Funny and witty. This book is an exploration of friendship and the power we can give others to be the source of our Hapiness and fullfillment.

"Lucy feels Happy Again.Elle is back..All is right in the world."

First we see Lucy doing her best not to need her husband just to finding someone else to fill the void he has left.


We see Lucy find herself in this short story and we see her realise that the power of her happiness is in her own hands.

' I will never again look to another person to try and make me whole.'

A thought provoking story, we all would benefit from reading.

A very easy read but not as good as Jane Green’s longer books. I loved ‘love you, bear’, that resonated with me since it’s what I say to my mum :)

A short story about adult female friendship. Written with authenticity and emotion, it was an enjoyable quick read.

Great little book about women's friendships. How they start and how intense they become and sometimes very quickly die.out. Although the book is short it is very interesting and will definitely hold your interest.
Thanks to Net Galley and the author for allowing me to read this book.

When We Were Friends is a short story about Lucy moving on with her life after divorce. She is out with single friends at a bar when she meets Elle. Lucy and Elle hit it off immediately. Elle seems to be the perfect new friend. Lucy soon finds herself spending all her time with, calling, or texting Elle. But when Lucy finds out who the “real” Elle is, her new found confidence is shaken. I thought I figured things out before the ending but was still surprised at how things worked out. All in all, When We Were Friends is worth your time.

This was a lovely, short read. It was kind of nice to be able to read an entire book in one sitting – I've never done this before. I was surprised at how the story played out, I wasn't sure from the blurb what would happen.
It turned out to be a very relatable subject for me. Without making a spoiler, I think many women have been in a similar position.
Jane Green did a great job, her writing was spot on. And I was glad she didn't stretch this out to try and make it a full-length book, it was perfect just the way it was.

When We Were Friends by Jane Green was a great novella and beautifully written.
A wonderful story on friendship and secrets.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it to be a great book and the characters were just amazing.

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Thank you NetGalley, Amazon original Stories and the author Jane Green.
When We Were Friends is a Novella of two women who are become friends almost instantaneously.
Quick read. I personally did not like the younger woman
3 stars.

When We Were Friends was an easy read, but fairly predictable. I'm not sure this story line worked for a short story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

This short story was meh for me. About a older women meeting a younger friend at a bar and having a teenage- like friendship even with pet names. I found that rather odd.
Her new found friend isn’t who she thought she was and the relationship between them changes.

Thank you Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a fun novella that explored what deep female friendship can feel like in adulthood. I myself have fallen into friendships before that were all consuming and have later found out that the person I thought she might have been wasn't truly her. This was a quick moving read that had me intrigued from the start. I enjoyed Green's writing style and would like to pick up one of her novel length books.

Enjoyed the quick read. Was a story of finding yourself and staying true to yourself even when you feel like you’ve been lost.

This was a little bit of a boring short story for me. The characters weren't very likeable. I knew what the "twist" would be pretty much from the start. It was just meh.

Lucy, recently divorced and raising a 12-year-old, is struggling to connect with a new group of single women who spend their time complaining about their exes and looking for new relationships—something Lucy isn’t interested in. By chance, she meets Elle, a stranger in the ladies’ room of a bar, and they quickly form a close, seemingly perfect friendship. However, things take a turn, and Lucy’s world unravels in unexpected ways.

The book captures the intense emotions Lucy goes through, from the high of newfound friendship to the devastation of betrayal, particularly during a pivotal scene at a Thai restaurant. Throughout the story, Lucy’s journey highlights the importance of mental health, showing how processing complex emotions and seeking help can lead to healthier relationships and personal growth.

A masterful novella from a writer who really understands women and how they think. Well written with memorable characters; you are sure to enjoy this.

I received an ARC of this short story from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Two women meet and become instant friends. One is hiding a secret. Life happens.

I've always enjoyed Jane Green's women's fiction, as she typically excels at capturing the intricacies of relationships and emotions, but this one fell short for me. The premise—that female friendships can be harder to recover from than romantic breakups—is compelling, but the story didn’t dive as deeply into those layers as I hoped. It felt rushed, with the emotional process of friendship loss barely explored. The main character seeks therapy, but there’s no meaningful insight or progress shown—just a quick leap to a year after the breakup, which left me feeling unsatisfied and unresolved.

The friendship dynamic itself was hard to believe, especially with the significant age gap between the main characters. The fact that she wasn’t accepted by her peers but suddenly found validation through this younger person felt forced and underdeveloped.

Additionally, there were odd, unresolved plot threads, like the shoplifting element. Was she also stealing from her workplace? This subplot was introduced but never fully explained, leaving more questions than answers.

Overall, this novel lacked Jane Green’s usual depth, and the characters didn’t get the space they needed to feel fully formed. Loose ends and a rushed resolution left me wanting more substance, and I struggled to find the friendship at the heart of the story truly believable.

This was a great short story on who can you really call your friend. 2 women meet and become fast friends. One seems to regard the friendship as stronger than the other one does, and in the end, it all becomes clear as to why. Enjoyable read.

When Lucy meets Elle they’re best friends instantly. But can Lucy trust Elle?

This book was way too short for the premise it was going for. People way overreacted on both sides, then wham💥a slap in your face then it’s over.

Thank you so much Amazon Original Stories, Jane Green, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and honestly review this book.

Cute short story about finding your voice. Love how strong the protagonist emerged after a divorce and consuming friendship.