Three friends enjoying spending time at the pier they don't realize how significant this will be in the future.

In My Friends by Fredrik Backman, Louisa finds a painting with three small figures that most people overlook and sets out to learn who they were. Her journey leads her to a story from 25 years ago, where four teenagers formed a deep friendship that changed their lives and inspired a powerful work of art.

My Friends was one of my most anticipated spring reads! Fredrik Backman is an auto-read author for me and I’ve loved his previous books. Like his other books, this one tackles heavy themes so I recommend checking the content warnings on StoryGraph beforehand. While the story starts off a bit slow, it eventually picked up enough to keep my interest. There were a couple of characters I really liked, but some felt underdeveloped. Backman includes some truly resonating quotes that hit deep. The story beautifully captures nostalgia, teenage youth, and the power of friendship. That said, the middle section dragged for me as there were repetitive and unnecessary details that bogged down the story and prolonged the mystery. The ending and resolution felt a bit underwhelming after such a long build-up. Overall, I had mixed feelings about the book.

Oh my goodness did I love this story. I laughed and cried and could not get enough. It was such a perfect story. Blackman really knows how to write in a way that makes you feel!

Receiving a NetGalley ARC of one of my favorite authors’ new books is an immense honor and privilege.

The book immediately captivated me with its well-developed characters and engaging dialogue. In typical Backman style, the narrative alternates between moments of laughter and tears, leaving me laughing out loud one moment and heartbroken the next. Louisa’s unique storyline was particularly endearing, but I was deeply moved by the depth of the friendships portrayed throughout the novel.

While I need some time to fully process my thoughts, I believe this book has the potential to become my new favorite Backman work. It deserves five well-deserved stars!

When Louisa sets out to change her life, she ends up in quite a situation! This adventure will be one that will change her life forever! This is a story about a group of friends who bonds over their difficult childhood, but even more than that, it is a story of love and loyalty. Once again, Fredrik Backman has written a story that will stay with you and make you feel ALL the emotions! Loved it!!!

Backman’s latest novel brings to life a group of teenage best friends and the way their lives unfold in the past and present timelines.

My Friends feels very reminiscent of the film “Now and Then” with a group of teens and their various challenges related to growing up and family. There are many twists and turns and times when a cliffhanger chapter ending has you quickly flipping the pages.

In classic Backman fashion, the characters have a lot of depth and are easy to root for, even the unlovable ones. He has such a beautiful way with writing realistic characters and plot. Some of the prose was a bit over the top, but there were a lot of nice poignant lines too. There was a lot to keep track of, and I did get some of the character reveals a little bit confused. Some are only referred to by nicknames or alternative names, so it’s important to keep tabs on who is who.

I did not feel as though Ali got enough time and attention and development, and I wish I had gotten to know her better as a character. She was the only one of the friend group that I felt was underdeveloped.

Overall, I think lovers of Fredrik Backman will really about this one. It has a lot of heart and I had many moments where I teared up at the deep feelings he was able to portray through these characters. I overall recommend!

A new Fredrik Backman book is always an event for me. My Friends comes off his masterful Beartown trilogy and themes that occur in many of his books are reflected in his newest. Children's experiences with a harsh world continues in this one. It begins at an art auction where Louisa, a soon to be eighteen year old encounters a painting that means the world to her and is chased away by a security guard where she stumbles upon a man she assumes to be homeless in the alley. This encounter sets into motion the plot of the book, tapping into the history of the figures in the corner of that famous painting. We meet the young friends the summer they are fourteen. Joar is brash and prone to fighting, Ali who never lives in a place longer than a year, Ted who is quiet and sensitive, and the artist who is trying to figure out who he is in the world. Their story is slowly revealed to Louisa over a trip back to where those children bonded that summer years ago. Like many of Backman's books, this is meant to tear at your heart strings, and I imagine for many it will. Perhaps it was just the head space I was in, but I felt like he was turning back to tropes from other books- traumatic experience after traumatic experience, reactions to events that seem over the top, and dangling nuggets of emotional challenges to come. While all of the characters have a chance to be highlighted, I never felt truly connected to any of them. I know many will enjoy this one. If readers are interested in similar themes to his previous works, they will like this one as well. For me, it was a bit of a miss.

Thank you to Atria Books via NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.

I've read most of Fredrik Backman's books, so when I saw the opportunity to read his next one, I immediately requested it! I've always thought that my first Backman book - A Man Called Ove - couldn't be topped, but I'm actually topping it with this one. This broke my heart so many times, while also simultaneously filling it. Only Backman could make me (literally) laugh out loud, and then make me tear up! This was an absolutely gorgeous story that was both painful and real. A must read for any of the author's fans, but know that it handles many dark, tragic stories. I identified so much with Louisa, and then Ted, and then Ali, Joar, and the artist himself. It's a rare thing for an author to make everyone so connected and relateable, but Backman more than did this with My Friends.

Fredrick Blackman does it again. Admittedly, there is nothing that he writes that I have disliked, but this is so beyond heartwarming and a fantastic release for the summer.

Not sure if Frederick Backmans books are my type of books. At least I tried. This was a beautiful story but it left me skimming the pages. I'm just the oddball out when it comes to this author but I can see how many people will love this book

Thank you publisher and netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I’m sorry to say I really struggled getting through this one. I love this author and his past books but this one did not succeed in holding my attention.

This book was boring; I did not relate to the characters and the plot took forever to unfold. I am typically a fan of Backman, so I am very disappointed!

Whew! That was an emotional roller coaster!!

Yet another poignant, humorous, and real novel by Backman.

I didn’t even care what the book was about - as soon as I saw the author, I knew I wanted it. That’s how I feel about Fredrick Backman’s writing. It’s just soooo good. It makes you FEEL. Always.

I loved this coincidental meeting that turns into an adventure. I loved the characters. I loved their friendships. I loved their hardships. I loved the story behind the painting. 😂

What’s not to love?!?

This is a masterpiece. ❤️ I don’t know what else I need to say.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Fredrick Backman is such an incredible author! All of his books are very well written and this is just as good. The characters are well developed. The story is engaging and definitely thought provoking. Anyone who has enjoyed his previous books are in for another treat!

Backman has done it again. A beautifully written story about a summer and four friends. 25 years after the summer that changed his friends and his life forever Ted tells 18-year-old Louisa about the events of that summer. Written in Backman‘s unique voice. I cried. I laughed. And I read so slow because I did not want the story to end, I would read Frederick Backman‘s to do list

I'm not sure I can do justice to this story and these characters but here goes. Fredrik Backman has done it again with My Friends.

There are several museum break-ins, a long train ride, one memorable summer and a bunch of awful parents and classmates. Through it all Backman weaves a wonderful story of friendship - the kind that makes you suffer for another. Childhoods that no child should have to suffer through - many readers will relate to the cruelty of bullies and weak adults. There are crazy things that only kids will do, like ride the shopping cart down the steep hill. But in all of the darkness, Backman leaves you with hope - hope that there's still beauty left.
This is full of Backman's wonderful quotes -

"Nothing weighs more than someone else's belief in you"
" The children of addicts always know what time it is."
" How many books have you read? Not nearly enough, he smiles"

Backman's gift is seeing people. Everyone can relate to some character in his books. We feel seen and happy that we're not going through life without someone else facing the same things we face.

This is an emotional book - I was a puddle when I finished. Do not miss this wonderful story from Backman this year.

I will read every single book or novella Fredrik Backman writes. He evokes emotions in me that I didn’t even know I had. Backman has such a profound way of writing about complicated relationships, friendships, love/loss and everything in between. Simply put, he has mastered the art of writing about life.
My Friends is a story about how childhood friendships will never leave us. They stay with you forever.
Through the good and the bad. Etched in our memory for a lifetime, no matter the distance apart or the years gone by.
This is the story of Joar, Ted, Ali and the artist. A friendship that has spanned over 25 years. Each of them battling adversity either at home, school or within themselves.
This is also the story of a painting, and an eighteen year old named Louisa. How this all comes together is work of art itself.

Addiction, domestic abuse, mental health, foster care system are topics covered in this book. I believe Backman handled them very well. Although we knew they were there, it is more of a story about friendships, love and resilience.

My only small critique, I found the middle a bit slow. Maybe dialogue heavy, or I was just simply ready to hear ‘the end of the story’. Overall I loved this one and would highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC. This book publishes on May 6, 2025.

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on April 18th, 2025. Links provided.

In My Friends, Fredrik Backman weaves a dual-timeline narrative centered around a group of four teenagers - Joar, Ted, Ali, and a boy simply known as “the artist.” Twenty-five years ago, the four of them found escape and comfort in one another during long, aimless days on a forgotten pier in a quiet seaside town. Each came from a deeply troubled home, and their bond became a refuge - filled with laughter, small rebellions, and moments of tenderness that made their hard lives a little more bearable. From that summer came a painting - one that would go on to become a masterpiece and, unexpectedly, change the course of someone else’s life decades later. That person is Louisa, a young, homeless artist in the present day who receives the painting as a part of the artist’s final wish. Tasked with helping her is Ted, now grown, who, through Louisa, reconnects with his own past as he recalls the journey that led to the painting’s origin. The novel explores how art can serve as memory, how friendships can be life-saving, and how pain - when shared - can sometimes become something beautiful. Told with Backman’s signature blend of humor and emotional depth, My Friends is a story about broken families, resilience, and the bonds that endure across space and time.

I’ve loved every Backman book I’ve read, so I came into My Friends with high expectations. And while there’s a lot to admire here, this one didn’t quite hit the same emotional high for me as some of his earlier work - especially Beartown, which remains my favorite. I really appreciated the themes and characters - especially the way the teenagers supported and uplifted each other despite their circumstances. Their friendship felt real, raw, and at times, very sweet. But, for me, the book took a while to find its footing. The constant jumping back and forth between the timelines sometimes felt abrupt and made it difficult for me to become fully invested until after the halfway mark. I also struggled with the pacing for the majority of the book as this would definitely be considered a slow burn. That said, the final hundred pages were very moving and once I was hooked, I found it difficult to put down. The story pulled everything together in a satisfying way, and the relationship between Louisa and Ted ended up being one of the most endearing parts. This is definitely a book that will mean a lot to many readers. It has the heart, the humor, and the insight that Backman is known for. For me, it was worth the read - even if it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. A slow burn, but one with a powerful, lasting warmth.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of My Friends in return for my honest review.

This was beautifully written. This is the first book I’ve read by Fredrick Backman, but I can already tell I’m going to be a big fan!

Fredrik Backman’s My Friends is a breathtaking, heart-deep journey through the bonds of friendship, the echoes of the past, and the unexpected magic of art. With his signature blend of quiet humor, tender melancholy, and deeply human storytelling, Backman paints a story that lingers like a favorite memory—bittersweet, imperfect, and utterly unforgettable.

At the center of the novel is Louisa, a young aspiring artist who finds herself the guardian of a mysterious painting—one that has captivated art lovers for decades but holds secrets only a few know. As she sets out to uncover the identities of the three small figures at the edge of the canvas, Backman takes readers on a dual-timeline journey that shifts between Louisa’s present-day quest and a long-ago summer where friendship was a lifeline for a group of bruised but fiercely loving teenagers.

That past is where My Friends truly shines. The teenagers on the pier are drawn with such empathy and detail that they feel like people you knew once—awkward, brave, broken, and luminous in the way only teens navigating hardship together can be. Their bond is raw and real, filled with inside jokes, shared silence, and the kind of rebellious hope that only youth and desperation can produce.

As Louisa gets closer to the truth of the painting’s origin, the story grows richer, more layered, and achingly emotional. It becomes clear that this isn’t just about a piece of art—it’s about the legacy of love and loyalty, the stories we pass on, and how our connections shape the way we see the world.

My Friends is a meditation on memory, on the art of holding space for people—both in life and on canvas—and on what it means to carry the past forward with care. It’s a novel about how beauty can emerge from pain, and how the quietest moments can have the loudest echoes.

In true Backman fashion, it will make you laugh through tears and smile through heartbreak. It’s not just a story about friendship—it’s a celebration of it. Profound, poignant, and deeply moving, My Friends is a masterpiece of the heart.