Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review. Post contains affiliate links; if you make a purchase, I may earn commission. Opinions shared are mine.

Old friends are wonderful to have, but hard to maintain.  In the book Girls’ Night Out by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, three women try to navigate the midlife waters in Mexico.  The book is free with Kindle Unlimited and $11.96 in paperback.

I could relate to some parts of this story.  My college friends and I are planning a summer trip right now, as a matter of fact.  Ours will be a lot different than this one (we’re renting a house and discussing some books!) but the idea of reconnecting with cherished friends is so exciting.  In the case of this book and its characters, though, the trip to Tulum, Mexico had a lot of expectations riding on it.

If you can get through this book without wanting to slap at least one character, please run for president.  You must have the patience of Job.  All three women in this story had “real” lives but seemed so very immature.  Each was focused on her own needs and wants rather than appreciating their blessings.  Despite being friends for decades, they each held resentment and anger toward the others for various reasons.  It was difficult to like any of them, actually.  That set the perfect stage for a drama-filled, tense story.  It was suspenseful and mysterious.

The story’s format was unusual.  The story was told from each character’s viewpoint, and it also alternated between timelines.  That made it confusing to keep up at times, but it also helped to portray the different perspectives of each situation.  The characters seemed to refuse common sense at every turn.  I don’t think I could have been friends with these women for 20 years!  I have, however, traveled with my friends before, and it can test the boundaries of the relationship.

I remembered reading that these two authors have also been lifelong friends.  As I read, it crossed my mind that it would be hard to write a story about a shattered friendship with your own best friend.  You know how they say divorce is contagious?  I wondered if it would be a similar issue with friend drama.  As an interesting side note, the authors mentioned that in their acknowledgments.  I’m glad to see that the book didn’t break their bond.  In the end, that’s what really mattered about the Girls’ Night Out in the first place.

Would you take a trip with your best friend?