Four things will always be true about his books.

1. His character development will be superb. He truly is second to none.
2. You’re going to ugly cry multiple times.
3. For every ugly cry, you’ll laugh out loud 20 times.*
4. Every chapter will end on a cliffhanger. The cliffs just vary in size & the big ones will have you feel feeling some kinda way about Mr. Backman.

This is a *perfect* story about friendship & love.

Thank you Net Galley & to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.


*estimate- no such studies have been conducted to my knowledge

I've loved every Frederik Backman book I've read and they've all made he ugly cry. The Friends was no exception. It broke my heart and filled it with love.

I normally absolutely love Fredrik Backman books, but for some reason I could NOT get into this one. It had some good moments, but overall I just was never invested and by the end was just reading to finish it. Will still continue to read Backman books, but this one was just not my fav.

QUICK GLANCE-
My format: ebook ARC
Other Formats:🎧Audio (13 hours and 7 minutes) and 📖Physical (448 pages)
Spice: 🌶️
Language: 🤐 🤐 moderate
CW: death; abuse; grief; violence

MY THOUGHTS-
I went into this book with high expectations, having loved everything I’ve read by Fredrik Backman. This story is a heartfelt exploration of friendship, art, and the bonds that shape us, packed with emotion and relatable characters. If you love character-driven stories infused with humor and empathy, this is definitely one to consider!

That said, My Friends is heavily character-focused, which isn’t my favorite style. At nearly 450 pages, the pacing felt slow, and I really had to push myself to finish. There were moments of brilliance—scenes that completely pulled me in—but overall, it dragged for me.

READ IF YOU LIKE...
• Beautiful, messy, best friendships
• Broken people lifting each other up
• Art
• Quotes galoire

Thank you, Netgalley, for my ebook copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I LOVED this book so much! I think this is Fredrik Backman's best book yet. It is the story of art, friendship and life in general.

This is the story of four friends and 1 girl who needs to connect with them. The storyline goes back and forth from present to past. I don't usually like nonlinear story lines, but once this got going it felt like I was listening to a family member tell stories of days gone by. I will say the beginning is a little slow at first. However, once the story gets going there is no turning back!

I loved all the characters and felt all the feelings each of them felt. I laughed with them, cried with them, and learned the importance of being a friend.

READ this book! It is truly a beautiful story and It will make you appreciate your friends and your life more! My favorite book of 2025 so far!

Thanks to Fredrik Backman, NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC.

"All children are born with wings...it's just that the world is full of people who try to tear them off."

"It's art that helps me cope. Because art is a fragile magic, just like love, and that's humanity's only defense against death."

Another masterpiece by Backman! While this book focuses on the power of youth, friendship and art, this is another book that will appeal to a wide audience. The characters are endearing, even when they were being jerks to each other, and the humor made the book feel light-hearted even while discussing heavier topics! I fell in love with these characters as kids, just like the kids on the hockey team in Beartown, and appreciated Backman's ability to show their development as full individuals as they grew up. The intergenerational relationships also provide a glimpse of what our world can be if we are living in community. Readers will most definitely cry and laugh while reading this book, and they'll finish cherishing their childhood friends.

Wow. Just wow. I've loved many of Backman's books, but I think this is my favorite. This book had me tearing up and laughing...and highlighting like crazy!
My Friends is the story of artists, of lost souls, of friends who save each others' lives. It is a beautiful character study that is done with humor and raw emotion in a way that will stick with me for a long time. It follows Louisa, a teenager, as she meets Ted, who knew her favorite author. And Ted tells the story of their friendship as teenagers and across their lives.
I cannot describe it in a way that does it justice, so just read it!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

"I love you and I trust you" -- Fredrik Backman is definitely one of my favorite authors by now. The way he can make you laugh and cry in the same story is an experience like no other. The characters in My Friends are so relatable and I got so close to them, that now after I'm finished I feel like I can never be the same without them. I felt part of their story, a story about love, friendship and the power of art. Highly recommend it!

Fredrick Backman has quickly became one of my favorite authors this year.
My Friends is a story that jumps between two timelines. One in the present and the other from 25 years in the past. Backman knows how to capture the emotions of what it’s like to be human. This was a story about friendship and human connection. Once again, Backman shows that he can write about the human experience like no other, no matter the age. This was brilliant and a must read.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

First I want to thank Atria books for the advanced readers copy! I was so anxiously waiting for this book and was excited to hear I was approved for the early copy.

In general, I am a plot girly. I enjoy books with a plot and then good characterization. Backman's books are some of the only stories where plot is secondary and the primary focus is the characters and their relationships. And I adore his books for that! He excels at developing characters and their relationships, as well as tugging at your heartstrings along the way. His subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) foreshadowing was reminiscent to the Beartown trilogy. I loved Louisa from the moment we meet her and her journey with Ted is so heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time.

Backman, I love you and I trust you!

"Our breath consists of 80% nitrogen, 20% oxygen, and 100% anxiety"- "Rich people only notice mirrors in a room" - "Men have nothing to be afraid of when they are adults" - If you are into social commentary and you love characters that are all connected and influencing each other, My friends is the book for you. Whether you are a teenager, adult, youn adult, middle aged, you will love this book and feel represented!

This was a wonderful read and Fredrik Backman's beautiful writing shines yet again. I do think this could have been edited down a little bit more.

Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors of all time, he is my auto-buy author. He has a wonderful ability to write so wonderfully. He has a unique writing style that is instantly recognizable.
This book is a beautiful portrayal of friendship, trust, sacrifice, vulnerability, and love.
The writing is really fast paced and interesting. I really enjoyed reading the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“It’s hard to listen to the end of a long story. Especially if you have a really important question that you don’t dare ask.”

Gah this book is perfect. I could have read double the pages about these characters, but Backman does such a an amazing job of pacing and character development. Top read of the year for me right now.

I needed a Backman book in my life. I have enjoyed every single book from this author and this was no exception. This book was so good for my soul. This wonderful story was truly a joy to read and deserves all the stars.

He’s done it again! This man can make words magical. There is no one like him and I’m absolutely thrilled to give his latest book, My Friends 5 amazing stars!

A story of childhood friendship that is so real and full of love during the ups and downs of being a teenager. I fell in love with the friendship group. My heart melted at how they were all there for each other. Not in loud moments or big words, but in actions and sayings that only they understand. A book about love, family, grief, kindness and the power of having a friend and learning to be a friend.

I knew to expect greatness with a new Backman but wasn’t prepared to be THIS destroyed. I adored every character because they had such depth. The sheer number of amazing quotes will make this one of the best books ever.. By the end of the book I truly felt like these were my friends too. It’s worth it to have your would crushed to read this one.

Would you believe that this was my first Fredrik Backman novel? I have heard such great things, but I knew that I would be emotionally ravaged. I was not wrong.

Louisa, an aspiring artist, has run away from her foster home following the death of her only person. She breaks into an auction to see her favorite painting. After being chased out, she runs into the artist, who is dying. He leaves her the painting, and she ends up joining his friend, Ted, on a trip to return to their hometown. Along the way, Ted tells the story behind the painting and the important people in the artist's life.

This is a poignant look at friendship through childhood and beyond.

The writing is staggeringly beautiful. I took my time reading it because I did not want it to end.

Thank you to Atria Books and Net Galley for the ARC. All opinions are my own,

Fredrik Backman does it again. This book was incredible. My Friends tells the story of a girl who discovers a painting and is drawn into the lives of the complex characters depicted in it. The novel explores themes such as friendship, family, love, coming of age, wealth, and grief in such well written and reflective ways. Backman’s writing is amazing and he made me laugh, smile, and cry. The character development is so strong that I felt like I was part of the friend group. These characters and this story will stay with me for a long time. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A beautiful and very moving book. How can you not weep for the abandoned, abused and alone children in this novel? The book moves between the summer the four friends are fourteen and twenty-five years later. The bridge between the two time periods is a piece of art created by one of the four friends. The painting eventually ends up with another character central to the story, Louisa. So much has been lost, so much has changed, but true friendship, art and love remain. The characters are complex, but inspiring in their fight to be human for each other. There is enough here to make you cry and laugh out loud.

Backman's writing is a cozy blanket, a warm fire, a hug; it is seeing a friend after a long time and picking up right where you left off. For me, Backman is the ultimate comfort author and this book, these characters are up there with Beartown for me. Raw. Complex. Heartbreaking and heartwarming. Exquisite.