We Are Not Like Them is at times, a very uncomfortable read.

Jen and Riley have grown up together and are like sisters. Jen is white and Riley is black. Their colour has never caused an issue for either of them until now.
Jen's husband is a police officer and is involved in the shooting of a young black boy and as a TV reporter, Riley has to cover the story. It is here where things become strained between the two friends.

I highly recommend this very powerful book.

This is the second time that I have read this book, having not really give it my full attention of the first time around.
I read this book as part of a book club read.
I absolutely loved this book the second tiem around and I am so glad that I re-read it.
Most of the "action" part of the storyline takes place in the first chaper and this book pretty much centres around how one action can effect so many people's lives, in so many different ways.
The book is told from the viewpoint of both Jen and Riley, who have been best friends so long as they can remember. One day, Jen's husband, Kevin, whilst on duty as police offider, shoots a black youth, Justin. Justin sadly passes away as a result of the injuries. Riley is a black female, who is deeply effected by Kevin's actions. Riley pulls away from her best friend, Jen, who is a white pregnant female, as she believes Jen cannot understand what she is going through.
I devoured this book. It was so interesting reading from the two different viewpoints and actually being educated. At the beginning of the book, I must confess, I did think Riley had overreacted towards Jen, not as a whole, but towards Jen. However, further reading of the book and the explanations etc, I sympathised and began to understand the reasoning behind Riley's actions.
The ending rounded the book off really well, in my opinion. This book ticked all of the boxes for me, despite being completely out of my comfort zone.

A book about friendship, relationships and race. Narrated by both Riley, a black TV reporter and Jenny, the white wife of a policeman. Growing up together as close as sisters until a tragedy threatens their relationship.
Thought provoking and very readable, I enjoyed this book very much.

We Are Not Like Them is a really timely novel about racism in America.

Jen (white) and Riley (black) have grown up together, and are like sisters. Colour has never been an issue between the two of them. But when Jen’s Police Officer husband is involved in the shooting of a black teenaged boy, and Riley is given the job of covering the story as a TV reporter, things become difficult and strained between them. Is their past enough to keep the friendship going? I did wonder on many occasions throughout the book.

Themes include racism, prejudice, white privilege and police brutality. It’s a pretty hard-hitting book, and could be set anywhere in the US at the moment. We have our own issues and institutional racism to deal with in the UK, and it was interesting to see how this panned out. I did think that Riley worried more about Jen. Jen was completely wrapped up in her own problems, using Riley as someone to lean on, whilst not being at all curious about Riley’s feelings on what had happened to the boy. But then, Jen has some pretty huge things going on in her life, too.

I can see this being an ideal book for a book club - so much is going on, there’s so much to unpick.

It’s a powerful novel. Recommended.

This book gave me lots to think about and it raised some really important issues about race, the police and the culture of large organisations.
I enjoyed the dual POV's of the main characters and felt that it would an ideal book for discussion / book club choices as I felt myself thinking about a number of issues as I read it.
An enjoyable read and one I would recommend.
Thanks to the author and publisher for this ARC in return for an honest review

This book makes you think. It dives deeper into race issues and relationships than any other book I’ve read. Apparently it was written by two authors (one black and the other white) but it was so seamless that I really couldn’t discern their different voices. I didn’t particularly take to Riley who to me was just as racially prejudiced as her white friend, Jen who she abandoned in her hour of need after a lifetime of best friendship. Towards the end I felt it was too neatly wrapped up with resolution in all areas. However the book made me cry, made me cross, made me evaluate preconceptions. Without sounding trite - Life isn’t purely black or white.

The enormity of the issues explored in this book, at times made me feel ill equipped to express how imprortant these sorts of narratives are.
With a pwerful narrative exploring racism, unconscious bias, entitlement and more We Are Not Like Them is a story which considers various experiences surrounding a tragic event and the consequences of that event on the people incvolved, the communities and wider society.
It is an uncomfortable read in parts, but then again - so it should be, Racism is too often not discussed and too often the biases are allowed to contiue unchallenged. This novel doesn't attemt or claim to offer a conclusive solution to such a hard and widespread issue. However, what it does do is comple the reader to confront their own biases.
We Are Not Like Them is a very relevent novel focussing on contemporary issues around racism and, using a variety of viewpoints to illuminate issues, motivations, and consequences of historic racial inequality and bigotry it strives to put the history of racism into the reality of contempiorary racist issues. It is a powerful, compelling and empathetic read which brings many issues to the forefront of the narrative with sensitivity, whilst not succumbing to platitudes.

A story about race, friendship and relationships that is heartwarming/thought provoking but sad at the same time. Although I thoroughly enjoyed this book some times I did find it hard to read.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant book, an amazing story about friendship and race that made me think about Riley and Jen for a long time after I finished reading it. Uncomfortable and painful in places, as it holds a mirror to reality, it was also moving, uplifting and full of empathy .

“Real change in this world is only going to happen if we keep talking to one another.”

Justin Dwyer is just 14 years old when he is shot dead by two Police Officers in Philadelphia. He is black the Police Officers are white.
Riley Wilson a black reporter for a TV channel is tasked with interviewing his mother and covering the ensuing court case. Jenny Murphy is married to one of the Police Officers, she and Riley are childhood friends.
How will this affect their friendship?
A powerful book very well written.

This book touched on some sensitive subjects around race but it does so in such a way that it helps you to understand and hopefully open up discussions about race with friends and family.

The one bit that sticks in my mind is when Jen (the white friend) says she rarely thinks about race and actually it made me realise that that is one of the privileges of being white. Whilst I think it’s great to look at my friends and family and just see people (not colour, race, sexuality etc) I understand now that these are things they have to deal with on a daily basis, often behind closed doors and I will strive to be more attuned to that.

I’m my opinion, a book everyone should read.

I was so happy to have been approved for this book! Told by two narrators which was a narrative style that I really enjoyed. I found this book gripping and thought provoking covering such a topical issue. Overall I loved it and would recommend.

Taking sides, examining loyalties: how deep is a friendship?

My liking for this was strongest in the first half of the book. The drama and tension surrounding the shooting of a 14-year-old black student by two white police officers, and the story surrounding the wife of one and her lifelong friendship with a reporter covering the story - it did wrap itself around you.

Jen is pregnant, with Riley's help paying for the IVF, when her husband sends her that unforgettable text message. It's a child that's been shot... but it's her husband's career and life now being decided. Riley's own feelings and choices are pulling at her too - Jen is her best friend, but she's worked hard to try and become a news anchor and this story could be the break she needs to show what she's capable of.

Moving from one to the other, the two sides of this debate descend on two characters. Riley takes on the side of Justin, interviewing his mother, while Jen exemplifies the consequences on the shooter. Neither themselves are morally faultless.

Riley is more interesting than her best friend I felt, with secrets long hidden from Jen about her own experiences with race, it's no wonder Jen is oblivious to alternative narratives. Riley has changed her name, her hair, hidden racist incidents from Jen, not pulled her up on comments over the years. But Jen too seems naive in a way that seems unrealistic and selfish.

The powder keg of emotion that simmers following the shooting seems familiar after events of the last few years, and this book certainly reminds us of faults in the system, of prejudices and blindness and what's in need of debate and change.

The ending felt like a let-down, while there is resolution, I didn't feel the women got the finale they could have.

There are some minor characters I would have liked developed more - Riley's brother has his own backstory that could have been made much more of, and her grandmother is a wonderful creation as well. Jen's own mother is a horrorshow, and the men in their lives feel very much minor bit parts.

A good one for discussions. Worked well as an audiobook with the voices of each heard as one narrates, the two-handed story flows well and easily as you listen.

With thanks to Nudge Books for providing an Audible copy.

A book about race and relationships that is heartwarming but sad at the same time. Although I thoroughly enjoyed this book some times I did find it hard to pick it up perhaps it was not the right genre for me but I would read more from the author in future

Thanks to HQ, Christine Pride, Jo Piazza and NetGalley for the review copy of We Are Not Like Them

As a white cis female, I am consciously very aware of white privilege and the impact that it can have. When I heard the synopsis of this book it immediately struck me as a brave and impactful storyline - one that perhaps other authors have been scared to tackle before, tackling conversations that need to be heard and listened to. The fact it was written by two authors, one black and one white, was also extremely poignant.

Riley and Jen grew up together and have been best friends ever since - it had never mattered to them that Riley is black and Jen is white.

But when Jen's husband accidentally shoots and kills an innocent unarmed black teenager, it triggers a series of events that could not only destroy their friendship but lead to a battle of sides. Riley is given the news anchor opportunity of her life, but with a topic so close to home, her roots and her race, how can any of them move forward from this impossible situation?

At times this book is a really difficult read, and it does make you question some of your own behaviours and ask yourself what would you do in that scenario?

This story is harrowing, real and a important voice for something that has happened too many times.

Two best friends, friends since childhood, grew up never talking about the one thing that divided them, their difference in race. That is until, Jenn’s husband is part of a shooting of an unarmed black teenage boy.

This book is more than just a story about friendship or race. It’s about how to be a good ally, about injustice, law and a mirror on what is happening day after day across the US. What I love about this book is that it wasn’t a 2D story, the characters are fully fleshed out and encompass how complicated and difficult life can be. It’s a book that isn’t easy to read because of the topic but that makes it even more important to read. No child deserves to die because of the colour of their skin, no mother should have to worry about whether her child is safe because they are a different race.

Firstly WOW. This certainly makes you think, wonder and at the same time shock you. But sadly its very true and relevant to what is happening in the world today.

So the book is about 2 friends Riley is black and Jen is white. There friendship gets put to the test but also put under a microscope.

Jens husband Kevin (a cop) has shot and killed an innocent black boy. The book is written in both Jen and Rileys point of views, making you see the events that happen from both sides and the emotions which come with it. It also makes you think about white privilege and how naive we can be at times, this book without being preachy or pointing fingers actually because it looks at the situation from both sides, but also seeing from the victims family but also from a cop family, which makes this a more powerful read, plus the authors from difference races, both contributed to each character and i think that is what makes the impact of the book so powerful and an important read.

I highly recommend this book, and as mentioned an important read.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy for an honest review.

This was a fabulous read, it would be perfect for a book club.
There are so many talking points that are so poinient in todays society.

This was a raw but important read, i'll be making sure all my friends give it a read too.

Timely and important, I read it in one sitting and am still thinking about it weeks later. This book is a must read!

This was a very powerful book to read, Told from Jen and Riley’s points of view. Jen is white, Riley is black, now this is not something I would normally write because race does not mean anything to me, people are human beings and deserve to be treated the same regardless of their race and colour. However, this is a prominent factor in this book.
They have been best friends since kindergarten and still are now. A black teenage boy is shot by police and Jen’s husband, a police officer was involved. Riley is covering the story as she is a television journalist. As things unfold, we see how different it is between black and white and how things are perceived by both.
Will Jen and Riley’s friendship last, will justice be served? Well, you will have to read the book to find out.
I thought this was written in a great way, it tells it from both sides and it was so poignant, especially with what has been going on recently that it needs to be read. It certainly opened my eyes more to the discrimination black people have to face all the time.