When We Were Young is a beautiful, emotional story about love, grief, and second chances. The book moves between two timelines; 1990s and 2016, and follows Emily’s journey through young love with Will, a rising musician, and the present, where she’s a single mother to sixteen years old Liv.
I loved the dual timeline and how it slowly revealed the past while showing how it shaped the present. Will and Emily’s romance felt real and bittersweet. The connection between music and art was lovely, and the emotional depth really pulled me in. Liv's curiosity about her mother's hidden past added a fresh angle.
Overall it was well written and touching story. It handles grief and mental health with care, and the characters felt honest and relatable.
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own

I LOVED this book. I don’t have one single bad thing to say, I loved every single thing about it. I went into it just expecting a story about love and loss (as per the description) but what I ended up getting was hands down, one of my favorite novels of the year.

There’s multiple timelines and multiple POVs but Elaine Hastings does a great job distinguishing between them, you’re never confused about where you are in the story.

In the past, we have Emily and Will’s POVs as they meet and fall in love. Emily is an art student and Will is a struggling artist trying to make it in the music industry. In the present, we have Emily and her daughter Liv’s POVs as they try to navigate life together. We find out pretty immediately that Will has passed away years ago, and Liv happens upon his music and finds out that her mother knew Will, but she doesn’t give her any details. Liv goes on her own journey to find out exactly what their connection was as she learns more about Will’s life.

I could not put this down but genuinely had to stop myself from finishing it in one go (a feat, since it’s over 400 pages), because I didn’t want to finish it and for it to be over. These characters are going to stay with me for a long, long time and Elaine Hastings has a new fan in me. It’s incredibly well written and I know this is one of those books where I’m going to reread it many, many times. This would be an AMAZING book to adapt into tv/film- I hope it gets popular enough for that to happen. I’m going to tell everyone I know to read it- it’s THAT good!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I unfortunately couldn’t get through this book because I found it quite slow and the formatting was really bad on kindle. It wasn’t separated by chapter and was hard to follow along because of that.

When We Were Young 🎶🎸📸🩷
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As someone who auto-buys any book thats music related, I was thrilled to get the opportunity to read ‘When We Were Young’ early and it absoloutely delievered!

If you loved the emotional rollercoaster of Daisy Jones and The Six, this is absoloutely for you! The 90’s music scenes, duel timelines, multiples POV’s and emotional love story had me hooked!

Elaine captured everything so perfectly that I can’t quite believe this is her debut novel. Im in shock and honestly can’t wait to see what she writes next…

If you’ve kept up to date with my reviews this year, you’ll know I’ve become a little bit stricter with ratings - so know this was such an easy 5 stars for me!

Massive thank you to @avonbooksuk and also @ehastingswrites for writing such a masterpiece and allowing me to share my thoughts along the way 🩷

Publication Date - 17.07.2025 📆

#whenwewereyoung

Thank you to netgalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This was a great romance read. Loved the writing style.

This was a story of love, family, and loss. It was set across two timeliness that perfectly linked together, leaving me desperate to know the full truth of the past and how it was going to affect the present.

I was hooked on this from the very beginning. In the past, we follow Will and Emily, a couple who have a turbulent time. Will goes from being a busker to a famous musician, whilst Emily is an art student, as they try to navigate their relationship whilst living 2 completely different lives. In the present, we follow Emily and her daughter Liv, who has no idea her mum dated a famous musician, but when she finds out, she goes on a quest to find out more.

The characters of this were so well written, and I was hooked by them from the first few chapters. This is a romance centred around music, with so much love but also tragedy. It was beautifully written, and I didn't want to put it down.

A dual time line novel about the love story between Emily and Will, a love story cut tragically short. Now, in 2016, Emily's daughter Liv has discovered that Emily knew Will, a relationship Emily has never discussed and secrets come out. Make no mistake, not all is rosy. This addresses mental health as well as grief but it focuses mostly on the love between these three. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

A really beautiful story that I finished with a tear in my eye.

This story flashes back and forth in time as we learn about a woman, her teenage daughter, and the musician she loved twenty years ago. It was uniquely written and depicted grief in I thought a poignant way. Parts of it were a bit slow, others seemed rushed, but that’s a minor complaint to an otherwise very good book.

Elaine Hastings’ debut, When We Were Young, is a nostalgic and emotionally layered novel that moves between two timelines. The story shifts from the vibrant buzz of the 1990s to the quieter and more reflective present of 2016. It follows Emily and Will, two young creatives who fall deeply in love and find themselves swept up in a whirlwind of music, art, and eventual fame. Their connection is passionate but ultimately tragic. Years later, Emily’s teenage daughter Liv uncovers clues about her mother’s past, forcing long-hidden secrets and unresolved grief into the open.

The characters feel genuine and well developed. Emily’s guarded nature, Will’s emotional vulnerability, and Liv’s growing curiosity are all portrayed with care. The novel explores themes of love, loss, ambition, and the complicated ways the past continues to shape the present, particularly through the lens of a mother and daughter navigating truth and identity.

Although the writing is evocative and the emotional core is strong, the pacing does falter at times. Some sections feel a little slow, especially when switching between timelines. Certain story beats may also feel familiar to readers who enjoy books centered on fame and fractured love stories.

Overall, When We Were Young is a poignant and thoughtful debut. While not without its flaws, it offers heartfelt storytelling and compelling characters that linger after the final page. A solid 3.75 stars.

This book is a beautifully crafted dual-timeline novel that explores the weight of the past and the quiet, powerful moments of connection between generations. Told across two timelines—1994 and 2016—it follows 16-year-old Liv, a music-obsessed teenager who idolizes the late Will Bailey, a tragic musical figure from the ’90s. Her world is turned upside down when she discovers that her seemingly ordinary mum, Emily, once knew Will intimately—and may have been part of the mystery surrounding his untimely death. The time transitions are smooth, the pacing tight, and the emotional pull immediate. The alternating POVs give a layered understanding of both Liv and Emily, as well as the people who orbit their lives. One of the standout characters is Magda—vibrant, honest, and memorable in her own right.

What sets this novel apart is its emotional authenticity. Themes of grief, guilt, lost dreams, and the fragility of mental health are woven in with care and insight. The inclusion of the “ask twice” campaign is subtle yet impactful, reinforcing the novel’s message about listening, understanding, and compassion. This is a novel that lingers—both for its nostalgic brush with the ’90s music scene and its deeply human story of love, loss, and second chances. Overall, it is a moving, multi-layered coming-of-age story with emotional depth and lyrical heart.

SPOILERS AHEAD.

The bones of the book are great, but a few things bring it down a bit. The author does a great job setting up the characters to make you emotionally connected, and Ty timeline jumps / split POVs aren’t hard to follow. Some details could have been left out of the book and the 3rd act was a bit messy - I didn’t think, for example, Liv’s bag getting taken added anything to the story and was super rushed over, and the whole “all of a sudden Emily realized she should be with Scott and William is never mentioned again” thing was a bit out of left field and rushed. William didn’t end up adding much to the story other than length (you could argue she needed him to know she was ready to date but it was a bit clunky and didn’t support that narrative).

Let me start by saying this debut wrecked me in the best way.

When We Were Young is like if Taylor Jenkins Reid wrote a love letter to '90s romance, Britpop dreams, and all the moments that shape us and then ripped your heart out and handed it back tenderly with a cup of tea.

In 1994, Emily and Will are the kind of couple you root for: scrappy, creative, intense. They're the definition of young love burning bright—equal parts passionate and messy. By the time Glastonbury and gallery openings roll around, you're already bracing for the fall.

Flash to 2016, and Emily is… not who she used to be. She's a mom now. She’s settled. She’s haunted. And her daughter Liv is just now finding out about this big, beautiful, tragic chapter in her mom’s life. The unraveling that follows? So good. So tender. So perfectly devastating.

🖋️ What I Loved:
* It gives One Day meets Daisy Jones vibes (but quieter, more grounded)
* Emotional slow-burn revelations that sneak up on you
* A perfect blend of nostalgia, grief, and the reminder that we all carry versions of our past selves

This book is for the romantics, the creatives, the former indie kids who still think about the one that got awaynand maybe for the moms who once danced barefoot in muddy festival fields.

4 stars. Beautifully written. Bittersweet in the best way. Bring tissues and a playlist.

oh what a heart tugging and heart lifting novel. this was so beautiful it had me in its hands,arms, pages for the whole duration. so well written, the plot so tight. the author new her plot,new her characters and new us readers. i adored this book.
the two different timelines was just as capturing as the other and it wasn't a chore to be involved in either.
there is so much depth and emotional awareness in this book. it was raw and honest but also compassionate and kind.
the relationship between our mother and daughter is one many of us have seen, known or felt. or feelings you can really relate to.
i wondered how i would be feeling knowing Will was gone. it broke my heart. how can this be that we've not got a happy ever after for the love story before we even enter the book!? but the we got to meet the mum, the daughter and the story continued and was made in to so much more.
but i needed to stick with it. i was hooked so there was no option.
but im so glad. im so so glad i got to experience and read this book. loved it.

gorgeous, whirlwindy debut novel about love, loss, tragedy, and music told through timejumps and through three POVs: Liv in the present, Emily in the present, and Emily in the past. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I just love stories about rock bands such as Daisy Jones, Songs in Ursa Major…basically anything music related and When We Were Young did not disappoint!

You know pretty early on what’s happened to Will but how he got to that point is what the story focusses on.

I definitely preferred the chapters which went back to when they were young as I wasn’t sure on the present day plot with Emily’s daughter.

However, I was not expecting that little twist near the end and it really brought it all together and was very emotional.

Loved it 🎤🎸

🎧🎨🧳❤️ When we were young - Elaine Hastings ❤️🧳🎨🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Release date - 17th July 2025

Blurb - Spring, 1994. Will, a talented busker, falls for Emily, a quirky art student. By 1997, Will is playing Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, and Emily is unveiling her first gallery show. They spend a whirlwind summer touring with Will’s band, caught up in their love for their art and each other.

But within two years, Will is dead.

Spring, 2016. Emily remains single. Her art is long forgotten. Now, life revolves around her 16-year-old daughter, Liv. But when Emily accidentally reveals she once knew Will, Liv is stunned. How could her ordinary, predictable mother have known someone like Will Bailey?

And why does Emily blame herself for his death?

My thoughts 💭- wow 🤩

Firstly thank you to @avonbooksuk and @netgalley for a ARC of this beautifully stunning book.

I absolutely adored this one, could not put it down from the off! Multi POV, time travelling chapters and short chapters are always things I love as a reader and this book did not disappoint! There’s a couple trigger warnings so I’d definitely give those a check but this book honestly has it all.

Mystery, suspense, love, growing up and so much more!

All of the characters are loveable, quirky in their own ways and related which again is something I love.

This is definitely a book I need a physical copy of as a trophy on my bookshelf. Incase you didn’t realise it’s one I’d recommend 😂🥰

@ehastingswrites

#bookreview #ARC #arcreader #arcreview #whenwewereyoung #elainehastings #booksbooksbooks #netgalley #avonbooksuk

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy to review.

I absolutely loved When We Were Young. I was hooked by the end of the first chapter and felt sad that Will was dead and he and Emily could never be together but it was also a story of moving on after grief. I felt really bad for Emily, Will's friends and Mary who all felt like they could have prevented his death. I also enjoyed Liv's story and was rooting for her throughout the book. It was my favourite book of 2025 despite the heavy topics discussed in the book.

Content warning: suicide, overdoses, and mental health issues.

This book was marvelous! I loved the sweet characters. It was just darling and the setting was perfect. I loved every page.

When We Were Young is a beautiful, emotional journey that I know will stick with me for a long time. Once I'd finished reading, I needed time to process and reflect on everything, as I truly felt like I'd been through every moment with these characters.

This is not your typical rockstar read, though it of course contains the things that go along with the lifestyle. It's much, much more than that. With not just romance, but friendships and family bonds that are tested in every way possible. There is loss and regret, but also healing. There are past and present chapters and multiple povs, which I love, because I always feel it allows a deeper connection to the characters. Emily and her teenage daughter Liv had their struggles, particularly over Emily's secret history with musician Will, but Liv wasn't going to give up and what a story she discovered!

This book was absolutely bittersweet and the tears flowed at several points, but I loved every moment. 5 stars for this remarkable read.

From Will Bailey’s early days in the 1990s, busking at the train station with dreams of becoming a rock star, When We Were Young is a story of both light and darkness. Of hopes and aspirations, tragedy and despair.
Art student Emily comes into Will’s life, passing through on her way to catch a train. She becomes both his obsession and muse as he regularly looks out for her, writing songs of unrequited love. But when dreams come true and Will and his band become famous, and he captures the heart of the young woman he has always wanted, predictably things don’t go to plan.
Fast forward to 2016 and Emily has a teenage daughter, Olivia (Liv). Her dramatic reaction to a track playing on her daughter’s phone in the car, sets Liv on a quest to find out more about deceased rock star Will Bailey and his connection to her mother.
This is a wonderful debut. I loved the writer’s ‘voice’, the characters and a story that at times held so much hope and yet contained so much sorrow. It’s one of the best books I’ve read so far this year - an impressive and thought provoking read - and can’t wait to see what Elaine Hastings does next.
I would like to thank Harper Collins, the author and Netgalley for an ARC of When We Were Young in exchange for an honest review.