Review for I Thought You Said This Would Work by Ann Wertz Garvin

 

I Thought You Said This Would Work by  Ann Wertz Garvin

Kindle Edition, 301 pages

publication: May 1st 2021 by Lake Union Publishing

Genre:  Chick Lit, Road Trip, Womens Fiction, Contemporary

 

From Goodreads:  A road trip can drive anyone over the edge—especially two former best friends—in bestselling author Ann Garvin’s funny and poignant novel about broken bonds, messy histories, and the power of forgiveness.

Widowed Samantha Arias hasn’t spoken to Holly Dunfee in forever. It’s for the best. Samantha prefers to avoid conflict. The blisteringly honest Holly craves it. What they still have in common puts them both back on speed dial: a mutual love for Katie, their best friend of twenty-five years, now hospitalized with cancer and needing one little errand from her old college roomies.

It’s simple: travel cross-country together, steal her loathsome ex-husband’s VW camper, find Katie’s diabetic Great Pyrenees at a Utah rescue, and drive him back home to Wisconsin. If it’ll make Katie happy, no favor is too big (one hundred pounds), too daunting (two thousand miles), or too illegal (ish), even when a boho D-list celebrity hitches a ride and drives the road trip in fresh directions.

Samantha and Holly are following every new turn—toward second chances, unexpected romance, and self-discovery—and finally blowing the dust off the secret that broke their friendship. On the open road, they’ll try to put it back together—for themselves, and especially for the love of Katie.

 

My Thoughts…What a great book.  I enjoyed every word, every page, every chapter.   With each word I read I found myself looking for more time to read, more time to enjoy Samantha and Holly’s adventure, and more time to lose myself in this wonderful story.  The story of three friends, where two have a falling out and the third stays friend with them both is not a new concept but this one is fun and unique.   The story has its serious side, with Katie being sick and needing both her friends for different reasons.   The fun side, with Samantha and Holly’s road trip adventure had me laughing out loud. 

The friendship was life long between Holly, Samantha, and Katie.   I liked how even with two of them were not getting along they came together when the third one was in need.   The third friend knew that they would all need each other in the future and had hopes that they would come to be friends again.  I loved how she shoved them together using her own needs to make them spend time together.   Add in their surprise guest and they had no hope in staying mad at each other. 

Ann Wertz Gavin wrote a fun, unique, and equally heartwarming and heartbreaking book.   I loved the friendships, the drama, and the tidge of romance. 

**Thank you Tall Poppy Writers, Ann Wertz Gavin, and NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

 

Meet Ann Wertz Gavin… Ann Garvin, Ph.D. is the USA Today Bestselling author of I Like You Just Fine When You’re Not Around, The Dog Year, and On Maggie’s Watch. She teaches writing at the University of Wisconsin Continuing Education and Drexel University Masters of Fine Arts program and has held positions at Miami University and Southern New Hampshire in their Masters of Fine Arts program.

Ann is the founder of the Tall Poppy Writers where she is committed to helping women writers succeed. She is a sought-after speaker on writing, leadership and health and has taught extensively in NY, San Francisco, LA, Boston, and at festivals across the country.