A story within a story within a story. A story of the present and a story of the past. Two unlikely friends forced together by art and by love, bound by the fingerprints of heartbreak left on their skin. Louisa, a recently-turned eighteen year old on the run from her foster home, and Ted, a small, anxious, anxious man full of too much love. After a mess of mishaps, the two will embark on a journey together, into the past and into the present. Despite trying their best to leave each other, they will find that they have much more than they thought in common, and perhaps the grief is worth it if they stay.

Seeing this story pop up on NetGalley was a wonderful surprise, and even more wonderful to have the chance to experience it early. Backman crafts a beautiful narrative of found family across the years, both in youth and adulthood. Every detail sprinkled in ties together in the end, and you end up seeing the love in all the dark corners. Definitely not a novel to miss out on.

Once again FB has created a world of characters like no others and weaves a story that absorbs you. His writing never ceases to amaze me. You can cry and laugh all within one paragraph. Fans will not be disappointed with this new take of friendship and love. Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this early copy for read and review

I think this might be the best book I’ve ever read. I knew I was going to read it as soon as I found out about it, (because Beartown and its sequels are also some of the best books I’ve ever read). I knew I was going to like it from the first page, and I knew I loved it when I lost track of how many times it gave me goosebumps before I’d even made it halfway through.

This book made me feel every possible emotion, often running through the entire spectrum and back within a single chapter. As a person with anxiety, who mainly sticks to romantic comedy for the guarantee of a happy ending, emotional books can be nerve-wracking for me to approach. However, if there is an author I trust to take care of my emotions, it is Fredrik Backman.

For me, My Friends was a healing, life changing sort of novel. So thank you so, so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced digital copy, so that I could experience that a few months early.

My Friends by Fredrik Backman is a story about two unlikely friends, that find themselves travelling to a place where, 25 years prior, one summer changed everything. Louisa is 18 and just lost her best friend. Ted is nearing 50 and he, also, just lost his best friend. Ted’s best friend was a world-famous artist and Louisa finds herself in the possession of one of his most famous paintings. While they travel to the place where everything began, Ted tells Louisa how his friend became world famous.
Fredrik Backman could write out his grocery list and I would devour it. My Friends is beautiful, tragic, incredibly funny, and life affirming. For a story that revolves so much around death, it will make you want to make the best out of the life you have been given. The subject matters are heavy at times, but every story line is needed. Dare I say it is my favourite Backman book?

This was possibly my favorite Backman yet and that is saying a lot because I have loved them all. I haven’t read a novel by him that hasn’t made me feel deep feelings and this was no exception. I laughed hysterically and cried uncontrollably. With a beautifully written cast of broken yet lovable characters, Backman always finds a way to break my heart and put it back together in unforgettable ways. These characters and this story will stay with me forever.

Huge thank you to Atria Books for the ARC!

Backman is the author that I recommend to everyone – avid readers and casual alike. His books have a way of leveling you but then reminding you that the human experience is universal. They’re like a check and a hug at the same time. My Friends is no different. It’s a beautiful, devastating, yet heart-warming look at how friendship has the power to save, how our friends are truly the great loves of our lives, and an important reminder that you have not yet met all of the people who are going to love you and be loved by you. Backman weaves together two stories - one of Louisa, an orphan to whom life has not been kind, and four best friends who become each other's fierce protectors through moments that no child should experience. As always, Backman ties these characters together intricately and cleverly, building an unforgettable story of the power of love in all forms. I cannot wait to purchase a print copy, but was so incredibly lucky to read this early. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to devour this novel early.

It's difficult to do justice to the newest Fredrik Backman novel, My Friends,, because there's just so much to talk about. There were many times when reading the book that I felt exhausted and downhearted, but in the next chapter I found hope and humor. It is a roller coaster of a ride, and I came away even more impressed about Backman's talent than before.

This novel focuses on a small group of 14-year-olds who come together as "found family" and best friends 25 years ago. The teens all face family issues and personal problems that could easily break them, but their much-needed friendship keeps them going through good times and bad. One of the friends is an uber-talented artist, creating his art based on how he feels, not necessarily what he sees, and his friends want him to enter and win a contest so he can become confident in his own talent.

More than two decades later, the artist has a brief encounter with an 18-year-old foster care veteran who creates art in a similar way, and he recognizes her as an artistic soulmate. After he gives her a surprising gift, she embarks on a train trip with another of the teenaged friends, now a floundering ex-teacher who is trying to find his true path in life in the face of daunting circumstances and self-doubt. Along the way, he tells her the story of that time--warts and all-- and what was so special and enduring about it.

Backman has a wonderful flair for creating genuine characters with believable quirks and realistic dialogue. He brings readers along with them as they experience grief, joy, family struggles, love, violence, friendship, and survival with grace and humor. The details are what makes the story so beautiful, tragic, and life-affirming at the same time. The book is also a paean to the power of art, and Backman sprinkles quotations from a bevy of writers and philosophers throughout the story. Don't miss this one!

My sincere thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

As always, Fredrik Bachman has written a stunningly beautiful book. I will read everything this man writes. My Friends is about a year in the life of four childhood friends, but it conveys such love, tragedy, humor, sadness, perseverance and triumph, all at once. It's just amazing. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

5 ⭐️ !!!!!

Wow!

First a big thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for this ARC read of My Friends by Fredrik Backman. I’ve read a few of his books and enjoyed them all but this is the new favorite! (This has a tentative release date of May/June 2025.)

I will also start by saying this has been a rough year for me. In the last few months I’ve lost my best friend and then most recently, a few days ago, my cat. So I’ve been reading pretty fluffy books as of late. One’s pretty devoid of emotion other than Christmas joy honestly. The day after Christmas, I was searching through upcoming books and saw a new Backman and decided to try my luck. My Christmas gift, I was selected. So I instantly started reading it, immediately noticing this was not going to be a light fluffy read. This book could only have been written by someone like me, someone who has experienced love and grief, because they are so beautifully intertwined throughout this whole story. Even with a migraine, I couldn’t put this down. I had to feel these feels.

Not only the character development and connections but the thoughtfulness of each one. I think I highlighted more passages in this book than I ever have any book, EVER. There were too many good quotes. Not just ones he put in of other artists but of his own sentiments.

This is my 103rd book of the year. I read a fair amount and this book kept me guessing until the very last page. That is so very rare in today’s times of books being cranked out left and right. They have no substance, no meaning. Not this book. This book touches every nerve and emotion. This is the first book in a while that has left me feeling after finishing it. Feeling like, “I wish my best friend was here, so I could call him and talk to him about this wonderful book”.

Just a few of my favorites:

*He’s dreamed of being able to say: “Being human is to grieve, constantly.” Because what he really wants to know is: “How the hell do all the rest of you cope?”

* The only thing we can take for granted is that everyone we have ever met and everyone we have ever known and everyone we have ever loved will die. So how great must our imaginations be for us to even summon up the enthusiasm to get out of bed each morning?

* and that’s the worst thing about being a parent: that almost everyone does their best, but almost all fail regardless.

* “Isn’t it like, totally unbelievable that we even exist? So it won’t be a tragedy when we don’t exist anymore! It’s just cool, really cool, that we happened at all.”

* his laughter, the smell of his skin, his phone number. How can someone who meant everything to Ted become . . . nothing at all? It’s the incomprehensibility of death that drives people mad, so that we forget how to breathe and how to walk, until we spend whole nights stumbling about in dark rooms, calling and calling, trying to understand how there can be a phone number that no longer belongs to anyone.

* Louisa is a teenager, the best kind of human. The evidence for this is very simple: little children think teenagers are the best humans, and teenagers think teenagers are the best humans, the only people who don’t think that teenagers are the best humans are adults. Which is obviously because adults are the worst kind of humans.

Before I say anything else, let me just say: This is one of the easiest 5 stars I have ever given. If I could give it 500 stars, I would in a heartbeat. I am still ugly crying as I am typing this and probably will cry thinking of this beautiful story for a long, long time.

I am a sucker for a love story. But more specifically: I am a sucker for a platonic love story. Not only is this one of the greatest, if not the single greatest, platonic love stories I have ever had the pleasure of reading, but I feel like I am part of it in some silly way after the journey reading this took me on. I cannot fathom that these are not real characters and I don't get to go to spend time with them every day. I see so many of the people I have been lucky enough to call my friends (pun intended) in my real life in them however, and it made me even more grateful to be able to love and trust the people that I do.

While I'd love to be able to tell you what this is about fully, no synopsis I could throw together or character breakdown would adequately explain anything. So in short: this is a story about love, friendship, and found family over many lifetimes, all tied together by a single piece of art.

This made me feel every possible emotion. There were so many times I read and reread sections because it absolutely baffled me that something could be written so flawlessly. How Backman is able to effortlessly put into words things that I could never even fumble through saying is beyond me. Not to be dramatic (okay, fine, to be a bit dramatic), I am a changed person.

Thank you so much to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Louisa, an aspiring artist, embarks on a journey to uncover the story behind a mysterious painting featuring three figures on a pier, revealing the deep bond forged between a group of teenagers years earlier. As she traces the painting’s origins, she discovers the lasting, life-changing power of friendship and art, and learns that true connections can shape the course of our lives in unexpected ways.

Y’all. I love Fredrik Backman. Like, a very deep love. Beartown has been my favorite and most recommended book since I read it back in 2018. I will never stop shouting about my love for it. But my goodness, did My Friends sneak in and steal my heart - AND the top spot for me when it comes to his books.

This book is stunning. The banter between Louisa and Ted, the back and forth between memories and present day, the love between friends, the trust between humans, the human experience, the heart wrenching loss of the love of your life, the power of forgiveness, the fear of responsibility, and so much more await you in the pages of this book. It is a truly fantastic piece of art.

Which coincidentally, is what the book is about. I have highlighted at least 100 passages on my kindle. I laughed. Like, the gross snort laugh that is embarrassing. I teared up. And oh, oh, oh, how I cried buckets at the end. It was so perfect and dare I say, magical? Everything connected.

Ted is so grumpy and Louisa is so funny. The kidnapping bit had me cracking up. Their fierce love and protection of each other that grew over their journey. Ugh my heart!!

This book is full of beautiful quotes, a truly wonderful life story, and too much love for one person. You have to share it. Comes out in May and I’ve already preordered my copy. Truly cannot wait.

Thank you @atriabooks @simonandschuster for allowing me the opportunity to read this one early. I screamed when I found out and I had to absolutely savor the read over days because I wasn’t ready for it to end. It’s everything to me.

Immediate 5 stars. My favorite author of all time has done it again. Character development, plot, intrigue, depth, empathy, the list goes on and on. I will forever love everything he writes.

Wow. Fredrik Backman connects words in the most beautiful and meaningful way. There were so many parts of the book that I wanted to highlight. My Friends explores small town life, friendship, and coming of age. It reminded me of Beartown in that regard. Told in past and present timelines, you will be transported into the lives of Louisa, Ted, Joar, Ali, and the artist. You will learn to love each of them.

Anxious People was my first Backman book and it was slower paced and different than what I normally read. I realized that you don’t read a Backman book for the action and suspense, you read it to become a part of the story. To take the journey with the characters and learn more about life and yourself. You connect with the story and it becomes almost therapeutic. This could easily pass as Backman’s best novel.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria books for sharing this ARC with me, an exchange for my honest review.

This book is a beautifully sad exploration of loyalty, friendship, and resilience. It reveals how adults often fail the children who trust them, leaving wounds that echo into adulthood.

Through vivid characters and raw emotion, Backman captures life’s relentless hardships and the quiet strength it takes to keep going. One moment, you're crying, and the next, you're laughing, as the story masterfully balances heartbreak and humor.

The story is heartbreaking yet comforting, making your heart ache and feel at home all at once. Poetic and deeply moving, My Friends is a tale of enduring friendship and hope in the face of life’s trials.

Wow. This might be Backman’s best work yet. I wanted to highlight so many parts of this book. I feel in love with all the characters and loved the story. Joar reminded me a lot of Benji from Beartown. Anyone who loved Beartown and sobbed through the end ( me). Will also love this book. It’s classic Backman and phenomenal.

Wow. Fredrik Backman has a way of describing emotions and feelings in a way that most people should not be able to understand without his explanation. This books found family touched me at my core. The generational connection is something that often times is not done to my liking, but the order of events helps the reader connect to each character as they influence the plot points. Every character has a trait that I connect to which I further appreciate. Fredrik Backman was already my favourite author, but this book went above and beyond with proving that. Will be recommending to everyone.

Before I declare this the best book Fredrik Backman has ever written, let me admit that I’ve lost count of how many times I cried, laughed too loudly (scaring the pets), or whined and howled while reading it. Nothing I say—no word I write—can adequately capture my feelings or do justice to this incredible book, even if I endlessly repeat the word "amazing" over and over again. My best advice? Don’t just read it and marvel at Backman’s brilliance. Instead, prepare to wipe your tears after finishing, and if you’re lucky enough to have people in your life like the characters in this book, call your best friends—the ones who helped shape you—and tell them, “I love you and I trust you.” If you can, visit them and give them the longest hugs, which is exactly what I plan to do.

This book is about an endless sea, a profound friendship, and a true love story. It delves into grief, sacrifice, fart jokes, uproarious laughter, spontaneous adventures, learning to trust, and protecting loved ones at all costs. It’s about the serendipity of art. It’s about finding your own pearl in an oyster shell and learning to let go, even when it feels like shards of glass stabbing your heart.

I haven’t read a friendship story this genuine, heartfelt, clumsy, straightforward, smart, sentimental, shocking, and emotionally resonant in a very long time.

Joar: A “big little man” with the sharpest sarcastic humor, a kind heart brimming with love for his mother, a fighter, protector, and a sailor with a penchant for perfectly timed swearing anecdotes.

Ali: Tough as nails, quick-witted, and fiercely independent, she uses her sharp tongue and street smarts to shield herself from the harm of violent men. She’s the creator of the worst ideas, a good runner, and a terrible swimmer.

Ted: A mostly introverted, bookish soul who collects words like treasures, using them to craft brilliant stories. He’s caring, quirky, smart, and sensitive, learning to honor the ghosts of his past by saying goodnight to them—just like his father once did.

The Artist (KimKim): A prodigy who sketches the laughter of his friends while embodying the vastness of the sea and sky. A man of few words, he battles his depression by embracing his uniqueness, just as his mother taught him, and prepares himself for his long-short journey through life.

These four vagabonds met nearly a decade ago when they were just 15, united by their desire to help the artist attend a painting competition—even though he couldn’t afford supplies like paint, brushes, or canvas. Despite their own struggles and the harsh hands life had dealt them, they were resourceful and unstoppable as long as they had each other.

Two decades later, the artist literally bumps into young Louisa, a quirky, awkward, fiercely intelligent girl raised in foster care, as she flees the church where his painting was auctioned. Realizing her obsession with seeing the painting in person, he instantly recognizes her as one of them. He devises a plan and enlists Ted to carry it out before he leaves this earth. That’s how Louisa becomes intertwined in their love story and discovers the real meaning behind the painting, On the Sea—a work that isn’t about the sea at all but about the depth of friendship and, yes, a funny fart!

I won’t spoil more of the story. This is a tale where every character shines as the hero in their own right. While you might love one or two of them a little more, none of them feel insignificant.

It’s a masterpiece. I’m calling it now—the best fiction of 2025 and my favorite Fredrik Backman novel to date. (It even made me wonder if parts were inspired by his own childhood memories.) I cannot recommend this book highly enough—it’s the kind of story that makes you want to shout your love for it from the rooftops and applaud for ten minutes straight like you’re at a Cannes Film Festival premiere.

Endless gratitude to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this AMAZING WORK with me as a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Oh my word
I have no words for this book. It was just that good. I think one of the best I've read from Fredrik Backman so far and that's hard to top his others.
Touching, such feelings in this book, happy tears, sad tears.
Each and every character had a purpose to being in this story. Wow! Is all I can say and what a story!!

Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.

In a book about an artist and the incredible power of art, Backman proves again that few are as talented as he is. With a single sentence, he can convey the pain of loss, the fierce joy of an older brother receiving unexpected praise from his sibling, or the emotional highs and lows of being a parent: “Then he held her hand, and her skin tried to remember how it felt, all of the time.”

For me, the book started a little slowly. However, after a few chapters, I was fully invested in the children in the painting, holding my breath as their story unfolded. The narrative is sad and heartbreaking at times, yet the joy shines through, capturing your heart. To paraphrase the title of a different Backman story: This novel is a Winner!

Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors. I was so excited to get an advance copy from NetGalley to review in exchange for my honest review.

If you love novels about the power of friendship, this is for you. If you love novels about art, this is for you. If you love novels about how art can heal this is for you.

This book had me laughing and crying. That's the sign of a great author, to make you feel things. I had all the feels in this one.