I have read a few books by Jane Fallon many years ago, and always particularly enjoyed them. Sadly, I was hugely disappointed by ‘Faking Friends’; I don’t know if that’s down to the book itself, or my tastes having changed, but here’s what I couldn’t get on with:-

The storyline consists of Amy who discovers that her fiancé is having an affair with her best friend. The whole book is the drawn-out process of Amy messing with her ex and her best friend, without letting on that she knows about their secret affair. It’s very drawn out, and includes a hell of a lot of filler content about Amy and Mel’s (the best friend) earlier years, which to me just didn’t seem at all relevant. The book would have been much more succinct and relevant without all the background informtion.

The use of brackets in this book drove me barmy. There were brackets that had WHOLE paragraphs of text inside them, so by the end of the bracket you haven’t got a clue what the start of the sentence was. Technically, I just think this is a really poor way of writing.

There were alternating perspectives, between Amy and her friend Mel, however instead of alternating chapters, this happened withIN the chapters. So one paragraph would be Mel, and then the next would be Amy, but with no indication as to whose perspective it was coming from. This took a lot of re-reading to work out what was going on.

The story itself was pretty dull, none of the characters were likeable, and there didn’t really seem to be a climax to the plot. I’m sorry to say, this isn’t a book that I will be recommending.

if you enjoy chick lit books about relationships etc you will love this however, i found it very predictable and slow reading.

I really enjoyed this book. Great easy reading holiday book with lots of twists and turns. Believable characters and plot. It kept me going until the end which wasn't what I had expected but was very satisfying. Something that you can't always say, sometimes you are left feeling short changed, but not in this case.

loved this book. you would not be disappointed reading a Jane Fallon book you know it will be a good book. would be recommending this book to friends and would read this one again.

Faking Friends

Loved this! Hooked me in right from the first chapter and read in just one day. Such an easy great read, an ideal beach book. Not taxing but highly entertaining.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Faking Friends is about Amy, an actress who has been working in America for the past 7 months. She makes a surprise visit home to see her fiance and go to her best friend's 40th birthday party. When she arrives home she realises a woman is living in her flat with her fiance, Jack. Amy decides not to say anything to Jack until after Mel's party. Whilst hugging Mel goodbye after the party, Amy realises the feminine smell in her flat is her best friend's perfume. The rest of the novel is Amy pretending not to know whilst getting on with her life and pulling pranks on Jack and Mel.

This is my first experience with Fallon and I will definitely be finding some more of her novels. I laughed so much. I would definitely recommend for some light, funny chick lit reading.

I am a big fan of Jane Fallon, I find her books easy to read and they also keep me gripped. This book was no exception. There were a few twists in the tale and some I could see coming, but others did really surprise me. In some ways I wish it did end in a different way, but then it can't all be hearts and flowers all the time! This book definitely kept me guessing and its a great story of revenge and the difference between fake and real friendship. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance preview of this book.

A great read. Not my usual genre, but I thoroughly enjoyed it nevertheless. This is the first book from Jane Fallon that I have read, and I will certainly be going out of my way to read more

Faking Friends is a story of what happens when best friends become worst enemies. When friendship turns to resentment and ultimately betrayal. I loved the way Amy discovered the truth and uncovered all the lies that Jack and Melissa told her. Faking Friends shows how sometimes it takes something huge to finally show you the truth about your so-called friends.

Amy is very likeable and her character is strong. I didn’t like Melissa from the off and Amy finally sees what the reader can see all along; that Melissa is just not a good person. I enjoyed seeing Amy start to move on and see where her story was going.

A story of a woman scorned and how she repays those she considered closest to her. A vey enjoyable scandalous little read!

Thanks to Jane Fallon, NetGalley & the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Jane Fallon treads familiar territory as she focuses on betrayal and deceit from two of the most hurtful of corners in a woman's life, her fiance, and perhaps the one that cuts the deepest, the bestfriend, her longest friendship forged at school, remaining the closest of best girlfriends. Amy, an actress, has a part in an American crime show in New York which has entailed leaving her fiance, Jack, behind at home. When circumstances dictate a break, Amy takes the opportunity to return and surprise Jack whilst also attending Melissa, her best friend's 40th birthday party. However, it is Amy that is shocked when she sees evidence of another woman living with Jack. Her life crashes apart when she realises that Melissa is the other woman, as she glimpses her and Jack holding hands.

Given that the character Amy was playing has met her demise, Amy holds herself together by plotting and planning vengeance, aided by her friends, the wonderful couple that is Kat and Greg. There is much fun and humour as Amy deploys a range of tactics to ensure that Jack and Melissa's lives begin to unravel, with a number of twists. In the meantime, Amy puts the pieces of her life back together, rebuilding her future, and developing a greater sense of her identity. This is a thrilling exploration of toxic relationships in Fallon's inimitable style, that entertains, dwelling on friendships and personal relationships. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.

Loved this, as I have all Jane Fallon's books. Quick and easy read and very disappointed when the book ended.

Easy reading novel ideal for holiday or travelling - would recommend to anyone who enjoys light reading

I was going to give this book 5 stars however, in my opinion, the story got a bit nasty and went too far. It's the story of revenge. Amy is working in America, she comes home to London for a surprise visit. On arriving home at the flat shared with fiancé Jack, Amy finds another woman's suitcase and belongings. Instead of confronting Jack and after realising that her best friend is sleeping with Jack, Amy decides on revenge. internet revenge. I was enjoying the story up to a point and would still recommend reading it.

I needed a light read and I definitely found it with Faking Friends. Definitely worth a read

A great read - really enjoyed it, and found myself wanting to make time to read more to find out what happened next - always a sign of a good book!
I enjoyed the flashbacks to school and university days as the main character unravels past experiences and remembers incidences that really should have ended her friendship with her narcissistic best friend years ago.
Some lovely characters and some surprising twists that made it that bit more interesting than your average romcom chick lit read.
Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for a review.

I love this book. I was travelling on a long journey and fancied something a bit lighter to read. This sounded ideal and it didn't disappoint! I was hooked from page one, enjoying the fact that the lead female wasn't just some tearful sucker who desperately wanted to find a new man to take care of her. I must admit that when Mel was introduced as a narrator, I was unsure if the book would pan out the way I hoped, but I'm glad I persevered. A really good, uplifting, fun read - great for the beach or a lazy Sunday afternoon. One thing - the cover could do with looking a bit more modern. The flowers made it look like it might be aimed at older ladies.

Everyone has a best friend and we always see the best in them. But what if all along they were never the friend you thought they were and suddenly you are faced with that truth when they undertake the worst kind of betrayal. This is what Amy is faced with when she returns home for a surprise weekend. What unfolds is a story of revenge, love and finding the meaning of true friendship. I really enjoyed this story and loved how things came together in the end. I found myself laughing in places and being mad and angry on Amy's behalf in others. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends. This was my first book from Jane Fallon but it certainly won't be my last. I will be looking for some of her other titles in the near future.

Amy seems to have it all returning early from New York she finds someone has moved in to her flat she shares with Jack and its her best friend. They don’t know she is home and they don’t know she knows.
What follows is a devious ,woman scorned rebellion and it is fab. I couldn’t put it down. Just when you are screaming yessss! a twist will occur to make you wonder whether she is doing the right thing.
All those plots you thought you would want to do rolled in to a great read.
A real page turner.

An enjoyable read about a toxic friendship and getting revenge. Amy is a lovely warm character who has been dazzled by her nasty friend Mel for years. Mel is driven by jealousy and her own lack of success to ruin anyone else's. Once Amy discovers the extent of her treachery she and her friends Devise Elaborate schemes to get their own back. However, Mel is not stupid and lays her own nasty plans. Before it all falls into a huge cringeworthy heap, there are mature heads prevailing and satisfactory conclusions made.

This is another cracking read from Jane Fallon. As with her previous books, she really shines in developing characters you care about, settings you can easily imagine, and rotters you'd like to see thrown over the nearest bridge. "Faking Friends" succeeds on all these fronts. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to start life all over again just when you thought you were on your way to happiness, this is the book to read.

Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.