Unfortunately I didn't really enjoy this book. I found it hard to get into and found myself struggling to get through it. I found it jarring that Bianka and Storm's chapters were written in third person but Charlotte's were from first person perspective.
There were also some continuity errors, in one chapter Bianka comments that she lost her sunglasses and a few pages later she takes her sunglasses off. I think the twist worked and it was interesting but at the end I would've also liked a synopsis of what happened with Storm and Emil.

The pacing just wasn't it for me. I really struggled to get through the writing and the dialogue was something I also stuggled with.

Definitely mixed feelings on Alex Dahl’s thriller Girl Friends.

The story surrounds Charlotte (the Scandinavian Keto Queen, resident in London, Ibiza summer home owner) and Bianka very recently arrived from Oslo now resident in London with her husband (Charlotte’s husband’s boss) and step son Storm. The two form an intense relationship which quickly spiral in Ibiza when Bianka joints Charlotte and her friends for their annual week in Ibiza.

Classic thriller stuff. Told from the perspectives of Charlotte, Bianka and Storm. But the story was very strangely paced, some parts with great writing a few parts cringe-worthy and with a finish that doesn’t do the rest of the story justice.

A solid 3.5 star book (rounded up because it’s way better than a 3 star read).

Thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

A bit of a slow start to this one and it took me a while to get into it. I didn't think the characters were very realistic and a bit one dimensional. Definitely picked up once they went on holiday though.
An easy ready and good fun

A seemingly innocent friendship leads to so much more and the back story of the protagonist unfolds and revels dark secrets which unleash deadly consequences.

I liked the unravelling of the story and how you thought you knew what would happen next which then didn't.
A good but disturbing read.

This is a wild ride, if sometimes far fetched.
When Bianka moves from Oslo to London, she becomes part of a Scandi set of wives in Wimbledon. One of them fascinates her more than any other, and she gets herself invited on a girls' holiday in Ibiza.
This being Ibiza, things do get a bit wild and hedonistic,
The characters are great, and the story of Bianka's stepson Storm, who stayed behind in Norway, adds another more sensible layer to an interesting story.
I really cared, and wanted to know what happened to people.
My only regret is that the men are very much background dressing, I would have liked to see more of their reaction to the women.

This was such a great read- finished in 3 days. Had a good mix of drama, intrigue and unsuspecting spice!

📖REVIEW📖
Title: Girl Friends
Author: Alex Dahl
Genre: Thriller
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

📖Synopsis:
You think you met her by chance. You're wrong.

Charlotte has it all: the successful career, the loving family. But, secretly, she is dangerously bored of her rigid and structured life.

Bianka is a free spirit, always the life and soul. When she and Charlotte meet, it feels like fate – Bianka is exactly the person that Charlotte needs.

When they escape to Ibiza for a girls' trip, home is soon forgotten. Charlotte dives head first into a life that is looser, wilder. But the holiday soon spirals out of control with fatal consequences – someone doesn't return home.

📖Review: 3.5⭐️s ARC
So I’ve just read a couple of romances so this was perfect for a bit of a change. Kept me on the edge of my toes and found the characters were easy to get into and emphasise with. Maybe it’s the whole perfect lives on the outside but going to shit inside thing but I do enjoy that. Read it in one day!

🗓️Release date 11th April 2024

*please note I received this ARC for free via NetGalley and independently decided to submit an honest review*

#GirlFriends #NetGalley
When Charlotte and Bianka meet, they quickly become inseparable. Wanting to bring fresh energy into her life, Charlotte invites Bianka on her annual girl’s trip to Ibiza with her childhood friends.
They arrive wanting to break the routine, to escape the monotony of everyday life. To drink too much, to flirt with strangers, to live life dangerously. To take things too far. No one could have planned for just how far these women were willing to go... Or how spectacularly this trip will ricochet through their lives back home. They say that what happens in Ibiza, stays in Ibiza - if only that were the case..
It was fun.
Thanks to NetGalley and Head Of Zeus for giving me an advance copy.

With many thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily

This starts of at fairly slow pace and at times it doesn’t feel like it’s going anywhere. But it’s worth sticking with as the book does start to come together in the last third and I did like the ending. The author does a great job of describing her leading characters and their toxic relationship. Not so much a thriller but more of a book about obsession with deadly consequences. Enjoyable 3.5⭐️read

I really wanted to like this book, the description had me hooked and I was really intrigued. Unfortunately I found the main characters utterly unlikeable (other than the teenagers) and the writing style really threw me off with the switches between third person and first person.

Alex Dahl is clearly a talented author but this novel was unfortunately just not for me, and I did not finish sadly.

Girls trip. Who doesnt love a story about a girls trip. I had such high expectations for this one as I loved the plot. It was just too slow for me.

This was a very fast paced thriller that read almost like a movie, A gripping thriller that had me on the edge of my seat.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

I have recently started reading books by this author more and more and this again was a very enjoyable read for me with plenty of twists and turns throughout the book.

This book feels very present with its reference to influnencers and the 'cancel culture'. There are hedonistic elements, themes of friendship and of course lots of secrets ready to emerge. Interesting, not necessarily particularly gripping but a good beachy read.

Girl Friends by Alex Dahl.
Rules for the girls’ trip:
1) No kids
2) Out-of-office on
3) Keep the drinks flowing
4) DON’T TELL ANYONE WHAT WE’VE DONE
When Charlotte and Bianka meet, they quickly become inseparable. Wanting to bring fresh energy into her life, Charlotte invites Bianka on her annual girl’s trip to Ibiza with her childhood friends. They arrive wanting to break the routine, to escape the monotony of everyday life. To drink too much, to flirt with strangers, to live life dangerously. To take things too far. No one could have planned for just how far these women were willing to go... Or how spectacularly this trip will ricochet through their lives back home. They say that what happens in Ibiza, stays in Ibiza - if only that were the case...
I really enjoyed this book. Gripping and twisty. I don't know how I felt about Charlotte. 4*.

An interesting and intense thriller that shows us what obsession looks like and how it can be deadly.

Loved the settings, London, Oslo and Ibiza - the author gave such vivid descriptions I felt like I was in each place.

Both main female characters show manipulation and it’s wasn’t easy to tell who was reliable or not.

Would recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.
This is my first title by this author and will read more in the future.
Will recommend this to anyone looking for a thriller.
Thanks again for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Wow what a book thank you ever so much for the opportunity to review.
I could not put it down.
5/5

I enjoyed reading this book after it started off slow, the twists and turns were great and the ending was brilliant and unexpected you didn’t see coming. The characters were really good, the story itself was very enjoyable and the style of writing was perfect. I have read many books by this author and have loved every one so I’ll be keeping my eye out for more in the future. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading this genre.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

A vivid setting, well thought out characters and a storyline that grips you, makes this the perfect reading material when you need to take a break. Loved it.