Same Sweet Girls by Cassandra King

 

"The Same Sweet Girls" was published in 2005 and written by Cassandra King. A book about women's friendships. (one of my favorite subjects!)

"None of the Same Sweet Girls are really girls anymore and none of them have actually ever been sweet. But this spirited group of Southern women, who have been holding biannual reunions ever since they were together in college, are nothing short of compelling. There’s Julia Stovall, the First Lady of Alabama, who despite her public veneer, is a down-to-earth gal who only wants to know who her husband is sneaking out with late at night. There’s Lanier Sanders, whose husband won custody of their children after he found out about her fling with a colleague. Then there’s Astor Deveaux, a former Broadway showgirl who simply can’t keep her flirtations in check. And Corrine Cooper, whose incredible story comes to light as the novel unfolds."  Synopsis from Cassandra King website.

I enjoyed the book.  But I really enjoy a good book about friendships. 

The characters are as different - well as different as I am from my friends! Different personalities, different beliefs, different ways of looking at life - which made for very interesting characters.

There was one that didn't quite fit in - not sure that anyone really liked her and that was the only "unbelievable" part of the book. If one is not really liked, would everyone else really put up with her all those years? Then I realized, yes, we do. For many different reasons. I believe the main one being kindness. 

Lanier is given a note book to write down bits of "wisdom" throughout the story. This was a highlight for me - given my penchant for "journals" and writing anything but "diary" stuff in them! Here's an example of my JOURNALS.

Some of the wisdom she recorded:

"Honey, it will either work out or it won't."

"I keep doing the same crap over and over and expecting it to turn out different each time."

"Any landing you walk away from is a good landing."

"Take what you want from life, then pay the price."

"Only way to learn anything is to keep your mouth shut and your eyes open."

These are just a few that I marked. The book is full of wit and wisdom! Women standing together as friends without hidden agendas, without political activism, just good old fashioned friendships for friendship sake. We all need friends.

Years ago, I attended a conference where the speaker stated "...women need women friends. Years ago, women formed friendships while beating their laundry on a rock by the river! by baking together, quilting together, so many different get-together's where they shared, laughed and cried. Then women got busy. Busy working outside their homes and still keeping up their homes. Raising children, taxiing children to one activity after another. They discovered their "friendships" were the easiest to give up. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how good of friends you are, a man can't take the place of "girl-friends."  So many women have become discontented with their lives because of this."

-and I'm very sorry to say I don't have the name of the speaker written down, just the notes from the workshop.

Maybe that's why l like books about friendships so much. It's in our nature to have friends.

Cassandra King has written many short stories, essays and several full length books. Please check out her website H.E.R.E.

I plan on reading more of King's books after reading the synopsis' of them on her website. I'm sure they won't disappoint.