"It's true. Once you've had a taste of faraway places, you long for more. I think the longing diminishes your fondness for everything you left behind."
Wow. Author Robin Jones Gunn was able to intertwine friendship, the journey of faith, and self-discovery against the backdrop of the beautiful African safari. It's a heartfelt adventure story between two friends, Fern and Lily remind us that life's most profound lessons are often learned when we least expect them.
What I loved most:
-Long-lasting friendship
-Vivid descriptions (you can tell that RJG had personally taken a trip there herself, I know the story was about two friends but Africa was really the shining star here)
-Bringing the trip to life with bonus recipes

All. The. Stars. Absolutely adore this book about best friends on safari in Kenya. More of the Suitcase Sisters. ASAP!🐘

Here are some things I loved about this amazing read:

🐘Each chapter begins with an African proverb like this one: "May the African sun always shine through your eyes and the sound of its drums always beat in your heart."

🐘Lily and Fern have been BFFs for twenty years since they met on a mission trip in Costa Rica. They have supported and encouraged each other for decades and continue to do so in helpful and heartwarming ways throughout the story.

🐘Africa is a character with support from the gorgeous scenery and awe-inspiring glimpses of wildlife. Loved visiting Kenya in this book.

🐘There are recipes included for a special banana bread and masala chai tea. My mouth is watering! Am definitely going to try both of them.

🐘It looks like Robin Jones Gunn is planning a Suitcase Sisters series. Looking forward to more world travels with Lily and Fern.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. ~ James 4:8a

Thank you to Revell and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

One of the most popular series for Christian fiction lovers is the Sister Chicks series by Robin Jones Gunn. She has not published any the last few years and so the introduction of Suitcase Sisters series is exciting. Tea with Elephants will not disappoint fans of the original series. And if like myself, they will love them even more than original!
Fern and Lily met as teens on a mission trip to Costa Rica and pledge to become travel buddies in life. Real life happens and the next trip does not happen for twenty years when Lily is given a trip to Africa and invites Lily to join her. The two have an adventure of a lifetime and have soul seeking conversations and decisions to make while traveling.
I enjoyed that Tea with Elephants went deeper with life struggles and was more than a travel log. I admit that Africa was never on my list of places to travel, but this novel made me rethink that.
I received a complimentary copy of Tea with Elephants thanks to Revel Publishing and Net galley, but all opinions are my own.

Tea With Elephants by Robin Jones Gunn is the most beautiful Christian contemporary novel that will sink into your heart and soothe your soul. It is the first book in the Suitcase Sisters series and I cannot wait for more.
Tea With Elephants is a story of friendship and love as we follow two ladies who have been friends for over twenty years as they spend a week in Kenya. It is a journey of discovery – literally as there are majestic animals to see in their natural habitat. And also, figuratively as they learn about each other’s lives, their fears and their worries. There is a love between the women. “There is no gift like a friend who knows you by heart.” And there is their love for God and His for them.
We cannot always see the future but we know who holds the future in His hands. “I wanted to be at peace about the unknown.” We trusted God with our past and our present, we can trust Hin with our future. “I didn’t want to get stuck in what was behind. I wanted to look to what was ahead.”
As we wander through life, we pick up baggage. “You will be able to move forward when you’re no longer carrying all this old stuff… It’s weighed you down for too long.” We will never move forward by looking in the rear mirror. We do not need to see where we have been but we do need to look at where we are going.
Prayer is important. Prayer is as vital as breathing. “Prayers are never just prayer… [we are] creating a collection of love letters to Jesus.” We also learn that “our most valuable weapon … is prayer.” Prayers can, and do, move mountains.
When we have troubles and worries, we need to press into Jesus. “I don’t know how people go through difficulties without crying out to the Lord.” We can receive a peace that passes all understanding, a peace despite our circumstances. “Peace was coming after me.” I love that idea of peace pursuing us.
We are called to preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary to use words. “You showed her how Jesus loves people.”
Robin Jones Gunn has captured the essence of the natural Kenya in her book. It is wild. It is untamed. It is beautiful. A little piece of Africa remains lodged in your heart, for a lifetime. “The gentle, maternal manner in… Africa… and how she [Africa] took us in and covered us.”
Tea With Elephants celebrates friendship. It is a friendship that loves enough to ask, really ask, the difficult questions, listen to the answers and come up with suggestions. It is a friendship that points out the beauty in another. It is a friendship that loves, supports and remains.
All the characters were well-rounded and realistic. They came to life for the reader, as did the action which is seen in the first person, enabling the reader to ‘walk’ through the novel.
Tea With Elephants is serenely beautiful. I am so sorry that it has ended. I feel like I just want to read this book again and again.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Readers will enjoy riding along as the suitcase sisters fly off to Africa in this delightful tale of friendship. Having met years ago, the two had always meant to travel but life had gotten in the way. The reflection of the past and promises of the future make this a story that readers will not want to miss. Loved all the adventures! Highly recommended!

Tea with Elephants reads like a travel journal . It was so descriptive sometimes that I caught myself checking to confirm this was actually fiction. Fern and Lily go on a teen dream trip to Africa. Robin Jones Gunn made Africa come alive on the pages. And those who love to learn about new places will enjoy Tea with Elephants. The plot was a little slow moving for me and I caught myself flipping thru the pages. However, I appreciate how well written and realistic everything seemed. This is the start of a new series and it will be interesting to see where Robin Jones Gunn takes her readers next.

I really wanted to love this book. I hate to say it, but I found it super boring. I just really didn't care about the characters. I kept waiting for the story to grab me. It never did. It was like reading those Christmas letters you get telling you all kinds of information that you probably don't want to know about people you never see. The characters seemed like first world problem tourists, which is basically what they were. It feels harsh to say it but it's true.

An absolutely delightful, engaging, impactful story, full of true friendship, a love of Africa, and relationship struggles and spiritual truths and growth. Lily and Fern - the Suitcase Sisters - became real to me, and I was drawn into their lives and struggles - laughing and crying with them, and sitting in awe with them of the wonders of the African continent. I will definitely be reading the next books in this series. Love her voice!

I'd never read anything by Robin Jones Gunn, but that is DEFINITELY going to change. Highly recommended!

Oh my goodness! I am blessed to have had the experience of losing myself in this story. Gunn's eloquent language paints the most beautiful, vivid pictures of Africa and creates the most intense experience of empathy for the leading ladies of Tea With Elephants. As if my TBR pile wasn't large enough, now I want to go back and reread her Sister Chicks series while waiting for the second book in her new Suitcase Sisters series.

Fern and Lily have been long-distance friends since meeting in Costa Rica as teenagers. Now they are a bit older and a bit wiser traveling together to Africa at a time when they are both at a crossroads in their lives. Robin Gunn does such a beautiful job of demonstrating the beauty of close female relationships and the importance they play in emotional health.

So, grab your favorite comfort food or indulgent treat and that hot beverage that always brings along that deep sigh and sweet smile; draw that hot bath or snuggle under that cozy blanket or quilt and settle in for hours of reading pleasure.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Tea With Elephants from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

This a must read for women. The story kept me engaged from beginning to end. The story of two women who became best friends in their late teens. As middle aged women they are given a wonderful trip to Africa. Mrs. Gunn describes the scenes so vividly, I could see, smell, taste and picture each scene. I cried happy tears and sad tears. Such a touching, heart warming story. I love the series title, The Suitcase Sisters. Several laugh out loud moments. It tapped all my emotions. High faith content without being overbearing. Looking forward to the next. One of my favorites of the year. Highly recommend.

My heart is so full. I read all the Sister Chicks books and hoped that Robin Jones Gunn was not finished blessing us with travels that include God’s heart.
I love Lily and Fern’s stories. The journeys that life took each of them on and the journey they experienced in Africa.
I whole heartedly recommend this book. Read it with an open heart. It is a very Christian women’s fiction. If that isn’t your jam, please move one to something else.
Thank you to Netgalley and Revell for the blessing of reading this book.

Tea with Elephants by Robin Jones Gunn is a book meant to be savored. Following in the flavor of her Sisterchicks books, this novel is full of poignant memories, sisterhood adventures, and deep insights. Reading this was like coming home after a long time away - refreshing, cleansing, and healing. Gunn is a master storyteller, and I never leave her books unaffected. I can only hope there are follow up books to this one. I am not ready to let Robin Jones Gunn go!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

This story is a heartfelt journey of friendship, faith, and self-discovery that takes readers on an emotional safari through the stunning landscapes of Africa. Centered on the friendship sister bond between Fern Espinoza and Lily Graden, the book truly captures the essence of a long-term friendship that has weathered the trials of time and distance.

Tea with Elephants, A Suitcase Sisters Novel by Robin Jones Gunn is a cleverly conceived and amusingly executed story that had me thinking it was real instead of fiction. Fern Espinoza and Lily Graden are close friends since their teenage years of serving summer conference together. They had big plans to do great things for the Lord as they got older. However, life seemed to get in the way. That life can be resonant with many, it certainly did with me. However, the underlining theme is trusting God, His plans, His ways and His grace.

I thought that the women’s trip to Africa would involve a mystery. You know like a cozy mystery story. Instead, the mystery was how God would use this time to change their perspective, their trust in Him and then their lives, along with their families. What a wonderful excellent simple story of complex women with everyday lives.

This marvelous storyteller is a new-to-me-author but boy, is she great. Now I will be looking for all of her books, this is one Christian author to put on you TBR list.

I have never read Robyn Jones Gunn (sue the gasps...) and wanted to know what all the hype was about. It was a sweet story about friendship and life challenges, with an African safari background. I loved all the African proverbs at the beginning of each chapter. It was a pleasant read.

Tea with Elephants by Robin Jones Gunn - 4 Stars
This story is a heartfelt journey of friendship, faith, and self-discovery that takes readers on an emotional safari through the stunning landscapes of Africa. Centered on the friendship sister bond between Fern Espinoza and Lily Graden, the book truly captures the essence of a long-term friendship that has weathered the trials of time and distance.

This is a Christian contemporary women's fiction story that I truly felt connected to. I loved the writing style, faith content, travel elements and the characters. This book opens up to the teenage years of Fern and Lily, who first connected while volunteering in Costa Rica. 20 years later, here they are, embarking on a long-awaiting trip to Africa - a dream trip that they talked about many years ago. This trip soon becomes one of emotional growth as each woman carriers their own struggles. The author intertwines their personal stories well with the beautiful backdrop of Africa.

We see Fern dealing with struggles as she lost her job at a Christian publishing company and is unsure of what her next steps in life are, just as Lily is worried about the hardships within her marriage. Both ladies experience personal growth and lessons that challenge their perspectives and encourage them to surrender to the Lord's plan in their lives.

Overall, this is more than just a safari story among friends - this is a story filled with lighthearted moments and deeper reflections between two friends who are more sisters than friends. I loved the side characters they met along the way that encouraged them in their faith and challenges. Anyone who loves good faith filled, travel, contemporary adventure stories will like this!

Highly recommend. Thank you to the publisher for providing an early copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

DNF. I was excited when I read the premise, but from the get go we're dropped into the characters' lives in what feels like a lot of telling and not a way for me to become connected to the characters. The writing felt descriptive and dramatic and I couldn't find a way to get closer than arm's length. I found myself detached from the story and ultimately I wasn't compelled to continue.

I will begin this review by saying that I'm not the intended audience for this read. I'm a romance girl, through and through. I love stories of friendship, but I usually need a strong romantic storyline to hold my attention through the whole shebang.

With that being said, I definitely enjoyed the details of traveling in Africa. There were several moments when I felt like I was right there with Lily and Fern, experiencing the highs and lows of such a beautiful trip. I feel the author carried Africa with humility and respect in this novel.

I also really enjoyed the spiritual truths shared throughout the book. Some books in Christian fiction are more reserved in the spiritual storytelling, but I was pleased that this author was very straightforward and generous with the message. It's evident that her heart is to share the Lord through the story and I was blessed several times, especially through Fern's growth.

Overall, I firmly believe you should read this book if you enjoy tales of friendship, stories that make you feel like you've actually boarded a plane to travel, and a novel that doesn't shy away from the Gospel. This book releases later this month, so get your hands on it!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. All expressed opinions belong to me.

Fern and Lily struck up the beginning of a lifelong friendship as teenagers on a missions trip. The two of them were on fire for the Lord and ready to travel anywhere and everywhere together. But then along came a boy and Lily got married instead of traveling the world.

Fast forward 20+ years. The two women find themselves reuniting for a vacation in Kenya. Each of them are in very different places. Fern has been working through struggles with an adopted teenage step son as well as the loss of a job. Lily feels distant from her husband and is scared for her marriage.

This was my first book I’ve read in the genre of “Women’s fiction”. It was fun to read something a little different. It wasn’t focused on mystery or romance, but instead on two friends just walking through life together.

A few of my favorite things…
-the setting. All the details about Africa had me reminiscing about my time there. Street markets, hospitality, bright clothes, scenery, animals…I loved it.
-playful humor
-friends who encourage each other
-Anne of Green Gables references
-delicious description of food and drinks

I didn’t care for…
-I can’t think of anything.

Know that…
-it deals with a women being scared she might follow in her mom’s footsteps and get a divorce

Perfect for…
women looking for a relaxing comfort read about traveling and going through life changes.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A sweet story of friendship, adventure, and faith. I loved the Africa descriptions that help the reader to experience the wonder the MC feels as she sees new things with wonder. I also learned a few friendship tips along the way!