With thanks to Storm Publishing for the digital ARC.

"What if the person you trust the most did something you can’t forgive?

Dana Blair has spent her life letting others take the wheel, from her relationship with her husband to her business. Now, with her marriage unraveling, her son in crisis, and her career on the verge of collapse, Dana is left wondering whether she ever really had control of anything at all.

Padma Paulsen is the opposite: a brilliant, fiercely driven ER doctor who’s given her all to her career. Her friendship with Dana has been the one constant in her high-pressure life.

But then a tragedy on Padma’s watch leaves Dana’s daughter in critical condition and their bond in tatters. As Dana fights for justice for her daughter, grief turns to blame. Soon she’s forced to make a decision that could either save her family or destroy the most important friendship of her life. "

I think this is my favourite Caitlin Weaver book yet!

Multiple POV (but easy to follow)? Check.
Friendships tested? Check.
Families torn apart? Check.
Suspense? Check.
Compelling story? Check.
Page turner? Check.
An ending you won't believe? Check.

Loved it!

This author has become one of my most liked authors. And this book proves just that.. Told in multiple POVs, this was emotional, filled with shocking moments and all the secrets and lies.. You will not be disappointed at all..

Much thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy!!

Who We Used to Be is a book about life and the dramas that can never be expected but can happen even to the most stable of people and families.

Dana and Padma have been the best of friends for a long time. The type of friends that rely on each other. Sometimes events occur that can splinter and fracture even the tightest of relationships.

One event soon changes all aspects of their friendship and soon there are even more things thrown at them that causes the fracture to widen and deepen. Is this something they can ever recover from or is that chapter closed for good?

This book is fraught with the deepest of emotions. The lowest of the low and then to top it off losing relationships that you thought were beyond solid.

This book is makes you question; what would you do?
Very thought provoking book that will suck you in.

**Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed.**

Domestic suspense done right. Another amazing read from Caitlin Weaver.

A type A teenager complains of leg pain after cross-country practice. Less than 24 hours later, she is in a coma. What. Happened. To Izzy? And how did ER physician Padma miss it? That question will cause a rift between two best friends and send shockwaves through two families.

Caitlin Weaver gives us the narrative from four perspectives:

👩Dana - Mother of Izzy. Owner of a failing business called Haven and Hearth (passed down to her by her mother Cora.) Husband Eric is on his own self-actualizing journey. It's complicated!
👩‍⚕️Padma - ER physician. In line to be director. Best friend of Dana. Husband Lars is her rock. Her treatment of Izzy's leg pain is called into question. This is also complicated!
🧑Ian - Twin brother to Izzy. He has lived his life in Izzy's shadow. Who is he without his sister at home? What can be done about his lack of motivation and need for pills to regulate his day?
👧Maeve - Daughter of Padma. Best friend and next-door neighbor to Izzy. Secretly crushing on Ian. Having Izzy in the hospital throws her life into a tailspin. Who is she without her bestie?

These four POVs keep the pages turning. This is my fourth read from the author and I appreciate her ability to tell us a family story that causes us to contemplate our own family and friend relationships. What would we do if we were Dana, or Padma, or Ian, or Maeve?

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This new release is available as of July 29, 2025.

Dana and Padma have been friends and neighbors since their children were small. When 17 year old Izzy ends up in the hospital, both families are torn apart. Unfortunately, their is much more going on in each families life and without each other to lean on, Dana and Padma have a tough time. The book reads easily, making it a good weekend read. Solid women's fiction reminding us that what doesn't kill us, makes us stronger. Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the complementary digital ARC. This review is written honestly and without coercion.

Who We Used to Be is such a great mystery thriller filled with family drama. I found this story to be really emotional and as a mother, it was also thought provoking. I kept finding myself looking at things from Dana and Padma's perspective to see how I would have handled or reacted to the situations. Dana and Padma are neighbors are best friends. Their 17 yr old daughters Izzy and Maeve are also best friends. When Izzy get injured and is sent to the hospital, Padma rushes to treat her. Izzy is then sent home, but later collapses and ends up in a coma. This causes such a riff in the friendship between Padma and Dana, as Dana begins to question whether Padma was thorough enough, gave the right treatments, missed something, just doubting everything, as she should because her daughters life is on the line. The story is beautiful but also heartbreaking. The characters in this book are so well detailed and provide some vital purpose in the story. The writing is in dual pov but isn't hard to follow at all. The writing is very easy to follow and flows so well. I'd never read anything by this author before but it really liked this and will be looking into other books as well. I recommend giving this one a read, but prepared to feel all the emotions!

3⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of Who We Used To Be.

Dana and Padma have been best friends for years. Padma is an er physician and is married and has a teenage daughter. Dana owns her own business and is married and has twin teenagers one boy and one girl. When Dana’s daughter is hurt and taken to the hospital she is happy to know Padma will take care of her. But when Dana’s daughter ends up in a coma she is confused and distraught. She starts to wonder if Padma made a mistake.

This was a very emotional gripping book but the two female main characters came across as immature and whiny. I also wanted more from the ending. It was just okay.

☆𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎☆
Publication date: Available now!!


Caitlin Weaver knocked it out of the park again with another page-turning domestic thriller that I could not put down! What I loved about '𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘞𝘦 𝘜𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘛𝘰 𝘉𝘦' was how unlike most other thrillers, the author dove deeper into the complicated dynamics of relationships; family, friends, and marriages. Caitlin Weaver had me on edge just waiting to see how all of these relationships played out!

I mean, can you imagine your best friend suing you for malpractice for something you really couldn't have prevented?! Damn!

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮, 𝘾𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙣 𝙒𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙧, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙢 𝙋𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬!!

Who We Used To Be by Caitlin Weaver is one of those books that hooks you from the jump and keeps you fully entertained throughout. The plot was great making it a fascinating, yet thrilling read. The characters were dynamic and relatable….. well depending on which ones.
The writing is engaging which also only adds to the addictiveness that is this book. Each chapter left you wanting more and more and you didn’t want it to end.
It is really clever, ultimately gripping. I was hooked right to the end.

Who We Used To Be by Caitlin Weaver is a book you'll be thinking about long after you finish it. The book is beautifully written, thought-provoking, and packs a powerful punch. Dana Blair is a woman who has given everything to everyone else and her tank is running low. Her marriage is on the rocks, her son is struggling, and the career she has is about to go under. Her daughter is doing very well in high school and will have her pick of colleges. Dana is lucky to have a best friend who also happens to live next door with her family. Padma Paulsen is the best friend and ER doctor at the local hospital. She's married and has one daughter, Maeve, who is best friends with Dana's daughter, Izzy. Life is very busy for her, but good. Dana and Padma have told each other things that no one else knows. They have a very close friendship that keeps them both grounded.

One night there's an incident in the ER and Padma makes a decision for treatment of Izzy, Dana's daughter. The treatment leaves Izzy in critical condition and the bond between Dana and Padma begins to come undone. As close as sisters until this incident. Will Izzy be okay? Will Padma find out what went wrong? Will Dana blame Padma? Will their friendship survive this incident? How will both families react? Life is fragile and you have to hang on tightly to your family and friends. You also have to find time for yourself to balance out everything else. Who We Used To Be is an incredible story of the fragile lives we lead and the friendships and relationships that seem like they will last forever. I just finished the book and can't stop thinking about it. Don't wait to read this magnificent book. It is out on July 29 and should not be missed! I rate Who We Used To Be 5 stars and warn you that once you start this book you won't be able to put it down! I'd like to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of Who We Used To Be in exchange for a fair review. #WhoWeUsedToBe

4/5 stars

What I loved:
- How each chapter provided a different POV from a lot of different characters.
- The nuanced and complex relationships between the characters and family dynamics.
- How many of the characters are multi-dimensional. They have their own backstories, flaws, and secrets.

Though the ending was open ended and hopeful, I would've loved to see the aftermath of Dana & Padma's friendship because seeing how they navigate and possibly heal from that would've also been really interesting!

Thank you to NetGalley & Storm Publishing for the eArc in exchange for an honest review.

BOOK: WHO WE USED TO BE
AUTHOR: CAITLIN WEAVER
PUB DATE: 29TH JULY, 2025
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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I read this book in a couple of hours! Once I fell into Dana and Padma's lives, I didn't want to leave until I finished the book. We have best friends of over twenty years, Dana and Padma, whose friendship came to a standstill after Izzy, Dana's daughter, got into a coma. Dana had issues with her marriage and her business and was barely keeping it all together. While Padma's personal life was okay, she subsequently had issues with her professional life as a doctor and her addiction, too.
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I don't want to be judgemental or insensitive, but I was on Padma's side throughout the book. She didn't even go lower when Dana did. I understand that Dana was heartbroken and going through a lot with her daughter's condition, and I also admit that Padma made a huge mistake, but she admitted it and apologised. There was no need for a lawsuit considering their past and their long friendship. She went over the top. I felt sorry for her, but Padma didn't deserve all that. However, as this was going on, they both had personal issues with their lives, careers, and children. I could feel the stress, the positive and negative changes they were making in their lives, and how they were both re- discovering themselves. It was nice to see.
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Then we have Ian, Izzy's twin, and Dana's son and Maeve, Padma's daughter. They were Izzy's besties, and I could see them unravelling from their own lives and coping with Izzy's coma. I liked where the book ended with them, especially with Ian. The husbands, Eric (Dana's) and Lars (Padma's), were at the periphery of the book, but Lars was such an amazing guy. He was P's rock throughout the book. I didn't really like Eric.
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I liked this book. It was emotional and deep and will make you question some things in life. What would you have done if you were in Dana's position? It ended in a kind of HEA considering the situation, and I liked the ambiguity of Dana and Padma's friendship. If it were me, I don't think I'll make an effort for the friendship anymore.
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4.5 ⭐️

Some books just grab you and don't let go. Who We Used to Be by Caitlin Weaver is absolutely one of them.

This story of Padma and Dana, two friends whose daughters are inseparable, delves deep into the complexities of motherhood, friendship, and the unimaginable choices we face when life throws a curveball. An event involving their girls shatters their world, forcing them to navigate their personal demons while their bond is tested to its limits. I found myself constantly questioning: "What would I do?"

Prepare for an emotionally charged, utterly compelling read. If you're looking for a gripping, thought-provoking read that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page, ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR! You won't regret picking this one up!

Grateful for the e-ARC from NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and the brilliant Caitlin Weaver!

I picked up Who We Used to Be really intrigued by the premise, two lifelong best friends, Dana and Padma, whose bond gets ripped apart by tragedy, and I came away impressed even if it wasn’t a flawless read. I enjoyed reading from multiple perspectives: Dana, Padma, Ian, and Maeve. It gave me a well-rounded emotional experience. I particularly connected with Ian’s storyline, watching him navigate sibling rivalry, parental expectations, and ultimately addiction felt raw and relatable. His arc stood out as one of the more moving threads in the story.

The core of the novel, friendship, motherhood, grief, and the fallout from a medical crisis, felt deeply real. It wasn’t gratuitous drama, but rather authentic emotional tension grounded in ordinary lives suddenly thrown into chaos. Reviewers loved how Caitlin Weaver makes you feel everything: vulnerability, rage, loyalty, heartbreak. It’s clear why they call it page‑turning and emotionally gripping.

Dana’s character, in particular, was polarizing in me. Sometimes I found her emotionally overwhelmed but empathetic; others times I'd describe her family dynamics as frustrating. Especially the husband Eric, whose self‑centered new‑age phase grated on me. Still, the fact that he evoked emotion at all showed how vivid these characters are.

I finished this one in one sitting. It pulled me in deeply with its emotional resonance and character complexity. Weaver earns praise for creating a private‑life drama that feels anything but ordinary. The writing hums with tension and intimacy, holding attention even when scenes repeated or characters veered into borderline caricature.

Who We Used to Be is powerful domestic fiction. It's not a thriller in the traditional sense, but a nuanced and emotionally rich story about how a single event can fracture lives and test bonds. If you enjoy books like those by Sally Hepworth or Laura Dave, where friendship, ethics, grief, and motherhood intermingle in beautifully flawed lives, this one deserves a spot

𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 4/5 ⭐️

Who We Used to Be by Caitlin Weaver follows two families as they deal with a tragedy that tears them both apart. Dana and Padma are the closest of friends and neighbors. When an unexpected event throws both families into turmoil can they move past it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an eARC!

This was super emotional. Following through Ian’s perspective was so hard. Watching him struggle, how his dad treated him, and then when the accident happens to Izzy. Definitely enjoyed his POV the most and how it showcases how he overcomes!

Since this was told through a few different POV’s we get a bit of each piece. Lots of family drama, relationship drama, personal struggles, and financial dilemmas. I am really not sure if I would categorize this as a mystery but I would definitely say literary fiction with an emphasis on complex family dynamics and suspenseful relationships.

I think if you enjoy emotionally charged books, with relatable characters, and how people overcome personal struggles you will enjoy them!

I thought this book was a thriller, so that was my mistake, but this is about 2 middle-aged women, best friends, who are going through life, and then they are put in front of an incident that would change their friendship. So this explores themes of addiction, grief, friendship, and motherhood.

I will preface this by saying that I absolutely 100% hated Dana, and the only character I hated more than Dana was Eric, her husband. Their whole family, besides Ian, annoyed me. Dana and Eric's relationship with their kids was awful, they are the kind of parents I would never want to be. While they praised Izzy (who, in my opinion, became a brat because of it), they chastised Ian, who was a normal teenager.

I think that this book is meant to show these parts of a family, but it annoyed me nevertheless. HOWEVER, it was interesting enough that it kept me hooked, and I finished it in one sitting. It has been some time since I finished a book this quickly.

I would've rated this book 2 stars, but because I was very hooked and invested in it, I will add one more star.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion! Needless to say, as always, all thoughts are my own and I have not been influenced in any way.

This engrossing psychological suspense novel by Caitlin Weaver delivered a compelling and thought-provoking experience. I was immediately drawn into its intricate premise, exploring how deep-seated secrets from the past resurface to shatter present lives, particularly within the context of complex friendships.

The narrative skillfully delves into the intertwined histories of Naomi and Liv, childhood friends whose bond is tested by revelations from a shared past that refuses to stay buried. As I read, I felt the palpable tension building, wondering what hidden truths would emerge to redefine who these characters once were and who they are now. The story masterfully alternates between different time periods, slowly unveiling crucial pieces of information that make the full picture increasingly chilling.

The book excels at maintaining a taut atmosphere and a steady unraveling of its central mystery. It kept me consistently engaged, trying to piece together the events and the betrayals that shaped the characters' lives. While some aspects of the unfolding plot might resonate with seasoned readers of the genre, the overall execution of the twists and the emotional depth made for a very satisfying read.

I appreciated the author's ability to craft a story that is both a thrilling mystery and a poignant exploration of friendship, loyalty, and the lasting impact of buried secrets. It's a strong and resonant addition to the psychological suspense genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.

Thank you to Caitlin Weaver, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for an eARC of Who We Used To Be in exchange for an honest review.

Who We Used To Be is Caitlin Weaver at her best - weaving a delicate yet powerful story of family dynamics, deep female friendships, grief, loss, and addiction. This book is a masterful example of how one mistake has the potential to snowball into a disaster that threatens to tear two families to shreds in its wake. I am so impressed by how Caitlin can put so much emotion into her books - at different times while reading this novel, I laughed, I cried, and I wanted to strangle some of the characters out of pure frustration for how they were acting. This might be my favorite of Caitlin’s novels yet, and I cannot wait to see what she brings us next!

An emotionally gripping rollercoaster read, told through multiple perspectives.

This story follows the long-term friendship of Padma and Dana, who live in the same neighborhood and have daughters who are best friends. Dana is managing her own personal struggles, until an unexpected event involving Padma and Dana's daughter, which deeply impacts all of their lives.

I enjoyed how Caitlin Weaver wrote frighteningly realistic situations that we hope we do not have to experience. This story packs an emotional punch, with plenty of relationship drama and exploration of the characters struggles and personal dilemmas.

Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy, in exchange for an honest review.

Rounded up to 4.5!!!

I really liked "Such A Good Family", so when I was offered the opportunity to read this, I jumped on it. I was not disappointed.

Dana and Padma have been best friends for years. They live across the street from each other. Their daughters, Izzy and Maeve, are best friends. The family's get along and do everything together. Then one day, a tragedy happens that rips all these relationships apart.

Dana is barely holding everything together- her shop, family and her marriage. She is the one to take care of everything, while her husband, Eric, is on a self awareness journey. Her son, Ian, is struggling to find who he is in the shadow of his brilliant, type A twin sister Izzy. When the tragedy occurs, these characters are not in a strong place emotionally

Padma is a physician. She is very good at her job. She has a loving, supportive husband and beautiful, shy daughter, Maeve, who is struggling to figure out who she is and what she likes. Padma is a work junkie, and can only see herself fully when she is at work. Like Dana's family, this family is struggling emotionally.

I really love how Caitlin Weaver writes authentic portrayals of characters in situations that we hope to never find ourselves in. We experience all the emotions with the characters as the story is told through multiple POV's. It is raw and real- from their insecurities, anger, confusion, and even the happy moments. We understand their hesitations and decisions, even when we are yelling from the chair, "NO!!!!, and sometimes, "YES!!!", You experience so many feelings while reading, and even question what you would do in this scenario. The true talent of Weaver's is how she effectively fleshes out all the characters so that after the struggle we see the growth. It is not a fix-all, the author understands human relationships and frailty, and deftly writes authentic paths for her characters.

This is an emotional, yet suspenseful drama that is at times bittersweet. Yet the ending! Perfection- there is always hope! I really cannot wait to read another by this author. She always hits me in the right spots!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.