On the plus side, this is my era. I can relate to the cultural references over decades, the shared angst of balancing career and family, etc. My favorite part of the book is when the friends meet, bond, and struggle through their teenage years. But as they age, they become more 2-dimensional representations of career woman vs. stay-at-home mom. The overuse of the term "best friend" is maddening - yes, we KNOW - (editor, please!). The story veers into predictability, self-inflicted fears and tears, repetitive scenes that leave me thinking I'm reading in circles. The concept is richer than the writing. With 130 pages to go, I have a real love/hate relationship with this book because I think I know where it's going and I'm already increasingly disappointed. But I'm sticking out anyway, like a long-owed favor to a best friend.