Whilst it took me a couple of chapters to get into this book I ended up thoroughly enjoying it and it was such a refreshing change to read about women older than the usual chick lit even if I had to keep getting the Golden Girls out of my head!

A fun, light, entertaining story.
I enjoyed the storyline, characters and writing style.
The story was full of friendship, love, happiness, sadness and so much more.
A real ‘feel-good’ story.
I enjoyed the The Library by Bella so knew this was going to be a good one.

Head of Zeus|Aria,
Thank you for this eARC!

I adored this quick, easy, fun read, It was well written with well developed characters and an uplifting storyline. I loved the characters and I especially loved that they were older as this isnt something that happens very much in fiction, especially of this genre. I took these girls to my heart and they will remain there for a long time to come.
I loved it.

The story of four women who lived together in their 20svand are brought back together and decide to have a second go 50 years later. All four women are beautifully written and their varied relationships are realistic. A highly enjoyable book.

*Little Spoiler Alert!*
You'd be forgiven for thinking this might just be a frivolous rom-com about a bunch of girlfriends, off on a sun-soaked holiday, looking at the cover, but that's where this old adage, "Never judge a book by its cover", is most suitable.
The Girls is about a group of friends, and there is an element of being abroad, but, that's where the frivolity ends.
These are four women, some may describe as, past their prime.
Pauline, Val, Jackie and Zara.
All in their later years, these four friends used to house share in the seventies, and now, somehow, fate, or rather, Zara, has brought them back together.
Pauline is in her own personal hell, alone after a long abusive marriage, with demons that won't back down, and she's on the brink of taking her life.
Val, alone, but strong. with a secret hidden so deep, that none of her girls knows about it.
Jackie, the most frivolous of the bunch, is still searching for her One, and even though she knows her options are lessening, due to her age, can't help herself.
So, when they are all invited to a party to celebrate their old, now famous, friend, Zara's 80th birthday, they meet with some trepidation, having not seen each other for many years.
Here's where things get more serious.
Zara wants them all to recreate their 70s living arrangement, but in her villa in France, knowing that all her friends have nothing holding them to England, and with a somewhat selfish motive of her own,
However, her sudden demise plunges them into even more problems.
Lots of different issues are raised in this extremely good book.
Sure, maybe it is a little far fetched to think that someone would go to so much trouble to have their friends around them, but the ensuing story had me gripped.
And, the best thing?
They all learn something important about themselves through the journey.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is full of twists and turns, you think the story is heading in one direction and then it goes down a completely different road! Full of intriguing characters - Pauline who is riddled with anxiety following her abusive marriage; Jackie who has never settled down, is fond of alcohol and men; Val who is a recently retired solicitor with a secret and finally the larger than life Zara! The girls lived together in the 1970s but have lost touch over the years and while three of them have had relatively normal lives, Zara scaled the dizzy heights of fame, living a life that the others can dream of. So, after a surprise reunion, Zara invites her old friends to come and live with her in the South of France…….. and that’s when the chaos begins!! This book is full of fun, friendships, sunshine, old feuds, parrots, cats, yachts and, possibly, a murder……… fabulous!

Well this was a fabulous read!

I adore Bella Osborne books, this one I'll admit I didn't think would be my cup of tea, when I read the first chapter I was like mmm I'm not sure as it was quite hard hitting but I continued reading until I was engrossed into the lives of the girls.

The girls each had their own pasts to deal with which none of the others knew about each other.

I had a real soft spot for Pauline as she bonded with Brian and gave her purpose in life.

A real gem of a read, I absolutely loved it.

Bella Osbourne is one of my new favourite authors & this book certainly didn’t disappoint me. Loved it!

4 friends who lived together in the 70s reunite in their twilight years - but everything isn’t quite what it seems!

Zara, Jackie, Val, and Pauline are all very different personalities who lived together in college and then drifted apart. When they see each other again at Zara’s 80th birthday party, she asks them all to join her at her mansion to live out the rest of their days. But things quickly aren’t what they seem.

The description of this book immediately drew me in, it gave me major Golden Girls vibes - but if it were a mystery! It is written in 3 POVs which was a little confusing at first but you quickly get to know each gal’s personality. I loved the story and never knew where it was heading so it definitely kept me on my toes!

Pauline, Jackie, Val, and Zara are the girls. They lived together as young women in the 70's, and Zara invites them all to move in with her again 50 year later. Pauline, Jackie, and Val are our narrators for this novel.

Each narrator has her own distinct voice and clearly developed personality. As the book proceeds, we learn more about each woman and their past, things that happened when they lived together and then after when they lost touch with each other. Each has her own struggles and worries but they come together for Zara.

Around the half way point of the book it transitions to being a bit of a mystery with each narrator under suspicion of wrongdoing. With out giving away any spoilers, I enjoyed seeing how they worked together on presenting a united front and didn't tear each other down. This is certainly not a thriller.

With the reveal of what happened to clear them of all suspicion, the book does wrap up rather quickly, but it is believable and well done. Overall this is a well written and fun story exploring how relationships change but also stay the same as we get older.

Thank you to Head of Zeus, Aria Books, and NetGalley for the electronic ARC copy of this novel for review.

I love this author's books so was immediately drawn to it. We get to meet Pauline, Jackie, Val and Zara, who all house-shared as younger women in the 1970's. They lost touch as they aged and now all have different lives. They're all in their senior years now - Pauline suffers badly with depression and anxiety, Jackie is a carer with a penchant for alcohol and men, Val is a retired solicitor and Zara is a famous actress. When the three women are invited to Zara's 80th birthday party, their lives are changed forever.

I have to admit, this wasn't what I expected, and was different to some of the other books written by this author, but I was hooked from the very first page and really enjoyed it. The characters are all really likeable in their own different ways and as you read, you quickly get to pick up on their individual personalities. Whilst it's not a romantic type, light-hearted read, it does have plenty of light hearted moments, and I found myself laughing and smiling at the ladies' antics! It is quite a serious book in parts with some hard hitting themes included, taking you on a rollercoaster journey of emotions amongst all the merriment. There were a lot of different elements included in this story and I loved how the book swung from serious to light-hearted and from the ladies' journeys to a little bit of murder-mystery!

The storyline flowed along well, keeping me on my toes as to where it was heading. I loved the celebrity name drops and the locations and extravagance was to die for! By the end, I found myself liking all the characters equally, with each one having a piece of the journey that warmed my heart. Full of friendships, life and laughter, this book is certainly one which is worth a read. Would definitely recommend.

The Girls is a story of four women in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. They all lived together in the 1970s and have been brought together again by Zara who suggests they would all benefit from living together again in their golden years.

All four women are very different in their personalities and background, but one thing they all show is that society shouldn’t write older women off. Just because the outer body is wearing out, the minds are still the same.

I really enjoyed this story. Without giving anything away, in true Bella Osborne style, you can expect to discover every emotion as this story has a bit of everything, with plenty of twists and turns along the way.

Four old friends. Thrown back together after forty years apart. What could possibly go wrong? In the 1970s, The Girls were best friends sharing a house and good times: Zara the famous diva actor, Val the uptight solicitor, Jackie the wild child and Pauline the quirky introvert. Now they're in their twilight years, and Zara suggests that they live with her to support each other through old age. Initially, being housemates again is just as much fun as in their heyday. But then Zara reveals the real reason she asked them to move in with her, and suddenly things take a sinister turn. As the women confront their demons they come under the spotlight of the press, the police and an angry parrot. With their lives spiralling out of control can they save their friendships and each other?

Review: Bella Osborne has a talent for creating characters you can’t help falling in love with. “The Girls” approaches the topic of growing older with dignity and grace and although you will be taken on somewhat of an emotional rollercoaster, you’ll be left feeling uplifted when you put this book down.

I found this book incredibly heart-warming yet thought-provoking. It was a little bit of a slow burner initially, but I found once I got through the first few chapters, I was absolutely hooked and fell in love with the characters and all the twists! Having also read Osborne's book "The Library" I really feel her books would be the perfect book club reads and even include some handy book club discussion points at the end!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another cracker from Bella Osborne, she writes such different style books, (The Library was brilliant), Now she has given us "The Girls" ladies of a certain age rekindle their friendship but is everything as it seems. Brilliant book i didn't want to put down such a refreshing topic. Totally recommend

A woman's friendship with others always remains salient especially in light of shared experiences. I am glad that Zara brought everyone together especially due to economic and personal hardship. However, I think that Pauline needs to be stronger as I had to force myself to read her chapters due to her wobblines and childlike behavior. All may have fallacies such as Jackie and her trying to find a man to satisfy her financial needs or Val to simply find a connection, but Pauline overshadowed some of the humor and how great the relationship of the girls was.

Immersive, Entertaining, Heartwarming…
Back in the 1970’s four girls were sharing good times as well as a house. Now in their later years they come together once again - at a suggestion from one - to share each other’s lives, much as they used to do. Wouldn’t it be great to share the later years all together again, support each other and have that constant companionship? Perhaps. First off, all is well but soon things are to take a somewhat odd turn. As life spirals out of control, true friendships may well be tested to the limit. Immersive and enjoyable, entertaining, touching, heartwarming and delightful. All of those things. All at once.

Pauline, Jackie and Val each receive an unexpected party invitation: it's Zara's 80th Birthday.

The four women shared a house in their twenties, but lost touch after that. So the invitation is a surprise, but they are intrigued to attend, as Zara is a world-famous actress.

What they discover at the party is that Zara's health is quite poor, despite her façade. Zara then has the idea that they should all move in with her, since they each live alone and could, instead, spend their time together in luxury.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Girls. Bella Obourne is a good story-teller, and while I could gradually see where the plot was going, and could suspect certain things, it held my interest and still brought a few surprises.

Of course, this is a character-driven story, and this is where the book really delivers.
The titular girls are very distinct and rounded, and their different personalities make their interactions entertaining.

It's not all fun and games, though. The girls all have their secrets and emotional baggage, and although the overall tone of the book is light, it does touch upon some heavier themes.

I'll definitely be looking out for more of Bella Osbourne's books!

Four women who were flatmates 50 years ago are reunited by one of them who has become a rich and famous actress. The story is told from the multiple points of view of the other 3 “girls”. Now living together again in the south of France, the plot twists and turns as more of events of intervening years emerge and affect current behaviours. Bella Osborne is a master story teller and produces and absorbing and unusual book which I highly recommend.

I am a massive Bella Osborne fan but I didn’t like the characters or story. It did not grab me.Four flat mates at 18 were brought together by Zara who of the 4 had become famous and wealthy. Set mainly in south of France. Good twist at the end . An easy read . The villa sounded amazing .

What would happen when you get a group of girls together after 50 years!! This is a well writhe story and I throughly enjoyed it.

In the 1970’s Zara, Val, Jackie and Pauline shared a house in London. Now 40 years later they are about to become housemates again but this time on the French Riviera. Will living together live up to their expectations or will chaos ensue?

A great story about friendship with a good mix of characters which made for an enjoyable read.

Another brilliant story by Bella about childhood friends who’s lives have all gone in different directions but they are reunited and try to recreate their childhood by making more memories together. Loved it

Brilliant new read from a wonderful author. Contemporary, warm, full of heart, just like The Library.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

Four friends are brought back together after they get an invitation to one of the friends 80th Birthday. Zara is a famous actress, Jackie is the wild one, Val is the sensible one and Pauline is the safe friend. Each of them have there problems and they rely on Zara to help them out.

What a lovely book, you want to read more and more about the characters. Each of them has their own personality and are full of life. A wonderful, well written book. Another brilliant book by Bella.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy for an honest review.

What a delight this book was to read. I enjoyed getting to know the 4 "girls" although the start was only told by 3 of them. It was so well written that I'm convinced we only get old on the outside!

Thanks to NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

Bella Osborne is a very good author. It's always so refreshing to read her books. If you like books without profanity but still have a good plot and interesting characters, her books are for you.

The Girls doesn't disappoint. The character development is great. I loved most of the characters and was surprised at the twist. Can't really say much without spoiling the book. I suggest you go in blind and just simply enjoy the read.

March is national women’s month. This book takes the stories of four women on a journey. It addresses the topic of growing older with respect. the story takes you on a an emotional rollercoaster, but leaves you feeling uplifted. .

I love Bella Osborne and this is probably my favourite of her books to date. I loved premise and it was a really good escapist read, I'd definitely recommend this to friends.

Bella Osborne is definitely one of my go to authors, I know as soon as she has a book out, I will get it no doubt as I know I will enjoy it and they never disappoint. The story line is so genuine and real and I feel people will be able to relate. It is such a heart warming about two friends who are alot older and decide to live together but what is the unspoken secret between them. It is a story about the true meaning of friendship and how you should tell those people close to you how much you love them. This was such a great and easy read that you will get swept up with.

Thanks to Aria and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Four girls who shared a house in the 70's are reunited and find themselves sharing a house again. It took me a wee while to get in to this book but after a few chapters I was there and thoroughly enjoyed reading about "The Girls".

Great story.

It's nice to see older women being written about! I had some trouble getting into this one and never really connected with any of the women. It was weird to me that they were living together since they seemed to dislike each other. On the other hand, the reasons for the living situation were thoroughly explained. The last third of the book is when I was won over. A creative premise for a book and I look forward to more from Bella Osborne.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

In the 1970’s Pauline, Jackie, Val and Zara were house mates and best friends, but for the last 40 years they barely kept in touch except to swap Christmas and birthday cards. Much had happened in that time, but nothing as glittering as the celebrity that Zara Cliff courted. Invited to her 80th birthday, ‘The Girls” get back together and events mean they decamp to the south of France to a life of luxury. However this life also includes some difficult demands and decisions.

Told from the alternating perspectives of Jackie, Val and Pauline, Osborne takes the reader inside the mind of each of the characters whilst also allowing you to observe events. She uses metaphors and similes to great effect, such as “there was certainly less tension in the air but without her they were like the pages of a book left too long in the sun - without the glue they came apart.” Throughout there are also surprises and plot twists that keep you guessing, although some felt like they were signalled quite early on.

Osborne is an author I’ve enjoyed before (The Library) and whilst she isn’t too demanding of her reader she provides a good romp that is very engrossing. My only reason for giving her 4, rather than 5 stars is that with ‘The Library’ I felt more of an emotional connection to her characters and was moved more, rather than with this one there were times, particularly in the middle of the novel, where I was less engaged. However this remains a good read.

Loved this book which focuses on the lives of 4 older ladies, loved the characters some of which were especially fiesty, some pretty weighty issues being dealt with such as confusion over sensuality, emotional abuse and assisted suicide however done in a really clever but not dismissive way which makes you think about the subject but doesn't overtake the book or turn it into a doom fest

Thank you NetGalley, Bella Osborne and Head of Zeus for the ARC of The Girls. This is my personal review.
Zara, Val, Jackie, and Pauline have been friends sharing a house and good times for many years. But with each of their lives going in different directions they did not see each other for many years.
Then one day Val, Jackie and Pauline got an invitation for a surprise birthday party for Zara. This party was just the beginning of them being together again. After not being together for many years Zara suggests they relive being in the same house and to move in with her in her Villa.
The story builds in layers, and I enjoyed each layer as I read this book.
The start was slow, but it was needed to form the base for the story.
Being with the four women was told by the author in a way that made me care for each of these women.

Oh this is such a good read.
A group of old friends reunite in their twilight years, having not been all together for decades.
They are all single and lonely, and while reminiscing about their younger years when when they shared a house together, they decide to give it another go.
Cue a new life in the South of France.
Funny, heart warming and a little fantasy.

This was a very poignant book, well written with some laughs and tears along the way.
An aging film star want inf to recapture the time she spent with we girls where they were all different younger versions of themselves now.
They are all living together in.a villa tecreating the 70’s house share they had before. Then things take a bit of a u turn.
Well written and a great read ,

A group of best friends getting together after a long time apart. Life and people change as they get to know each other again. It has a Sex in the City vibe. The characters are colorful and the story is good. Not my usual read, but I truly enjoy it.

Thank you to Head of Zeus, Aria and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh I do love a Bella Osborne read and this is no exception. Pauline, Jackie and Val get an invitation to Zara's 80th birthday. They used to house share in the 70's and now they are brought back together.
You fall in love with the characters and it did remind me a lot of the Golden Girls, which I have to admit I still love to this day.
Bella Osborne has a knack of writing about character's that become relatable and you really identify with them, regardless of their age.
If you want to read something different, as usual, this book is for you

What happens when you take The Golden Girls and mash it up with Agatha Christie? Well, you might find yourself with something like The Girls. Jackie is Blanche - flirtatious and somewhat in denial about her age. Val would be Dorothy, the most serious of the group, the one who holds things together. Pauline is reminiscent of Rose, the friend who just wants everyone to get along and keep the peace. Unfortunately, Zara doesn't fit the Sophia mold - she's an aging actress, a wealthy drama queen who brings the friends back together after many years apart.

The women, all in their 60s-70s, agree to move together to Zara's home in the French Riviera, to support each other and to help Zara, the oldest of the group, as her health declines. While the initial chapters suggest more of a beach read about friendship and the dynamics between the group, as the book progresses it shifts more to the mystery model, and reminded me quite a bit of classic Agatha Christie novels. Not quite a cozy mystery, but definitely a comfort read - there are strong hints and foreshadowing dropped along the way and I enjoyed reading along.

This is a quick and fun read, but I would probably recommend it more for older audiences or for die-hard mystery fans. It was a real change of pace from my usual fantasy and romance fare, but I enjoyed the detour into cozy mystery territory!

From the moment I read the description of this book, the characters reminded me of the Golden Girls! And after I started reading, the similarities just continued. This story was like if all the golden girls had super crazy and dramatic lives. This book was a crazy adventure with a ton of plot twists and character development. I recommend this book if you’re looking for something that’s a fast read and keeps you wanting more the whole time! I couldn’t put this one down.

This book was an absolute stunner! The way it was told from each character's point of view was inspired and the twists and turns made it impossible to put down

"The Girls" is a delightful chick-lit novel about women’s friendships. It is also a mystery when one of the characters ends up dead.

Four friends from the ’70s gather together to attend their movie-star friend Zara’s 80th birthday. It’s a big celebrity bash and a chance for the four women to reminisce about old times. After the party, Zara woos them to come live with her for free, and they end up in her French villa. The catch—each woman must help in their own way. Jackie provides medical care. Val offers legal and financial assistance, and Pauline is chosen to edit Zara’s memoir. The story takes a turn when Zara asks each friend a huge favor. Each woman has her own secret and feels compromised. But when Zara turns up dead one morning, the friends become prime suspects.

The Girls is an excellent character-driven book. I enjoyed the setting, premise, and tone of this novel. The novel is humorous and a page-turner with a surprise ending. I thank Net Galley for allowing me to read and review it. #NetGalley #The Girls #chicklit

I love this author and read most of her books… I would highly recommend this book to… anyone with a pulse. Is that you?… This book will stay with you long after you've finished it, and in the most delicious way! fabulous storytelling!

This was absolutely joyous to read. I really liked the characters in this and found them so varied and interesting. Definitely a book I’d recommend.

This was a pretty cute read. Nice once again to have older ladies as the main characters. Some plot points were murky or didn’t add up fully but I forgive them for a fast paced entertaining story. Not a feel good read.

This was a totally different read to what I've come to expect from Bella Osborne, but I enjoyed it just as much as her fun romances. Four former flatmates reunite at the 80th birthday party of Zara, who has achieved her ambition of becoming an internationally acclaimed actress. With her health failing she suggests the others comes to live with her in a mutally beneficial arrangement. With nothing to lose, the others agree but as they settle into Zara's palatial French villa in Nice, they realise that Zara's offer came with strings attached. Is she expecting too much of them? Will they regret giving up their previous lives? As the action moves towards denouement, it seems that Zara's final solution won't suit everyone!
A fabulously fun exploration of female friendship that isn't always sweetness and light, this is a laugh-out-loud read that nevertheless addresses the serious issues of ageing, loneliness, coming to terms with who you are and what life throws at you. It gets a little farcical at times, but the bright breezy prose and the characters of the four women, who prove that (physical ailments aside) age is just a number help to carry it through.
I hope I'm as feisty and fun when I get to their age!

This book is absolutely fabulous. Her last book The Library was brilliant and this one is just as good.
Zara is an ageing film star who lives in the South of France and asks her long time friends Jackie, Val and Pauline to come over and live with her. Each of them are in a crisis in their own lives and think this idea would be a game changer. Zara has an ulterior motive behind her offer which they will not find out until they have moved in.
This story is full of love, friendships, sorrow, humour and sadness and when put together makes for a great read. I could not put this book down and thoroughly recommend it.
Bella Osborne, I love your books.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. It was an absolute pleasure.

Four, let's call them mature women, get together for a surprise 80th birthday party and decide that fifty years apart has been long enough so why not move in together in an effort to not be so alone in the world.

Zara: The starlet, drama queen, flamboyantly wealthy, and most of all a loving friend.

Val: The smart one, responsible, calm demeanor, with a successful career anyone would be envious of.

Jackie: The wild child, drunk on life and cocktails, and still trying to flirt her way into the heart of a wealthy man.

Pauline: Kind to a fault, heart of gold, introvert, and sufferer of anxiety.

On the face of it you'd never guess these four diverse woman would have anything in common, much less a friendship, but sometimes it's those we yin and yang with that bring us all the comfort we need. Such a heartwarming story of what it means to be friends and how those friends are ultimately your family. More importantly, a strong emphasis is placed on women supporting women.

This charming story will have you reaching for a glass of wine while toasting your closest friend(s). The locale of the French Riviera had me swooning and lusting for a place I'll likely only ever dream of. I'll admit one of the ladies irritated me so much in the beginning but by the end she had grown to be one of my favorite characters. Go figure! There is also Brian the cat and Toby the foul-mouthed parrot to round out this unusual cast of characters. What starts as a light-hearted, farcical story turns into a murder mystery and has each of the friends questioning whether one of them has the motive to kill. This book was the perfect break in between heavier stories and I had fun getting to know these characters and while it may have been over the top it was surely entertaining. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for my complimentary copy.

What a story! I loved the last book by Bella Osborne and this one had me hooked!

I loved meeting the Girls, in a book that will make you laugh and cringe throughout. As Zara pulls back together the girls she house shared with before she was famous, we get a glimpse into all of their lives and what has led them to be at the point in their lives where they all uproot to go and live with Zara.

A story that had me hooked from the moment I picked it up, I loved reading about the funny anecdotes and the wonderfully varied personalities of the girls and how they manage to slot together to muddle along.

Grab a copy of this wonderful book as you won't be disappointed!

A refreshing change for me to read about women in their advancing years. A story of four women who had all lived together 50 years ago, brought back together by a invitation to a party. There are definitely a couple of twists and turns along the way to keep you drawn into the story.