June 18, 2018

This book was very interesting. At the beginning, I found it to be confusing and felt that the author was trying to do too much within the story. However, as I read further I realized that she was actually creating an amazingly deep and complex story that had many twists and turns: some were revealed openly and some took much longer to unravel. There was one point where I realized that I was completely mistaken in my understanding of parts of what I had read so far, which was a neat twist in itself. After that, I found myself reading much more carefully and questioning everything that was happening. In addition, the deeper exploration of how sometimes souls can recognize each other without conscious acknowledgment is skillfully illustrated by the experiences of both Carrie and Alex and their growing friendship. “The Perfect Friend” is one of the best psychological thrillers I have ever read. This was my first Barbara Copperthwaite novel and I can’t wait to read more!

What an amazing story! Based on the authors’ last book, I went in expecting another good thriller. While “Girls Night Out” certainly met that expectation, I was more intrigued by their thought-provoking analysis of long-term friendships. Anyone who has friends they’ve known for awhile will instantly be able to relate to the three main characters in this story. The authors have done a great job in layering the perspectives of Natalie, Lauren, and Ashley from both before and after “the night.” It was especially interesting that each woman had her own secrets that were revealed as the main “mystery” was unraveled. I thought the authors did a phenomenal job of illustrating the difficulties middle-aged women have when they come to a crossroads in life, and how even confiding in long-term friends can be a challenge. A definite must-read!