There is nothing quite like the intimacy of friendship. That chosen family, those people you meet along the way, the tests everyone endures to hold onto relationships over a lifetime. These books highlight the bonds of friendship, the triumph of standing together and the challenge of remaining close over the years when life gets in the way.
Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes by Alexa Martin
Two best friends, Jude and Lauren, find themselves at crossroads in their lives. Despite their differing paths, they move in together, embracing the complexities of friendship, single motherhood, and unexpected life changes together. Jude, an Instagram-famous personality, grapples with real-life struggles, including strained family relationships and financial woes. On the other hand, Lauren, once on the path to becoming a top surgeon, navigates the challenges of co-parenting and single motherhood after unexpected events alter her life plans.
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Asking for a Friend by Kerry Clare
In the winter of 1998, Jess faces a personal crisis in her dorm, seeking solitude until she encounters Clara, an otherworldly and recently returned traveler trying to embrace normalcy at university. A deep and instant connection forms between them, leading to an inseparable bond. However, as they navigate love, heartbreak, marriage, anxiety, and motherhood, tragedy strikes, testing the strength of their unbreakable connection and prompting them to question whether growing up necessarily means growing apart.
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The Gay Best Friend by by Nicolas DiDomizio
Domenic Marino, accustomed to being the token gay best friend, finds himself caught between the conflicting expectations of his warring bride and groom friends as they approach their wedding day. Juggling the demands of a clean celebration from the bride and a wild party from the groom, Dom, reeling from his own failed engagement, just wants to preserve his friendships. The arrival of rowdy groomsmen, including the charming PGA star Bucky Graham, brings unexpected chaos and romance to the beach house. As secrets accumulate, Dom realizes he must navigate a delicate balance to salvage not only the wedding but also his own neglected life.
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Swing Time by Zadie Smith
From the acclaimed author of White Teeth comes a story that follows the dreams of two brown girls from North West London, Tracey and her friend, who aspire to be dancers. While Tracey possesses talent and joins the chorus line, her friend, with ideas about rhythm, black bodies, and freedom, becomes an assistant to a famous singer named Aimee, experiencing the extravagant life of the one percent. As Aimee’s philanthropic ambitions take the story to West Africa, the narrative explores the complexities of their childhood friendship.
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Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
In the summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey, an eighth-grader resigned to her social standing, forms an unexpected friendship with Tully Hart, the “coolest girl in the world” who moves in across the street. Despite their surface differences, they become inseparable, forging a bond that spans over three decades in the ever-changing Pacific Northwest. Tully, driven by a desperate need for validation, pursues fame and success, while Kate quietly seeks an ordinary life of love and family. The novel explores the complexities of their enduring friendship, enduring storms of jealousy and betrayal, ultimately putting their courage and loyalty to the test. Firefly Lane captures the essence of a generation of women marked by choices, promises, and the profound understanding that comes from enduring shared experiences.
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Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
In Dublin, Frances, a composed and keenly observant young woman, navigates her uncertain path in writing. Her closest companion is the confident and beautiful Bobbi. Their lives become entangled with an acclaimed photographer, leading Frances to be reluctantly intrigued by the woman’s sophisticated world, including her attractive husband, Nick. As their flirtation transforms into an increasingly complex and painful intimacy, the novel explores the nuanced pleasures and perils of youth, as well as the intricate dynamics of female friendship with a precise and subtly humorous touch.
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A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
This novel traces the lives of four college friends in pursuit of success and fulfillment in New York, bonded by friendship and shared ambitions. Over the years, their relationships evolve amidst the challenges of addiction, pride, and success, with their devotion centering on Jude, a brilliant yet haunted man scarred by a traumatic childhood. This story serves as a profound exploration of brotherly bonds, a poignant depiction of love in the contemporary era, and an exploration of the families we are born into and those we create for ourselves.
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Sister Friends Forever by Kimberla Lawson Roby
Serena, Michelle, Kenya, and Lynette, lifelong best friends, face a pivotal year where each woman grapples with personal challenges. Serena questions her single status as she waits for love to find her. Michelle, engaged and ready for marriage, has to come to terms with someone from her past. Kenya, happily married, struggles with her husband’s ex-wife disrupting their family’s peace, while Lynette, freshly divorced, nervously re-enters the dating scene. Throughout this challenging time, their bond is tested, as they lean on each other more than ever.
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