MWF SEEKING BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche
ISBN: 978-0-345-52494-2
Publication date: January 10, 2012
Publisher: Ballantine Books
When Rachel Bertsche first moves to Chicago, she’s thrilled to finally share a zip code, let alone an apartment, with her boyfriend. But shortly after getting married, Bertsche realizes that her new life is missing one thing: friends. Sure, she has plenty of BFFs–in New York and San Francisco and Boston and Washington, D.C.–but nobody in her adopted hometown. Taking matters into her own hands, Bertsche develops a plan: She’ll go on fifty-two friend-dates, one per week for a year, in hopes of meeting her new Best Friend Forever. The result is this thought-provoking, uproarious memoir.
For many people, male or female, it is difficult to acclimate in a new city or state especially when you don’t know anyone other than your spouse, their co-workers and your co-workers. Some people are able to establish friendships with co-workers that exist outside of the workplace, and others simply can’t because there are no common interests. Some people find new friends with common interests at book clubs, exercise classes, cooking classes or even at places of worship. Rachel tries many of these tactics and more in her search for a new BFF.
Rachel isn’t a needy, clingy woman that relies on her husband as her sole contact outside of work. She has a full life with friends, family and often traveled out-of-state to weddings, etc. keeping in contact. But we all crave someone to hang out with on the weekends, call when we’re having difficulties at home or work, shop with, etc. Rachel’s friend-dates are her attempts to find this person in her new hometown. She “dates” women that she may have overlooked because they were older, different ethnicities, or simply different. She is highly descriptive in describing these dates and her expectations.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I began reading MWF Seeking BFF simply because I’m not a memoir reader. However I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, although it did seem to drag a little in the middle sections. I don’t know if I could have the chutzpah to put myself out there as Rachel did when she moved, but I can understand her goal and rationale. This book provides a glimpse into why friends are necessary in order to be a well-rounded person, in addition to providing a glimpse into Rachel’s quest for a new BFF. (Couples with close friends apparently do better than couples without close friends according to one quoted sociology study.) If you enjoy memoirs with a humorous bent then MWF Seeking BFF may be just the book for you.
Disclaimer: I received an copy of this book free for review purposes from the publisher. I was not paid, required or otherwise obligated 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.”
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Author: thebookdivasreads
I'm a reader, an avid reader, or perhaps a rabid reader (at least according to my family). I enjoy reading from a variety of different genres but particularly enjoy fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, ChickLit, romance and classics. I also enjoy reading about numerous non-fiction subjects including aromatherapy, comparative religions, herbalism, naturopathic medicine, and tea.
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