Friends Like These is more a coming-of-age story than the dramatic story of lies and betrayal suggested in the synopsis. It's a "quiet" book and I wish I'd expected that going in.

Beth arrives in New York City to do a summer journalism internship in the 1980s.

Like all newcomers to NYC, she finds the city less glam and more overwhelming than she expects. She meets her co-workers (co-interns?): Oliver, Dan and Edie. Edie seems cool and sophisticated and Beth idolizes her. When Edie feels sorry that Beth's apartment has roaches and no A/C, she invites Beth to live with her.

Things don't go to plan.

All the dramatic "deceit" and "betrayal" referred to in the synopsis are as much exaggeration as the listing of Beth's apartment, which was probably advertised as "quirky and charming."

The languid summery feel of Friends Like These did feel evocative, but I kept expecting the book to go somewhere a little more dramatic than it did.



Reviewed on my YA Site, YA All Day!

This title wasn't something I could get into, so I won't be finishing it. I really hope that others enjoy it.

This was a really interesting and thoughtful look at a YA story. I love the idea of exploring the dimensions of time between graduating highschool and starting university. Its always the most dull yet invigorating time of a persons life. This story was wholly descriptive and enticing with an unhealthy friendship and summer experience. The main character was wonderfully with layered. A good read!

The book started off really strong. I was curious about how Beth's summer was starting and where it was going. About 40% into it, the story got a little lost. I feel like the idea was there, but there was no actual flow and a lot was trying to happen and it fell flat. The focus was on too many characters and situations, but all from Beth's point of view, so there was no meaning to any storyline. I did enjoy that it took place in the 80s and there was no technology added in there as a distraction.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Friends Like These.

Friends Like These is a coming-of-age story about Beth, a high school grad from the suburbs who spends a summer in NYC as an intern at a prestigious newspaper. The reader follows the highs and lows of Beth’s first summer away from home, and the relationships she develops along the way.

For anyone who spent a summer or period of time away from home in their late teens or early 20s, this story and the lessons learned feel at times relatable. Lots of firsts and tumultuous moments finding oneself. I could absolutely relate to Beth’s experiences of navigating her first big job, living in a less than ideal rental, and colliding with all sorts of interesting and different personalities.

Where things fell short for me was in the character development and in the almost monotone plot. I wanted to know more and get more from the primary characters, especially Beth and her friend Edie. And it felt like a lot of Beth’s big experiences were tiny blips in the plot that didn’t have much impact, despite being major events in her life at the time.

That being said, it was a quick and light read. The description of hot NYC in July made the summery vibes jump off the page. A good novel to read on summer vacation, on a commute or perhaps during a transition period in your life as you figure things out.

TW: sexual assault

Oh man, this book transported me back to my late high school and early college years where I was attempting to discover myself. It was a painful reminder of being surrounded by people who seemingly had it figured out while you were on the outside. The author nailed the nostalgia.

The book follows Beth during a summer internship at a prestigious newspaper in NYC in the ‘80s. She and her fellow intern Edie — a native New Yorker who oozes old money, style, confidence and a sense of self — become fast friends. Edie is selfish and volatile and will transport the reader back to one-sided friendships where you desperately want to be liked. This sticky summer in New York teaches Beth to trust her own instincts, perhaps the most important lesson of adulthood.

My issue with the book is I walked into it thinking there was something more dark afoot, when in reality, Edie was just a complicated and bad friend. I was hoping for something a bit more sinister.

A short coming-of-age story about an intern spending a summer in New York in 1983. She becomes fast friends with one of her fellow interns who saves her from an un-air conditioned sublet by inviting her to stay in her Upper West Side family home. Their friendship is complex and Beth learns a lot about the world and herself through a summer of rough experiences. I liked this a lot- the tone was a little detached and weird but in a way that I enjoyed and thought was fitting for the character.

Hmm… before I start in, I can see this being someone’s five star read. It heavily reminded me of “the people we keep.” I didn’t love either of these books but I certainly didn’t hate them either.

Plot: I’m not entirely sure there was one. This book felt like a collection of scenes mushed together but the stakes weren’t high at all. I think the plot was supposed to be the shifts in Edie and Beth’s relationship, but I didn’t like the way that was done. More on that in a minute.

Format: The chapters were VERY short. To me, short chapters feel unfinished and they have to be done well to feel necessary. Sometimes they felt like filler.

Writing: The writing was good, a little bare at times but I think that helped what the author was trying to convey. I felt at times we saw Chekov’s gun and ignored it forever which sort of bothered me, but that didn’t matter much.

Characters: Maybe I’m crazy, but I didn’t think Edie was that bad. Sure, she was a manipulator but why couldn’t Beth have a conversation about the major events of the summer with her? Why did she drop her entirely? I just don’t think she was bad enough to hang up on when she was searching for a friend after her grandma died. Since I’m feeling quite strongly about the characters, it’s safe to say they were very interesting and crafted well.

I enjoyed many parts of this book, but it’s just typically not the kind I enjoy. Three stars!

Arc received through NetGalley

Nope. This was not for me. The story was so hard to follow. You can’t just put me in a story that should’ve already been started way earlier. We lost so much context from jumping into a story basically mid story.

A fast casual read that skims the surface of several potentially difficult topics. I enjoyed this book, and I want to know more about what happened to the characters later in life. I did feel like the author could have expanded the characters more and explored some of the potentially difficult or taboo topics in more depth. All in all I did enjoy the book.

I read 20% of this book and couldn’t read anymore. I don’t like the main character at all. She really is insufferable. I was not a fan of the story telling either. It has been a very slow start. I don’t see it getting any better.

What a mess this book was, I hate being dropped into the middle of a story with random characters that I don’t have the chance to get to know

This review contains spoilers.

I was really excited about this novel when I read the description. It sounded like it would be a fun adventure--first summer away, living in NYC, working for a newspaper. Unfortunately, it fell extremely flat. It starts off with Beth, an eighteen year-old college freshman, moving to New York to complete a newspaper summer internship. It gave me Carrie Diaries vibes at first and that's what I thought the novel would be like. It was not. This book reads like someone's (very boring) diary. "I did this, then I did this." There wasn't a climax or any true resolution to the story. Essentially, it's a book where nothing happens.

The characters were very flat and underdeveloped as well. Beth is the protagonist, but I didn't care a single lick what happened to her. There is a scene where she is sexually assaulted, and I'm sure that was meant to be a big moment, but it really wasn't. It's brushed over with a "this happened and I'm never going to bring it up again." Yes, that rings true for many SA survivors, but it doesn't inspire any sort of change in the character good or bad. It's just this blip. This happens many times throughout the book. She's mugged at gunpoint, but it's just some story she tells--when really it should impact her quite a bit since she's supposedly from a smaller town. Same with when Edie goes missing. Yes, Edie hurt Beth, but Beth seems almost glad when she disappears. Then when Edie comes back there isn't any sort of resolution. It's just "yep, she's back and I'm out." I didn't care what happened to any of the characters, couldn't picture them, and was bored by their interactions.

This book had so much potential to be amazing! The premise is there, but the execution was poor. I have not read any of the author's other books, but I don't think I will based on this one. There was no story arc, the characters were super under-developed, and everything felt super random, almost like it was a stream of consciousness.

This book was labeled as YA, but I would strongly recommend it only for older high school students (17+) due to the drug use and sexual assault. Readers should be aware of the content before reading this one.

I was given an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and do not reflect the publisher's POV.

In FRIENDS LIKE THESE Meg Rosoff tells the story of Beth’s coming of age in NYC when she wins an internship at a newspaper. living in a roach infested, sublet tenement, Beth, meets her roommates who both seem insular and even snarly. At work Beth befriends her other intern partners. She especially enjoys her time with Edie is impresssed with her knowledge of people and relationships. When Edie invites her to stay at her posh Westside apartment, Beth thinks she’s got it made.

As the summer progresses, however, Beth begins to see cracks in Edie’s polished exterior, i.e., her affair, with an older, married man, her relationship with her mother, and her assessment of their other two working partners.

I always love a book with a lot of dialogue and the banter between , Beth and Edie had me laughing out loud at points. I could feel the heat emanating from the sidewalks and the sweat rolling across my brow as Beth worked her way through the summer, and tasted the tang on my tongue from the endless cocktails bought after a hard day. This was a good quick read. I’ll be interesting in seeing where Ms. Rosoff will take me next, as I think I found another new author.

I was excited by the premise of Friends Like These, but the story never grabbed me and I felt dropped in with people I had a hard time getting to know. Not for me.

I was intrigued by the premise as I love reading about friendships and growing up. New York as a setting was a huge plus too. Unfortunately I just didn't click with the book, the writing and the characters were just not up to my taste. I think this story could find its audience, though.

Based on the description, FRIENDS LIKE THESE by Meg Rosoff was one of my top requests. The premise is excellent: learning how to navigate NYC as a fresh college graduate combined with toxic friendship is irresistible. Unfortunately, the writing fell short. It read very childlike and I never found any of the characters very believable. This particular book seems like it's intended for adults, but it reads younger and less sophisticated than many of the upper YA novels I've read. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book!

I have a lot of positive things to say about this book! First and foremost the time period and setting are fascinating: New York City in the 1980s. Moreover, the background of the AIDS epidemic adds to the nuance of the story and how the characters interact with the world and their city.

I love coming-of-age stories and stories about coming into your own. In a sense, that is exactly what this story is. It shows the complexity of growing and trying to get what you want. Friendships and first loves and hardship.

This book was a solid 4/5 for me!

First job, first complicated friendship, first love: Meg Rosoff packs it all in to this utterly enjoyable, coming-of-age novel set in the gritty New York city of the 1980s, just as the AIDS crisis is in full swing. Seventeen-year-old Beth, the daughter of two teachers from Providence, Rhode Island, moves to New York for the summer after she uncovers and reports on corruption in her town and lands a coveted internship at the most famous newspaper in New York (modeled after the New York Times). She's not so much an innocent as someone unaware of her power, her smarts and her own charms. She encounters the typical challenges of living in New York City: a sullen roommate (her friend's sister), a tiny, cockroach-infested apartment in the West Village, a potential romantic interest who is aloof and unavailable, and competitive coworkers. Soon enough, a sophisticated New Yorker and fellow intern named Edie swoops in and takes Beth under her wing, completely engulfing every aspect of her life, telling her who she can be friends with and what they're doing each night. Edie is everything Beth is not: talkative, open and uninhibited, but troubled. At first, Beth is all too pleased to be "swept away by the force of Edie's personality," and spends her waking hours "trying to unlock the secret of her friend's confidence." She learns important life and job skills from Edie, and has plenty of adventures along at the way, but eventually Edie reveals a darker side and resentments start to creep in. Anyone who has survived a complicated friendship will especially relate. Meg Rosoff strikes just the right balance here, tempering the grittiness of the adult world with the teetering-on-the-edge of innocence of a young adult. She also gives us a very accurate taste of what it would be like to work for a newspaper (I should know--my first job was at The New York Times!) The only thing I could have used more of was a smidgen of the political landscape and the AIDS crisis as it played out at the newspaper, since this was her everyday backdrop. Overall, this was another winning book by Rosoff, whose writing style is natural and flows beautifully.

“Arriving in New York for the first time was like wearing a sign that said CHEAT ME.”

<i>“What you see,</i> she thought, <i>is not what you get. What you see is what you see.”</i>


Rosoff’s novel, set in 1983, focuses on eighteen-year-old Beth, who comes to New York City after being selected for a prestigious summer internship at a large daily newspaper. Three other young people—preppy WASPish Oliver; ambitious “New Wave” Dan; and beautiful, unstable Edie Gale—have also won positions. Beth, the child of traumatized Holocaust survivors, is a dull sparrow compared to the worldly, stylish, and moneyed Edie, who is a different kind of Jew—one of the neurotic New York variety. Beth is flattered when Edie takes to her, tries to give her a makeover, and just generally shows her the way at both the newspaper and in the big city.

Rosoff’s narrative initially moves at quite a clip. There’s lots of snappy dialogue, some of it laugh-out-loud funny. However, the story becomes increasingly dark. Edie is a troubled, self-centred drama queen—and a nymphomaniac to boot. She’s been in therapy with Dr. Liebermann for years, but she hasn’t moved beyond blaming her psychological dysfunction on her harsh, controlling shrew of a mother. Beth learns all of this and more when she becomes feverishly, deliriously ill and Edie extracts her from the squalid apartment in Greenwich Village she’s sharing with a miserable young couple. Edie’s parents are away in the Hamptons for the summer and Beth is invited to live with her in rent-free, spacious, air-conditioned luxury. There’s a catch or two, of course. Beth is expected to be Edie’s audience and, over time, her minder. As her brilliant friend spirals out of control, Beth finds that her living arrangements and indeed her involvement with Edie are unmanageable.

This is a coming-of-age novel for mature young adults that is preceded by a warning about sexual content. There’s also a lot of drinking and drug use, and the AIDs epidemic looms menacingly in the background. The virus is no longer limited to young gay men; it’s beginning to affect women unaware of their partners’ secret histories. The newspaper where Beth interns has recently hired two additional obituary writers, as the arts and creative communities are being decimated.

I found it puzzling that Beth was able to consume alcohol, often to great excess, at New York drinking establishments. She is, after all, barely eighteen. Edie is apparently of legal drinking age, nineteen, but we’re told several times that her appearance is childlike. At no point is either girl asked for ID. Perhaps this is par for the course in what is depicted as a dirty, chaotic, cut-throat city. Rosoff intimates that no one here much cares about anyone else. Bystanders and the police certainly don’t. <spoiler>One Saturday Beth is mugged at gunpoint while lined up with others to withdraw money at an ATM. Later, when she phones the police to notify them of the crime, they’re indifferent. Busy. Maybe she could come down to the station in a few hours? Or not. Similarly, there’s no interest when Beth phones to report that Edie has been missing for days. Picked up by a man at a bar? Yawn. The desk clerk has heard it all before. Beth’s friend is just off having a good time.</spoiler >

Rosoff’s novel is propulsive, and I see her target audience being rewarded by it. Characterization is generally strong, even if I wasn’t entirely convinced by some of Beth’s actions, reactions, and decisions. The novel also takes too long to conclude and is a bit preachy about all the things Beth has supposedly learned. At the same time, it is true that in almost every life there really are brief, intense periods when a person is shaken up by a cascade of events. It can take months or years to reassemble oneself from the pieces that remain. For Beth, “What had begun as treachery had morphed into something else. She has been through fire and was stronger for it. Forged in the flame of a New York summer.”

A thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with a free advanced review digital copy of Rosoff’s book.

Rating: a solid 3.5