I truly enjoyed this book. It was written in a way that allows the reader to grow with the characters and lets you see what has gotten them to the point that normal narratives usually start with. I can definitely say this book hit me in the feels, especially towards the end as Bella and Kate reach their later years. The story itself was a bit difficult to follow at times but it may have been the translation from book format to audio that gave me that experience. I also felt that there were a few loose ends I would have liked to have tied up more neatly, but all in all it was a lovely story with unexpected surprises throughout.

A deeply moving novel with a gothic aura surrounding it -- but no haunted castle in sight. Just a multi-layered plot about two women, friends perhaps, but with a relationship that is rocky, and which sometimes crossed a few lines. Most of the time I was absolutely entranced by the story.

I feel like many people will take the audio version better in the case of how this particular book is written. The story is written out in dialogue, so it's a lot of back and forth conversation between Bella and Kate; when reading from a book, I could see how the lines can get confusing of who is saying what. But when I listened to the audiobook, it was a breeze. There are 2 distinctive voices, and it's no harder than listening to your favorite TV show with just 2 characters going back and forth. You can easily distinguish who is speaking in the audio version.

Conservative readers: Please note this book contains mature content and language; I would have liked it better without those elements. Recommended for adults.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

Description:
Bella and Kate. Kate and Bella. From childhood they were bosom friends, Bella sensible and cautious, Kate gregarious and just a little dangerous.

Yet in spite of their intimacy, their trust is fragile. Men came into their lives and things changed: a black seed was set in the heart of their relationship. Over decades, acts of both cruelty and love ferment until one shocking event tests them more than ever. Neither will escape unscath

Reality:
It is a struggle to get through this and requires a level of commitment and curiosity I couldn't muster. It explores a dark element of humankind that even the best of friends cannot escape. It was almost as oppressive as 1984 but on a micro scale. What hope does the world hold if two lifelong friends can't share an unspoiled relationship?

OKay, this rating was higher because I listened to this one and the narrators did a fantastic job. I would have probably stayed at 2 without the audio.

I was unsure how I felt about this book the entire time I was reading it. Bella and Kate are best friends, not the 'hey bestie' type but that one person, your person, someone you click with on another level. I feel like Kate and Bella wanted this from each other but were unable to navigate how to handle it. How to handle each other. Instead, they drift to and from each other through various differences, betrayals and broken trusts and end up with something more toxic than anything.

I will say that the writing had some beautiful spots where the one-liners did hit and made me question how I felt about my own people. This reads more like a memoir full of regrets on both ends. There was no mystery, we were waiting the entire book and for what? An ending that lacked any true substance. We had a twist thrown in there where we learn about it and who did what at the same time.

I was underwhelmed with this one. Come chat with me if you give it a chance!

I am very much wanted to like this book. The more I read the more confused I became it’s about two friends that. are obsessed with each other. I can’t relate to anything in this book. I’m sorry to say I can barely give it at two. I felt like to give bad reviews but sometimes it’s necessary. Thank you to the publisher and Jeanette Kelly for providing this advanced audiobook to me. I very much liked the narrator

This is a slow burn of a story, more domestic drama than suspense thriller. The author does an excellent job of gradually ratcheting up the tension (and the reader's fear) as two young women who were best friends in childhood reunite in adulthood and fall back into their familiar roles, with one of them, Kate, always the leader while the other, Bella, is always the follower.

Kate is a bit of a thrill seeker and drama maker, always instigating trouble that she pins on others; she gets a charge from manipulating those closest to her, seeing how far she can push them to violate their own boundaries. When the women reconnect after their long separation, both are married, Bella with a child and Kate with a troubled stepson. One night at a party to introduce Bella to her friends, Kate slips Bella a drug and encourages her to let loose -- and then pushes things to a point that Bella actually leaves her husband, brings her little girl, and moves in with her family. Things take several dramatic and ultimately tragic turns from there. What is Kate's fault? What is Bella's responsibility? Were the toxic connections the two women had as children still at play?

Then, in an even more surprising twist, we dive deeper into the women's psyches and see that there is more to them than we first thought. The final quarter of the book is a reflection on the endurance of women's friendships in the face of all that would discount them. I recommend this; a great read. I listened to an advance copy as an audiobook generously provided to me by Netgalley and Macmillan Audio, and I especially recommend this as an audio book. The narration was gripping and suspenseful.

As I had this book as an audiobook ARC, at 2x it was a quick two-hour read. However, I was completely underwhelmed by this book of two former best friends who seemed to work extra hard that their friendship was not worth it. In fact, their friendship became toxic at a certain point, and neither of them seemed like they would ever find the former closeness they once shared.

This book made for an easy listen as the narrators, Antonia Beamish and Lucy Scott did great jobs with the voices they used.

OK, could not get into this one Nothing *happens* like at all and I couldnt enjoy the writing either. Giving two stars bc I'm giving the benefit of the doubt that, since I didn't finish it, it might have gotten better.

I didn’t really enjoy this book; thank goodness it was an audio arc because I’ve heard that the physical book was much harder to follow. I appreciate that the author was trying to tell the story through dialogue, but it just didn’t work for me. That being said, I have enjoyed differ t ways of storytelling in the past (ie: Daisy Jones and the Six).

I didn’t like any of the characters and was uncomfortable with how toxic the relationship was between Bella and Kate. I just didn’t understand how Bella kept inviting Kate into her life, as she seemed better off without her.

Best friends that walk on thin line to obsession. Thiscpsychological thriller inclues marriage, affair, infidelity, money , power and murder. Is it self defence or premeditated murder? Most of the story is written as conversation from two best friends.

After reading reviews on this book, I wasn't sure I wanted to read it and I held off as long as I could. I am glad I read this book. It wasn't as bad as the reviews make it out to be.

Bella and Kate have this on again off again relationship from the time they are 6yrs old until they die. There are ups and a lot of downs throughout the relationship. There is also suicide and rape in this book.

This wouldn't be a book I would read again or recommend as it had no substance. It was boring but it wasn't bad, just not my cup of tea. I appreciate the author and her work, as she probably put a lot of time and effort into this. That's why I can't stand when people say they hate a character in a book and give it one star. Isn't that what a book is supposed to do, make us think and have emotions? People don't give the writer enough credit. Sorry for the rant.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to listen to this book. I did like it.

This was barely a 3 for me. It was an original story, but still felt a bit messy. The dialog was a bit off, with middle-ages characters speaking like small children. I think these women could have been better developed. I struggled though because I was reviewing for NetGalley, but I doubt I would have finished it otherwise. I’m grateful, as always, for the advanced copy, it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to @netgalley and @Stmartinspress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @macmilliam.audio for a free download of the audiobook.

The Best Friend intermittently follows the lives of Bella and Kate, covering their lives as they come and go from one anothers. Pretty basic, so I kept turning the page waiting for something drastic to happen. This book left me wanting so much more. I just don’t understand the point.

The narrator of the audiobook was helped keep the story going for me.

3 stars - Primarily for the narrator

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for accepting my request to audibly read and review The Best Friend.

Author: Jessica Fellowes
Published: 09/13/22
Narrators: Antonia Beamish; Lucy Scott
Genre: Women's Fiction

The book is performed by two female narrators with distinct voices. One of which worked for me while the other worked against the story. The voice was gruff and sounded too mature for most of the book.

The story itself leaves a lot to be desired. Two young girls with extremely different backgrounds, morals, and adult guidance claim to be best friends from I believe age 6 throughout perhaps 80s, one of the women is self-centered and the other has low self-confidence. They go through periods of years without speaking to meeting up and the cycle begins again and again; one woman hurts the other and it doesn't end.

The genre is Women's Fiction, and I pondered the need for this book. This was not a healthy relationship and there is no advice. Leaving me at -- this book was a waste of my precious reading time. I don't see the purpose. There was nothing to like or enjoy.

On a positive note, I don't recall any gross profanity.

Bella and Kate became friends when they were 6 years old. Suddenly at 17 they are separated and their world changes. It is not until years later that they come together again, but their friendship dips and swirls in a love/hate kind of way. What could have been a lovely commentary on the joys of friendship turned into a very unlikable story until the very end where the story redeems itself and the true meaning of friendship surfaces. The chapter titles and arrangement was hard to follow and while unique it made for a confusing read at times. I am glad to have persevered to the end and while the narration was good, I can't give this book more than a 2 star rating.

The Best Friend by Jessica Fellowes

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the chance to read and review this #eARC #audiobook. It is available where books are sold.

The Best Friend follows the tumultuous and slightly toxic relationship between Kate and Bella, friends from a young age, over many decades and the events that altered that relationship. Relationships morph as they begin dating, trust shifts, and their friendship is put to the ultimate test.

This book fell a bit flat for me. It was advertised as a thriller/mystery and it never developed into that by my measure. It consisted mostly of Kate being a generally awful person and friend and Bella being a damaged and broken hearted hanger on and refusing to move past and only whine. The cycle was positively infuriating. I powered through this because I had hope it would pick up and get more interesting but it was just a miss for me.

⭐️⭐️ - 2/5

I was intrigued by this one because it was likened to Sally Rooney but I don’t see the similarities at all. Told mostly through conversations between two best friends from childhood to old age, this was a quick but unsatisfying read. Short chapters really helped moved it along and I like the narrators but nothing really thrilling or twisty ever happens and neither characters were likable.

I got approved for this on both the audiobook and book and enjoyed being able to alternate on both! The narrator was lovely. Review:

I saw multiple reviews which criticized the lack of quotation marks and the confusion it caused over who was speaking. I actually thought this was a unique characteristic that led to some of the over arching themes of the book.

Bella and Kate’s friendship spans time but is muddled with secrets, lies, and betrayals. It is then further tested by long stretches of time between their meetings and re connections. I thought the fusing of dialogue without quotation marks added to the sense of blurred lines and boundaries in their friendship with each other and relationships with others, but the book itself was SUPER dark and not uplifting in the slightest. Not necessarily knocking it for that, but man, it was a doozy! Going with 3 stars due to some stretches of slowness/ that I didn’t really love either of the main characters, but did think it was uniquely written and interesting overall.

I was a bit confused by this story. The friendship of Kate and Bella is nothing if not complicated. At times it may be described as toxic…but also not? As we followed their friendship through the years, I felt the story was a bit disjointed and certain things were left open ended that I felt required more closure. I also would have liked more development of the supporting characters who were the sources of tension between Kate and Bella. I was a little let down by this one.

I was so excited by the title, cover of the book and description. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me and I would not recommend this book. It couldn't get into it and found the writing to be a little hard to follow.

I would not recommend this book. Thank you to Netgalley and the MacMillian Audio for this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.