Cover of the book Friends and Strangers
Bestseller book
Critically acclaimed
Buy on Amazon

Already read? Rate it!

Friends and Strangers

A Novel

byJ. Courtney Sullivan

Who is this book for? Readers interested in contemporary women's fiction and explorations of friendship and motherhood.

Topics FriendshipMotherhoodPower
MoodLight-hearted, Reflective
Female protagonist
HumorOccasional Humor
RomanceMinor Subplot
Explicit scenesSuggestive Themes
From the best-selling author of Maine and Saints for All Occasions (named one of the Washington Post's Ten Best Books of the Year and a New York Times Critics' Pick) comes an insightful, hilarious, and compulsively readable novel about a complicated friendship between two women who are at two very different stages in life. Elisabeth, an accomplished journalist and new mother, is struggling to adjust to life in a small town after twenty years in New York City. A job opportunity for her husband, and the chance to live closer to his financially struggling parents, convinced Elisabeth to move. But alone in the new house with their infant son all day (and awake with him much of the night), she feels uneasy, adrift. She neglects her work, losing untold hours to her Brooklyn moms' Facebook group, her "influencer" sister's Instagram feed, and text chains with the best friend she never sees anymore. Enter Sam, a senior at the local women's college, who is hired by Elisabeth to babysit. Sam is struggling to decide between the path she's always planned on and a romantic entanglement that threatens her ambition. She's worried about her student loan debt and what the future holds. In short order, Sam and Elisabeth grow close. Sam becomes Elisabeth's confidante, a repository for all the secrets Elisabeth is too ashamed to tell even her own husband. Elisabeth, in turn, offers guidance, allaying Sam's fears. But when Sam finds an unlikely kindred spirit in Elisabeth's father-in-law, the true differences between the women's lives become starkly revealed and leads to a betrayal that has devastating consequences. A masterful exploration of modern motherhood, power dynamics within friendships, and privilege in its many forms, Friends and Strangers brilliantly reveals how a single year can shape the course of a life.

Language

en

Published on

01/01/2020

Pages

416

Format

Hardcover

ISBN

9780525520597

Price Comparison

Books similar to Friends and Strangers

If you enjoyed readingFriends and Strangers by J. Courtney Sullivan, you may also like some of the following books.


Life-Rediscovery Journeys

Life-Rediscovery Journeys invite readers on transformative adventures, where protagonists find new paths and purposes. Ideal for those seeking inspiration and tales of personal growth.

Show all

Award Winning Literature

Step into the world of **Award Winning Literature books**, where every page resonates with excellence and acclaim. These books have not only captured the hearts of readers but have also been recognized by prestigious literary awards.

Show all

Humor

Laugh out loud with our diverse collection of humor books that promise to tickle your funny bone and brighten your day. Whether you're in the mood for witty satire or light-hearted escapades, our selection covers every facet of comedic literature.

Show all

Fiction

Immerse yourself in the captivating world of fiction books, where every page invites you into a new universe. From heartwarming tales of quirky small towns to gripping narratives of modern love dilemmas, our collection offers something for every reader.

Show all