This is an account of what looks like the author’s safari holiday. She seems to have had a great time and has encapsulated her adventures in a fiction novel. Fern Espinoza and Lily Graden take the trip of a lifetime and enjoy TEA WITH ELEPHANTS.   Fern and Lily met as teens and have been good friends since, so when each one stands at a crossroads in her life, it seems apt that Lily invites Fern to accompany her on an unexpected blessing of a holiday. They have first-class seats and safari lodges booked, all Fern needs to do is agree. But the truth is, a merger at work means she has lost her job. Can she hold it together long enough to enjoy herself, and should she be scouting for work instead? Knowing Lily needs a companion nudges her in that direction.   Both married ladies are leaving family behind, and the connection is spotty in the Masai Mara. They find that they have matters to talk through as they fly or drive from one exotic hotel to another. The contrast between the women of Colorado and the ladies of Kenya is shown, but the biggest contrast is actually with Mia, a woman blogger who keeps taking promotional shots and making sure to include the luggage labels. How someone could be so mercenary on such a gorgeous trip in the wild country baffles me. Fortunately, she’s only encountered on one leg of the tour.   I’ve read romantic suspense, romance and crime fiction set in East Africa, so a mere account of a journey can seem simple. The best part is the variety of animal sightings, from giraffes to lions and elephants. The duo also revels in local foods served on silver salvers, with crystal glasses of chilled juice. Plenty of attention to detail has us in the open-topped jeep, resting on the beds, strolling in the tea plantation and frowning at the lack of cell service.   Nobody comes home from a journey as the same person, and Fern and Lily decide on changes. They choose to pray for guidance, and Fern journals as well. This is a calm, moving women’s fiction story, presented by Robin Jones Gunn as TEA WITH ELEPHANTS. Enjoy.