The Friends We Keep

Written by Susan Mallery

Narrated by Tanya Eby

After five years as a stay-at-home mom, Gabby Schaefer can't wait to return to work. Oh, to use the bathroom in peace! No twins clamoring at the door, no husband barging in, no stepdaughter throwing a tantrum. But when her plans are derailed by some shocking news and her husband's crushing expectations, Gabby must fight for the right to have a life of her own.

Getting pregnant is easy for Hayley Batchelor. Staying pregnant is the hard part. Her husband is worried about the expensive fertility treatments and frantic about the threat to her health. But to Hayley, a woman who was born to be a mom should risk everything to fulfill her destiny—no matter how high the cost.

Nicole Lord is still shell-shocked by a divorce that wasn't as painful as it should've been. Other than the son they share, her ex-husband left barely a ripple in her life. A great new guy tempts her to believe maybe the second time's the charm…but how can she trust herself to recognize true love?

As their bonds of friendship deepen against the beautiful backdrop of Mischief Bay, Gabby, Hayley, and Nicole will rely on good food, good wine, and especially each other to navigate life's toughest changes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Feb 23, 2016
• ISBN: 9781491504369

Susan Mallery

#1 NYT bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming, humorous novels about the relationships that define our lives—family, friendship, romance. She's known for putting nuanced characters in emotional situations that surprise readers to laughter. Beloved by millions, her books have been translated into 28 languages.Susan lives in Washington with her husband, two cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Visit her at SusanMallery.com.

Reviews for The Friends We Keep

[ethel55_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought I was going to miss the wide generational representation of the first Mischief Bay book, which helped make it such a complex story. But the women who are spotlighted this time struggle with issues that span any age. Friends that meet twice a month to prep meals for their families at Supper’s in the Bag seemed like an ok beginning, but the twists in the plot kept these characters interesting. Gabby is so ready to return to work after being home with twin daughters and a handful of a teen stepdaughter. Nicole’s divorce is final, but her ex has less and less time for their small son, Tyler. I enjoyed the scenes detailing his love of Brad the Dragon, complete with all the accompanying retail items—what parent can’t relate to one of those kid crushes? Hayley’s scenes were heartbreaking, from the rough relationship with her sister to a medical diagnosis that sets her and her husband’s plans askew, I could feel the strength begin to radiate out of her as the story continued. Mallery, who has a hugely successful romance series, has really made the jump to a book club worthy women's fiction. While it encompasses some romance, the Mischief Bay series is becoming very character driven.

[Karen Chandler · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book, loved the way she loves her kids but also wants a few free minutes. Great storyline with interesting characters.

[Rachel Schultz Dickerson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great characters, real life feelings of moms and women that want to be moms.

[kbranfield-837433 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars.

The Friends We Keep is another hard-hitting and incisive installment in Susan Mallery's dramatic yet heartfelt Mischief Bay series. A wonderful mix of old and new characters keeps the series fresh and makes it very easy for both old and new fans to delve into this newest release with ease.

One of the characters from the first novel in the series is Nicole Lord. Nicole has recovered her equilibrium following her divorce and she is easily juggling her career and life as a single parent. She has been able to cut back on her hours at her Pilates studio which allows her to spend extra time with her young son Tyler. While Tyler seems well adjusted and happy, Nicole is worried about her ex-husband's apparent lack of interest in their son. Just as she is trying to get a handle on the growing chasm between Tyler and her ex, she finds herself attracted to a very unlikely newcomer to her life. When their relationship becomes more serious than she is comfortable with, will Nicole allow her fears to ruin her chance at happiness?

Gabby Schaefer is a happily married stay at home mom to five year old twins Kenzie and Kennedy and her moody fifteen year old stepdaughter Makayla. Just as Gabby is on the verge of returning to work when the twins begin kindergarten, a shocking revelation throws her life and marriage into turmoil. Although she and her husband Andrew have a rock solid marriage, their differing opinions on how to handle the situation create unexpected tension between them. For the first time, Gabby refuses to defer to Andrew's wishes and their marriage grows strained as they try to find a compromise that works for everyone.

Hayley Batchelor and her husband Rob have been dealing with infertility for several years now. Numerous miscarriages and hormone treatments have taken a terrible toll on her body but she refuses to give up her dream of giving birth to a child of her own. Hayley is still trying to recover from another devastating miscarriage when her doctor gives her a very troubling diagnosis. Her desperation leads her to taking drastic steps to continue her treatments, but she is stunned by Rob's reaction once he learns about her plans. In danger of losing both her chance at motherhood and her husband, Hayley must make a decision about what is most important: a biological child or saving her marriage.

As Hayley, Nicole and Gabby face very different challenges, they provide one another with emotional support and valuable advice. They offer each other unconditional love and support but they do not let their close friendship stop them from always being honest when discussing their problems. Fortunately, their friendships are strong enough to withstand brutal honesty during these discussions and oftentimes, hearing another viewpoint provides much needed clarity that helps them as they work through their individual issues. While each character is immensely appealing and for the most part, likable, it is very easy to grow frustrated (and sometimes angry) with some of their personal decisions.

Heartwarming yet poignant, The Friends We Keep is an engrossing addition to the Mischief Bay series. With realistic characters facing true to life problems, Susan Mallery has once again written an emotional and perceptive story that is sure to resonate with readers. It is an absolutely beautiful novel of friendship and family that old and new fans of this uplifting series are sure to love.

[jenn88-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novel focuses on three friends and the challenges they face and how they overcome them. This is the second book in the Mischief Bay series, and the first one I read.

Gabby Schaefer has spent the last five years as a stay-at-home mom to her twins. She can't wait to get back to work. But her world is turned upside down by shocking news and her husband's expectations.

Hayley Batchelor desperately wants a baby of her own. She and her husband have tried everything. But she's willing to keep trying even if that means destroying her marriage, going against her doctor's wishes and risking her life.

Nicole Lord is recently divorced and living a great life with her six-year-old son Tyler. She meets the perfect guy but is terrified to get involved. It's better to be alone than to get hurt, right?


Family, friendships and cute shop names (latte-da, the slice is right) give this book a cozy vibe. The book was realistic (although what happened with Hayley towards the end was a little far-fetched) and was a quick read due to how well-written it was. The thing that bothered me though was Gabby's fifteen-year-old stepdaughter Makayla almost always being referred to as "the teen" In my opinion it was ignorant and condescending. It was just a weird choice of words. Gabby's husband's expectations made me furious! And of course I absolutely loved Jairus!

I won a copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.

[scoutmomskf · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good follow on to The Girls of Mischief Bay. Nicole was a major character in that book, with Hayley and Gabby being secondary ones. Now all three are facing new challenges in their lives and having good friends like each other is vital to getting through their days.Nicole is adjusting to being a divorced single mother. It isn't as hard as she thought it would be, because Eric had left the marriage well before the divorce. She is still frustrated by Eric's lack of interest in being a father to their son, and her battle with this runs through the book. Her son Tyler's fascination with book character Brad the Dragon earns him a chance to meet the author. Nicole is not as thrilled as she has a preconceived idea of what he is like, thanks to her ex. The meeting between Jairus and Nicole was hilarious. There were definitely sparks between them, ones that Jairus wanted to pursue. Nicole is hesitant. She doesn't trust her judgment any longer, and is afraid that if she gets involved with him, Tyler will be the one to pay the price. Jairus is awesome with Tyler and with all the children he deals with, which helps soften her heart toward him. I loved Jairus's patience with her fears. He was sweet and romantic. He's also pretty good at cutting through the garbage, and finally makes his stand with her. I loved his big moment at the end.Hayley is a woman who is determined to be a mother. Unfortunately, she can't stay pregnant. After her fifth miscarriage, her doctor is adamant that trying again would likely kill her. Hayley doesn't want to hear it or believe it because it would be the death of her dreams of having her own child. She has a rocky relationship with her sister. Hayley was adopted and Morgan wasn't. Hayley always felt that her sister came first in her parents' hearts, and it has affected the way that Hayley looks at adoption as an option. All of the attempts at having a baby have put a strain on her marriage, and her refusal to accept the doctor's pronouncement causes a rift between her and Rob. It isn't until she nearly dies that she starts to accept the reality. I loved that Rob was there to support her, and that his love for her was still strong. His leaving was his last ditch effort to get her to see the truth. I ached for him and his fear of losing her, and frequently wanted to tell Hayley to open her eyes and look past her own wants. The solution to their problem was really sweet.Gabby has been married to Andrew for a while. They have five year old twins, plus Andrew's daughter from a previous marriage. Gabby has been a stay at home mom since the twins were born, but has been counting the days until they start school and she can work again. I understood her frustration, because, although he was a nice guy and really loved her, Andrew doesn't seem to respect that she has her own needs. She was frustrated by the way he never backed her up in regard to anything having to do with Makayla, and even undercut her with their twins. She constantly has to deal with the girl's attitude. When a situation came up dealing with Makayla and a boy, it was pretty satisfying to see that Gabby had been right all along. But once again, Andrew comes down on Makayla's side and expects Gabby to give up her plans and needs. I was frustrated with her at the beginning because she was something of a doormat. I really liked seeing her finally stand up to Andrew and his expectations. It took him way too long to see the truth, but when he did, he accepted his responsibility. Makayla was quite a brat, but she did some serious growing up by the end of the book.I really liked how Nicole, Hayley and Gabby were able to listen to each other's problems. They could dish out honest advice, or just be a sounding board while the talker worked out their issues. I loved the epilogue and catching up with how things had worked out for each woman.

[pam50627 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

LOVED THIS BOOK! Susan Mallery has such a way with the written word. This book takes us into the lives of a group of friends and what is going on in those lives. You laugh, love, & cry along with the characters through out the entire book. I picked it up to read a chapter or two and ended up closing the book on the end at 2 am. I just didn't want to leave it.

What can I say about the characters? They are people that live in your neighborhood with problems and concerns that you and your friends are or have gone through. The three friends are in three different places in their lives. This book details the journey's they each take to reach a level of satisfaction in their personal lives and the conflict they have to go through to get there. It's a very emotional book to read and will tug on your heart strings.

[mchwest · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The book was good. Cleared away some story lines left from the last book of the series and brought to light a few new memorable characters to add to the small town of Mischief Bay. I can't wait for the next installment.