The Best of Us: A Novel

Paradise isn’t quite what it seems as four college friends meet for an island vacation in this captivating new novel from the acclaimed author of These Girls.

An all-expense-paid week at a luxury villa in Jamaica—it’s the invitation of a lifetime for a group of old college friends. All four women are desperate not just for a reunion, but for an escape: Tina is drowning under the demands of mothering four young children. Allie is shattered by the news that a genetic illness runs in her family. Savannah is carrying the secret of her husband’s infidelity. And, finally, there’s Pauline, who spares no expense to throw her wealthy husband an unforgettable thirty-fifth birthday celebration, hoping it will gloss over the cracks already splitting apart their new marriage.

Languid hours on a private beach, gourmet dinners, and late nights of drinking kick off an idyllic week for the women and their husbands. But as a powerful hurricane bears down on the island, turmoil swirls inside the villa, forcing each of the women to reevaluate everything she knows about her friends—and herself.

Sarah Pekkanen is the bestselling author of The Ever After, The Opposite of Me, Skipping a Beat, These Girls, The Best of Us, Catching Air, Things You Won’t Say, and The Perfect Neighbors. Her work has been published in People, The Washington Post, and USA TODAY, among other publications. She lives with her family in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

ISBN: 9781451673517
Format: Paperback
Pages: 352
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: April 09, 2013

“Pekkanen sparkles with her latest, a touching tale of college friends whose happily ever afters aren’t as perfect as they might have once expected. Lovably flawed, realistic characters and a fast-paced story make this a deeply enjoyable page-turner.”"A perfect book to cozy up with on a rainy day.""It's just the book to banish the last of your winter blues.""Reading this BFF-getaway-gone-wrong novel is like vacay without leaving the couch.""A perfect beach read, it's also a perfect weekend book. Get out a few chocolates and a glass of wine and prepare to make some new friends.""Fans of Jennifer Weiner and Emily Giffin will strongly appreciate this rising star in women's fiction.""Sarah Pekkanen writes with wit and warmth and a deep understanding of the way women—mothers, daughters, sisters, friends—make a place for themselves in the world.""Sarah Pekkanen's latest celebrates the healing power of female friendship for three very different young women sharing a New York City apartment. At turns bittersweet, laugh-out-loud funny, and painfully real, you'll wish you could move in with these girls."“Pekkanen offers a conversational writing style and a knack for making readers care about her characters… a refreshing look at the importance of female friendship.”"A pleasure.""Chick lit with grit.""Smart and soulful, Pekkanen explores the place where self and sisterhood intersect.""Fresh, appealing...the story is at turns funny and poignant.""A compelling and satisfying read...highly recommended.""Heartbreaking and familiar.""Pekkanen's wry voice and engaging characters keeps things fresh.""Original and engaging.""Within a few pages, you'll find yourself emotionally invested.""Within a few pages, you'll find yourself emotionally invested.""Pekkanen is deft at finding each woman's voice, displaying all sides of eventual conflicts. Her strong narrative pulls the reader steadily through the book, with tension mounting as the weather worsens...a solid entry in the "women's fiction" genre."