We Fell Apart, by E. Lockhart, falls short in comparison to her other novel, We Were Lars. While We Were Liars will forever be a hard one to top, this novel has similar traits that made the other so memorable, and will leave you with lots of feels.
I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC ebook that I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

After reading We Were Liars, a few years ago I was so excited to hear E. Lockhart had another book set in the same universe coming out! I breezed through this book and enjoyed the suspense of the story. I also really liked the characters and enjoyed that it was set on Martha’s Vineyard. I will say however, this book fell short for me in comparison to We Were Liars, which left me devastated and raw, whereas We Fell Apart didn’t leave me feeling like that at all. Still and enjoyable read! Thank you Net Galley!

E. Lockhart is back at it with the mind games. If you’ve read We Were Liars, you know the vibes—twisty, emotional, and a little surreal at times.

This one dives into grief, guilt, and unraveling memories, all while keeping you slightly off-balance in that signature Lockhart way. The writing is sharp and poetic—some of the sentences just hit. It’s not a big, flashy plot-heavy book; it’s more internal and character-driven, but there’s still that creeping feeling that something’s not quite right.

I wouldn’t call it a sequel to We Were Liars, but there are definite connections, so it’s best to go into it having read that one first. It gives extra weight to everything that’s happening here.

It’s a short read, but packs a punch. If you like emotional YA with a side of mystery and unreliable narration, this will be your thing.

Thanks Netgalley for an ARC. I was so excited to get this E. Lockhart book. I devour everything E. Lockhart has written. I love how this story ties into the Sinclair family. The characters were so interesting. I absolutely devoured this book. It paired well with the new series on Prime!

Thank you for the ARC! I was so excited to read this, as I will read anything that is about the Sinclair Family.

This story follows Matilda Klein. After a tumultuous upbringing with her mother, who was constantly flocking from man to man, and a breakup with her boyfriend, Matilda’s dad reaches out with an invitation to come to his beach house across the country. When this invitation comes, she thinks it’s finally her time to have a family, to fit in somewhere.

From the beginning, this book felt like a very different vibe than We Were Liars or Family of Liars. This is giving less summery beach vibes and more haunted mystery vibes.

3 stars! I liked the different vibe, but I did kind of see the plot twist coming in this book and I was blindsided by the other books in this series. Overall it was a great read and I loved the lessons that Matilda learns along the way.

Another amazing story with ties to beechwood and the infamous Sinclair family. This story introduces new characters into the twisted tale and weaves the stories together seamlessly. I couldn't book but the book down! Can't wait to see we could be potentially see more of the characters down the road! If you loved The we are lairs series, this is a must read!

This story has the mood of the other books in this series. It's sad, mysterious, and hopeful all in the same breath. You can't help but root for the characters to find their own peace.

Thank you NetGalley and e. lockhart for this ARC! I read We Were Liars a few years ago and was excited to get back into this world. There is a few call backs and spoilers for We Were Liars though so be warmed! Solid enough mystery on its own but there will feel like some pieces are missing if you don’t read the first 2 books!I loved Matilda and understood her need for stability and the need to be seen so deeply. She has a mother who dates and moves in with men often, moving from place to place, she feels like she can never plant roots down anywhere. She receives an email from a man who claims to be her father the cryptic painter Kingsley Cello and off she goes to Martha’s Vineyard to try and get some semblance of stability. After living so much of her life alone, she finally finds connection amongst family and friends at Hidden Beach but at what cost? They always say blood is thicker than water, but the truth will always come to light! Solid 3.5 stars ⭐️ I just wish the ending was more rewarding! That could just be because I’m picky and not many books are 5 star worthy for me

I was probably one of the few fans of We Were Liars when the book first released years ago. I was hoping to feel the same vibe from this. It definitely feels similar but I just could not get over the writing style. It felt so...basic?? immature?? I'm honestly not sure. Maybe if I read it when I was the same age as when WWL came out, I might have loved it but I felt too old for this.

Major thanks to NetGalley for the early copy <3

3.5 stars
I liked that this was a stand alone novel - I have read the other 2 Sinclair books, but it’s been awhile. So there was enough of a loop-in to refresh my memory, but you wouldn’t be lost if you read it without reading the others. That being said, it was okay. I enjoyed the writing style, but the characters/plot were just okay. I found their motives to be questionable.

This book was moody, layered, and kind of haunting in that classic E. Lockhart way. It plays with memory, identity, and grief in a really interesting structure that kept me guessing. The writing is sharp and sparse but emotionally loaded, and the twists hit at just the right moments. It had that unreliable narrator vibe where you’re constantly questioning what’s real and I was into it. That said, the pacing felt a little uneven in spots, especially in the middle, but the payoff was totally worth it. If you liked We Were Liars and want something just as twisty but a little more introspective, you’ll want this on your TBR.

A Riveting, Emotionally Charged Finale

Having loved the first two books in this series, We Fell Apart absolutely did not disappoint. It’s a gripping and beautifully written conclusion that digs deep into family secrets, fractured relationships, and the messy, complicated bonds that shape us.

Matilda’s unexpected invitation to Hidden Beach sets the stage for a summer filled with revelations, heartbreak, and uneasy alliances. The seaside setting is vividly drawn, capturing both the haunting beauty and the underlying decay of the place and its inhabitants. The characters are richly layered from Matilda herself, searching for belonging, to her brother Meer, the troubled Brock, and the wild, brooding Tatum—each carrying their own scars and secrets.

The story is taut with tension and mystery; as Matilda peels back the layers of Hidden Beach, the stakes grow higher and the lies more dangerous. The writing is evocative and raw, exploring themes of identity, trust, and the painful cost of uncovering the truth.

Fans of the series will appreciate how this installment ties together loose threads while still delivering its own emotional punch. We Fell Apart is a haunting exploration of family and the fragile line between love and destruction.

As someone who has read every E Lockhart book, it was such a joy and opportunity to preview We Fell Apart. I thought it was a compelling revisit into the world, and the characters have stayed with me upon finishing the novel.

We Fell Apart" is a continuation of E. Lockhart's summer on Martha's Vineyard books. It can be read as a standalone, though I do not recommend that. In order to understand the whole story, you should read the first two books in the series.

In this story, we have Matilda, a young woman about to start college. Her life has always been on the move with her whirlwind mother. She receives an email from her estranged father, an invitation to Martha's Vineyard. Her father is a world-renowned painter and invites her to stay on Hidden Island for the summer.

The only problem is, he is not there when she arrives. There is, however, a full house of three young men and her father's girlfriend. They all live a very bohemian lifestyle. Matilda is trying to find answers about who she is and to understand her father; instead, she gets this odd group who seem to have no worries or answers. She spends more time on Hidden Island than planned. Even though something seems off, and no one will give her straight answers, she starts a different kind of connection with all three young men on the island.

As most of Lockhart's books go, there is much more to the story that we are not seeing. Eventually, clues start coming together, and Matilda, as well as you as the reader, start guessing theories about this odd wooden castle and its secrets. All will be revealed in due time, just like the Sinclair stories, but this time, there are three very shocking reveals and twists.

"We Fell Apart" is a YA mystery, filled with young adults trying to find their way. Add a beach with a castle, a very famous painter, and his odd girlfriend, and you have another easy summer read.

We Fell Apart fell short for me entirely. The book was meant to be a companion piece to We We Liars, set five days after the end of the novel. However, it felt so disconnected from the narrative that I couldn't believe they were meant to be in the same universe. Lockhart tried to embody the same narrative structure, using poetry to create a sense of mystery, but it felt untethered and sloppy. There was not a single character that I felt was developed or even likeable and the 'plot twist' was underwhelming at best. I was disappointed to say the least.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for the ARC!

I really enjoyed We Were Liars so I was looking forward to this book. I seem to have missed the middle book of the series but this worked fine as a stand alone. Kingsley Cello is a reclusive artist on Martha’s Vineyard who has requested that his daughter, whom he has never met, comes to visit him. Matilda Cohen has just graduated from high school in California. Her mother has left her for a boyfriend in Mexico so Matilda lives with an ex of her mom’s. He buys her a ticket and she is off to meet her dad. When she arrives on the Cape, she finds a castle inhabited by her father’s partner, her half brother, and two other young men her age. Lockhart tries to make this a found family story but falls short. The logic behind the group living in the castle is never clear. Some of the characters like her father’s partner June is confusing and unlikable. After a winding narrative the story comes to a quick, but unsatisfying, conclusion. I’d give this 3.5 stars. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

We Fell Apart by E. Lockhart

I was screaming when I got approved for this and flew through the book in less than a day! Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and the author for my eARC. All opinions are my own.

Set in the same haunting world as We Were Liars and Family of Liars, this companion novel follows Matilda’s summer on Hidden Beach, where nothing is as idyllic—or as innocent—as it seems. Creaky mansions, withheld truths, and personal histories bubbling under the surface make this immersive and unsettling in all the best ways.

Matilda “Maddy” Klein receives an unexpected invite to Hidden Beach from the father she’s never met. She arrives hoping for connection—but instead finds a decaying estate, her free-spirited half-brother Meer, and two brooding strangers, Brock and Tatum, each carrying their own emotional scars. With her father absent and secrets thick in the air, Maddy must navigate lies, longing, and the twisted legacy of a family she barely knows—all while figuring out what any of it actually means for her own identity .

Lockhart’s prose is deceptively lyrical—like poetry dressed in broken glass. Maddy’s emotional journey is subtle but relentless. This isn’t a plot-first novel; it’s a mood-first one, where every interaction carries subtext, every passing glance a threshold into memory or deception. The psychological layering makes it a slow burn for readers who appreciate nuance over spectacle.

Themes That Linger

Abandonment & identity: Maddy’s estrangement from her father and her fractured relationships echo deep questions of worth and belonging.

Pressure to perform: Characters wrestle with legacy, expectations, and the emotional exhaustion of pretending to be okay .

House as character: Hidden Beach isn’t just a setting—it haunts. Its decay mirrors the emotional unraveling taking place within.

Matilda is both adrift and determined, trying to reclaim what she lost—and what was never hers. Watching her confront betrayal and belonging is heartbreakingly real.

Meer is the light in the gloom: warm, complicated, messy, and loyal.

They aren’t caricatures—they reflect trauma, regret, the longing to belong, and the need to hold onto hope amid ruin.

What Slowed It Down

Early pacing is sluggish—it’s more about establishing tone than delivering twists. You might feel the hold-off in the first half before things pick up.

The mystery thread isn’t as tight as in earlier series entries. It supports the emotional arc but doesn’t drive the tale in the same way.

Some names and labels pulled me out of the story—I found a few oddly formal descriptors that clouded the intimacy .

Even in dirtiest corridors and shadowiest towers, Lockhart finds room for irony. Maddy’s silent questioning of decorum, of assumptions, of inherited lies—smug, smart, and deeply human. No forced humor—just honest reflection that feels earned.

4 stars — atmospheric, introspective, and emotionally deep.

We Fell Apart is for readers who loved:

The lingering heartbreak of We Were Liars

Gothic seaside settings haunted by legacy

Emotional ambiguity, fractured souls, and slow revelations

A protagonist arriving at the edge of truth... and staying to endure it


If you’re craving a companion novel that wraps up unanswered questions in misty prose—and leaves you breathless, nostalgic, and just a little broken—this is it. Just know it’s not the same game; it’s something quieter, darker… and still beautifully haunting.

Nothing beats the twist in We Were Liars. We Fell Apart has a nice tie-in to WWL, but falls short of the characters and storytelling of WWL. I wasn’t as invested in these characters. June would be angry one second and fine the next with little explanation. I wanted to know if she had anything to do with Kingsley’s death. Meer was an underdeveloped character. I couldn’t get a read on him. Was he smart? Was he delayed? I felt like this was a recreation of WWL, but it didn’t work.

I loved the weaving of the Sinclair family into a bigger, messier look at what makes a family. This book was both magical in tone but grounded in characters that felt so real. The desperation for survival and longing for understanding makes this a page-turner until the very end.

This book was part three I believe and I did enjoy it. The plot was good. The book did emotionally destroy me. The daddy/daughter issues, hit a little close to home. But over all a very good read.