Not my normal style of book but thoroughly enjoyed it. The 3 girls all had their own personalities but were stronger together. Great story telling and as I know the Newport area of Wales well it all made sense to me and the "welshisms" shone out. The way their lives developed away from each other but came back together in times of need and sorrow were excellently portrayed. Will be more than happy to read more books by Ruth Jones.
Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

I started reading but found it wasn't holding my attention, thought my wife may enjoy it more passed it to her, her review is as follows - This was a well written, easy read. It was about the friendship of three girls from school to their early 50’s. Although I enjoyed it, it wasn’t dynamic, it didn’t go any where, there was no turns or twists, no substance or real wow moments. It was the life of three different everyday women, and being a 50 year old women I could relate to part of all their life’s but I need a bit more excitement and drama in my reads.

Three and a half stars.

Lana, Judith and Catrin have been best friends since infants school. With all their lives ahead of them they spend the summer of their A levels travelling the Greek Islands and yet some decisions they make on this fateful holiday will shape their lives for years to come.

Spanning decades we see how these three women negotiate life, love, divorce, betrayal and the changing face of friendship. As a fifty-something woman myself I could relate to Lana, Judith and Catrin, their hopes and dreams, their dream holiday and the minutiae of everyday life. None of them has a perfect life, none of them has the life they envisaged for themselves and their friendship is stretched mighty thin at times.

Filled with a multitude of believable characters this novel effortlessly spans the decades, filled with tragedy and humour, love and loss. I couldn't put it down and had to read the last bit with my Kindle plugged into my laptop because I'd drained the battery.

I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The first chapter of the book is before a funeral - so you know this isn't going to be all laughs - but it then goes back in time to see what happens to get to that point.

At the start of the book I was a bit confused - you were introduced to the 3 girls and their family and friends and there was just a lot of people all at once.  I liked the style of the book - and the 'Welshness' of it - you could 'hear' their voices and Welsh accents very well.

But, I have to confess I  was really disappointed at the start because I didn't immediately LOVE it - it was fine, but just felt a bit boring and samey and not the amazing book I'd expected from Ruth's TV series writing. 

However, I persevered - and I'm glad I did, because about 1/3 of the way through it really improved.  Certain things happened which totally changed the story line from the comfortable, predictable, slightly boring friendship triangle into a PROPER unique book.

It moved forwards from the 80s through to the present(ish) day at quite a pace - with the changes facing each of the girls and how their friendship is affected by the passing years. 

Some of it is really sad - and did make me cry - but there are equally lots of funny bits too.  Just like Ruth's TV writing, it's a really good character driven story - where the personalities of people are crucial. 

Overall it was a fun, easy read - and I would definitely read a  book by Ruth Jones in the future.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

This is the first book by Ruth Jones I have read, thinking she only did television.
I loved this novel - following the timelines of 3 best friends plus their significant others.
Wonderful characters and wonderful stories that made me want to laugh & cry & cringe along with them.

Us Three is by Ruth Jones is a cracking read and joyous nostalgia trip; it took me back on multiple levels all at once. Back to the eighties and the nineties; back to being eighteen again and leaving school, then to growing up and dealing with the shift of friendship as paths diverge. But also back to the books I read throughout those years, by authors like Marian Keyes; feel-good books that remind you of your own life whilst allowing you to escape it. Finally, Us Three brought me back to my middle-aged present and the harsh realities of actually growing up: making tough decisions, losing loved ones - keeping lifelong friendships going.

Catrin, Judtith and Lana are three best friends from a small town near Cardiff. They are the same in the way that five year old girls at the same school are all pretty similar, yet also as different as three grown women with different dreams and realities can be. Quirky and unique characters colour their lives: Judith's selfish, utterly awful mother and her Greek Cypriot step-father; Lana's sexy-yet-entirely-believable mechanic boyfriend; Catrin's hilarious Irish-Welsh family. The story of Us Three begins with a funeral - we don't know whose until much later in the novel and this intrigue propels a fast-moving plot driven by love, betrayal, loss and friendship.

Although there are some proper laugh-out-loud moments in Us Three, comedy isn't omnipresent in the way that some reviewers seem to have expected - to them I would say that this is a novel, not a sitcom. Life isn't always funny, but when it is you pee your pants, and this is reflected in Ruth Jones' prose fiction writing.

Living in Wales myself, I loved the mostly Welsh setting of Us Three - it makes such a refreshing change from bloody London for a female friendship book like this. Yet a Welsh cultural identity doesn't define Us Three - its themes are universal and the characters will feel familiar to anyone.

I adored Us Three; it took me away from my daily grindstone whilst making me feel somehow better connected to and even grateful for it. (For 'grindstone' read 'family', but don't tell them.) I haven't yet read Ruth Jones' first novel, Never Greener, but that's next on my list and I look forward to her future novels in the way I would a fun mini-break, but without having to leave the sofa. More please!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is an easy to read, entertaining story about friendship which I sped through. It kind of reminded me of a Marian Keyes novel but set in Wales. It follows Catrin, Judith and Lana who became best friends in primary school over the course of thirty years, from 1986 when they go Greek island hopping university to life in their fifties. Something happens shortly after their holiday which has a massive effect on their friendship. Part two picks up with their lives in the 2000’s and the third in 2017. I felt the three main characters were realistic, relatable and you could understand why they did the thing they did. There were lots of little plot twists and turns along the way and I didn’t really want to leave these characters behind.

What a fabulous book. When I first started to read it all I could hear was ‘Ness’ voice but soon it drew me. I seemed to be laughing or crying the whole time. Her characters were a joy and the plot was brilliant. I really recommend this book, I couldn’t put it down and feel really sad that I’ve finished it.

This follows the lives of 3 friends all the way into their 50’s. The characters are relatable and lovable, all in their own way. I’d definitely recommend this and found myself really engrossed in the story and their lives, and read it in 2 days!

Yes! Another great book from Ruth. A real warm funny story of friendship and family. Very cleverly written. Flowed beautifully. Didn’t disappoint.

I have enjoyed Ruth Jones work on the television but this is my first venture into her books. I was a little put off by the comment 'Women's Fiction' but needn't of worried because this novel is all about what I love in a book, great characters. This book is all about great characters and their relationships while maturing as adults.
Three childhood friends, Lana, Judith and Catrin, best friends since primary school when they swore an oath on a Curly Wurly wrapper that they would always be there for each other, come what may. But their friendship is tested to the limits and their childhood promise seems likely to be broken.

The characters in this book really make it a success and I was totally absorbed in this novel and could have very easily given it a five star rating. I was so enthralled by the authors writing that I have already purchased her other novel 'Never Greener'
For all men who like great characters don't be put off by the phrase 'Women's Fiction' because it is well worth reading. Yes the main characters are women but why restrict the reading to women, a good book is worth reading whatever the gender.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Random House for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Feel-good, funny, with some unexpected twists and turns, this is delightful. There are some great characters here, my favourites being Patricia, Judith's horrendous Mother, and Lana but the whole tale fairly belts along in the most enjoyable way. Sometimes things don't go the way we want them to but if we take a step back and look at the whole hand that life has dealt us, it is usually pretty good on the whole. This message is gently relayed to us through Us Three and I am not ashamed to say that I had a little tear in my eye at the end. Alrigh'?

It was such a heart warming book about long life friendships which everyone, I think, would love to have in their lives I really enjoyed it so easy to read the characters were great I felt for everyone of them definitely recommend.

This was the first Ruth Jones book I have read and I wasn't disappointed. It was an 'easy' read but covered some strong topics - mother/daughter problems, betrayal, death, friendships, loyalty. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and loved the way the story unfolded.

I would recommend this book. My thanks to NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Warm, clever, character-led story of 3 very different but likeable sisters. Trials, tribulations, love, feuds and fun.. I love Ruth Jones, I love whatever she writes and this is just perfect. Read it in 2 days and can’t wait for what she writes next. Read it. You’ll love it.

I really loved this book. It starts off with 3 friends, Judith, Catrin and Lana about to go off to Greece on a trip before they all go off to university. The girls have been friends since primary school. By the end of the book I felt as though they were all my friends too! The story follows their lives through to their 50s, with all the successes, failures, love and heartbreak. I recommend this as a great read. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

You know when you get into a book, and you just don’t want it to end? Well this is one of those. The book is the story of three friends who first meet at primary school and it’s set in the eras that reflect my age so that made it all the more readable. It cleverly moves about in time, focussing on the sort of events that shape us as humans and that can make or break friendships. It’s a very easy read, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it. The characters are all likeable, it’s a story that’s very relatable and entertaining. I like this much more than her first novel and as much as we all want G&S back, I hope there are more novels in the pipeline as Ruth is a rare talent.

A life-spanning tale of Judith, Cat and Lana, three tenacious Welsh wonders. The first third of the book was the best, for me. Those feelings of young love and adventure were perfectly captured on the page. It felt like there was a tiiiiiiny bit too much shoehorned into the rest of the book, like we were fast-forwarding through life a bit, but it was heartwarmingly done all the same and I enjoyed it :)

Three girls, and their stories.
Lana, Catrin and Judith, three very different types, have a last holiday in Greece at the end of their schooldays. I found the girls difficult to get to know especially Lana who came across as more of a caricature than a person.
The intertwining of their lives through grief, sadness, betrayal and more was well portrayed.
Sadly it wasn't a book that I really fell in love with. I just found the characters irritating.
However, thanks to NetGalley for a review copy.

I was eager to read this book as I had heard good things about Never Greener, Ruth’s first book.
Within a few chapters, I felt comfortable with all characters, getting to know the three girls, wondering what their futures would hold. With the starting point being a funeral, you know their lives won’t be as simple as their 18 year old optimistic hearts expect.
I personally was taken back the the 80’s as soon as the phone was answered “5065”. To this day I can still remember hearing my Nan’s voice answering the phone this way. A lovely memory to be taken back to, still knowing the number 35 years on.
If anyone is looking to find Gavin, Stacey or Ness in the pages, then you need to know you won’t. Though I couldn’t shake hearing the voice of Dave Coaches whenever I heard Father O’Leary speak.
If you are looking for a gentle read about friendship, growing up and how lives don’t necessarily work out according to plan, you will love Us Three.