This is a very good, charming tale about five women who meet in the late 1960s at a park in a city with an almost perfect climate – Palo Alto, California. They first meet on September 6, 1967, when they are presumably in their twenties. The book takes us along with them through the next seven years. These were turbulent times in our country – from Vietnam to the beginnings of the feminist movement to Watergate – matched by the turbulence in the lives (and loves) of these five friends.
The friends have one thing in common, which is that they all would like to write and earn their living as professional writers; this during a period when being a wife and mother was expected to be enough. Even without the notes attached to the Target Bookmarked version, one would guess that author Meg Waite Clayton told more than a bit of her own true life story here. The best thing to this reader is that one does not have to be female to identify with the story and the trials of its protagonists.
The tale, while not perfect, is well written enough to make you want to keep turning the pages. Was it close to perfect? Well, no… There were at least two or three scenes in the book – romance directed – that could well have been excised. Counterbalancing this, there were two or three scenes that touched the heart and soul – not just a bit, but absolutely.
At its end, this is a story about surviving – survival being greatly assisted by love, friendship, tolerance, hopes, dreams, faith… and the belief that tomorrow will be even better than today. Highly recommended.
Joseph Arellano
Note: This book was purchased by the reviewer.
Joseph's Reviews 
I really, really loved this book. I’m glad you were able to (mostly) enjoy it. 🙂
I loved this book…. I agree that some parts I could have lived without but I love how it all wrapped together in the end and left me with a feeling that good friends thathave your back are a great gift!