The Best of Enemies
Written by Jen Lancaster
Narrated by Emily Rankin and Julia Whelan
3.5/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this audiobook
Jacqueline Jordan knows conflict. A fearless journalist, she's spent the past decade embedded in the world's hot spots, writing about the fall of nations and the rise of despots. But if you were to inquire about who topped Jack's enemy list, she'd not hesitate to answer: Kitty Carricoe.
Kitty reigns supreme over the world of carpools and minivans. A SAHM, she spends her days caring for her dentist husband and three towheaded children, running the PTA, and hiding vegetables in deceptively delicious packed lunches.
Kitty and Jack haven't a single thing in common-except for Sarabeth Chandler, their mutual bestie. Sarabeth and Jack can be tomboys with the best of them, while Sarabeth can get her girly-girl on with Kitty. In fact, the three of them were college friends until the notorious frat party incident, when Jack accidentally hooked up with Kitty's boyfriend…
Yet both women drop everything and rush to Sarabeth's side when they get the call that her fabulously wealthy husband has perished in a suspicious plane crash. To solve the mystery surrounding his death, Jack and Kitty must bury the hatchet and hit the road for a trip that just may bring them together-if it doesn't kill them first.
From the Hardcover edition.
Jen Lancaster
JEN LANCASTER is a New York Times bestselling author who has sold well over a million books. From Bitter Is the New Black to The Tao of Martha, Jen has made a career out of documenting her attempts to shape up, grow up and have it all—sometimes with disastrous results. Her novel Here I Go Again received three starred reviews (Kirkus Reviews, Booklist and Publishers Weekly). Her memoir I Regret Nothing was named an Amazon Best Book of the Year, and she’s regularly a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards. Jen has appeared on The Today Show, as well as CBS This Morning, Fox News, NPR All Things Considered and The Joy Behar Show, among others. She lives in Chicago with her husband and her many dogs and cats. Visit her website, jenlancaster.com, and find her on Twitter, @altgeldshrugged.
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Stories I'd Tell in Bars Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Welcome to the United States of Anxiety: Observations from a Reforming Neurotic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Gatekeepers Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
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Reviews for The Best of Enemies
41 ratings7 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I received a copy of The Best of Enemies for free through the Penguin First to Read program, in exchange for an honest review.Jack Jordan, a somewhat smug foreign correspondent, shares her best friend Sarabeth with the somewhat shallow stay-at-home supermom Kitty Carricoe. Jack and Kitty have been sworn enemies since a misunderstanding during college and the rivalry has escalated out of control over the last couple of decades. When Sarabeth's husband in involved in a fatal plane crash, Jack and Kitty rush to Sarabeth's side. They become suspicious of the circumstances of the husband's death and team up to investigate. The chapters alternate between Jack's and Kitty's points of view. The main story takes place in 2014, but there are also lots of flashbacks. Before the story starts there is a series of invitations and hotel letters, which I think was a really fun way to start the book. The Best of Enemies really illustrates the importance of communication and how the littlest misunderstandings and assumptions can drive the biggest wedges between people. All of Kitty's and Jack's drama could have been avoided with a little communication and empathy. I chose this book because of the comparison to Bridesmaids (which I loved) and Big Little Lies (which I liked). The Best of Enemies is this the deepest I have gone down the chick lit rabbit hole and the book was a little bit of a mismatch for me as a reader. I have to say, this is the first time I have come across the terms "amazeballs," "totes legitamittens," and "faboo" in a book! There is a lot of (tongue-in-cheek) modern lifestyle blogger lingo, texting speak, pop culture references and brand name/celebrity name dropping. I have never seen Top Gun or Risky Business (I know, I know!), so many of the references were lost on me. Those who were teenagers or young adults in the 1980s will probably get the maximum enjoyment from this book.The alternating chapters technique is really effective for this story, because you get to read Jack's and Kitty's hilariously different interpretations of the same event! My favorite part of the entire book was when Jack and Kitty teamed up. The back and forth of their dialogue was really fun to read. I wished they could have partnered up earlier, because the introductions and set-up seemed to take ages. The first 200 pages seemed so slow and then a lot happened in the last 100 pages. I think the author did a great job of making Kitty seem really unlikable in the beginning and then slowly making the reader want to be her friend! Jack was an interesting character as well and I really liked her close relationship with her family. All the other characters were a bit one dimensional. There is a lot of fun, snarky dialogue. Sometimes when the subjects got more serious, the dialogue was more stilted (a conversation between Kitty and Bobby discussing raising kids in the internet age and a scene at John-John's house). Things got totes ridic at the end! I was a little disappointed when Jack reveals that she wants to quit her badass job and decides what she wants more than anything is a husband and a family. It was a weird turn for the character. I wonder if the dynamic between Jack and Kitty would be as interesting in a sequel. The two villainous monologues were a little bit too much for me too. Even though this was just an okay read for me, I think it will be enjoyable for fans of the genre. I think it would make a really fun movie!(I use the Goodreads rating scale. 2 Stars - It was OK. Forgettable. I started daydreaming about the next book I would read while reading it. If it is a subject/genre that you love, it might be worth a read, )
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5funny, at first the characters were annoying but as the story moved along it became amusing. The audio readers were great , all in all quite enjoyable.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I expected this to be a potato chip book (fun but without much nutritional value). Turned out to better than I expected. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I received access to this galley for free through the First to Read program.I've always enjoyed books about the complicated yet enriching nature of female friendships. The recently-coined term, "frenemies," a spot-on take on the relationship. The story is told from the joint perspectives of Jacqueline("Jack") and Katherine("Kitty"), the frenemies. Aside from a mutual friendship with Sarabeth("Betsy"), the two of them have nothing in common. They are polar opposites in everything from their career choices to their priorities. Jack is a foreign correspondent while Kitty is an affluent suburban stay-at-home soccer/PTA mom and blogger. When Betsy's husband Tripp dies in a boating accident, the three friends are reunited. Jack and Kitty are forced to be civil, not only for the sake of their mutual friend, but also to solve the mystery of Tripp's death. The story shifts in time from the past to the present. This and the alternating voices of "Jack" and "Kitty" was confusing at times. However, the writing is witty, with a snarky sense of humor. True to real life, the relationship dynamics of "Jack" and "Kitty" evolved as they spent time together. They gained an insight into one another's strengths, weaknesses, and priorities. They discovered that things are not always as they appear and that the grass isn't always greener.As I neared the end of this novel, I thought I had figured out the possible plot twist. I had a couple scenarios in mind but was wrong on all counts. I love when that happens. Unpredictability is good.Overall, I liked this book and would read more by this author. Reading it was a guilty pleasure, similar to watching shows such as Gossip Girl. I also was familiar with and enjoyed the numerous pop culture references scattered throughout.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jen Lancaster is becoming a master of fiction after already mastering memoir genre. This is a great book full of snark, conflict, friendship and the 90's. I have to be careful to not spoil anything, but I will say the story of being roommates in college and having a misunderstanding turn into a full blown war resonates with me!! I think my roommate and I spoke ten words to each other after Christmas break due to a misunderstanding and we never roomed together again. Lol I know Jen has another book out in the next year and I look forward to it!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Too funny! This book is well worth your afternoon or evening. Two women grow up in the same school situation, go off to the same college together and there grow into hate. One is a girly-girl and the other is the ultimate tomboy. They mingle with a sorority crowd and break up their friendship over a guy. As adults, they are slammed back together in a rich friend's drama and set off on a road trip to try to catch a swindling, philandering husband who has been thought to have perished in a plane crash. The dialogue is ultra hip (can we still use that word?), the scenes are hilarious and I truly thank the author and Penguin's First to Read program for a complimentary copy. This would be a terrific movie screenplay or series....hello Hollywood!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good read. Tired of the "Top Gun" references early on but overall funny and entertaining if not slightly predictable.