I think I say this every time I red his books, but this is my new fav of his. I laughed, I cried and I am lost for words to describe my love for this story about love, friendships, grief, sacrifice, adventure and so much more. I don’t want to give much away because you should just go into it ready to be enthralled by the characters and entranced by the love that is shown between them all. If this book doesn’t make you tell the important people in your life “I love you and I trust you” by the time you’re done, then you have the wrong friends.
I haven’t read a story that is so genuine, smart, sentimental and sarcastic in a long time and I didn’t want it to end. The characters resonated with me deeply and we all know I’m a tough nut to crack. Every character grows in their own right and even if you love one more than the other, Ted especially warmed my heart, they are all critical to the development of the story.
I can’t recommend this book enough. I’m so thankful to Atria Books for the opportunity to review this eArc in exchange for my review.

Backman is known for writing beautiful, complex characters and those in My Friends are no exception. He captured the essence of friendship, especially childhood friendship, beautifully. Every other page there are tender moments so make sure to grab your tissues and call you besties.

The story meanders a bit where the flashbacks/storytelling feels more like a stream on consciousness or reminiscing. I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing but it had me impatient to hear the whole story. If the novel was tightened up a bit, some extraneous pages cut, I think I would’ve enjoyed it more. As beautifully written as it was, I was ready for the end of the story. I also felt like there was a lot of build up where the ending felt a bit disappointing.

This will be an insta-buy for an Backman fans out there but if this is your first time with the author, I’d recommend starting with Anxious People or Beartown.

The story begins with Louisa who become fixated with a famous painting. The heart of the book, though, lies with 4 teenagers who met 25 year earlier. The novel ties in the teenagers story with Louisa and what you have is a tender, gentle, deliberate novel. This book will linger with you for a long time.
Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book.

This was my first read by this author and won't be my last. This was so well done. My heart is bittersweet and I enjoyed every second of this wild train ride of a journey through self discovery and tragedy.

FREDRIK BACKMAN HAS DONE IT AGAIN!!! I can always count on Backman to pack an emotional punch in the most unique ways in his stories and this one did not disappoint. I almost never annotate or highlight my books but I found myself on multiple occasions highlighting passages and full paragraphs on my kindle as I was reading because I wanted to go back to them or remember them. I was so invested in these characters and the story that they were building slowly. I think I felt every single emotion- hope, happiness, sadness (there were happy and sad tears!) and everything in between. I loved the messaging around what art is and how it should be viewed and the impact it makes on different people. I loved everything about this and it will stick with me for a very long time!

I think everyone can think back to their childhood and vividly remember a specific moment in time that changed the trajectory of their lives. This book made me reflect on those moments.

These stories are one of my favorites to read about. They’re a small glimpse into a person’s life. Nothing big or extravagant really happens but the moments are meaningful enough to make you feel something. I absolutely love these characters and I think Fredrik Backman really does a remarkable job of capturing the heart of his characters.

This book is what you would expect from Backman: thoughtful, a bit sad and melancholy, but also incredibly hopeful and kind. You will find yourself thankful to be allowed in on the summer adventures with Ted, The Artist, Joar, and Ali. You will also be happy that Louisa allowed you into her life as well.

In this book we follow Louisa: an eighteen-year-old girl trying to break into a museum. Now, she isn’t there to steal anything, she just wants to see her favorite painting up close. To look at the three figures sitting on the edge of a pier and to discover the story of the painting that has been her life’s guiding light. 25 years earlier, there is a group of teenagers with difficult home lives that spend their days together on the pier. What starts out as a pure intention, turns into a miraculous journey of friendship and art. My Friends maintains the quintessential Backman writing, but it brings in so many difficult and devastating themes of loss, grief, trauma, and abuse. What makes Backman’s books great is that he balances all of the harsh elements of the world with love. He understands so well what it means to be human and is able to capture the precious moments that make up our lives. These characters will refuse to leave your mind and your heart and ask you: what will you do with your one precious life?

My Friends by Fredrik Backman is potentially one of his best books. This is such a beautifully laid out story, in only a way that Backman can do. I fell in love with the characters and felt so emotionally connected as a result of the detailed writing. The storyline is heavy, but that depth is sprinkled with the story of love and friendships in our lives. Beautiful story that I will still be thinking about for a while.

I thought this was such a beautiful book. A young artist, in an effort to see her favorite painting, ends up going on a lifechanging journey. This story was peak Fredrik Backman, providing a stunning and touching story that tells a tale of friendship, love, meaning, and beauty. The writing, as always, is illustrative and transports you. I have read a number of his books and every time, there is new meaning, or new stories to tell. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for something beautiful and uplifting.

This ebook was providing by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is probably my least favorite Frederik Backman novel, but it was still good! I was not a fan of the pacing and how a linear story was told in such a disjointed, fragmented way.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC coming May 2025

Hopefully you’re reading this review because you’re on the page and ready to set this book to “currently reading”. If instead, you’re here to ponder reading this book - take this as your sign to absolutely run to the nearest place that you can acquire it IMMEDIATELY.

This will be my top book recommendation of 2025. Bold to say in April? Perhaps… and yet I have little doubt.

The plot structure was simply beautiful. You think you know it all at the beginning, and then layers continue to blossom out. Then you would think you were nearing the end or at least coming close to having a grasp on it, and more layers would reveal themselves. It was just such a cool way of story telling.

The plot itself was a moving account of friendships, hardships, art and the passing of time. It was equal parts heart warming and breaking, but in all the ways that make reading a book a rich experience. The characters were all incredibly real, and developed so deeply you feel as if you know them personally.

No notes honestly. Now stop reading this review, and go read My Friends!!!!

I received this book as an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you Fredrik Backman and Atria Books!

I am ashamed to admit this is my first Fredrik Backman book, but it will not be my last! Backman delivers an emotional and beautifully written story. The characters and how they connect in the story through this painting are wonderful. It’s a cast where everyone feels very real and relatable. Fans of Backman will not be disappointed! My only lag with this book was the pacing. It felt slow and made it hard for me to fully immerse myself, and it took some time to get through, but it was worth the read.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC!

He’s done it again. I laughed and I cried while reading this book, as I do with every Fredrik Backman novel. This story really covers it all: friendship, love, grief, family (the one you’re born with and the one you’ve chosen). His story is so heartfelt, every character is so perfectly written. If you are lucky enough to have friends like the ones in this story, then it will really hit home. It’s a story that will stay with me in my heart for a very long time. The pacing was slow as first, maybe for the first ~20%, but once it took off there was no stopping.

Incredibly grateful to NetGalley and Atria for allowing me to read this masterpiece with an e-ARC. Fredrik Backman is my all time favorite author, and I truly loved every minute of it and can’t recommend reading it enough.

I can always count on Fredrik Backman to make the human experience into a great story. His newest release follows the friendship origin story of Ted, Joar, Ali, and the artist as told to Louisa, a young teenage artist who is currently trying to find her place, both literally and figuratively. Ted is grieving the loss of the artist, but he is also rediscovering some beautiful things about life. Louisa is just on the cusp of beginning her life, but it seems she has no firm plan or direction just yet. They are an unlikely pair, but somehow a friendship develops. One of my favorite books by this author, even though it does not stack up to Ove or Beartown for me.

Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors and this book touched my heart in many ways. A story of friendship, art, beauty, sorrow, grief, and laughter.

We follow Ted’s present and past, as he mourns the artists death now while recalling their friendship origin story to Louisa. I cried numerous times. The struggles that Ted, Ali, Joar, and the artist faced are unimaginable- but their lives were also full of moments of laughter. I enjoyed this read and will highly recommend it!

I’ve never read a Fredrick Blackman novel, but I’ve heard so many great things about his books that I decided to give one a try. At first, I struggled with the writing style and wasn’t sure if I would enjoy it. However, I decided to stick with it, and I’m so glad I did.

This book is packed with a whirlwind of emotions. One minute you’re giggling, and the next you have tears. You never know what to expect next. There are no big twists and turns, so if that’s what you really enjoy in a story, you may be disappointed. But if you want an honest and authentic portrayal of love, friendship, heartache, and trauma, this is definitely a book for you. It’s a story of true friendship that truly brings life into perspective.

I wanted to love this. All the reviews were 5 stars. Beartown is one of my favorite books ever. But this one was a struggle to finish. I kept reading it hoping that it would get better. So many loved it, I am not one of those ☹️

Another wonderful book by Fredrik Backman. The author has a unique way of telling a story that just works. The characters are quirky, lovable and completely unforgettable.

You will love this sweet story about friendship, love and acceptance.

Thank you NetGalley, Simon & Schuster/Atria Books for the ARC of this book.

Only Fredrick Blackman can make you cry then immediately make you giggle while tears are still wet on your face. It is impossible to not love his imperfect but good hearted characters. Like his other books, don’t expect action. Expect the story slowly unraveling with gifts along the way. His writing is so beautiful. I felt moved by every page. I also laughed a lot. The banter between these kids!

There is something so wonderful and intimate about the truest childhood friendships. The age before you learn there are some things you should keep to yourself. It’s bliss. This story captures the longing for those purer days.

I’m not going to give any synopsis because I think you should go into this book blind like I did. Appreciate the little lessons and glimpses of joy in Backman’s meaningful writing.

A few quotes from the book that I enjoyed:

“It really is a remarkably bad idea, all this. Worse than socks in a toaster.”

“You know you’re old when you have to use soap on your head and shampoo on your ass.”

“Because if no one died, we would have to ban new people from being born. And when the playgrounds are empty, when the last pair of rain boots has been grown out of, when the last puddle has been jumped in . . . what would we want eternity for then, Ted?”

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do, with your one wild and precious life?”

“We’re not allowed to die for our children, the universe won’t let us, because then there wouldn’t be any mothers left.”

I 100 percent recommend this book to all. Be prepared to feel allllll the emotions! I loved it so much. This one is definitely in the running for best book of the year!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.