This is an interesting story told in alternating timelines and follows three best friends until one day, Molly goes missing. I will say that the "twist" was not shocking at all to me and I guessed it early on but that could have just been a good guess. I definitely liked the timeline from the 80's better than the present day timeline narrative. I liked the story but overall was a little underwhelmed.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Deirdre Palmer for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Storm Publishing, NetGalley and of course D. Palmer for allowing me to read and review this book.

This is the first book I’ve read by Deirdre Plamer and I really enjoyed her writing style and the way it goes back and forth between the two timelines. Her characters are fell formed and the book does keep you keen to find out what is going to happen next. I found myself many times throughout the book asking our heroine Briony why she hadn’t figured it out yet because I had by chapter three. I did become a little exasperated by her not seeing what was right in front of her. I would like to read more from Deirdre and see what she has for us next.

This is a story about childhood friendships but also the pressure and standards we put on ourselves growing up to be like everyone else. It’s about looking back at what felt so huge when we were young but so insignificant now. It’s about secrets and choices that were made as children and the effect it had on others. It’s about finding love in unexpected places and things being too good to me true. It reminds us of what it’s like to be on the cusp of adulthood and how important those years are. Beautifully written,

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of Her Best Friend’s Secret by Deirdre Palmer due to be published April 23, 2024.
Briony had been left an inheritance from her godmother, Alice – the house, Summerdene, in which she was raised with Alice’s son, Jeremy. Briony spent her childhood with her best friends Molly and Samantha, until Molly vanished. Now she has returned to her childhood home to turn it into a bed and breakfast along with the help of her daughter, Faye. She discovers an old swimsuit of Molly’s in one of the rooms. Why would it be there, and what happened to Molly when she disappeared?
Her Best Friend’s Secret alternates between the current time of the B & B and when Briony was younger and Molly went missing. Lots of secrets are revealed and some interesting people come out of the woodwork to integrate into the Briony’s life – some good and some not.
This was a new-to-me author – I will definitely look into reading more of her books!
#NetGalley #DeirdrePalmer #StormPublishing #HerBestFriendsSecret