a fun easy read about friendships and relationships, i liked the authors way of writing and its was a great read

Beautiful and em0tional, funny and engaging, written with grace and captivated me early on. A recommended 5 star read.

Absolutely loved this book. The four main characters were so completely different but also worked so well together. This isn’t my first book by this author and it definitely won’t be my last. Reading this has made me want to visit the places in the story. Highly recommend

If you like uplifting and heartwarming reads which make you feel a range of emotions then your next read has to be When We Were Friends. It's an emotive look at friendships throughout life and how they grow and change and how it affects our lives.

I had tried another of the author's works before and decided to give another one a shot. Four teenage friends were inseparable before a monumental event had them all turn against each other. All four get a turn narrating their own thoughts in this book because it is vital for us to have a complete picture.
In high school, the four used their individual specialities to figure things out for others. They fancied themselves detectives, and when one of the people they ended up figuring things about collects enough to drive them all apart.
Now, eighteen years later, one of them needs help to find this villain again. They end up taking a trip abroad, and each of their personal wishes about what they want out of their group outings are different.
I found the one main twist surprising, and that is the main reason I found myself reading all the way through. The author managed to justify the situation and lay out the events that followed in a very believable fashion.
Time is not kind to almost all the people we encounter in the narrative, and they all try to do their best with what they have.
It is a multi-cast narrative that focuses entirely on how different each person is from the other and how that difference is why they work well together.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Was a good mystery as well as an interesting examination of what friendship is about. Entertaining, and allows you to identify with the characters.

Morgan, Paige, Emily, and Tiff are forced to confront their past when Morgan's son expresses a desire to meet his father. The four friends, who haven't spoken in nineteen years, must come together to track down the man who disappeared before Morgan could tell him she was pregnant. As they embark on a road trip to solve the mystery, they must navigate their own personal challenges and confront the secrets that tore them apart. "This is a compelling tale of friendship, forgiveness, and the power of second chances.

In "When We Were Friends," Samantha Tonge masterfully crafts a touching tale of friendship, forgiveness, and the enduring ties that bind us. Morgan, Paige, Emily, and Tiff reunite after nearly two decades apart to embark on a road trip, confronting past secrets and present challenges along the way. Through alternating perspectives, the novel delves into the complexities of their relationships and the transformative power of forgiveness. With richly drawn characters and an emotionally resonant storyline, "When We Were Friends" is a captivating read that celebrates the enduring power of love and the importance of cherishing those who know us best.

In their school days, Morgan, Paige, Emily, and Tiff formed a close-knit group called the Secret Gift Society, using their "superpowers" to stand up to bullies and help others. However, their friendship fractured on prom night due to a boy's betrayal, leading to nineteen years of estrangement. Now, Morgan, a single mother, seeks their help as her son prepares for university and wants to know more about his father. Reuniting proves challenging as they confront their pasts, secrets, and unresolved issues. As their individual stories unfold, the complexity of their characters, unexpected twists, and emotional depth captivate readers, making this book impossible to forget.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Really great book with enjoyable and relatable characters.

Loved this!! This book was so good! All the emotions that I went through with them! I lived the witty banter from and between the characters. This was a great book!!
I just reviewed When We Were Friends by Samantha Tonge. #WhenWeWereFriends #NetGalley
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This was realistic and characters you can relate to. My first book by this author and it wont be my last. I loved the journey and couldnt stop turning the pages.

I requested this book expecting a romance story but it was more like a women's fiction, so that part really took me off a bit, but is not a bad story and the characters really have their archs well established

I had to DNF this book.

The context of a man manipulating a group of women through sex, and breaking up their friendship just didn’t sit right.

I tried to power me through as the reviews looked amazing but I made it 35% and just couldnt finish.

Writing was great, just not the book for me. I’m sorry.

Morgan, Paige, Emily, and Tiff were once inseparable best friends until a night of revelations and conflict at their Prom tore them apart. Hugo Black's shocking secrets sparked a heated argument, leading to the dissolution of their friendship, and they went their separate ways without speaking again.

Eighteen years later, Morgan takes a bold step by reaching out in the high school newsletter, seeking to reconnect with her long-lost friends. Her urgent quest is driven by the need to find the father of her 18-year-old son, Olly. Kept a secret all these years, Olly is now seeking answers, and Morgan believes her friends may hold the key. Can the four friends reunite and embark on a journey to track down the elusive father and unravel the mysteries of the past?

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

"When We Were Friends" takes readers on a poignant journey, intertwining the lives of four friends bound by a long-buried secret. Nineteen years after their friendship disintegrated, Morgan seeks the help of Paige, Emily, and Tiff in a quest to find her son's father. The narrative weaves through the complexities of adult life, marriages, and parenthood as they embark on a road trip to uncover the man who disappeared from Morgan's life.

As the group grapples with their own challenges, the story explores the power of forgiveness and the enduring strength of true friendships. Will they manage to solve the mystery, and how will they handle the profound revelations awaiting them?

"When We Were Friends" is a heartfelt tale of love, family, and the enduring bonds that withstand the test of time. It reminds us that the people who know us best are the ones we'll always need in our lives. An emotionally resonant narrative that navigates the complexities of relationships and the journey towards healing.

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Four school friends with an age old secret, can they solve the it and come to a happy ending? Beautifully written, recommend

This book was very good! I loved the setting and the characters! I would definitely recommend and I’m excited to read other titles by this author!

As usual in my reviews I will not rehash the plot - there are reviews like that out there already if that's what you are looking for.

I liked the premise of the book - reuniting old friends - and was intrigued to learn why their close-knit friendship group had shattered. Interestingly there was much more to it than three of the group realised - until now. Without giving anything away, Morgan needs the help of her old friends to find the father of her teenage son.

I enjoyed the intrigue, the road trip was fun and the settings appealing (I knew some of them). However there's a
twist and it eventually becomes clear that not everyone was being as truthful as they might be...

This is an enjoyable light read, but with more substance to it than I expected as it deals with issues like single-parenthood and wondering where you came from.

This is the first book I've read by this author, but I see she has a back catalogue so will read more.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

*This would have been a 5-star for me but I guessed the twist!

Firstly, thank you to Net Galley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.

This one was a 3⭐️ read for me. I was really intrigued by the blurb and I was excited to give it a read. However, it was an average read for me. It did take me a bit of time to get through it because I wasn’t fully invested, but, it wasn’t all bad, which is why I gave it a middle rating.

I think the characters were crafted really well and authentically. I think there are elements of these characters that we, as readers, could relate to. The characters brought forward their vulnerable sides and that brought the plot to life.

Ultimately, this book was a bit slow and the big reveal, which was very shocking, was also very disappointing. This particular secret, for me, invalidated the rest of the plot, rendering it pointless. Yes, it was nice to see the group together, unravelling everything that went wrong back in the day and trying to mend the broken bond between them, but I think the secret was revealed a bit too bluntly and at the wrong time.

I think some would really enjoy this book. There were elements of this book that I did enjoy, but the good and the bad balanced each other out, leaving me with a neutral feeling towards this story.