Thirty-seven year old American Hannah Campbell is not really enjoying her trysts with her younger perfect male specimen though the muscle bound stud helps her somewhat forget her former spouse whose off traipsing somewhere like the Amazon. Though Jeff Williams would have been the leading model for an Ancient Rome statue, a bored Hannah leaves him to visit Egypt. At the Pyramids, Hannah meets a forty something mother of three teens (packed off to their father) Leonie and the younger too tall and plain Emma chaperoned by her obnoxious parents.

The three women become friends and when they return home to Ireland surprisingly stay in touch with one another. Leonie uses the personals to find dates that always end in the toilet. Emma wants to become pregnant, but has no success at conceiving. Hannah falls in love with a too die for actor, but doubts whether she can stay the course and commit to anything beyond a cup of coffee fling. Troubles for the trio multiply as family members make things worse for each one, but they have one other to lend a crying shoulder.

Though the tale of female friendship has been told often especially of late, SOMEONE LIKE YOU retains freshness due to the lead characters. The trio feels so genuine as they struggle with their respective situations in life specifically with relationships outside those with their two new pals. Though the story line oozes with much angst, Cathy Kelly adds humor to ease the tension so that the audience has an enjoyable female buddy novel.

Harriet Klausner