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Reservations for Six
An entertaining and insightful pageturner about modern marriage and a tight-knit group of friends navigating their 30s and beyond.
It's tradition that on everyone's birthday, the three couples gather to celebrate. They've toasted each other's big life milestones, and been there for each other through loss and disappointment, too. Nathan is the first to turn 40, and when the cake arrives, he makes a shocking announcement. The birthday ritual, and the group of friends, will never be the same again.
Confessions follow, and secrets get revealed. One couple's crumbling marriage forces the other two couples to reexamine their own marriages, and the fault lines that lurk beneath. Will their bonds be strong enough to survive issues like infidelity, infertility, and waning passion, plus a series of crises that push each relationship to the brink? The answers may prove surprising. A year after Nathan's big declaration, as the group gathers for the year's final birthday celebration, every person and every relationship will be fundamentally changed.
Perfect for fans of Emma Straub, J. Courtney Sullivan, and Rebecca Serle, Reservations for Six is a deeply satisfying novel full of wisdom, humor, and heart. It shines a spotlight on the phase of marriage when the fabric has started to fray, and deftly observes how couples cope, grow, and eventually thrive-together or apart.
It's tradition that on everyone's birthday, the three couples gather to celebrate. They've toasted each other's big life milestones, and been there for each other through loss and disappointment, too. Nathan is the first to turn 40, and when the cake arrives, he makes a shocking announcement. The birthday ritual, and the group of friends, will never be the same again.
Confessions follow, and secrets get revealed. One couple's crumbling marriage forces the other two couples to reexamine their own marriages, and the fault lines that lurk beneath. Will their bonds be strong enough to survive issues like infidelity, infertility, and waning passion, plus a series of crises that push each relationship to the brink? The answers may prove surprising. A year after Nathan's big declaration, as the group gathers for the year's final birthday celebration, every person and every relationship will be fundamentally changed.
Perfect for fans of Emma Straub, J. Courtney Sullivan, and Rebecca Serle, Reservations for Six is a deeply satisfying novel full of wisdom, humor, and heart. It shines a spotlight on the phase of marriage when the fabric has started to fray, and deftly observes how couples cope, grow, and eventually thrive-together or apart.
300 pages, Paperback
First published May 10, 2022
81 people are currently reading
3806 people want to read
About the author
Lindsey J. Palmer
6 books102 followersLindsey J. Palmer is a writer, editor, and educator. She is the author of the novels Salt Sisters (coming July 2026!), Reservations for Six, Otherwise Engaged, If We Lived Here, and Pretty in Ink. She worked in the magazine industry for many years, most recently as Features Editor at Self, and previously at Redbook and Glamour. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, she earned a Master of Arts in English Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and taught English at a Manhattan public high school. She is currently the deputy editor of BrainPOP, an animated educational site for kids. Lindsey and her family live on Cape Cod. Visit her at lindseyjpalmer.com, https://www.instagram.com/lindseyjpal... and www.facebook.com/lindseyjpalmerauthor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
May 17, 2022
About the book: “An entertaining and insightful pageturner about modern marriage and a tight-knit group of friends navigating their 30s and beyond.”
I love a story about a close group of friends, where are all the couples are friends, too. In Reservations for Six, there are three couples who get together for each of their birthdays. It’s at Nathan’s birthday dinner that he announces something that will change the group forever.
The thread that was holding the group together begins to fray and fall apart as each couple evaluates their own marriage. For years, the ritual had hidden the pain and unsettled nature of each relationship, but the cracks are starting to show.
One year later, they gather again, all in a different place.
One of the characters in the book was unlikable and loathsome, and his name was apropos for someone I’ve run across in my own life many years ago. 😂 I couldn’t help but think of that.
I really enjoyed this thoughtful story exploring the tenuous dynamics of group friendship and marriage. So often we get into our routines while the world passes around us, and we don’t notice what’s happening right in front of us.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
I love a story about a close group of friends, where are all the couples are friends, too. In Reservations for Six, there are three couples who get together for each of their birthdays. It’s at Nathan’s birthday dinner that he announces something that will change the group forever.
The thread that was holding the group together begins to fray and fall apart as each couple evaluates their own marriage. For years, the ritual had hidden the pain and unsettled nature of each relationship, but the cracks are starting to show.
One year later, they gather again, all in a different place.
One of the characters in the book was unlikable and loathsome, and his name was apropos for someone I’ve run across in my own life many years ago. 😂 I couldn’t help but think of that.
I really enjoyed this thoughtful story exploring the tenuous dynamics of group friendship and marriage. So often we get into our routines while the world passes around us, and we don’t notice what’s happening right in front of us.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
May 14, 2022
You know a book is good when...
A character makes you so mad you yell at your husband 😂 not even kidding.
Three married couples have been friends for many years, celebrating each of their 6 birthdays together at the same restaurant for the past 10 years... Until one friend makes a jaw dropping announcement putting friendships and marriages in jeopardy.
This is a true look at real life marriage, it will anger those who are married, and may perhaps make you appreciate your spouse a bit more.
Marriage is hard, raising kids is hard and this book will give you an eyes wide open look. This elicited so many emotions in me, mostly anger, but also heartbreak and compassion.
A book that makes me feel so much gets all the stars from me.
A character makes you so mad you yell at your husband 😂 not even kidding.
Three married couples have been friends for many years, celebrating each of their 6 birthdays together at the same restaurant for the past 10 years... Until one friend makes a jaw dropping announcement putting friendships and marriages in jeopardy.
This is a true look at real life marriage, it will anger those who are married, and may perhaps make you appreciate your spouse a bit more.
Marriage is hard, raising kids is hard and this book will give you an eyes wide open look. This elicited so many emotions in me, mostly anger, but also heartbreak and compassion.
A book that makes me feel so much gets all the stars from me.
May 14, 2022
Giorgio’s Restaurant is the place where 6 times a year 3 married couples meet to celebrate each birthday. This has been a routine for 10 years. Nathan is the first to turn 40 and drops a bombshell at the table. This bombshell shocks everyone and they begin to question their own relationships with their spouses and themselves.
This book gave me a grownup Melrose Place vibe. It was told from multiple POVS done to perfection. It captured many different struggles that marriages face.
I loved how these 3 couples, all with different life choices, have been so close for so many years despite everything.
In this book, it really opened my eyes how significantly different a person’s life can be at the age of 40! It’s an age where you can become an empty nester or you could become a first time parent. It’s a remarkable age.
Read this if you enjoy the ups and downs of family and friendship.
Thank you LTB for my gifted copy.
This book gave me a grownup Melrose Place vibe. It was told from multiple POVS done to perfection. It captured many different struggles that marriages face.
I loved how these 3 couples, all with different life choices, have been so close for so many years despite everything.
In this book, it really opened my eyes how significantly different a person’s life can be at the age of 40! It’s an age where you can become an empty nester or you could become a first time parent. It’s a remarkable age.
Read this if you enjoy the ups and downs of family and friendship.
Thank you LTB for my gifted copy.
May 15, 2022
Mickey and Mateo. Louisa and Nathan. Amy and Abe. Three couples, six friends. Ten years of gathering together for each other’s birthdays, no matter what.
The story opens at the latest celebration of a trip around the sun- Nathan’s, to be exact. He’s the first to turn 40, so this year’s festivities hit a little differently. Then a revelation is made, causing a ripple effect throughout the group, everyone quietly reflecting on how fast the years have gone by.
Mickey is the wild child, slowed down a bit by getting pregnant with their now teenaged daughter years ago. Her and Mateo have managed to stay together all this time, but sometimes Mateo struggles to keep up with wife, both in and out of the bedroom.
Abe and Amy seem solid at first glance, but Abe feels their home is not yet complete without a child to share it with. Amy, on the other hand, is torn. She wants to make her husband happy, but she can’t shake the fact that what equals happiness for each of them might not be the same thing.
Then there’s Nathan and Louisa. Newer parents to young twins and bogged down at work as a vice principal, Louisa knows their marriage has hit a snag. However, she still can’t help but feel blindsided when Nathan wishes for a divorce as he blows out the candles, citing he’s in love with a much younger, someone else.
Can someone say, check please?
Reservations for Six is a hearty and heartfelt examination with life as its main course. Friendships are strained, marriages are tested, and decisions are questioned. Every few months the group, as it stands, still gathers for another birthday, serving as a sort of checkpoint throughout the novel. While some of the outcomes might seem questionable, they’re nothing if not understandable.
Reservations for Six is a story with complex characters that will stay with you, long after the plates have been cleared.
The story opens at the latest celebration of a trip around the sun- Nathan’s, to be exact. He’s the first to turn 40, so this year’s festivities hit a little differently. Then a revelation is made, causing a ripple effect throughout the group, everyone quietly reflecting on how fast the years have gone by.
Mickey is the wild child, slowed down a bit by getting pregnant with their now teenaged daughter years ago. Her and Mateo have managed to stay together all this time, but sometimes Mateo struggles to keep up with wife, both in and out of the bedroom.
Abe and Amy seem solid at first glance, but Abe feels their home is not yet complete without a child to share it with. Amy, on the other hand, is torn. She wants to make her husband happy, but she can’t shake the fact that what equals happiness for each of them might not be the same thing.
Then there’s Nathan and Louisa. Newer parents to young twins and bogged down at work as a vice principal, Louisa knows their marriage has hit a snag. However, she still can’t help but feel blindsided when Nathan wishes for a divorce as he blows out the candles, citing he’s in love with a much younger, someone else.
Can someone say, check please?
Reservations for Six is a hearty and heartfelt examination with life as its main course. Friendships are strained, marriages are tested, and decisions are questioned. Every few months the group, as it stands, still gathers for another birthday, serving as a sort of checkpoint throughout the novel. While some of the outcomes might seem questionable, they’re nothing if not understandable.
Reservations for Six is a story with complex characters that will stay with you, long after the plates have been cleared.
May 8, 2022
Thank you @netgalley for an advanced reading copy of Reservations for six by Lindsey Palmer
This was a compelling read of 6 friends, 3 couples who over a decade have had a tradition of celebrating each of their birthdays at their favourite Italian restaurant. The book opens up with Nathan making an explosive announcement at his 40th birthday that he wants a divorce and his wife did not see it coming! What follows this is a detailed look at each of the six character's lives and their marriages. This book is about marriage, divorce, family, careers, infertility, infidelity and parenthood. The story is fast paced and told from multiple viewpoints. It is a story of how these characters deal with their various mid-life issues, trying to work at their relationships whilst also trying to find a way to be true to themselves. The characters are vivid and relatable and I was invested in each of their story lines. It is one of those books I took a few pages to get into but then was very engaged and and left me thinking about the characters once I finished the book. A very enjoyable read!
This was a compelling read of 6 friends, 3 couples who over a decade have had a tradition of celebrating each of their birthdays at their favourite Italian restaurant. The book opens up with Nathan making an explosive announcement at his 40th birthday that he wants a divorce and his wife did not see it coming! What follows this is a detailed look at each of the six character's lives and their marriages. This book is about marriage, divorce, family, careers, infertility, infidelity and parenthood. The story is fast paced and told from multiple viewpoints. It is a story of how these characters deal with their various mid-life issues, trying to work at their relationships whilst also trying to find a way to be true to themselves. The characters are vivid and relatable and I was invested in each of their story lines. It is one of those books I took a few pages to get into but then was very engaged and and left me thinking about the characters once I finished the book. A very enjoyable read!
May 10, 2022
*4.5 Stars
Reservations for Six is a propulsive page-turner about three couples who have been getting together for each of their birthdays at the same restaurant for a decade. They order the same food, imbibe on wine, and catch up. Sounds like a nice tradition, right? But on Nathan’s fortieth birthday, the celebration is marred by his shocking announcement.
As a woman who has been married for a few…ahem…okay, many years, I am always drawn to books about married couples. I’m intrigued by the dynamics, their highs and lows, and the struggles that they all inevitably face. Lindsey Palmer made me feel as though I were right there with the characters, experiencing everything with them.
Nathan’s declaration was a catalyst for the other couples to re-examine their own relationships. To an outsider looking in, each of the couples would have seemed to have pretty solid, normal relationships, but things aren’t always what they appear to be. The three couples were each going through their own issues, but I was fully invested in each of them. From dwindling passion, infertility, miscommunication (or lack thereof), and a midlife crisis in which the grass looked greener on the other side, each couple was grappling with their marriages, their expectations, and what it would take to satisfy them and make them happy.
This novel is told from the various characters’ perspectives. Oh, this worked so well for this book. I would just want to read one more chapter, but then I would have to know what was going on with the other characters, and several chapters later I would reluctantly shut off my Kindle for some much-needed sleep.
Reservations for Six was an intriguing read. It dealt with the evolution of relationships: marital, friendship, and even parental. While I may not have liked all of the characters, I can honestly say that I enjoyed every minute that I spent immersed in their lives.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Lindsey Palmer in the near future.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via NetGalley).
Reservations for Six is a propulsive page-turner about three couples who have been getting together for each of their birthdays at the same restaurant for a decade. They order the same food, imbibe on wine, and catch up. Sounds like a nice tradition, right? But on Nathan’s fortieth birthday, the celebration is marred by his shocking announcement.
As a woman who has been married for a few…ahem…okay, many years, I am always drawn to books about married couples. I’m intrigued by the dynamics, their highs and lows, and the struggles that they all inevitably face. Lindsey Palmer made me feel as though I were right there with the characters, experiencing everything with them.
Nathan’s declaration was a catalyst for the other couples to re-examine their own relationships. To an outsider looking in, each of the couples would have seemed to have pretty solid, normal relationships, but things aren’t always what they appear to be. The three couples were each going through their own issues, but I was fully invested in each of them. From dwindling passion, infertility, miscommunication (or lack thereof), and a midlife crisis in which the grass looked greener on the other side, each couple was grappling with their marriages, their expectations, and what it would take to satisfy them and make them happy.
This novel is told from the various characters’ perspectives. Oh, this worked so well for this book. I would just want to read one more chapter, but then I would have to know what was going on with the other characters, and several chapters later I would reluctantly shut off my Kindle for some much-needed sleep.
Reservations for Six was an intriguing read. It dealt with the evolution of relationships: marital, friendship, and even parental. While I may not have liked all of the characters, I can honestly say that I enjoyed every minute that I spent immersed in their lives.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Lindsey Palmer in the near future.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via NetGalley).
February 14, 2022
I want first thank Netgalley for providing me a ARC for Reservations for six by Lindsey J. Palmer.
My rating for this book is a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars
This is a story of 6 close friends, 3 couples who celebrates every one of their birthdays together at their favourite New England restaurant until their lives unravels when Nathan who turns 40 announces over dinner that he wants a divorce with his wife Louisa.
This forced the other 2 couples to re-examine their own relationship.
I love how Louisa has her friends for support for all the issue she has to go through. She subsequently found out why her husband wanted the divorce. We got to read from her perspective on what she was thinking during all her struggles.
We also got the perspective from all 6 friends including a few other characters
We got to read about how every birthday celebration after the bombshell Nathan dropped on his 40th birthday had fundamentally changed .
My rating for this book is a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars
This is a story of 6 close friends, 3 couples who celebrates every one of their birthdays together at their favourite New England restaurant until their lives unravels when Nathan who turns 40 announces over dinner that he wants a divorce with his wife Louisa.
This forced the other 2 couples to re-examine their own relationship.
I love how Louisa has her friends for support for all the issue she has to go through. She subsequently found out why her husband wanted the divorce. We got to read from her perspective on what she was thinking during all her struggles.
We also got the perspective from all 6 friends including a few other characters
We got to read about how every birthday celebration after the bombshell Nathan dropped on his 40th birthday had fundamentally changed .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2022
Drama drama drama! A book club pick that could get feisty!
Mid-life crisis extraordinaire! We’ve got cheating. We’ve got infertility. We’ve got more.
This story became a little frustrating as they all reassessed their own relationships after the announcement. A bit cliché at times but if you’re up for the ride you’ll see it all isn’t so bad.
I did like the group dynamics and the idea of having long lasting friendships and people that are there for you through it all.
I could see this being a hit for women fiction fans. The characters will definitely stick with you long after.
3.5 stars
Mid-life crisis extraordinaire! We’ve got cheating. We’ve got infertility. We’ve got more.
This story became a little frustrating as they all reassessed their own relationships after the announcement. A bit cliché at times but if you’re up for the ride you’ll see it all isn’t so bad.
I did like the group dynamics and the idea of having long lasting friendships and people that are there for you through it all.
I could see this being a hit for women fiction fans. The characters will definitely stick with you long after.
3.5 stars
May 20, 2022
Reservations for Six is a deeply compelling read-in-one-sitting-don’t-bother-me-til-i’m-done kind of story. It follows six friends through the trials and tribulations of their 30s and is so deeply relatable you won’t be able to put it down. The characters are witty, charming, and deeply flawed while still incredibly likable. Recommend this insightful and delightful read!
May 28, 2022
I flew through this book. I felt so much - at some points, there were chuckles in my eyes and tears in my eyes at others. Palmer’s ensemble of acutely observed, intimate characters left a mark; I think that this could be a great limited series. I loved this book and plan on buying a bunch for friends!
May 25, 2022
Loved this book so much. I’m sad I’m done reading it. All of the characters were compelling and I was hooked by all of the different storylines. Will be reading more of the author’s books!
May 11, 2022
*Paperback ARC (Berit)
This was a solid 4.5 ⭐️ book for me. Rounded up to 5⭐️ for GR.
It’s a story about a very close group of 6 friends, all couples in their 30s, who all love each other dearly but are going through big life changes and trying to figure things out. Who are they? Where are they going? Goals? Hopes? Dreams? What happens next?
This book is a mess (in the best way). It’s a lot of drama. It’s about love, betrayal, friendship, grief, finding yourself, hope and forgiveness.
It’s a true emotional roller coaster and reinforces that life is not black & white…it really & truly is a gray area, and what works for some isn’t a universal fit for all.
There is no “right” way to do life…it’s more about the company you keep and being there to help each other survive the hard times…unconditionally.
The characters were all well-defined and likable…except for maybe Nathan. Then again, no one is perfect.
It’s a great book and I enjoyed the ending. Would be a cool movie…or better yet, a mini series (4-6 episodes?).
I recommend that you check this one out.
This was a solid 4.5 ⭐️ book for me. Rounded up to 5⭐️ for GR.
It’s a story about a very close group of 6 friends, all couples in their 30s, who all love each other dearly but are going through big life changes and trying to figure things out. Who are they? Where are they going? Goals? Hopes? Dreams? What happens next?
This book is a mess (in the best way). It’s a lot of drama. It’s about love, betrayal, friendship, grief, finding yourself, hope and forgiveness.
It’s a true emotional roller coaster and reinforces that life is not black & white…it really & truly is a gray area, and what works for some isn’t a universal fit for all.
There is no “right” way to do life…it’s more about the company you keep and being there to help each other survive the hard times…unconditionally.
The characters were all well-defined and likable…except for maybe Nathan. Then again, no one is perfect.
It’s a great book and I enjoyed the ending. Would be a cool movie…or better yet, a mini series (4-6 episodes?).
I recommend that you check this one out.
September 6, 2024
Loving this book. 3 couples meet on their bdays each year, told by each of their perspectives as they go through life changes
May 2, 2022
Thank you to the author, Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows six friends (three married couples), who celebrate each of their individual birthdays in the same way every year. On the one hand, a lovely tradition, and on the other hand this could become a bit of a rut. The book starts with one of the six feeling the effects of such a rut, and the upheaval that happens in all of their lives as a result. Relationships can look and feel so different depending on whether you're on the inside looking out, or on the outside looking in - and what happens when you value appearance over substance... The multiple plot lines are well-done, and kept me engaged and wanting to find out what happened.
This book follows six friends (three married couples), who celebrate each of their individual birthdays in the same way every year. On the one hand, a lovely tradition, and on the other hand this could become a bit of a rut. The book starts with one of the six feeling the effects of such a rut, and the upheaval that happens in all of their lives as a result. Relationships can look and feel so different depending on whether you're on the inside looking out, or on the outside looking in - and what happens when you value appearance over substance... The multiple plot lines are well-done, and kept me engaged and wanting to find out what happened.
June 24, 2022
An absorbing, entertaining, witty novel about six old friends navigating life changes. The multiple PoVs are *chef’s kiss*
July 17, 2022
This one’s tough to rate - the plot itself isn’t particularly remarkable, it’s more of a character novel - but as I was reading it - which occurred over several days in a choppy manner - felt myself pulled back to it to find out what happened next. 3.75, rounded up.
January 22, 2022
I want to thank @netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC by Lindsey Palmer. I really enjoyed Reservations for Six. It’s a pretty long book and I read it in a day. I really felt like I was part of the character’s life. The book is about a group of 6 friends, 3 couples, approaching middle age. They meet at “their” restaurant for to celebrate each of their birthdays. The book opens with Nathan’s birthday. He drops a bombshell on his wife as he blows out his candles, upending everyone’s lives. Each couple faces some hard truths with their relationships and throughout the book they work through them. Palmer accurately describes this time of life of relationships, parenting, work, and friendships.
May 13, 2022
While this is not a book I would have picked up on my own, after reading the synopsis I thought it sounded great! I was right, such an interesting book about the raw intricacies of marriage and parenthood. All the messiness that comes with children, all the problems that come with relationship. It dives into some deep topics, but so relatable and thought provoking! I did not find the multiple POVs too much and only felt that they added so much depth to the story. I loved being able to see into all the different character’s lives and thoughts! Right when I would finish a chapter by one character, I just had to read one more chapter to see what was going on in another couples life! And can we get an amen for short chapters!! I know that helped me fly through this book even faster!
Synopsis: It's tradition that on everyone's birthday, the three couples gather to celebrate. They've toasted each other's big life milestones, and been there for each other through loss and disappointment, too. Nathan is the first to turn 40, and when the cake arrives, he makes a shocking announcement. The birthday ritual, and the group of friends, will never be the same again.
Confessions follow, and secrets get revealed. One couple's crumbling marriage forces the other two couples to reexamine their own marriages, and the fault lines that lurk beneath. Will their bonds be strong enough to survive issues like infidelity, infertility, and waning passion, plus a series of crises that push each relationship to the brink? The answers may prove surprising. A year after Nathan's big declaration, as the group gathers for the year's final birthday celebration, every person and every relationship will be fundamentally changed.
Lindsey Palmer really nails the midlife struggles that many people face including marriage, kids, friendships, work stress and aging. I can’t wait to read more by her!
Synopsis: It's tradition that on everyone's birthday, the three couples gather to celebrate. They've toasted each other's big life milestones, and been there for each other through loss and disappointment, too. Nathan is the first to turn 40, and when the cake arrives, he makes a shocking announcement. The birthday ritual, and the group of friends, will never be the same again.
Confessions follow, and secrets get revealed. One couple's crumbling marriage forces the other two couples to reexamine their own marriages, and the fault lines that lurk beneath. Will their bonds be strong enough to survive issues like infidelity, infertility, and waning passion, plus a series of crises that push each relationship to the brink? The answers may prove surprising. A year after Nathan's big declaration, as the group gathers for the year's final birthday celebration, every person and every relationship will be fundamentally changed.
Lindsey Palmer really nails the midlife struggles that many people face including marriage, kids, friendships, work stress and aging. I can’t wait to read more by her!
May 12, 2022
This book starts off with six friends gathering together for a birthday celebration at the same restaurant that they always meet at. I thought this would be a tame (but cute) story about friendship, memories, and tradition.
…I could not have been more wrong.
This story is about everything that can be wrong and twisted and messed up in a marriage. There are three sets of couples and they all have intense things they need to work through. Speaking of which, there are A LOT of trigger warnings to consider. Please look into them more if you’re nervous. There was a particular storyline about infertility that I was incredibly unimpressed with (having gone through several years of infertility myself).
I was really impressed that the author covered six different POVs and I actually cared about all of them! The writing was amazing and I was so curious to see where all the couples would end up. And best of all, the shocking twists start at the end of the first chapter, so I didn’t even have to wait for the drama to begin.
Overall, this was a great book that I really enjoyed. It made me feel *weird* while reading it, mainly because there was no clean and tidy ending and there were a lot of problems presented throughout. But I think that was part of the beauty of the story - it was more realistic than most books I’ve read.
I received my copy as part of an Instagram book tour!
…I could not have been more wrong.
This story is about everything that can be wrong and twisted and messed up in a marriage. There are three sets of couples and they all have intense things they need to work through. Speaking of which, there are A LOT of trigger warnings to consider. Please look into them more if you’re nervous. There was a particular storyline about infertility that I was incredibly unimpressed with (having gone through several years of infertility myself).
I was really impressed that the author covered six different POVs and I actually cared about all of them! The writing was amazing and I was so curious to see where all the couples would end up. And best of all, the shocking twists start at the end of the first chapter, so I didn’t even have to wait for the drama to begin.
Overall, this was a great book that I really enjoyed. It made me feel *weird* while reading it, mainly because there was no clean and tidy ending and there were a lot of problems presented throughout. But I think that was part of the beauty of the story - it was more realistic than most books I’ve read.
I received my copy as part of an Instagram book tour!
Read
June 6, 2022Three couples get together six times a year to celebrate each other’s birthdays. They go to the same restaurant and order the same food. Everything is well planned and structured. When Nathan blows out his candles and says his wish it stuns everyone. He has announced he wants a divorce! Nathan is having an affair with someone much younger which leaves his shocked wife to pick up the pieces of their shattered family. The other two couples re-evaluate their marriages and make important and also questionable choices. The characters are well developed and the story is intriguing. This book kept my interest and I was definitely surprised at times with some of the decisions each couple made. If you like character driven stories give this one a try.
May 10, 2022
Marriage is hard. Sometimes one person wants out when the party just seems to be starting! That was how this book starts off - a dinner celebration of six friends (three couples) that ends in surprising news of separation. Nathan, the one whose birthday was being celebrated, made the life-changing news on a whim and told his wife, Louisa, in front of all of their friends. This made for an interesting start to the story and all six characters' lives just unfolded (or unraveled) from there.
Without giving away the happenings of each, I will say that every short chapter shifted to the perspective of one of the six main characters. Although I usually don't enjoy books with so many characters and shifting POVs, this book was a rare exception; exceptional in its well-crafted storylines that were woven together into a riveting tale of change. I truly enjoyed this book for all of its vivid details and realistic portrayals. Marriage and friendships - with all of their disappointments and triumphs - was sufficiently captured in a way that I've rarely seen. It was a beautifully true-to-life story.
Without giving away the happenings of each, I will say that every short chapter shifted to the perspective of one of the six main characters. Although I usually don't enjoy books with so many characters and shifting POVs, this book was a rare exception; exceptional in its well-crafted storylines that were woven together into a riveting tale of change. I truly enjoyed this book for all of its vivid details and realistic portrayals. Marriage and friendships - with all of their disappointments and triumphs - was sufficiently captured in a way that I've rarely seen. It was a beautifully true-to-life story.
May 18, 2022
If you love dysfunctional family/dysfunctional friend group stories, then this is for you! It centers around six friends, three couples, in their late 30s who are going through the many challenges of that age: possible divorce, young children, older children, work challenges, deciding whether or not to have children...
While there are some DEEPLY unlikely characters (one in particular), this book is entertaining and fun if you can get past that part. It will also especially resonate with those in the same age group or experiencing similar life events and decisions.
For fans of Good Company, The Ensemble, Musical Chairs!
While there are some DEEPLY unlikely characters (one in particular), this book is entertaining and fun if you can get past that part. It will also especially resonate with those in the same age group or experiencing similar life events and decisions.
For fans of Good Company, The Ensemble, Musical Chairs!
April 4, 2024
I liked the concept of this book about 6 friends (3 couples) getting together 6x a year for their birthdays for the last decade. It gave me Friends From College (show) and In Twenty Years by Allison Winn Scotch. I liked a book about friends as a change to straight up romance books. It was nice that the characters were older in their late 30s and some having kids. They weren’t just wild 20 somethings.
However, the book didn’t really have a plot besides a year in the life of these friends. The whole time it felt like 3 incompatible couples with communication and intimacy issues.
The first birthday, we get the demise of the first couple Louisa and Nathan. At first it appears that Nathan is having a midlife crisis and divorcing because he can’t handle his controlling wife. Then we find out he had an affair with his student! I thought I would be annoyed with Mona, but she was wise beyond her years. She actively perused her professor and then stuck with him after she got what she wanted. Despite being naive, she was very level headed. After having a tough year, especially for Louisa they reunite. Nathan realizes he misses Louisa and things have fizzled with Mona. Louisa has a near death accident and Nathan finally decides to step up. My issue is why couldn’t he have done this earlier. Did he need to have an affair to realize his wife is a catch? Why didn’t he voice to his wife he didn’t like the way she was talking to him and his sexual frustrations. He clearly just wanted attention and acknowledgement, which he could have asked for. Louisa was drowning. She should have asked her husband to step it up, she needed help and that she also didn’t feel appreciated either. I never understood the concept of having to lose something to realize its importance.
The next couple are Amy and Abe. They are struggling to have a baby and in the process Amy is questioning if she wants a baby. I feel like she too could have communicated this better rather than internalizing these thoughts and going along with the adoption and pregnancy. It seemed like in the end Abe was starting to realize raising kids is hard and the door was left open for them. I didn’t like their inconclusive ending. Also at one point I thought Abe and Louisa were better suited for each other and was picturing them together in the distant future.
The last couple Mickey and Mateo are also having sexual compatibility issues. Mickey wants to have sex all the time and Mateo doesn’t. They decide on an open relationship rather than getting to the bottom of these issues. You can tell this is eating Mateo up, but he doesn’t want to say anything! It’s crazy to me he’s going along with all of this. Everyone is woken up when their teenage daughter Mel catches them with Mickey’s good friend at a club. There were a lot of unresolved issues between Mel and Mickey that I would have liked to end better. Mickey thinks she’s this amazing mother and making all the right choices, but doesn’t know that Mel views her as selfish. The resolution is a texted from Mickey apologizing. Isn’t Mickey supposed to be the adult here? I would have liked to see them talk through this more. In the end Mateo finally says he can’t do the open relationship anymore and Mickey is okay with it. It feels like the open marriage was pointless. Mateo’s low sex drive wasn’t fixed.
There’s no real resolution to the book since it’s just a glimpse at everyone’s lives that year, but I liked the ending. They switched up their normal birthday routine of Italian dinner for 6 to inviting extra people and getting lunch and a Mexican place (which was it the place that Nathan and Mona had their first public date that lead to his ousting?). The ending seemed fitting after the years these people had to switch everything up. I really wish there was an epilogue with all the characters 10 years later and a birthday celebration, so we can’t see what happened next. Despite some gripes, the book kept me entertained and it was very easy to leisurely read.
Favorite Quotes
He began explaining his research, how Snakes and Ladders was a Markov chain: Depending on the roll of the die, Louisa's piece had an equal probability of moving to one of six squares. The next move was determined only by the piece's current position and the roll, not by any of its previous moves. History didn't count-it didn't matter how her piece had gotten to its current square, only where it would go from there. Nathan went on to draw matrices and discuss stochastic probabilities, then to explain applications of his research, like modeling weather patterns and the stock market. But Louisa was stuck on the first idea, that history didn't matter. "It's like the ultimate living in the now," she said, and Nathan laughed. He clarified that his research wasn't about human behavior, but Louisa still found it an intriguing possibility that "memoryless" chains might apply to people. That a person's thoughts and actions didn't have to be weighed down by their history.
"I studied Markov chains." Nathan reached for a napkin and began drawing a chart. "So, you have a set of finite states that you move between, and the probability of moving to each other state depends only on the probability associated with the current state.
Like, say we're talking about the weather, and the states are sunny and rainy." As Nathan filled out the chart, he explained how tomorrow's forecast depends only on today's. So, you start in one state- say, sunny-and you look at the probability of the forecast following a sunny day. Maybe two-thirds of the time you get another sunny day and one-third rain. After a rainy day, say you have half sunny days and half rainy ones. Nathan added loops, arrows, and percentages to his sketch. "You can set up a chain of steps to predict the weather, with the probability of each next state determined only by the current state, The chain is memoryless." Of course, it wasn't really this simple, he noted-there was air pressure and other factors that affected the weather, and more states than sunny and rainy-but it was just a demo. "So, just because it's been raining for a week doesn't mean it'll keep raining. There's an equal chance it'll be rainy or sunny, no matter what came before today's rain." Nathan winked at Mona.
It had been a while since Nathan had thought about his disser-tation. He'd been drawn to Markov chains because they made such intuitive sense to him: if this was happening, then this or that or that other thing could happen next. In life, most of what people did made little rational sense, acting randomly, on whims and feelings-Nathan included. The world's irrationality is why he'd found math so enticing the numbers always added up; there were always solutions to the problems. Although the more advanced his studies, the more he discovered that the vast majority of math was about the unknown (as Melody had alluded to that very morning).
"Am I leaning into it? No, I'm more going with the flow. Whats that expression? 'Happy wife, happy life."
"I’ve never heard that one." Amy tried to think of the equivalent for "happy husband," but nothing seemed to rhyme with husband. Bludgeon?
"Right!" Amy grew animated. "That's what seems so crazy to me.
You can't know what it's like to be a parent before you do it, and then there's no turning back. It's like the only decision in life where you can't change your mind and reverse course. With everything else, you can try it and if it's not for you, you can say 'never mind' and move on-to another career, place to live, relationship. Sorry."
"It's fine."
"But with a kid you're stuck-and with this impossibly giant task of raising a human being."
"It's human nature to crave consistency and cling to stability, to find comfort in routine." She listened to her voice echoing through the room. "Most of us believe we need these things. And yet, once we've got them, we often sense that something's still missing. Per-sonally, when everything feels too easy and familiar to me, I start to feel it as aches and pains in my body. I think of them like little red flags warning me to make a change. Like when you've been sitting for too long and your foot falls asleep. You've got to get up and move!
"Because consider this possibility: maybe we don't actually know what serves us. Maybe what we need isn't what we think we need. Is it possible that the things we claim we want-familiarity, stability-come from a place of fear rather than desire? And what is there to be scared of? Well, fear of loneliness, for one. And fear of who we are if we're not surrounded by our routine cast of characters and settings and stuff, all of the things that we believe define us. But, instead of giving in to that fear, what if we conjured up the courage to face it?
What if we opened our hearts and challenged ourselves to break out of our routines, to shake off the familiar, to explore new possibilities and people and ways of being? What if we embraced our inner strength and had faith in our resilience that's far more powerful than we even know?"
Nathan could fill notebooks with all the things Louisa did that had driven him absolutely mad, things he'd felt he couldn't tolerate for one more day and was desperate to be free of: Her irritating ability to come up with the perten nothing say rado to soothe every baby fit and toddler tantrum, when nothing Nathan did had ever worked; her way of turning stoic and steely in stressful situations; how she refused to wear socks to bed, preferring to press her ice-cold feet against his calves at random intervals throughout the night; her habit of picking up any glass set down for a single second and whisking it
away to the sink, sighing as if she were surrounded by helpless slobs;
the truly terrible voices she did for Daniel Tiger and Peppa Pig and all the other characters that populated the kids' storybooks; her sim-plistic, self-satisfied interpretation of Nathan's research that she refused to let go of, insisting that Markov chains represented a kind of aspirational life philosophy of dismissing the past as irrelevant and looking only to the future. Except all of these things now seemed endearing to Nathan, quirks rather than character flaws. When he was honest with himself, he missed them. He missed her.
However, the book didn’t really have a plot besides a year in the life of these friends. The whole time it felt like 3 incompatible couples with communication and intimacy issues.
The first birthday, we get the demise of the first couple Louisa and Nathan. At first it appears that Nathan is having a midlife crisis and divorcing because he can’t handle his controlling wife. Then we find out he had an affair with his student! I thought I would be annoyed with Mona, but she was wise beyond her years. She actively perused her professor and then stuck with him after she got what she wanted. Despite being naive, she was very level headed. After having a tough year, especially for Louisa they reunite. Nathan realizes he misses Louisa and things have fizzled with Mona. Louisa has a near death accident and Nathan finally decides to step up. My issue is why couldn’t he have done this earlier. Did he need to have an affair to realize his wife is a catch? Why didn’t he voice to his wife he didn’t like the way she was talking to him and his sexual frustrations. He clearly just wanted attention and acknowledgement, which he could have asked for. Louisa was drowning. She should have asked her husband to step it up, she needed help and that she also didn’t feel appreciated either. I never understood the concept of having to lose something to realize its importance.
The next couple are Amy and Abe. They are struggling to have a baby and in the process Amy is questioning if she wants a baby. I feel like she too could have communicated this better rather than internalizing these thoughts and going along with the adoption and pregnancy. It seemed like in the end Abe was starting to realize raising kids is hard and the door was left open for them. I didn’t like their inconclusive ending. Also at one point I thought Abe and Louisa were better suited for each other and was picturing them together in the distant future.
The last couple Mickey and Mateo are also having sexual compatibility issues. Mickey wants to have sex all the time and Mateo doesn’t. They decide on an open relationship rather than getting to the bottom of these issues. You can tell this is eating Mateo up, but he doesn’t want to say anything! It’s crazy to me he’s going along with all of this. Everyone is woken up when their teenage daughter Mel catches them with Mickey’s good friend at a club. There were a lot of unresolved issues between Mel and Mickey that I would have liked to end better. Mickey thinks she’s this amazing mother and making all the right choices, but doesn’t know that Mel views her as selfish. The resolution is a texted from Mickey apologizing. Isn’t Mickey supposed to be the adult here? I would have liked to see them talk through this more. In the end Mateo finally says he can’t do the open relationship anymore and Mickey is okay with it. It feels like the open marriage was pointless. Mateo’s low sex drive wasn’t fixed.
There’s no real resolution to the book since it’s just a glimpse at everyone’s lives that year, but I liked the ending. They switched up their normal birthday routine of Italian dinner for 6 to inviting extra people and getting lunch and a Mexican place (which was it the place that Nathan and Mona had their first public date that lead to his ousting?). The ending seemed fitting after the years these people had to switch everything up. I really wish there was an epilogue with all the characters 10 years later and a birthday celebration, so we can’t see what happened next. Despite some gripes, the book kept me entertained and it was very easy to leisurely read.
Favorite Quotes
He began explaining his research, how Snakes and Ladders was a Markov chain: Depending on the roll of the die, Louisa's piece had an equal probability of moving to one of six squares. The next move was determined only by the piece's current position and the roll, not by any of its previous moves. History didn't count-it didn't matter how her piece had gotten to its current square, only where it would go from there. Nathan went on to draw matrices and discuss stochastic probabilities, then to explain applications of his research, like modeling weather patterns and the stock market. But Louisa was stuck on the first idea, that history didn't matter. "It's like the ultimate living in the now," she said, and Nathan laughed. He clarified that his research wasn't about human behavior, but Louisa still found it an intriguing possibility that "memoryless" chains might apply to people. That a person's thoughts and actions didn't have to be weighed down by their history.
"I studied Markov chains." Nathan reached for a napkin and began drawing a chart. "So, you have a set of finite states that you move between, and the probability of moving to each other state depends only on the probability associated with the current state.
Like, say we're talking about the weather, and the states are sunny and rainy." As Nathan filled out the chart, he explained how tomorrow's forecast depends only on today's. So, you start in one state- say, sunny-and you look at the probability of the forecast following a sunny day. Maybe two-thirds of the time you get another sunny day and one-third rain. After a rainy day, say you have half sunny days and half rainy ones. Nathan added loops, arrows, and percentages to his sketch. "You can set up a chain of steps to predict the weather, with the probability of each next state determined only by the current state, The chain is memoryless." Of course, it wasn't really this simple, he noted-there was air pressure and other factors that affected the weather, and more states than sunny and rainy-but it was just a demo. "So, just because it's been raining for a week doesn't mean it'll keep raining. There's an equal chance it'll be rainy or sunny, no matter what came before today's rain." Nathan winked at Mona.
It had been a while since Nathan had thought about his disser-tation. He'd been drawn to Markov chains because they made such intuitive sense to him: if this was happening, then this or that or that other thing could happen next. In life, most of what people did made little rational sense, acting randomly, on whims and feelings-Nathan included. The world's irrationality is why he'd found math so enticing the numbers always added up; there were always solutions to the problems. Although the more advanced his studies, the more he discovered that the vast majority of math was about the unknown (as Melody had alluded to that very morning).
"Am I leaning into it? No, I'm more going with the flow. Whats that expression? 'Happy wife, happy life."
"I’ve never heard that one." Amy tried to think of the equivalent for "happy husband," but nothing seemed to rhyme with husband. Bludgeon?
"Right!" Amy grew animated. "That's what seems so crazy to me.
You can't know what it's like to be a parent before you do it, and then there's no turning back. It's like the only decision in life where you can't change your mind and reverse course. With everything else, you can try it and if it's not for you, you can say 'never mind' and move on-to another career, place to live, relationship. Sorry."
"It's fine."
"But with a kid you're stuck-and with this impossibly giant task of raising a human being."
"It's human nature to crave consistency and cling to stability, to find comfort in routine." She listened to her voice echoing through the room. "Most of us believe we need these things. And yet, once we've got them, we often sense that something's still missing. Per-sonally, when everything feels too easy and familiar to me, I start to feel it as aches and pains in my body. I think of them like little red flags warning me to make a change. Like when you've been sitting for too long and your foot falls asleep. You've got to get up and move!
"Because consider this possibility: maybe we don't actually know what serves us. Maybe what we need isn't what we think we need. Is it possible that the things we claim we want-familiarity, stability-come from a place of fear rather than desire? And what is there to be scared of? Well, fear of loneliness, for one. And fear of who we are if we're not surrounded by our routine cast of characters and settings and stuff, all of the things that we believe define us. But, instead of giving in to that fear, what if we conjured up the courage to face it?
What if we opened our hearts and challenged ourselves to break out of our routines, to shake off the familiar, to explore new possibilities and people and ways of being? What if we embraced our inner strength and had faith in our resilience that's far more powerful than we even know?"
Nathan could fill notebooks with all the things Louisa did that had driven him absolutely mad, things he'd felt he couldn't tolerate for one more day and was desperate to be free of: Her irritating ability to come up with the perten nothing say rado to soothe every baby fit and toddler tantrum, when nothing Nathan did had ever worked; her way of turning stoic and steely in stressful situations; how she refused to wear socks to bed, preferring to press her ice-cold feet against his calves at random intervals throughout the night; her habit of picking up any glass set down for a single second and whisking it
away to the sink, sighing as if she were surrounded by helpless slobs;
the truly terrible voices she did for Daniel Tiger and Peppa Pig and all the other characters that populated the kids' storybooks; her sim-plistic, self-satisfied interpretation of Nathan's research that she refused to let go of, insisting that Markov chains represented a kind of aspirational life philosophy of dismissing the past as irrelevant and looking only to the future. Except all of these things now seemed endearing to Nathan, quirks rather than character flaws. When he was honest with himself, he missed them. He missed her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2022
Reservations for Six by Lindsey J. Palmer is just my kind of book. It has all of my favorite themes that I like to read about, all rolled into one: marriage, family, parenthood, and friendship. I especially loved the concept of this book. Six close friends have a fun tradition to meet at a restaurant for each of their birthdays to have dinner and celebrate. And oh boy, these dinners are packed with drama and entertainment! With each new chapter, the novel flips perspectives, so the reader gets to hear from all of the characters throughout the course of the novel. It’s like getting an intimate sneak peek into their personal lives. If you love funny and relatable stories about adulting in the modern world, Reservations for Six is just the book for you!
January 4, 2024
A great read that I couldn't wait to get back to each time I put it down!
Read
July 13, 2022A good read for a book club. Over the course of ten years, three couples have met at their favorite restaurant to celebrate birthdays. One of the men, Nathan, chooses his birthday dinner to inform his wife that he wants a divorce. This causes all of the characters to examine their lives and the struggles they are going through. The story is told from the point of view of all six characters and readers will relate to at least some of the issues these middle-aged couples are dealing with.
July 12, 2022
I loved this book! I couldn’t put it down. The chapters were a good length, so I kept reading and reading. It was light enough to be able read at any time of day but also relatable and juicy. I couldn’t wait to find out how it all ended. And, the characters were definitely very realistic! Cannot say enough about it!
June 11, 2022
I devoured this book in 48 hours! When I wasn’t working or sleeping, these characters had my full attention. I wish I could pinpoint exactly what made me so engrossed in Reservations for Six, but since I can’t I’ll chalk it up to good writing. Lindsey Palmer has spun some magic with this one.
July 6, 2022
Loved this book! Such a fun story. Loved how each chapter was told from a different POV. Just what I needed this summer!
March 31, 2022
This book tells the story of a year in a life of six friends. It starts off with some explosive news that shakes up the group, and from there each person experiences quite uneventful few months. Each character was developed so beautifully and I found myself appreciating them as though they were real people, flaws and all.
I especially loved the way the author tackled some sensitive topics, like marriage and having children, and portrayed multiple viewpoints — and while some perspectives may not be the way I personally feel, I was so impressed with how empathetic I felt toward each of the characters. Also without realizing it I fell in love with each of them, and found myself being disappointed in some of their actions but still rooting for them overall. That to me is the mark of a great character and a great author.
Maybe it’s unrealistic for all of this to happen to such a close group of friends in just a year. There is nothing truly groundbreaking about the novel — but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it poignant and meaningful, and I would highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book and exchange for my honest review.
I especially loved the way the author tackled some sensitive topics, like marriage and having children, and portrayed multiple viewpoints — and while some perspectives may not be the way I personally feel, I was so impressed with how empathetic I felt toward each of the characters. Also without realizing it I fell in love with each of them, and found myself being disappointed in some of their actions but still rooting for them overall. That to me is the mark of a great character and a great author.
Maybe it’s unrealistic for all of this to happen to such a close group of friends in just a year. There is nothing truly groundbreaking about the novel — but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it poignant and meaningful, and I would highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book and exchange for my honest review.
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