Before We Were Innocent

I sat down to read this for ten mins, and when I looked up, I was half way through.
Obviously it was more than ten minutes later, but it's a big testament to the readability of this book.
The words just flowed. I was fully sucked in.
The last third , not quite so much.
However, it was a book that I enjoyed immensely.
The character studies, and power plays of these two/three women as adults/teens .
How a tragedy has affected everything they have done since.
Very well done.

Fabulous - I couldn't put this down, and I'll think about it for a long time.

Joni and Bess are friends with a history - a very dark history. A story of rich kids, privilege, youthful trangressions/innocence, death and loss, mental health, family and friendship. I loved the perspective of Bess especially as she was so introspective and self-aware. Very literary and beautifully written, and I'll keep my eyes peeled for more books by Ella Berman.

Thanks so much to the publisher for the chance to read this book, I really really loved it.

★★★☆☆ (3.5)

Something about rich, privileged teenage girls getting wrapped up crimes amidst sun-soaked settings is so pleasing to me (fictionally speaking, of course.) This is like 90210 but a White Lotus setting.

Bess is sucked into Joni's life, her teenage best-friend, after ten years of not speaking and asked to lie to the police for her. What follows unravels Bess' coming to terms with what happened that summer when three friends went to Greece and only two came back.

I did really enjoy this - I was hooked reading it, and it was super easy to keep track of the dual timelines. I think for me, I got a bit sucked into it being more of a thriller than it is. There's no big twist or shock reveal. The second half is much more introspective for Bess and how she finally faces what happened ten years and what that means for her now. It's not to say it was bad, just not the path I had been going down for the first half of the book.

I went into this, expecting a thriller novel, full of murder and mystery and the past coming to bite you. I definitely got that, but at the same time, I got a beautiful study of the relationships between girls in that revolutionary, instrumental teenage age. The story follows Bess, a survivor of a terrible accident that left her best friend, Evangeline, dead as a teenager while they were on a sun-soaked trip in Greece. Blamed for Evangeline's murder, along with her other best friend, Joni, the story is told in two timelines, one from the infamous trip to Greece, and one from the present, where Joni's personal life leaves Bess like she'd never Greece years ago.

Bess was a great protagonist. She had so much internalised guilt and so much desperation to keep Joni, the last remnant of a previous life, in her orbit, to the dirty work of defending her no matter what. And Joni was a fantastic character too. Right up until the end, I was left guessing about her. The juxtaposition of the two timelines kept things interesting and mysterious. The supporting cast, especially Bess' brother and their changing relationship as they overcame the trauma of the past, was excellent too!

This was a great book, and can't wait to see what comes out of Berman next!

This was great, looking forward to recommending it to friends as a thoughtful and suspenseful beach read!

This book is written in dual timelines, 2008 when Bess, Joni and Ev(angeline) have just finished high school and are off to a tiny Greek island for the summer, and 2018 back in California, a decade after the events that took place the summer of 2008 when Joni appears on Bess’ doorstep asking for a favour. I found I was initially more invested in the 2008 timeline to find out what actually happened but towards the end both timelines were equally engaging.

I was initially expecting this to be more of a thriller/mystery but a lot of what kept me engaged was the stuff about toxic friendships, how young women are portrayed in the media and how differently people can react to the same circumstances. It made me think about the holidays I went on with friends in my late teens/early 20s and also how, at 19 years old, I’d have coped with every detail of my personal life being dissected in newspapers and discussed in online forums. I’m not sure I’d have even coped as well as Bess who mainly hides away from the world with a WFH job and no social life, never mind as well as Joni who has reinvented herself as a successful motivational speaker and influencer!

I also couldn’t help but think about Amanda Knox and Meredith Kercher when reading about Bess, Joni and Ev. A different and more extreme situation but the because of the way Knox was vilified and scrutinised by the press at a similar age and in slightly similar circumstances it was hard not to think of that incident.

If you’re looking for a page-turning thriller a with a shock reveal this is probably not it, there was an element of that at the beginning but it’s a lot more thoughtful, slow and introspective. I’d say the books I read the most are contemporary/literary/women’s fiction with the occasional foray into murder/mystery/thriller so this was right in the sweet spot for me.

Thanks to NetGalley, Head of Zeus and Ella Berman for my very first ARC!

I could not stop reading this book. I had to know what happened. Highly recommend.
This would be a great ride for the summer.

So glad this was my first ARC! For someone who never reads on a screen, I managed to finish this in about two days on the train on my daily commute to work! Which is a big achievement for me because usually I can only read from a physical copy.

But my oh my this was a page turner. I loved the fact that the story shifted between the past and the present and at each turn there was a new development that caught my attention.

It dealt with so many different themes. Friendship, trust, manipulation and love. But what I found most interesting was the portrayal of the media and the way they are able to manipulate people’s feelings and thoughts. Not only are they able to manipulate the public opinion but they are also able to manipulate police investigations. The media manages to ruin the reputation of two teenage girls based on photos, texts and lifestyle choices. To have your every move scrutinised and published out to the whole world to such an extent means to leave life long scars on those under the microscope. The book follows the life of both teenagers and how they each handle the situation. With Joni using the media for her own gain and turning it into a positive and Bess turning into a recluse trying to disappear from the limelight entirely.

Would definitely recommend!

Great summer book to just get lost in! Super easy read and you honestly get sucked into this book and lost track of time!

This book is less of a thriller than a coming-of-age story about three teenagers on the cusp of adulthood, teetering between the profound vulnerability and a sense of being invincible that is so often juxtaposed at that age.

Elizabeth (Bess), Joni and Evangeline come from privileged families in Calabasas - in the latter's case, with stratospherically well-off parents. They go off together to spend their first independent summer in Greece, but only two of them will return from that trip.

The subsequent media frenzy around the case of "rich kids gone bad" means that neither of the remaining two girls has much of a chance at having a normal life thereafter. One becomes an online influencer and lifestyle guru of sorts, and by contrast, the other retreats completely from the public eye.

But Joni and Bess (respectively) are now leading very different lives from each other, and they are also very different people from who they were 10 years ago, during that tragic summer in Greece.

Or are they? Because in an eerily similar set of circumstances, Joni contacts Bess on the eve of the launch of her highly-anticipated book - at a time when her girlfriend has inexplicably disappeared - to beg her to provide an alibi.

And for reasons that she doesn't entirely understand, Bess agrees to do it. But can they really expect to get through the situation unscathed this time around? And do they deserve to?

Before We Were Innocent essentially reads like a literary fiction novel about toxic friendships, and the decisions that people make in their youth that they sometimes pay dearly for afterwards, with some mystery/thriller elements thrown in.

It's well-written and absorbing, but would have benefited from being edited more tightly. The book is well worth a read though. And it's likely to evoke nostalgia even among those who may not have had the good fortune (?) to travel to the Greek islands as teenagers, but will recognise some aspect of themselves in this very diverse trio of friends...

Wow! What an amazing book!!
Would love to read more from the author.
Thankyou netgalley for the Arc!
Full review will be uploaded soon

This story was both a suspenseful thriller and nostalgic coming-of-age story about female friendships and losing your innocence as you may onto adulthood. I loved all the different themes that were dealt with in this book and how they were weaved into the story and the characters. This is definitely more of of a contemporary fiction but the mystery is still incredibly interesting too and this is worth a read for something a bit different.

Before We Were Innocent was exactly what I was looking for in my next read given that my past 2-3 reads have been quite character driven and lacking any real plot to keep me hooked but thankfully I couldn’t put this one down!

I’m usually not a huge fan of a non-linear narrative that alternates between present day and flashbacks every chapter because I often favour one storyline over the other but this was not the case with Before We Were Innocent.

Berman’s pacing was one of my favourite parts of the novel and I felt that although I had some idea as to what was going on, there was enough uncertainty to keep the mystery going.

The only thing stopping me giving this novel five stars is that I wasn’t 100% satisfied with the ending but for the most part I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I loved this book. I found it very nostalgic and relatable in terms of teenage, female friendships. I really enjoyed how it was written and actually enjoyed how reflective Bess was throughout. Thank you to Netgalley for the preview. I will definitely be recommending this book. I would give it 4.5 stars if I could.

Wow I loved this book. I didn't realise how quickly I got through it, I could not put it down. It definitely shows how female friendships can truly be.

I heard about this book and from the description, I thought it sounded like a good read.

This was an enjoyable story about friendship, love and loss. I was able to relate to the characters and their bonds of friendship, and I found it quite heartwarming to read, but emotional at the same time. I'd say it was light enough to read in one sitting, and a good choice to read if you're in the mood for a tearjerker.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

this was the perfect holiday book and i finished it in just over a day. juicy and suspenseful, but with enough solidity to the characters and story to stop it from feeling like ‘holiday chick-lit’, i found the story of Evangeline, Jodi and Bess to unravel at the perfect pace. Before We Were Innocent captures the intoxicating dangers of female friendships within your teenage years, and how quickly mistakes can come to fruition - it’s shocking yet eerily relatable. Both an engaging, slowly exposed crime story and a deep psychological dive, this provides the perfect quick yet attentive read.

Being a 34 year old woman I’d almost forgotten about the terrifying, visceral nature of teenage friendships until I read this.

Read it if: you simultaneously yearn for the messiness of adolescence whilst wondering how you actually got out of it with your mental health fairly intact.

Don’t read it if: you need a neat and entirely resolved ending.

This book details the lives of a trio of wealthy teenage girls, with the narrative moving between present day and ten years previous. The focus is on the circumstances and reasons behind one of the trio’s death, and the repercussions of those events still affect the surviving two.

The author’s depiction of the dynamics of relationships at that age were spot on for me. You love your friends so intensely at that age, it’s almost aggressive and any fallout feels like the end of your universe. Especially when it comes to that big first girls trip away where you feel like adults for the first time.

I read this book over a couple of days and I’m still left wondering how the characters might get on over the next decade…

This is my first book by Ella Berman, and I'm intrigued to go back and read her previous novel! I loved this story of a crime that happened within a complex group of friends - the dual timeline worked especially well for me, and I'll always be drawn to a Greek island setting. The perfect holiday read!

Before We Were Innocent revolves around the complex friendship of Joni, Bess, and Evangeline during their teenage years. The story unfolds through dual timelines, alternating between the summer of 2008, when Bess, Joni, and Evangeline spent time on a Greek island, and the year 2018, when Joni's fiancé disappears under mysterious circumstances.

While there is an element of suspense surrounding Evangeline's death and the disappearance of Joni's fiancé, I wouldn't categorize this book as a mystery or thriller due to the absence of significant plot twists. Nonetheless, I enjoyed Ella Berman's writing style, and I look forward to reading more books by her.

I received a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Ella Berman, Aria, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

It took me a little while to get into this but once I did, I couldn't put it down. The intensity and cruelty of the friendships of teenage girls was captured perfectly. I did wish for a more conclusive ending re: Joni though.

I really liked this book. The mix of past and present really kept me guessing. The relationship between Joni and Bess is very familiar, one girls normally get caught in, or did when I was a teen.

The ending seemed a bit suddenly and I feel like there may be some sequel needed to close loose ends.

4.5⭐️

I would like to start by thanking the publisher - Head of Zeus for giving me this ebook, via NetGalley, in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was beyond happy when Head of Zeus pick me for reading this book, as they said it could be of my interest. I went into it without reading the synopsis and I think it was, perhaps, the best decision as I had no preconceived ideas.

The book has a dual timeline, which is something I almost always enjoy, and works perfectly here in a kind of “before and after” narration. Joni, Bess and Ev are three best friends that decided to spend the summer after high school in Greece (back in 2008), however, this trip will not go accordingly to plan and in the present (2018) timeline we will be seeing the effects it had in our characters.

I don’t want to do a great disclaimer on the plot line, as I felt it was quiet nice being surprised by the unfold of events, but I can assure you it’s an easy reading book, which happens as a result of the small chapters, and it’s quiet additive. There are some characters with some serious issues here, but the book could not work so well otherwise.

It’s a mixture of romance and mystery, very focused on the female friendship and overall, I highly enjoyed it. I finished wanting to know more of Ella’s work!

This review will also be available on my Goodreads profile and, later on, on my Instagram account - @cat.literary.worl

Wow! What an amazing book!!
Would love to read more from the author.
Thankyou netgalley for the Arc!

The friendship between the three girls as teens is always teetering on the edge of who is in and who is out of the group. Transplanted for a final summer together before going off to college the girls go for an extended holiday to Greece, to Evangeline's family summer retreat.
The descriptions of those first few days of sun, sea and spirits gradually declining into lacklustre sameness for the girls leads them nicely into seeking new thrills to alleviate the boredom.

When only 2 return from the holiday their lives take polar routes forward, with one thrusting herself into the limelight and the other hiding in a cabin in desolate countryside.

Thrown back together, the toxicity of the friendship continues a decade after the initial tragedy and the truth gradually teases itself out.

*I received a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my unbiased review*

This book was such a surprise! Before We Were Innocent alternates timelines between the summer that Bess and her friends Ev and Joni went to Greece, where Ev died and Joni and Bess were suspected of involvement, and ten years later, when Joni turns up on Bess' doorstep, asking for a favour.

I half-expected this book to lean heavily on the story of Amanda Knox, and while I could see parallels in the ways in which all three girls were treated by the media - reduced from complex individuals to broad stereotypes, the demons and the angel- this was very much its own story. The relationship between the three best friends, with all their insecurities, shifting alliances, attempts to control one another and the struggle to build their own identities, felt so relatable.

The ending was not what I was expecting, and I've been dwelling on it ever since I finished. I would definitely recommend this book, and think it would be really well suited as a book club read!

Set between two timelines, this book follows the story of three girls and how their lives changed after a summer abroad. I enjoyed the book, it was dark and full of suspense.

This book is about female friendship, yes I know is toxic and very complex but that’s just the start of this review. The plot is dark, the different layers in the story made this reading very interesting for me. The complex female characters where something I enjoy, one of the characteristics of this book is that is a gripping book. write a psychological drama Isnt easy and most of the times the author get lost in the plot and POVs. But this autor keep writing this book in beautiful and elegant way. I like the fact that we just have Two timelines because that made easy to read this book. It is a slow book so don’t enter thinking is a thriller or you gonna leave disappointed. This book describes the multi layers of the young female relations and how when we are young as females can involve in very toxic friendships. They are raw and visceral and most of the times we hurt people we love because we are not mature. This is the description of those relationships this won’t have a ending that answer all your questions and it’s a bit messy. Teenager years are complex and this is what this book is about. Thank you very much to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the early access to this book. The book is out the 13 of July 2023

The plot is as deep and dark as it gets, multi-layered with 'who knew what when?' as the strands come together and the finer details get filled in. This is an absolutely compelling, gripping book full of mystery and suspense. Only a few authors can write deeply involving psychological drama of the very highest quality. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

A well-written take on a ripped-from-the-headlines crime thriller with a more human touch. I felt the 2008 timeline was better crafted than the 2018 one, and honestly would have enjoyed it more if it just focused on the crime and the immediate fallout. Much more of a rumination on female friendship and how you change as you get older, less of a grisly rehash of the Amanda Knox story. Which is probably for the best.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Before We Were Innocent
by Ella Berman

For anyone who was even mildly interested in the trial of Amanda Knox for the murder of fellow traveller and roommate Meredith Kercher in Italy in 2007.

This is a story of toxic female friendship, riddled with class imbalance, personality clashes, manipulation, distortions and lies which centres on the outcome of two of the girls lives 10 years following the tragic death of the third one while they summered in the Greek Islands.

"We partied hard, we bitched and complained, we hurt people, we thought we knew everything about sacrifice and loyalty and how the world worked"

"We all made poor choices for each other, for ourselves, for the wrong reasons and the right ones, and we all ended up paying for it in the most unfathomable way"

There is a small overlap with recently published "The Girls of Summer" which explores similar risky behaviour in holiday settings. They make a great pairing when examining newly independent teenage recklessness.

It is tempting to catagorise these girls as unlikeable characters, but actually my heart goes out to them. The are so young, so full of themselves and their possibilities, convinced of their immortality and just trying to work themselves out.

The author chooses a very interesting time to set this in, 2008, the brink of social media, when the indelibility of our online footprint hadn't really been considered. The trial by media aspect of any high profile case can have such devastating consequences for all evolved. When unscrupulous reporters and the public at large can trawl a person's socials, using drunkenly posted photos of slutty and careless activity, it is possible to distort the narrative and create incriminating evidence, or vica versa, use other material to build an anodyne portrayal of a supposed victim.

There's a lot to unpack about the power and abuse of power within friendship, the treachery of character assassination and the gendered nature of public shaming which makes for some grim reading, but the punch comes from the growth of one character in particular and her self reclamation.

A strong start, a meandering middle but great ending.

Ten years ago, three best friends set off for a summer to remember in Greece, however not all went to plan. When Joni and Bess are thought to be involved in the unfortunate death of Ev.

Cleared of involvement, Bess and Joni were able to rebuild their lives after an abundance of negative press and guilty accusations until now, when Joni needs her friend's help with the disappearance of her girlfriend.

Told through two timelines; then and now, we learn a lot more about what actually happened in Greece and who was to blame.

An interesting read, about a complex friendship between three teenage girls. It was nice not to depend on a romantic relationship with the focus on the three best friends. The pacing was slightly slower than I would have liked but overall a great read which kept me captivated throughout! I would definitely read another Ella Berman book in the future!

‘Can you do it for me, Bess?’

Ten years ago, three teenagers went on a holiday to Greece. Only two returned home. While Bess and Joni were cleared of any involvement in their friend Evangeline’s death, the media (and some members of the public) were less certain. Bess, full of remorse and feeling guilty about Evangeline’s death, has tried to keep a low profile ever since. Joni has travelled another path. And then, one night, Joni approaches Bess. Joni’s girlfriend has gone missing, and she wants Bess’s help to establish an alibi. Bess complies because she believes that she owes Joni.

‘We had all assumed that losing Evangeline would be the hardest part. We were all wrong.’

The story shifts between the present and the events in Greece ten years earlier. We see the best and worst of teenage friendships, and the influence of good, bad, and indifferent parenting. Bess feels responsible for Evangeline’s death, but her recall of events is imperfect. What really happened the night that Evangeline died? And why does Joni need an alibi now?

Ms Berman takes the reader on a journey through complicated friendships, through the consequences of impulsive actions and their reverberation through lives. Bess may be our primary focus, but Joni held my attention as I tried to work out the truth both in the past as well as the present.

Recommended: a totally engrossing read.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

A fabulously written gripping story that was a pleasure to read. I would absolutely recommend this book

What I will say about this book is that although I liked the cover I don’t think it went with the story itself. The book will be enjoyable to fans of The Secret History, Madam and Malibu Rising. It reminded me of an article I read about 3 girls in the UK a long while ago. I typically don’t enjoy the use of “influencer” characters in books but it was a good tool and fit with Joni.

Depictions of friendships between teenage girls always fascinate me, especially when, as in this novel, they are able to capture the power struggles, self-esteem battles, sharp cruelties and shifting loyalties, alongside the mundanity, naïveté and insecurities. There is so much self-consciousness and jealousy in these friendships, so many raw feelings, but also so much love and fierce loyalty. In ‘Before We Were Innocent’, the author manages to capture all of the fluctuations and conflicts that shape a teenage friendship group, and the way that you can only gain clarity in your understanding of these relationships with the distance that growing older brings. There is something so tender in the central friendship, despite the darkness.

The darkness comes from the death of one of the friends and the accusations directed towards the remaining two friends over the circumstances of her death. My favourite feature of the novel was the way the media were portrayed, particularly their treatment of the two teenage girls who were found guilty of partying too much, being too sexually active, having an uncouth sense of humour and generally failing to be ‘polite’ and ‘modest’ in the way that young woman are expected to be. They were not appropriate incarnations of young womanhood and so their private lives and characters were made fair game to the press and to the public, even if they were found not guilty of murder, they were still condemned.

Split between the past and the present ten years later, I found myself much more engaged with the parts of the novel set when they were teenagers. Their adult selves were interesting explorations of how to shape a life after trauma and infamy, and bittersweet reflections on youth and adolescent friendships, but the plot was slightly lacking for me. That being said, I love unique studies of characters and relationships, and this definitely delivered on that front.

Three girls, Joni, Evangaline and Bess living in a wealthy gated community in California. Evangaline (Ev) is given a trip to Greece as a graduation present and Joni and Bess accompany her. Tragedy strikes during the time they are there.
This is a compelling read. It not only contains a murder and mystery, but also the reader gets to see the complex relationships between the three girls. Moving between past and present, Bess now lives a quiet life where she moderates complaints on a dating site. Her life is basic. She is happy. And then Bess turns up out of the blue with a request that leads her back into a similar situation she experienced that summer in Greece.
The weave of 2008 and present day is an interesting one. Initially, I did not like Joni’s character. Since Ev’s death she has made a name for herself as a life coach, with podcasts and TV appearances. Arriving unannounced at Bess’s, she’s clearly not impressed with her friend’s situation – living under the radar, working from home with very little social interaction. All the same, she is expecting help. And Bess agrees.
Switching to the events in Greece enables us to get under the skin of each girl and understand their personalities more. When the unthinkable happens, it also says a lot about media manipulation and how it can influence public perception.. The ‘then’ part of the book became the most interesting part, but as the story progressed my interest in the ‘now’ deepened.
All in all, this is a well written and powerful read which held my interest from page one until the very end.
I would like to thank Ella Berman, Head of Zeus and Netgalley for an ARC of Before We Were Innocent in exchange for an honest review.

After the tragic death on a Summer trip to Greece, two friends are bound together and later separated by events. Ten years later, they are reunited when another mysterious event brings them back together.

Three young women on the brink of bright futures, Before We Were Innocent, is a story tinged with nostalgia and contrasted with the modern digital age. I loved how the timeless feel of a sentimental summer interplayed with the new world of dating apps and a fascination for true crime.

The novel takes place over two time periods with the reader learning about the events and characters as each period progresses. I love how Bess, Joni and Evangeline are as characters. Certainly flawed, as they complement and aggravate each other as the author depicts the complexity of friendships between young women. As a reader I was constantly asking myself which version of them I trusted: Bess as the narrator, the views of other characters expressed through her interactions with them, or depictions in the press that are encountered throughout the book. I feel the book is written to foster mistrust of even Bess as the narrator, which I think adds an extra dimension.

I think the challenge Ella Berman took on, of mixing the tones, could have easily gone wrong if not executed properly. For me the contrast in tones and characters worked out and the risk paid off. I would definitely recommend for those who love a bit of nostalgia (especially around 2008) and/or true crime.

Before We Were Innocent catches up with Bess a decade after the death of one of her best friends, Evangeline. Desperate to separate herself from the tragedy, she tries to hide away from the world. This had worked, kind of, until a figure from her past turns up at her door.

Before We Were Innocent is for readers who love unlikeable characters, a twisting plot line and a coming-of-age tale all rolled into one. This story tackles themes of grief and guilt and depicts those sorts of teenage friendships that feel so instrumental in forming your identity.

However, despite being a mystery thriller, I feel Before We Were Innocent lacks that fast pace that I craved from a story like this. Although there were moments that gripped me, overall it had that absence of momentum I needed to keep reaching for it.

I did love the atmosphere Berman created and the friendships between the girls were very reminiscent of the ones I had when I was that age - flawed but beloved. Although I felt this novel had some imperfections, I am intrigued to give Ella Berman’s other novel a try.

A gripping and revealing read about a summer that ended up in tragedy for three teenage girls and the aftermath of how that summer changed everything.
I particularly was enthralled by the descriptions of each of the characters and the analysis of how intense friendships are at that stage of life and how mistakes and actions of the young are reframed when tragedy strikes to manipulate and build up personas that are too simplified.

Compellingly Executed..
Toxic friendships, a lifelong bond. A coming of age tale transcending timelines in this beautifully written, succinct tale of flawed friends and a mystery within. A slow burn but nicely done and compellingly executed. There is no real tension here, no thriller, no grand reveal but rather a drama of lives, feelings and emotions. We can never bury the past.

I really enjoyed reading this book. We begin by meeting Joni who reappears at old school friend Bess' door nearly ten years after last seeing her asking to use her as an alibi when her current girlfriend goes missing.

The story flicks between past and present when 3 friends Joni, Bess and Ev go on holiday to the Greek islands as teenagers and something terrible happens.

The book is a story of friendships, adolescence and a fun summer turned bad.

I loved how Ella built each character up. I really enjoyed her writing style and the story was real, raw and believable. The book covered topics of youth, guilt , manipulation, jealousy but also love.

I will be recommending this book and looking out for others by this author.

Before We Were Innocent

Three best friends spend the summer after high school in Greece but after tragedy strikes only two of them return, but not before they are both accused of their friends murder. Even though Bess and Joni were cleared of any involvement in Evangeline’s death the two of them were ripped apart by the media - both in Greece and back home in the US - resulting in them being infamous upon their return. Both girls dealt with the fallout in different ways. Joni took full advantage of being a well known name and rode the wave to become a successful and well known motivational speaker. Bess, on the other hand, retreated from the world trying to avoid being recognized or receiving any attention.

Now, nearly ten years later, the two former best friends are reunited when Joni suddenly shows up at Bess’ door late one night. Joni has found herself caught up in an eerily similar situation to that of their summer is Greece and needs Bess to support her as a friend, but also as an alibi. With Joni back in her life Bess is forced to reflect on the summer she has been trying to forget, will she like the outcome when she is forced to face the truths and lies of the past?

This was a great character driven thriller. Told over dual timelines. In the past it examines the drama, manipulation, toxicity and jealousy surrounding a group of three teenage girls on the cusp of adulthood, trying to navigate their way into the world of the unknown. In the present timeline it looks at how people evolve and change with time but also how they stay the same and how it easy it is to revert back to thinking and behaving in certain ways when people from your past are around.

Sometimes I find character driven thrillers can drag on, but this one was nicely paced and was definitely invested in the outcome. I really enjoyed the dynamics of the friendship group in the past and also seeing how the trauma of the past had effected them in the present timeline. This is one I’d recommend to those who enjoy thrillers that feature toxic friends, twists, drama and suspense.

Ten years ago, Bess, Joni and Evangeline, three best friends from high school, decide spend the Summer in Greece. However, only two of them return. The story is dual timeline, flicking between what happened ten years ago, and the present day, where Bess opens her front door to find Joni on her doorstep. Joni is involved in another disappearance and she needs Bess to be her alibi.

This book is perfect for summer reading. It has beautifully described locations in Greece where the trio spend their summer and it had me wishing I was abroad, soaking up the sun. I think this book it would make an amazing to show!!

It’s a thriller and I did find it gripping in relation to the disappearances and crime aspect of the story. However, I was much more hooked on the focus on the toxicity of the trios friendships and how the girls navigated the complexities of their friendship.

If you like the sound of this then I would also recommend Penance by Eliza Clark as this book slightly reminded me of that book and they are both very enjoyable!

Thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy of this book!

This book feels perfect for adaption to television; such an enjoyable read and great characters that were really fun to get to know! Loved the exploration of the meaning of friendship and trust. Thanks for sharing.

👙 REVIEW 👙

Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

Publishing Date: 13th July 2023

Evangeline, Joni and Bess were best friends through their final years of high school, before taking a long summer trip to Greece to live out their final weeks together before heading to different colleges. But what should have been a summer of sun and friendship can quickly turn sour, as tensions bubble under the surface, leading to the fateful night where only two of the girls return. 10 years later, despite growing apart, Joni and Bess can’t help but find themselves in all too familiar situation…

The story unfolds in a dual timeline, flicking between 2008 and 2018, reliving the summer in Greece, and the events leading up to Evangeline’s death and the lives of Bess and Joni as they come back together. One thing I think this book does really well is portray the intricacies of young female friendships, and how things can quickly turn toxic, especially in a group of three. Although I found some of the choices made by 28 year old Bess to be somewhat unrealistic and naive, I still enjoyed the unfolding of the story, which isn’t typical of me when it comes to mysteries. It was quite a slow burn, and very easy to read so maybe that helped. Overall I’d say I enjoyed this book more than I expected, and would recommend for people who like slower burn mysteries and stories of intricate female friendships.

Wow, what can I say, read this to find out what happened and how the lives of these girls worked out. I am sure you will enjoy this as I have done. 5stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for this ARC