Fredrik Backman is back again, with another touching story of friendship, love, art and found family.

Louisa is 18 years old, coming out of the foster care system and grieving the loss of her best friend. She is obsessed with seeing The One of the Sea - a famous painting she’s only seen in a postcard - and she connects with the artist in a random way.

Through the artist, she meets his friend Ted, who takes her on an adventure that will change her life. While they travel he tells Louisa the story of the painting and the friendship between four teens that inspired it.

Backman’s writing is as strong as ever here, and I loved it. I was a tiny bit let down with the ending but it didn’t ruin my overall enjoyment of the novel.

My Friends publishes on May 6th. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fredrik Backman has managed to delve into the depths of what it means to be human - both good and bad while simultaneously delivering a story with characters that had me laughing out loud.

My Friends is a story about childhood, friendships, the simplicity of being young and the heartache of having no control over the people who are the adults who are supposed to care and protect their children. One thing that I absolutely love about all of Backman's stories is that they are written in a way that makes them unique while also being universal at the same time; there aren't specific locations, or dates making them timeless but still enough setting that it feels like the reader is a part of the story. Spending majority of this book referring to Kimkim as "the artist" seems to that timeless element because as a reader I found myself able to picture Kimkim as an artist in my own life up until we got more of his backstory towards the end of the book.

As a neurodivergent person, I always love Backman's books because their a distinct personality in his writing style that feels relatable yet his stories never explicitly state any character differences. The quirkiness of the characters is always considered reasonably normal/accepted which is exceptionally refreshing when it doesn't always feel that way in the real world.

GoodReads review will be posted tomorrow and link will be provided and an official post will be on Instagram and linked by Friday.

The fact that this novel centers around a painting is very apropos as I always feel as though Mr. Backman’s words paint pictures in my mind!

This book made me laugh and cry. I could feel the summer heat, the smell of the sea and the warmth of the sun drenched pier that the friends used as their meeting place.

The teenagers in this story have had very hard lives, for many different reasons - not being accepted by others, living with verbal and physical abuse, no real "safe place" for any of them to be except with each other.

Louisa is just about to turn 18 and will finally be out of the foster care system. She has one destination for now - that is a gallery that is auctioning a painting that she has yearned to see for years. She herself loves to paint and draw but knows there is something extraordinary about this particular piece.

An unlikely encounter leaves her face to face with the artist and then, incredibly, she is gifted with the painting that she has always loved.

There is a wonderful cross-country train ride with Ted, one of the teenagers from years ago, and Louisa - and the entire story of that summer and how the painting came to be is told.

Really, that is all that you need to know!! I recommend that you go in blind and set aside some good lengths of time to settle into the story.

Remarkable and yet very relatable characters fill the pages. Backman’s writing is very poetic in parts and there are many phrases that I have earmarked. I’ll leave you to discover your own favorites!

This was a buddy read with Debra, Norma and Brenda, be sure to read their wonderful reviews.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to read and review this title.

I highly recommend this extraordinary novel to everyone.

Fredrik Backman always writes such thoughtful novels. It took me quite a while to get into this, but once I did it just flowed beautifully. He is really mezmorizing

My favorite Backman book so far. I had to stop after each chapter because I didn't want it to end. This was the perfect mix of the ridiculousness of anxious people and the seriousness of beartown

I swear to god fredrik backman is the only author that can make me sob over a stupid fart joke.

A beautiful and heartbreakingly sweet story about four kids during the summer they turned 15 and the girl who helped them grieve, 25 years later.

With pages that flit between stupid jokes and witty remarks that will make you laugh and roll your eyes, and lines that cut so deep into your soul it feels like you are coming apart at the seams and make you cry so hard you can't see straight. That is the beauty of a backman book.

I know I haven't read them all but with this book, I think I finally understand why people love Backman's books so much. While I've always thought they were all beautifully written, this was the first one that I felt like I understood.

When I think about being 14, I remember being so riddled with anxiety and doubt I felt like I couldn't breathe. I used to dream of having a group of friends like the kids on the pier had, thinking if I found my people they could teach me how to live and I could feel whole for once. I used to mourn the teenage years I thought I deserved, the kind of adventures that these kids had, the stupid, semi-illegal things that always made the best stories. Because despite how awful each of their home lives were, these four kids had their friends to lean on. Although I never quite got there it was comforting to see myself in every character in a different way; Louisa's lost soul and need for a happy ending, Ted's anxieties and fear about nearly everything, or Joar andAli'ss endless war and bickering that always meant I love you.

I dreaded the ending almost as much as Louisa but dear god it was worth all the tears.

thanks to atria books and netgalley for the arc.

I have loved everything that Fredrik Backman writes and could not wait to read his latest work, “My Friends.” This had everything I expected- wonderfully flawed characters, laughter, tears, and the ability to make your heart ache. That being said, there was always an undercurrent of hope. I am not normally one to annotate a book I am reading for pleasure, but there were just so many beautiful lines.

“Being human is to grieve, constantly.” Because what he really wants to know is: “How the hell do all the rest of you cope?”

Tyrants can’t be beaten, only destroyed, and no help was on its way.

we think that if we could just have been with our human every moment of every day, then it would never have happened. It never stops being
our fault.

That’s the worst thing about death, that it happens over and over again. That the human body can cry forever.

And this one hit home the most- You can’t love someone out of addiction, all the oceans are the tears of those who have tried. We’re not
allowed to die for our children, the universe won’t let us, because then there wouldn’t be any mothers left.

I read this while watching all 32 games of March Madness this weekend as it was so hard to put down. That says a lot- the highest compliment I can give. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the digital ARC of ”My Friends” in exchange for my honest opinion.

There was never a question about me loving this book...if Backman writes it, I love it. Still, I have my favorites among his works and this...this is going to be one of them. There was something about this book, maybe it was the timing of my reading it, my working through some childhood traumas in therapy recently, or just because his characters are so real...that this got me in all my feels. I sobbed through a solid majority of this early copy. I annotated more than I didn't. I'll have a lot to transfer into my finished copy when I get it.

Backman has a way with characters, with story telling in the most beautifully non-linear ways. Ways my brain could never think up. As an author, I can only hope to craft characters with a fraction of that skill. My heart broke, and healed, and broke again. The world is cruel to all, but especially to children. The world is unkind, but especially to creatives. This story explored both those things in a complex and beautiful way. Of course, I'll be recommending this to everyone, as I do all his novels.

Backman’s writing feels like coming home. Sitting down after a long day. The first day of sunshine after a cold winter. The coziest, yet more heart-palpitating writing to exist. I had a knot in my throat the entire time I was reading. Backman’s words are poetic in a way that has you thinking about them for days after. Every single chapter I kept repeating in my head “this writing is amazing” over and over.

The story-telling felt like Forrest Gump with Ted sharing a lot of his childhood memories To Louisa through a story from beginning to end. No promise of a happy-ending but you want to find out how it ends anyways. This story is beautiful and poetic. Heartfelt and mind-boggling. Like the sun shining through the trees and you’re able to see all the little spiderwebs shine.

The characters are so deeply real you want them to succeed and thrive through all the hardships they go through. The way Backman introduces his characters has the reader asking questions for the entire story. There’s always more to find out to put the puzzle together. The art theme stole the show. What a stunning way to capture the beauty of an artist’s mind with the intricacies of living ‘a long life’ and having the world root against you.

This is a story about genuine friendships, emotional ties, and how coincidences can shape you into who you become. Full of heartfelt, messy, straightforward characters and the trust they all shared. I can’t recommend this enough! releases on may 6th and needs to be on everyone’s tbr!!!

Thank you Atria, Netgalley, and the author for an eARC & simon and schuster for a physical arc in exchange for an honest review!

Yep - he did it again! I just don't know how Backman does it every time - creates beautiful characters who pierce my heart, a story that I just care about so much, and makes me laugh and cry, sometimes in the same page or even paragraph.

I won't say much because I almost feel like the less you know the better, but this book features art, found family, tragedy, humor, love and ultimately friendship and bonds that can never be broken. It does deal with some hard subjects but you will fall in love with every character, even the ones we don't actually meet but learn about through stories told through the people that loved them.

I was worried at first because it did start out a bit slow for me, but as soon as I was able to sink into the story and characters, it was exactly what I expected from the brilliant Mr. Backman. He truly can just do no wrong.

Absolutely brilliant and beautiful. My friends, I encourage you all to grab a copy of My Friends and enjoy it in your favorite reading spot! I loved, loved, loved this book. All the stars and then some! I love books about found family, underdogs, and flawed individuals. I also love with books with beautiful writing and Fredrik Backman out did himself with My Friends! Every single page of this book was a gift. This book evoked emotion, had me rooting for the characters, feeling their pain and their joy. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder and there is so much beauty in this book. Beauty in the friendships, beauty in the artwork, beauty in found family, and beauty in the kindness of strangers. There is also love. Love for friends, love for those who are not related to us but become our family, love for family (even if they are horrible) and love of art.

It is a piece of art but it also so much more. It is the embodiment of a bond, it was their life, it was their friendship, it was a found family, it was a summer day, and it was everything to the group of teens who were painted by their friend, the artist. Louisa, a young artist herself, sees what the artists intended while looking at the artwork at a museum while others only see the Sea.

A chance meeting with the artist in an alley will change Louisa's life. He sees in her what she can't see herself. He sees her beauty, her perceptive eye, her loss, her grief, and her love of art. He bequeaths her the painting and unknowing/knowingly gives her so much more. Ted, the artists childhood friend and one of the teens in the painting, gives Louisa the painting and along their journey together shares with her the story behind the artwork.

What a joy this was to read. It is brilliant, and beautifully written. I found myself highlighting section after section. My Friends is now my favorite book by Backman. This book gives all the feels while also giving some humor, some smiles, some tears, and some hope. I loved his flawed characters and how they came together and became each other's family. The friendships of our youth are special and life altering, and Fredrik Backman captured that beautifully. Plus, the ending - priceless.

Told in two timelines, My Friends is a masterpiece itself. Beautifully written, evoking emotion well thought out, and moving. Highly Recommend.

I was given this book as an eARC from Net Galley and Atria Books. THANK YOU

I am really enjoying the book so far but it does feel written for a younger audience than some of his other books. I also feel like this book is a slow read plot wise. Which I am finding a little boring. But the character development is great! I am so grateful to have the opportunity to read this prior to publication.

The book is also a little bit of a struggle because it is clear that it was written by someone who does not speak American English as their first language.

If you enjoy Frederik Backman books, you will find another enjoyable read with My Friends.

My Friends is about grief, art, storytelling, found family, and the power of friendship. If you like slow burn stories that explore character, childhood friendships, and emotional relationships, you will find all this in My Friends. Backman really knows how to write a tearjerker, so bring the tissues!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital ARC in return for my honest review.

I have never been more honored to receive an ARC than I was for this book - thank you so much NetGalley and Atria Books! Fredrik Backman is my all time favorite and because of this I am really trying to savor this story. I know that is not the ultimate purpose of sending advanced copies but I also know that at only 20% in to this story it is tied with the Beartown trilogy (because i refuse to decide between the 3) as my favorite Backman book. It's easy for readers to feel that the author put a little piece of his heart and soul into both stories. I am only 1/5 of the way done with the story and I have laughed and cried... there are so many excellent snippets that I would basically be copying the entire book if I tried to summarize my favorite quotes/ highlights. I want to continue to savor this book but I can already without a doubt say I would recommend it to anyone and feel comfortable giving feedback so the ARC has done it's purpose! I will share a full review on the linked accounts once I complete the story. Thanks again to both NetGalley and Atria for choosing me!

i couldn’t love this book more. frederik backman has again written a book with such soul that will leave me wishing that i belonged in his book. masterfully done.

Thank you NetGalley and @AtriaBooks for this ARC. All Louisa wanted to do was see a particular painting up close before it was auctioned off. This painting has meant the world to her and has gotten her through her turbulent years in foster care. When someone accuses her ofnsabotaging the painting, she runs, smack into the actual artist in the alley, looking like a homeless man. Through his friends, she learns the background of the kids in the painting and their lifelong friendship. This book. This story. This author. Amazing 😭. I devoured this book. #MyFriends #FredrikBackman #May2025

What a great story about a lifetime of true friendship. Sometimes heartbreaking, Sometimes joyous, but always filled with the wonders of childhood friends

Fredrik Backman is an amazing writer.
This book drew me in from the very beginning.
It made me laugh and cry.
He has such a unique style of writing and his character development is absolutely amazing.
Though I did enjoy a man called Ove more than this one. I still enjoyed this book tremendously.
I will definitely be recommending this book to my customers

I’ve long been a fan of Fredrik Backman, and while this isn’t the first book of his to make me feel something, there’s something truly special about this one.

From very early on in this book, I found myself both laughing and crying. I had to take my time reading it, because I felt so emotional every time I picked it up. Backman gives such life to his characters, and I couldn’t help but become deeply invested in their journeys. I rooted for them. I laughed with them. I grieved with them.

My Friends is, at its core, about the bond shared by four friends. Despite facing real struggles and trauma, their friendship is so beautiful it left me envious. The story is deeply character-driven, and when I reached the end, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to them. Is it possible to miss fictional characters this much? The novel captures how human connection and art both help us navigate the most difficult moments of life.

Backman has truly outdone himself here. He captures emotions I often struggle to express and gives them voice in a way that resonates deeply. I found myself highlighting passage after passage in the digital copy I read, and many of these quotes will stay with me for a long long time.

Thank you to Atria Books, Fredrik Backman, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC. This review is my honest reflection, given in exchange for the opportunity to read the book.

Frederik Backman the consummate storyteller is back with his unique voice writing of three friends growing up together in a poor coastal town with few opportunities. One of those friends is an artist. Twenty-five years later, the artist’s first painting is being auctioned. Ted is one of the three friends and is at the auction. He meets 18 year old Louisa, an aspiring artist and homeless. She ends up owning the painting. They embark on a journey together that is transformative. Like many of the best things in life, this starts slowly, but the ending comes too soon. Read the book. You won’t regret it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.