Rating: 4.5 Stars

Samantha Tonge’s When We Were Friends is a heartwarming tale of love, friendship and sisterhood that will strike a chord with readers everywhere.

Morgan, Paige, Emily and Tiff had once been the best of friends – until something happened nineteen years ago that had decimated their tight-knit bond. They haven’t spoken to each other in almost two decades, but with Morgan’s son wanting to know who his dad was, Morgan realises that the only people who can help her track the man who fathered her child down are the friends she had severed all ties with all those years ago.

Will Morgan manage to convince her former friends to embark on a journey with her to track down her son’s father? As adults with their own duties and responsibilities, will the four women manage to put the past to bed and work closely together to find this man who had disappeared before Morgan could tell him that she was pregnant with his baby?

As walls begin to come down and broken relationships repaired, will these four women stay in each other’s lives now that they’ve found one another again? Or will an unexpected twist of fate leave them all with no other option but to each go their separate ways?

Samantha Tonge’s When We Were Friends is an emotional, involving and heartfelt tale about forgiveness, redemption, renewal and healing that will make you laugh and cry. Written with compassion, understanding and humour, When We Were Friends is an astute, compelling and engrossing page-turner Cathy Kelly fans are sure to thoroughly enjoy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy When We Were Friends by Samantha Tonge in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This was a fantastic read that was about friendship and who doesn't love a book like this? I found it to be a quick, sweet read and will for sure read more by Samantha Tonge in the future.

this is a lovely heart warming book to read about 4 friends who fell out on proms night over one guy who used them all further in there lives when they are adults one friend needs a reunion with them all and this is were the story unfolds and is a good read from start to finish

This was a funny and a quick read that I actually I enjoyed more than I thought I would.
The story is well written and the characters oh my they were so good and felt like people I could find out in the real world. Thanks for the difference between the characters it had a little vibe of Sex and the City.

This was my first time reading anything by this author and it won't be my last because this one was a good one.

Great story of girls who were amazing friends at School and in a special group but all that was ruined by the actions of one boy. Years later when one of the girls feels the need for her son to know who his father is untold secrets come out! I literally did not see the identity of the father coming and I'm normally quite good at working out whats going to happen. The friends are brought back together and then pushed apart again as yet another unexpected twist happens. Great, easy read and would highly recommend

a fun easy read about friendships and relationships, i liked the authors way of writing and its was a great read

Beautiful and em0tional, funny and engaging, written with grace and captivated me early on. A recommended 5 star read.

Absolutely loved this book. The four main characters were so completely different but also worked so well together. This isn’t my first book by this author and it definitely won’t be my last. Reading this has made me want to visit the places in the story. Highly recommend

If you like uplifting and heartwarming reads which make you feel a range of emotions then your next read has to be When We Were Friends. It's an emotive look at friendships throughout life and how they grow and change and how it affects our lives.

I had tried another of the author's works before and decided to give another one a shot. Four teenage friends were inseparable before a monumental event had them all turn against each other. All four get a turn narrating their own thoughts in this book because it is vital for us to have a complete picture.
In high school, the four used their individual specialities to figure things out for others. They fancied themselves detectives, and when one of the people they ended up figuring things about collects enough to drive them all apart.
Now, eighteen years later, one of them needs help to find this villain again. They end up taking a trip abroad, and each of their personal wishes about what they want out of their group outings are different.
I found the one main twist surprising, and that is the main reason I found myself reading all the way through. The author managed to justify the situation and lay out the events that followed in a very believable fashion.
Time is not kind to almost all the people we encounter in the narrative, and they all try to do their best with what they have.
It is a multi-cast narrative that focuses entirely on how different each person is from the other and how that difference is why they work well together.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Was a good mystery as well as an interesting examination of what friendship is about. Entertaining, and allows you to identify with the characters.

Morgan, Paige, Emily, and Tiff are forced to confront their past when Morgan's son expresses a desire to meet his father. The four friends, who haven't spoken in nineteen years, must come together to track down the man who disappeared before Morgan could tell him she was pregnant. As they embark on a road trip to solve the mystery, they must navigate their own personal challenges and confront the secrets that tore them apart. "This is a compelling tale of friendship, forgiveness, and the power of second chances.

In "When We Were Friends," Samantha Tonge masterfully crafts a touching tale of friendship, forgiveness, and the enduring ties that bind us. Morgan, Paige, Emily, and Tiff reunite after nearly two decades apart to embark on a road trip, confronting past secrets and present challenges along the way. Through alternating perspectives, the novel delves into the complexities of their relationships and the transformative power of forgiveness. With richly drawn characters and an emotionally resonant storyline, "When We Were Friends" is a captivating read that celebrates the enduring power of love and the importance of cherishing those who know us best.

In their school days, Morgan, Paige, Emily, and Tiff formed a close-knit group called the Secret Gift Society, using their "superpowers" to stand up to bullies and help others. However, their friendship fractured on prom night due to a boy's betrayal, leading to nineteen years of estrangement. Now, Morgan, a single mother, seeks their help as her son prepares for university and wants to know more about his father. Reuniting proves challenging as they confront their pasts, secrets, and unresolved issues. As their individual stories unfold, the complexity of their characters, unexpected twists, and emotional depth captivate readers, making this book impossible to forget.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Really great book with enjoyable and relatable characters.

Loved this!! This book was so good! All the emotions that I went through with them! I lived the witty banter from and between the characters. This was a great book!!
I just reviewed When We Were Friends by Samantha Tonge. #WhenWeWereFriends #NetGalley
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This was realistic and characters you can relate to. My first book by this author and it wont be my last. I loved the journey and couldnt stop turning the pages.

I requested this book expecting a romance story but it was more like a women's fiction, so that part really took me off a bit, but is not a bad story and the characters really have their archs well established

I had to DNF this book.

The context of a man manipulating a group of women through sex, and breaking up their friendship just didn’t sit right.

I tried to power me through as the reviews looked amazing but I made it 35% and just couldnt finish.

Writing was great, just not the book for me. I’m sorry.

Morgan, Paige, Emily, and Tiff were once inseparable best friends until a night of revelations and conflict at their Prom tore them apart. Hugo Black's shocking secrets sparked a heated argument, leading to the dissolution of their friendship, and they went their separate ways without speaking again.

Eighteen years later, Morgan takes a bold step by reaching out in the high school newsletter, seeking to reconnect with her long-lost friends. Her urgent quest is driven by the need to find the father of her 18-year-old son, Olly. Kept a secret all these years, Olly is now seeking answers, and Morgan believes her friends may hold the key. Can the four friends reunite and embark on a journey to track down the elusive father and unravel the mysteries of the past?

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.