Love the Idea of this novel. However it was a tedious read that dragged and dragged. Little character development.

What a great story. 50 yr old Margaret aka Mar joins a gym to start over her life of being a lonely divorcé. This is where she meets a multitude of people that make her take stock of her life and make some changes. Over the course of the year she meets many people at Seaside Fitness Club. Every one of them has an impact in one way or another. Coming to realize she had no one to call after an accident she makes some overdue changes. With these changes she is able to get back some of her most cherished relationships. She “finds people and activities that pleasurably fill her once empty calendar “as she puts it. This was a great story that left you to draw your own conclusions to the end. To my delight there will be a sequel told by Charlie , her love interest in Unexpected Guests. It will be nice to catch up with all the characters again in this new book. Thank you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for this free advanced copy . I am leaving this review voluntarily

This book sounded interesting, but ended up being boring.

The pace is awful and I had to struggle to finish it.

This had so much potential.

A fabulous mid-life read about starting over and putting yourself first. Life is nothing but a series of experiences and this wonderful novel highlights this. I highly recommend it!

What a wonderful surprise this book was - it was so much more than I expected!

Mar, the main character was so completely relatable and I really felt like I was on this rollercoaster of a ride with her as she navigated life after divorce, meeting new friends, dating, discovering new interests and trying to repair her fragile relationship with her son.

There were so many layers to the story, the writing was immersive and I felt like I was reading an autobiography. The characters were well written, I particularly liked Victor and Sunny. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Ruth F. Stevens and Black Rose for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Margaret is starting over as “Marg” after her divorce. She dives into new friendships from her local gym as she gets to know herself and her family again.

I got a real kick out of this one! It reads like a memoir, as it feels very real life and genuine. The best part of the story is all the unique and eccentric characters. When you open yourself to meeting and getting to know others, it can really be a great. I loved all the gym interactions, and the women at the gym. I found a lot of it laugh out loud funny, but there were also serious topics to work through as well.

“The next time a stranger asks, who can I call for you?, I want that name right on my lips, with no hesitation and no doubt that the person at the receiving end of the call will be there for me and will have my back.”

My Year of Casual Acquaintances comes out 9/5.

My Year of Casual Acquaintances is a must read. Following Mar in her journey re-inventing herself, we follow this through different acquaintances she makes along the way.
This read was a wonderful delight, the pacing, structure and writing style made the read easy and enjoyable. I must say if you like dialogue you will enjoy this read. I must say the dialogue was slightly unnatural or felt forced but this didn’t take away from my enjoyment.
The pacing was fast paced and made the read enjoyable. If you enjoyed following a woman in a normal realistic life, this is perfect for you.
I enjoyed watching her navigate different relationships, from romantic, familial to amical. This made the story have enough of everything to make the read worth it.

The characters are relatable and realistic; I did feel frustrated towards some of the characters but compassion to our Mar.
The ending did feel slightly rushed, maybe a lack of closer was the reason but do not worry a sequel will follow.

I would recommend this to many readers, who want something easy but deep.

[arc Netgally – Black Rose Writing - comes out on Sep 29 2024 ]

MY YEAR OF CASUAL ACQUAINTANCES by Ruth F. Stevens

Pub date: Sept. 26, 2024
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Rating: 3 / 5


What is the timeline for second chances?

Newly 50-year-old Margaret Meyer—rather, Mar Meyer— is reinventing herself after her husband divorces her for another woman. This means downsizing her living space, refocusing on her career, and surrounding herself with entirely new people. Mar's familiar life may be completely overturned, but this year is one for positive changes... and maybe a few unexpected things, too.

MY YEAR OF CASUAL ACQUAINTANCES is an exploration of life after divorce and how second chances find their way even in the most unlikely situations. While this is the heart of the book, the story itself can be tedious at times. Mar is a generally unlikable woman whose internal dialogue and treatment of other people are difficult to root for. This does add a layer of realism and relatability to her character, though, and the events of the book push Mar to grow and be kinder to herself and others. Mar's titular acquaintances range from endearing to completely obnoxious. But even the briefest conversations and interactions with these side characters build up to significant moments in the story. Overall, this was a fairly mundane book that follows a middle-aged woman relearning who she is after a major life change. Readers who gravitate toward women-led, slice-of-life narratives will likely enjoy this novel.


(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!)

3.5 stars, I’m not sure what I expected with this book but it’s a heartwarming tale of a woman finding herself again after a tough breakup. After 20yrs of marriage she is all of a sudden all alone (slightly self imposed solitude it must be said) and goes about making some new friends/acquaintances mostly through her new gym club. It’s a slow burn that I enjoyed but I will warn you it’s not for people looking for exciting mysteries or jam packed with drama.

Thank you to Netgalley and Black Rose Writing for my ARC; I enjoyed this book so much.
Mar(garet) is a 50+ year old.
It is much like the movie Stranger Than Fiction where Will Ferrell's life is being narrated by an actual author; her internal monologue is sometimes snarky, sometimes cringy, sometimes it shouldn't have made the page. I did not like Margaret in the beginning, but I suppose that was the intent of the author. Margaret doesn't remember people's names in the beginning; that is because the people around her are not important to her. They are the white noise as she goes about her life till she wakes up one day and realizes she is utterly alone. She is divorced and her son is annoyed by her calls, and grudgingly goes to lunch not to catch up but to be critical.
Bit by bit Margaret wakes up. She starts to listen to the ladies she spends time with at her work out club, this trendy gym. Though I am an introvert and havent been to a fitness club since before the pandemic I liked this slice of life book. It was Eat Pray Love without the travel and instead of praying; fitness became her religion.
Who you get to meet :

A Sexy eyed author that Margaret messes up a chance at a relationship with; really Charlie needed his own chapters; I wanted his POV.

A homeless woman who uses the gym but becomes Margaret's best friend.

An elderly former neighbor who Margaret finally makes time for; her husband had died, and she found her day drinking and needing a home health aide. This was a very tender look at early dementia. Margaret finds out through her why her son hates her job though. Mrs. O may forget to pay her bills but she doesn't forget how her son lost his bike. This opened a needed dialogue between her son and probably one of the turning points of the book.

The home health aide that stops when Margaret is in a car accident. Grace keeps in touch and becomes her friend, a friend she asks if she needs a job and suggests she contact Mrs. O.

The lady in the park that walks her dog. By stopping to talk each day Margaret becomes a dog sitter, and when the lady moves she takes partial ownership of her dog. A dog who adds more structure to her day and Margaret is all about structure.

Margaret also finds she needs to speak up for what she wants ; at work , with her son , with her mother who is shallow and she learns she can have boundaries . At work her integrity is important and being an editor in chief of a magazine deadlines and content shouldn't be dictated by even their biggest advertiser. And she quits. I LOVED THIS MOMMENT!
However she didnt worry about health insurance or paying her rent? I liked that she didnt mind any of this gig jobs were fine to her and freelance writing / editing projects were enough. This was inspiring to me and made me evaluate my own job!

The only things that kept this from being a five star was the dialogue was a little forced, and not as conversational as it could have been. The relationships between Jax and Charlie were a little forced ; you can have closed door or low steam romance with more angst I would have loved more POV from Charlie , and that seems to be coming with the author's next book. I most certainly will want to know what happens next with this character !

Well-written novel that engages the reader right from the start! I appreciate the age of the character--I'm right there with you!--and her realistic outlook. Smart, good pace, great cover. I'll read more from Ruth F. Stevens.

This is more than just a fun and easy read. This is deep and rooted and has so many layers turning this into such a meaningful read. The characters are relatable and believable which is so important in stories like this.

I really enjoyed this story of Margaret who had the shock of her life when her husband decided to start a new life with somebody else. Feeling wounded and sore she embarked upon a new regime of yoga and health clubs determining to meet more interesting people and do not sit around feeling worthless.
This is essentially a tale of self discovery and improvement.

Margaret was annoying at the beginning because she seemed quite selfish, but as she settled into her new lifestyle, she changed her outlook and became a more rounded person.
Thanks to #NetGalley For the opportunity to read this ahead of publication and exchange honest review, I did enjoy it.

thank u netgalley for this arc!!

to start off - i don’t usually read just women’s fiction. i don’t prefer just a storyline where nothing actually happens and that’s exactly what this was. BUT, for what it was - it was not bad.

it reminds me very much of sally rooney - following just a typical women in her life where very normal life things occur to her and watching her adjust to those changes.

in this book, mar(garet) is a recent divorcee who is attempting to rebrand following her separation from her husband. she wants to start over and reinvent herself (including her name) while also working through some chronic family issues. she meets lots of new people throughout her journey to reinvent herself - some that are relevant to her story and development and some who are not.
she repairs some strained relationships along the way - most importantly, her relationship with herself.

she discovers more of a sense of purpose
she realizes what’s important to her
and eventually she fully embraces all her her traits & faults and re-identifies with herself (margaret) & is interested to divulge into the next chapter of life.

it’s a story that show how even very minuscule acquaintances that develop throughout our life can have a huge impact on the bigger picture

again- nothing too exciting. just a very mundane storyline following a very mundane women. but sometimes that’s the story some people need.

I didn’t love My Year of Casual Acquaintances. The story summary seemed like it would be a fun read. I couldn’t connect with the characters and I thought the book was just too wordy and everything was over explained. . The premise is however a great idea. 🌟🌟

Looking for a fun and entertaining read with layers of emotions attached? This is the book for you! I had so much fun reading this that I couldn't quit thinking about it when I had to go to work.

Mar Meyer is shedding her old life after a painful divorce, ditching her past and even her name to start afresh. Determined to keep things light and breezy, Mar drifts from one fleeting connection to another, encountering a colourful cast of characters—from a struggling gym buddy to a flirtatious hip-hop instructor, and a kind older man to Charlie, a charming novelist who wants more than Mar is willing to give. As Mar learns valuable lessons from each new acquaintance, she faces the tough question: Can she truly change and open herself up to real happiness and connection? With a mix of humour and heartache, this novel captures the highs and lows of a woman finding her way after life takes an unexpected turn.

In pushing people away according to monthly segments, Margaret (or "Mar") as she liked to call herself in an attempt to create a new persona,on!y sacrifices happiness for herself and slowly but surely becomes a person who can on!y be described as lonely and lacking of a truly lived life. No relationship comes without complications and she was determined to find those type of faults that she could use to walk away. This included her son which in turn harmed her relationship with her grandson, Benny. How could Charlie give her a second chance when she blindsided him as he just professed a strong emotional connection with someone other than his late wife? She had to come to the realization that people and not exercise are the real ways to fill any emotional void one may experience. Volunteering showed Margaret how to care and help others. As she began to expand her friendship circle and engage in more activities, her calendar became full again and she was truly happy. The last chapter was a true cliffhanger and I cannot wait for the sequel! Hopefully it comes out soon!

The description of this story pulled me in, and the writing kept me around. This book was so layered with emotions. The characters are well developed and relatable. This book is about picking yourself up after a divorce and finding who you are. It’s a journey worth while if you’re into that kind of thing!

Oh this book was SO GOOD! So much fun and just adorable. I was drawn from the first chapter, and couldn't wait to see how it ended. Highly recommend.