This has been another amazing, brilliant and thrilling read from Shalini Boland, just WOW.

The story plot was so well written that it had me sitting on the edge of my seat in eager anticipation as to what would happen next and I was forever guessing throughout as to how it would all end. I never did guess correctly thanks to the little twists and turns that were cleverly woven into the story. And that ending, oh my gods, I loved it, completely unexpected.

I found majority of the characters highly engaging and well developed throughout, although I will be honest and say that the main character of Louisa did irritate me a couple of times, just found her to be far to trusting and a little gullible at times, but I daresay that was the author's intention, so well done there.

Shalini really does have such a way with words that just draws you in right from the beginning, keeps you enthralled throughout and leaves you with bated breath right to the very end. Which is exactly what she did with this amazing book.

So if you haven't read any of Shalini's books yet, then please do not wait any longer, I have read all of her books and can highly recommend them all.

If you’ve been around, the name Shalini Boland must ring a bell. If it doesn’t, what are you waiting for?

Okay, who am I to judge? I have owned one of her books for more than a year and haven’t read it yet, but today, oh today I decided I wanted something good. But how could I have known my choosing The Best Friend would be the right decision? Two reasons.
One, I trust my fellow bloggers and I have seen so many brilliant reviews from people with similar taste to mine that I felt the risks of me not liking it would be close to none.
Second, the book is published by Bookouture and I have rarely been disappointed by their novels.
Okay, one more reason: I am obsessed with toxic friendships. I know, it’s a weird thing to say, but I just love to watch how bad things can turn out. Okay, now I sound awful. But honest!!!

Okay, The Best Friend. Those words that mean a lot to us throughout life. As kids, we want friends to play with, as teens our friends mean the world or, if you were on my team, you didn’t have many and the lack of them left you scarred. In adulthood, friends are the pillar holding you together when life throws you curveballs. I find it so difficult to find real friendships as a grownup. In fact, it feels like being a kid all over again. You can’t help comparing, hoping to please, feeling relieved when you finally meet someone who seems to understand you. Well, this is merely my opinion. But this is also why I connected to the main character in The Best Friend so quickly. Louisa is a happy mother and wife, she writes a column, but you can’t say she has a long list of friends ready to party! So, when a mom from her boy’s school makes the first move, it feels like a door might open. Not that Louisa is oh-so-desperate, but I could relate to her joy and relief at getting a shot at being included in a mom’s group and getting closer to a woman who could be the on the cover of The Perfect Life magazine.

Darcy seemed keen, nice, and just the right breeze needed by Louisa. My alarm didn’t instantly go on because she was married with a kid and I thought ‘Oh, at least she won’t try and steal Louisa’s hubby’. Hahaha. Poor me. Just like Louisa, I opened the door to Darcy and a draft came in. I have no better way to describe it. A draft — or draught for my lovely British friends (I am sorry, my instinct is to write in American!) that would turn into a massive storm.

When the first signs appeared, it was too late. I was completely fascinated by Darcy, absolutely on Louisa’s side, and madly in love with Shalini Boland’s writing style. And not just because there is MY NAME IN THE BOOK! Meggy! Not Meggie, or as my aunt would write Méguie… Anyway, rambling here…

Play dates with their kids, dinners at posh restaurants, helping Louisa’s husband Jared set up his company; Darcy and her man Mike seemed too good to be true, but when you want something to work, you let things slip, don’t you? I know I did.

Reading The Best Friend is like climbing stairs. Louisa is in the middle, making her way through life, but then someone catch the carpet under her feet and she falls back down, helplessly watching her life unravel.

Now, I love my villains to be realistic, people who smile at you while grabbing yoghurt at the supermarket. I was so happy to discover Shalini Boland makes the monster the way I like them: sick, rotten inside, but with motive, with strength and a wonderfully horrendous ability to manipulate people. It gives me room to observe the damages done by life and to root for the good guys. But it doesn’t mean the good guys win! Aren’t you scared when you think of how far some people are ready to go to get what they want? What if what they want is what you have? Isn’t a frighteningly terrific thing? Okay, so I win the ‘weirdest reader’ award, but I was so hooked on the claustrophobic atmosphere the author has created that I can be forgiven. I wish you to be as hooked as I was when reading this novel! From the light to the dark, with a single character to see through the fog and the madness… Oh I want to go back already!!!!

To sum up: The Best Friend = one afternoon + two giant mugs of tea + three OMG what on earth moments + four pieces of cake - half my nails + THAT TWISTED X factor.

In case it was not clear enough; The Best Friend is Brilliant! Totally shocking, brilliantly scary and perfectly chilling!!!

Well now... This was one crazy twisty story that kept me on the edge throughout!

” with friends like this, who needs enemies?”

This was a fast paced intense story that I finished in a matter of hours... and it’s a good thing I did, because I think I was holding my breath throughout this entire book! Shalini Boland you never fail to amaze me! and if I’m being honest frighten me a bit as well, I can only imagine what goes on in that brain of yours!

Luisa has a lovely life, a loving husband, an adorable son, a enjoyable writing gig... when her son Joe starts at a new posh school Louisa is desperate for her and Joe to fit in... so when Darcy befriends her, and her son Tyler quickly becomes friends with Joe, Louisa is absolutely thrilled... things seem to be going swimmingly, but things were just a little too good to be true.... slowly and subtly Louisa begins to notice things and Darcy’s facade slowly begins to peel away... but is Louisa seeing things where there is nothing to see? Is she getting paranoid? No one seems to believe her not her husband, not her sister, so is this real or is it all in Louisa’s mind?

Just like Louisa I was so tense and so frustrated during this book... how frustrating would it be for people not to believe what you know to be true? I had so much sympathy for Luisa, I really wanted to reach through the pages and shake some sense into her husband Jared! But I must admit Darcy was one clever girl! She almost had me fooled! I just could not figure out for the life of me what someone who seemingly had it all like Darcy had against sweet Louisa?

absolutely recommend this tents and twisted story you will never look at your best friend the same way again!

*** many thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***

What can I say about this author's books? Every time I pick one up, I am captivated from the beginning. I so like her style it makes me want to hide somewhere so I can read the book without being disturbed.

I love the way she can create crazy people and manages to let them act very sane and controlled until little by little she shows their true colors.

But often in every mad person, a sad one is hidden. I can't help feeling sorry for them and their past. If only they would choose a different path in order to achieve a happy life. If they would not be so blinded by revenge, it would cause a lot less heartbreak but then of course, we would not have such brillant stories like this one.

I think it's rather clear that I was, once again, a happy and grateful reader, forgetting about the rest of the world for a few hours. 5 stars.

Thank you, Shalini Boland, Bookouture and Netgalley.

Louise having just moved to the area is delighted to make a new friend in Darcy. Over time though, like Louisa, I found myself questioning just how good a friend Darcy actually is.

This is one of those stories where the build up of tension is just electrifying. I could hardly sit still as I waited for things to unfold before me. The more I got to see, the more I became to dislike Darcy and not trust her one bit. Just like Louisa, sadly though even her own husband doesn’t believe her when she starts having doubts, brushing them to one side.

There are some wonderful twists that had me gasping in shock at what I was reading. I absolutely love it when an author can surprise me and this is one author who hasn’t failed to do that yet with one of her books. If you love psychological thrillers then you really must add this authors books to your, to be read, pile.

The Best Friend is a gripping page turner of a read that you just have to read in one sitting. I could feel my heart literally pounding the further into the story I got. Definitely one that will have you on the edge of your seat. You always know it’s a good book when time just stands still as you are so absorbed in the story and then all of a sudden you are back in the real world with a jolt and hours have passed. Loved, loved, loved it!

Goodness gracious does Shalini Boland have a crazy knack for writing stories with characters that make you feel like they are actually your neighbors. In this story, "The Best Friend", I felt like I could close the book and walk next door to borrow a cup of sugar from Louisa. All of Shalini's books have characters that are real, believable, and slightly off kilter to put it mildly! (I especially love that there's always a husband that needs a slap upside the head-it makes me lol)
This story had a brilliant plot that unraveled with impeccable timing. It was just enough to keep you turning pages quickly to find out who Nicole and her brother are and what they have to do with Louisa and Darcy's current story. She inserts flashbacks that seem to parallel the current story but in perfect Shalini style, she ties it all together at the end with one big fat exclamation point as if she figuratively "drops the mic"! So there! Bet ya didn't see that coming!! 
I highly recommend any of Shalini's books with no exception. She is a masterful writer and continues to entertain readers with twisted plots, problematic characters, and shocking endings! 5🌟!!