What a lovely story. Annalise or as she likes to be called Lise and Emma immediately became best friends when they met at primary school and remained so until they took a year out to live in Paris after they both finished university, but they became estranged after a terrible event occurs and Emma returns back home to Bath leaving Lise in Paris.After having no contact for almost 20 years Lise suddenly returns home wanting to try and put things right by trying explain her side of the story but can Emma find it it in her heart to forgive her and also heal herself. A story of love, family and relationships but at the heart of the story is friendships which was beautifully written with sensitivity and healing. I really loved this book

For someone who has been through a friendship that drifted apart and then came back together this one resonated with me. It was a well written book. Sadly the pace fell a bit in places. But it was good none theess

Heartwarming read that shows the power of female friendship. I laughed and cried along with the characters!

16 years ago, Emma and Annalise (Lise) shared all they had. They loved spending time together and were the perfect best friends. Will they ever get that friendship back on track?

The Year That Changed Us started well and I liked the backstories and flashbacks. I felt the pace lagged in parts which was a shame.

The Year That Changed Us has a lot of home truths and raised a lot of questions for me: Can a friendship really ever go back to what it was? Do we know our friends as well as we think?

Everyone has had friends come and go, and I always value those who are there through thick and thin.

Even after the estrangement, are Emma and Lise what they once were and will that last this time?

Thanks to Helen Rolfe, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

3.5 stars

This captivating book delves into the complexities of female friendship, exploring the strong bonds that tie Emma and Liese together and the challenges they face. Growing up in contrasting households, their vow to prioritize their friendship over everything is tested when they spend a transformative year in Paris. The dual timeline and alternating perspectives add depth to the narrative, keeping readers engaged as secrets unravel and tensions rise. With compelling storytelling and believable characters, the book skillfully navigates themes of loyalty, betrayal, and reconciliation. Overall, it's a heartfelt and moving exploration of female relationships that readers won't soon forget.

Thanks to netgalley for the. Nance to read this book.

Another brilliant book from Helen.

After 26 years of living in the same close knit community friends Lise and Emma spend one year living in Paris together. It was the year that changed everything between them. Sixteen years later Lise returns to Bath to try and put things right, she must face up to what happened in Paris but Emma refuses to talk to her. Can they put that year behind them and rebuild their friendship?

I have re ad a lot by Helen, her books are either in parts - that then make up a large book Or in individual books set in a particular area like Heritage Cove or USA. This one is totally different. It is a then and now book the Now part is 2003, the then begins where they meet at school, teenage years, Uni and the trip to Paris. This is where it goes wrong. We meet the families and the lives . Then Lise comes back on the scene and Emma is still upset.

A fantastic 5* read which IU can well recommend

This was a nice and easy light read about female friendship, growing up and how secrets can change everything. It was a warm hearted story that I enjoyed reading, the dual timeline worked well.

I have read and enjoyed several of Helen’s books so I knew I was in for a treat when I started this one. This story is not part of a series and is a somewhat more serious story then the others I have read. The story is mainly about Emma and Lise who have been estranged for 16 years when Lise comes back home. Can they rekindle their friendship? While finding out whether this is possible we are also taken back to their childhood and start twenties so we can see how they were best friends and what went wrong. What could possibly have come between two such close friends? There were some really touching moments and some that made me smile and others made me sad. I loved that the story focused on rekindling their friendship.

"The Year That Changed Us" by Helen Rolfe is a poignant exploration of friendship, mistakes, and the passage of time. Lise and Emma, once inseparable, embark on a year in Paris that transforms their lives and fractures their bond. Sixteen years later, Lise returns to their hometown, determined to mend the friendship.

I rated "The Year That Changed Us" 4 stars as Rolfe masterfully weaves a narrative that spans decades, delving into the complexities of human relationships. The story navigates between the past and present, revealing the consequences of choices made in the City of Light. The characters are well-developed, and the emotional depth adds resonance to the tale. Rolfe skillfully explores themes of forgiveness and redemption, making this novel a compelling and heartfelt exploration of the enduring impact of pivotal moments in our lives.

This incredibly special book celebrates friendship. It is rich with perfectly flawed characters and relatable themes that had me visiting many emotions. Ultimately, it’s perfect and I can highly recommend it.

A really good story, and I was captivated by how it unfolded throughout the book. I was desperate to read about why the girls friendship collapsed and the reasons behind it. This book was a sweet, easy read a d I enjoyed it. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This was a bittersweet read of friendships and life’s regrets.

The story was written over a
Dual timeline and I enjoyed reading about the friends exploits when they had spent a year in Paris as this is one of my favourite places to visit.

At times I found this a heart wrenching and emotional read and it did reduce me to tears at times.

From the time they were in primary school, Lise and Emma have been the best of friends, even when Lise is sent to boarding school.

When it is time for them to spread their wings, they decide to spend time in Paris. They are excited about their adventure. However, when the two women fall out and Emma returns home without Lise, their friendship seems forever broken.

Can they repair what was lost or is their bond broken forever?

Having previously read Christmas Nights at the Star and Lantern and loved it, I was excited to have the opportunity to take part in the blog tour for Helen Rolfe’s latest novel, The Year That Changed Us.

First, I want to give a shout out to the cover. It’s so pretty. The plot also sounded interesting and so I couldn’t wait to get started.

As predicted, I completely fell into this novel. Told from the point of view of both Lise and Emma, it goes between the present and flashbacks to the past, which gradually explains what happened between the two women. I found this style of storytelling compelling and it kept my interest. I had to know what happened and whether it was going to be resolved.

Emma and Lise complement each other well and are proof that family can come in all guises. I did occasionally find them frustrating and wanted to bang their heads together. Haha. However, they offer an insight into female friendships and how important they are but how they need to be nurtured just like any other relationship.

There are many sad moments in this book. Themes such as death are tackled but I feel it’s done with sensitivity and it reminds us that we never know how long we have with the people we love.

There’s sadness but also a lot of life affirming moments too.

The Year That Changed Us offers a beautiful tale about friendship, love, family, life and faith. Above all, it tells us that it’s never too late to make things right.

If you’re looking for that perfect holiday companion or a book with great, relatable characters and a story that leaves you with a smile, this book is perfect.

I loved it.

(Thank you to Boldwood Books, Netgalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.)

Lise and Emma had a close-knit friendship growing up, but when they decide to spend a year living together in Paris, their relationship takes a turn for the worse. Lise returns to their hometown determined to put things right, but Emma refuses to talk to her. As Lise tries to get close enough to share her secret, she must confront the truth about what happened in Paris. A poignant and emotional tale of friendship, forgiveness, and the power of honesty.

This story completely stole my heart and I was sad when it ended. I think Emma and Lise were great characters that felt so genuine and authentic. I was invested instantly and hoping they would realise what a strong connection they had and how valuable those memories are. I love the way @helen_j_rolfe uses dual timeline to illustrate what happened in the past and how it has shaped their current situation, the question is can they change the future before it's too late?

Another fantastic novel from the very well known Helen Rolfe, her books never let the reader down. and this one is no exception. Certainly a 5 star read and I recommend it and all her books to everyone. Thank you Helen for giving us all this great story to read.

Thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for this ARC.

A great read! Lise and Emma have been the best of friends since they were young girls. Emma is part of a loving family while Lise lives with her cold and distant parents. They dream of having an adventure in Paris, and finally realize their dreams. But events in Paris leave them estranged for more than sixteen years, until they realize that holding on to the past only hurts them both.

Helen Rolfe is a favourite Author of mine, I couldn't wait to read this book. This is a standalone novel which is set both in the past and present and in England and Paris. It was well written and easy to follow.
This is an enjoyable read, I couldn't wait to find out the secret of what happened to ruin Emma and Lisa's friendship. There were lots of dramatic and emotional scenes although it was still a lovely heartwarming read.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood books for my ARC.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Year That Changed Us' by Helen Rolfe.

Read and reviewed for Helen Rolfe, Boldwood Books, Book & Tonic, The Bold Book Club, NetGalley and Rachel's Random Resources Tours.

Publication date 8th February 2024.

This is the second book I have read by this incredible author. I have previously read 'Summer At Forget-Me-Not Cottage' which is the second book in Helen's 'Little Woodville Cottage Series' and another book I would highly recommend!

This novel consists of 30 chapters. The chapters are short in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book has fantastic descriptions that set you straight in the scenes.The cover, title and synopsis suit the storyline perfectly.

Love, LOVE, LOVED this absolutely beautiful, emotional and unforgettable page turner!! An absolute must read!!!

OMG!!! Yet another absolute stunner from the extremely talented Helen Rolfe!! An emotive storyline with amazing characters that will be staying with me for a very, very long time! I absolutely adored the unique storyline which is hard to come by when it comes to books as there are so many out there but Helen has created an absolutely beautiful one of a kind!!!! Many people have had close friends as children that they no longer have has adults for several different reasons. You may have just lost touched, moved away or fallen out. Do you ever think how life would have been different if you were still friends? Do you regret losing touch? This book tells the story of Emma and Lise who were inseparable as kids but have not seen each other for 16 years. Lisa comes from a family that could want for nothing material but emotions and love were something that she craved. Emma's family are bursting with love and Lise quickly became part of her family sharing the love with them. However when the girls decide to spend a year together in Paris things change forever. Helen does an absolutely amazing job of bringing us a beautiful story with not only multiple protagonists but also taking us on a journey into Emma and Lise's childhood where we watch them grow together and apart, see everything they got up to and later discover whether their friendship can be saved. This really is an absolutely stunning book that takes you from Bath to Paris and and take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. This is a story filled with friendship, secrets, heartache and a few unexpected twists!!! I was completely invested in this book from the very first page and was hooked throughout. I just could not put it down and ended up devouring it in one sitting!! Helen's stunning evocative writing skills really do bring the locations, emotions and the characters to life!! This is one of those books that is very easy to read and perfect for any reading situations whether you are laying on a beach or curled up in front of a fire. It is an absolutely ideal read for anyone who is looking for a beautiful and heart warming read that will have you hooked from beginning to end. I absolutely LOVED the realism of this storyline which made it so easy to picture everything that was going on which had been helped by Helen's fantastic evocative writing skills. I cannot wait to get hooked into more of her books so I hope she is busy writing her one while I get stuck into her previous books!! This is definitely one of those books that will stay with you for a very long time. Congratulations Helen on yet another absolutely stunning success!

Well done Helen on yet another absolutely beautiful book!!! Clear your schedules and pick up the tissues before turning the pages of this unputdownable emotional page-turner!

The characters were all an eclectic mix and each one of them were realistic, relatable and well defined. I was completely invested in them all. It also makes them more realistic, believable and made me feel even more for them than I normally would. They each had their own unique personalities with positive and negative behaviours. The main protagonists are Emma and Lise who were once the best of friends who were completely inseparable but after a falling out 16 years ago they had not seen each other since. Emma and Lise both had completely different upbringings and backgrounds but yet it was these differences that brought them so close together. I absolutely love that we got to meet them during the present as adults as well as back in 1995 when they were young best friend teenagers. The fact t hat we got to know how each of them were thinking and what they were feeling with them having their own chapters to voice their thoughts through, both in the present and past ensured that I really got to know them as individuals and I really felt for each of them during different periods in their lives. Rather than reading the lives of fictional characters it felt like I was getting to know two new friends that I will miss now that I have finished the book. Helen's fantastic and emotive writing skills and descriptions made me feel everything that Lise and Emma were feeling from joy to sadness, happiness to grief and so much more. They really came to life for me and I was devastated to have to say Goodbye to them. It was lovely getting to know them as individuals but also seeing how their relationship with each other changed over time, the secrets they kept from each other and the reasons. There were just so many amazing characters that I loved getting to know that I could write about them all day but I don't want to bore you so I'll start to wrap it up here. Each of the characters are memorable and unique in their own ways and Emma and Lise are two that I wont be forgetting any time soon! Congratulations Helen on creating such amazing characters that will stay with me for a very long time!!


Pick up this book and get lost in this absolutely gorgeous page turner! This has got to be one of the most unforgettable books I have ever read 💜!!!

Congratulations Helen on yet another absolutely stunning read that I just could not put down!!! I am looking forward to reading more of your previous and future books. I would absolutely love to see this book turned into a movie!!! This is the exact reason you are on my favourite author list and here's to your next success 🥂

Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the first chapter of Helen's 'Coming Home To Heritage Cottage' which is the first book in Helen's 'Heritage Cove Series' and it promises to be just as gorgeous as this book. It is one I'm definitely looking forward to reading myself!!

Overall an unputdownable, gorgeous, STUNNING page turning book filled with emotions, memories, forgiveness, friendship and so much more!! An unforgettable, memorable and unputdownable read!!!!

330 pages.

This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £9.99 in paperback at time of review via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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