Many books have been written about friendship, trusting God and relational issues. This one caught my attention; however, because it was written by Lisa Whelchel. In a moment of nostalgia, I chose the book because I reflected back on my memories of afternoons spent friends watching Lisa in her childhood role as Blair on The Facts of Live. Not one to follow the Hollywood crowd, I remember hearing that she had left the acting world, married and was writing books. I also knew that she had begun to speak at Women of Faith conventions. I must confess, some part of me scoffed at hearing that as I thought, “Oh boy, another Hollywood personality getting on the bandwagon.” For that, I must apologize. Whelchel has so much to offer women of all ages.

If you have never read one of her books, pick up a copy of Friendship for Grown-Ups: What I Missed and Learned Along the Way. While I am not familiar with her other books, my understanding is that her past works have mainly been about children and parenting. This book; however, discusses the isolation she felt as a childhood star, the pressure put upon her to maintain a certain look, and the difficulty in making friendship connections. She takes the reader on journey of trusting, learning to discern and growing beautiful adult friendships. I wasn’t prepared for was the brutal honesty that she shares in her writing. The book is beautifully written.

One of the things that separates this book from the crowd is the inclusion of tools at the end. Most books on the market tell a story, include a few scripture verses and may end with a prayer. Friendship for Grown-Ups includes several appendixes with useful steps and suggestions to enact the lessons of the book. One provides a list of conversation prompters to ask each other. A second appendix includes lots of suggestions of creative ways to show you care, things to do for friends, and other suggestions.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”