Such Good People by Amy Blumenfeld is such a good book! Told from various perspectives, the compelling (but not always likeable) characters move this story forward through the themes of loyalty, redemption, justice and above all, friendship.

In perhaps the sweetest of meet cutes, young Rudy crosses the space between the apartment building where he lives and the home next door of young April, telling her parents he’s going to dig a tunnel connecting the two in case she ever needs him for anything.

Turns out, she’s going to need him.

Best friends, the two weave in and out of each other’s childhoods, living as they do, neighbors in Brooklyn, friends, and only friends, who lean on each other always.

One night, in the spring of her freshman year of college, April is waiting in a crowded bar for Rudy, who she hasn’t seen in a while, to arrive so they can catch up.

Instead, a drunk young man who had been hitting on April ends up dead.

In a whirlwind, Rudy is arrested, jailed, and sent away for an interminable amount of time - his guilt more a nod to social injustice than to any real evidence of a crime. Initially, April is steadfast - she will atone for this wrong she knows has befallen her best friend, but time goes by, she meets handsome attorney Peter, moves to Chicago, and has a life Rudy won’t.

Years later, April’s two worlds threaten to collide: just as Peter is set to win a local election, Rudy is up for parole.

And now everything is a mess.

April must do some soul searching and make a tough decision: to whom will she remain loyal?
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Woah. This was a weird, wild ride.

Defying genre - decade spanning family drama, intimate character study, mystery, contemplation on society? - it will keep you on your toes. Told in multiple timelines and different voices, the reader gets a real sense of how of how each player is dealing with these circumstances.

I was enthralled by the blurred lines and how choices we make have a stunning ripple effect on our entire lives; things always have the potential to revisit you, especially when you become complacent.

While Rudy is wholesome and relatable, April is less straightforward and teeters between a character you love and one you might hate. Peter adds another layer, and his arc is both upsetting and understandable. Plus, there’s Jillian, former college acquaintance, once instigator, and redemptively journalist and savior in Rudy’s life, the most complex of them all.

There was one piece to the story that was kept hidden from the reader out of necessity which I found incredibly frustrating until it was revealed much later - though I understood the why, I wish it had been done differently. Not enough to dampen any enjoyment though!

If you’re looking for something quiet and unexpected, I recommend this one.

One night. One decision. A lifetime of consequences. Such Good People is a quietly powerful, emotionally layered novel that explores the long shadows cast by loyalty, love, and sacrifice. When April makes a split-second choice to protect her friend Rudy in college, it unravels the course of her life in a way no one could predict. Fast forward fifteen years, and she’s rebuilt a beautiful, stable life...with a loving husband, three children, and a rising public image. But when Rudy's parole hearing collides with her husband's political campaign, past and present come crashing into each other.

The story shines in how it handles moral complexity...there’s no easy right or wrong, just raw humanity and the hard weight of choices. Richmond’s writing is introspective and emotionally rich, capturing April’s inner turmoil with nuance. It’s less about action and more about what happens after the fallout: how people move forward, how forgiveness is earned, and how love sometimes demands the impossible.

It’s a slow burn, but one that lingers long after the last page.

Such Good People by Amy Blumenfeld is a thoughtful and emotional story about friendship, healing, and second chances. The story follows a group of old college friends who reconnect years later. As they catch up, secrets from the past come out, and everyone is forced to face the truth about themselves and each other. The book deals with real-life topics like illness, grief, forgiveness, and how people grow over time. The characters feel real and easy to relate to. The author writes in a way that is clear and heartfelt, making it easy to connect with the story. Even though some parts are sad, there is also a lot of hope and it shows how strong people can be when they support each other. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys stories about friendship, family, and learning how to move forward when life gets hard.

Such Good People is a warm, honest look at how trauma affects friendships and families. Amy Blumenfeld blends humor with serious moments in a way that feels authentic and uplifting. While a few parts could have been tighter, it’s ultimately a touching, hopeful read about resilience and the bonds that hold us together.

April and Rudy are childhood best friends whose lives both change in an instant when Rudy is arrested and April is kicked out of school. In a dual timeline, we get to see how the pair become inseparable friends, as well as what becomes of each of them over the course of Rudy's almost 15 year long incarceration.

I didn't care for the writing style at times, which seemed to switch between third and first person, but found the story and the way it all came together enough to overlook that. This was an interesting commentary on social class, privilege, remorse and righting past wrongs. The author noted at the end that her father was a public defender turned judge and her mother a public school teacher, and her inspiration was clear in every page of the story.

This is a touching story about lifelong friendships, loyalty, guilt, and privilege. Set in New York and Chicago, it explores the relationship between April and Rudy through multiple points of view. What I love most about the story is the connection between the two families and their community. My only complaint is how April's husband, Peter, changed after her past was revealed, though it was understandable. "Such Good People" is a heartwarming read that brought me to tears by the end.

Thank you, NetGalley and SparkPress, for the advanced copy.

There is such a range of characters in book which are so cleverly and intricately developed! The same with social injustice questions woven into the narrative. You can tell the author takes such care in the writing.

Wow! What a story. This book is about April and Rudy, childhood best friends. When a seemingly nothing event happens at a bar, Rudy is charged with murder, and their whole lives change. This book really showed true friendship, and what happens when people are out for revenge, hurting, or only thinking of themselves. The actions of others can have a huge impact on your life without you even knowing. Highly recommend.

3.5 Stars....."Such Good People" is a heartfelt story about the unshakable bond between best friends April and Rudy, and how one life-altering moment ripples through their families. The book drew me in with a strong start, though it lost a bit of its spark as it unfolded. Still, what stayed with me was the beautifully written portrayal of friendship, loyalty, and the quiet strength found in community. It’s a touching reminder of how deeply we need our people—our village—especially when life takes an unexpected turn.

Thank you to NetGalley and SparkPress for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you netgalley for the chance to read!
I REALLY enjoyed this. We flow through the plot in two different storylines: one, the development of April/Rudy's friendship and the deterioration of a terrible night gone wrong, and two, Rudy's release from prison and its impact on April and her husband / soon to be congressman Peter and their orbits.
This really touched on some beautiful topics. The justice system and its shortcomings were front and center and frankly SO infuriating. You knew from the get-go Rudy was persecuted, but to see that unfold and how long it took for real justice to prevail: really intense. Seeing what happens on the other side of prison, both from Rudy and from April's perspective, was really powerful.
I thought where this shined, though, was its portrayal of friendship and love. Rudy and April, yes, were the clear stars (THANK YOU for writing a male/female friendship that wasn't about attraction) but also April and the women in her lives (women supporting women, just point blank. chefs kiss), Rudy/April's parents: beautifully touching. Watching the impact of this moment on Peter/April, how they moved through it, how Peter came out after it? Also striking. THANK YOU for no third act breakup or any sort of cheating. It made this story just so much more rewarding and you never had to root between Peter and Rudy.
Really beautifully done. Impactful. A great great story about good people

I had a hard time with this story... while I think the premise had potential (I'm a huge fan of 'An American Marriage'), a lot of things about this book just didn't click with me. It felt like the author planned every plot point that was going to happen in the story, but simultaneously just wrote around these points without any flow?

Maybe because we were jumping between multiple perspectives and then and now timelines, but I felt like I was just being bounced from one thing to the next, with no natural development with the characters in between. The main characters themselves also had next to no chemistry, which felt really off especially because they were supposedly childhood best friends, and the new husband was just an ass. April's decision-making made no sense, and I was really questioning the motives of another side character in the book. I also wasn't a huge fan of the writing - it was loaded with exposition and jargon (especially at the end) and weirdly switched between third person and first person when explaining a character's thoughts, which just really took me out of it.

I think this being compared to 'An American Marriage' heightened my expectations for it, but it unfortunately, the comparison made me more disappointed in this book.

I loved that this was multiple points of view, with flashbacks! Those two aspects are something I look forward to in novels! I think this didn’t get higher than 3 stars because I wasn’t a fan of the plot itself, but it was still such an interesting read! I was excited to find out what truly happened to Bailey, and how they could 100% blame it on Rudy,

Rudy and April was so sweet during their formative years, and I kind of hate her husband. That might’ve been the point but I think it’s necessary to add anyways lol.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read this!

With thanks to SparkPress and NetGalley for a digital ARC.

April and Rudy grow up together in Brooklyn and even though April moves away to college, they remain good friends. An evening out in New York as young adults changes the course of both their lives - April is expelled from her college and Rudy is convicted of murder and ends up in jail. Years later we pick up on April's life - she's moved to Chicago, is a happily married mother whose husband, Peter, is running for public office and she's moved on from her earlier trauma - but Rudy's still in jail, just about to be released on early parole. What happens next throws both their lives into turmoil.

Written from multiple POVs (April, Rudy, and a friend from college, Jill), and in a dual timeline, this is a really gripping story that examines the themes of justice, friendship, love, loyalty, class, privilege - it's the ultimate "why do bad things happen to good people?" story. It makes you think about choices and how even the smallest decision can have a ripple effect lasting a lifetime.

From the start, I questioned the murder conviction, based on the evidence and I was really engaged in Rudy's story and invested in seeing justice for him. The characters were well developed and even though some of them did unlikeable things, I felt empathy towards them all. Difficult situations call for difficult decisions and made for a compelling story.

"Unputdownable" - a really excellent summer (or anytime) read!

The characters ranged in likability, which made the story feel very realistic. The author touched on criminal justice, family, friends who feel like family, and being forced to start over. I didn't entirely enjoy the "person of color taking the fall for the white lady" trope. But I did appreciate that the author absolutely highlighted that the only safety net for women is other women. The plot, while believable, had a bit too much of a happy ending considering the subject matter. It felt a bit heavy handed at times and the middle was a bit of a slog. But I could hardly put the book down because I was very invested in the outcome of each of the characters (although I'd love to read a sequel where the main character divorces her husband, who was actually kind of the worst).

April and Rudy are childhood best friends whose lives are turned upside down when a bar fight ends in death, Rudy is incarcerated, and April is left feeling an unrelenting guilt for inviting Rudy out in the first place. The story is told in dual timelines (during the bar fight and trial, and Rudy’s release) and through the perspectives of Rudy, April and Jillian, a former classmate and journalist.

I feel like there is a good story in here, but the way it was set up just fell flat for me. First, Jillian is barely connected to Rudy and April, yet her perspective gets equal real estate to Rudy and April’s. I honestly found her character, her tenacity and her journalistic drive to be the most interesting and compelling parts of the book, and probably would have preferred a stand alone book on her investigating a crime that took place with a former college classmate. But wedging her in with the best friends, especially when going back and forth, in time and POV, it wasn’t working for me.

Rudy felt very one dimensional. “I’m a nice boy who went to prison for 15 years. April’s my bestie! I have a nice family! …okay, that’s all!” He talked to a therapist for maybe a page, but other than that and brief mentions of panic attacks in the city of the bar where the fight took place, there is no introspection from him. Not one mention of his experiences in prison! Nothing on the “outside” triggered memories from FIFTEEN YEARS in prison?! And, no spoilers, but when Jillian reaches out to him his only reaction is happy?! He thought she was the most annoying person on earth pre-prison, like…come on.

April’s character was the only one who felt fleshed out and three dimensional. Juggling the weight of guilt, trying to make amends, then motherhood, career, husband, his political campaign, aging parents, her best friend’s prison release, and trying to re-establish a relationship with your bestie when his life had been paused for 15 years…I felt that pressure! However, her husband’s Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde transformations, and her just being OKAY with him after all that gave me whiplash! Obviously there’s a lot of pressure when campaigning, but they don’t work that out in the book so she just seems like she cool with being an emotionally abused spouse.

My only other gripe is that I felt like the author spent too much time in each “chunk” of time. If you’re going to write in dual timelines, leave us hanging a bit! Staying in one place for, I don’t know, 30 pages or so, THEN going back in time or forward in time, just kind of took me out of it once I had just gotten settled.

All in all, there’s a good story in there. I realize this review is mostly complaints (lol), but I don’t want to potentially spoil anything by mentioning all the parts I liked! I give it a solid 3 stars. Thanks #NetGalley for the ARC!

Such Good People had a great start. As it went on the book just didn’t live up to my expectations

Overall a good book but I think the second half of the book could have been more interesting and fleshed out.

Told in multiple timelines and multiple perspectives which I love but wasn’t enough to save it.

I did enjoy the writing style and I would likely try this author again.

Thank you to netgalley and spark press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Such Good People had a great hook in the beginning. As chapters went on it started to just fall flat. The hold the first few chapters had on me didn’t remain.
Overall a good book but I think the second half of the book could have been… more.

Told in multiple timelines and multiple perspectives.

The writing style is good!

Thank you to netgalley and spark press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.25⭐️
Such Good People is a story revolving around best friends, April and Rudy, and their families following one fateful event that forever alters the course of each their lives. The story alternates between multiple points of view and multiple timelines to tell the story leading up to the event and then fills in some of the pieces in the aftermath. This book takes a deep dive into relationships, trauma, love, friendship, sacrifice, news bias, the imperfect justice system (and its failures), and overall explores the many complexities that all of these things bring to the lives of the characters. This was different than many books I have read recently and I really enjoyed it and would read more by this author. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Such Good People is a stirring exploration of loyalty, reinvention, and the enduring weight of love and sacrifice. What is true justice? What do we owe the past and those who belong to it? I found this thought provoking.

During her freshman year, April stands in a crowded Manhattan bar, waiting for her childhood best friend Rudy. The moment their eyes meet, the course of their lives is irrevocably changed. Within hours, Rudy is arrested. Within days, April is expelled from college. And within weeks, Rudy is behind bars.

In the aftermath, April meets Peter a young attorney who helps her rebuild her life. Fifteen years later, she’s a mother of three, living a quiet life in Chicago with Peter who's on the brink of winning local office.

Then Rudy is up for parole. This is where our story begins...

As headlines reignite the scandal of her past, April must make an unthinkable choice: protect the life she’s built, or honour the one person who gave it to her.

The story switches between both past and present perspectives of April, Rudy, journalist Jillian who was present at the incident and started her career with it, and occasionally Peter. This works really well to help us understand the characters as well as the chain of events which lead up to present day - and the split second decision which shaped all their lives.

The characters are multi-layered and some more likeable than others. Rudy is sympathetic and relatable - in fact I found Rudy and his whole family loveable. April I like and feel for her torn between two worlds. In the beginning I admired Jill's ambition and tenacity, I can't say I liked her but I definitely warm to her. Peter I didn't warm to but in a story of rich characters he feels flat, the only one-dimensional character.

But I think this makes the characters so much more realistic- positive and negative traits rolled into one, acting in a way in our youth we wouldn't as adults, struggling with balancing life and the battle between obligations and emotions. It's such a good portrayal of the complexities of life.

Because this is character driven opposed to plot driven we get a lot of past scenes (which works well) however the present scenes seem quite fast and abrupt.

Such Good People by Amy Blumenfeld is available from July 8.