Gouda Friends by Cathy Yardley
A Five-Star Book
Do you have favorite fictional couples, whether from books, TV, or movies? For me, Jim and Pam from The Office (U.S.) are so sweet because they started as friends and complement each other so well.
Liking that friends-to-lovers trope from The Office was probably one of the reasons why I loved Gouda Friends by Cathy Yardley so much.
Now that they’re in their late twenties, Tam has distanced herself from bestie Josh and her other SoCal friends (the Ponto Beach Nerd Herd) as she’s across the country in New York City dealing with a critical boyfriend, a demanding (and unfulfilling) job, and a general feeling of being lost. When things go further sideways, she reaches out to Josh, using code word “goldfish” to let her bestie know she needs help. Josh will walk through fire and glass to get Tam a sandwich, especially one filled with her favorite cheese, so he steps up to help her design her life. But what happens when these two friends start to feel the pull of a romantic relationship?
What I loved as much as I love cheese:
- The relationship. I was rooting for Josh and Tam from the start, and I liked that Yardley kept their relationship arc realistic, keeping them out of contrived situations.
- Josh. He’s sweet and almost too good, but he’s determined to ensure that Tam designs a life that makes her happy.
- The Nerd Herd. This is the second book in Yardley’s Ponto Beach series, so we get to revisit and learn more about the crew. They’re fierce, successful, and funny.
This was a 5-star read for me, and I can’t wait for the next Ponto Beach book. I can see this series going so far with all the different storylines!
Bookish Brain 