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With a Friend Like You
A warm and witty look at a female friendship gone wrong - this is women at war!
Beth is a woman in supreme control of all aspects of her life and family, with a stellar career and her house an oasis of calm. Her closest friend, Megan, is very different; somehow she swims through the chaos of her family with ease, the clutter on the stairs, the cat footprints on the kitchen work space. And while they could not be more different, Beth and Megan have a genuine friendship built on years of laugher, tears and true understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses. Because that's what friends do, isn't it?
But when Beth's daughter reveals a surprising secret, a wedge is driven between Beth and Megan. What begins as mild recrimination and misunderstanding develops into a full-blown row and then a simmering feud. As the two women square up to do battle in the London suburbs, there's everything to play for. All's fair in love and war...
With her wisdom, insight and wicked humour, Fanny Blake shines a light on to female friendships, in this delicious tale of two so-called best friends.
Beth is a woman in supreme control of all aspects of her life and family, with a stellar career and her house an oasis of calm. Her closest friend, Megan, is very different; somehow she swims through the chaos of her family with ease, the clutter on the stairs, the cat footprints on the kitchen work space. And while they could not be more different, Beth and Megan have a genuine friendship built on years of laugher, tears and true understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses. Because that's what friends do, isn't it?
But when Beth's daughter reveals a surprising secret, a wedge is driven between Beth and Megan. What begins as mild recrimination and misunderstanding develops into a full-blown row and then a simmering feud. As the two women square up to do battle in the London suburbs, there's everything to play for. All's fair in love and war...
With her wisdom, insight and wicked humour, Fanny Blake shines a light on to female friendships, in this delicious tale of two so-called best friends.
- GenresFiction
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 14, 2014
14 people are currently reading
464 people want to read
About the author
Fanny Blake
38 books115 followers Fanny Blake was a publisher for many years, editing fiction and general non-fiction before becoming a freelance journalist and writer. She has written several bestsellers and acted as ghost writer for a number of celebrities. She is also Books Editor of womanandhome magazine. Her novels include The Secrets Women Keep (Orion) and With a Friend Like You (Orion).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
December 2, 2016
Right from the beginning I found I disagreed with the main character Beth, from her parenting or lack thereof and her attitudes to just about everything. It struck me that Beth seemed to expect her daughter to confide in her and have a relationship with her when she had not taken time to build that during her younger years, because she was always too busy with her career. At one point her husband Jon tells her she is ‘controlling’ and ‘selfish.’ He was spot on. From the moment her daughter, Ella, tells her parents she is pregnant, (Not a spoiler it happens in the first sentence.) Beth tries to manipulate everything. What complicates matters further is when she finds out her friend Megan knew about Ella’s pregnancy before she did, it hurts and infuriates her. A huge and seemingly insurmountable rift comes between these two who have been close friends for years. Games of one up man ship ensue.
I really didn’t like any of the characters in this novel although I did feel some sympathy at times for Jon, though even he had his brain fade moments. However, even though I didn’t like the characters they came across, sadly, as only too real and I thought the ending was predictable. This is definitely chick lit, but if you enjoy books about friendship and family issues then you may enjoy it. And others may relate to the characters better than I did.
I really didn’t like any of the characters in this novel although I did feel some sympathy at times for Jon, though even he had his brain fade moments. However, even though I didn’t like the characters they came across, sadly, as only too real and I thought the ending was predictable. This is definitely chick lit, but if you enjoy books about friendship and family issues then you may enjoy it. And others may relate to the characters better than I did.
June 15, 2021
Beth and Megan have been very good friends for years. Beth's eighteen year old daughter Ella suddenly made her announcement to her mother that she is pregnant. As Ella was now pregnant, what will happen to her plans for the future?. The predicted star-graded A levels, the place to study medicine at Cambridge. These were she she worked for. Ella hasn't even told her boyfriend. To make matters worse Ella told her secret of being pregnant first to her mum's best friend Megan. But Megan decided to keep it a secret and not tell her best friend Beth that her daughter was pregnant. When Beth found out that Ella told her best friend first it develops to a full-blown row between Beth and Megan. Much more genuine things happen along way.
August 11, 2015
An extraordinarily well written novel about friendship where I literally wanted to slap everyone in it! Full review to follow.
August 15, 2015
Posted in full http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk/2015...
With a Friend Like You is an engaging tale of family and friendship – and how it can all fall apart in an instant. Beth and Megan are best friends. They’re extremely close to each other, always there to confide in or to put a smile on the other’s face, always there to help each other through daily life. They both have very different personalities and outlooks on life. Beth is a lawyer – strict, professional and aware of everything she wants in life for herself and her family. Married to Jon and with two daughters in Ella and Amy, she’s fairly content with the way their lives are working out. Megan, who was my favourite of the two, is a school teacher, married and with two children in Hannah and Jake. In Megan’s home, it seems quite obvious that there’s a much more carefree atmosphere. I had the feeling Megan and her husband Pete could cope with a bit of upheaval a little easier and I think that’s why I connected with them both more because they were calmer and less controlling than Beth appeared to be.
Early on, we see that Beth relies on Megan’s friendship an awful lot, taking comfort out of the knowledge that Megan is only a phone call away. Megan appreciates their friendship too but I think Beth probably needed the support a bit more. Fanny Blake has really quite excellently broken down the inner workings of family and friendship, drilling into what makes them work and all the little strands that once damaged, may no longer be able to be repaired. What I loved about this book was that it’s not simply the story of a feud between two women who were once friends. The ties between their two families were more than just the friendship between Beth and Megan – they were all friends. Husbands Jon and Pete were best mates and had been for the longest time – always there for the banter and the chats about footy and there was a real bond between them. Amy and Hannah were best friends, spending those rebellious years together as they avoid studying as best they can. Ella and Jake were also close friends too as really, both families appeared to be blended into one. Their individual friendships were all well-drawn and believable but they were all so close that you kind of knew that one bit of unexpected news could leave a lasting impact on them all. So when Ella admits that she is pregnant, all hell breaks loose…
The characters in this book were fantastically written. Each one felt so honest and realistic that it made them really easy to picture. Two families, not perfect, each with secrets and hidden things going on behind closed doors. Fanny really seems to have knowledge of each generation of a family and their thought processes, feelings and motives in life. I really liked how it wasn’t black and white with any of the characters – they weren’t all obviously likeable or otherwise. Instead, they each had traits that you can relate to and identify with, and for me it wasn’t ever as simple as making my mind up on whether I liked them or not, because they were always changing my mind. That this book is set around Beth and Megan and yet I felt like I knew each member of their families just as well is credit to how strongly Fanny developed her characters and made each of them three-dimensional, flawed and genuine.
Beth was the character I most changed my mind on. I could see how much she cared for her family but I think she liked the control too much, as when she lost control, everything seemed to fall to pieces in her life. She seemed to quite often relate everything back to her, as in if something happened which really wasn’t that much to do with her, she’d make it about herself and think about how it would impact her first. At times that felt like a bit of a harsh judgment, because she had those moments where her love shone through and it appeared to become the most important thing in the world for Beth just for each member of her family to be ok. I think, like all good mothers, deep down that was the case for Beth but she sometimes struggled to show it. She had plans for her family, plans she thought they were all in agreement over but Ella’s pregnancy changes everything and she’s no idea how to cope with that, especially when she doesn’t even feel like she can turn to Megan.
There were times where I felt like I knew where this book was going and then others where it really surprised me. Secrets and twists are revealed which had me fascinated and trying to scramble together where I thought each character in this book would end up. I definitely wanted Megan and Beth to resolve their friendship although I did have mixed feelings about their feud throughout this book. At times I found the bitterness between them to be quite sad, that they would let something get in the way of such a long-term, rewarding friendship when all they really needed to do was sit down and talk to each other. Then again, I did find some of the snarky remarks, mostly on Beth’s part, to be an amusing aspect to this story as Beth’s attitude towards their former friendship got a little out of control.
With a Friend Like You really was all about an exploration of friendship and it also showed the contrast between controlling life and taking life how it comes, and how really when it comes down to it, neither work all that well. What I really loved here was how all the drama, the fights and the friendships are so easy to picture happening in real life. Like, I could look up from reading the book (not that I ever did choose to) and spot the likeness between one of the fictional characters and one of the people surrounding me at the time. I’m also not a great fan of books being wrapped up too neatly and so this one worked like a treat for me. With a Friend Like You was a great book – intriguing, true to life and well written from start to finish. It’s the first book I’ve read from this author but I’m now looking forward to reading more in the future.
(review copy)
July 21, 2021
This was an okay read. FULL of secrects and so you expect the resulting drama. I could not find a character I sympathised with but it kept me engaged enough to reach the last page so that's a lil of something something...🤷♀️
August 22, 2015
This story of how a very close friendship can suddenly break down and turn into an on-going, and at times, quite vicious feud is expertly written with wonderfully perceptive observations that at times could prove to be uncomfortably familiar to some readers.
Two families whose friendship has grown over many years. Two couples who have lived out their lives together; meeting, falling in love, marrying, becoming parents, raising their children. They have shared everything, from holidays to parenting duties. Each couple have two children, and these children have been raised as a family. They've shared everything, and become closer and closer as the years have passed.
Beth and Megan are the two mothers in this story. Two very different women. Beth is a confident career women, her life is organised, her house is neat and tidy, she is in control. Megan is a teacher, she bakes cakes, her cushions may be battered and worn and there may be stray cat hairs in the kitchen, but she is warm and funny and intelligent. Her parenting style is more laid-back, she's happy when her family is happy. Beth and Megan may be opposites but their friendship is strong. They are loyal to each other, they are confidantes and soul mates.
When Beth's daughter Ella announces her news, the link between these two families is both strengthened, yet shattered, and from that moment things will change, and will never ever be quite the same again.
Fanny Blake takes the much overlooked in literature, fifty-something female and proves that the older woman is far more interesting and much more complicated than the more traditional heroines who tend to be younger and taking their first steps into adult life. With A Friend Like You will touch a nerve for many readers, exposing as it does, the complex and often painful truths about women and their friendships,
There are times when both Beth and Megan behave appallingly, and whilst I personally had much more sympathy for Megan, there were times that I empathised with Beth, and if I'm honest, was quite impressed by her. Beth's ability to touch the exact tender spot, to inflict the worst possible pain with only words as a weapon is quite brilliant.
With A Friend Like You is a in-depth examination of female friendship, it considers many issues, and is assured and at times, very funny. Whilst Beth and Megan are most certainly the stars of the story, their families are also portrayed realistically, each with their own individual and well rounded characters.
A really wonderful novel, I enjoyed every minute of it, and eagerly anticipate her next book.
Two families whose friendship has grown over many years. Two couples who have lived out their lives together; meeting, falling in love, marrying, becoming parents, raising their children. They have shared everything, from holidays to parenting duties. Each couple have two children, and these children have been raised as a family. They've shared everything, and become closer and closer as the years have passed.
Beth and Megan are the two mothers in this story. Two very different women. Beth is a confident career women, her life is organised, her house is neat and tidy, she is in control. Megan is a teacher, she bakes cakes, her cushions may be battered and worn and there may be stray cat hairs in the kitchen, but she is warm and funny and intelligent. Her parenting style is more laid-back, she's happy when her family is happy. Beth and Megan may be opposites but their friendship is strong. They are loyal to each other, they are confidantes and soul mates.
When Beth's daughter Ella announces her news, the link between these two families is both strengthened, yet shattered, and from that moment things will change, and will never ever be quite the same again.
Fanny Blake takes the much overlooked in literature, fifty-something female and proves that the older woman is far more interesting and much more complicated than the more traditional heroines who tend to be younger and taking their first steps into adult life. With A Friend Like You will touch a nerve for many readers, exposing as it does, the complex and often painful truths about women and their friendships,
There are times when both Beth and Megan behave appallingly, and whilst I personally had much more sympathy for Megan, there were times that I empathised with Beth, and if I'm honest, was quite impressed by her. Beth's ability to touch the exact tender spot, to inflict the worst possible pain with only words as a weapon is quite brilliant.
With A Friend Like You is a in-depth examination of female friendship, it considers many issues, and is assured and at times, very funny. Whilst Beth and Megan are most certainly the stars of the story, their families are also portrayed realistically, each with their own individual and well rounded characters.
A really wonderful novel, I enjoyed every minute of it, and eagerly anticipate her next book.
November 11, 2015
"I'm pregnant" It's how the novel starts, with Ella telling this to her mother Beth. From here starts a revolution in the perfect relationship build between the two families. Beth and Megan who once were such close friends that confined everything to one another and supported each other, begin to distance themselves. Some jealousy and the interest in looking for the best choices to their own children make them fall apart. Words that shouldn't had been spoken and secrets once revealed make the plot of this beautiful novel of friendship and family matters. A very human family drama. The human emotions are so well exposed, with the god and bad inside every soul. All of the characters are so unique. I could say that I hated Beth at the beginning she was so selfish and self-centered but I could find sympathy for the love she have for her daughters and the why she made the things she did, but the other characters build their own mistakes by the end. It's a marvelous novel. I totally recommend it and I ill be looking for more novels of this author.
January 13, 2016
this is an interesting book - it follows the lives of two families; predominantly through the mums, Beth and Megan. Beth's daughter is pregnant at 18 and various drama's unfold following this.
I found it hard to keep up with which mum was which, for whatever reason I kept getting Beth and Megan mixed up.
There are a few subjects that are covered in the story that I felt were glossed over or missed an opportunity to explore the characters in a little more depth. That said it's a nice easy read with a 'neat' ending, which is nice (although entirely predictable).
I'm not sure if I'll look out for anymore of this authors work; I think it would have to have exceptional reviews for me to try any more.
I found it hard to keep up with which mum was which, for whatever reason I kept getting Beth and Megan mixed up.
There are a few subjects that are covered in the story that I felt were glossed over or missed an opportunity to explore the characters in a little more depth. That said it's a nice easy read with a 'neat' ending, which is nice (although entirely predictable).
I'm not sure if I'll look out for anymore of this authors work; I think it would have to have exceptional reviews for me to try any more.
May 15, 2018
Predictable.
I'm appalled by the predictability of this book. Even the plot twists felt too staged. As if the author thought "Ooh , let's add some drama to shake it up" and achieved the exact opposite.
Anyway , the pro-life / pro-abortion debate was poorly executed. I expected less emotion and more reason but it's chick-lit so what can one expect?It was all superficial and emotionally charged. I hated all the characters , their non-conforming and unreasonable personalities were so easy to dislike.
Glad to have steam-rolled until the very end and of course , everything is just peachy at the end. Perfectly all right because that's how life works.
I'm appalled by the predictability of this book. Even the plot twists felt too staged. As if the author thought "Ooh , let's add some drama to shake it up" and achieved the exact opposite.
Anyway , the pro-life / pro-abortion debate was poorly executed. I expected less emotion and more reason but it's chick-lit so what can one expect?It was all superficial and emotionally charged. I hated all the characters , their non-conforming and unreasonable personalities were so easy to dislike.
Glad to have steam-rolled until the very end and of course , everything is just peachy at the end. Perfectly all right because that's how life works.
June 9, 2016
Just not my cup of tea :( A bit slow and cloggy for me. Great concept if it's your type of read though :)
December 29, 2017
Not bad but a bit slow and boring some times.
June 14, 2018
I enjoyed this although, at times, I found Beth hugely irritating.
September 7, 2014
The story centers around two family matriarchs Beth and Megan. A friendship that has spanned many years they are the best of friends although two very different characters.
Beth is the organised professional lawyer with a pristine household with Jon her husband and two daughters Ella and Amy. Ella is not unlike her mother, organised, controlled, knows what she wants out of life and Amy is the complete opposite.
Megan is almost the opposite of Beth; she has a more laid back attitude to life, is a teacher in a primary school married to Pete and has a daughter Hannah and a son Jake. Megan we learn was friends with both Jon and Pete (Pete she eventually marries) who are also best friends long before Beth arrived on the scene but once she became part of the group Megan and Beth became instant friends.
The two women and their families have been very close for a number of years, holidaying together, sharing trials and tribulations, being there for each other in times of stress, each leaning on the other for support. They have a deep understanding of each other intuitively knowing what the other would think or do in a given situation so we are told.
Their easy going relationship suddenly is thrown into chaos when Ella finds she is pregnant and after initially refusing to name the father she eventually drops the bomb. This is bad enough but when Beth finds out that Ella has confided in Megan before she told her mother everything spirals out of control and the friendship of the two women and families is put to the test. Not being able to forgive Megan for not telling her Beth is also hell bent on convincing Ella to have an abortion so that she does not ruin her life.
Fanny Blake takes the reader on a journey through the friendship of both the women, their husbands and children on how this situation affects them all. It is well written and has some good emotive passages. I don't know that I particularly found this book to be funny as such, it was realistic and relevant but not laugh out loud funny as the blurb suggested it might be so that was a little disappointing. I was frustrated that after the initial news of Ella being pregnant nothing significant happened really until around page 256 when another secret is revealed that adds to the drama.
I liked Megan, I thought that Beth however was too wrapped up in herself, it appeared that whatever happened or was said she took personally and it became all about Beth when in fact it shouldn't have been. I felt sorry for Jon who she seemed to neglect, his feelings were not really considered by her she felt that everyone should be considering her feelings above all others which made her appear shallow and self-centered. She seemed to be a control freak and when this was taken away from her she couldn't cope with others taking charge of their lives. She exaggerated every situation blowing it out of all context and I felt that she made trouble and problems where they didn't really exist. I felt so sorry for her patient husband Jon forever trying to pacify her and make her see sense all the elements that she practiced for her clients as a lawyer but she failed to have in her toolbox for herself.
Megan appealed much more to me as a character; she was warm, loving, a bit scatty and easy going. Yes I could understand how she was caught in the middle and collateral damage in the crossfire and I really wanted her to tell Beth to 'get a life' and stop being such a pain in the arse but she was much too nice. And what about Pete? Megan certainly deserved better in my opinion, always away and when he was home he came across as a bit of a drunk and unconcerned in anything happening around him. Poor Megan.
Two women so close who profess to know each other so well, would have I am sure ironed out their differences sooner that these two did. Megan should have known that Beth would react badly to Ella telling her of her pregnancy first and therefore should have refused to keep such a secret from her dearest friend, so this didn't really ring true for me. In turn Beth knowing how easy going Megan was really wouldn't have felt that she couldn't have discussed this with her without turning the whole thing into a battle ground so again given the background of such closeness it didn't work for me.
Why couldn't Ella feel she could confide in her mother? This was never made clear at all. Ella although meant to be driven and focused on her career and future, a sensible logical woman appeared to fall at the first hurdle. It did come across that Ella was spoiled and indulged and perhaps that's why she behaved as she did. She came across as rather cold towards Beth and doting on Jon presumably this added to Beth's behavior in the book.
I felt that the story could have been so much shorter, it was very repetitive in parts and quite predictable in others; there were a couple of curve balls and it was well written which in my opinion saved it.
All in all this didn't really have enough happening in it to keep me sufficiently interested, in fact I felt that Beth was so miserable and self-centered that I really got past the point of caring whether it all turned out well for the two families. I thought Megan and Pete would be better off without the friendship and Megan certainly deserved a better friend and a better deal.
I did struggle to finish this book but it was mainly due to Beth being such a pain and making me feel that I wasn't engaged with her enough to care about whether she stayed friends with Megan, whether the birth of her first grandchild made her relationship with her daughter any better, or whether the long suffering Jon gave up and went to live in a hippy commune somewhere with the lovable Megan - which actually would have made a better ending! Not really believable enough for me I'm afraid. I can only give this one 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 for Amazon and Goodreads) and that's due to a couple of good twists and liking Megan.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.
Beth is the organised professional lawyer with a pristine household with Jon her husband and two daughters Ella and Amy. Ella is not unlike her mother, organised, controlled, knows what she wants out of life and Amy is the complete opposite.
Megan is almost the opposite of Beth; she has a more laid back attitude to life, is a teacher in a primary school married to Pete and has a daughter Hannah and a son Jake. Megan we learn was friends with both Jon and Pete (Pete she eventually marries) who are also best friends long before Beth arrived on the scene but once she became part of the group Megan and Beth became instant friends.
The two women and their families have been very close for a number of years, holidaying together, sharing trials and tribulations, being there for each other in times of stress, each leaning on the other for support. They have a deep understanding of each other intuitively knowing what the other would think or do in a given situation so we are told.
Their easy going relationship suddenly is thrown into chaos when Ella finds she is pregnant and after initially refusing to name the father she eventually drops the bomb. This is bad enough but when Beth finds out that Ella has confided in Megan before she told her mother everything spirals out of control and the friendship of the two women and families is put to the test. Not being able to forgive Megan for not telling her Beth is also hell bent on convincing Ella to have an abortion so that she does not ruin her life.
Fanny Blake takes the reader on a journey through the friendship of both the women, their husbands and children on how this situation affects them all. It is well written and has some good emotive passages. I don't know that I particularly found this book to be funny as such, it was realistic and relevant but not laugh out loud funny as the blurb suggested it might be so that was a little disappointing. I was frustrated that after the initial news of Ella being pregnant nothing significant happened really until around page 256 when another secret is revealed that adds to the drama.
I liked Megan, I thought that Beth however was too wrapped up in herself, it appeared that whatever happened or was said she took personally and it became all about Beth when in fact it shouldn't have been. I felt sorry for Jon who she seemed to neglect, his feelings were not really considered by her she felt that everyone should be considering her feelings above all others which made her appear shallow and self-centered. She seemed to be a control freak and when this was taken away from her she couldn't cope with others taking charge of their lives. She exaggerated every situation blowing it out of all context and I felt that she made trouble and problems where they didn't really exist. I felt so sorry for her patient husband Jon forever trying to pacify her and make her see sense all the elements that she practiced for her clients as a lawyer but she failed to have in her toolbox for herself.
Megan appealed much more to me as a character; she was warm, loving, a bit scatty and easy going. Yes I could understand how she was caught in the middle and collateral damage in the crossfire and I really wanted her to tell Beth to 'get a life' and stop being such a pain in the arse but she was much too nice. And what about Pete? Megan certainly deserved better in my opinion, always away and when he was home he came across as a bit of a drunk and unconcerned in anything happening around him. Poor Megan.
Two women so close who profess to know each other so well, would have I am sure ironed out their differences sooner that these two did. Megan should have known that Beth would react badly to Ella telling her of her pregnancy first and therefore should have refused to keep such a secret from her dearest friend, so this didn't really ring true for me. In turn Beth knowing how easy going Megan was really wouldn't have felt that she couldn't have discussed this with her without turning the whole thing into a battle ground so again given the background of such closeness it didn't work for me.
Why couldn't Ella feel she could confide in her mother? This was never made clear at all. Ella although meant to be driven and focused on her career and future, a sensible logical woman appeared to fall at the first hurdle. It did come across that Ella was spoiled and indulged and perhaps that's why she behaved as she did. She came across as rather cold towards Beth and doting on Jon presumably this added to Beth's behavior in the book.
I felt that the story could have been so much shorter, it was very repetitive in parts and quite predictable in others; there were a couple of curve balls and it was well written which in my opinion saved it.
All in all this didn't really have enough happening in it to keep me sufficiently interested, in fact I felt that Beth was so miserable and self-centered that I really got past the point of caring whether it all turned out well for the two families. I thought Megan and Pete would be better off without the friendship and Megan certainly deserved a better friend and a better deal.
I did struggle to finish this book but it was mainly due to Beth being such a pain and making me feel that I wasn't engaged with her enough to care about whether she stayed friends with Megan, whether the birth of her first grandchild made her relationship with her daughter any better, or whether the long suffering Jon gave up and went to live in a hippy commune somewhere with the lovable Megan - which actually would have made a better ending! Not really believable enough for me I'm afraid. I can only give this one 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 for Amazon and Goodreads) and that's due to a couple of good twists and liking Megan.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.
October 4, 2020
Beth & Megan are best friends while their husbands are also best friends, accordingly their children as a result are surely best friends! However, it turns out that Beth’s daughter falls in love with Megan’s son. Hallelujah “We’re having a baby.” The whole issue of the “BEST FRIENDS” collapses and the relation between both families is distracted (thanks to Beth of course) Beth does her best to take revenge, Megan is humiliated, the daughter goes out of the house to live with her lover and Megan, Jon turns out to be a false dad! Gerry is the biological dad, Jon falls for Megan and vice versa, Jake feels disappointed and unwilling to raise this baby at a young age, the baby is out and all live happily ever after! I promise, you’ll read this novel and watch its comedian movie in your head. I could see Octavia Spencer playing Megan. She fits just very well and I hope I’ll see it happening one day.
The language is smooth and the plot is well planned.
Will always cherish London gifts.
The language is smooth and the plot is well planned.
Will always cherish London gifts.
February 29, 2024
This just wasn’t for me.
It felt like it could be one plot-line of Coronation Street but stretched out for over a month.
So many parts of it were irrelevant and made no difference to the plot like Megan’s school issues that just fixed themselves and Beth’s lawyer case that was mentioned for no apparent reason? Except to just show other versions of families who were struggling I guess? That just made it feel like a bit of a slog though. Also when Megan and Jon almost had an affair but that never got discovered by anyone. Why? Also somehow so much filler in the book but it still left loose ends.
This was just not my kind of book and didn’t hold my interest.
It felt like it could be one plot-line of Coronation Street but stretched out for over a month.
So many parts of it were irrelevant and made no difference to the plot like Megan’s school issues that just fixed themselves and Beth’s lawyer case that was mentioned for no apparent reason? Except to just show other versions of families who were struggling I guess? That just made it feel like a bit of a slog though. Also when Megan and Jon almost had an affair but that never got discovered by anyone. Why? Also somehow so much filler in the book but it still left loose ends.
This was just not my kind of book and didn’t hold my interest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2022
I have read quite a few of Blake's books and love them all.
Beth and Megan are best friends, both families spend a lot of time together.
Beth's daughter Ella has a secret but confides in Megan and this leads to a spectacular fall out.
I didn't particularly like Beth, I found her to be too controlling and she wanted everything to go her way.
Megan is much more laid back and relaxed.
There is a great twist which was so unexpected.
Highly recommend
Beth and Megan are best friends, both families spend a lot of time together.
Beth's daughter Ella has a secret but confides in Megan and this leads to a spectacular fall out.
I didn't particularly like Beth, I found her to be too controlling and she wanted everything to go her way.
Megan is much more laid back and relaxed.
There is a great twist which was so unexpected.
Highly recommend
April 1, 2020
Like most people have said I royally wanted to slap Beth round the head. Totally missing the point it isn’t her life but her daughter. BUT despite this (and I got very angry at some points) I could not stop reading. I needed to know if she would grow! The ending I did feel was a bit rushed but it is a good read!
July 7, 2017
I’m afraid I skim-read most of this. I quite liked Megan but couldn’t relate to Beth at all. Surely a cool-headed lawyer wouldn’t behave like that. In my experience most mothers of teenage girls would be thrilled their daughter had a trusted adult they could talk to.
May 18, 2017
A very detailed view of the lives of two families and the way that relationships can flounder.
November 25, 2018
Very true to life and it was so well written...a bit depressing I found.
January 23, 2020
Boring. No plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2020
I read this in one day. Great tale of female friendship with the added complications of family!
April 12, 2021
This book shows how friendships can be made from all different types of people which I loved.
August 12, 2023
This book took foreverrrrr to finish! I just could not get into it! The story line was okay, very slow paced and a bit depressing. Would not recommend.
August 13, 2014
One of the greatest thing being a blogger is the fact that you can read books by authors that, although not new in business, are new to you. I have had Fanny Blake on my radar for a long time already but never read her books, so when I got a chance to review With a Friend Like You it was like Christmas coming earlier this year.
Beth and Megan are best friends, same as their husbands. They couldn't be more different: Megan is more the hippie one, a teacher with passion, living the day and not worrying about cat hair in her food, while Beth is always in control, she has everything planned, also the future of her children, so imagine her surprise when her daughter Bella comes home one day and says she's pregnant. First she doesn't want to tell her who baby's father is but then she drops the bomb.
It wouldn't be perhaps so bad but Ella has first gone to Megan to ask for advice and not to her mother, and this fact slips somehow in one conversation. Beth can't forgive Megan that she hasn't told her and Megan claims she couldn't let Bella's trust down. There is also the fact that Beth wants Bella to absolutely terminate the pregnancy, claiming that Bella is going to destroy her future life before it ever started.
Is the beautiful friendship broken for ever? Is the pregnancy going to affect the families? Is Bella going to keep the baby? Who is the father of her baby?
Those and many, many more question you can expect in this wonderful, beautiful, emotional and true book! I can't say more because I don't want to spoil the reading for you, but whatever you do, drop this and please go and buy this book.
This a brilliant, very complex story with many threads, many twists and turns and unexpected situations dropped at you without warning. It shows how people behave in different situation and how they adapt to them. Or not. It's about the tests in life, the fairness or unfairness of life. About true friendship and families.
The characters were brilliantly written, the same as their emotions. The way they spoken, felt was almost palpable and very realistic. I loved the fact that it seemed so real, it could have happened to me, my neighbours or friends and I totally felt for the characters, I went with them through all that was happening. While I understood Beth, that she could have felt hurt and betrayed by Megan, I personally think that she exaggerated too much and that she behaved not adequate to the situation. I liked Megan much more, with her down - to - earth, easy - going approach and I warmed to her immediately, because she was not at all guilty. She was caught between two stools and I think I wouldn't know what to do when I was in her shoes and Beth, instead making this easier, just made the things much more difficult - for all characters involved! And believe me, even this little "fling" of Megan couldn't change my opinion about her! Beth, on the other hand, saw problems where there were no problems at all and there were moments that I wanted to slap her so, so hard!
I also couldn't warm to Bella. Yes, she stood for herself and the baby, although her mother didn't make it easier for her, but Megan once told a sentence that perfectly described Bella: "what Bella wants, Bella gets", and it was really the case. In my eyes a spoiled child, using everybody just to get what she wanted.
The male characters have also played a big role in the story, and it doesn't often happen that they are so exact, detailed described. There wouldn't be this book without them, their friendship and their history, and I enjoyed both of them totally and kept my fingers crossed for them, especially Beth's husband who, well, must have bear a lot in his life and I find him a very loyal, very patient gentleman. As for Megan's husband, I was expecting some kind of accident, some kind of a wild adventure, I had a feeling that there is some kind of drama coming, but even without this there was enough action.
This story is wonderfully written. Every word has its own place there, there is no word out of order. The pace is brilliant, there is not a single flat moment, the tension is great and I couldn't put the book down. It was full of surprises and I really couldn't be sure where the author is going to take us, where is the story going to turn, what kind of surprise, new character, new fact is awaiting us on the next page. While there were moments or situations that were a little predictable, most of them were unpredictable, and not everything was as obvious as I thought it could be.
There was actually not a single thing that was wrong with this book. It was packed with livid, colourful characters that you rooted for, a lot of action that kept you hooked, many emotions that you could also feel, and an interesting, dynamic plot. I don't need more from a book, it has made my perfect read for some evenings and kept me awake in the night, as I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended!
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
Beth and Megan are best friends, same as their husbands. They couldn't be more different: Megan is more the hippie one, a teacher with passion, living the day and not worrying about cat hair in her food, while Beth is always in control, she has everything planned, also the future of her children, so imagine her surprise when her daughter Bella comes home one day and says she's pregnant. First she doesn't want to tell her who baby's father is but then she drops the bomb.
It wouldn't be perhaps so bad but Ella has first gone to Megan to ask for advice and not to her mother, and this fact slips somehow in one conversation. Beth can't forgive Megan that she hasn't told her and Megan claims she couldn't let Bella's trust down. There is also the fact that Beth wants Bella to absolutely terminate the pregnancy, claiming that Bella is going to destroy her future life before it ever started.
Is the beautiful friendship broken for ever? Is the pregnancy going to affect the families? Is Bella going to keep the baby? Who is the father of her baby?
Those and many, many more question you can expect in this wonderful, beautiful, emotional and true book! I can't say more because I don't want to spoil the reading for you, but whatever you do, drop this and please go and buy this book.
This a brilliant, very complex story with many threads, many twists and turns and unexpected situations dropped at you without warning. It shows how people behave in different situation and how they adapt to them. Or not. It's about the tests in life, the fairness or unfairness of life. About true friendship and families.
The characters were brilliantly written, the same as their emotions. The way they spoken, felt was almost palpable and very realistic. I loved the fact that it seemed so real, it could have happened to me, my neighbours or friends and I totally felt for the characters, I went with them through all that was happening. While I understood Beth, that she could have felt hurt and betrayed by Megan, I personally think that she exaggerated too much and that she behaved not adequate to the situation. I liked Megan much more, with her down - to - earth, easy - going approach and I warmed to her immediately, because she was not at all guilty. She was caught between two stools and I think I wouldn't know what to do when I was in her shoes and Beth, instead making this easier, just made the things much more difficult - for all characters involved! And believe me, even this little "fling" of Megan couldn't change my opinion about her! Beth, on the other hand, saw problems where there were no problems at all and there were moments that I wanted to slap her so, so hard!
I also couldn't warm to Bella. Yes, she stood for herself and the baby, although her mother didn't make it easier for her, but Megan once told a sentence that perfectly described Bella: "what Bella wants, Bella gets", and it was really the case. In my eyes a spoiled child, using everybody just to get what she wanted.
The male characters have also played a big role in the story, and it doesn't often happen that they are so exact, detailed described. There wouldn't be this book without them, their friendship and their history, and I enjoyed both of them totally and kept my fingers crossed for them, especially Beth's husband who, well, must have bear a lot in his life and I find him a very loyal, very patient gentleman. As for Megan's husband, I was expecting some kind of accident, some kind of a wild adventure, I had a feeling that there is some kind of drama coming, but even without this there was enough action.
This story is wonderfully written. Every word has its own place there, there is no word out of order. The pace is brilliant, there is not a single flat moment, the tension is great and I couldn't put the book down. It was full of surprises and I really couldn't be sure where the author is going to take us, where is the story going to turn, what kind of surprise, new character, new fact is awaiting us on the next page. While there were moments or situations that were a little predictable, most of them were unpredictable, and not everything was as obvious as I thought it could be.
There was actually not a single thing that was wrong with this book. It was packed with livid, colourful characters that you rooted for, a lot of action that kept you hooked, many emotions that you could also feel, and an interesting, dynamic plot. I don't need more from a book, it has made my perfect read for some evenings and kept me awake in the night, as I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended!
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
August 7, 2015
I don't think I've ever read a book so focused on female friendship before and so true to my own experience of forming close and lasting friendships over babies and caring for another woman's offspring almost as much as my own.
Megan and Beth met through their husbands two decades ago, but their friendship becomes more about their shared experience of having children who get on extremely well, and play nicely together, thus they are taken completely by surprise when their children's relationships evolve in manner that is unexpected and unwelcome. When this causes a breach between them, both feel betrayed. Beth won't give an inch and gradually the rift widens frustrating their spouses' attempts to patch it up. As the two women behave more like children, so the children mature and start the process of growing away.
Megan and Beth are great characters. Joined at the hip for twenty years, their friendship hits the skids and is held together only by their husbands' longstanding friendship and their memories of an idyllic family life. If they get past this, they must accept that the fundamental basis of their friendship has changed and that they have to build it on something new. Their anger and frustration feels absolutely real as does the exasperation of those that love them.
What worked beautifully was the devise of the problems Megan faced at the school where she was Deputy Head, having to bang heads together and mediate. She is not an unparalleled success at this. Beth is a lawyer dealing with the abduction of children by estranged parents and her efforts on behalf of a father trying to get his daughter back from Pakistan is no more successful than Megan's efforts to reform the school bully. They both work hard to do what is right, but neither allow themselves to think in the same terms about their behaviour towards each other. Beth's view of Megan and visa-versa strongly reflect the problems they both deal with daily at work. Resolution is rarely black and white.
I'd recommend this as a hugely entertaining summer read.
Megan and Beth met through their husbands two decades ago, but their friendship becomes more about their shared experience of having children who get on extremely well, and play nicely together, thus they are taken completely by surprise when their children's relationships evolve in manner that is unexpected and unwelcome. When this causes a breach between them, both feel betrayed. Beth won't give an inch and gradually the rift widens frustrating their spouses' attempts to patch it up. As the two women behave more like children, so the children mature and start the process of growing away.
Megan and Beth are great characters. Joined at the hip for twenty years, their friendship hits the skids and is held together only by their husbands' longstanding friendship and their memories of an idyllic family life. If they get past this, they must accept that the fundamental basis of their friendship has changed and that they have to build it on something new. Their anger and frustration feels absolutely real as does the exasperation of those that love them.
What worked beautifully was the devise of the problems Megan faced at the school where she was Deputy Head, having to bang heads together and mediate. She is not an unparalleled success at this. Beth is a lawyer dealing with the abduction of children by estranged parents and her efforts on behalf of a father trying to get his daughter back from Pakistan is no more successful than Megan's efforts to reform the school bully. They both work hard to do what is right, but neither allow themselves to think in the same terms about their behaviour towards each other. Beth's view of Megan and visa-versa strongly reflect the problems they both deal with daily at work. Resolution is rarely black and white.
I'd recommend this as a hugely entertaining summer read.
November 24, 2014
Beth and Megan have been friends for over twenty years. Megan even introduced Beth to Jon who was to become Beth's husband. Their families grew up together and Megan was always around to help career driven Beth by looking after her children when needed.
All that changes when Beth's oldest daughter Ella faces a life changing situation and confides in Megan before she tells her mum. Beth finds this out eventually and can't understand why Megan kept it a secret. She cuts Megan out of her life completely but things do not always go to plan and Beth will realise that cutting Megan from her life may not be that easy.
This is the first book I have read by Fanny Blake and I'm glad to say I enjoyed it. It explores the relationship between two best friends as well as the mother/daughter and mother /son relationship.
I understood completely why Beth felt hurt at her daughter confiding in Megan but what I found harder to understand was her lack of forgiveness and the fact that she blamed Megan who was only trying to do her best in an awkward situation.
Beth soon became an unlikeable character for me. I really wanted someone to give her a good talking to.
Megan on the other hand I liked and thought her a good friend to Beth.
Jake, Megan's son I liked one minute and the next I wanted to slap him. When you read the book you'll know what I mean. Ella was a typical teenager who thought she knew it all and could move mountains. I wanted Beth to listen to her more instead of scoring points over Megan.
I liked the glimpse into the working lives of Megan as a lawyer and Beth as a deputy head of a school.
I laughed at the meetings of the book club and how Megan and Beth tried to hide that they weren't on friendly terms.
Any book that can stir emotions in the reader as this did for me must be classed as a good read.
This is a very human story about something that lots of families may be having to deal with at this very moment. Some handle it well and some don't. As I said it's a very human story.
All that changes when Beth's oldest daughter Ella faces a life changing situation and confides in Megan before she tells her mum. Beth finds this out eventually and can't understand why Megan kept it a secret. She cuts Megan out of her life completely but things do not always go to plan and Beth will realise that cutting Megan from her life may not be that easy.
This is the first book I have read by Fanny Blake and I'm glad to say I enjoyed it. It explores the relationship between two best friends as well as the mother/daughter and mother /son relationship.
I understood completely why Beth felt hurt at her daughter confiding in Megan but what I found harder to understand was her lack of forgiveness and the fact that she blamed Megan who was only trying to do her best in an awkward situation.
Beth soon became an unlikeable character for me. I really wanted someone to give her a good talking to.
Megan on the other hand I liked and thought her a good friend to Beth.
Jake, Megan's son I liked one minute and the next I wanted to slap him. When you read the book you'll know what I mean. Ella was a typical teenager who thought she knew it all and could move mountains. I wanted Beth to listen to her more instead of scoring points over Megan.
I liked the glimpse into the working lives of Megan as a lawyer and Beth as a deputy head of a school.
I laughed at the meetings of the book club and how Megan and Beth tried to hide that they weren't on friendly terms.
Any book that can stir emotions in the reader as this did for me must be classed as a good read.
This is a very human story about something that lots of families may be having to deal with at this very moment. Some handle it well and some don't. As I said it's a very human story.
September 23, 2016
I loved the attention to detail in this book.
November 17, 2015
Beth's career has always been important to her. She aims for perfection in both her professional and her personal life. Her family seems ideal. She has a devoted husband and two beautiful and smart daughters. She also has a wonderful friendship, Megan is Beth's best friend and their families often spend time together. Unfortunately Beth's life is starting to fall apart when her teenage daughter Ella is pregnant. All of a sudden anger, chaos and resentment are starting to dominate Beth's life and her friendship with Megan is under a lot of pressure. What will happen to the two friends who were once so close?
The blurb of With A Friend Like You intrigued me. Even before I started reading this book it managed to captivate me. Friendship is an interesting theme for a novel and Fanny Blake has used it to write a brilliant story. Beth and Megan are very different. Where Megan is laid back and easygoing Beth is strict and stern. The goals she's set for herself and her daughter are important to her. I kept wishing she'd loosen up a little, but I also understood where she was coming from. I felt ambivalent towards the whole situation which was fantastic to experience.
There's no right or wrong side in this book. It's easy for the reader to choose either Beth or Megan, but things are happening, so opinions can change. I liked this manipulation of the perspective of the reader very much. Fanny Blake has told this story in such a clever way. Things are spinning out of control, but there's nothing that can be done to stop it once the whole thing has been set into motion. It's like a train that keeps going faster and faster. I loved that feeling and enjoyed the ride very much.
The blurb of With A Friend Like You intrigued me. Even before I started reading this book it managed to captivate me. Friendship is an interesting theme for a novel and Fanny Blake has used it to write a brilliant story. Beth and Megan are very different. Where Megan is laid back and easygoing Beth is strict and stern. The goals she's set for herself and her daughter are important to her. I kept wishing she'd loosen up a little, but I also understood where she was coming from. I felt ambivalent towards the whole situation which was fantastic to experience.
There's no right or wrong side in this book. It's easy for the reader to choose either Beth or Megan, but things are happening, so opinions can change. I liked this manipulation of the perspective of the reader very much. Fanny Blake has told this story in such a clever way. Things are spinning out of control, but there's nothing that can be done to stop it once the whole thing has been set into motion. It's like a train that keeps going faster and faster. I loved that feeling and enjoyed the ride very much.
August 26, 2014
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It’s nice that a book talks about what goes on around as so it’s easy to relate to. Interesting and funny, and it’s nice to hear the sides both sides of the story from the two leads Megan and Beth. To know what they are going through and their view on the same occurrence. Great choice for women to read, relate to, laugh and enjoy at the same time.
The two lead characters Beth and Megan, were lovely. Their view-points very distinctive from Beth’s pristine and immaculately clean household, to the way Megan exhibits grace-under-pressure in her mess of a life. Though it’s not really difficult to take sides of which woman you support since in your opinion the other’s finickiness makes her too much of a bitch. Won’t say who. A star to both.
Other supporting characters like Jon, Beth’s caring and considerate husband and Pete Megan’s happy-go-lucky husband cannot go unmentioned. And their children: Ella the all in control model daughter and Amy the exact opposite of Ella (are Beth’s). Jake the irresponsible band guy, and Hannah his sister are Megan’s.
I love that reading this book was suspenseful. But it was a tad too predictable and I felt the storyline was stretched for no reason when it could have been cut short and still hold same significance.
On the whole, Everything is en pointe and interesting to read.
I recommend this book to all the women/mothers out there who are either a Beth (neater) or Megan (clutter) ‘cause you can’t be both. I recommend this book to anyone who loves Women’s Fiction that teaches and speaks on issues we all can nod our heads to.
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