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Together Is a Beautiful Place: Finding, Keeping, and Loving Our Friends
Are you lonely? Do you struggle to find the real friends you long for? Here is your invitation to build lasting friendship through meaningful and intentional practices that anyone can do.
The older we get, the less we find ourselves spending time in the company of good friends. Organic friendship becomes nearly impossible―after all, there are all sorts of obligations tugging at our attention. Or we find ourselves getting frustrated with shallow, draining conversations. Or, most painful of all, we feel like no one wants us―and who wants to be rejected?
If you have found yourself desperately wanting connection but confused about why you are not experiencing it, you are not alone. And you don’t have to stay there.
As Christian women, our faith calls us to support one another on the path of growing as a follower of Jesus―a call that will connect us, create a solid foundation for trust, and bind us together in Jesus’ love, no matter what struggles we face on the road of friendship. Together Is a Beautiful Place offers practical habits that are sustainable, deep, and valuable.
You will You will find that it is possible to grow healthy friendships, starting now.
The older we get, the less we find ourselves spending time in the company of good friends. Organic friendship becomes nearly impossible―after all, there are all sorts of obligations tugging at our attention. Or we find ourselves getting frustrated with shallow, draining conversations. Or, most painful of all, we feel like no one wants us―and who wants to be rejected?
If you have found yourself desperately wanting connection but confused about why you are not experiencing it, you are not alone. And you don’t have to stay there.
As Christian women, our faith calls us to support one another on the path of growing as a follower of Jesus―a call that will connect us, create a solid foundation for trust, and bind us together in Jesus’ love, no matter what struggles we face on the road of friendship. Together Is a Beautiful Place offers practical habits that are sustainable, deep, and valuable.
You will You will find that it is possible to grow healthy friendships, starting now.
208 pages, Paperback
Published May 17, 2022
8 people are currently reading
716 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 9, 2021
Best book I’ve ever written 😜
June 20, 2022
I’m giving this book 6 stars because it is just that good. Together Is a Beautiful Place by Bailey T. Hurley is a practical + godly resource for cultivating and sustaining meaningful friendships.
I read this book during one of the most isolating times in my life. Struggling through broken relationships, postpartum depression, juggling all of life’s responsibilities was just weighing me down. I wasn’t sure how to do friendships anymore.
Before the world shut down and becoming a mother I was a social butterfly, first to every event to help pitch in, staying late chatting with a friend, dinner with friends every night of the week and packed weekends of fellowship. Then I found myself anxious at the thought of those things and preferred doing things alone or just staying in instead.
Bailey’s book gave me a fresh perspective of what friendship can look like in the thriving seasons and hard seasons. Being a good friend can be hosting the fun game night or just hopping on FaceTime or Marco Polo to catch up. This book gave me confidence to put myself out there again with friendship and fight for togetherness with those in my community. It empowered me to let friendships go lovingly that were fizzing out.
Bailey doesn’t only tell you about how to be a good friend, she shows you! Highly recommend.
I read this book during one of the most isolating times in my life. Struggling through broken relationships, postpartum depression, juggling all of life’s responsibilities was just weighing me down. I wasn’t sure how to do friendships anymore.
Before the world shut down and becoming a mother I was a social butterfly, first to every event to help pitch in, staying late chatting with a friend, dinner with friends every night of the week and packed weekends of fellowship. Then I found myself anxious at the thought of those things and preferred doing things alone or just staying in instead.
Bailey’s book gave me a fresh perspective of what friendship can look like in the thriving seasons and hard seasons. Being a good friend can be hosting the fun game night or just hopping on FaceTime or Marco Polo to catch up. This book gave me confidence to put myself out there again with friendship and fight for togetherness with those in my community. It empowered me to let friendships go lovingly that were fizzing out.
Bailey doesn’t only tell you about how to be a good friend, she shows you! Highly recommend.
May 17, 2022
Having meaningful friendships as an adult can be really hard! Why didn’t anyone tell us that? In Together is a Beautiful Place, Bailey shares her friendship journey in a way that you will relate to and she points you to what the Bible has to say about friendship. I walked away encouraged to continue fighting and working for the kind of friendships I desire to have. The friend-date ideas, friendship tips, and friendship pep talks sprinkled throughout the book are a huge plus! No matter where you’re at in your friendship journey– this book is for you. I highly recommend it! Haven’t enjoyed a book this long in a while and I couldn’t put it down.
ARC provided by NetGalley–thanks!
ARC provided by NetGalley–thanks!
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January 4, 2022An accessible read for women of all ages to grow in their heart for friendship and to also leave the last page equipped with practical ideas of how to pursue adult, godly, life-giving, Zion-facing friendship. This work matters. As someone who has lost a lot of friends this past year, it gave me a lot of hope, ideas, and encouragement to fight for community!
April 15, 2022
Really enjoyed reading this one! It was equally light-hearted and challenging. I'm grateful that Bailey didn't just talk about all the wonderful things that friendship brings, but also the hard and difficult-to-navigate situations as well... and she gave practical and biblical advice on how to handle them! I could relate to Bailey a lot, because friendship doesn't always come easily as an adult. The chapter on changing seasons was especially helpful for me! Looking forward to re-reading portions of this book in the future!
(I received a digital copy for free in advance. A more thorough review to come on my blog!).
(I received a digital copy for free in advance. A more thorough review to come on my blog!).
May 17, 2022
Making, keeping, and cultivating friendships with others is something almost everyone struggles with, but not many people talk about. Not only does Bailey share great foundational ideas about friendship, but she pairs those ideas with practical advice on how to make those things happen. A wonderful read with a great balance of relatable shared experiences and tips on how to navigate friendship as an adult. I can’t wait to share about this book with friends!
June 29, 2022
4.5 stars
Good mix of practical advice, spiritual wisdom and encouragement.
Good mix of practical advice, spiritual wisdom and encouragement.
May 18, 2022
Synopsis: “I’m not sure what your friendship journey has been up to this moment, but…it’s not too late to find where you belong and discover that together is a beautiful place to be.” While adult friendships are hard to make and navigate, Bailey T. Hurley dives deep into this important topic. Using biblical principles, she’ll walk you through how to sort out lies you may believe about yourself, God, and friendship. (Hint: you are made for friendship and worthy of it!)
Analysis: I probably sound like a broken record player with all of these friendship books, but they are just. So. Good. I loved the biblical emphasis and the deep dive that Bailey took on this book. She really helps evaluate what’s going on in our minds and hearts when it comes to friendship. But then she takes it a step further to help combat those thoughts and emotions. Each chapter concludes with practical friendship advice/ideas such as a “coffee shop crawl” and “cake day.” You’ll just have to read the book for yourself to see what it’s all about!
Thank you NetGalley for this gifted book! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Analysis: I probably sound like a broken record player with all of these friendship books, but they are just. So. Good. I loved the biblical emphasis and the deep dive that Bailey took on this book. She really helps evaluate what’s going on in our minds and hearts when it comes to friendship. But then she takes it a step further to help combat those thoughts and emotions. Each chapter concludes with practical friendship advice/ideas such as a “coffee shop crawl” and “cake day.” You’ll just have to read the book for yourself to see what it’s all about!
Thank you NetGalley for this gifted book! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
March 21, 2023
Bailey explores how to find, keep, and love our friends. As an adult, it can be difficult to start and navigate new friendships, and then with every life shift, we might find ourself starting over. This book is beautifully written and doesn’t shy away from the difficult aspects of friendship. She is raw and real while still being hopeful. The friendship tips, pep talks, and get together ideas give some practical suggestions, along with the inner work. This is definitely a niche book for Christian women seeking godly friendships.
February 22, 2023
An easy, engaging, insightful, practical, encouraging, and (most importantly) Biblical book on friendship! In a time when we have a loneliness epidemic, this book is the tool so many need! God loves us and so we can love others! We don't need to look to our friends to complete us or sustain us or save us - God does that. Bailey has filled this book not only with the why, but also the how! It's a call for us all - no matter how many "friends" we have - to prioritize friendship, love our neighbors, and share the love of Christ though friendship. A great read for anyone looking to invest in friendship.
CONCULSION: 4.5 stars, would recommend!
CONCULSION: 4.5 stars, would recommend!
May 17, 2022
I have been following Bailey on Instagram for a couple of years now. She was recommended to follow by a friend. I have always enjoyed learning from Bailey about friendships and how to foster a place of community well! When I found out about her new book, I had to read it. Bailey takes an authentic approach to friendship and gives practical tips to deepen and strengthen my current relationships. I know I can’t do everything, nor can I be everything to everyone, but I can intentionally love the friends I have and love them well! Bailey’s book discusses how to find a friend and how to deepen current friendships which is something I can appreciate.
October 11, 2025
This book was recommended to me. It gives a full picture of friendship; the close bosom buddies and the season in life friends. It gives practical advice for viewing and cultivating healthy friendships.
October 5, 2024
I know 2 stars is rather low, but for me and where I am at in my life, this was not very helpful. I believe I am older than her, and a few areas she touched on, I wanted to jump through the book to give her advice and a hug. Now, it is a great book for someone starting out in their life (even as a new parent trying to navigate how to make friendships deeper). And it's great for a certain personality type, too. I have been put untruth so many moves, even to other countries, so had to pick up these skills to make friendships or hit depressive slumps pretty hard. But for someone who isn't forced to leave their hometown, I think these tips would be great!
Her writing is fun, though!
Her writing is fun, though!
May 13, 2022
Bailey writes an accessible guide to navigate the difficulties of friendships as adult women. She includes just the right amount of personal narrative to make it relatable but not too much to prevent us from seeing ourselves in it as well. Her use of scripture is appropriate and powerful without being preachy. If you are a woman who desires deep friendships but feels stuck in unfulfilling relationships, this book will give you the tools and encouragement to get un-stuck.
May 17, 2022
Ive struggled with friendships since an early age. Things like feeling left out or not understanding when a friendship starts to fade. This book is Christ centered and points us to the ultimate friend we have in Jesus while also giving real life, easily applicable strategies for being the best friend we can be. Highly recommend!
May 18, 2022
Cultivating friendships, making, tending & keeping them at any age can be a challenge but especially in adulthood. Bailey provides a practical and biblical frameworks for doing just that. Filled with fun ideas, tips and tools this is an essential guide for anyone looking to grow as a friend and cultivate meaningful friendships
May 18, 2022
This book is heartwarming, full of wisdom and practical hands-on activities for you to grow in your friendships. This book doesn't let you off the hook by allowing you to make excuses for being inconsistent with your gal pals. It gives you the tools to move past your previous or current friendship mistakes and grow into healthy, long-lasting friendships—a must-read for anyone with friends.
December 22, 2022
Wisdom, humor and personal stories from her own struggles and triumphs in friendship with a big focus on having a relationship with God. Loved reading this. Whether you are having a hard time making friends, keeping them or navigating a change in the way your friendship functions because of a life change (marriage, kids, moving, etc.) lots of wisdom a fun for almost any stage of life!
June 17, 2023
While this book has some good points, her husband must watch her kids a ton to do all the things she does with friends. Some of just seems unrealistic with a husband and kids. I wonder how much her point of view will change as her kids age. It also sounds like she and her husband don’t have very demanding jobs.
May 8, 2022
A thoughtful, Christ-centered book about making friends, being a good friend, and—sometimes—letting go of friends. This is a helpful, practical book full of engaging stories and Biblical truths. Highly recommend!
August 9, 2022
A super helpful challenging book that was so easy to read. The topics of forming friendships and how the change over time is so complex and this book gave really good perspective into how to do it well.
December 31, 2023
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (Rev 21)…
“And together, with God, is a beautiful place to be.”
“And together, with God, is a beautiful place to be.”
August 13, 2025
One definitely worth reading and going over with friends! So rich and full of grace and wisdom! I really enjoyed this book and feel that I gained new insight on the ministry of friendship! Adding to my list of “must read” books!
June 14, 2022
This book was so good! I read it in one day! Friends are hard to come by and keep it seems in this social media day in age but this book offered wisdom and some fun ideas.
April 28, 2024
Accessible, creative, and Biblical information on making and maintaining friendships.
May 22, 2022
Navigating friendships as an adult is challenging. From jobs to kids, there seems to always be something that keeps us from cultivating friendships. Bailey offers a perspective on how to actually meet your friends in your real life. From honest stories to generous tips she gives a blueprint for togetherness.
March 28, 2024
A sweet book about friendship among women in a Christian community. Although I appreciate the author’s advice and insight, I would have gained more from this book in my 20s and 30s, when the angst of friendship was more of an issue in my life. If you’re struggling with finding and keeping good friends, or if you’re in that “tricky friendships” stage of life (in my experience, my 20s and 30s), this book would be an excellent resource! (If my daughters are reading this, I’m looking at you!) (Audiobook)
August 18, 2022
Bailey knows the struggles we have as 30ish year-old Moms trying to find (and be) good friends. This is a quick read but full of so much goodness and inspiration for all ages.
November 7, 2022
The best, most practical book on friendship I’ve ever read! I will start using Bailey’s ideas, encouragement & tips asap to better my friendships in this season of my life!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews