Thank you to MBC Books, #partner, for the advanced copy of We Were Never Friends in exchange for my honest review. I obtained the audiobook via my Spotify membership.
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press / Sourcebooks Audio
Published: February 3, 2026
Summary:
Sisters? Forever. Friends? NEVER. Who knew a reunion weekend could b
Meet the sorority sisters of Theta Gamma Mu:
- Roxy Callahan Gentry, the ruthless former sorority president and current hostess who has painstakingly choreographed every detail of this weekend—even matching the cocktails to her couture—to prove that she remains their undisputed queen
- Amelia Dell, the widow drenched in old money and alcohol, with her big pot-stirring spoon and uninvited boy-toy in tow
- Jamie Vale, the double-legacy pledge, straight-A student with no sparkle, now a top cardiologist with a picture-perfect family—and a well-guarded bad habit
- Beth Harrison, the scholarship student who never quite fit in and was only admitted because her best friend Sunny insisted that the two were a package deal
- Sunny Spencer, the carefree and beloved friend to all, or so it seemed—until she wasn’t
They’ve been summoned to Roxy’s luxurious Palm Springs vacation home to celebrate the engagement of her son to Beth’s daughter. But the refurbished 1920s estate is eerily reminiscent of the hotel where tragedy struck during Spring Break twenty-five years ago. Long-simmering tensions and shocking secrets begin bubbling to the surface like bodies—because while the weekend was supposed to be about celebrating the future, it’s not so easy to bury the past…
For fans of Shari Lapena, Mary Kubica, and B. A. Paris, We Were Never Friends is an unputdownable, riveting train wreck full of dark humor and bad behavior.
My thoughts:
I’ve been a fan of Kaira Rouda for quite some time, loving how her books always involved deliciously scandalous drama and characters you just love to hate on.
This is the kind of book that while it pulls you in right away, you immediately get the sense that something isn’t right…but you can’t quite put your finger on it. These women are all messy, complicated characters and I was all for it – sometimes, the messier and complicated a character is, the more interesting they tend to be! But these women – my gosh! They were something else! All had secrets, all had something to hide and I never knew who I could trust…I was on guard the whole time.
Full of back-stabbing twists and turns, this one is sure to keep you guessing. This is the perfect book to pick up, forget about everything else and just enjoy!
Audio thoughts:
This was super fun on audio with a full-cast narration that really kept me fully engaged. January LaVoy, Hilary Huber, Tara Sands and Patricia Santomasso all brought their A-game, making this a joy to listen to.
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