This was such a good book. It had me reeled in from the first chapter. The pacing was great and the characters had a lot of depth to them! Would recommend

Listening to the audiobook was such an interesting (if confusing) experience.

On one hand, I didn’t enjoy the writing style as much as I’d hoped. There were instances of extreme telling that felt so heavy-handed (because they were), kind of philosophizing in a way more suitable for a character profile than the book itself. It completely took me out of the story every time because it felt like the other was explaining the character to me.
But on the other hand, the plot itself kept me engaged. The dynamic between the two women was complex and layered, their interactions felt authentic/realistic.
However, the Big Plot Twist was just endlessly confusing. [SPOILERS AHEAD!) I didn’t know which parts had happened to the “real Cherry” and which parts of book-Cherry were actually based on Helen. It wasn’t clearly defined at all and my enjoyment of the story plummeted. I think if this had been executed differently, it would have made this a 4.5 star read for me, despite not vibing with the writing style. But alas.
The narration was wonderful. No notes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Well rounded protagonists, and a fully developed plot coupled with masterful narration make this audio book a winner. Give it a listen; you won't be sorry..

3.5 rounded up

This was a sharp and emotional story about friendship, ambition, and figuring out who you are. I really connected with Cherry’s character as she was warm, grounded, and easy to root for. Helen, on the other hand, was honestly kind of exhausting. Her obsession with being seen as a “serious” writer made her feel out of touch and hard to like. Still, their friendship felt real, especially as it started to crack under the pressure of success and envy. I really liked how the book explored the divide as envy settles in and time passes. If you love women’s fiction, this is a book you’ll want to pick up!

Thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the gifted copy!

🎧Song Pairing: We Are Young - fun.

💭What I thought would happen:

I can’t even deduce which genre this is? Is it a sapphic romance where each woman wants someone that looks just like them? Is it a thriller about a long lost identical twin? I have no flippin clue 😂

📖What actually happens:

✏️Writers Retreat
👯‍♀️Friendship
🤡Competition
⏳10 years later

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

Hmmmm. That’s it. That’s my review. 😂

The MC is notably weird but she’s also a fucking asshole with a narcissistic personality. No wonder she has no close relationships. She reminds me of a family member I cannot stand. 🙅🏼‍♀️

I love books about books and writing but this one lacked a plot. Nicholas Cage couldn’t find it on a menu let alone the Declaration of Independence….

Love the cover! I also love the supporting character, Cherry. She deserved better - she’s a fun girls girl.

This novel follows two women, Cherry and Helen. They are, at times, best friends. As a part of an exclusive writer's program called Heyward House, they are both colleagues but also competitors. Helen comes across as extremely self-centered, entitled, with a terrible attitude. Cherry comes across as a fighter and a good friend. The story is very meta as it appears to be about real life events and it makes you wonder how much is about real life. Helen and Cherry both plan to publish a novel and they assume they will be successful. Helen gets very angry, condescending and jealous of Cherry's success. Helen looks up to a woman named Tess because she is wealthy although she struggles with mental health and addiction.

Jealousy is such a gross, pitiful emotion. Helen uses Cherry's likeness in her fiction and really paints herself as being a better person than she is. Helen is super unlikable. But because the book is about fictionalized accounts of frenemies, it makes you really wonder if this is the author's own attempt to do the same. This is not a feel-good, heartwarming tale, and it is not dramatic, over the top. The negativity that Helen brings Cherry is mostly academic. There are no thriller-type plotlines. This is really a book about female friendship and how awful women can be. I did find it to be slightly misogynistic, I think women are better than this.

Audiobook review- the performance was great, the narrator was engaging and the narrative was easy to follow. This is great on audio and produced well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ARC. Book to be published 9/9/25