Easy fun read. ( )

Is all the feels still a thing? This novel of friendship, too long held misunderstanding and cancer has it all. When Katie's remission is in unsure territory, she enlists her best friends Holly and Samantha to retrieve her dog Peanut from her ex. Trouble is, he is in California and Peanut is a Great Pyrenees that will have to be driven back to Wisconsin. A road trip involving two estranged college friends, a VW camper and D list celebrity ensues. This was a much more emotional packed book than I thought it would be and the characters were so well written, it was as if you were a part of the group. Don't nitpick too much about a couple little things and enjoy the trip. ( )

Enjoyed this book of friendship, second chances, and fighting Cancer. Believe it or not this a buddy road trip to retrieve a dog for a dying friend. The reader will laugh and cry while reading this book ( )

I loved this novel. The story of friends and how they went from being the closest of close to estranged to reconciled is beautiful - and funny! When Katie (out of cancer remission) sends Holly and Sam on the road to reclaim her dog, all the typical "road trip" vibes are pulled out. There's the hanger-on Sylvia who acts as buffer and pushes both women to face the pain that has never been resolved. And there are shamans and animals and love interests. Great book. ( )

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book that I got through Kindle First Reads.

Story (3/5): The story starts out pretty slow. You basically have three friends, two that are on the outs and one (whose cancer has come back) who has traditionally kind of held the friendship together. The first 20% of the book is these three sniping at each other in a hospital room. Things pick up a bit when the two that are on the outs (Holly and Sam) head off on a road trip together. It’s basically one of those “road trips help friends work out issues” kind of stories. The resolution and revelations are a bit bland as well.

Characters (3/5): I really disliked our main characters in general. The fact that they let so much mis-communication drive such big dynamics in their relationships came off as really immature. I found it really hard to believe I was reading about adults here. Sam is so averse to any type of confrontation that I struggled to relate to her in any way. Holly is so aggressive about everything she was on the opposite end of the spectrum. They are very overly characterized. Some of the side characters were much more intriguing. Summer, who joins them on a whim, was a hoot and I loved her. The Shaman was wonderful as well. I even liked some of Sam’s potential love interests way more than any of the women this book focuses on.

Setting (3/5): The setting is kind of generic modern day American. I really did enjoy the time on the animal rescue farm, that was very well done and intriguing. The rest of it is just kind of a blur of American countryside and, while it does portray the feeling you get on a roadtrip nicely, it just doesn’t impact the story that much.

Writing Style (4/5): After you get through the first 20% or so of the book, this was engaging and well written. The questions of whether or not they will get Katie’s dog, what Holly is so pissed at Sam about, and what will happen to Katie really drive the story forward. It’s an easy and quick read that is entertaining. Unfortunately, I felt like the big reveal and the wrap-up was a let down. It was just really predictable and the way things wrapped up was unsatisfying, it felt rushed.

My Summary (3.5/5): Overall this was okay, it is a quick read and most of the book is easy to stay engaged with. It started a bit slow, I didn’t like the characters, and I thought the way things wrapped up was unsatisfying. This is a book I didn’t mind reading, but will quickly forget. I don’t plan on seeking out any more books by Garvin in the future. ( )