Take What You Can

Val and Milly became best friends when they were both studying abroad in France. The two were the only black students on the trip, and decided to stay in France after the trip ended to explore more. Fast forward to now, both women are in their thirties and pregnant for the first time. Milly invites Val to move to NYC, so that they can be together again and go through their pregnancies together. What sounds like a good idea at first ends up becoming a strain on both as they have unresolved tension from their past along with the stress of both their current lives.I don't know how to fully feel about this novel. Both of the main characters were absolutely horrendous and I can't tell which one I despise more. I feel like nothing was ever fully addressed in this novel and certain things were never really addressed - like Val's turn into alcoholism (although both honestly seemed to struggle from this), did the husband cheat or not, and everything with Helene. I'm honestly not even sure what the real deeper message of this novel was as their was so many undertones of things like privilege and dealing with grief/loss and abandonment, but nothing was every really flushed out. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the novel and the locations the story took us, but I needed this to be flushed out a little more.

Thank you to Viking Penguin and NetGalley for providing me with an advance e-copy of "*Take What You Can*" by Naima Coster. Publication date is August 4, 2026.Naima Coster's "*Take What You Can"* is an insightful exploration of friendship, motherhood, identity, and the lasting impact of maternal relationships. At its heart, the novel asks what happens when women enter motherhood without the support, or even the presence, of the mothers they needed. Coster illustrates how the absence of that foundational bond reverberates through every aspect of adult life, while also demonstrating the profound importance of chosen family.Coster also examines the unequal expectations society places on women, particularly Black women. In an NPR interview, she observed that *"we have a culture that expects women to be content with what they get, even when it's unequal, even when it is insufficient."* That observation forms the emotional backbone of this novel, as her characters wrestle with careers, marriage, motherhood, friendship, and the pressure to accept less than they deserve.The story begins in France in 2004, where struggling university students Val and Milly meet while studying abroad. As the only Black women in their program, they form an immediate and lasting bond. Although their childhoods differ dramatically, each carries the burden of maternal loss. Val is emotionally estranged from her parents, whose neglect has left deep scars, while Milly was raised by a devoted mother whose death leaves her untethered. Their friendship becomes the family each has been searching for.The novel follows the women through adulthood as they build careers, marry, and become first-time mothers. Wanting their children to grow up together, they intentionally create lives in close proximity, relying on one another as they navigate the exhilarating and exhausting realities of parenting. Coster moves fluidly across time, gradually revealing how past wounds continue to shape present choices.Although I am a Baby Boomer, I appreciated the window this novel provides into the challenges facing many Millennial women. Coster thoughtfully explores modern relationships, shifting expectations surrounding marriage and parenthood, and even touches on ethical non-monogamy as one facet of contemporary adult life. Rather than presenting easy answers, she allows her characters to wrestle with complicated questions about love, autonomy, sacrifice, and fulfillment.Ultimately, "*Take What You Can"* is a thoughtful coming-of-adulthood novel about two women striving to balance personal freedom with the responsibilities of marriage, motherhood, friendship, and meaningful work. Coster writes with empathy and emotional intelligence, reminding readers that while we cannot choose the families we are born into, we can build families that sustain us.

Complex contemporary drama between two Black best friends and their journey through life from studying abroad in France to navigating pregnancy and motherhood together in New York. Connected through their shared race, trauma, loss of their mothers and drive for independence.This was raw. No sugar coating and straight up punchy. The verbiage the author uses to describe the different settings and her choice of character dialogue was very purposeful and speaks to how fleshed out Val and Milly are as individuals and exploring their friendship along with their own dynamic with their husbands Harris and Nic.Their paths are dramatic and imperfectly realistic. Milly is selfish, closed off and I found her not personable. Val wears her heart on her sleeve and is constantly pushed out by Milly. Lots of twists and turns and the parallels and even jealousy between each other’s various privileges and what the one thinks the other should be doing with their time and money. At times I loved to hate these characters but the overall resounding theme was how in spite of it all over the many years they still managed to circle back and still choose each other and be there for one another as friends and they are their own chosen family.The pacing was a bit off for me. It took me until about 30-40% to get a feel for the writing and actually invested enough in the characters to care. This was right around when Val and Milly give birth to their babies and I could really feel the tension and intricacies through the pages. I found myself drifting at times trudging through with how long the chapters were.The cover drew me in with the very bold blue color and vivid imagery of eating around a dining table. Upon further reflection we did get a decent amount of food descriptions, I almost think there could have been more or I was expecting more on the culinary side. There was plenty of heavy drinking though!I read this in 3 days and kept teetering in my mind between 3 or 4 stars and then 3.5 stars but ultimately landing on 3 stars. Some things didn’t work for me but overall I am happy I read Take What You Can. If you are sensitive I definitely recommend checking out the trigger warnings.

Take What You Can is a beautiful reminder that some of the most important love stories in our lives are the ones between friends. This was my first Naima Coster novel, and it definitely won't be my last. I absolutely loved the way she explores the inner workings of female friendship; how it can be comforting, infuriating, enduring, fragile, and somehow all of those things at once. Milly and Val's relationship felt deeply authentic, and I was completely invested in watching their lives intertwine across years, countries, and the many versions of themselves they became. Coster has such a nuanced understanding of how relationships evolve, showing that the people we love can disappoint us, challenge us, and still be worth holding onto. If you loved Kin, Love by the Book, So Old, So Young, or are simply drawn to stories about the ebb and flow of adult friendship and found family, I think this one will absolutely be your jam. A heartfelt, beautifully observed novel that celebrates the messy, enduring power of platonic love.Thank you to Viking Penguin, Pamela Dorman Books, and NetGalley for the ARC!

It was at the 12% mark when I knew I was sat; there was no way I could go to sleep without knowing what happened with Jerome and the rest of this crew! My, my, my... the level of drama, angst, eye-rolling, "what in the world?" moments, did I say drama, and laughs packed into this book gave me the emotional get-up that I needed while delivering such a satisfying payoff. I don't know if I'm nosey as hell or just plain nosey, but either way: I'm nosey. Don't judge me. 💅🏾At every turn, I found myself reflecting on my own life, asking: Is that how my friends are with me? Is that how I am with my friends? Naima Coster captures the complex dynamics of sisterhood and friendship with rare, amazing talent. I could see bits of myself in Milly and Val, but I definitely had mixed emotions about both of them. There were issues raised around selfishness, manipulation, morality, and tough decision-making, but that's what made the story feel like an episode of real life and not just fiction. Nobody's perfect; we are all flawed and need guidance, but there is no handbook on how to do life, so we do the best we can.Beyond Milly and Val, the author wove plenty of emotional depth into the rest of the characters, from the realistic portrayals of motherhood to the impactful roles, good, bad, or indifferent, that their husbands played throughout the story. There was one quote in particular that really resonated with me, speaking about grandparents who aren't around and whom we'll never get the chance to meet, nor will they ever get the chance to meet us. This touched my soul because I can relate. 💔 Which brings me to Helene, who might just be my favorite character for reasons you may discover while reading. She inspired my own personal takeaway: "Sometimes we meet people at the most inopportune times and they become the beacon of hope and light that changes our life forever, or leaves our lives forever changed."The title "Take What You Can" manifests itself in many ways throughout the book, and I love it when an author leaves us easter eggs to make the connection! Thank you for that! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 The pacing was spot on and kept me turning the pages until 7 o'clock in the morning! An all-nighter it was! But, if I had to give a little bit of feedback, honey... those chapters were way too long! Roughly 15 chapters across nearly 400 pages left me begging for a break! But I hung in there and kept reading! Also, the flashbacks and timeline changes had me on my toes and felt a little abrupt towards the end, requiring some extra left-brain power, but not to the point where I couldn't keep up or got lost in the story. 💐The Aftermath 🌷:A RAVING four-star read for me! This book is messy, dramatic, and a great work of fiction that handles the challenges of modern relationships with style and grace. It reminded me of "Sunset Over Napa Valley" and "Love by the Book" in many ways; each bringing their own originality to the book space.HOWEVER, the ending left the door wide open for many interpretations! Can we get a series? A Part Two? Where are they now? 👀 Because I have so many unanswered questions and desperately need some closure, we need more of Val and Milly! This is a character-driven story centered on friendship, class, and the real-life complexities of womanhood. Do yourself a favor and add this to your TBR! 😉Thanks to Pamela Dorman Books/Viking and NetGalley for this e-book. All opinions are my own.