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I had mixed feelings cracking open Almost Friends by Philip Gulley, the eighth (and possibly final?) book in Gulley’s Harmony series. I was excited to return to the charming chaos of Harmony, Indiana. But also preemptively mourning the fact that this might be the last time I get to hang out with Sam, Dale, Fern, and the rest of the delightfully dysfunctional crew.
This time around, Sam is off on a sabbatical to care for his ailing father, which sounds wholesome enough, until a woman (gasp!) steps in to fill his pulpit. Cue the outrage, scheming, and backroom plotting. Harmony may be small, but it never runs out of drama.
My Almost Friends Book Review
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Almost Friends by Philip Gulley Book Summary
In Almost Friends, Sam Gardner (our weary but lovable Quaker pastor) finally gets a break. Not a vacation exactly, but a sabbatical to care for his ailing father. While Sam’s off the clock, the church welcomes (well, sort of “welcomes”) Krista Riley, a seminary student and actual competent human being, to fill in for three months. Naturally, this causes an immediate crisis. Krista, young and female (gasp), brings fresh energy and thoughtfulness to the pulpit. In Harmony, this translates to “suspicious outsider vibes.”
Cue the return of local chaos agents Dale Hinshaw and Fern Hampton. They’re not thrilled about Krista’s modern ideas (or frankly, her uterus) and would really prefer their pastors to resemble something out of a 1950s black-and-white TV show. Krista flourishes, proving she’s clearly meant for ministry. But Dale and Fern double down on their mission to reassert “traditional values” (read: control everything). It’s a warm, funny, light-hearted ride through small-town politics, spiritual growing pains, and a hearty dose of church drama.
Now onto the rating! Almost Friends Book Review:
My innovative system for rating humor books is explained here
Wholesomeness Score: 5/5
Of course it’s a 5. This whole series is clean as a whistle: no swearing, no sex scenes, no violence. Unless you count Fern’s passive-aggressive jabs as violence, which, honestly, might be fair.
But this isn’t your standard “clean and wholesome” story told from a traditional, socially conservative angle. In Almost Friends, Gulley gently (and humorously) nudges readers toward embracing change — like a young woman stepping up to the pulpit. One who may or may not be a lesbian? (Just a bit of foreshadowing.) Either way, Krista’s presence shakes things up in all the best ways. It’s wholesome and thought-provoking.
Hilarity Score: 4/5
In typical “Harmony” series fashion, this isn’t slapstick or laugh-a-minute humor. It’s more the slow-burn, small-town kind. Gulley’s trademark is dry wit and character-driven comedy, and Almost Friends delivers that in spades.
Here’s a couple examples that made me chuckle:
“Sam could se the headlines now. Pastor Stabbed with Hedge Clippers by Irate Parishioner. They certainly hadn’t covered this in seminary.”
-Sam, attempting to have a civilized chat with fundamentalist zealot, Fern Hampton
“Oh Lord, he’s having a heart attack, ” Bea majors said. “Lift his legs. If someone’s having a heart attack, you need to lift their legs.”
“That’s if you’re having a stroke,” Jessie Peacock said.
“No, Bea’s right,” Opal Majors said. “You got to lift their legs.”
Jessie Peacock, aways one for compromise, said, “How about just lifting one of his legs.”
-clueless congregants on discussing how to manage Charlie Gardner’s heart attack, which ultimately was only indigenstion
Overall Book Awesomeness Score: 5/5
Almost Friends wraps up the Harmony saga with all the warmth and wit you want from a small-town story — plus enough drama to keep you turning pages.
Gulley manages to make you care about a town full of quirky characters and challenge your assumptions at the same time. Whether it’s Sam’s dad needing care, a female pastor shaking things up, or old-school zealots causing chaos, it all feels real and relatable. This book is the perfect mix of heart, humor, and progressiveness wrapped in a clean, cozy package. What’s not to love?
Things I liked:
- Harmony newcomer, Krista Riley: competent and relatable female pastor
- Gentle challenge to traditional church norms
- Clean and wholesome, but not boring
- A satisfying (maybe final?) Harmony installment
Things I didn’t like:
- The Harmony series comes to an end! (sort of…)
- I think I’m ready to be done with Dale Hinshaw and Fern Hampton. So maybe that’s something I LIKED about the book?
Other Books in the Home to Harmony Series:
- Home to Harmony – My Review
- Just Shy of Harmony – My Review
- Christmas in Harmony – My Review
- Signs and Wonders – My Review
- Life Goes On – My Review
- The Christmas Scrapbook – My Review
- A Change of Heart – My Review
- Almost Friends – (You are here!)
Conclusion: Almost Friends Book Review
I can’t believe I just found this series nearly 20 years after the last book came out. The world has changed a lot since then: social media, smartphones, climate change, etc. But small-town life and church politics? Still as fresh and relevant as ever.
Almost Friends reminds me that while tradition runs deep, there’s always room for a little progressive shake-up. Like a young woman pastor who might just be exactly what Harmony needs (even if some folks are losing their minds over it). For me, that challenge to the status quo is a breath of fresh air wrapped in all the warmth and humor I’ve come to expect from Gulley. I guess my discover of Gulley’s “Harmony” is better late than never! This series was definitely worth the wait.
So…have you read the Harmony series yet? Why not!!?
Scott Johnson is a Midwestern humorist, author of Essays Out of Left Field, and the mind behind scottjohnsonauthor.com. He’s also a husband, dad of three, and Data Systems Administrator (whatever that is). Scott is on a mission to find and read all the funny books. He shares his thoughts on those books, author life, and other delightful randomness with his readers on his website.
