Like many women my age, I grew up envying the relationships between Blair, Jo, Natalie and Tootie on The Facts of Life.  I thought the relationships between the girls epitomized everything that a friendship between girls should be ~ loving, supportive and genuine.  In my child’s mind, I didn’t realize that the friendships were fictional.  Lisa Whelchel, who played Blair, writes:  “I think there is a certain irony in the fact that the television show I was on was all about female friendships, and yet in real life I had very little experience with close relationships.”  This book is her exploration of what impeded her ability to develop close relationships and how she found healing and acceptance.

Written in a casual tone, Friendship for Grown~Ups is part diary and part self~help book.  Lisa asks challenging questions and provides thoughtful insight into a topic that can be overlooked in the day~to~day lives of “real” women:  friendship.  As busy moms, we know how important it is for our children to develop relationships with their peers but we often forget how important it is for us as adults too.  Or, as in my case, we spend so much time focusing on our children that we forget how to develop/maintain friendships.

I appreciated the honesty with which Lisa wrote the book.  It had to have been difficult to be so vulnerable and expose past hurts.  I believe that is one of the key points of Lisa’s book:  It’s ok to be vulnerable.  In order to develop and maintain friendships as adults, it involves a certain amount of vulnerability and trust.  Like Lisa, I struggle with making and maintaining relationships because of a fear of rejection and thinking that I’m bothering people when I call (or text).  Lisa offers a look at friendship from a Christian perspective and asserts that God allows us to be put into places of vulnerability to open our hearts not only to Him but to other women around us.  Lisa encourages us to step out on faith and believe that God will place the right people in our lives at the right time.

Disclosure:  This is a Thomas Nelson Review.  I received this book free through Booksneeze.com in exchange for a review.  I am not required to write a positive review, just an honest one.  The book is linked to bookschristian.com, of which I am an affiliate.  Should you decide to purchase the book using the provided link, I will receive compensation.  This did not influence my opinion of the book.