Mixed feelings. Couldn't put it down but didn't like it either. I kept waiting for more revelations about the marriages (happy or sad) and wanted Kate to make some decisions about get life instead of just meandering on on limbo.

It was interesting to see inside what people hide from others but all in all it just made be sad to see four people trapped by circumstance into lives they didn't much like. ( )

I won this book in a blog tour shortly before it's publication. I heard a lot about it on book podcasts and was interested in reading it but just never picked it up. I got sick last week (which I rarely do) and picked this book up to read because it felt like comfort food and it really was. It was such a beautiful book. I loved the way the story of Elizabeth in the journals is woven in with Kate and her story. It was a very interesting way to tell a story. ( )

It's a great story, well told, with interesting characters, deep feelings and thoughts on friendship, marriage and a healthy dose of self-examination.

I was pulled in right away by the premise. I've always been curious about what people who are not famous, or public figures, do with their personal writing. I wonder how many make provisions for their words, thoughts, and perhaps secrets? Lots of food for thought on that alone.

Nicole does a great job delving into her main character, Kate's dismay, shock and anger when given the awesome responsibility of how or if to disseminate her friend's journals.

From my perspective: I'm writing a novel that also involves questioning how well we really know each other, and aspects of ourselves we hide or suppress, especially through the lens of marriage. Hence, I was very interested in how she handled the relationship complexities once Kate realized how little she knew her friend. This brings about insecurities in her own relationship, and I have to say I agree with Nicole's handling of the outcomes. It is has a satisfying resolution.

A minor hiccup early on: Elizabeth's first journal entries are way too self-aware for a preteen/teen, and I found that distracting but once past that the book is real gem.

Nicole writes beautifully with lovely descriptions of settings and scenes "...sun-bleached Valentine paper hearts drained to gray." An effortlessness that is really a testament to skill not simple writing.

( )

I wanted to love this book, but I found it frustrating. I kept feeling like it was so close to being a great book, but never got there. The relationships were really interesting, but didn't feel quite fleshed out enough to work; the mysteries surrounding the last months of Elizabeth's life were close to being page-turners, but never quite got there... And I hated the ending. Hated. So...an ok book, an easy read, but i think it could have been so much more. ( )

Enjoyable read because of the concept, diaries willed to a friend, but won't win any awards for the writing. ( )