The August pick for Reese’s Book Club: We Were Never Here. First of all, the cover was SO fun. Though the plot was dark and twisty, the cover was bright and uplifting—the two completely oppose each other, but I’m a fan of contradictions. I had never read an Andrea Bartz book either, so I was eager to dive into something new. Though I’m fiercely loyal to my favorite authors (as I should be), I never shy away from branching out.
Man was I stressed throughout the whole book…but in a good way. It was like I was hidden beneath the dark desert sky as these two best friends buried the body of a backpacker. Then, I had to go about my normal life as it never happened. Talk about stressful. Not to mention, this wasn’t the first time these two women had killed a man while on vacation and gotten away with it—it was the SECOND. I don’t believe in coincidences. Call me a cynic, but fate is something out of a fairytale…not a murder mystery.
Arguably my favorite aspect of the book was the character arc of our protagonist, Emily. *SPOILER: for her whole life, she lives under the watchful eyes of her best friend Kristen, doing everything she says and settling for being a follower instead of a leader. That quality in our protagonist drove me nuts, though I accepted it because it was realistic. However, at the end, Emily became her own strong, independent woman. She had the potential all along, but it was unlocked in the climax (as it would be for anyone if your *ANOTHER SPOILER best friend tried to push you in front of a speeding car).
If you haven’t read it, check it out! I’m also an advocate for a Reese’s Book Club pick.
Plot Summary:
Emily is having the time of her life—she’s in the mountains of Chile with her best friend, Kristen, on their annual reunion trip, and the women are feeling closer than ever. But on the last night of the trip, Emily enters their hotel suite to find blood and broken glass on the floor. Kristen says the cute backpacker she brought back to their room attacked her, and she had no choice but to kill him in self-defense. Even more shocking: The scene is horrifyingly similar to last year’s trip, when another backpacker wound up dead. Emily can’t believe it’s happened again—can lightning really strike twice?
Back home in Wisconsin, Emily struggles to bury her trauma, diving headfirst into a new relationship and throwing herself into work. But when Kristen shows up for a surprise visit, Emily is forced to confront their violent past. The more Kristen tries to keep Emily close, the more Emily questions her motives. As Emily feels the walls closing in on their cover-ups, she must reckon with the truth about her closest friend. Can Emily outrun the secrets she shares with Kristen, or will they destroy her relationship, her freedom—even her life?
Books and Bites with Brooke 