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We Were Never Friends
Kaira Rouda
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2026
Poisoned Pen Press
288 Pages
Amazon | Goodreads | Bookshop.org
Genre: General Fiction | Mystery & Thrillers | Women’s Fiction
This book is touted as an unputdownable, riveting train wreck full of dark humour and bad behaviour. It wasn’t unputdownable or riveting, but it was a train wreck. It’s about a reunion of sorority sisters that ends up with a dead person. Twenty-five years ago, there was a tragic event during spring break, and four of the sorority sisters who were there meet up at one of their mansions in Palm Springs for their sons’ engagement party. Instead of being happy for each other, old jealousies come to the surface, and the weekend turns into betrayals, accusations, and another death. Then comes a sandstorm AND a fire, so the frenemies have to face up to their pasts.
What a bunch of hooey. I am going to start off with the fact that I have loved some of this author’s other books, but this was just terrible. Rouda is known for unlikable characters, but this one has a bunch of women who simply frustrated the hell out of me. The premise of a sorority reunion in a fancy mansion with dark secrets from the past sounded intriguing, but the execution fell flat; it felt more like the script of an old soap opera. There is zero character depth, and the multiple points of view consist of petty jealousies and big egos. There wasn’t one character who redeemed themselves, and all were one-dimensional. They all consistently played the victim.
I would have enjoyed the slowly developed storyline of the past tragedy if these women had learned anything from it, but trust me, they’re too shallow, and the secret revelations were very predictable. This could have been an excellent locked-room mystery with plenty of tension, but all I got was a bunch of crap that was not as exciting or effective as I expected from this author. It was more campy and catty than what a true psychological thriller delivers. I will say it was a fast read, but it lacked the element of surprise and intelligence I expect from Ms. Rouda.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
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