Kate and Cass are close friends with very different outlooks. One stays in an unhappy marriage, the other has many affairs. The first chapter is a 'flash-forward' to an event in Cass's life, and clearly overshadows the whole book. Well-written and believable, with hope in the midst of pain.

Enjoyed the second time of reading, too. This is Marcia Willett's first novel, and some of the characters introduced in it re-appear in her later books. ( )

I thoroughly enjoyed the span of years covered in the lives of the characters in First Friends. This allowed plenty of time for the development of their thoughts and attitudes as they changed over time. I found it hard to put this book down, wanting to know what was going to happen next as these families and friends evolved against a backdrop of something the author was so familiar with---submarine hierarchy families/relationships. I am about to start the next book, A Friend of the Family, which picks up where this one leaves off. Wonderful character descriptions. ( )