Olson, a registered nurse and professional counselor, empathetically explores how female friendships can positively influence one’s life in her engaging debut. She defines friendship as “a close association between two people marked by feelings of care, respect, admiration, concern, love, or like.” To Olson, finding someone with similar interests and expectations for a potential friendship is crucial for a positive experience. She provides discussion questions to encourage readers to dig into their own psyches and comforting examples from her own life to help readers make sense of what they value and seek out in friendships. She then explores how strong friendships promote health, happiness, and longevity (“being connected to others is key when we face illness because it helps us manage our stress responses”) and provides tips on making new friends by getting out of one’s comfort zone, such as by joining a club or volunteering. Savvy and thoughtful, Olson’s thorough work offers a blueprint for readers concerned with finding and maintaining friendships. (Self-published)