The theme of this debut novel by Christine Gunderson is the strength of female friendships and the struggles of motherhood. It's well-written, but there were a few holes in the storyline that made me lean more toward 3 stars than 4 stars. I can't really go into the holes without spoilers. Ainsley seems to have the perfect life - she's smart and beautiful, has a loving, wealthy husband and happy, healthy children, and everything money can buy. But Ainsley has a dark secret from her past and the new basketball coach at her children's school could potentially expose it. Nikki is a former TV news anchor who's now faced with all the challenges of being a stay-at-home mom. With their children at the same school, Ainsley and Nikki become fast friends who support each other in many ways. Ainsley confides her secrets to Nikki and they build on each other's strengths to keep Ainsley out of danger and get Nikki's life back on track. Thanks to #netgalley and #lakeunionpublishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved the way the author wove themes of friendship and the complexity of relationships into a twisty mystery. Secrets emerge and are revealed deftly. A compelling read!

I really enjoyed the friendship between Nikki and Ainsley in this story. These two strong women combine their efforts to take on the new coach at their kid's school. Of course, just by looking at the title, there are secrets. I really enjoyed this book. I think anyone who ever tried to protect others from harm will love this novel. I did.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC.

Friends with Secrets* by *Christine Gunderson* is a riveting exploration of the hidden lives behind suburban facades, where what you see isn’t always what you get. Gunderson takes us into the world of Ainsley and Nikki, two mothers struggling with their own insecurities while trying to maintain a veneer of perfection.

Ainsley’s life seems idyllic: a beautiful home, two children, and a husband, Ben, who is an aspiring politician and heir to a candy empire. But beneath this perfect exterior lies a woman haunted by her past, constantly terrified that someone will discover the truth about who she really is and where she came from. Gunderson masterfully conveys Ainsley’s anxiety and the pressure she feels to maintain her image, making her a relatable and sympathetic character.

Nikki, on the other hand, presents as a chaotic mess—a stay-at-home mother of four, barely keeping it together on a diet of chicken nuggets and minimal sleep. Yet, beneath the surface, Nikki longs for the validation and purpose she once had in her television news career. Her struggle to reconcile her past ambitions with her current reality is both poignant and relatable, capturing the challenges many women face in balancing personal fulfillment with family responsibilities.

The story takes a thrilling turn when a dangerous figure from Ainsley’s past reappears as a coach at her children’s school. The tension escalates as Ainsley confides in Nikki, and the two women team up to expose this threat and protect their children. Their plan brings them closer together, forging a deep bond that is tested as they navigate the dangers of their shared secret.

Gunderson weaves a narrative that is both suspenseful and emotionally charged, exploring themes of friendship, identity, and the lengths mothers will go to protect their children. The novel expertly balances the suspense of the unfolding mystery with the emotional depth of the characters’ personal struggles, making it a compelling read from start to finish.

*Friends with Secrets* is more than just a thriller; it’s a story about the complexities of friendship and the power of women supporting each other through life’s darkest moments. Gunderson’s sharp writing and keen insight into her characters’ lives make this book a must-read for anyone who enjoys a suspenseful tale with heart. As Ainsley and Nikki confront their fears and pasts, readers will find themselves deeply invested in their journey, eager to see how their plan unfolds and whether their friendship can withstand the secrets that threaten to unravel it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for an advanced copy to review.

Enjoyed this book, however I did find some parts a bit slow and I would lose interest. It did pick up a bit as we got on with the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

This was a decent women's fiction novel.I enjoyed the characters. Some parts of the story were a little slow, but I sometimes lose interest in a book halfway. However. I make sure to finish all of my NetGalley books. I would recommend this book! I also plan on checking out more books by Christine Gunderson in the future!


Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

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A satisfying tale of an unlikely pair of friends who work together to catch a predator. Nice to see some redemption and true married love. Thanks to net galley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was a great thriller for the summer when you want to set down your romance books and try something new. I always enjoy reading a dual POV and getting inside their head. I really resonated with these women regarding motherhood and how it can be difficult to juggle it all. I felt that they were relatable throughout the story and enjoyed their friendship together. My only issue was that I feel it could have been cut down. There were a few times where I found myself skimming through some pages because there was a little too much filler. Overall, I still considered it an enjoyable read.

I loved this book! Nikki and Ainsley are an unlikely duo at first but watching their friendship grow was so great! The plot was interesting and the suspense was just right!

This one was a bit darker than I was expecting.I was fully entertained with the mystery, and there were parts that were funny which was nice. There is plenty of suspense too. I liked how these two moms came together to handle the situation at hand. It also explored the difficulties they experienced as mothers. I think the characters were relatable and well developed too. This was a good debut and I'll definitely check out more by this author in the future.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

In her debut, Friends with Secrets, Christine Gunderson has created a page turner about women, their relationships, and the important and difficult aspects of their lives.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately, Friends with Secrets was not for me. The premise sounded good, but the execution fell flat. Two women from seemingly completely opposite backgrounds find each other in the school drop off line. They bond over secrets and come together to fight back against a dangerous man working at their children's school. I figured that there would be more secrets in the story, but there's really only one and it's revealed quite early on in the book. I also had issues with the ways the characters behaved. Nikki was supposedly a star reporter on tv, but when she decided to become a stay at home mom to her four kids after being fired, she's suddenly falling apart and can't seem to do anything right. Also her husband is completely useless and never called out for it. First he's in Moldova looking at wood samples when they have an infant at home and three other kids, then the weekend Nikki tries to go away his tummy hurts and the kids are throwing up everywhere, so Nikki has to rush back home only to later find out that he wasn't even sick. And then later on he says he could maybe do more to help. Ainsley and her husband were just rich and perfect, except for Ainsley's big secret that wasn't all that surprising. The villain had some almost comical lines that sounded like something out of a kid's cartoon. The word G-string is also thrown around way too many times for my liking. It felt like all the different parts of the books kind of went together, but also didn't necessarily have to be there and overall the book was just too long.

#FriendsWithFriends #NetGalley
Awesome.
Take Ainsley. The gorgeous mother of two lives a picture-perfect life with her husband, Ben—aspiring politician and heir to a candy fortune—in suburban Washington, DC. But in reality, Ainsley has no idea what she’s doing and is terrified someone will figure out who she really is and where she came from.
Nikki’s fighting to keep afloat as a stay-at-home mother of four, subsisting on chicken nuggets and very little sleep. She’s a mess on the outside, and inside yearns for the validation—and the paycheck—of the television news career she left behind. When a dangerous figure from Ainsley’s past becomes a coach at her kids’ school, she fears the worst and confides in Nikki, spilling every detail of her former life. Together, they devise a plan to expose the coach and safeguard their kids. But can they protect their own lives—and their new friendship—in the process?
I loved it. Order your copy today.
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for giving me an advance copy.

I enjoyed this smart, witty, well-written fictional novel about two women who form an unlikely friendship to protect their children. Told from Ainsley’s and Nikki’s perspectives, the narrative is relatable and refreshing with it's wry humor and descriptive stream of consciousness. With one woman desperately trying to escape her past and the other trying to get back to hers, the story gradually draws you in until you can't put the book down.

What you see isn’t always what you get.

I have no idea what I was expecting but wow, this story was a big surprise.
Two mothers with two different lifestyles end up bonding together in an unexpected way.
An addictive, fast-paced and emotional story about motherhood and friendship mixed with a bit of suspense and humor. Loved it.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.

𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 by Christine Gunderson released July 16, 2024.

I see that I’m in the minority based on other reviews but this was too outlandish. Also, the Hugh Hefner-reference…..had that not been so ridiculous I may have finished but this was poorly written and that was icing on top.

This was a fun read!

Without giving much away - seemingly polar opposite moms Nicki and Ainsley band together to get a new figure at their children’s middle school out of their school and lives.

This book reminded me a lot of both Eliza Starts a Rumor and the Finlay Donovan series. It explores a lot of themes like what is expected of women (and mothers) in general.

I flew through this book - it kept my interest the entire time.

I loved this book and my favourite part was the friendship that developed between two characters that from the outside didn’t look like they would be friends at all. Nikki and Ainsley’s friendship was one where they stuck up for each other, supported each other and believed in each other. While this was developing, they also managed some detective work with the aim of keeping their children and a whole bunch of other females safe. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

📚: Friends With Secrets by Christine Gunderson
⭐️: 4.5/5 (rounding down on #goodreads)

The gist: Two modern day moms - Ainsley, whose husband is running for governor and looks polished and poised to those around her. She’s super organized, is always on time, and volunteers for everything. Then there’s Nikki, a mom of four who abruptly became a stay-at-home mom. She’s the one crying in the formula aisle at Target needing a break. (Relatable.)

Together, these moms become friends on a mission when a predatory person from Ainsley’s past becomes a coach at their children’s school. Ainsley’s secrets from her past spill out, and Nikki and her bond together to keep them - and their kids - safe.

The good: Okay, I really didn’t expect to like (love?) this as much as I did. It’s a beach read with a light dose of suspense, and a few laughs as a mom juggling completely unrealistic expectations in today’s world. It’s not a fast paced page turner, but it’s a fun read that made this mom feel not so alone.

The eh: I know I enjoyed this so much because of the overwhelmed mom angle within the plot - and that may not land (or be relatable) for everyone. Without that, the secrets are revealed pretty early in the story — those looking for a thriller, this is not it.

A big thank you to Lake Union Publishing via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Friends with Secrets is out now!

I enjoyed reading Friends with Secrets b y Christine Gunderson. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!