Valentine’s Day is just a few days away! In order to shake things up a bit though I thought I would offer some books that focus on the bonds of friendship rather than romantic relationships. After all, friends are the ones who are there for you before, during and, if it doesn’t work out, after a relationship. You’ll find yourself in some good company with the following books.
Mary Kay Andrews’ sunny Summer Rental is about a group of lifelong friends who are each in need of an escape and decide to rent a North Carolina beach house together. Andrews’ books are the epitome of “beach reads” and are a nice diversion for those of us who can’t get away somewhere warmer this winter!
The Elm Creek Quilts series by Jennifer Chiaverini is an excellent choice for warm, varied stories of friendship and resilience straddling various timelines, from the Civil War to Prohibition to the modern era. At its core, a group of women are tethered to a quilting bee that provides much-needed support during life’s trying times. Start with the first in the series, The Quilter’s Apprentice.
Fannie Flagg’s contemporary comfort-food classic Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café is a heart-tugging look at the ways an unexpected friendship can help bury the ghosts of the past and rejuvenate the present. Her most recent book, 2013’s The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion, continues this winning trend.
If you like Fannie Flagg, be sure to check out The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore, which tracks the lives of three Black women who met during the height of the Civil Rights movement and now convene at the local diner, sharing the triumphs and hardships of their lives.
Last but certainly not least, Alison Bechdel’s legendary comic series Dykes to Watch Out For follows the travails of a group of lovable lesbians as they navigate love and relationships.
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