courtthebookgirl's review
3.0
I should start by saying that I am a huge fan of Sarah Pekkanen and have loved all of her other books. This one, unfortunately, didn't really do it for me. I liked it somewhat (enough to give it three stars) because the overall story was interesting enough and I did finish it (I am known to quit books that bore me). I was a little disappointed in the one-dimensional, almost unlikable characters in this book and the way everything wrapped up so neatly and picture-perfectly at the end. I won't say more than that so there are no spoilers, but this just wasn't Pekkanen's best, in my opinion.
cowmingo's review
2.0
Usually I'm a big fan of Sarah Pekkanen but this one left me wanting more. I had trouble with a lot of the adultery that took place in this book and thought that the book could have been a lot better without that. I wanted to learn more about some of the characters and feel like they got glossed over a bit with other plots. If this is your first Pekkanen, try some others because this one was not her best work! **I received this book in advance through NetGalley.com and read an uncorrected proof*
lynnaeaowens's review
4.0
A common premise: a group of college friends reunites in middle-age. They're all unique personalities, they all care about each other, but all of them are hiding secrets.
So yeah, not exactly groundbreaking. HOWEVER, this enjoyable book twists in some delightful additions - tropical setting, absolute decadence, horrible misdeeds (mainly DURING the actual plot, not as flashbacks!), and a devastating tropical storm. This book was predictable, but as a result I found it comforting. The characters are well-developed, and a little unlikable due to their complexities. I actually found their middle-age struggles relateable even though I'm in my 20s (and unmarried, unlike all these characters!).
I think this would be a great beach read: 4/5.
So yeah, not exactly groundbreaking. HOWEVER, this enjoyable book twists in some delightful additions - tropical setting, absolute decadence, horrible misdeeds (mainly DURING the actual plot, not as flashbacks!), and a devastating tropical storm. This book was predictable, but as a result I found it comforting. The characters are well-developed, and a little unlikable due to their complexities. I actually found their middle-age struggles relateable even though I'm in my 20s (and unmarried, unlike all these characters!).
I think this would be a great beach read: 4/5.
hmonkeyreads's review
2.0
There's nothing wrong with this book - it's a good easy beach read - but in the end it felt a little too clunky and on the nose with the story and left me mostly cold.
I can't help but feel like this was the author's first book. There's a lot of "tell not show" going on.
I can't help but feel like this was the author's first book. There's a lot of "tell not show" going on.
chrissymcbooknerd's review
5.0
But then again, didn't all marriages carry thousands of hurts?
THE REASON:
I chose to read The Best of Us, when it was sent to me for the purposes of providing a completely honest review, because I really tend to gravitate towards strong women's fiction. I love reading about the development of personal relationships from a female perspective, whether they be romantic or friendship, and the description of THE BEST OF US promised something that was heartfelt, beautiful, and highly engaging.
THE PLOT:
Dwight was a hopeless dork in college, unarguably thin and awkward but undeniably destined to greater things in the future. After Dwight strikes it insanely rich after the creation of a magnificent dot-com business, he and his wife decide to invite a few of his old college friends on a spectacular all-expense-paid vacation to Jamaica -- complete with finely catered meals, perfectly planned activities, and the promise of a wonderful, relaxing atmosphere of friendship and fun. Who could possibly say no to that trip?
Tina is especially excited, since she was always close to Dwight in college -- she and even had an unforgettable little make-out session with him once. Tina is now married to the perfect man, but she is overburdened with the chaos of juggling a house full of young children and is hence desperate for the time away from home...
Allie and her devoted husband can't wait to make the trip either, since they've both been abundantly blessed with good luck and great circumstances -- so why not celebrate it in this glorious vacation? But, Allie has recently learned a family secret that has her intensely worried about her own future, especially her health. While she's ready to have fun in the sun, will she really be able to steer her mind away from the panics of her current problems to enjoy herself?
Savannah, known for her beauty, wealth, and diva attitude, will never pass up another opportunity to enjoy the more lavish things in life, of course -- but she too has a secret that she's not quite ready to share with her college friends. Her own husband won't be coming to Jamaica, but Savannah isn't sure that she regrets his absent in the least. There won'to be any harm in flirting with her old college pal Dwight while she's here, right?
Dwight's wife, Pauline, feels particularly uneasy around these three women who have such an interesting history with her husband -- especially since she doesn't know them in the least and doesn't expect to have anything in common with any of them. While she plans every instant of the perfect Jamaican vacation for her husband's vacation, she must juggle the fear that one of these women may be having unexpected relations with her husband -- while all the while dealing with the terrible secret that she, herself, has been hiding from Dwight. Can she really keep her focus for this week in paradise?
And then, by the time the group learns that a hurricane has veered from its original path, heading straight towards their perfect party on the island, it's really too late to escape. And soon each of these couples is faced with tremendous decisions about their relationships and their futures -- if, that is, they can weather the horrific storm that looms ahead...
MY OPINION:
I was absolutely, positively in LOVE within this novel, from start to finish. I adored the author's skill in crafting an amazingly interesting story with characters that developed honestly and delicately throughout the course of the novel. And, although she alternated between several different couples, each with their own serious struggles and secrets, there was never a point where I felt uninterested in any segment of any particular character's story. I was emotionally invested in each of the story lines, which made for the kind of engaging reading experience that kept me flipping (virtual) pages until insane hours in the middle of the night, just to learn what would happen next.
I was pleased that the author didn't aim to sugarcoat over any of the weighty issues that the women dealt with in their own personal, often secret, struggles. And, although most of the predicaments worked out for the best by the end of the book, it certainly was not without a realistic degree of pain and suffering from each of the women involved in the story.
I was surprised by the fact that I found myself most interested in Pauline, despite my first impression that led me to believe she might end up being the weakest character in the novel. I could really identify with the way that she felt like an outsider in a group of close friends, working so hard to meticulously create a perfect vacation for her beloved husband, while ultimately questioning her position in the relationship as well as her husband's feelings towards her as a woman and a partner. Her reasons for hiding her secret from her husband were heartbreaking and realistic, and I felt that she probably came in the furthest in really evolving in her relationship as well as her own perception of herself.
But thousands of kindnesses existed in marriages too. The important thing was that the kindnesses triumphed over the hurts.
MY VERDICT:
Five glowing stars. Give this one a try when it hits shelves on April 9, 2013.
THE REASON:
I chose to read The Best of Us, when it was sent to me for the purposes of providing a completely honest review, because I really tend to gravitate towards strong women's fiction. I love reading about the development of personal relationships from a female perspective, whether they be romantic or friendship, and the description of THE BEST OF US promised something that was heartfelt, beautiful, and highly engaging.
THE PLOT:
Dwight was a hopeless dork in college, unarguably thin and awkward but undeniably destined to greater things in the future. After Dwight strikes it insanely rich after the creation of a magnificent dot-com business, he and his wife decide to invite a few of his old college friends on a spectacular all-expense-paid vacation to Jamaica -- complete with finely catered meals, perfectly planned activities, and the promise of a wonderful, relaxing atmosphere of friendship and fun. Who could possibly say no to that trip?
Tina is especially excited, since she was always close to Dwight in college -- she and even had an unforgettable little make-out session with him once. Tina is now married to the perfect man, but she is overburdened with the chaos of juggling a house full of young children and is hence desperate for the time away from home...
Allie and her devoted husband can't wait to make the trip either, since they've both been abundantly blessed with good luck and great circumstances -- so why not celebrate it in this glorious vacation? But, Allie has recently learned a family secret that has her intensely worried about her own future, especially her health. While she's ready to have fun in the sun, will she really be able to steer her mind away from the panics of her current problems to enjoy herself?
Savannah, known for her beauty, wealth, and diva attitude, will never pass up another opportunity to enjoy the more lavish things in life, of course -- but she too has a secret that she's not quite ready to share with her college friends. Her own husband won't be coming to Jamaica, but Savannah isn't sure that she regrets his absent in the least. There won'to be any harm in flirting with her old college pal Dwight while she's here, right?
Dwight's wife, Pauline, feels particularly uneasy around these three women who have such an interesting history with her husband -- especially since she doesn't know them in the least and doesn't expect to have anything in common with any of them. While she plans every instant of the perfect Jamaican vacation for her husband's vacation, she must juggle the fear that one of these women may be having unexpected relations with her husband -- while all the while dealing with the terrible secret that she, herself, has been hiding from Dwight. Can she really keep her focus for this week in paradise?
And then, by the time the group learns that a hurricane has veered from its original path, heading straight towards their perfect party on the island, it's really too late to escape. And soon each of these couples is faced with tremendous decisions about their relationships and their futures -- if, that is, they can weather the horrific storm that looms ahead...
MY OPINION:
I was absolutely, positively in LOVE within this novel, from start to finish. I adored the author's skill in crafting an amazingly interesting story with characters that developed honestly and delicately throughout the course of the novel. And, although she alternated between several different couples, each with their own serious struggles and secrets, there was never a point where I felt uninterested in any segment of any particular character's story. I was emotionally invested in each of the story lines, which made for the kind of engaging reading experience that kept me flipping (virtual) pages until insane hours in the middle of the night, just to learn what would happen next.
I was pleased that the author didn't aim to sugarcoat over any of the weighty issues that the women dealt with in their own personal, often secret, struggles. And, although most of the predicaments worked out for the best by the end of the book, it certainly was not without a realistic degree of pain and suffering from each of the women involved in the story.
I was surprised by the fact that I found myself most interested in Pauline, despite my first impression that led me to believe she might end up being the weakest character in the novel. I could really identify with the way that she felt like an outsider in a group of close friends, working so hard to meticulously create a perfect vacation for her beloved husband, while ultimately questioning her position in the relationship as well as her husband's feelings towards her as a woman and a partner. Her reasons for hiding her secret from her husband were heartbreaking and realistic, and I felt that she probably came in the furthest in really evolving in her relationship as well as her own perception of herself.
But thousands of kindnesses existed in marriages too. The important thing was that the kindnesses triumphed over the hurts.
MY VERDICT:
Five glowing stars. Give this one a try when it hits shelves on April 9, 2013.
leighwh's review against another edition
3.0
I read two of Sarah Pekkanen's novels in quick succession - These Girls (TG) followed by The Best of Us (TBOU). Both have friendship as a central theme -TG is about a new friendship, and TBOU is about an older friendship. Both are written in the third person from alternating female points-of-view. (I missed hearing Dwight's point-of-view in TBOU - he was one of the original circle of four friends, it was his birthday celebration, he paid for the holiday and yet his view was not voiced!) Both had infidelity and weight issues as minor themes.
I received both books as Christmas presents, and enjoyed them as nice light holiday reads, with engaging characters and interesting but not-too-complex plots. I now have Pekkanen's first two novels (The Opposite of Me and Skipping a Beat) on my to-read list for when my next holiday comes around in June.
I received both books as Christmas presents, and enjoyed them as nice light holiday reads, with engaging characters and interesting but not-too-complex plots. I now have Pekkanen's first two novels (The Opposite of Me and Skipping a Beat) on my to-read list for when my next holiday comes around in June.
bethreadsandnaps's review
3.0
3.5 stars
I really enjoyed the premise of this book. A socially awkward multi-millionaire gives his old college friends a vacation of their lifetime for his own birthday. The old friends with their spouses reunite for a week of bonding in (mostly) sunny Jamaica. All are dealing with their own issues and need this time to get away.
The characters are each unique. I have some problems seeing some of them interacting while in college (i.e., Savannah and Dwight).
The plot structure is really simple, and you can see how the different elements will come together. The very good characters overcome that.
I really enjoyed the premise of this book. A socially awkward multi-millionaire gives his old college friends a vacation of their lifetime for his own birthday. The old friends with their spouses reunite for a week of bonding in (mostly) sunny Jamaica. All are dealing with their own issues and need this time to get away.
The characters are each unique. I have some problems seeing some of them interacting while in college (i.e., Savannah and Dwight).
The plot structure is really simple, and you can see how the different elements will come together. The very good characters overcome that.
suzannefine's review
4.0
This was the first of Sarah Pekkanen's books that I have read. I'll be reading the rest soon. Great book, and I loved the characters.
shelleyrae's review
3.0
In The Best Of Us, Sarah Pekkanen explores friendship and marriage when college friends reunite for a week long vacation in Jamaica. It is Dwight's thirty fifth birthday and his wife, Pauline, has arranged the all expenses paid trip to celebrate. Tina, a harried mother of four is worried about leaving her children behind but can't resist the lure of temporary escape. Allie is confronted with an uncertain future while Savannah is still recovering from a broken heart after her husband left her.
The villa is a private piece of paradise, with Pauline ensuring their every whim is catered for and the group, which includes Tina's and Allie's husband's, are eager to take advantage of the once in a lifetime experience. Initially, the good humour and college reminiscences flow as freely as the alcohol and good food, allowing the reader to develop a good sense of who these people are and what they mean to each other.
I found it easiest to relate to Tina but each of the women is familiar in one way or another. While I thought the women were well developed and realistically flawed characters, their path in the story is predictable. Allie, for example, who always puts others before herself, commits a selfish act while the sultry Savannah flirts outrageously to hide her own insecurities. The men are marginalised for the most part - even birthday boy, Dwight- though they provide context for the women's everyday lives.
As a hurricane approaches Jamaica, unrest builds amongst the house guests and the camaraderie is slowly tainted with envy, guilt, secrets and lies. The women of the story are eventually forced to come to terms with the choices they have made and find a way to move forward in their lives.
The Best of Us is an engaging novel, I found it a quick and satisfying read and it is sure to be enjoyed by fans of ensemble women's fiction.