Going Barefoot in Greener Grass - Audry Fryer
I gave this a three star rating one, because it is a first book, and two, because it needs an editor. Other than that, I really liked this book! Bethany is Olivia's maid of honor, but she's very distracted by the fact the last night she broke off her own engagement! She's desperately trying to hide this fact from Olivia and everyone else so as not to ruin Olivia's wedding. But Olivia knows that something is wrong with her longtime best friend and worries at it all day. Until...well, there really shouldn't be any more spoilers in here. The repercussions from Olivia's wedding day seem to last a long time for these two best friends, in spite of the fact that they talk. There are some things they just never seem to say out loud. Good times and bad happen to everyone in life. That's just the way life is. And Bethany and Olivia have their share of each. Olivia is married with children. She's the stay-at-home mom while her husband builds his landscaping business, but she dreams of having a writing career. Bethany has a fast paced career and dates a lot of different men, but dreams of one man to hold her and children to love. Is the grass greener on the other side? When each gets a chance to walk in the others shoes, life takes some strange twists. Can these two best friends work out their lives and salvage the good? Or will they lose it all and end up unhappy again?

For a first book, this rates quite well. The biggest problems with the book are ones that an editor or proofreader would have caught. The grammar, missing words and extra words are and editor's job. Also, I'm not a fan of jumping years between chapters, but it was unavoidable in this book as it covers about twenty years all told. Now, I've got to get started on Ms. Fryer's second book, Secrets, Lies, and Apple Pies.

Merged review:

Bethany and Olivia are best friends. One is the married with children gal. One is the dating with exciting career gal. So, of course, they each want what the other has. Only they have never admitted that to each other in twenty years of friendship. When people don't talk, misunderstandings arise, feelings get hurt, people say things in anger or out of hurt or under the influence of too much wine. Mix in the men in their lives, children, extended families, and day-to-day life stresses. Stir until everybody reaches the breaking point. What you have is a great first book! I can hardly wait to get my hands on Audry's second book!