Ι тнoroυgнly enjoyed тнe вooĸ ғroм тнe вegιnnιng тιll тнe end. Ι gυeѕѕ Ι ĸnew wнaт'ѕ goιng тo нappen вυт тнe way ιт waѕ мenтιoned and тнe тwιѕт ιn тнe вooĸ ĸepт мe cυrιoυѕ.

Ι'd recoммened тнιѕ тo every мoтнer and anyone wнo loveѕ a good ѕυѕpenѕe.

I liked it. It had a slow start for me, but once Nikki and Ainsley spent that one day together at Ainsley’s, it got much better for me I liked the way the friendship built and grew. So quickly Enjoyed the humor in it (mostly Nikki)

I will say recommend this to my book club. Great summer read!!


Link to me Goodreads review is below

Thanks Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC

You're a mum-you have four kids and left behind a dazzling job... you feel the burnout of staying at home with four kids and having to endure a life of what feels like drudgery,

Then you meet another mum at the school gates who has it all together and is all you aspire to be and then some. But is she really all that?

In this suspense riddled yet humorous novel, we see the friendship of Nikki and Ainsley play out, the strength of girl friends, and the explosiveness os secrets and the impact it can have on everyone.

Most of all, it is the story of how we are expected to keep up appearances, and how life can be a whole lot of smoke and mirrors often.

I LOVED THIS BOOK

3.75 stars.

Thank you Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book being Christine Gunderson's debut novel. The book explores the myths of the 'perfect mother' and the bonds between female friendships with its central characters Ainsley and Nikki. Both of these characters have secrets. Most importantly, the book is also about the consequences of keeping secrets from people.

I think the story is interesting. I was drawn to Ainsley and Nikki's characteristics, especially the former who had a stronger background and story. Through her character, I got to understand society's deep stigma around sex work and how when women are part of this line of work, they are constantly being ridiculed. The investigative aspect was well-written. Everything concluded perfectly, although I did think that the ending was a bit rushed.

A fun story with two very relatable main characters. Nikki is a stay at home mom who is struggling financially and missing her career as a local news journalist and broadcaster. Ainsley is the picture perfect, very wealthy wife of an aspiring politician. They meet because their children attend the same prestigious private school. When an athletic director is hired at the school who Ainsley knows from her past (and he's a bad guy), and Nikki is uncomfortable having him coach her daughter, the two women join forces to try to get him fired. It involves a lot of investigating and untimately, some danger along the way. There's adventure, mystery, and the story of a great new friendship here, which makes this book a terrific choice.

I absolutely loved this book. It is fast paced, the characters are normal people who you can empathise with and the writing is excellent.
The book follows Ainsley and Nikki, 2 mums at the beginning of the first term of an ultra exclusive preschool. One of the mums has a big secret that if exposed could destroy her and everything she has worked so hard to create.
I will be recommending this book to everyone - it was a great read and I'm actually sad I've finished it as I really liked getting to know the characters and their lives. Highly recommend!

I fell in love with the opening chapters of Friends with Secrets. The writing was so crisp with such clever turns of phrase and many laugh out loud moments. Main characters Nikki and Ainsley were perfect foils for one another, and good reminders that you can’t judge books by their covers. I related to the references to motherhood and how hard it can be to make new, meaningful female friendships as an adult. As the story moved into the meaty mystery and amateur sleuth section of the book I was less in love and more somewhat in like. A wide array of secondary characters add much depth and color to the story and the comeuppance at the end is both satisfying and fulfilling. As a weird aside, I liked the nod to high school mathletes and the girls who love them. It was a sweet revelation that connotes the innocence of youth in a world where kids grow up too fast. Overall, it was a good read—perfect for the beach or curled up in front of a fire. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this book! I received it via NetGalley and this it’s a solid debut book. It felt like it had a really good concept and FMCs, but I found myself wishing for more details at various parts of the novel that would have deepened the plot I.e. actually getting to hear Ainsley’s speech.

I enjoyed Friends with Secrets so much more than I thought I would have just from the pitch alone. I loved both of the characters, who were interesting and complex and so different than in stories I've read before, and I also loved the buddy comedy feel of the book. This book has it all! Commentary on motherhood! A political scandal! A thriller plot line! Stories about friendship!

Nikki used to be a TV anchor and is now a stay-at-home mom of four. She feels overwhelmed and like an unfit mother sometimes. When she meets the rich wive of an aspiring politician those two form an unlikely friendship. And when a secret from Ainsley's past comes huntimg her the rwo friends embark on a journey to bring justice to a perpetrator.
I loved reading this book and finished it in two days. The main characters were completely relatable and as a mother I felt some of Nikki's struggles. I love how these two different woman fight for a good cause and support each other. The storyline kept me enthralled and I was sitting on the edge of my seat during the Halloween-party-part of the book.
All in all a great book that I thoroughly enjoyed and can only recommend.

I enjoyed this, even if a bit fantastical at times (the ending did not require two fight scenes…). I wish we got a bit more of the after as I liked a lot of the ideas that were presented. Just a good cast of likable leads and good husbands to boot.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I quite enjoyed this read. Gunderson does a fantastic job crafting two women who, on the surface, seem like they couldn't be more different but who, at their core, have a startling amount in common. I found the combination of mystery and messaging to be compelling and engaging. The writing is presented in a crisp clear style that draws you into the story and then dangles just enough new information at just the right points to fully keep your interest. I will definitely be on the lookout for books from Christine Gunderson in the future.

I absolutely loved this domestic thriller! I loved how suspenseful and twisty this book was—truly unexpected moments kept me on the edge of my seat! 5 stars!

Started this one because as a DC girl I wanted to read something that took place in my city. Even though I went in for that and not much really took place in DC and what was in DC was made up stores, I stayed for the friendship formed in the book. I loved it so much. In thriller-ish books like this the friends usually turn on eachother and it makes it hard to like anyone, but I loved that you could trust them together. Some parts of the book/convos were repetitive and could have been edited down more (or maybe are being edited down more). But overall really enjoyed it.