Book Review: The Year That Changed Us

When I noticed The Year That Changed Us on the Hoopla suggestions, I recognized the publisher, Boldwood Books (same publisher for the Wildflower Lock books). After taking a gamble, I almost abandoned this book several times when it veered into territory I didn't enjoy. It is not a squeaky clean read and the story pace was challenging, but I persisted. It took quite a while to ferret out the cataclysmic event that separated best friends Emma and Lise. Yet, I felt invested enough to continue listening.

Annalise has returned to London, to her childhood home at Honeybee Court, and hopes to reconnect with her onetime best friend, Emma. The two girls grew up in very different homes, and Lise adored Emma's family. She hopes to mend the rift that grew during their time together in Paris. This is the driving story problem: once they were friends, something tragic happened, now they are not. Much of the book is backstory leading to the climactic moment, the big reveal. It was satisfying, but also somewhat predictable. Still, I think this book would tug heart strings as you watch this relationship flourish, implode, and reconvene. The promise of secrets revealed and crisis explained keeps the reader turning the pages (or, in my case, listening during exercise and dish-washing moments).

📒 Content Caution: smatterings of language, drug use, and sex