Young Fools by Liza Palmer, and let me tell you—this book is drama with a capital D (but in the best way possible). We’ve got Helen: ambitious, awkward, and desperate to prove herself before thirty. Then we’ve got Cherry: wild, magnetic, and the kind of person who can take over a room without even trying. Throw them together at a high-pressure writing program, and sparks definitely fly—sometimes the good kind, sometimes the “oh no, she didn’t” kind.

What had me hooked was how real it all felt. Palmer doesn’t sugarcoat ambition or friendship—she shows the jealousy, the backstabbing, the “I love you but I also kind of want to beat you” vibe that makes female friendships so complex. And the way the story flips perspectives and leaps in time? It kept me second-guessing everything. Honestly, half the fun was trying to figure out whose version of the truth I could actually trust.

This book is messy, sharp, and surprisingly hilarious in places. It’s about writing, yes, but really it’s about what happens when ambition crashes into friendship and sets everything on fire. If you like your fiction bold, witty, and just a little bit chaotic—you’re going to love this ride.

the cover of this book took to me as soon as i saw it. from the blurb i was even more invested. and once i got going i didn't want to stop and wouldn't have if you'd asked me. it was such an insightful and compelling stunner of a read.
this book made me ponder so much, think so much but also just want to sit,settle and be captivated by it. it was some kind of magic i tell you.
it was so much more raw and honest that i thought it might be. i thought going in it was going to be a banter style light read to make me laugh. but somehow it was all that but more too. so much more. and deeper too. you can see how excited i am about this book because my words are even more waffled and falling over themselves than normal!]
this book is about two young woman. one needs to do well. its literally all she can focus on. for herself? hmmm we all know why. she needs to show herself to be worthy for her parents basically. yup, my thoughts too..
the other is one who seems totally accepted and accepting of herself. she is wild and free. she is fierce.
and so yes we all know which one will cling to the other as if they can borrow that don't we? im sure we've all seen and maybe even done it ourselves. or know woman on both these young woman sides?
but together we see there might be a beautiful meeting and friendship growing. but then we see what comes next. and that is a tricky, complex motion happening here. with secrets and heartbreaks and life moving onwards things don't go to plan between the pair.
this book was a really good learning for me into the art and creative process. and how much it means to people how part of them it truly feels. its also about what is it when we succeed? who is holding that label above us and making us grapple for it. is it us? is it parents or those around us? so how can WE say what success is. and can success come at too much cost to yourself? can success even be...being yourself?
and its also about being human. being human and wanting connection. being human and the friends we make and the friends we lose.
growing up is tough. does it ever stop being so???
this book told me so much, and spoke to the inner me so much. i couldn't get enough of it. it was like someone had honestly felt this book in their hearts and knew they had to write it for us all. because we all needed this book.
the details in this book are all important and matter.
this book was so tight on the parts it needed to include so it just keep hitting hitting hitting even in the quieter moments. and sometimes it was in those moments that took to us most. it also had that light touch you need too. and it never felt too heavy. it just hit deep for me.
this book will go right up there to sit amongst my top this year. maybe longer.
brilliant.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
----------
Helen Hicks may not have any friends, but she does have a plan: prove her doubting, elitist parents wrong and become a literary sensation before she turns thirty. When she’s finally accepted into the esteemed Hayward Writing Intensive at twenty-four, Helen believes she’s right on schedule.

At Hayward, Helen meets Cherry Stewart, a free-spirited, ambitious kid whose eclectic tastes skew far more pedestrian than Helen’s, but as Cherry’s champion and mentor, Helen decides they’ll set the publishing world on fire and go down as one of the literary world’s most iconic duos.

But as Helen turns thirty with no debut novel in sight and a breathtaking case of writer’s block, she is forced to put her dreams on hold. Thinking Cherry shares her sad fate, Helen is shocked to learn that her best friend has not only finished and sold a novel in secret, but even more devastating it’s...genre fiction.

As Helen and Cherry’s yearslong friendship comes crashing down, Helen finally has the clarity and inspiration to take her own art to the next level. It’s going to get personal.
----------
This book gets off to a slow start, and at first I was struck by how very unlikeable I found one of the main characters. I understood that it was kind of the point of the story, but I kept waiting for there to be some kind of redemptive arc. - and I kept waiting...and waiting...and waiting. What I was enjoying in the book was the coming of age story of two young women in a new city as the strove to realize their lifelong dreams. The book felt kind of compulsively readable. In fact, I read most of it in one afternoon because I really was eager to find out just where it was going.

And then suddenly...BAM. There it was. My sticking with it had paid off, and I raced through to the end, finding myself fully satisfied with where the author had taken me, as Helen and Cherry journeyed through young adulthood and into their 40s and we got to see where they ended up in the present day.

Writers don't always make the best friends for other writers. This is a truth often shied away from, because it reveals some of the unpleasantly competitive elements that make up the publishing world.

The best people - who may be, but are not necessarily, the best writers - can usually get past this to be mutually supportive and encouraging. But situations are often dynamic, as two writer friends find out to their detriment in this novel.

Bonding over their shared interests and different personalities after joining a prestigious writing program, Helen and Cherry's relationship goes through a spectacular meltdown when one achieves success as a genre writer. But the trouble doesn't end there...

Observant and intelligent, this is an interesting read that is also quite fun. It will be of particular interest to those who are part of the writing world, in one way or another - including as readers. It gets 3.5 stars.

Eh. I wasn’t in love with the concept to be honest. Both of the two main characters were very unlikable to me. Which is isn’t inherently a problem but I don’t like when characters completely lack introspection about anything. I mean both of them being willing to so easily walk away from a ten year friendship without so much as a conversation was just bizarre and I don’t think that’s how real female friendships work. The fact that they never even ended up talking about they why’s of it all was an enormous let down. And then to have such a throwaway at the end where they meet again was such a nothingburger. Lackluster execution to be honest. at no point was I rooting for either of the characters and that seems like a foundational problem in the pursuit of writing good novel. Ironically a lot of the critiques that various people had about Helen’s writing particularly with regards to its lack of depth is the critique I have of this book. a lot of fluff but not a whole lot that felt real.

I really enjoy books about writers so was excited to try this.

Helen and Cherry meet for the first time as participants in the prestigious Hayward Writing Intensive. They are polar opposites: Helen is ambitious, disciplined, and determined. Cherry is impetuous and fearless. The story, told from Helen's point of view, moves slowly as Cherry and Helen become close friends. Also in their circle is Tess Bayard, another writer.

If you love women's fiction about friendship, definitely give this a try. It was a bit too slow paced and reflective for me, but other readers seem to really be enjoying it!

The book starts with the main character going to a prestigious writing workshop and befriending a girl as someone who has never had friends. I am not a writer and have no understanding of the writing and publishing world aspect, so I was bogged down by how vague the writing process was and how it is glossed over through the earlier chapters. I couldn't see how someone as awkward and selfish as the main character could write a good story. Then, a few chapters in and I realized that wasn't the issue that the author wants to highlight in this story, as it sets to highlight the flaws of its characters. It started to pick up at the 50% mark and started enjoying the writing and the epiphanies Helen is having. As much as she is infuriating, insecure, awkward and self-centered, it is undoubtedly an interesting read as a character study. The story explores how these flawed and unlikeable characters navigate friendships. I definitely wanna read more books from this author. And the final ribbon that ties the end up is the plot twist, and it was so good! It makes me think about the friendship struggles and breakups that I, myself, have had through a different lens. 100% would recommend people to read it.

There is a lot that is appealing about this for readers, especially the fact that it has an insidery feeling about writers and the writing world. It can be a challenging read because Helen is insufferable and a terrible friend throughout so much of the story, but imperfect characters can make for a solid story.

I really enjoyed Young Fools by Liza Palmer. Helen and Cherry’s friendship felt really authentic, with some ups and downs, but I still appreciated how it explored many themes such as ambition, creativity, and personal growth. The writing was truly heartfelt and engaging. I’d definitely recommend it for fans of literary and women's fiction.

I absolutely loved this book. It was a brutal, raw examination what it’s like to be a writer striving for validation in the world of publishing. The contrast of two friends from different worlds trying to navigate the same world was especially poignant. I particularly appreciated the evolution of the characters as they grappled with their insecurities and jealousy over the years. This book is steeped in the language and lore of publishing, but you don’t have to be writer to identify with the angst of intense female friendships where love and competition coexist.

Helen Hicks has never felt like she had a true friend. She hopes that an exclusive writing retreat will help her feel at home in the world, for once. She might even meet “her people” and feel like a REAL writer. Helen is constantly seeking external validation, and she is a “writer’s writer” who knows how to play the game, critique scathingly in writing workshops, name-drop MFA programs, and write a polished literary short story. She is less accomplished in real life and relationships.
Enter Cherry, who seems more at home in the world and her true self than anyone Helen has ever met. They become friends at the writing intensive program, yet Helen is jealous of Cherry’s ease and ability to write easily. Cherry navigates growing up in poverty and feeling like a fish out of water among her literary peers at the workshop. Her natural talent shines, but she hasn’t attended college or learned to play the game..
As the years pass, Cherry and Helen live together in 1990s San Francisco, each of them navigating their own path as they struggle to live their idea of “the writing life” and eventually, publication. Cherry follows her heart and writes mysteries and Helen struggles with writer’s block, coasting on the same short story for years, afraid to try new things.
Their relationship develops from tense friendship to contentious rivalry when Cherry writes her debut novel (without telling Helen) and earns a book deal at auction. Then things turn dicey at a writing conference. The novel goes on to follow Cherry and Helen in 2005 and 2015, with a surprising twist you will not see coming!
If you’ve ever sat silently while a group of people critiques the hell out of your beloved short story, you will resonate with this book and characters!
Young Fools dives deep into the world of ultra-literary writing workshops, literary snobbery, with clear-eyed analysis and reflection. Even at her most flawed and annoying, I found something to relate to in Helen Hicks’ character. We’ve all felt left out, weird, and insecure, and sought out validation where we can find it. I loved Cherry’s character, who seemed effortless and talented on the surface, but she was developed into a well-rounded, real-person of a character as well. Young Fools has a lot to say about the nature of friendship and what truly matters in life.

Young Fools by Liza Palmer caught my interest from the beginning and was a great read.
Palmer’s writing is fast-paced and razor-sharp.
The characters are well developed.
This was an entertaining read that I truly enjoyed reading.
A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.

So much about Young Fools is painfully honest—and the fact that readers may notice things about their relationships, their friends, and even themselves in its pages can make it a challenging read. But the story’s twist also makes it feel unreliable in the end.

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Having heard the author speak at a variety of writing workshops, I was eager to read this book. It has all the dynamics of characters, friendships, social norms, drama and more! This novel does not pause in the tension and is well paced to have read this in one weekend. This might be a spoiler, but this book was much better than Yellowface.

Thank you, Liza, for a story that had all the messy bits about two characters who were in the same industry. I kept changing my mind on whom I was routing for!

Thank you to NetGalley, and to Lake Union Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

So, I struggled with this book and kept dreading coming back to it... I finally gave up at 50% and DNF'd this one.

I know sometimes it's hard as a woman, to have female friendships because there is jealousy and attitude there... but I sure as hell don't want to read about it also. This wasn't women supporting women. (which, isn't that the ideal? Isn't that what so many of us are striving for?) it was the opposite and it was just too much.

I loved the glimpses into the writing world and wanted to read more for that fact alone, but just couldn't get past the attitudes.

Young Fools by Liza Palmer is a sharp, witty, and emotionally honest novel about ambition, friendship, and the cost of chasing dreams. I loved the dynamic between Helen and Cherry and how their journey explored both rivalry and loyalty with raw truth. It was clever, heartfelt, and deeply engaging. I truly enjoyed this book and rated it five stars.

A truly compelling story about the complexities of friendship. Such clever writing with witty and emotional prose. It's like nothing I've read before and it will stay with me for a long time.

Helen and Cherry meet in 1995 when they are 24 and 20 respectively. Both are writers with Helen going the way of literary fiction and Cherry to popular reads. We watch their friendship, such as it is, over the next many years, visiting them in 2005, 2015, and 2025. There's a twist that made this a better read for me (I wasn't a fan of Helen) but no spoilers. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For Palmer's fans.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Palmer's last book, Family Reservations, was a favorite of last year and in my opinion, criminally underrated, so I was thrilled to get approved for a galley of her latest! Here we follow Helen and Cherry, two young women who meet at an esteemed writer's workshop in 1995. Both are struggling with feelings of inferiority, but for different reasons, and while very different personalities, they fall into a close friendship that lasts 10 years through the ups and downs of the long hard road to becoming published authors. When one of them reaches this goal before the other, everything unravels.

What I appreciate so much about Palmer is the way she writes complicated female relationships, both within families and friendships. She writes the good, the bad, and the ugly- and it's not always a pretty picture. This seems to turn readers off, and I think it's a shame. When Palmer writes an "unlikeable" female character, it's generally a woman who is both ambitious and very, very hard on herself- she isn't a bad person. Generally, the person she's doing the most harm to is herself- and Palmer does an excellent job of giving these women grace and recognizing their full humanity as they do a lot of self examination while seeking to make things right. I find it admirable when people do this in real life; it's hard work, and feel like Palmer does a realistic job portraying this.

My only quibble here, and made this less successful than Family Reservations for me, is that there are 2 major events we learn about late in the book that greatly impacted one of the characters during one of the time jumps that the book takes. (There are two 10 year leaps ahead.) Both of these events, in my opinion, deserved and needed far more time and attention to unpack. But this was another win for me and I'll certainly pick up her next book!

I've been a Liza Palmer fan for a long time. Seeing Me Naked is one of my favorite books over all time, and I still think about More Like Her more than I should.

That said, this was an incredibly difficult book to get into. We meet our heroines every 10 years of their lives, starting in 1995 when Helen Hicks is 24 and Cherry Stewart is 20. They are meeting at the Hayward Writing Institute (more on that in a bit). Helen has a certain way of thinking about the "craft" of writing and all the things that make literary fiction what it is. She's awkward and has never had a real friend until Cherry, but she's still sure that she's going to write the next best seller. The book is told through an omniscient third-person POV, though mostly from Helen's side, leaving the reader frustrated with her circular logic, maladaptive daydreaming, and the ability to turn everything back around to Helen and Helen alone. However, if you can get to the 2005 scenes, it really starts cooking. Once we hit 2015, I couldn't put it down! All of the sudden it felt like a Liza Palmer novel and (nearly) all the things that were bugging me started to make sense in a way I never suspected. I almost wanted to start over from the beginning to see it with new eyes, but I wasn't sure I could get through it again. The denouement in 2025 was a bit unnecessary for me, but I'm sure there will be those who are happy it's there.

If this book hadn't been a Liza Palmer or an ARC, I might have DNF'd it during the 1995 section because it was SO tedious with all of the spiraling, negative self-talk while also being incredibly pretentious, haughty, and condescending. Now that I've finished, I get that this was done on purpose, but it didn't make it anymore fun to read. I suppose there's a reason why those literary fiction books are not my cup of tea. Purple badges seem like the worst people.