I'm not really sure about this one. I've only read one other book by this author and I think I found that to be mediocre at best too. For me, the whole drawn out tale doesn't really scream thriller. It barely screams anything...except the characters' constant need to drink, get drunk, throw up and keep going...then keep the sad reality of their respective personal lives secret.

Stacey, Bev and Paula knew each other growing up and bonded even further at university where they then met Italian/Scottish Valentina Mackenzie when she answered the ad for a room to rent at their flat. They spent more time drinking at various student bars and clubs than studying, I'm not surprised Stacey never became the architect she'd always dreamed to be. Or that Bev ended up a stay at home mum in a fairly loveless marriage with two ungrateful teenagers. Or that Paula's own marriage was fraught with angst, jealousy and violence. None of them appeared to be happy at all.

Thirty years after they last swore they would never speak again they are together again. Valentina is dead and the estranged friends have reunited for her funeral. Oddly enough, at Valentina's own request. She had sent a letter asking them to come together one final time and get past the buried secret that drove them apart thirty years before.

When a second letter arrives insinuating that the fact she is now dead is not a coincidence. It was not an accident. She urges the friends to keep pushing for answers...and to uncover the truth of what happened to her.

So what happened thirty years ago that was so life changing that they parted ways, promising never to speak of it again...or to each other? And was Valentina murdered for it? And if so, does that then put the rest of them in danger?

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG is not really a thrilling sort of thriller. The pace is steady but the characters are fairly unlikeable with seemingly nothing going for them. Valentina is quite obviously a girl with secrets but why was she lying to her friends? Was it only so she would be accepted? Or was it something more sinister?

The narrative is predominantly in the third person from each of the three remaining friends' perspective in the present day and mostly Valentina's in the past. There is also the anonymous voice of a mystery person watching their every move. What is their involvement?

I really struggled with this one. I'm not sure if it is the timing (what with the Queen's death last week and the mourning over the continuing days), if it is my mood in general or this is simply one of those books that sound intriguing enough by the premise but is lacking in the execution. I couldn't really connect with the characters, I didn't really like them and the story was fairly uneventful and dry. I didn't really care about Stacey's dull and monotonous work or her colleague's fascination with his crotch. Both were as dull and monotonous as the story. I wanted to like it and I wanted to know what happened - what big secret they are all hiding that happened three decades ago and why Valentina was killed (if in fact she was) - but not enough to finish it.

I found it dragged on and I became impatient for something to happen but all that seemed to happen was endless amounts of drinking and puking and not much else.

Overall, a mixed bag really. The premise was intriguing but again, it was lacking in execution. Something of a disappointment sadly as I needed something to pick me up. This was not it.

I would like to thank #DawnGoodwin, #Netgalley and #RachelsRandomResources#WhenWeWereYoung in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

When We Were Young by Dawn Goodwin.
Uni friends Stacey, Paula, Bev and Valentina used to be inseparable until one weekend before graduation when nothing was ever the same again.
Thirty years later, reunited at Valentina's funeral, Stacey receives a letter written by her late friend asking for one last wish... that the three friends go back to where things fell apart and finally bury the hatchet.
Omg. Brilliant read. Twisty. Thoroughly enjoyed it. 5*.

This was such a joy to read.
A thriller with fully developed characters and all the information offered up so you can feel part of it.

I loved this book and will look out for the next from this author.

"Fate decides for us."

Uni friends Stacey, Paula and Bev meet after thirty years at Valentina's funeral. Stacey has received a letter from Val, asking them to visit a local pub that bears the same name as the one they used to visit when in Uni. The trio drink and make small talk. When they return home, their past starts to haunt them. Stacey is convinced Val was murdered. And it might have something to do with the last weekend before graduation - when things went horribly wrong.

The story alternates between PAST and PRESENT. The PAST is about how Valentina joined the group, her antics that made them angry, her need to please Stacey, and finally, that fateful weekend before graduation which separated the group. The PRESENT is about Stacey's addiction to alcohol and her life falling apart, Paula's abusive spouse, Bev's non-existent married life. Also, we have another PoV - someone is watching the trio - a hooded figure that takes pleasure in the trio's hardships.

I really loved the character portrayals - it felt so real-like, especially the struggles they go through in their daily lives. Paula's abusive relationship, Stacey's addiction to alcohol and not being able to stay in a job for long, and Bev's not-happily-ever-after married life. The girls had dreams but it all changed the weekend before graduation. It was quite sad to see how one life experience changed them forever.

The mystery behind Val's death and the incident that broke the group in Uni kept me guessing till the end. Scenes of the hooded figure following the trio brought shivers down my spine - it was quite clear that they wanted to grievously harm the trio.

I was expecting a shocking twist at the end. The identity of the hooded clear became quite clear, especially towards the end. So when their identity was revealed, I wasn't surprised. The story ended on a interesting note - justice delivered, I suppose.

If you are looking for a riveting read, I highly recommend you to give When We Were Young by Dawn Goodwin a try.

4.5/5

I loved this book! Dawn Goodwin has a great eye for the intricacies of old friendships, and the plot is extremely gripping too. I hadn't heard of the author before but will be looking out for more of her work after this, as well as recommending this book to all - I loved the way the characters were portrayed and I struggled to put it down!

Fabulous book! This author manages to infuse a thoroughly evocative atmosphere into a page-turner plot

What a story line..a fantastic read of 3 friends who are studying and sharing a flat. They need another person to share the costs and there is Val. The seemingly.perfect answer but not is all.what it seems. Val is lonely and jealous of the friendship. She will do anything to gain ther friendship and be part of the family. And she does everything to protect them. In the end they believe they all murdered a young lad.
30 years later and Val I being buried and the 3 friends are asked to come. They do and are drown back to the past, pushed by momentum left for them. They are eager to find out what happened the last night of college. So they go for the weekend to try to find out...helped by clues coming from.beyond the grave.


What a twist and soo unexpected.. Highly recommended. Pity of spelling mistakes at time but didn't take away from the story.

Although I enjoyed this unfortunately it didn’t grip me as much as I thought and hoped it would. The story follows Stacey, Bev and Paula who reunite 30 years after leaving university at the funeral of university flat mate Valentina. They haven’t seen each other since a fateful night after their last exams when they were involved in an ‘incident’ that resulted in them vowing to never have contact with each other again. Each character was described well and all had issues that had arisen from that time that made them doubt themselves and how they have changed from how they used to be. I would mention that topics covered include those of date rape, bulimia and domestic violence but were in my opinion covered realistically.. The book moved between 1992/3 and the present day but was easy to follow and flowed with a definite ending that tied up any loose ends which I did like. Thank you to Head of Zeus and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, and the good twist at the end. That said, I didn't find any of the characters particularly likeable and found it hard to relate to any of them - but it was a good enough plot that I kept reading anyways.

I am afraid this one was just average for me. Did not make me want to keeping reading longer to find out what was coming . Just something missing.. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

This is a very good thriller with a fabulous twist at the end. It’s intriguing and unique with characters that are well developed.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend to anyone who likes this genre.

intriguing and gripping. I liked the multiple POVS, the twists and the solution that surprised me.
The plot and the storytelling are quite good and the characters fleshed out.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This novel hit my sweet spot. Valentina, Bev, Stacey and Paula were fast friends at university until the events of one fateful weekend. Thirty years later they reunite at Valentina’s funeral where Stacey receives a letter from Valentina asking the women to retrace their university haunts and mend their friendship. The story alternates between the past and the present and both timelines held a mystery that kept me interested. In the past, I wanted to find out what had driven these women apart. In the present, we start to wonder if Valentine was killed and if any of her friends are also in danger. I would categorize this as a combination of contemporary women’s fiction and suspense.

3.5

Old friends reunite after a gap of many years at the funeral of Valentina and to their shock they are the only ones present. Though tinged with sadness, perhaps the reunion reignites the joy of the friendship of 30 years ago at university? Sadly, not so. Following a trail of breadcrumb clues they are forced to confront the time when everything fell apart, to let the buried secrets come to the surface but who will lose the most?

First of all, the positives of the book as I see them! The story is told in dual timelines from 30 years ago and in the present day and the earlier one is really good. Their younger selves are well portrayed, the storytelling is lively and colourful and the scenarios are easy to picture. There is a good mystery at the heart of the events of the past which have some atmospheric settings. There are also some elements that feel a bit creepy and claustrophobic.

However, there are times when it gets long winded, there are some blow by blow accounts or overburdening with unnecessary detail which takes your eye off the “mystery ball“! You go over some similar ground, often literally and there is a lot of hinting at or alluding to and I just want it to speed up!

Although you can definitely put up a very good case for their older selves contrasting really well with their younger ones they all seem a bit dull which I’m sure is entirely the point! Parts of the ending are predictable, there is nothing that especially surprises me and it does require some suspension of disbelief.

Overall, a mixed bag read for me as I thoroughly enjoy some sections but others not so much.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Head of Zeus/Aries for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. This book was not for me. Very predictable and this plot is way overdone these days.

Intriguing Premise…
With multiple perspectives and dual timelines the reader is introduced to four university friends - once inseparable. Thirty years on from when they first met three of them are attending the funeral of the fourth. Valentina has died but what was her final wish and how are the three going to deal with it? Moreover, how did she die and what secrets may be uncovered along the way? With a well drawn cast of characters, an intriguing premise and an immersive storyline this has a solid mystery at its heart.

Uni friends Stacey, Paula, Bev and Valentina used to be inseparable until one weekend before graduation when nothing was ever the same again.
Thirty years later, reunited at Valentina's funeral, Stacey receives a letter written by her late friend asking for one last wish that the three friends go back to where things fell apart and finally bury the hatchet.
As they revisit their old haunts of their uni days and follow a series of clues left by Valentina, their friend's death begins to look suspicious and it is up to them to find out what happened but they all have secrets to hide.
Really enjoyable read totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Head Of Zeus
I just reviewed When We Were Young by Dawn Goodwin. #WhenWeWereYoung #NetGalley

This book was fantastic. A good mix of feel good. And a mix of thriller mixed in there. The book was well written. Everything you want from a book.

Really well written with a dual timeline and well developed characters that were likeable and relatable. It was a gripping read that I couoldn't put down and didn't want it to end

Thank you NetGalley, Head of Zeus and Dawn Goodwin for letting me read “When We Were Young” in exchange for an honest review.


I can’t really decide on this one. It does not scream thriller/mystery at me. Three females with their backs turned, cracked background with receding colours. It caught my interest enough though.

“Old friends, new secrets, a deadly weekend”

Once at university, there was a group of four friends, Bev, Stacey, Paula and Valentina. After a fateful day, they grew apart. Not in distance though, but their friendship fell apart. Now Valentina is dead and the remaining women unite at her funeral. Valentina sent a letter, asking the women to come together again and get past of what drove them apart. Was Valentina murdered, are the rest of them in danger?

The book switches between now and then. I found the younger characters more relatable and likeable. Then we also have the mystery first persons POV.

Was Valentina killed?! Are they planing revenge in the women left?

This was one of these books that you request because they sound interesting enough while you wait for something great. I can not put my finger on it, but I had a rough start with that one. Maybe it’s the age of the characters that threw me off, made it hard for me to connect. All in all the story was as flat and dry as toast.

I had trouble distinguishing between the different women. They all had the same voice to me, kind of dull, I did not want to know more about them. I could not stand any of them, especially the bow personas.

The reading dragged on and I got impatient for something to happen. I am usually not good at guessing who did what but at the end of the first chapter I knew that the dead won’t stay dead. Let’s keep it at that. So disappointed in the plot, especially the ending. Truly predictable. I was begging internally, that the author would not go there. She did. Meh. It would have been ok, had I not suspected it right from the start.

Cover 3/5 ⭐️
Writing 2/5 ⭐️
Story 2/5 ⭐️
Ending 1/5 ⭐️