MWF seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche

MWF seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche

Completion Date: January 2, 2012
Reason for Reading: Review Copy Provided by Random House Canada.

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. Still, in her adopted hometown, there’s no one to call at the last minute for girl talk over brunch or a reality-TV marathon over a bottle of wine. 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. 

In her thought-provoking, uproarious memoir, Bertsche blends the story of her girl-dates (whom she meets everywhere from improv class to friend rental websites) with the latest social research to examine how difficult—and hilariously awkward—it is to make new friends as an adult. In a time when women will happily announce they need a man but are embarrassed to admit they need a BFF, Bertsche uncovers the reality that no matter how great your love life is, you’ve gotta have friends. (From Random House Canada)

This book was meant to be my last read of 2011, but things did not exactly go to plan. Instead it was my first read of 2012. I am hoping that means 2012 will have lots of non-fiction in it because I have been slacking on that lately. I am reading another non-fiction book right now, so maybe! Anyway I read this book because of Lindsey at Reeder Reads. She has had lots of good things to say about it and you can read her review of the book here. I am not so sure I would have picked the book up otherwise. My non-fiction radar tends to be more for historical works and not as many memoirs of sorts.

Anyway, I am very happy I read this book because I could entirely relate to it. In the book Rachel has moved to a different city and has lost her close-knit group of friends in close proximity. To aid in this she sets out to go on 52 friend dates in the hopes she will find a BFF in the mix. I applaud her effort. She goes all out to try and find a social life in an entirely different city. She has her husband, but there are just some things you need a really close friend for. Her husband even entirely supports her effort to go out and seek new friends because he understands that she needs it. She shares statistics about how people that have a large social network tend to live longer. And, women need friendship in a different way than men. I have noticed that one without it being pointed out to me.

I have to say that I enjoyed this book. Rachel has a very fun writing style and is very readable. It was great to read about her experiences and she knew to keep it short when it wasn't all that important to the overall experience. I think many women can appreciate what she is trying to do in this book because there are lots that do not have the social network they desire. It is hard to have, though, unless you are willing to admit you need it. I think this book is worth reading and I am glad that I had the chance to. Plus, she is a blogger and it is always important to support fellow bloggers. I hope if you have a chance you will give this book a read.

If you are interested you can read an excerpt from the book on the Random House web site here. My thanks to Random House Canada for providing my copy of the book.