An engaging novel that follows four young women from their freshman year of college through young adulthood, marriage, and parenthood.

Allie, Megan, Tess, and Zoe all meet as freshmen. The beautiful Allie was deserted by her mother when she was very young, and has a strained relationship with her father. Her boyfriend from boarding school, Dana, is the one constant in her young life, but with him absorbed in his studies at Princeton, Allie’s affections sometimes roam. Beautiful New Yorker Zoe hides her insecurities behind a veneer, and falls in love with the impossibly gorgeous Gavin. Megan and Tess often remain in the shadows of their more self-confident, wilder friends. Until Tess shocks their friend group with a huge betrayal.

Although Allie and Dana start real life—marriage, suburbia, babies—much sooner than their friends, their marriage hits a rocky spot while the others play catch-up. While Allie is ostensibly the main character, all the characters’ stories are told.

The narrative and dialogue during their college years in the 1980s seems strained and contrived at times, but the author really hits her stride describing early family life. One morning of Allie’s life as the mother of two toddlers is so realistic, it erased any sentimental longing I harbored for those years.

Watching the characters grow, and grow closer to each other despite the hurtful mistakes they make, renders this novel unforgettable. It ends in July 2001, and I nervously waited for the other shoe to drop as these New York financiers experienced 9/11. Perhaps a sequel? #NetGalley #TheTruthIsATheory

Karyn Bristol blew me away with this book. I haven't read a book that is filled with such relatable characters and well developed characters like this in a long LONG time.
It made me miss the friendships I had in college and I really appreciate the fact that Bristol kept everything real. she wasn't afraid to address the realness of life or marriage and honestly it made me face some things about my own life. This is a perfect book for bookclubs also!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest and fair review!

I was recommended that book but need to admit that perhaps I have expected a little bit too much from it. Good read, but nothing WOW.

I liked this book, but it was not one of my favorites. There was a lot of buzz about this book and I found it enjoyable, but it wasn't a standout for me.

This book is about four friends who meet in college and their struggles and successes as they navigate “growing up”. Allie, Tess, Megan and Zoe will take you on a journey as they fall in and out of love, get married (some), have kids (some) and search for their own individual truths. I do love this genre and I really liked this book. There are many great quotes to take away and make you think. The characters are well developed and relatable. But if I’m totally honest, it could have been slimmed down in some parts (especially the journal entries). But that didn’t stop me from liking it! Disclaimer — I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley. 🤩🤩🤩🤩 4 stars #NetGalley

A few passages in this book resonated with me but I just could not relate to the rest. Not particularly engaging and I did not come to care about the characters. They remained just that- characters, instead of coming to life for me.

The Truth is a Theory by Karyn Bristol goes between the past and present of main character Allie Sexton. The story begins in the present, Allie’s husband, Dana, has just walked out. We are then brought back to the past, when Allie meets Dana, then goes to college where she meets her friends for life Megan, Tess and Zoe. There is a lot going on in this book. We learn early on that Allie’s mother walked out on her family never to be heard from again when Allie was four years old. That had devastating effects on Allie and her future relationships.

The four girls deal with many real life issues through college and after. The book touches on date rape, infidelity, alcoholism, illness, as well as husbands and families. Each character was well developed, as a reader you really felt the emotions they were going through. The timeline of the book was confusing...I wasn’t sure which time period I was reading in, and Allie’s journal entries weren’t really ‘diary-like’, it read more like a college thesis paper which I found boring rather than informative about her insight.

This book was good. I’m not sure I really grasped what happened and when, but I think if this was broken down into two books, maybe a before and after, I would have enjoyed it more. I would give this 3 stars because I enjoyed the stories of the past better than the present.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Wooden Dock Press and Karyn Bristol for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The truth is a theory... the truth is relative, depending on the perspective or the storyteller. This story is told from the viewpoint of four college friends, both in flashbacks and their current lives. This is very introspective and enjoyable. Highly recommended.

First a confession: I do not like 'chick lit'. I find it slightly silly and frankly, boring. I did not get from the description of this novel that it would be 'chick lit'. That being said, it is, but I made myself read it anyway. Well, almost.

The characters are one dimensional and nothing you have not seen/read before. The girl with secrets, the shy girl with secrets, the handsome frat boy with secrets, the beautiful cool girl with secrets, and more; you seen them all before, believe me. I got about a quarter of the way in and couldn't make myself continue, it was going at such a slow pace. I skipped to the middle, thinking if I was lost I'd go back and continue where I left off. I had absolutely NO trouble figuring out what was going on because, nothing was going on. They were still talking; about their secrets, their shyness, their coolness, their obsession with the cool girl, their insecurities even tho everyone thought they were cool; you know, the same ol' same ol'. I read a couple of chapters and knew I'd start pulling out my fingernails if something, ANYTHING, doesn't start happening! So I admit, I skipped again, this time to the last chapter.

Again, I promised myself that if I didn't know what was happening, I'd go back. Again, I had no trouble catching right up with the characters and what was going on, even tho many years had flown by.

This review is not for those who like this genre of novel; if you are one of those, you will enjoy this. If you do not, don't be fooled by the description that mentions 'secrets', etc. There is no drama, no suspense, no 'WHAT?!' moments in this book. Keep on looking...

A very good story of friendships started at a younger, safer time in the lives of 4 women. Karyn Bristol writes of these women and their evolving stories as if she lived this story herself. The characters are built in layers, but then, most lives are built in layers, but still retain the ties to each other that most friendships never live through. The story centers on one of the four but flashes from present to past, showing us how much each woman has changed while still including the friendship as a central part of their lives. It's voyeuristic, watching as these ladies grow apart then back together.

The author does a very good job of showing us that the truth is theory - or as I say, the truth is in the eyes of the beholder. Unfortunately, the first 60% of the book dragged for me. Finally, I became fully absorbed and enthusiastic about it but I wish it had been shorter.

The truth is a theory is a very intertwining novel.
It takes place as the characters meet In college and spend the years together. Becoming friends and in some cases lovers.
The group has many interactions over the years after college including marriage.
Allie, one of the main characters keeps a diary in the present time , so we find out how their lives turn out..

The Truth is a Theory is an interesting study in perspectives. The story revolves around Allie - her husband has just moved out and she has started journaling as she struggles with what has become of her marriage. Interspersed with her journal entries are flashbacks chronicling the lives of Allie and her three best friends from college. These four women deal with many familiar issues over the course of their lives and relationships. All along the way, Karyn Bristol finds many opportunities to show us that the truth you thought you knew may not be the truth at all. This read started out a bit confusing for me, but once I got a handle on who was who I was invested and wanted to know more about what was going to happen with Allie and her friends. There’s a lot of food for thought in this book and everyone will find something to relate to in these characters. Thank you Netgalley for an ARC for an honest review.

The story starts slowly as all the characters introduce themselves. Then it really digs in, exploring the nitty gritty of our psyches, the why of who we are. We can all find ourselves somewhere in this story. A book to read again and again.

I loved this very thought provoking novel! The characters of the four girls are so different and remind me of friends that I have. Each has a distinct personality and their own trials and tribulations. I was hooked from the first page and hope to see more work by this author.
Many thanks to AuthorBuzz and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

thank you net galley for my arc. Four college girls become life-long friends in spite of, or because of, their differences in life experiences. It was a very emotional story.

The Truth is a Theory combines friendship, truth, trust, and companionship. It addresses many complex and heart wrenching topics like rape, addiction, adultery, and illness. I loved getting to know each of the characters and watching their bond grow and thrive throughout the years. Friendship is a gift, and this story highlights how the right friends can get you through some of the stickiest situations life has to offer.

The dynamics of relationships in this book about four college friends and their lives are sure to remind you of yourself or someone you knew. I laughed, I cried, and I grew to love most of these friends. Love the way the author chose to tell the story, through journal entires of one of the women as well as third person.
I have read and reread a few paragraphs that are so deep...each time I read them I have new thoughts.
“We are the photographers of our own history. In the moment, as we experience something, we are manipulating the shot and the characters with angle, exposure, and shutter speed. The person next to us is doing the same, with their own lens.”
“So is there ever just one truth? Or is it just the truth according to me, according to you, according to that person over there? Do we each just hold our own piece of the whole picture, our own piece of the truth?”
These paragraphs are the most powerful, thought provoking ones I have read in a long time and totally sum up the premise of this great read.
Many many thanks to Karyn Bristol, Wooden Dock Press, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this recently published book.

Thank you to Netgalley, Karyn Bristol and the publisher (Wooden Dock Press) for an electronic ARC of this book for an honest review.

This is the first feel-good, crying, heartfelt book that I've read this year, and I absolutely couldn't put it down. While it's just a tad different then what I would normally read, I loved reading this one, and would recommend this to anyone who needs to read a feel good book and also for anyone who needs a bit of self-reflection.

I can't wait to read more from this author.

A great read that follows the paths of 4 friends who meet in college. We see the many paths they have taken from marriage, careers, relationships, etc. The story centers around Allie and her husband mostly, but later the story seems to focus more on the friendships of the women. I loved the honest look of marriage and it's struggles, as well as the emotional pain decisions, whether intentional or not, make in a person's life. I would recommend reading it