Thanks to Netgalley, Head of Zeus and Alex Dahl for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely LOVED Girl Friends. It was atmospheric, intriguing and mysterious. I loved everything about it, it had all you need in a great psychological thriller: Intriguing storyline, likeable and not so likeable characters, mystery and a bit of spice.

I loved Charlotte and loved hating Bianka, they had an interesting dynamic, which made for great reading, especially when things started to turn.

I was hooked right away and couldn't put it down, I read it in a day. I loved the ending, it was both surprising and satisfying.
This is my first book from Alex Dahl and it definitely won't be the last.

5 stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was kept well entertained by Girl Friends. the story of two wealthy middle class Norwegian women living the high life in London and still dissatisfied with their lives. Charlotte Vinge is the Keto Queen, obsessively watching every morsel she eats, shunning all carbs and persuading others to follow her life style thanks to her new TV series Viking Keto.

Bianka is married to Charlotte's husband's boss. She breezes into South London life and stirs everything up, proud of who she is and where she's come from.

The two women become fixated with one another, and when its time for Charlotte's annual trip to Ibiza with some longstanding girl friends, she invites Bianka to join them. What is usually a sedate yoga filled week morphs into a boozy week. The relationship between Bianka and Charlotte becomes physical and the obsession continues. Until something happens that no-one can come back from.

There's also a sub plot with Bianka's stepson Storm which is well woven in.

It is a taut thriller that kept me hooked until the very last page.
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

Thank you to the author Alex Dahl, Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the opportunity to follow this story of Charlotte, Bianka and their families!

What an ending!

But to get there felt a little like a journey, I felt the book started off really strong and fast paced then between 40% and 60% of the way through it slowed down.

I am glad I kept going though, the twists in the last 20% really sped things up and made me want to keep reading. The romance build up and tear down was intriguing, along with the piecing together of multiple POVs.

I felt there was a lot of development through Storm's story and discovery but that nothing ever came of it and it felt wasted in the end.

I’ve tried, I mean really, really, tried with this book but I admit defeat. From the awkward dialogue to step-son Storm’s name, I just can’t get on with it.

Charlotte, an “influencer” is a – sorry THE – Keto Queen. If you don’t know what Keto is, it’s a type of diet where carbs are food of the devil and must be avoided at all costs. Anyway, Charlotte is famous for avoiding carbs and telling everyone else how to live their lives without them. She meets Bianka, second wife of some rich banker, stepmum to said Storm who is apparently a world champion skier and very popular in their native Norway and is fluttering his eyelashes at Charlotte’s daughter whose name I can’t even remember. They are all, by the way, ex-pat Norwegians living in posh, leafy Wimbledon, and they’re all incredibly rich and over-indulged….blergh.

Every year Charlotte and her friends have a shindig at Charlottes little place in Ibiza and this year she invites Bianka. I think it was at the this point that my eyes finally glazed over to the point where I couldn’t see the words on my kindle. This is slow. So slow - I’ve seen snails in my garden gallop in comparison.

I thought I was in for a rainy afternoon, snuggled by the fire, bit of escapism into the world of Rich and Glam. Instead I was bored out of my skull and if this had been a hard copy book, instead of a download, it would have gone straight on the fire.

I think I can safely say I will not be persuaded to read anything else by this writer.

4.5 rounded up⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

So I LOVED this book from the get go. And the 2 distinct parts of the book were so different but both just as engrossing in my opinion .

And the Storm part of the story was great but somewhat gave away that he would be involved in the ending somehow.

Rich people behaving badly, raucous parties, sex and drugs all set on the party island of Ibiza .

Loved Charlotte and Bianka as characters and how they developed, just felt a little rushed at times but with a 💥 ending never saw that coming

Two new friends. Infatuation. Murder.

A friendship between two Norwegian expats blossoms when they both find themselves living in a wealthy area of London. The friendship is intense and fast progressing which leads an invitation on a well established annual girls trip. The friendship turns to more and the girls find themselves with a dead body on their hands. But who was the true killer? And what was the real intention behind the murder?

I wanted to love this book and the plot itself has a lot of potential. Unfortunately the story was just too slow and the first 50% had me question whether I had accidentally picked up a romance instead of a thriller. I needed more of the twisty deceit from the girls that we see in the very final few chapters.

Interestingly this book used both first and third person for different character perspectives which was different. There are a few editorial errors which will hopefully be ironed out before publication.

Overall the book had potential and was an easy read but didn’t have me on the edge of my seat. A good poolside read.

I struggled a little with this one, and it didn't really keep my attention if I'm honest. It was an unusual story, but I just couldn't engage with it. I did persevere right to the end, but it wasn't really for me.

A new arrival on the Scandi-London scene has Charlotte, the famous Viking Keto Queen all in a fluster. Trapped in a sexless marriage and starved of affection, Charlotte finds herself enthralled with Bianka but is she really the perfect housewife & step-mum?

Their intense friendship steps up another level when Bianka is invited to Charlotte's annual girl's trip to her holiday home in Ibiza. However, the relationship heads in another direction when they are swept up in the Ibiza hedonism. Sex, drugs, carbs and murder are on this holiday's agenda.

I enjoy a gripping thriller but found the 1st 50% of this novel was scene setting and character building. When the story kicks up a gear I was hooked! However it lost it again with the most ridiculous of endings. It could have been so good so I am left disappointed.

I was excited to read this book, thank you NetGalley and the publishers for approving me. Unfortunately for me it just didn’t wow me. It’s a quick easy read. It started off a bit too slow for me, but then from the point they go on their girls trip it really picks up pace and I did speed through it. It was just a bit predictable for me, I guessed most of the links and twists and could see what was coming. I liked the stories being told from different points of view and they were interesting characters, if you want a simple easy read then it’s worthwhile giving it a go.

Thank you NetGalley and Head of Zeus for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I love twisty stories about obsession and jealousy, so I went into this book eagerly. The cover was compelling, the cold open was well written and acted as an excellent hook, but unfortunately the rest of the book didn't hold up for me.

I struggled with the pacing — the first half of the book was incredibly slow, but the most important peaks and crescendos of the narrative felt rushed, with the pacing getting worse and more rushed as the book progressed, leaving the ending feeling unsatisfying.

The plot itself — though at times a little far-fetched — was intelligent, with fleshed-out characters and dynamics, but the execution of writing around the said plot felt underbaked; there was a lot of telling rather than showing, with the author using a lot of quite lazy matter-of-fact prose to fill in all the narrative gaps.

I did like the characters and the author had clearly put some thought into the storyline; I really liked Storm's POV and how that added tension to the story in a clever way because it was a little distanced from the other perspectives in the book (Charlotte and Bianka), allowing the reader to fill in some of the gaps themselves. I wish more of the book had been like this.

TLDR: nice cover, good plot idea, poor execution

After loving Cabin Fever by this author I instantly knew I had to pick up their new release. However, I was slightly disappointed. It is definitely a slow mystery and deals with a lot of rich people drama (which is great) but I just didn’t love this book unfortunately, nothing really stood out. I will still read other books by this author but wouldn’t recommend this one if you’re looking for a fast thriller

This book was zingy. It kept my mind wondering what was going to happen. It was modern and captivating. The 'girl friends' were interesting characters and the author was witty and funny as well as serious too.
It did go a little bit silly and far fetched when things went slightly wrong and that kind of spoiled it but the twists that happened after the event made the book well worth reading to the end.
The good thing about it was that the main characters got closer and the stories ended so no cliff hangers or disillusions.

I couldn’t really get into this.
Yes the characters are intriguing with the whole random backgrounds. One character being the ‘Keto Queen’ and another who seems to be well known in Norway.
Plus, the entire plot sounds promising. But there was something about it that just did not click.
Also, it wasn’t consistent in how it was written. For example, the character Charlotte was written in first person, mostly. Whereas Bianca and Storms were written in third person - mostly.
I just couldn’t connect with the characters at all and found it to be slow paced.
It did have a promising plot though.

Charlotte, Anette and Linda have been friends for years but there’s a newcomer in the group as they head away for a girls trip to Ibiza.

I really really wanted to like this book. I loved the premise and the opening prologue, I largely enjoyed the plot and the setting but I just couldn’t form any engagement with the characters.

It was fairly obvious from the off that Charlotte would fall for Bianka in some way. I was unsurprised at Bianka’s link to Mia’s untimely death and it did go some way to explaining why some of the chapters were written from Storm’s perspective. I found Storm and Madeleine’s relationship a bit contrived, it served a purpose in the plot though. The whole final chapter though… wtf 🤯 Charlotte’s character literally completely changes in a few pages, and in a wholly unbelievable way.

An overall enjoyable and easy read but not one that I would come back to. Wouldn’t put me off the author and I look forward to reading others by Alex Dahl.

This book was a little tough to get going, and I felt a large chunk of the novel was just filler and unnecessary to the plot, It was a good book just not as exciting or thrilling as I thought it was going to be,

Thanks to NetGalley, Alex Dahl and Head of Zeus for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Without giving too many spoilers away, the book is set in London and is centred around the Scandi community that lives in Wimbledon. It focuses on Charlotte and Bianka and their obsessive relationship/friendship with each other.

There are themes and topics of friendship, strained marriages, and identity in this book as well as obsession and some dark, twisted characters. Though the book starts well with an intriguing prologue and the air of a twisty thriller, I found the story a little unbelievable at times and found myself skimming through the superficial world of these characters. I unfortunately found that I didn’t really care about some of the characters enough due to their toxic flaws and behaviours.

An easy summer read for 2024 - I have rated this with 3.5 stars and I’m sure fans of Alex Dahl will love it.

In Girl Friends by Alex Dahl, readers are taken on a thrilling journey to Ibiza with Charlotte and Bianka, exploring the complexities of their friendship that transcends boundaries. The dual point of view adds depth to the narrative, keeping readers captivated as secrets unravel and marriages are put at risk. Dahl skillfully weaves a tale of hidden desires and the consequences of crossing forbidden lines. As a queer thriller, the book offers a unique perspective, keeping readers engaged with its unexpected twists and turns. While some readers may have desired a faster-paced plot, Dahl's strong characterisation and compelling storytelling make this a compelling read. With its intriguing plot twists and well-developed characters, Girl Friends is a must-read for anyone seeking a thrilling tale of love, secrets, and the complexities of relationships. Available in April 2024, this book promises an immersive experience that will leave readers eagerly turning the pages.

3.5 stars rounded down (pls give us half star ratings)

started slow but the little prequel scene ??? obsessed. drew me into the plot soooo much. didn’t even mind it being slow because i was so invested to find out what happened. like actually DESPERATE to understand what was going on.

AND THEN ??? the depiction of that weird kind of intense toxic friendships you have as a sapphic woman sometimes??? so good. SOOOOOO GOOD. especially charlotte not knowing what was going on and never having considered being attracted to a woman before. it felt so raw and so real and i connected so much with the characters because of it.

speaking of the characters, hated every single one of them. they all SUCKED. and i LOVE a book full of characters who suck.

now for the problems. was it not obvious to us all that bianka killed mia from like the moment she was mentioned. and it was dragged out weirdly but then the evidence that storm and emil had when they DID jump to that conclusion still felt very lacking and there was NO exploration of that at all? i felt like i wanted more from that storyline and of the absolute horror of emil discovering this and realising he’s repressed this knowledge (because that’s what it felt like he had been doing)

ending was a shocker but like not really in a good way ?? all felt super out of character for charlotte and i get she had changed because of what happened but it seemed like a LOT of change all at once.

side note what was the point in us finding out what happened to her mother when it had zero consequences for anything i was waiting for something important to happpen around that but then it simply didn’t

overall definitely enjoyable and i will be recommending it but the ending was disappointing/confusing. read this on holiday in one sitting and i think that was the perfect way to experience it

A bit of a slow start , it took me a while to get into the story . Once the girls went on holiday I found it piqued my interest. An easy read and enjoyable over all

I've enjoyed the other books I've read by Alex Dahl. This one did feel slower than I hoped and I found it harder to get into.