The Birthday Girls

by Pauline Lawless

They'd met on their first day at school four little girls who were all very different from each other but who somehow became close friends. Their friendship has now lasted thirty-five years. As their birthdays all fall in the same week they long ago made a pact to spend each big decade birthday together. So far they'd managed it. Now as their thirty-ninth birthday looms, Angel, a famous Hollywood actress, announces that this will be her last birthday. Terrified of aging, she absolutely refuses to turn 40. So Lexi, the mother hen of the group and an artist, invites them to Florida for a week-long celebration of this, their last birthday together. Brenda, mother to five grown-up children, flies in from Dublin, eagerly looking forward to her first foreign holiday ever. Mel, however, has to be prised away from New York where she is a successful partner in a law firm - Mel is a workaholic with no other friends or love in her life. The four come together for the celebration but soon things start to unravel and the week ends disastrously. Lexi is distraught. Can their friendship endure? Only time will tell.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Contemporary, Amazon, Ebooks

376 pages, Paperback

First published June 20, 2013

Reviews

[Joan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This just didn't ring true for me. The characters were clichéd and stereotypical. Brenda 'had never had scallops before either, but didn't want to appear a total bog-woman so kept mum about it. They were yummy. And yet she wears a skimpy bikini and flirts with a guy she has only just met? There are more references to her naivety:
Brenda's eyes were out on sticks as she gazed at the beautiful yacht. She'd never seen anything like it.
It's all a bit too predictable.

I dnf'd when there was yet another long account of food and how fabulous the women looked etc etc. There was very little in the way of conflict to keep me interested in what happened to any of them.

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A typical chick-litty book. Nothing too strange or startling, just coasts along nicely. I found it extremely similar to her If The Shoes Fit, really. Again the 4 different women coming together and all their trials and tribulations. It did hold my interest nonetheless. The cover's terrific, too.
I did wonder at the dialogue between old pals, though. I mean, would you really say to a friend from school days, "You must be dying to freshen up ?" I don't believe you would. You're more liable to ask if they need the loo !! And this bunch of mates never stop drinking !! The booze flows the whole way through, with champagne clearly the favourite tipple. They never stop throwing it down their necks.
For some reason, the formatting was dodgy on my Kindle with this but not on my phone. The font on the Kindle was either unreadable or much too big. Strangely, she has a lot of paragraph breaks included mid-conversation as well, which is annoying and needless. She has an issue with missing off apostrophes, too. (Arrivals, girls, etc.) Polo mint needed a capital letter, so did Gulf and many sentences lost a word, "I would prefer go and rest...." or ".....also bought tiny romper suit." Speechmarks were missed off here and there, for variation.....then too many sentences were totally altered by not including the comma that was required. You'll know what I mean if you say them out loud......it's not right at all. For example:
"You won't need one, sweetheart," Jack replied kissing her before steering the boat..."
"Simon and I split up naturally"
"Sorry I have to rush Brenda"
There were examples of horrid English as well. "I only have this boat about a year and my last relationship ended two years ago" and "He blustered, denying all knowledge of it, but she knew by him that he was lying." Pandoro should read Pandora, maniacally as manically and I didn't understand why Bob picked Brenda up in departures at the airport ??
There were some amusing moments throughout along with some very heartfelt ones, too. I do admit to having a real snivelling moment near the end. However, as I noted in the last review I did for this author, she really needs to sharpen her editing up.

[Jenny Chere · Rating 1 out of 5]

Should have stopped reading

Poorly developed plot (the forecasting of the major turning point in the book was so obvious it would be offensive to call it foreshadowing), heavy-handed pro-life commentary (and yet somehow seemingly no knowledge of how a baby actually develops of the course of a pregnancy), totally one-dimensional characters, and general stupidity (Mel is a lawyer so somehow she can obtain a green card for her friend in 3 weeks, magic!)... I should have stopped reading about a quarter of the way in, but I can’t bring myself to leave a book incomplete once I start. I wish I had my two hours back.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the premise was good, I felt the situations and dialogue were unrealistic and platitudinous. I got kind of tired of hearing about how fabulously wealthy everyone was. It can be very convenient when money is no object. And while the sexual encounters and descriptions were sparse and rather sanitized, they still seemed a bit out of place among all the saccharin sweetness of the story.

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story even though the writing wasn't that great. I do enjoy books about friendship.

[DonnaJo Pallini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four school girls who met in elementary class and all had birthdays the same week. They stayed friends and helped each other through all their ups and downs. Good read.

[Debbie Duncalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!!!!
I just totally loved The Birthday Girls, I read a lot but this has been for me an absolute joy to read.
It has been lovely to meet the four girls as adults, we have Brenda, Angel, Lexi and Mel. We get to see each one of them dealing with many life problems trying to find their own individual endings.
This really is one not to miss out on!

[Mary Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful story about long term, I've-known-you-forever friendships. The kind of friendship where you drop everything to help each other. Each girl with her very own personality, her strengths and her weaknesses.

[Tanya Teeter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Predictable, non-dimensional characters. I stayed up way too late reading a book I kept hoping would redeem itself. Not worth how tired I will feel tomorrow.

[Sheri · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't often abandon books, but after 4% of this drivel I had to let it go. The writing was just so stilted and read like a mini biography of each character. I just didn't care to go on.

[Teresa Perrott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully Emotional

Can friendship survive the years? Brenda , Angel, Lexi and Mel have but does their 39th birthday week cause to many problems to survive it? Brenda has been married since she was young to Bob but is all as it seems in their marriage? Lexus is the mother of the group mothering her friends and being the person they all turn to but is all as it seems with her health? Mel seems to be the career girl and do tent with being a workaholic but then she meets Jack and rethink everything? Angel is the starlet that also has the bad habits that others before her have had will it be her downfall? Read how the year ahead being a many changes, tears, happiness and laughter to the four friends and how will they all cope when things are thrown at them by life. A brilliant emotional read that you want never to end.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four women, friends since their childhood, are united to celebrate their 39th birthday. Each one has a different background; there's a businesswoman who lives only for work, an actress who is afraid of getting old, a housewife who is dissatisfied with her husband and a famous artist who can't accept a
commitment in love.
their friendship is so strong that they find themselves helping one another when their lives are suddenly turned upside down.
I enjoyed seeing their friendship grow. Of course, I must say that they were among the privileged few, riches and luxury living were their destiny. This fact made their lives seem more like a fairy tale.
Nice reading but a bit optimistic as well as removed from everyday life.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like Chick Lit and was not expecting anything profound when I started this book but reading it was downright painful. The plot was very predictable very soon into the book but that didn’t bother me as most Chick Lit is predictable. What did bother me was that none of the characters were developed to a point where I cared what happened to them. The writing style was excruciating and reminded me of “See Spot Run”. This is the second book by this author that I’ve read. I won’t be reading any more.

[Nic · Rating 2 out of 5]

The start had me hopeful for this story, but I feel like it just never takes off, and the second half felt different than the first in writing style (descriptions felt even briefer).
The premise of the story is fine, however writing about each of the four girls results in none of them being able to be fleshed out. The descriptions feel too simple and glossed over.

While I liked the story and wanted to find out what happened to all the characters, it wasn't a surprise and you could guess where the plot was going a mile away.

A really really light read, mind your expectations on this one.

[Mari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow 4 friends that have known each other all of there lives. have gone through ups and downs together. I loved each lady but Angel could work my nerves at times. This story will take you through and emotional roller coaster. Lexi was the rock of the group, Brenda was sweetest of the group, she was different then the rest of them. Mel was really quiet and a workaholic, Angel was your classic diva. Their friendship was special and unique. I loved this book and truly recommend it.

[Demei · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Lawless books. They are comforting and uplifting and this book was no different. I loved the Florida scenery and culture the book was based on and the good friends, romance and food. The only downside for me was a sad moment in the book which I’m not a fan of. Otherwise, I highly enjoyed this summer read.

[Adele · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a cute story, but everything felt like a cliche. Everyone ends up with their Prince Charming and (to add some token sadness) one woman dies of cancer and watches over her friends from above. I guess it’s a good beach read, but it’s got almost no depth and I personally would not recommend it.

[Marion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

I enjoyed reading The Birthday Girls. Each character was developed with great care. It truly shows the love that real friends can have for each other and how the years don't matter.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read which meant for the first time in ages I read a book in 4 days! Lovely story of 4 lifelong girlfriends who are coping with everything life throws at you as they reach their 40's. An emotional rollercoaster which had me crying, laughing and smiling throughout.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this book! Great writing & absolutely wonderful characters.. 4 friends from Ireland originally, who met at 4 years old.. about to celebrate their 39th birthday.. it just goes on from there.. one of those books I didn't want to end, but could not put it down!!

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read

A story about four women who have been friends since elementary school. I enjoyed it. They grew up in Ireland and three of the four came to America. This story is about each of their lives as they celebrate their 39th birthday.

[Gina Lackey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book.

Loved this book because of the closeness of the friends. I have two sisters and so many of the friends traits reminds me of how me and my sister's react.

[Alyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

So predictable, some parts were way too detailed while other events were just a sentence.

[Cathy Sauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book very entertaining and finished it in 2 days. I found it had to put down.

[Tamra Hall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Utterly predictable

[Angela Washington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful friends

Such a good read. Characters were so dimensional. The ending was well expected. I will be excited to read more

[Splendid · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it a lot, surprisingly, since it was total chick-lit. I even gave it four stars!

[Kim Cataldo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, easy read.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book but pretty predictible also. Nice read for summer!

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good beach read

Storyline wasn’t anything too in-depth or awe inspiring. But a decent read to pass the time. Just a touch of bittersweet to go with fairy tale ending.