Probably a book I would feel more deeply in 10 years time when I’m in my thirties but still loved the message and life lessons and relatability of this book. The ‘then and now’ format was laid out really well with the flashbacks coinciding with the relevant present day events in the plot. Wasn’t as emotional as Holly’s other books and definitely feels a lot more mature.

There are some books that really resonate with you. You see yourself in a character or you empathise with a storyline. Girl Friends by Holly Bourne did that for me. Besides being set during my the same timeline as my teenage to new adult years, the things that happened or events experienced are similar to things that I went through. Mainly spending my summers at the Leeds festival (whoop whoop) and struggling with a friendship.

Friendship is the main theme of Girl Friends and Holly Bourne explores how the relationships between friends can be both a source of comfort but equally can be toxic. It looks at how they seem in real time but also how with hindsight we can see all the bad things. Sometimes at the detriment of the good memories.

The friendship between Fern and Jessica is both all consuming and fraught with difficulty. Fern's insecurities put strain on their adult relationship but Bourne has countered this showing us all of the things that Jessica did in their friendship to make Fern feel the way she did.

When reading the story I got so invested in their relationship. I knew I disliked Jessica's actions but there were obviously fueled by her insecurities. I felt for Fern but she showed her absolute worst side by her jealousy but I couldn't help feel for her.

I really feel that Holly Bourne has tapped into what it is like to have a complex friendship with someone. How it can be all consuming and can make and break you on a daily basis. How that friendship can bring out the best in you and also bring out the absolute worst in you at the same time. And how if that friendship ends it can be the biggest heartbreak you ever feel. Reading Girl Friends felt cathartic for me. I've never had resolution with my broken friendship but it felt good reading something that validates my feelings.

Girl Friends by Holly Bourne is available now.

For more information regarding Holly Bourne (@holly_bourneYA) please visit www.hollybourne.co.uk.

For more information regarding Hodder & Stoughton (@HodderBooks) please visit www.hodder.co.uk.

A classic Holly Bourne novel with the spotlight firmly shone on mental health, as it is in much of her work. This was a quick and easy read with lots of conversation points. My only criticism is that it was quite one-sided; it would have been an interesting twist for the dual timelines to perhaps have stretched to dual perspectives too.

I think that any female that reads this book will find it relatable as most of us if not all of us will have been through this at some point in our lives. The book was written beautifully with well developed relatable characters and a compellling storyline. I couldn't put this down, I loved it.

Like all of Holly Bournes' books, this was absolutely beautiful. Girlfriends tell a story most teenage girls go through - being jealous of their best friends and the desperation to be seen as attractive by men. Bourne highlighted how what we threw during our teenage years defines who we are and shapes the life we go on to have afterwards - even though Fern is now in her thirties, she cannot fully let go of the anxieties and insecurities she had at sixteen. My favourite part of Bourne's writing is how she manages to encapture you within the plot. Just like Fern, we start to dislike Jessica and feel jealous of her and as a reader don't quite realise how much viewing the story from Fern's perspective may have led you a certain way until you are forced to confront your own biases.

Fern and Jessica were inseparable growing up as teenagers. Until Fern has had enough of Jessica's toxic behaviour and cuts her out.
They reconnect as adults and this is is where the story unfolds.

Firstly, I've always loved how perfectly Holly Bourne writes about mental health, and this book was no exception. Every time I read about Fern's depression, I just felt SEEN. The topic was handled so well, and reading the sections about Fern's counselling journey were really helpful.
This wasn't the only theme in this book that I felt so relatable. How girls and women are taught to shrink and mould themselves to be what boys and men want, and that we are in constant competition with other girls.

I couldn't put this book down, desperate to find out how the girls' friendship had finally fall apart, as well as seeing/needing to discover how their relationship turned out at the end of the book.
I constantly wanted to give Fern a hug as she dealt with every aspect of her life, and also... I want to be best friends with Heather!!

This is the most beautiful friendship love story, and I would recommended it to everyone. (Men could learn a thing or two from this book!)

Holly Bourne’s writing is in a whole other league. I feel like I say this after each of her books, but this is her best book yet.

I loved the back and forth jumps between time, with younger Fern’s story feeling very reminiscent to Holly’s YA novels. I don’t know how, but she just has a magical way of being able to write down every thought you’ve had in a way that makes you not only feel seen, but also understood.

I always finish Holly’s books feeling empowered and questioning a lot of choices I’ve previously made, vowing to do better in the future.

There’s so many dark and important issues in the story, but they’re handled in such an understanding way. You can really tell Holly has taken the time to do the work and knows how not to write for a plot point, but to make a point and drive change.

This is one of those books that will stay with me long after I finish reading.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC.

Have been debating whether to give this book 4 or 5 stars, but it's a book that has stayed with me - so 5* it is!!

I haven't always enjoyed Bourne's adult books as much as her young adult - but this book was so impactful. It had an incredibly strong message, without it being preachy.

I did wonder for a while where this book was going. It just seemed to be bumbling along, with no real tension or drama. So it was a slow burn. I adore Holly Bourne's writing, so I didn't have too much of a problem with this - if this had been a different author I may have DNF'ed.

The final third of the book is when things start to come together, and it really hits you with a bang as it was relatively plain sailing up until that point. (Our central character openly struggles with her mental health, but this doesn't feel like a major plot point... it just bubbles under the surface until the end- all I can really say without spoilers) The ending really did pack a punch, and really made me think about my own life and how I have perceived different situations.

This book is emotive, and really makes you think. It would be perfect for a book club!!
I read it one sitting, and it has really stayed with me!

Absolutely wonderful. Exactly what I have come to expect from Bourne - excellent characters who leap off the page, a narrative that makes you question your own perceptions, a lot of self-analysis and some smiles here and there. Cannot recommend more highly, in fact, order her full back catalogue!

When your teenage best friend reappears. The friendship that you cut dead many years ago. The insecurity of the old friendship becomes real again but in the present. Can you move forward with the friendship in the present? A highly emotional relook at the teenage year's with the knowledge of being in your 30s.

This is definitely a book that grabs you and then keeps you hooked!

The description is what initially drew me to the book “Men see women in two separate categories. There are the women they sleep with, and the women they fall in love with. And they will treat you differently based on that." Perhaps I’m naive, but It’s not a statement the mother of a son wants to hear!

The novel is set in dual timelines and focuses on Fern who is now in her thirties and back when she was a teenager. It delves into what I’d say is the complexity of life in general as well as those of friendships. The book covers some sensitive topics which can be difficult to read at times. These include depression, self harming, rape, sexual assault, suicide and drug/alcohol abuse so bear that in mind before reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderbooks for the opportunity to read and review this truly fantastic book.


.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @hodderbooks for this review copy!

Holly Bourne has been one of my favourite authors since I fell in love with the Spinster Club series, so I knew I was going to love this! From the first chapter, I was completely hooked, and shelved my other current reads because I just wanted to find out more about Fern and Jessica. It’s one of those books that instantly grabs you, and makes you start negotiating how much sleep you can miss in exchange for reading time.

Fern and Jessica had such depth as characters, and I loved that this book explored how it feels to have such an important friendship fall apart. Having the chapters alternating between the past and present worked so well, and created a series of cliffhangers that just made the book impossible to put down. This definitely became so much more intense towards the end and the suspense had me on edge. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but if you’ve read this you’ll know exactly which bit I mean!

The way this book tackled broken friendships, relationships and trauma was just so thought-provoking and impactful, and it will definitely be one I think about for a long time. Finding out how Fern and Jessica’s friendship was affected by their insecurities, choices and the messed up actions of those around them was incredibly emotional, and I was sad that they missed out on sharing so many milestones together. As the novel progressed everything unravelled more and more, and, despite guessing what had happened in the past, I still found the reveal heartbreaking.

It probably goes without saying that this was a five-star read for me!

This is a great book that should be read by men and women. It’s a lovely insight into an authentic BFF relationship. But more than that it’s a description of popular youth culture in the early 2000’s. There are so many issues explored here, of course, mental health and importantly, casual and overt misogyny and how they can affect people. For me though, the stand out theme was the effects of a permissive society. It offers a stark contrast to values set prior to the 1960’s. From then, it was supposed to be a time when women were more free to explore their potential, when it seems we have replaced one form of oppressive discrimination with another. Society is different, but is it better? My slight criticism is the disparaging views of a person who takes a faith stance. At least that faith, if applied properly should tell a person that they are unique, inherently valuable and in their own way beautiful. Which I perceive is what the author is asking us to commit to. Valuaing people for who they are, not what they look like

This is the first book I've read by the author and I found it to be a compelling read. The novel is set in dual timelines, told from the point of view of teenage Fern and present day Fern who is now in her early 30s. As a teenager, Fern's best friend was Jessica and over 10 years later she comes back into Fern's life. I am 20 years older than Fern and I found the sections from Fern's teenage years very disturbing , the way girls and young women were treated by boys was alien to me and I felt so much anger on behalf of those young women. The novel brilliantly portrays teenage friendships and betrayals and the impact these have on us as we navigate adulthood. The author also deals sensitively and knowledgably with mental health issues. I found this to be a very emotional, educational and consuming read and it's definitely one of my reads of the year so far. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

An enjoyable read slightly let down by the narrative solely being from the point of view of Fern and no insight into Jess and how she saw their relationship

Girl Friends by Holly Bourne is an adult novel following Fern who Fern and her friendship with Jessica. The story is told in dual timelines from present day when Fern is age thirty-one and back in 2000 when Fern is fourteen. In present day Fern and Jessica have not seen each other for over 10 years but then Jessica pops back into Fern’s life unexpectedly. This is a story about friendship and we really don’t see enough stories about friendship in books so I liked seeing that. I can see this easily being a bestseller and I think many people will connect with it. However, I struggled with the writing of this book, as the writing was very simplistic and it took a while for me to connect with the story. Overall, this is three stars for me.

Girl Friends by Holly Bourne
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication date 08/09/2022

Holly Bourne is a Times bestselling author & Women's Aid ambassador.

Another amazing book by this author. I have read many of her books but this is first adult Novel I have tried the others have been YA.

This is the story of Fern & Jessica who were best friends in school, the book switches between present and past as we learn about what happened for them to fall out, until Jessica turns up out of the blue 10 years later looking to rekindle their friendship.

I loved that the book is set in the UK, especially the references to Manchester which is where I’m from ❤

Reflecting on my own teenage years I couldn’t believe how relatable this book is, how certain things were acceptable and classed as normal when looking back it is anything but. This book opens your eyes to MANY issues around the way girls/women are treated by men throughout our lives. By the end of the book I loved both Jessica and Fern equally, although my fave character was Heather (can she have her own novella please Holly)

Obsessed with these quotes "There's no such thing as 'good men' and 'bad men.' They are the same men," she said. "They just treat different women differently based on how they view you."
"Men see women in two separate categories. There are the women they sleep with, and the women they fall in love with. And they will treat you differently based on that."

I was so excited to be approved for this book I downloaded it immediately. Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

TW: depression, self harming, suicide, slut shaming, rape, sexual assault, drug/alcohol use

Fern is a successful journalist and writer, and we first meet her interviewing a social media influencer on a big stage, feeling slightly out of her depth but nevertheless, doing it anyway and doing a great job. We then collide into her past as her old friend, Jessica, is in the queue for book signing.
Clearly there to see her, Fern is surprised and then recounts their teenage friendship while tentatively forging an adult one.

This is quite a spoiler heavy review so don’t read if you don’t want to find out what happens. Also, it describes depression and self-harm as well as sexual abuse so TW for these topics.

As Jessica enters her life again, Fern starts to remember why they’re no longer friends. Teenaged Fern suffered from depression and expressed this and other feelings physically - scars she carries both inside and outside. Despite being her closest and best friend, Jessica in their younger years pursued boys she knew Fern had a crush on, as well as other friends of theirs. She is a classic ‘bad influence’ and one day Fern just has enough and cuts all ties. She has other friends, who haven’t treated her badly, and they remind her of why Jessica is no longer in her life. And yet, she still goes back to reinvigorate the relationship.

Jessica and Fern’s boyfriend, appear to have a relationship outside of the one he has with Fern - Jessica’s in their flat without Fern, drinking wine and looking cosy. This impacts Fern's mental health until she is convinced they’re having an affair (as Jessica has done before). I was confused by this because I didn’t really understand the message's intent. It seems to me that the message is that Jessica has her own issues to deal with and she’s expecting Fern to just accept her as she is, or attribute it to her being pretty and just shrug. That’s not a friendship, for me, and I don’t think that’s the message we should be sending to women.

The subject matter is interesting and I liked all of the characters - the story ticked along nicely and I was pleased to have read it. But. Jessica’s seemingly grey moral area just didn’t come across as that for me. The fact that we all live in a patriarchal society doesn’t mean that we can act in a way that hurts those closest to us with no consequences for us. There’s a fleeting examination and guilt of knowing that a girl in their group is raped by a boy in their group, but no real reparation is present in the book for this. Sadly, 20 years ago it was more common for this misogynistic behaviour to be prevalent but hopefully that’s called out more and is less acceptable in our younger generations. I felt like I expected Fern to get in touch with this woman, to connect with her as she realised what had happened back then, with the benefit of hindsight and a mature experience.

I’ve read another of Holly Bourne’s books, Pretending, and found it to be interesting but with a surprisingly shoehorned in moral at the end, and this one is much the same.
Great reads if you’re looking for something engaging, but I’d caution readers with taking the views of the characters as fiction and not a guide in what you should do in your friendships and relationships. It reminds me of Dolly Alderton’s writing with a bit less insight.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was more lighthearted than my usual book choices but I’m glad that I stuck with it! Despite having lightheartedness to it, there were also important themes running through and it does talk about sexual assault and rape within it - but actually I feel this is important to be covered within literature, especially in society today where people are encouraged to speak up more than ever before. I think it was covered with a great deal of care and was gentle in its approach. The short chapters that alternated between present day and the past also helped to break things up and keep it from feeling too heavy.

I have read every book Holly Bourne has published so far, she never disappoints. You know when you pick up one of her books you're in for a fabulous, emotional and insightful ride. Girl Friends lived up to my expectations are more.