Quick take
A long, hard look at motherhood, privilege, and what happens when an unlikely female friendship grows complicated.
Good to know
400+ pages
Famous author
Female friendships
Suburban drama
Synopsis
Elisabeth, an accomplished journalist and new mother, is struggling to adjust to life in a small town after nearly twenty years in New York City. Alone in the house with her infant son all day (and awake with him much of the night), she feels uneasy, adrift. She neglects her work, losing untold hours to her Brooklyn moms' Facebook group, her "influencer" sister's Instagram feed, and text messages with the best friend she never sees anymore. Enter Sam, a senior at the local women's college, whom Elisabeth hires to babysit. Sam is struggling to decide between the path she's always planned on and a romantic entanglement that threatens her ambition. She's worried about student loan debt and what the future holds. In short order, they grow close. But when Sam finds an unlikely kindred spirit in Elisabeth's father-in-law, the true differences between the women's lives become starkly revealed and a betrayal has devastating consequences.
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Why I love it
Jenna Bush Hager
Co-host, TODAY with Hoda & Jenna
Friends and Strangers is a book about living an authentic, fulfilling life. Told through the alternating perspectives of two women, the novel presents two coming-of-age stories: one of a young mother and another of her college-aged nanny. It’s a compelling book that takes on modern issues surrounding adulthood, motherhood, and class.
From the outside, Elisabeth seems to have it all. She has a beautiful baby, a loving husband, and a three-book publishing deal. But when she and her family move from Brooklyn to her husband’s hometown in upstate New York, her well-maintained façade cracks. Lonely, exhausted, and unable to find time to focus on her next book, Elisabeth hires a part-time nanny, Sam. What follows is the formation of an unlikely friendship that changes the course of the two women’s lives.
Friends and Strangers ultimately reveals that happiness comes from authenticity and purpose, rather than wealth, success, or secrets. Sullivan’s clever writing makes this pick the perfect summer read—delicious and compelling through the last word.
Member ratings (2,497)
Skyler H.
Huntington Station, NY
Absolutely adored this book. It’s written so beautifully and in a manner that captures both characters inner thoughts so well. Deeply relatable. The story makes me want to be a better person ❤️❤️❤️
Barbara C.
Salinas, CA
Absolutely loved this book and will be reading more from this author. Her characters are so believable and the relationships between them are so interesting and illustrate the complexities of them. ❤️
Ann A.
Sugar Land , TX
Compellingly readable. I breezed thru this book! Life & how we can be overwhelmed by situations, but move forward and hopefully learn as we go. May be a new favorite author for me. ❤️ the characters.
Leslie C.
The Woodlands, TX
I wanted to pace myself and read two chapters a night, but I couldn’t stop reading this book. It made me consider the blessings of my life emanating from the sheer lottery of being born into my family
Ellie B.
Brooklyn, NY
this was so deep and moving, reading about good people who were a little f***ed up. They were all real people with real storylines, well constructed and well adjusted to the book’s world. I loved it!!