An enjoyable summer or beach read about a group of women who are Army wives and neighbors who have become empty nesters as their similar age daughter enter basic training for a future in the Army. The reader can not help but be empathic with each and every character. I listened to the Audible edition which extremely entertaining. ( )

The Empty Nesters by Carolyn Brown
Think I have read other works by the author and treasured them as I did this one.
Starts out with Smokey and Tootsie living in TX and they have 3 new army families moving in next door.
It's so special to them as they never had kids of their own. The husbands all leave for work overseas and the women and the 3 girls are left behind to keep them entertained over the years.
Love that there are so many sides to this story, not only of the older couple Smokey and Tootsie but each of the 3 women as they go through changes over the years.
And the girls are all grown up, graduating high school and enlisting themselves.
Love how the women all stick with one other through the good and bad times and I love what obstacles they are able to overcome with help from each other.
Can't wait to read more of this author's works. So many emotions while reading this book.
They are strong and brave through it all. ( )

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake Romance.

A sweet book w/a lot of sass from 4 women traveling in a RV to Tootsie's house (the matriarch of these friends).

Diana, Rebecca, Joanie and Carmen are all Army wives who've been friends since their husbands work together in the Army living in TX and they live on the same block as Tootsie who's Army husband just died. Tootsie considers these women and their daughters to be her children and grandchildren. They are all feeling sorry for themselves for being empty nesters after their daughters just joined the Army. After the girls leave for basic training, all the women go in Tootsie's RV to Scrap, TX, where her lake home is. Along for the ride is Tootsie's nephew, who is driving. A lot going on with these women who are always there for each other. They all have their own story to tell. ( )

Terrific story of friendship, healing, and love. The story opens in the past as Tootsie and her husband Smokey watch three young families move into houses on their block. All three are military families, each with one young daughter. Tootsie immediately senses that these people will become good friends. The prologue spends some time introducing each of the characters and their personalities. It also shows the depth of friendship that already exists between Diana, Carmen, and Joanie, as they finish the prologue by sending their men off, hiding their heartbreak behind cheerful faces. The story picks up thirteen years later, as all three women watch their daughters depart for Army basic training, leaving them with empty nests. That's not the only life-altering event either. Tootsie's husband Smokey recently passed away, leaving all of them feeling his loss. To make matters worse, Carmen unexpectedly receives divorce papers from her husband. As the women come together to support Carmen, Tootsie invites them all on her road trip as a way to get away from it all.

Tootsie: Tootsie is a warm-hearted woman who was deeply in love with her husband. She is devastated by his loss, but the other women's presence in her life helps her deal with her grief. Helping them through their problems provides a needed distraction. I loved her down-home country wisdom and her straightforward way of delivering it. There are some hilarious times ahead for them, as well as some profoundly emotional ones. Smokey's loss isn't all Tootsie has to deal with on this journey, and the other women repay Tootsie's support with some of their own. I loved Tootsie's conversations with Smokey. They gave a good look at the type of man he was and the relationship he had with her.

Carmen: I loved Carmen and ached so much for her. The unexpected arrival of divorce papers on the day her daughter left for boot camp made it especially devastating. She's always been a little bit insecure thanks to her feelings of being not good enough for Eli (reinforced by her witch of a mother-in-law) and immediately starts thinking about what she must have done wrong. I loved seeing her journey through denial, grief, and anger, and seeing her come out stronger on the other side. I detested her husband, Eli, whose true colors were revealed in his phone calls to her. There was a funny scene in which Carmen contemplated emulating a book character's revenge on a cheating spouse. I laughed because I recognized that revenge from an earlier book by the author.

Joanie: After witnessing Diana's divorce years earlier, and seeing what Carmen goes through now, Joanie experiences some guilt about the solidity of her marriage. But recent phone calls from Brett have been disturbing, and she wonders if the bonds are as strong as she thought. I ached for her and her fears. Brett turned out to be the best of the husbands, and I liked how he came clean about the issue. I especially liked his understanding of her bond with the other women. Joanie impressed me with her realistic look at the proposition and consideration of all the ramifications.

Diana: Diana's life has revolved around raising her daughter. Mostly by herself, as first her husband was gone so much, then later as a single mother. She showed little interest in dating, not ready to trust another man with her heart. Having already been through it, she is in an excellent position to help Carmen. What Diana did not expect was to feel a connection to Tootsie's nephew Luke, who is their driver on this road trip. She is a bit freaked out about their age difference since he's a few years younger. I loved the friendship that grew between them as they discovered things they had in common and how that friendship grew and changed. There were some sweet moments between them, and some very steamy ones. Diana has some issues she has to deal with before she lets herself even consider a future with Luke in it. I liked the fact that they kept the lines of communication open, even when they were at odds.

Luke: The lone man on this road trip. Luke is a self-professed geek who claims limited social skills. He spent most of his adult life immersed in the software company that he built. Luke recently sold it and now must decide what he wants to do. He loves his Aunt Tootsie and looks forward to the memories of his Uncle Smokey on this trip. He is taken by surprise by his connection to Diana, especially as he usually is shy and awkward around women. I liked how the age difference meant so little to him and loved how he explained it to Diana. I liked his patience as he didn't try to push Diana past where she was comfortable but still left her in no doubt about his interest. Luke also helps each of the other women through some of their problems with some practical advice and/or viewpoints from the male perspective.

I loved the journey these five made together, with the love, friendship, and respect that helped each of them through some rough times. I loved the end of the journey as they attended their daughters' graduation and saw the changes that they, too, had experienced. I enjoyed the glimpses of each mother/daughter relationship, as well as the friendships between the three girls. I got a kick out of Rebecca's comments to Luke. There was also some insight into the three women's husband and how the men's relationships with each other compared to their wives' relationships.

The epilogue was great. I liked seeing them all a few months down the road and how things have worked out for them. I loved seeing Luke and Diana together, and the unexpected twist that capped off the book. ( )