Never Meant to Meet You by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans

 

"Marjette, it's always easier to be the victim than it is to forgive. People make whole lives out of playing the wronged person, and you know where it gets them? Nowhere."

                 -Judy Oliphant, from the novel

This was an Amazon First Reads selection and I hit upon a winner! I found it very entertaining, especially after the last couple of books I have read that were rather intense.

Main character Marjette Lewis never meant to meet her neighbor, Noa Abrams, but when she notices Noa sitting outside her home looking devastated, her compassion (with a touch of nosiness) kicks in. 

Marjette is a black divorcee, mother of a teenaged son and veteran kindergarten teacher. Noa is a white Jewish widow, mother of Esther, who will be in Marjette's kindergarten class. An unlikely friendship develops centered on grieving---Noa's husband has recently passed and Marjette is still grieving the failure of her marriage, not her ex-husband so much as the broken dreams of a bright future. The two women end up helping each other to get through a difficult time.

I was very amused by certain scenarios in the novel. Having taught elementary school for many years, I could relate to preparing for the first day of a new school year and dealing with overbearing parents.

When Marjette and Judy Oliphant, her friend, mentor and former boss attend weekly Weight Watchers meetings, I was reminded of meetings I attended. I so enjoyed the banter between these two women. From the "About the Authors" it appears the relationship of Marjette and Noa is somewhat based on that of Frank and Youmans.

A lot of humor and a little romance made this novel a fun read. I rate it a 5.