Eleanor, a retired single woman, decides to invite two young mothers - Paula and Lindsay - to hang out with her on Friday nights, along with their small children. Wanting something to do, they go along, sometimes joined by Lindsay's younger sister Jules. Eleanor's neighbour Blaise is invited, along with her business partner Karen.. and gradually, strong friendships form.

Then Paula meets a new man, and wants to bring him to the group. Everyone is a little uncertain about this, and indeed, although he's a likeable guy who seems to get along with everyone, this seems to be the catalyst for a lot of changes amongst the various group members.

There's not really a lot of plot, as such. It's a gentle character-driven book, delving into the different lives of these six diverse women and their relationships. I found it rather hard to remember who was whom, at first; Eleanor and Jules were easy enough, and Blaise (the only other woman without children) stood out, but I found the other three and their offspring rather too similar. By the end I had just about sorted them out in my mind.

There's nothing special about this book - I didn't find it moving, or amusing, or even particularly thought-provoking. However the writing is good, and it's a pleasant enough light read, if you like this kind of thing.

Perhaps three stars is a little harsh. Three and a half would be better. ( )

Another book I stopped reading...the book was boring and confusing, going back & forth between times and occurrences... I didn't care about the women, they seemed shallow, because you never really got to know them...you just picked up in the middle of their lives. ( )

Joanna Trollope is my "go to" for thoughtful books on CD. Her conflicts are centered on home and family and always ring true and real. This is the first book I've actually read, instead of listened to, and I can now honestly acknowledge that having a Brit reader makes each story more magical. Not to diminish her writing, and in this case, balancing the viewpoints of multiple characters, including children, is tough. The matriarch, Eleanor, is retired from a good job and a bit lonely, so she befriends some neighbors who are single women with children. They hesitantly start meeting on Friday nights (thus the title) and the circle expands to embrace a sister and a neighbor and a business partner.

The inevitable changes in fortune make for tension and separations of the sisterhood, but all is resolved in a typical satisfying Trollope ending. ( )

Not the best Trollope but better than "Second Honeymoon". ( )

Nice mindless reading about women's regular social gathering affected by life changes and men. ( )