Between Friends

Ali and Cora have been friends since high school. Over the years, their friendship matured and the two women become tight like sisters. So it was only natural for Cora to donate her eggs when Ali was unable to conceive. Fast forward to present time. Ali and Benny have a beautiful daughter Letty. Ali is extremely thankful for the gift of life Cora gave to her. In fact, she has it documented on her bedroom wall, aka "The Miracle Wall". Now that Letty is older and growing into a young woman, Ali cannot deny her desire to have another baby. She did preserve the remaining embryos in case she wanted to be pregnant again. And that time has come. Benny, her husband, isn't as enthusiastic about having another child. If it were five years ago, then yes he would have agreed immediately. Now, things have changed. And bringing another child into the world is something he's not so sure of. Ali also needs to tell Cora. After all, the embryos are hers and she doesn't want to have the procedure until speaking with Cora first. Cora has a secret of her own. A secret that she's not ready to share. Even with Ali. She's aware that time is no longer on her side and decides she must face this life-altering decision and returns home cope and tell Ali. Between Friends is friendship at its best. Ali and Cora represent the true meaning of "I will do anything for you". Yes the woman argue and don't always agree, but deep down their friendship is real and solid. If you're looking for a good women's fiction novel, look no further. Between Friends is filled with intricate themes that causes the reader to feel a variety of emotions throughout the novel. It's a fantastic read, one I highly recommend. 4.5 Stars

Friends since childhood, Ali and Cora are each other's confidants and shoulders to lean on when the going gets tough. They are also joined together by an unusual bond: when Ali and her husband Benny were having trouble getting pregnant, Cora donated her eggs and is the biological mother of their 15-year-old daughter Letty. Letty always knew the truth - thanks in part to the framed magazine excerpts about the arrangement - and having children of her own has always been the last thing on free-spirited Cora's mind. Diagnosed with a potentially fatal hereditary condition, Cora returns to the States after teaching seminars across the globe and dreads the difficult conversation with her best friend. Ali has a revelation of her own: she has kept the remaining embryos frozen and is finally ready to try for another child. Overshadowing their dueling news is Letty, whose reckless behavior lands her in hot water time and time again. The incidents have Benny reeling and drive a wedge between the couple, with Cora stepping in to pick up the slack and provide the support that Letty so desperately needs. Are three parents too many or is it just what Letty needs to survive her difficult adolescence and emerge unscathed? "Between Friends" by Kristy Kiernan hits all the right notes - it's dramatic without being overly so, it's heartbreaking without being sappy, and above all, it's unpredictable. Sixty pages from the end, I was convinced that I had the rest of the novel figured out. I could not have been more wrong. Kiernan's talent is most apparent in her ability to create characters and situations that are true to life, and in life, there isn't always a perfect ending.

This is a wonderful story about the bond of friendship between two women, Ali and Cora. When Ali is unable to have children, Cora steps in and donates her eggs so Ali and her husband, Benny, can realize their dream of having a child. The result? They have a healthy little girl who they name Letitia Makani (nicknamed Letty). Fifteen years later is when this story begins. Ali has decided she wants to have another child, using the rest of the eggs that Cora donated to her But, unbeknownst to her, Cora is headed home to Naples, FL, and she has a secret that will change the course of Ali's life, as well as the lives of Benny and Letty. This is an incredibly well-written, emotional story that completely engrossed me from beginning to end. Told in alternating viewpoints, Ali, Cora, and Letty give us a different perspective on the situations that happen in the story. I love books that are told in this fashion. When they are written well, it adds another layer to the story, without confusing the reader. Kristy Kiernan masterfully weaves these voices together into one cohesive unit. It was very well done. I really loved the way this book was written. I feel that if the story was told from only one perspective then I would have lost something - that special spark that made the story so amazing and heartfelt. To say that I was shocked at some of the events that happened is a huge understatement! I didn't see some of those things coming - at all! I'd suggest that you keep a box of tissues nearby because you will be crying your eyes out, just like I did! This book is so engaging and deals with very sensitive issues. Due to my personal experiences with infertility, I could relate to Ali, one of the main characters. She was meant to be a mother and her best friend, Cora, allowed her to live her dream. The relationship between these two women is amazing and beautiful. They are as close as sisters and always there for one another, no matter what. I loved both of these characters. I loved everything about this story and am anxiously awaiting more books by this wonderful author!

Between Friends is the first book I have read by Kristy Kiernan. It will certainly not be the last. I was quickly drawn into this story and am so glad that I was able to read it. It is a lovely piece of contemporary women's fiction by an author that is able to share characters with the reader that you want to know and be friends with. A truly absorbing tale. Ali and Cora have been friends forever, since their early years. All for one and one for all. Ali married Benny, who had loved her since he was 14, and Cora became a free-spirited teacher, flying all over the world, encouraging people to use the wind to produce energy. When Ali discovered that she was unable to have a child, Cora became an egg donor to Ali and Benny in order to fulfill their greatest wish, to have a child. Letty is the miracle child that was born almost 15 years ago. Now, Ali has decided that she would like to try having another child, reminding Benny that there are still embryos that could be used for that purpose. Benny, a local cop, has been through a traumatic incident with a young man and he is still recovering from the stress of that day. Letty, their daughter, is becoming a somewhat sullen teen, not responding to her parents' wishes and hiding more from them than they know. Ali is adament though. Her time for possibly carrying a child to term is waning and she would like Letty to have a brother or a sister. She know that she has to talk with Cora, however, because she and Cora haven't talked about the embryos for years. Cora also has a secret. She comes back to Florida in order to share with Ali, Benny and Letty her diagnosis of PKD, polycystic kidney disease. Her life is about to change significantly as she will have to start dialysis and begin the process of looking for a kidney donor. She also has to tell her friends that the condition is inherited. Letty has a 50% chance of also having the gene mutation that would cause her to develop PKD. Kristy Kiernan tells a gripping story in Between Friends. It is emotional, heartbreaking, and yet, there are many silver linings on the dark clouds. There is hope. There is joy. I like the fact that she lets the reader into the minds of Ali, Cora and Letty, as each of them take the stage and carry the narrative for a time. All of the main characters are vivid. Letty is a typical self-centered teen, who loves her parents, but who has always felt branded by the story of her conception. Ali wants to control things and feels that if she can just make a plan and stick to it, everything will sort itself out. Cora, who never wanted to be a mother and was pleased to help her best friend become one, finds herself experiencing feelings and longings that she has never acknowledged before. Benny, not a character much in the limelight, but a true gentleman, loving his wife and his daughter fiercely, may be my favorite character of all. There are many twists and turns to this novel. I kept thinking that I had