1.8 "thank heavens it was short short" stars !!

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for an ecopy. This is released today Oct 1, 2024.
I am providing an honest review.

Very good popular fiction prose of 3.5 to 4 star quality !!

A very boring, moderately cliche and mildly insipid story of two very needy and somewhat horrible women over-bonding with hurt and betrayal. Whatever !

You better believe I skimmed this one !

I didn’t particularly care for the characters and though the overall message is a nice one, I found myself a bit bored unfortunately.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
When We Were Friends releases October 1, 2024

Lucy is a recent divorcee and is uninterested in getting back into the dating scene.
While out at a bar with a group of newly divorced women, Lucy meets Elle, and they become fast friends after realizing they share an uncanny amount of things in common.

Is their long lost friendship too good to be true? Will ending her friendship with Elle prove to be more heartbreaking than her divorce?

I honestly thought the twist with Elle would’ve been more manipulative than it was.
From early on in the story, I wasn’t fond of how Lucy so easily discarded her actual best friend, Sally, for a younger and more lively woman, yet had no problems crawling back to Sally when everything fell apart with Elle.
Lucy being mad that Elle didn’t treat her right, yet not treating Sally right either was such a double standard that made me not care about her self-realizations which took place a year later.

I find it hard to believe that Lucy didn’t pick up on any context clues about her ex-husband’s new woman even though her 12-year-old daughter spent half her time living with him.

Bonus points for wanting to gouge my eyes out at the Kelce/Swift insert!!! Why is it impossible to escape her, even in a random 44-paged short story?! I hate it here.

It’s funny how things find their way into your life when needed most. This forty four page short story packs a punch so big and efficiently, it could be made into a movie (hint, hint). The whirlwind friendship between Lucy and Elle is amazing, heartwarming, and jaw dropping. It’s betrayal at its best - or worst - depending how you look at it. I’ve been on the receiving end of this scenario and could feel Lucy’s pain. It’s often said people come into our lives for a reason or a season and this story drives that phrase home. I’m impressed how the author packed so many emotions into so few words. The ending is fantastic, enlightening, and empowering. Put on your seatbelt and read this book.

Wow. Such a powerful story about friendship, listening to your inner voice, and staying true to yourself. Jane Green managed to write a beautiful short story encompassing the details of a very important life lesson while engaging the readers attention with captivating characters and an intriguing narrative. I absolutely adore this author and I've loved every book of hers that I've read. This story is another hit for me and a must read for anyone that enjoys books about the human connection.

I love Jane Green and I love short stories so this was a win win for me. I loved this story about a divorced woman who falls into a fast and intense friendship and things goes sideways . I love how it was such a short story but the characters were so well-developed and the details so perfectly crafted. I felt so attached to and protective of the protagonist in such a short time. I love how I didn’t see the twist coming. I want more!

I will read anything Jane Green writes, and I was super excited to spend time with this clever short story.

Lucy is recently divorced, but unlike the other divorcees in her circle, she’s not looking to get back into a relationship right away. She finally meets Elle, and they become fast friends. It’s almost too good to be true how close they become. It turns out Elle may not be at all who she seems.

In a mere 44 pages, Jane Green has delivered an all-consuming story full of emotion. Wait until the ending!

I received a gifted copy.

Jane Green, the queen of chick-lit, has packed so many emotions and feelings into her new short story.

Lucy is a forty-something-year-old trying to navigate friendship as a divorced mom. She has a handful of friends but longs for that “one” close friend to share daily life with.

As if conjured up, Lucy meets young, energetic Elle. Despite the age difference, they immediately hit it off, making a connection they both seem to desire desperately.

This short but relatable story draws you in quickly. But soon, it becomes a beautifully complex and somewhat painful picture of the dynamics of relationships, of people, really.

This hit close to home. Maybe because as I get older, through life changes, I’ve desired that close, intimate connection with a friend. And yes, I understand the pain and betrayal of those you let into your life. Yet, the story is so insightful, a bright reminder that we tend to look to others for validation - it’s time we look inside ourselves.

Available October 1st

A story of friendship, betrayal and self discovery all wrapped up in under fifty pages.
Lucy and Elle meet in a restroom and instantly become friends. Lucy is recently divorced and is happy to have found a best friend in Elle. They talk daily and Lucy confides many things to Elle. The underlying current is that this is a toxic friendship and you know and expect something is going to happen. I did not expect that twist. Beautifully written, perfect pace and so good.

A quick short story about relationships and how often they form who we are and who we become, good and bad. Lucy is newly divorced and gets talked into a girls night out, where she meets Elle. They quickly become friends after realizing all of the common interests they have. Even though Elle is a bit younger, Lucy feels comfortable with her and as best friends often do, they talk every day and share everything until after Lucy invites Elle to a dinner party. She becomes distant and acts a little odd with her comments. Lucy is hurt and unsure what happened and how things could change so quickly. But when she runs into Elle one night stopping to pick up dinner, a shocking discovery is made and Lucy can’t believe what she just found it. Feeling like she is getting divorced all over again, she seeks out a therapist and as she digests all that happened, she realizes that she is finally finding herself. People often come into our lives for a reason and some of those relationships stay for life and others were meant to teach us a lesson. I enjoy this quick short read! Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the complementary ebook. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

I have been a fan of this author for quite awhile and I could not wait to dive into this short story!

Lucy has recently divorced from her husband and she is struggling to get “back out there”. She finds herself in a bar one night with a bunch of divorced friends. She quickly realizes this is not her scene. But she does end up meeting a young woman named Elle. These two hit it off…until…

Talk about a quick and lightening fast read! There are a lot of items packed into these 44 pages and I enjoyed every minute!

Lucy and Elle are fast friends and I enjoyed their camaraderie. Lucy even wants to work with Elle on a new children’s book she is wanting to publish. Then it all falls apart…and you will need to read this to find out how and why!!

Need a quick story which will have your emotions at a max! …THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this short story from the author for a honest review.

“When We Were Friends: A Short Story” by Jane Green, is thought-provoking, intriguing, and heartfelt. In this well-written and enjoyable story the author vividly describes the dramatic and colorful characters as complex and complicated. Lucy is a recently divorced mom of a young daughter, who enjoys her job, gardening, and the simple pleasures in her home. One evening, Lucy goes out, where both single women and men do. She retreats to the lady room, when she meets a younger woman, Elle. The two bond and form what appears is an amazingly close friendship. Lucy isn’t aware of certain red flags that are warnings. There are secrets, betrayals and disappointments. I appreciate that the author discusses the importance of friends, family, honesty, communication, love and hope. Lucy feels she has found both growth and herself. I highly recommend this memorable story for others.

WHEN WE WERE FRIENDS: A Short Story
By Jane Green

When We Were Friends by Jane Green is a short story / novella that I went in blind. I have been a fan of Green’s books for years now, so I am excited to jump into these Amazon Original Stories.

I found the writing immersive and quite addicting, and how Jane Green developed the characters with that atmospheric vibe was exceptional. I found it thrilling to read right from the very beginning where the insta- friendship and the immediate connection started, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop and did it ever!

I cannot wait to read more of these stories.

Really enjoyed breaking up the monotony and diving into a short story! “When we were friends” was just that, short, sweet and to the point. A fast and full friendship between Lucy and Elle leaving you with a few rules of thumb and “what would you do”.

It was entertaining and I appreciated how things moved along quickly. A divorced Lucy met Elle by chance one night and their friendship evolved very quickly but then a twist and a surprise.

A page turner for me. I did want a bit more at the end with Elle, but for what it’s worth I get that it needed to be wrapped up for a short story.

I would say YES for a quick read, something fast paced and enjoyable.

Who would’ve thought you could get a full fledge book on only 44 pages. I got as much out of these 44 pages as I typically do a 300 page book. Absolutely incredible.
I don’t know how Jane Green did it.

The short story was everything I needed.

Just like this book, Lucy and Elle’s relationship was short. Sometimes we meet people that come into our lives on a whirlwind. You think that they are the missing piece, only to find out they aren’t who you thought they were. I think we can all relate to the story.

When We Were Friends is a beautifully written character driven short story.
Lucy is divorced with a 12 year old daughter. She is feeling uncomfortable at a
singles night when she meets Elle in the bathroom. Even though she is much
younger, they immediately click. They have so much in common including mother's
who treated them badly. With so much in common, they quickly become best friends
talking, texting and spending time together every day. That is until Elle betrays Lucy.
Did Lucy really know Elle? Was she just so used to being treated badly that she accepted
whatever people offered her because she didn't think she deserved better? This is a story of divorce, friendship, betrayal and starting over. To trusting yourself and your instincts and learning
to like yourself. This is a fast read at only 44 pages but also has a big impact.

This was a compelling short story about female friendship, divorce, and trusting yourself.
Synopsis:
Lucy is newly divorced and has a twelve year old daughter. She meets Elle during a girl’s night out and they become fast friends despite the age difference. Lucy finds herself in a toxic friendship.

My thoughts:
I connected with thisi story on so many levels. First, I am recently divorced and I remember the first time I opened my heart to someone else which was romantically not platonic as in Lucy’s case, but it hurt greatly when it didn’t work out. Like Lucy I have also been love bombed. Lucy was smart in the way that she extricated herself from the relationship and sought help from a therapist. I thought once I was divorced I’d be able to depend more on friends but I’m still finding many of my friends even those of a similar age are very busy with raising their families.. I once read a quote ( I wish I could remember it exactly ) that having a new female friend is as exciting to women as a new romantic partner. Thank you Jane Green for writing about female friendship and the importance it plays in our lives.

It's been forever since I read anything by Jane Green. She's so good at writing women's characters and the relationships between them. While it's a tall task to do that in a short story, she did. I felt I knew Lucy and could relate to being an adult and finding more of your people. Juggling all of what life throws at you and still making connections. We mourn the breakup of a relationship, but what happens when friends drift apart? And how do you replace those important people in our lives? Maybe it is one too many thrillers this summer, but I did see that twist coming, but only because I am always looking for one. But it was the characters and the connections that shone in this one.

In this book Lucy is a single divorced mom with a twelve year old daughter. I could definitely relate to her in feeling like it’s hard to make new friends as an adult and a mom. Then Lucy meets Elle- who seems like the perfect friend. Question is, will it last or is it actually too good to be true?

This book surprised me at every turn, and I enjoyed every minute! I was impressed that it had great character development, especially considering it is such a short story. I absolutely love Jane’s books and so glad to have new stories of hers to read!

I loved this short story! This story follows Lucy in the aftermath of a divorce, trying to figure out a new life for her and her 12 yr old daughter, KC. She meets Elle when she most needs a friend and they really hit it off despite their age difference. Elle’s mother is English and Lucy is too. They grow as close as sisters doing everything together, sometimes with KC and sometimes just as adults. Lucy even tries to get Elle a job illustrating children’s books. It’s only after Lucy takes Elle to a party where Elle is jealous of Lucy’s relationship with the hostess, does a few cracks in their relationship show.

Maybe they went too fast? Was Lucy so desperate for companionship she was willing to overlook their differences? I really liked this short story. Lucy seemed like a treasure and I’m glad she stuck to her guns when it came to Elle’s betrayal.