I struggled with this one a little bit. On one hand, the character development is impressive because I went from absolutely loathing certain characters (Jillian) to appreciating their growth. However, I really struggled to stay involved with the plot and found myself kinda bored in some parts

I really liked this book. I had heard a lot of buzz about it and it's such a good example of how life can change on a dime and how one decision can forever alter someone's life. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and to SparkPress for the gifted copy.

This is why I don't go anywhere or with anyone unless it's extremely public. This book for me was very intense. It shows that relationships can be very complicated. Humans are such strange beings that not everyone works the same way. Even after being absent for nearly 20 years, a person or thing can reap significant influence in your life quite quickly. It's engaging in a sense of what could be fixed in such a short span had a conversation just been opened. There was definitely more world building in this story, but the work was still well researched when it came down to the politics and legal knowledge. What makes this book good is how relatable it can be in real life. Now, not everyone behaves the same way; some people have sought emotional loyalties in different aspects of their lives, even without even realizing it. There were several parts that I didn't feel were conveyed as well, but that's for you to judge. Everyone has their own preference when it comes to plot preference. I did like the book, but for me personally, it fell a bit short.

My heart broke several times reading this, whether for Rudy past or present, or April as she continuously tried to keep moving. The exploration of life post-jail was moving and gave valuable insights to the real world.

First of thank you so much to Netgalley for gifting me this ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and it was very reflective for me. This book is rooted in injustice, reality, and how important friendship is. The book kept me on my toes and I couldn’t have ever expected where it was gonna take me. With consistent time- and POV changes you got a lot of insight while crucial information was held back so the twist wouldn’t be revealed too early.

Now this book should in my opinion have been longer. Some parts felt rushed/underdeveloped and they should’ve been given the space to flourish. The exploration of Rudys life in prison and his adjustment to the outside fell a bit flat for me and I would’ve wanted a deeper insight towards the end and how that was managed. Overall, I wanted more.

This book was very enjoyable and it definitely madd me reflect on “bad shit happens” but also the injustices people face everyday everywhere. It gives an emotional insight to how important friendships are and how we peorect the ones we love. I was in awe of the relationships that were built through time and throughout the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this character-driven novel! The multiple POVs kept the story dynamic as we followed April Nelson through the emotional aftermath of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I especially appreciated the enduring friendship between April and Rudy—it felt authentic and hopeful. Their bond was a highlight, and I have no doubt they’ll remain constants in each other’s lives.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this, but unfortunately, the story just didn’t work for me. I struggled to stay engaged and found it hard to connect with the protagonist, who felt built from familiar tropes. While the mystery surrounding her childhood friend intrigued me, it wasn’t enough to overcome the plot gaps—especially ones that could be resolved with a single conversation. The prison POV also felt underdeveloped. Reading is subjective, though, so this might resonate with others

This is the first book I've read by Amy Blumenfeld and I'm thoroughly impressed with 'Such Good People.' Blumenfeld did such a great job personifying each character in the different chapters -- each character was so different and that was perfectly reflected. If I had one critique, I'd say that there wasn't enough.. I wanted to know MORE and I wish there was more, especially more interaction and history between April and Peter. No spoilers, but the relationship between April and Peter felt too forced and not realistic to the situation that was in the book.

Besides that, this book kept me on the edge and had me turning each page quickly, eager to find out what happens next.

if anything, my main takeaway from this is to not go somewhere just because you get invited 😂

such good people is a compelling read that lets you in on the world of lawyers, wrongfully accused, reporters, and politicians. it draws perspectives from each one and paints a picture of the complexities of life and loyalties.

when things start hitting the fan, emotions run high and normal routines goes awry. fighting for justice isn’t always easy and it takes the right set of people to push through the odds and lay everything on the line. cue, jillian jones - the story’s main catalyst. her drive brings about multiple waves of events - both good and bad.

overall this was a rollercoaster of a read! the author did a great job on getting us hooked on emotions, feeling for the characters! you may find yourself rooting for them, getting annoyed at them, questioning their choices, and finally relieved.

I really, really enjoyed this book. It is an advanced readers copy from @netgalley and SparkPress. This story of the friendship of April and Rudy had me drawn in right away. It is told from multiple points of view over a “then” and “now” timeline. These two are friends from early childhood and their lives are turned upside down when Rudy comes to visit April at a conference when she is in college. An altercation ends with someone dead. I loved how devoted these two were to each other and I felt so much sadness for Rudy. I flew through this book in about 24 hours. I was totally invested in where this story took the characters. I think @amyblumenfeldauthor told a wonderful story of friendship, family, and justice. I think it could have been just a bit longer to tackle the injustice of our justice system a little further, however, I still think it was well done. This comes out July 8th.

Best friends Rudy and April have been inseparable since they met on the playground as kids. Then, a night out in Manhattan changes everything: a man is dead, April is kicked out of school, and Rudy ends up in prison. Nearly Fifteen years later, April is living with her husband and three children in Chicago, and Rudy is let out on parole. As more of their stories—then and now—unfold, one wonders what makes someone a good person? And who gets to decide? Will April’s and Rudy’s friendship survive his incarceration, or will it be another casualty of that fateful night when they were young? There were a few stylistic/POV-related choices I didn’t love, but overall I liked this quick read that shed a light on injustice. (I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review of this novel, which releases on July 8, 2025.)

“Stuff happens to everyone, but the measure of a person. In my opinion, is how they rise above.”

April Zagado and Rudy DeFranco are best friends since childhood. They are inseparable until April moves away for college. A networking event brings April back to the city and she makes plans to meet up with Rudy. What seems like an ordinary enough night changes both of their lives forever. Now 13 years later, April is caught between loyalty to her past and her present.

This book is about deep friendships.
and justice. It explores the ripple effect of our choices on the ones closest to us. Through April we see the human struggle of making a decision when either choice you make could hurt people you love, but choosing what you think is right.

The premise of this book was intriguing, yet the execution of the writing fell a bit short. The depth of the characters was missing for me. Even still, this is an entertaining read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC copy of this book.

The premise of a night changing characters' lives really intrigued me, but unfortunately the story just didn't capture me! I didn't feel invested into the characters' storylines and found the 'truth' of what happened that night to be very underwhelming!

Wow! What an emotional yet beautiful book!

April and Rudy were inseparable childhood best friends until one mistake resulted in Rudy's incarceration and April's expulsion from college. Fast-forward 15 years: April is now living a picture-perfect life in Chicago with her husband and three kids. However, everything changes when Rudy becomes eligible for parole, bringing her past crashing back into her life.

Blumenfeld truly brings these characters to life for me, and I have a particular soft spot for Rudy! She also does an excellent job of capturing the complexity of human relationships and accurately depicts the grey areas that can exist between friendship and romance. Her masterful storytelling creates intriguing situations, allowing readers to ponder some subtle questions on their own.

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC.

Amy Blumenfeld weaves the tale of two best friends in Such Good People. You follow the friends through defining moments in their childhood and high school. Then one night in college, everything changes. I ached for Rudy and April and the injustices they faced while remaining true to each other.

Honestly I feel bad for the rating I'm giving on this. This story didn't grab me I Honestly can't remember what I even read. All I know is I was bored and had a very hard time getting into the book in general. I think it just wasn't for me it could be for someone else though. I won't be leaving a public review on my social I will let people know when the release date is and that's it I don't like to give bad reviews because reading is subjective so just because i didn't like it doesn't mean someone else won't. Thank you for the opportunity to read this.

from the cover to the pages in between i was captivated this book. it help so many themes to it and made me ponder over so much right from social justice, to rehabilitation and also sometimes clear injustices. we also learn about people, about love and about friendship.
i wanted to read every last second of this book in one go because i needed to know everything all at once and then how this was going to end. there were a few things i thought i wanted to happen and then changed my mind as we learnt more and then a few things i didnt think i wanted to happen but felt true and needed all the same.
the book brings us April and Rudy who have been lifelong friends up until one fatal night when they were in collage and one is expelled and one is sent to prison.
over a decade later and time and people have of course moved on. for Ruby this means a home,husband and family. her husband is now ready for the big time, hes about to see his election entry for state attorney results. but Rudy is meant to be about to re enter the outside world. and bringing up the past leads for everything and everyone to be in question.
we learn from a few perspectives and are given both the past and leading up to present story of our characters. they all play a vital part in the books plot and i wanted to get to each of them and know more as the story played on. and i almost wanted to know too much too quick for my own eyes to read. i was excited and tense throughout. i definitely kept turning and turning and turning the pages long past what was good for me!
i was rooting for our main characters in this plot. and i found hearing just who they were and how they came to be so full of the complexity's and relatable nuances.
this book held on to me right from the start. i felt so involved in the plot and characters and i love how sometimes you really do FEEL for a book and makes me as myself and our society so many questions.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Such Good People is a beautiful story of friendship, justice, and loyalty.

The characters were imperfect and messy at times. I spent most of the book going back and forth between understanding their decisions and being frustrated by them. It’s messy, emotional, and thought provoking. Especially the eye opening themes of our justice system and journalism and how easily things can be twisted by ambition and the rumor mill.

If you want to read a book that will tug at your heartstrings while simultaneously igniting your passion for justice, Such Good People, which releases this coming July, is a book you need to add to your summer reading list. Set in between (now and then), aka present-day New York/Chicago and New York fifteen years in the past, we meet two friends, April and Rudy. The two neighbors were as close as any two best friends could be when they were growing up, but when April asks her friend Rudy to come to an event in Manhattan during a trip home from college, both of their lives are changed forever.

The story is so compelling that you'll find it hard to put this book down (and I didn't, finishing the book from cover to cover in just one day). It was the perfect escape from studying for an Anatomy and Physiology final, if only for a little while!

4.5 stars rounded up!

I really enjoyed this book. I was intrigued by the premise, and the author did a great job with it. The alternating timelines were very well done - I liked both then and now and it kept the book flowing really well. The story and bit of mystery sucked me in and I found myself constantly wanting to read more.

My only negative is that the ending felt a bit rushed - some of the character's personalities seemed change quickly (or develop rapidly) and didn't feel fully natural, but the author wrapped up the loose ends well. I would've preferred a bit more in those chapters, even if it made the book a bit longer!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!