I love a dual timeline book and was happy to see one here. I also love a different person perspective story so again, this ticked another win win box for me. And it didn't disappoint. Although it's is definitely a psychological thriller. And a very emotionally charged one at that.
The twist,turns and secrets were captured excellently in the telling of past and present. And it shows how little we really no about what goes on for some people when there is such a need to keep things hidden. I felt so raw for both the girls and then woman in this book. What Lydia has to go through made my throat catch at times. But I thought the abuse was handled extremely well. Because the story narrative wasn't especially to talk about that part of her life, it was more about what happened and what happened next. So it was detailed and informative in perfect measure without de railing from the plot.
I had to question myself at times! Because you don't always want what lawfully correct for some of the plots points. But I reassured myself it was just a story so thankfully those questions I never really needed to ask myself. I just really wanted these two ladies to be OK.
It didn't shy away from the evil, devastation or malice that the storyline must contain. It didn't hold back on what happened and what realistically mgihg happen when these horrific events occurred. No tidy bow to see here. I really appreciated this. As sometimes how stories are suddenly tied together to make it a clean ending can seem a bit unrealistic.
This story was an original tale for the genre so thats brilliant.
It kept me guessing from the get go. And managed not to be cliche.
I would rate this book to anyone who enjoys a psychological thriller. That sub type are one of my favorite and this doesn't disappoint.
Infact it shall be on my recs to anyone who asks and firmly placed on my favorite list.

I enjoyed the novel “Your Best Friend”. I thought that the author was very skilled at dropping hints about what had happened in the friends’ past to not give too much away but also entice me to keep reading to see if my guesses were correct. I enjoyed it but didn’t think it was rereadable.

I always look forward to books by this author but I found myself a little disappointed by her latest novel Your Best Friend. I’m now sure why it didn’t work for me but I didn’t engage iwith any of the characters and I found the secret behind the friends feud to be very quickly disposed of in the final pages. I probably would have stopped reading well before the end of this hadn’t been a favourite author of mine but I did keep going as I was hoping it would improve but it didn’t. A miss for me unfortunately.

A story told over two timelines of the friendship between Lydia and Tess. Lots of twists and turns although I did think the book slowed down a bit in the middle. Well worth a read.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review

I liked the sound of this book snd it grabbed my attention straight away. I did feel that it dragged a bit and struggled to keep my attention in the middle. It had a good ending

Your Best Friend by Julie Corbin is an engaging and compulsive read that kept me hooked from start to finish.

The storyline is intricately woven with twists and turns that make it hard to put down. The characters are well-developed, and their complex relationships add depth to the narrative. Corbin’s writing style is captivating, making the reader feel the tension and suspense throughout the book. While some plot points were predictable, the overall experience was thoroughly enjoyable.

A must-read for fans of psychological thrillers!

I found myself captivated by this book. With its abundance of unexpected twists and dramatic unveilings, this book is an absolute must-read for fans of this genre. Despite incorporating susceptible subjects, the author demonstrates a delicate touch in their writing. The author has skillfully developed the characters, contributing to an engaging narrative.

I am excited to read more from this author in the future.

This was really good! A lot of twists and turns that were unexpected. Lisa Jewell-esque, I’d say! I definitely wasn’t expecting the ending! Very excited to see what other books Corbin has produced!

Set over a dual timeliness, I was so invested in the story from the 1st few chapters. Its a but of a slow burn but the characters are so vividly brought to life that I coukdnt wait to see what was actually happening nd find out the truth behind everything. The perfect book to get lost in on these cold dark nights!

Tess hears that her childhood friend, Lydia is moving back to her village. Tess is excited to see Lydia after all this time but is shocked when Lydia pretends not to know her. Did she not know her friend as well as she thought she did?

This sounded like it would be an intriguing novel so I wanted to give it a try. The story is told in past and present, which I think worked well in building the back story and character development. Although the characters personalities came across easily, I found it hard to connect with them, finding them, and the overall story, slightly generic. The pacing seemed a bit slow which made my interest dip in and out. Even so, this isn’t a bad novel and is a quick, easy read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

This was such a great thriller and I was hooked immediately especially when the relationship between Tess and Lydia changed.

A great read
Had me hooked from page one till the end
Plenty of twists and turns to keep you turning the pages
Can’t wait for her next book
Thanks NetGalley

3.5 stars rounded up

When Tess hears that Lydia Green is moving back to the village, she is full of excitement. As teenagers, Tess and Lydia were inseparable. Until the end of that last summer when Lydia suddenly moved away. With the recent loss of her husband and two small children to care for, Tess could really use the support of her old best friend. It feels like a bright spot of light in such a difficult time. Like fate has brought Lydia back to her. But when Tess sees Lydia for the first time in decades, in front of all the other mums at Saturday sports, Lydia pretends not to know her. Tess can't believe Lydia would lie to her face in front of the whole village, or that she seems to want nothing to do with her.

Lydia is married to Zack, and he wanted to move back to their hometown, but Lydia was not so keen. But what happened in Tess and Lydia's teenage years? Tess hopes that they can restart their friendship. But when Tess meets Lydia at Saturday sports, Lydia blanks her, pretending she doesn't know who she is.

The story is told from Tess and Lydia's points of view. There were parts that were quite slow. It's filled with secrets and twists. This is a story of a friendship that went sour.

Published 3rd October 2024

I really enjoyed this book and I was invested from the start, though I had to suspend disbelief a little as I couldn’t get on board with the face nobody would have recognised Lydia and she could have avoided a certain person for so long.
I enjoyed the dual timelines and learning how everything unfolded back in 1994 - some great shocks and twists, and I was so into it by the final third that I really felt like I was feeling everything along with all the characters which made it quite an emotional read!

POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN REVIEW

A dark tale of the past and nasty secrets literally turning up decades later on your doorstep and for Tess and Lydia a friendship that one of them wants to deny ever happened

Got to mention trigger warnings on Alcohol Dependancy ( not shied away from in the story but portrayed to show the devastation this can cause ) and a brief but with no warning description of rape by a family member on a 15 year old, I do feel there needs to be warnings on these things so the reader can choose to read or not, I would have not chosen the book, as it was it was near the end and easy to ignore and move onto the next bit of the story, none the less it was there, Also terminal illness features in the book, yep it was a challenging read at times for sure

That darkness aside the story was well written and different enough on the psychological thriller scale to warrant a read, the intensity of one of two ex best friends not understanding why the other one is pretending not to know her was done really well and you coukd imagine the frustration this would bring if it happened to yourself

For some reason, and it happens occasionally I kept forgetting who was who out of the 2 characters yet other times can read books with multiple characters and remember them all, funny how that happens

As say at times challenging but that aside mostly more than readable

An interesting premise creates a twist-filled read. The plot is very well written, and the historical events unfold at an intriguing pace. The characters are well drawn if frustrating at times which the frustration keeps you turning the pages, it's very well done. A great ending that feels complete and fulfilling. Highly recommend.

An intruiging start when Tess best friend from school pretends not to know her but as their current lives clash there are too many incidents happening in quick succession to absorb the characters.

I enjoyed the dark turn as the past unravels although not invested enough in how it ends for the main characters.

Gripping psychological thriller! Tess and Lydia were best friends when they were teenagers, so when Tess hears that Lydia has moved back to the village she thinks they'll be able to pick up where they left off. How wrong can Tess be? Lydia pretends not to know Tess let alone be her old best friend. Just what happened to sour the seemingly perfect friendship and can the past be put behind them? So many twists and turns in this , a must read if you're a fan of psychological thrillers.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this novel.

3.5 rounded up

Lydia Green is moving to Ashdown Village with her husband Zack and son Adam, but with the upmost reluctance to leave their London home. Her reticence is locked deep in her past. Has it got anything to do with her former best friend Tess? Lydia and Tess tell their stories, so jump on board as this is one entertaining family drama of a runaway ride.

This is an easy to read novel which is enjoyable. There are twists to keep you engaged and secrets although some aren’t too hard to work out but that’s part of the fun, confirming that you’ve got things right! The characterisation is good, it’s easy to picture them all, to feel sympathy for one and dislike for a couple more. However maybe things are deceptive, very deceptive. One character in particular I want to shake for being so easily manipulated and taken in, when trust becomes an issue it’s so not there. By the same token it demonstrates that I’ve got involved with plot and reacted to some of the things that are going on. I enjoy the backwards and forwards nature of the storytelling and working out what has transpired in each timeline.

In some places it’s a bit slow in particular at the start but once the story telling gets into its stride it becomes a gripping read. There’s some repetition with regard to Tess’s life which is unnecessary as it’s easy to grasp the situation that she’s in. Other than that, it’s another good domestic thriller and quick to read.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

An interesting story of friendships and a 30-year secret told from the POV of Lydia,Tess, and the events covering 1991-1994.
Tess has become a widow and a new mother in less than a year,so when her old best friend moves back to the area, why does Lydia deny even knowing her just when she needs her most.
Lydia's character is an unlikeable one until the story unfolds and the emotional abuse she's suffered at the hands of the one person who should have protected her most is revealed you then understand why she is how she is.
When realisations kick in, you fully understand how secrets that are hidden so deep can slowly ruin your life.
It is a very enjoyable read.
Recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the ARC.