What a fantastic book. The writing is beautiful, the characters hook you in and keep you rooted. I had my mouth open through most of it, unsure which was it was going to end! Great pacing, the unreliable narrator was interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed!

I am a sucker for books about toxic female friendships! Something about them just draws me in completely.

Bess, Joni and Evangeline were best friends once. At a time where their lives were about to take completely different directions as they each headed off to their respective colleges, they decided to spend one last summer together. Ten weeks in Greece. It’s a long time to spend together and tensions soon become apparent, cracks irreparably forming between the girls. And then one night, after too much alcohol and a serious argument, Evangeline dies. And Bess and Joni’s lives change forever.

Ten years on, having being cleared of having any involvement in Evangeline’s death but still feeling the effects of the aftermath, Bess and Joni’s lives have taken different paths. Bess is hiding and Joni is very much in the limelight. They don’t speak, not until Joni knocks on Bess’ door in need of an alibi. And so the toxicity of their ‘friendship’ rears its ugly head once more, as they become once again embroiled in scandal.

I much preferred the flashback to the summer ten years ago chapters to the present day chapters, because I found the events to be more interesting. I wasn’t really interested in the whole Willa storyline, I was much more invested in how Evangeline died and what led up to it. Because I wasn’t as bothered about the present day parts, I found myself willing the book to be over towards the end 🙈 None of the characters were particularly likeable and I always find it hard to connect when that is the case. I did warm to Bess a bit more towards the end though!

I also felt that there was a lot of waffle…almost that the author was trying very, very hard to be deep and meaningful but to the point where it got lost in all the words. There were multiple times I had to reread in confusion because it was just so wordy! A decent enough read but definitely not my favourite from this genre.

I adored this cover so just had to pick it up and it did not disappoint!!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

A good read. Was quite slow at the beginning but picked up pace half way through many twists and turns. Would recommend

I absolutely loved this, particularly the earlier time line. Kept me guessing throughout and was very well written.

Before We Were Innocent has been all over Bookstagram and was a Reese’s Book Club choice for December 2023. It has definitely been a love it or hate it read. And I loved it.

The characters are interesting and complex and there are elements of the story that everyone can relate to. Joni, Bess and Evangeline have complex and mutually dependent friendship. As high school seniors, they are both arrogant and insecure; they are confident in themselves and trying too hard to impress. As they embark in their separate journeys and head off to university there is a sense that this time of their lives is both an ending and a beginning leaving then all excited and scared in equal parts.

The trip to Greece should be a final summer of fun in the sun. But Evangeline’s family villa is on a quiet island and there is little for the girls to do. As Evangeline romanticises her childhood and tries to recreate memories, Joni and Bess become increasingly bored and restless. The fractures between the girls widen. And then Evangeline dies.

The narrative is split between the present, where Bess and Joni are adults living separate lives. They haven’t spoken since the trial where they were found not guilty of Evangeline’s death. While Bess has isolated herself and hides away, while Joni is now a celebrity embroiled in a new drama. When Joni’s girlfriend goes missing, and she comes to Bess for help, the past is brought back to the present.

As well as the mystery of what really happened in Greece and the different stories of the past, the book explores the complex relationships between these women that are forever connected to each other.despite being adults, they fall into the familiar patterns and lies of their teenage friendship and have to examine the impact this has on them.

Bess goes on a real journey of self-discovery as she finds out things that she had not known or had forgotten from the past. The years she has spent avoiding the past and punishing herself have not brought her peace. Joni is charismatic but untrustworthy, she will do anything to protect herself, and I was always willing Bess not to be so trusting.

I found this book utterly compelling. The scenes in Greece were particularly evocative and I felt the restlessness and spitefulness of the girls grow as the summer wore on. The sense of foreboding grows and despite knowing that you are heading to disaster, I was still hoping it could be avoided.

Thank you to NetGalley for my gifted digital copy of Before We Were Innocent. A great read.

Before We Were Innocent is a dual timeline story, splitting between the summers of 2008 and 2018. In 2008, Bess, Evangeline and Joni head to Greece for the summer of their lives- until Evangeline’s tragic death stops it short. Back in 2018, Joni and Bess are still dealing with the loss in their own ways.

I’ll start off by saying that I did enjoy this book, but it didn’t quite feel like enough for me. It wasn’t exactly a thriller but a story of friendship and mystery, and I was hoping for more gasps than it delivered.

One thing I have a habit of doing with dual timelines, is choosing one I prefer and wishing the whole book was set in that story. For this novel, I didn’t have that so much as I felt like each timeline had its own parts to keep them interesting. Although, in the beginning I was more drawn to the 2008 timeline.

Although I hoped for something a bit more gritty with this book, I did still enjoy it and particularly found that bouncing between timelines did help give it more depth.

I enjoyed the start of the book, but found my interest waning, I’ve heard so many good things, I will retry reading at a later date

A fresh new writing style than I’m used to and I just loved it. Completely engrossing story and I didn’t want it to end!

Three girls go to Greece to spend the summer but only two return … This is a story of toxic friendships and how girls can treat each other. It goes between 2008 at the time of the summer in Greece and then 2018 where Joni comes back to ask Bess for help.

I found this interesting and enjoy books that go between the past and the present and how they link together. I found it easy to read and felt like I could follow the storyline. I did feel it maybe didn’t have as much of an impact on me as I thought? I thought there might have been a big twist or something that would shock me but it didn’t - which is fine!

I also liked the theme of female friendship and just how tricky and toxic they can be. It highlighted that you may think you know someone when you actually don’t!

Wow what an amazing story, I couldn't stop reading it as was dying to know what was going to happen next! Would definitely recommend!!

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc of this book!

Three best friends travel to Greece for their final summer together before they go to College. Tragedy happens, and one of them dies from falling off a cliff. Joni and Bess part ways after they’ve been cleared of any involvement in Evangeline’s death, but 10 years later Joni turns up on Bess’ doorstep. Joni needs a favour, and after all these years Bess knows she has to pay her friend back. But can you ever leave the past behind, when the whole world believes you’re guilty?

I thought this was a thriller when I first picked it up, but it turns out that it’s more of a character driven drama about toxic female relationships. I surprisingly enjoyed this book! I was disappointed with how long it was and found myself constantly checking how long I had left on my kindle, hoping it would soon be over. It took a while to get into the story but I liked how it made me guessing what happened and kept me reading to really find out the truth. Oh to be 18 again and think you have the whole world at your feet!

Definitely recommend if you’re into character driven stories with toxic female friendships!

This novel follows Bess and Joni, who's lives are turned upside down the summer before college when they go to Greece with their best friend Evangeline. This close-knit friend group have an explosive summer together, testing the bonds of their friendship, and this results in the death of Evangeline. The book alternates between the present day timeline (2018), which is ten years after the death of Evangeline, and flashing back to 2008 to allow the reader to piece together what actually happened.

Bess is our narrator, and in the 2018 timeline she is hiding away after everything that happened. Her and Joni were originally arrested for Evangeline's death, and after being released she is dealing with the effects of the media coverage, and wanting to just evade all attention by hiding away. Joni has taken the completely opposite approach, and is using their story to build a name for herself, and is actually just about to publish a book about their experience. However, one day out of the blue, Joni turns up on Bess's doorstep, and the friend's are thrust back into each other's lives.

I really enjoyed this book, as I felt the level of intrigue throughout was extremely high. You never really knew the full truth about what had happened or who to trust, as Bess is quite a biased narrator, so we are only really seeing things through her point of view. I really liked her brother Stephen, as he seemed to be fighting her corner for her even without her realising, and was just genuinely there for her. I also really liked Theo's character, Evangeline's brother, and I wish we got to see more about him.

I think the book worked for me because I was equally intrigued by both timelines. Initially, I found the 2008 timeline more interesting, because that's where you're finding out about the death and everything that happened, but also just about the friendship dynamics and drama's that existed between these girls. However, the 2018 narrative also had its driving force behind it too, and so when it would switch timelines, I was still enjoying the plot, and it got to the point where later in the book I was more interested in the 2018 timeline.

I would definitely be interested to see what else Ella Berman puts out, as I did really enjoy this. I could definitely see how this isn't for everyone, as the main two characters of Bess and Joni aren't the most likeable people and the book can be slow at times, but I think that was part of why I really liked it, because it added to the mystery and the uneasiness of the story.

The story of 3 girls who go on holiday as teens and the consequences of their actions, the story is told both in the past and present state….gripping and interesting read

Before We Were Innocent is the story of “three perfectly imperfect” women and the general public's obsession with young women at the centre of a scandal.

Told over a duel timeline but only from the point of view of one pivotal character, the story focuses on the media frenzy around a salacious crime to which an uber-rich influencer may be connected.

Now, this influencer, Joni, has a history, one that draws extra heavy media attention with a guilty-until proven-innocent vibe.

Ten years earlier, three friends, Joni, Bess and Evangeline, spent a dream summer in Greece, soaking up the sun and enjoying frivolity and freedom before heading to university.

But when Evangeline tumbles to her death, Joni and Bess are thrown into the limelight, and their every action is under scrutiny. Just teens having fun or debauched heathens intent on causing their “angelic” friend harm? Well, it depends on who you're asking.

After a Greek police investigation and a spell in a grim prison, Joni and Bess are released home, but their ‘crimes’ are never far from their mind or those around them.

Joni and Bess take different paths in life. Bess wants nothing more than to escape from everything; she lives the most basic and isolated life possible. Joni meanwhile embraces the spotlight focused on the worst moment of her life and becomes an influential motivational speaker.

But when Joni becomes embroiled in another similar situation when her girlfriend goes missing, she cashes in on the knowledge that Bess still feels indebted for the ‘backup’ in Greece.

This reunion is not a comfortable companionship, and Bess is forced to reconsider her memories of events gone by, no matter how emotionally uncomfortable that will be.

There's a hefty dose of true crime style to the narrative, which lends a haunting realism to this fictional story.

The depictions of these three women was very cleverly done, particularly the story of Evangeline, the person, rather than the idealised public image of a victim that she became following her death.

However, despite plenty of twists and turns, the narrative did feel rather protracted in places, and I sensed my attention wavering. But then the tension would build again, and I'd be rapt.

Behind the crime mystery, there's also a spotlight on the complicated nature of power, friendship dynamics, consent and how we deal with traumatic memories.

3.5⭐

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy; as always, this is an honest review.

I couldn’t put this book down. I thought it was going to be more murder mystery than it was but it was more of a nostalgic drama. I really loved it and stayed up way too late to read it. Definitely recommend.

I would like to express my gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher for generously offering me the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book. It is an honor to have access to this material before its official release and I am excited to delve into its pages and provide my honest feedback.

This was the perfect poolside read for me , I love reading books set in holiday places whilst on holiday!
The book opens in 2018 where we meet our characters 10 years after said incident on a Greek island . We then get transported back to 2008 to see events unfolding . I’ll admit that I was expecting more of a mystery / thriller element to the book , it’s not a page turner by any means but it is a GREAT coming of age story and one about toxic friendships . The story is nothing overly original but it’s one I enjoyed and will be keen to pick up more of the authors work .

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a gripping storyline that really triggered some serious questions related to everyday life. Would definitely recommend.