I think that this book brings up some interesting points about friendship and how it can become harmful when we’re taken in by manipulative people. There are probably a lot of people that’ve known someone like Alexa at some point in their lives, I know that I did and could relate to Rosie in some ways. The actions of the characters in the book are believable and each side of the story provided a unique perspective.

While Rosie was dealing with the gradual breakdown after being gaslighted, Alexa seemed to be more of a character study about pathological liars and she quite frankly appeared to be mentally ill. She is doomed to make the same mistakes because she is so wrapped up in her own lies yet was completely reliant on other people for validation.

I think I would have liked the characters to be a little more nuanced, it was very obvious from the first chapter what sort of friendship Alexa and Rosie would have and they seemed to be pretty much all good or all bad. I think the synopsis also sort of gives things away and I would have been more surprised by some of the events in the book if things were a little more ambiguous.

Overall, this was a fast read and I think the author has a lot of potential. She has a clean writing style that is readable and I fell into the story easily. I also liked the themes of friendship and the process of recognizing when a friend is toxic. This was a good novella and I will definitely be checking out more of Leuschel’s work.

I'm aware of the fact I don't read all that many novellas, but this doesn't mean that I don't appreciate them. In fact, I think of them as taking the art of storytelling to the next level, because it is just so much harder to write a convincing story when you have a limited amount of pages to do so. After enjoying Manipulated Lives last year, there was no doubt I wanted to try the author's newest novella as well. Not only is the psychological angle in her stories intriguing, but her writing style is really engaging and she makes it easy to connect to the characters. My Sweet Friend is no different, and is without doubt my new favorite. I found myself invested into the story right from the start and the writing was both engaging and flowed naturally. The introduction of the manipulative element is subtle at first, but very well and realistically developed. Despite its limited pages, My Sweet Friend is able to create a dept in both characters as well as creating a hint of suspense and several twists. The dual POV works really well and helps you understand and see both sides of the relationship. While I do think Rosie is a bit naive, I do think her character is very realistic. And that can also be said for Alexa, who is not exactly likeable, but fits her role perfectly. The psychological effect of manipulation is well described and also show the consequences for both sides. The plot itself is an interesting one and well fleshed out for a novella. I had a great time reading My Sweet Friend! One of the better novellas out there I've read to this date... Although it did leave me craving for more information about Alexa's background.

My Sweet Friend is the perfect example of a novella done right. With a well developed plot with interesting and fleshed out characters and a writing that simply flows it's hard not to like this story. The manipulation element is incorporated in a way that feels completely natural and instead of it being forced on you, it shows up gradually. The switching back and forward between Rosie and Alexa helped set the right atmosphere as well as show the different sides of the effects of a manipulative relationship. The story will also have some surprises in store for you! Definitely recommended.

I found this book to be perfect for a quick palette cleanser. It was short, yet the characters were still well rounded enough that I was able to get drawn into the story line. There was a touch of mystery, although I would mostly sort this into the genre of Drama. Not something i would recommend for someone looking for an amazingly in depth read, though perfect for someone who is looking for an enjoyable short novella.

I have received a much appreciated digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.