Jenny is going home to the UK to visit her best friend, ex boyfriend and their daughter. After immigrating to Australia and winning several Olympic gold medals she's ready to hear how her bestie and boyfriend ended up married. Kath isn't the same while Tom still gives her butterflies.
While the plot wasn't original it was still a good book. Kath was a master manipulator. Her obsession with Jenny consumed her. Her husband nor daughter meant as much to Kath as Jenny did. I liked how close knit the community Kath and her family lived in. I think there should be a part two. I'd read it.

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Jo Baldwin and the publisher for the ARC I received to honestly review.

"If only she knew what sort of friend I really am...

Once upon a time, Jenny and Kath were best friends. Or were they?

Their reunion after eight years apart - when Jenny pays a visit from Australia where she’s settled - begins as idyllic. But all too soon, things begin to unravel and once the past is uncovered, there’s no going back.

This beautifully written, gripping and unforgettable psychological drama about love, lies and obsession will keep you reading long in to the night.

Keep your friends close, but your best friends closer."

The best friend dynamic and how it changes, it's explosive!

If only she knew what kind of friend I really am!

THE GOOD FRIEND is the debut thriller by Jo Baldwin - however, I would use the term "thriller" loosely as it's not an edge-of-your-seat or a fast paced read. The tagline reads "Heavenly Creatures meets The Hand That Rocks the Cradle in this exciting debut novel about friendship, love and jealousy." I haven't seen "Heavenly Creatures" but I do remember "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle" and it does have an element of that style to it.

It is a different style of story and several times throughout I debated about whether I could finish the book as it was really slow moving to get going. I mean, there are slow starts and there slooooow starts. However, despite my apprehension I'm glad I stuck with it because it was a reasonably good read, but not exceptional. But don't let that stop you - the ending was a twist that many won't see coming but I suspected. It's not normally an ending I like as I prefer everything tied up in a nice little package by the end of the story, but this left a few loose ends and that cliffhanger ending you see in season finales of some our favourite shows. But despite that, I thought it a fitting ending considering the story.

Jenny and Kath have been best friends since childhood. They grew up together, did everything together and were completely inseparable. But Jenny left to pursue a swimming career in Australia but her heart still yearned for home in the UK, and most of all, for her soul mate she left behind - Tom. So after 8 years away, feeling burnt out from constant competition and solid training sessions, Jenny decides to visit her childhood friend in France, where Kath now lives with her husband...Tom. The moment Jenny sees Tom the electricity is clearly felt between them, making the reunion somewhat uncomfortable. The couple now have a 5 year old daughter, Rosa, together and Jenny finds her absolutely delightful. I did find Rosa to be a little older beyond her years throughout the book which left me questioning if I misread her age. However, Rosa proves to be a salve to the pain of seeing Tom again and married to another, bringing constant joy to her days as she teaches Rosa to swim. But Tom remains aloof towards Jenny which leaves her wondering if he still feels the same about her.

At first, the women fall back into their close relationship of old, laughing and reminiscing over old memories, but before long things begin to feel amiss. Kath appears to have changed...or is it Jenny? And why is Tom so distant? It isn't long before Jenny begins to see cracks in Kath's picture perfect world, beginning with the tension between her friend and Tom as well as her own relationship with Kath. Tom hints towards her being mentally ill and on anti-depressants but then discovers Kath has stopped taking her medication. Then Kath's strange and malicious behaviour leaves Jenny questioning if she really knew her friend at all?

This is when the book starts to get interesting. The reader feels a sense of anticipation wondering what Kath is going to do next. One can almost see the glint in her eye whenever she is around.

When Jenny finally sees the truth about her friend she feels shocked, hurt and most all of all, betrayed. Kath has played a sinister game to manipulate and control everyone around her - and Jenny is her biggest victim.

The story's slow build creates tension and unease as the sinister tale of friendship, secrets, deception, jealousy and revenge gradually unravels with an ending that leaves you unsettled. It is brooding, it is malicious, it is ominous, it is sinister.

THE GOOD FRIEND is not your average thriller, but it is still a thriller of sorts. I wasn't sure I would enjoy it but in the end I did...even if I didn't really like the characters. I felt they didn't have a lot of depth and there was an awful lot of narration, which I am not a huge fan of. I could tell from early on that Kath had a few screws loose. Though no actual diagnosis was mentioned, to me she felt a little bipolar but more like borderline personality disorder. She was sociopathic. She felt no empathy or remorse. The world revolved around her, in her eyes, and she manipulated everyone for her own ends. She was completely unlikeable.

For me, the rating loser is the death of Pilot. Anyone who knows me, knows I cannot stand the death of a dog in a story - book or movie - and I even stopped reading one depressing story after one dog's cruel death. However, Pilot's death leaves you with questions also as to what happened and how it happened? And THE GOOD FRIEND certainly leaves you unsettled with many questions unanswered.

I wouldn't say THE GOOD FRIEND was brilliant, but then it also depends on your expectations. It is pitched as a thriller but I would say it was more of a psychological drama in the fact that it's Jenny who is facing the unknown, whereas we as the reader can plainly see that Kath is the problem. The reader doesn't have that edge-of-your-seat psychological thrill, and yet the story is incredibly psychological...just not in the thriller kind of way. That is why many are disappointed with the book - being pitched as a genre that can include many different "sub genres". A thriller that is not really a thriller, but it still fits under that genre being psychological. I guess we expected more of a thriller than it was.

I'd still recommend to give it a go. It isn't what you expect at first but you can still quite clearly see what's going on from early on...and that leaves you wondering just how it is all going to end. And while it is not normally my type of ending, it really is a good but unexpected ending - and completely unsettling.

I would like to thank #JoBaldwin, #NetGalley and #RedDoorPublishing for an ARC of #TheGoodFriend in exchange for an honest review.

very good psychological thriller!

I really liked the subject of the book, as well as the characters!!

Very engaging, didnt leave you to get bored for sure!!

With thanks to Netgalley and RedDoor Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

One day teenagers Jenny and Kath decided to send some messages in bottles. Two months later Tom found one of the bottles and went to see Jenny. Tom and Jenny quickly became boyfriend and girlfriend. Unfortunately the childhood romance ended when Jenny moved to Australia to train for the Olympics. Later Jenny became a famous Olympic swimmer. Tom married Kath after she became pregnant with their daughter Rosa.

Eight years later Jenny had become burnt out and wanted to retire from competitive swimming. To clear her mind she decided to visit Kath and Tom who lived in France. Once in France Jenny and Tom realised they still loved each other. Tom confided that Kath was depressed and was not taking her medication. Jenny decided to stay in France through to the autumn to help Kath`s B & B accommodation. Over the weeks She realised that Kath had been jealous of Jenny as teenagers. She had cleverly manipulated Tom and her father to persuade Jenny to move to Australia.

Tom wants to leave Kath for Jenny but is scared she may be dangerous once she finds out.

I was drawn into the plot of The Good Friend from the first chapter. I nearly devoured the book in one day and had to deliberately leave my Kindle upstairs to stop me reading another chapter.

I enjoyed the descriptions of rural France, and could picture the beautiful surroundings and the locals in my mind. I especially liked the grape crushing game which sounded like fun.

I enjoyed the slow pace of the book, It allowed the reader to see Kath`s dangerous obsession with Jenny come to a head. As Kath became more paranoid I was scared what she would do to Jenny and Tom.

This would of been a five star read but I thought the last 20% of the book was disappointing compared to the rest of the story.

Well done to Jo Baldwin on her debut novel, I will definitely read more from her in the future.

The author wrote a thriller that started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

The Good Friend # NetGalley
Jo Baldwin

You might change your mind about wanting a best friend after you read The Good Friend by Jo Baldwin. Jenny and Kath had known each other since they were very young but their relationship changes after they are grown. This book explores friendship, relations to others, jealousy, love and loyalty. When do you first realize that your best friend does not have your best welfare in mind? The author explores areas that most people don’t have to deal with. I was ready for the book to end so I knew how everything was resolved. It was a good book and I think you would enjoy reading it. 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy read of this book for an honest review. The opinions are all my own.

This was a well written novel but not really what I was expecting. It was a little hard to get into and the plot was a little slow but overall a good book
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

This book moved along at a slower pace than I've come to expect from a psychological thriller. There were a few unexpected twists. Some chapters were a bit to long and drawn out for this genre. Based on the blurb, I expected the book to grab me a lot more than it did. The writing, overall, was fine. It was just an okay read with nothing particularly memorable or unique.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.

The Good Friend by Jo Baldwin was an enjoyable read. When I originally read the synopsis, I was expecting more of a thriller packed with twists and turns, but I found it would be best described as a women's fiction book than a thriller. It is well written with jumps to the past that helps the reader understand the relationships between the characters.

I remember thinking while reading that something would happen soon that would change the whole dynamic of the book but here I was, 75% in the book and I still didn't get that feeling. Up to that point, I was a little disappointed, but once I got over it, I enjoyed it and I was glad I stuck with the book because the last 20% was excellent. I still don't know how I feel about the ending though. It's the kind that leaves you wanting more.

I look forward to reading more books from the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and RedDoor Publishing for my copy in exchange for an honest review.


My review was posted on Goodreads this afternoon and will be posted on my book blog later this week.

I hate it when I have not much good to say about a book I was given by the publisher. This book is not a thriller, it is hardly woman fiction. It is more a romance, ménage-à-trois or chick-lit (thank god without love scenes). If I would have known that I wouldn’t have hit the request-button. So this was the absolutely wrong book for me. The thriller element comes in almost at the last page and honestly, it was almost ridiculous.

The story goes absolutely nowhere. After 8 years with no contact Jenny visits her best friend Kath who is married to Jenny’s ex-boyfriend Tom. The three are stuck in their past. They act as if the last eight years did not happen, as if they never grew into adults and had a life. They are just back to the times when they were 18. It is all a ridiculous back and forth between Kath and Jenny and Jenny and Tom. For me personally it is always a problem when the main character, here Jenny, is obviously someone who every other characters falls for when for me as a reader this person is so unbelievable boring and lacks any real personality. This is the case with Jenny. She is lifeless and without any charm but Tom and Kath are crazy about her. Jenny had a career as an Olympic swimmer and Tom and Kath have a business in France. But all they do is brood about the time when they were eighteen.

As I said, there is not much of a story or character development. There is just a love triangle and one of them is crazy. Surprise. It was written and developed poorly and reminded me of fan-fiction stories I’ve read years ago.

Positives first!!! The setting for this book is mainly in France and the descriptions of the area are wonderful, you could almost see the azure sea and the lavender fields and smell the fruit and veg market with the fresh cherries, baguettes and cheeses and at times I drifted for a few seconds imagining being there, I wonder if the author has considered travel guides as it made me want to visit, fabulous descriptive scene setting
And now for the rest!
The book is NOT a psychological thriller but more a full on romance story ( with the odd half hearted
‘Mystery’ element ) but from very early on you know exactly what will happen, ( friend marries best friends ex bf and best friend and ex bf still love each other, friend is unhinged etc ) the ending is slightly more exciting than the rest of the book, if you are waiting for twists, turns and thrills this book isn’t for you though
The 2 main characters I couldnt ‘picture in my mind ‘ and as all the characters in the book were unlikeable and one dimensional
The writing style was very much ‘and then this’ and ‘then we went’ in narrative and was repetitive and sorry to say dull, almost laborious( except the descriptions of France )
The market is saturated with books about friends that aren’t really friends and there needs to be at least one ‘stand out’ factor but sadly there isn’t any in this book
Disappointing and an unsatisfying read with blurb that is not a true reflection of the book

This is a really good read. Plenty of twists and turns. Are your friends really your friends? Who can you trust?

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Overall, I’ve given this book 3 stars. There was nothing that I particularly disliked about it but there was also nothing that I loved. It’s an easy read that is fairly predictable. I was hoping for a twist at the end of book but there wasn’t one.

Whilst a little slow at times, this book is well written with characters you can really invest in. There are a few twists which you can see coming as the clues are easy to pick up on. Having said that, this is a good book which keeps you interested until the end. An close childhood friendship is pulled apart as the girls grow up and go their separate ways. But is it just a simple case of life moving on, or is there some deception involved and manipulation to suit the wants and needs of one of the girls? Add jealousy, a man both girls have had a relationship with (one is still married to him) and move on 8 years. Is life as simple and happy as everyone is making out, or will the lies, deception and manipulation unravel....? Set in a beautiful part of France, it is hard not to get lost in the simple life of the locals, however as relationships are tested, rekindled and broken it is far easier to get lost in the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC for my honest review.

Unfortunately I could not finish this book, I attempted multiple times but could not ever get into it. I did read over 75% and it never got better for me. The story line was very slow, I did not find any of the characters likeable. I'm not really sure where the thriller part was but I obviously missed it based on the other reviews.

Jenny and Kath were best friends when they were children. When Jenny emigrated to Australia with her father, and went onto be an Olympic swimmer they sadly lost touch.

Jenny was upset when Kath married Tom her ex as she has unfinished business with him.

Eight years on Jenny goes to France to catch up with Kath and Tom and to meet their little daughter Rosa. They are opening a hotel in a rural area and Jenny is happy to stay to help them. They easily fall back into their friendship although Jenny feels Kath has changed somewhat. She’s prickly, sometimes sharp with her and just doesn’t seem to be the person Jenny knew all these years ago. It’s almost as if she hates her.

Seeing Tom again makes her realise she never got over him and still has feelings for him. She finds out things that Kath has hidden from her in the past, which makes her furious and makes her think how her life may have been.

As things spiral out of control you find yourself wondering how this story is going to end..

I was on the edge of my seat through this tense and twisty story and am still thinking about that ending! Would highly recommend.

Jenny and Kath were best friends all through school but drifted apart when Jenny emigrated to Australia with her father and then she had a successful swimming career. Meanwhile Kath married Jenny’s ex boyfriend Tom and they are now residing in France with a child and trying to set up a B&B.
When Jen is at cross roads with her swimming career, she decides to visit Kath and Tom in France but her friendship with Kath is tested when she finds out a few hurtful secrets.
I found this really easy to read and became quite involved in the beginning but I didn’t connect with Jenny’s and Tom’s interactions for some reason, which left the middle of the book a bit flat for me. Although that changed in the end and the last few chapters were quite creepy and had me on edge.
This is drama describing a toxic and manipulative friendship which had a a few twists and turns.
An interesting read that whiled away a few hours.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher to read.

I would say that the Good Friend by Jo Baldwin is a womens fiction book and not a thriller in anyway. For that I was bit disappointed with this book. But once I got over that it was a great read. It kept me interested right the way through. It is very well written with jumps to the past so we learn more about the relationships.

Jenny and Kath were best friends as kids. Jenny moved to Perth, Australia to concentrate on her swimming career, leaving Kath as well as the love of her life Tom behind. Now she is considering retirement and travels to the South of France to reconnect with Kath, who has now married Tom. They are setting up a hotel and she stays to help them with the opening. The 2 women fall straight back into where they left off but Jenny is starting to see another side to her friend. Old feeling for Tom are also resurfacing, making things a little tense.

Thanks to Red Door Publishing and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.

VERY SLLLOOOWWWW mystery/thriller.

Jenny and Kath were those childhood friends that were beyond 'best friends' - they were almost sisters. Now, Jenny, after a swimming career in Australia, travels to France to visit Kath and her husband, Tom - who is Jenny's ex boyfriend AND the love of her life.

Jenny and Kath are able to pick back up where they left off and enter into that deep friendship from their childhood. Kath, however, starts a acting out of character and displays rather disturbing and malicious behavior. Meanwhile, Tom and Jenny ALSO are able to pick back up and realize they never got over each other.

It's a rather predictable story - but still exciting enough for a thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.