Lily Morrissey knows exactly what she wants in a husband: a big bank account. Not that she’s greedy or shallow; she just needs the security for herself and her beloved grandmother. But husband-hunting is harder than she expected, especially with her best friend Jake in the way. In fact, Jake—who would be perfect for her if he weren’t so committed to everything money can’t buy—is becoming downright distracting, with those jade eyes and that disarming grin.
All Jake wants is the freedom to sail his boat, write his stories, and live life on his own terms. Then his best friend tells him she’s going groom shopping. But Jake can’t imagine life without Lily or bear the thought of her in another man’s arms. How can a rootless guy living a no-strings existence and a woman looking for someone she can count on both get what they need? By letting their hearts choose love.
2 Drink Me Potions
Honestly? The antics of both protagonists Jake and Lily got really tiresome by halfway through this rather short novel.
Lily was hard to like at first. From the very first pages, it was evident that she was a shallow gold digger. Even she had to dissuade herself from thinking that that was indeed what she was. She was working as a pianist in some fancy hotel in order to hook her claws into some rich man staying there who may appreciate her music. And she wasn’t one ounce bit ashamed of finding a husband solely for his money so that she and her grandmother could have all the luxuries in the world that she ever wanted.
Meanwhile, Jake is really a no-strings kind of guy. He drives a cab and lives off on his boat. He could literally up and move whenever he wanted. He was a nice enough guy, but he was adamant about not ever letting some woman change him into what she imagined him to be.
So when Lily and Jake “accidentally” kiss one day, it changes everything. Jake gets all the more grumpy due to his denial of any attraction that he may feel for Lily. And she finds a few men interested in her who may fit her exact criteria: rich.
It started off a little amusing, like a romantic comedy where the two main characters have obvious feelings for each other but their denial of such notions is a little funny for those watching objectively from the outside.
Oh boy, does it get tiring when practically the whole novel is centred on almost-happens and kisses-that-shouldn’t-have-happened-yet-did but-they-(I mean Jake)-ignore-them-anyway.
I sped through Friends and Then Some ’cause I like Debbie Macomber but enough’s enough. I was ecstatic when it finally ended with the conclusion that we all knew was gonna happen from the start. They admit their feelings for each other. Of course. No duh. But the process was rather painful to get through.
Overall Recommendation:
Friends and Then Some really shows the novice in Macomber’s writing. The storyline wasn’t meant to be unpredictable as the synopsis definitely shows these two best friends were bound for each other. However, what started off amusing with their denials and underlying attractions just became downright annoying when Jake continues to refuse the notion of being with Lily and Lily just acts like a selfish brat who wants a rich husband to feed her desires for worldly things. The ending just didn’t come fast enough, and I wished more of the story focused on the last few scenes ’cause that’s the only place I found pleasure in.
Down the Rabbit Hole 