I appreciate that it does discuss mental health issues and how friends and friend groups change as we get older and each goes through different things. However, I do find with the introduction of social media, making real friends and keeping them can be quite difficult. Joanne’s friends and partner don’t understand how hard it is being a new mum; both expect her to snap back into her old way of life and be up for going ‘out out’ on a whim. In fact, it was only when I discovered that it was by the same author as the brilliantly disturbing Where I End that I decided to give it a go. Sophie flawlessly manages to create the perfect mix of entertaining yet informative and blends some brutally dark moments with sections which will have you in pain laughing.

This was a bit of a slow burn for me - until the three women’s lives became intermingled, I wasn’t really feeling it but once that kicked in, I was fully invested and couldn’t wait to find out what happened. Joanne has lived the party life and is not ready to settle down yet but having a baby forces her to rethink. And obviously no one tells you how to make friends in your 30s lol it’s difficult and I think Sophie has done a great job writing about this. I just found it an extremely relatable book and I kept finding myself relating certain aspects of it back to my own life and I just loved that.

I have been that person struggling with repetitive note making and worrying about WhatsApp groups and friends.

My Hot Friend, her latest fiction, comes hot on the heels of Where I End, her unforgettable horror novel published last year which recently won the Shirley Jackson Prize. With all the what’s app and Facebook groups it can all be just too much and people can move on to another group so easily.I can only remain in a state of continuous awe at Sophie White’s ability to master a multitude of genres.

The author’s own experiences have obviously informed the plot and the way the characters experience things including mental illness (I gather from the letter at the end of the book which I found very moving) and this brings a genuine-ness to the book that is difficult to get (from my experience of other books dealing with similar issues which I’ve sometimes found either overly glib, unrealistic or just lacking the other brighter moments there are even when suffering. A group of women that aren’t ugly, “too” large, or unconventional enough to be bullied; but also not stunning enough to be a constant object of attraction. With these three characters, Sophie White depicts modern life with many of its damaging and complex layers.After she becomes a mum for the first time though, her friends can’t relate to how her life has changed and disappear just when she needs them.

Lexi’s successful podcast is shared with her best friend and boyfriend, and they’re about to sign a deal which will earn them megabucks, but it’s achingly clear neither have her best interests at heart. However, as I read further on, there were layers to the book that were unexpected, and I found the story both gripping and incredibly poignant. Their stories come together in unexpected ways - sometimes very funny, sometimes very sad - and their friendship grows slowly over the course of the book. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. Making and maintaining friendships as you get older can be such a minefield, especially when you throw in careers, starting families, mental health issues, and romantic woes.

Could be the cover which seems a little frivolous when in fact this book goes deeply into toxic friendships, mental health and relationships in a way that is very genuinely funny and will have you nodding along and highlighting something every chapter.