My Friends is the compelling story of a painting and lifetime friendships that withstand the test of time.

In this coming-of-age story, four teenagers form a bond of friendship as a way to survive broken families and trauma. Twenty-five years later, a painting from that time changes the life of another struggling young adult as she unravels the story behind the painting.

First, I must mention trigger warnings and content considerations. The story contains child abuse, dysfunctional family drama, and profanity. Neglect and mistreatment of children made the story difficult to read at times, and I had to take breaks. The brilliant writing and compelling characterizations caused me to finish. If I had known the content before reading, I might have passed on this one. Yet, I am a Backman completist, and I trust him to take me to difficult places and provide healing and restoration in the end.

If you read Backman, you know that he is a master of characterization. His characters are fully drawn and memorable. Through the characters in this story, we experience how friendships save lives.

Art is an important element of the story. One of the childhood friends is an artist who captures their friendship in a painting that is now a valuable and famous work of art. In the present day, Louisa comes into possession of the original painting, and it piques her interest. As she researches and investigates the story behind the painting and meets the friends, it changes her life.

My Friends is a dramatic, emotional, and gritty story that Backman fans (who are OK with the content warnings) will appreciate. (Amazon has it categorized as humorous fiction….so misleading)

Thanks #NetGalley @AtriaBooks for a complimentary eARC of #MyFriends upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Just when I think I’m safe BAM this man hurts me AGAIN!!! The rule stays: I have cried at every single Backman book I have ever read.

I’m not always affected by coming-of-age stories but MAN did these damn teenagers get me right through the ribs. I also love a time jump, so alternating between the present/future and the past kept me loving every second of this story.

Backman came from Stockholm to MILWAUKEE (???) to celebrate the release of this book and I’m so honored to have seen one of my favorite authors of ALL TIME speak in person. He noted that “reading, to me, is a vehicle to escape reality” (oof Fred) and this sad story helped me do just that.

On how his characters are so realistic and human, Backman commented “I’m not super interested in functioning people”. Me neither, babe.

Any Fredrik Backman book is a must-read for me, and should be for you, too. Huge thanks to him, to Atria Books, and to NetGalley for an exchange of an eARC of this book for an honest review. The signed copy I purchased will hold a space in my heart forever 🫶🏻

“It’s a funny thing. The person we fall in love with, we hardly ever call by their name. Because it’s somehow just so obvious that it’s you I’m talking to, that it’s you I’m always thinking of. Who else?”

I went into the book way more blind than I thought I would! I don’t usually NOT read a summary of a book before reading it, but I’m so glad I didn’t really for this. No surprise Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors and just my favorite person. His books feel like you’re reading a story with inner thoughts, like you’re simultaneously going through the emotions and story with the characters. His writing feels therapeutic to me, just insight into being human and the human condition. I just go through all the emotions with his books. Especially humor, laugh-out-loud moments, and dialogue that feels so realistic. There are some triggering themes in this, he doesn’t shy away from the hard topics. But there’s such a beautiful story of friendship and healing in this, and also an adventure. I also really saw myself in Ted, felt so seen on so many of his thoughts and feelings.

The Artist, Joar, Ted, Ali, and Louisa. I loved My Friends, I felt like I was leaving MY FRIENDS when I finished 🥹 glad this story was written…closed the book with some tears in my eyes. How did it get there!

I had high hopes for this one, as Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors, but this was just a story I could not get into.

I feel so lucky to have been able to read an ARC of Backman’s upcoming release, My Friends.

In true Backman fashion, he keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole way through. This was brilliantly done. Backman has a way with words (clearly I don’t because I’m at a loss for any good ones to describe my reading experience)

I loved the the four friends, plus those they trusted to let into their world.

As a huge fan of Fredrik Backman, I was beyond excited when I heard he was coming out with a new novel. My Friends is, without a doubt, his best work yet and one of my absolute favorite reads of the year. This book has everything you could want from a great novel: it’s funny, it’s sad, it’s achingly heartbreaking, and it’s filled with hope and moments of uplifting joy. I honestly can’t recommend it enough, and it’s definitely going to be one of those books I revisit again in the future.

What really stood out to me was the depth of the characters. Backman has a remarkable ability to create nuanced, fully-realized individuals who feel incredibly real and truthful. Each character’s voice and motivations are so clearly defined, and as I read, I found myself deeply invested in their lives and journeys. The bond between the childhood friends in this story is powerful and incredibly relatable, especially for anyone who’s ever had a close-knit group of friends who were there through thick and thin. It felt so genuine and authentic—those friendships were portrayed with so much heart and complexity.

The beauty of My Friends lies in the way each character has their own arc, and every single one of those arcs feels earned. Whether the resolution of their story is happy, sad, or even tragic, it all felt true to the characters and their individual experiences. Backman has a special way of balancing emotion—he knows how to make you laugh, but he also doesn’t shy away from the raw, painful realities of life. There were moments in the book that had me laughing out loud, but just as quickly, the story would take a turn that would leave me emotionally wrecked. And yet, even in those moments of heartbreak, there’s a sense of hope that shines through, reminding the reader of the power of human connection and the strength of friendship.

By the time I reached the conclusion, I felt completely satisfied with how the characters’ stories had unfolded. Each ending, whether it was joyful or bittersweet, felt like the right one for the journey these characters had been on. It was a fitting close to a truly beautiful story.

This is a novel that I will cherish for years to come. Fredrik Backman has crafted a story that’s as emotionally resonant as it is enjoyable, and it’s easily one of the best books I’ve read this year. With humor, heartache, and hope woven throughout, this book is a testament to the power of friendship and the importance of those bonds we form throughout our lives.

I don't even know where to start with this book. All I know is this is my favorite Fredrik Backman to date. I feel like this is a story that you need to go in to it blind because even if you know what it is about... I don't think you really know what it is about. They way this story is weaved together truly brings out all of the emotion as you become more and more invested in these characters. This is definitely a book I would recommend if you are a fan of Fredrik or if you are for that one book to read of his if he is new to you. I would definitely recommend checking trigger warnings if that is something you are sensitive to since these characters do experience a lot of life throughout this story. This is a book I could see myself re-reading in the future and talking about for days on end.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.

First I would like to thank Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC of this novel.

If Fredrik Backman writes it, I’m going to read it. This was another wonderful novel by him. It made me laugh, it made me cry and feel pretty much every other emotion there is to feel. This is a beautiful story about friendship, found family, love, trauma, grief and healing.

I loved the characters in this book and how all the stories came together in the end. I think that’s the beauty of Fredrik Backman’s books. It’s how he ties everything together and how beautiful all the stories come together.

I will say I don’t think any book can beat Anxious People for me but this was fantastic nevertheless.

5/5 stars

When it comes to Fredrick Backman, I’ve learned that no matter if I read through with speed or savor the flavor slowly, I will always be sad to come to the last page of his creations. Backman has a very special way of making me feel like his characters are my friends, so I don’t want to lose my friends by finishing the book.

My Friends is a book about art, friendships, family, growing up, summers, trauma, teenage rebellion, love, and how the most opposite personalities can become the best of friends. This book made me laugh, cry, scream, pull my hair out, and all the emotions in between.

It may seem like a slow start, but trust the process (and enjoy it!). The characters and plot are being built with care.

Thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for the ARC.

I'm new to Backman and it's been hit and miss with me on the few I've read. This one was amazing and I'm so glad I got to read it!

WOW, talk about a work of art! I didn’t think anything would ever come close to topping the story and characters of Beartown but My Friends is coming in a close second. It’s been a year and a half since I’ve read Beartown and I still think about that story and characters often. So to say that My Friends is a close second is definitely a high compliment.

I am a huge fan of Backman’s work, if he writes it, I’ll be reading it. I even enjoy his IG posts. He has a way with words that creates such a unique writing style that keeps you intrigued from start to finish and the use of figurative language, analogs, and sarcasm makes for some hilarious, laugh out loud moments. Only Backman can have me laughing on one page and heartbroken on the next, repetitively. His writing and storytelling is always emotionally beautiful and thought provoking, making you reflect on your own life.

In My Friends, Backman weaves together two timelines seamlessly as the story unfolds about a group of friends who have all been dealt a brutal hand in life. Like in Beartown, there are some extremely heavy, traumatic topics with incredibly realistic, complex, and relatable characters who will be unforgettable.

It took me several days to read it because I wanted to savor every word and didn’t want it to end. I had a physical ARC and decided to try annotating for the first time since I also ordered a finished copy through BOTM. I’ve never highlighted so much in a book, from funny analogies to life reflecting quotes.

I will never be able to have the right words to describe how highly I think of this book. And I don’t want to say too much for fear of giving anything away, so just trust me and do what I did, go in blindly, you won’t regret it!

Thank you @atriabooks, @backmansk, and @netgalley for the #gifted ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m emotional, this was soooooo good 😭 This is the first Bachman I’ve read and now I’m thinking I’m going to have to go back and read the catalogue. Amazing depiction of trauma and grief and the magic of friendship and being understood. The pacing and the gradual unfolding of both storylines was amazing, kept me engaged the whole time. I loved every single character, they just jumped off of the page and you could feel all of the personalities. The plot kept you guessing the whole time, and the ending was so good. Can’t recommend enough!

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

My Friends is a quiet, emotional story about a young artist who uncovers the past behind a mysterious painting. As she learns about the deep friendships formed on a seaside pier years ago, she discovers how art and connection can shape a life. Moving, heartfelt, and beautifully told.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

I truly love everything that Fredrik Backman writes, and I am incredibly excited for My Friends, which is one of my most anticipated releases for 2025. I’m delighted to say that it was amazing. One thing is certain about Fredrik Backman is he knows how to make readers feel a wide range of emotions. This book made me both laugh and cry. I absolutely admire Backman's writing style. It’s easy to get immersed in his stories, and his characters are well developed and multi dimensional. As you read, they really come to life. I've enjoyed every one of his works that I've read, and I highly recommend this book to everyone.

I’m still sobbing thinking about how this book made me feel somehow so much joy and also so much sadness at the same time. I’m not sure I could even describe the feeling this book gives me if I tried. The friendships in this book are so beautiful and raw. These people love each other so much and the way it’s written is so effective in portraying that. I’ve never read anything like Fredrick Backman’s writing before. I’ll never be the same.

My Friends was one of my most anticipated releases for the year, and let me tell you My Friends (ha, see what I did there?), it did not disappoint! Fredrik Backman is a master of observing people in all their wonderful, splendid, wounded selves and making us love them in spite of their all too human frailties.

This time around, Backman shares the story of a group of teenage friends who find refuge from their difficult home lives by spending their days laughing and telling stories out on a pier. To no one's surprise, one of them becomes a famously celebrated artist. When the artist's most famous painting ends up in the hands of Louisa, a teenage girl, 25 years later, she is determined to learn the story behind it.

And what a story. On a cross-country train ride, the stories are slowly revealed. As we learn more about these four broken souls, we also learn more about Louisa and how very like them she is. Backman's empathy for the vulnerable is poignant, raw and deeply moving as he tackles themes of friendship and found family, frailty and resilience, grief and loss, and the importance of art to save us.

I adored each of these characters as their lives spilled forth in a meandering, non-linear kind of way that is Backman's signature style. I often found myself laughing one moment and reaching for a tissue the next. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

“Good night, ghosts.”

This book. It was utterly heartbreaking. It’s a story of friendship between 4 friends the summer before they turn 15. Do you remember being that age? Because this story reminds you of what it’s like. It’s a story of love, because the love between friends is sometimes stronger than any other kind. It’s already so special to me, I loved every minute, every word on every page. Backman’s writing style is very unique and much like his other works, it oozes out of every detail. While this story may be long and winding, to me it was worth it to hear him tell it.

I enjoyed this. A solid story about friendships and the impact friends have on your life.

It was a little hard to get into at first, wondering where the story was going. Also struggled a bit with the jumping around in time. But overall, I enjoyed this.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

romance has taken over the world by storm, because everyone wants to hear a love story. but how often do you hear about love in friendship? the power of learning to trust, to find your own- all within adventures and laughter and finding art in the world.

MY FRIENDS by Fredrik Backman delves into a true love story within friends: the platonic bond that grows and grieves with you.

it’s clumsy, it’s funny, it’s emotional, it’s quirky and it’s a tender story that’ll put its hooks in you until the story is over and craves you wanting more.

there’s something about Backman’s straightforward writing that i keep being pulled back to. i find a comfort in his characters and find myself wishing i could bump into them and say hello. if you’re looking for something that feels real, this is your way to go.

thank you to Atria Books for allowing me to have this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As always Backman delivers endearing characters and beautiful writing. Louisa could be a young, misunderstood Ove. Ted, the artist, Joar and Ali have a beautiful friendship. Though not much seemingly happens in this book, it’s the story of true friendship and artistry. Being misunderstood, and finally finding “your people.” Backman is a must-read author for me. Everything he writes is heartwarming and gives me hope for the world.