Tea with Elephants – a review

I truly loved this book. That’s such a simple sentence for just how much I enjoyed it. First of all, “Tea with Elephants” touched on many of my favorite things: adoption, travel, faith, writing, and friendship. Plus I have heard our long-time family friend Daniel tell us stories of his Kenyan homeland and this story took me there. I’ve always wanted to go, but now that is even more so on the list. 

This is the first Robin Jones Gunn book I’ve read, but, apparently, she’s written more than 100, literally, so I’ll likely try another! In this book, the main characters and long-time friends Fern and Lily were called the “Suitcase Sisters,” so I’m looking forward to the next installment of this series coming next year. 

In “Tea with Elephants,” Gunn writes beautifully. She intertwines the Kenyan landscape, culture, and food with truths about hard seasons of life, deep friendship, and faith that remains despite struggles. 

About the book

Since they met as teenagers volunteering at a conference center in Costa Rica 20 years ago, Fern Espinoza and Lily Graden have shared a close friendship, even though they live in different states. They can hardly believe it when their teen dream of traveling to Africa together becomes a reality. It’s the trip of a lifetime – but life sure isn’t what they thought it would be back when they were young.

Along with their suitcases, each woman brings along emotional baggage that weighs heavily on them. Yet the people they meet and the places they experience have the power to change their hearts – but only if they surrender to the lessons God wants to teach them in this unexpected land of emerald tea fields, graceful giraffes, and rambunctious elephants.

Pack your bags and get ready for adventure as Robin Jones Gunn invites you on a safari of the heart in this vulnerable exploration of how to move forward in faith even when the future is uncertain.

“Tea with Elephants” is a 304-page paperback published by Revell (Oct. 15, 2024). I’m not sure the title expresses the depth of this story I highly recommend women read. 

About the author 

Robin Jones Gunn is the bestselling and award-winning author of more than 100 books, including the Sisterchicks series and the Christy Miller series for teen girls. Her books have sold more than 6 million copies worldwide. Robin and her husband have two grown children and four grandchildren and live in southern California, where she co-hosts the Women Worth Knowing podcast. The details in this novel come from Robin’s trips to Africa, where she strolled through a tea field, slept in a treetop hotel on Mount Kenya, and experienced a safari with her Kenyan friend who makes delicious masala chai tea. Learn more at RobinGunn.com.

*****

I received a free paperback copy of this book from Revell Reads in exchange for an honest review. These are my honest opinions and I was happy to give this book all the stars on Goodreads.