When do you decide enough is enough? I found myself thinking that as I was listening to the skillful narration of Imani Jade Powers in this novel. I, too, am still in touch with many of my friends from my youth over thirty years later. However, when we get together it does not look like this. As is true for all novels, there must be some drama for a story to be interesting and this does have drama. It was difficult for me to connect to the characters as I did not see depth.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance copy. All opinion are my own.

I typically love books about friend groups working through struggles, but this one was kind of a miss for me. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I didn’t listen to the audiobook. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, and while I think the narrator did a good job overall, she doesn’t do much differentiating between characters. Also there is a lot of talking and not a lot of anything else. That isn’t inherently a bad thing; I like character driven stories, but I didn’t particularly like any of the characters. Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Angelica Baker for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I had very high hopes for this book but, i'm sad to say it just wasn't for me. the entire book is a bunch of thirty year olds staring drama and acting like teenagers and it just wasn't appealing to me. i liked the premise of the book but at the end of it i just didn't really care what happened.

This is the kind of the story that either we have lived through aspects of it or know of someone who has. The vibes are very much “you are at a party and someone there knows you from years ago and keeps bringing up your dirt and gets offended if you ask them to stop”.

The story is about a group of high school friends who a decade plus later have a vacation together in Hawaii. After an almost near death scare- each of them reflects on what their friendships mean and how their lives are drifting apart despite their efforts to keep the status quo.

The audiobook made a dynamic read and I thought the narrator was really good. Definitely not a book I would be eager to read again, but I would recommend for fans of Claire Lombardo and Sally Rooney.

Sorry to say this is a DNF for me @ 55%.

The premise sounds good. A group of childhood friends reunites for their 30th birthdays in Hawaii! Sounds terrific!

It. Is. Not….
At least IMHO…

The friends are NOT nice to each other.
They never seemed to have grown up…. AT ALL.
They are not at all likable.
And…they treat each other terribly. I would not want to be friends with ANY of them…

I feel like I’m reading about teenagers…not 29 year olds…

That being said…. I am giving up on this one right here.

Sorry, but it was just NOT my cup of tea…or coffee…

When We Grow Up by Angelica Baker.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook which is due to be released on 2/25/25…

Being as this is not a good review from me, I’ll limit it to here and Goodreads…

Feel free to like, follow and friend me on: Goodreads,
Insta @ #BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

Hmmm. I wanted to like this more than I did. The premise isn’t all that original, but some of the prose is really pretty. If I’d felt connected to even one character I think it would’ve been a much more enjoyable read.

I usually like books that tackle a group friendship dynamic but to me, this book stalled a little. People didn’t feel distinct enough and I didn’t feel like there was a unique element to this particular group. Ultimately I felt like I was entertained because I was able to simply tolerate the group.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I like the narration and all the built up drama.vilove the characters. I just could not relate. I'm just old and poor and I couldn't seem to invest much in their situation.

I chose this book based on the compelling premise of a group of old friends getting together on holiday, when they get warning of an incoming missile. I loved the idea - one of my favorite novels is The Interestings by Meg Wollizer, so I supposed I had pretty high hopes going into it. I listened to it on audio, and was gripped for the first chapter or two. The narration was good, the writing was enjoyable, and the premise had me hooked. Some of the observations about people and the times were great - one of the reasons I enjoy a book.

However, the story lost my interest for a few reasons. I wasn't able to connect to the main character, and found her friends unlikeable. Unlikeable can definitely work for me, but somehow I want them to be aware of their failings, or for the narrator to give us some unique perspective on their unlikeabiility, through humor or sarcasm. I gave it a go, but the plot didn't move along quickly enough to hold my attention, and I didn't get a sense for how these characters were going to grow or change. I felt stuck, as they were on the island, and have to admit I didn't finish. Maybe this just wasn't the right time for me and this book, but we weren't a good match at this time.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to the advanced copy.

This was an interesting one. I like a book with a solid finish and this one didn’t not give me a resolution. However, it was entertaining enough. I like the line when one of the characters says that you don’t know when this is the last time you will see someone until you no longer see them. Like, this could be the last rendezvous, however, you may meet up several more times in the future. These “friends” have little in common now that there are adults, and I can imagine looking around and thinking wtf am I doing here. There were some interesting story lines, but this didn’t knock me out of the park. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for this advance audio copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

wasn't keen on this one. unlovable characters but not in a fun way. the audiobook was honestly hard to follow because no character has a really distinct personality, and the time jumps were easy to miss at times.

This book follows six friends who are on a week-long vacation in Hawaii. They have been friends since middle school or high school and are all turning 30. The story begins when everyone receives messages about a missile striking Hawaii, prompting them to take cover. From that point on, the group reflects on their lives, discussing what makes a good or bad person, as well as topics like homophobia, racism, sexism, and politics, all while getting drunk or high for most of the story. There are also flashbacks that highlight pivotal moments from their childhood.

I find myself hovering on the line between liking and despising this book. While all the characters have faced difficulties, none of them are particularly likable. They repeatedly mention that they revert to childish behavior when they are together, and they seem unable to get along, constantly sniping at each other. Despite being lifelong friends, they claim they don't act this way around their "adult friends."

Although the book touches on many important topics, it does so in a manner that undermines their significance. There are moments of deep connection, but something usually happens to discredit those moments. The writing has its high points, and there are important discussions that deserve more depth and meaning. However, the book ends abruptly, leaving us without any sense of resolution. We witness this chaotic glimpse of their vacation, yet we are left wondering whether any of these characters grow up or change.

The pacing is inconsistent; some parts are wonderful and kept me engaged, while others dragged. The narrator did a fantastic job with the material she was given, keeping me interested even when I felt like giving up.

"When We Grow Up" is a story about a group of 6 friends in their 30's who go on a trip to Hawaiii together. I listened to this on audio and found 1--the characters all rather unlikeable and 2-the story pretty difficult to follow. Perhaps the latter would be easier in print format? I found the narrator's voice to be really soothing. I had really high hopes for this book, but just couldn't connect with the characters or grab onto the plot the way I had hoped. It's a work of women's fiction that I hope someone else might be able to enjoy. *I received a complimentary audio copy from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

I loved the idea of this book, but it just didn’t keep me interested. A group of friends from middle/high school that are now 30 get together in Hawaii. Nothing much happens except that now they are a group of whiny adults. I kept hoping it would get better but it just didn’t for me.

Close to the halfway point and I just can't love this book. I'm not normally a lit fic reader, though I am trying to dip my toe into this genre of writing. While the idea of this story did sound super interesting, I just can't find it in me to continue with it in good faith. I am simply not enjoying it at this point. The writing itself is good and I like the pacing but the actually story isn't is not gripping for me. I don't really like any of the characters and I don't know if any of these friends actually like each other. Though I know that is part of the complexity of this book, I just am not in a space were I feel like I want to read about that right now.

This book has a premise that usually appeals to me: a literary fiction about a group of friends who get together on a vacation to reminisce about their younger days and stuff. This whole book is about conversations these friends have with one another. The reader learns how their friendship worked in the past and how it all led to the present days - and if it still actually works or not.
This book brings some relevant discussions that can be relatable to many readers, so it can speak personally to some readers, which is great and it makes the reading more fun and entertaining. What's more, in my opinion the writing is well done and decent enough to make all the conversations dynamic and easy to follow through.

On the other hand, if the reader cannot connect or relate to any of these friends, they might not enjoy this book.
This is a classic case of a book that will work for some readers and just will not work for others.
Personally, I enjoyed this book much more during the first half. I felt immersed in the narrative and the dynamic among those friends. I felt like I was watching (and listening to) from a distance a glimpse of these group of people's lives, and I was in for it. I wanted the gossip, the tea and everything.
However, in the second half the story takes a turn that did not please me at all. The characters started to sound way too whiny, melodramatic and they would rant about anything! I kept asking myself "wait...why are they still friends again?" Also, that conversation about "who wants to have sex with whom" was, to me, so unnecessarily boring. Unfortunately, the second half failed to hold my attention and interest entirely.

Yet, I could recommend this book to any readers who are into that 'slice of life' literary stories.
The audiobook, in my opinion, is the best part about this book: I found the narrator to be very good and even when the story was boring me, the narrator kept my attention. I'm pretty sure I would have DNFed this book if it weren't for this audiobook narrator. Highly recommend it.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for allowing me to listen to a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This audiobook took a while for me to get into. The story starts with a bang when six adults who have been friends since college are on vacation in Hawaii and a terrifying news alerts indicates that their lives are about to be over.

The whole book is basically a conversation amongst these friends, revisiting their college years, talking about who they have become and how they have (or have not) changed. Resentments get aired, people behave poorly and they drink and they rant.

Even though there were bits I liked, overall I didn't enjoy this book. The characters are all dislikable. The dialogue seems a bit too on the nose. They cover privilege, friendships - especially ones you make during the formative years, racism and more.

with gratitude NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to preview this title in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’m still trying to decide how I feel about this book. My typical read is more feel good but this gave me a lot to think about. I have went back and forth on if I’m loving it or disliking it. I suppose I’m somewhere in the middle. I did appreciate that it made me think deeper about important issues. I do feel like the book was well written but as someone who typically reads for escapism I wouldn’t say it was my cup of tea. Thank you to net gallery and Macmillan audio for the advanced copy.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audio!!

I LOVED this book! It was a bit slow in the beginning but then boom I was hooked!! I finished it in one sitting! My first by this author but will not be my last!!

I listened to this audio book. The narration was great. However, I think this book is one that should be read instead of listened to. There are a lot of characters all introduced at the same time. I had a hard time keeping them all straight. The characters were all unlikeable which made it hard to become invested in the book. The book was well written and I do think I would have enjoyed it more if I would have read it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my review,

This, was unfortunately, not the book for me. I found everyone to be unlikeable (maybe they were supposed to be) and while the premise was interesting, 6 long time friends letting deeply held truths out in the face of a crisis, I simply couldn't get into it. The writing itself was well done, it just didn't click with me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.