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Girls Our Age
Three women navigate their late twenties together in a bittersweet novel about female friendship, identity, and growing up—from the hope and promise of college to the realities that lie beyond.
Lily, Ana, and Margot have been best friends ever since Hawthorne Res Life assigned them as roommates during their first year of college.
Ten years later and Lily is planning her wedding to the endlessly supportive and entirely symmetrical Jack. Ana is a fourth-grade teacher at the prestigious Horizon Academy, alma mater of her long-term boyfriend, who’s finally asked her to move in. Margot is about to land a life-changing promotion at ad agency McQueen O’Doul.
It all looks good from here.
But when the three friends converge on Maine for the wedding, the real challenges they’ve been able to keep from each other begin to surface. It’s finally time to open up about the very private struggles they’ve hidden for too long and the risks they’ve taken to protect themselves, and those they love, from the truth.
Lily, Ana, and Margot have been best friends ever since Hawthorne Res Life assigned them as roommates during their first year of college.
Ten years later and Lily is planning her wedding to the endlessly supportive and entirely symmetrical Jack. Ana is a fourth-grade teacher at the prestigious Horizon Academy, alma mater of her long-term boyfriend, who’s finally asked her to move in. Margot is about to land a life-changing promotion at ad agency McQueen O’Doul.
It all looks good from here.
But when the three friends converge on Maine for the wedding, the real challenges they’ve been able to keep from each other begin to surface. It’s finally time to open up about the very private struggles they’ve hidden for too long and the risks they’ve taken to protect themselves, and those they love, from the truth.
340 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 839 reviews
May 8, 2026
Ouch. Welcome to my TED Talk lol.
As a 22-year old having recently started a full time office job away from my family (I’m a home-bird) and familiarity, who also struggled with similar issues as some of these girls; this was written for me.
The basic premise is that three best friends reunite at a wedding, the reality is a messy, relatable, tender depiction of people trying to navigate their mid to late 20s.
We all curate our lives. We don’t want to unload on our best friends in the brief opportunities we have to relax with each other. On the other hand, your best friends have seen you at your lowest before and, just because we’re adults now, it doesn’t mean we need to have our sh*t together.
I think your 20s is the greatest time of growth. You’re surrounded by a community of students at university, teachers and structure at school, comforted daily by family at home (I know that’s a privileged position to say that from, but this is a very self-reflective, subjective review).
In your 20s, you realise, hey, your degree doesn’t matter, your hours of revision and dedication and ambition means nothing, you actually have to adult and it’s not as freeing as you always imagined it would be.
Anyway…
This novel covers sexual identity, job worries and satisfaction, and mental health (eating disorder).
On the outside, these three friends are girl bosses with great lives. When you get in their heads, you realise how tight they have to grip at the cracks in the facade.
I do think this book didn’t push it far enough. Just when things started getting deep and real and raw, things are wrapped up and we finish with overwhelming hope.
The author played it too safe and the page count was too short.
Audiobook arc gifted by RBMedia.
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As a 22-year old having recently started a full time office job away from my family (I’m a home-bird) and familiarity, who also struggled with similar issues as some of these girls; this was written for me.
The basic premise is that three best friends reunite at a wedding, the reality is a messy, relatable, tender depiction of people trying to navigate their mid to late 20s.
We all curate our lives. We don’t want to unload on our best friends in the brief opportunities we have to relax with each other. On the other hand, your best friends have seen you at your lowest before and, just because we’re adults now, it doesn’t mean we need to have our sh*t together.
I think your 20s is the greatest time of growth. You’re surrounded by a community of students at university, teachers and structure at school, comforted daily by family at home (I know that’s a privileged position to say that from, but this is a very self-reflective, subjective review).
In your 20s, you realise, hey, your degree doesn’t matter, your hours of revision and dedication and ambition means nothing, you actually have to adult and it’s not as freeing as you always imagined it would be.
Anyway…
This novel covers sexual identity, job worries and satisfaction, and mental health (eating disorder).
On the outside, these three friends are girl bosses with great lives. When you get in their heads, you realise how tight they have to grip at the cracks in the facade.
I do think this book didn’t push it far enough. Just when things started getting deep and real and raw, things are wrapped up and we finish with overwhelming hope.
The author played it too safe and the page count was too short.
Audiobook arc gifted by RBMedia.
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Want to Read
May 27, 2026my favorite category of person
![Profile Image for Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1746468325i/66224803._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
May 19, 2026
I'm still just a girl, I feel exactly like I did at seventeen, I don't know what I want, it's not easy to have needs,
Female friendship and pure emotional turmoil (I took breaks, because sometimes it overwhelmed me).
Three girls turning into women, living three different lives - one getting married, one moved away with her long term boyfriend and one is trying to climb the career ladder while figuring out her sexuality.
Sometimes friendships are thinning out, you move in different directions, have different needs, but eventually, if you have the right type of friends, you can find yourself back into the arms of your girls.
Making things harder for yourself because you think it's kinder to those around you is not a very honest way to live.
Female friendship and pure emotional turmoil (I took breaks, because sometimes it overwhelmed me).
Three girls turning into women, living three different lives - one getting married, one moved away with her long term boyfriend and one is trying to climb the career ladder while figuring out her sexuality.
Sometimes friendships are thinning out, you move in different directions, have different needs, but eventually, if you have the right type of friends, you can find yourself back into the arms of your girls.
Making things harder for yourself because you think it's kinder to those around you is not a very honest way to live.
May 7, 2026
using “unproblematic king” unironically as a descriptor for your best friend’s fiancé when you’re pushing 30 is definitely a choice
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
maybe it’s bc I’m getting married next year and this is all so real and so topical or maybe it’s because I am lucky enough to have such lovely friendships with complex women or maybe it’s because I love my mom or maybe it’s because it’s so easy to feel lost in your job and life as a young woman or maybe it’s because I came out in my late 20s but this was perfect for me
the writing feels true to life in a way I don’t often find and it made it feel like you were really there with these girls navigating their lives and maybe some people might dislike that but I love the way the dialogue reads the way I speak to my friends.
I wish it was longer and had more time to settle at the end bc the resolution came so late but also I kinda loved that there wasn’t just an easy wrap up to 2 years in the future or something.
cannot wait to read what the author writes next!! 4.5 stars rounding up since it’s a debut
did make me cry!! ana & margot & lily are my close personal friends!!
thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC 🫶🏼🫶🏼
the writing feels true to life in a way I don’t often find and it made it feel like you were really there with these girls navigating their lives and maybe some people might dislike that but I love the way the dialogue reads the way I speak to my friends.
I wish it was longer and had more time to settle at the end bc the resolution came so late but also I kinda loved that there wasn’t just an easy wrap up to 2 years in the future or something.
cannot wait to read what the author writes next!! 4.5 stars rounding up since it’s a debut
did make me cry!! ana & margot & lily are my close personal friends!!
thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC 🫶🏼🫶🏼
April 1, 2026
4.5⭐️ From the cover, to the title, and to the premise, I was immediately drawn to this book, and it did not disappoint!
“Girls Our Age” is a story about three women in their late 20s navigating rough patches in their relationships, careers, mental health, sexuality, and, inevitably, their friendship too.
I really enjoyed the writing in this book, it truly felt like you were going through the characters’ thought processes with them. When they started getting anxious and spiraling, you could see it in the way the writing flowed, and it made me feel everything with them! The character’s inner monologue was filled with so much nuance and commentary, while being slightly sarcastic, and that’s my absolute favorite type of writing.
The characters were complex, and even though their actions could be frustrating at times, they felt real and raw, making mistakes just like we all do in our everyday lives and in our relationships. Because of that I ended up feeling more connected to these women, and I could see a piece of me in every single one of them. So much so that it made me cry in the last few pages!
This book touches on so many important topics, but I especially appreciated the eating disorder conversation, the way it can affect your every single thought every single day.
The only reasons why this isn’t a perfect 5⭐️ is because I think the ending wrapped up too quickly and I wish there were more chapters in Margot’s POV, because she started to feel like a side character towards the second half of the book.
Overall, this was truly an amazing read, and I’ll be recommending this book to everyone as soon as it comes out! I can’t wait to get my own physical copy and eventually reread it.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!
“Girls Our Age” is a story about three women in their late 20s navigating rough patches in their relationships, careers, mental health, sexuality, and, inevitably, their friendship too.
I really enjoyed the writing in this book, it truly felt like you were going through the characters’ thought processes with them. When they started getting anxious and spiraling, you could see it in the way the writing flowed, and it made me feel everything with them! The character’s inner monologue was filled with so much nuance and commentary, while being slightly sarcastic, and that’s my absolute favorite type of writing.
The characters were complex, and even though their actions could be frustrating at times, they felt real and raw, making mistakes just like we all do in our everyday lives and in our relationships. Because of that I ended up feeling more connected to these women, and I could see a piece of me in every single one of them. So much so that it made me cry in the last few pages!
This book touches on so many important topics, but I especially appreciated the eating disorder conversation, the way it can affect your every single thought every single day.
The only reasons why this isn’t a perfect 5⭐️ is because I think the ending wrapped up too quickly and I wish there were more chapters in Margot’s POV, because she started to feel like a side character towards the second half of the book.
Overall, this was truly an amazing read, and I’ll be recommending this book to everyone as soon as it comes out! I can’t wait to get my own physical copy and eventually reread it.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!
December 4, 2025
i'm in my late twenties, so the premise of this book immediately caught my eye. in general, i'm not the biggest fan of "woman in her twenties doing Things" type of media (see: girls on hbo), but PT's writing and her way of handling these characters was so refreshing i got to enjoy this exactly how i wanted.
this book perfectly encapsulates what it's like to be in your late twenties. it highlights how daunting it can be to watch everyone around you do something with their lives and how that makes you feel like you've stagnated. there are so many different paths to take, and you're not sure which one is the right one for you. people are getting married, having kids, doing drugs, and then there's you, doomscrolling in your bed. and, dude, it IS hard making/maintaining friendships as an adult. i think all the struggles of being grown and still feeling overwhelmed were handled quite well.
i wish it were longer, though. that's the only reason the book doesn't get a full 5-star rating for me. but i enjoyed it a lot
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for a honest review
this book perfectly encapsulates what it's like to be in your late twenties. it highlights how daunting it can be to watch everyone around you do something with their lives and how that makes you feel like you've stagnated. there are so many different paths to take, and you're not sure which one is the right one for you. people are getting married, having kids, doing drugs, and then there's you, doomscrolling in your bed. and, dude, it IS hard making/maintaining friendships as an adult. i think all the struggles of being grown and still feeling overwhelmed were handled quite well.
i wish it were longer, though. that's the only reason the book doesn't get a full 5-star rating for me. but i enjoyed it a lot
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for a honest review
January 12, 2026
This book followed the lives of three school girl friends as they diverged to different cities. One put her career above all else and ended up with nothing to show for it. One lived a luxury dream lifestyle but had an eating disorder. The last was in a 10 year long crappy relationship. Not a whole lot happened, definitely nothing positive. It was well written but not my cup of tea. The ending was very abrupt and had no feel of conclusion to it.
December 31, 2025
The cover: SHOW STOPPING, JAW DROPPING, DEAD GORGEOUS
The content: An intriguing debut that taps into the messiness of being in your late twenties, with lots of moments that are easy to relate to, especially for the girlie pops. Still, something was missing for me: a real reason to care about the characters. Maybe because it plays things a bit too safe?
The content: An intriguing debut that taps into the messiness of being in your late twenties, with lots of moments that are easy to relate to, especially for the girlie pops. Still, something was missing for me: a real reason to care about the characters. Maybe because it plays things a bit too safe?
May 19, 2026
friendships after college, very real! but didnt keep my interest at all times
January 7, 2026
As someone who also went to a small liberal arts college in Maine I ate this up! I felt resonances with each of the three women which tells me they’re good archetypes for different kinds of malaise that might afflict late 20s (or early 30s hehe) American women, especially with regards to the unifying pain they experience in Realizing You Won’t Get Everything You Were Promised But Also Is That Such A Bad Thing; What Was It You Wanted Anyway?
My only complaint is I really wish so much of the turmoil these women experienced wouldn’t be around their jobs. Like I get that’s a given (since most people have to work) but it just bummed me out. But that’s not so much the book’s fault than it is the fault of American late stage capitalism (sorry). I do appreciate that despite the fact that employment or lack thereof was a central conflict for each of the characters, they really spent a decent amount of time considering how their positionality was affected by class and power dynamics, which was interesting and compelling.
As I have said before: this (female friendship book) is my favorite genre of book and while I normally much prefer when they are set in the UK, Ireland, or Australia since American ones tend to suck, this was a rare good American entry into the canon.
My only complaint is I really wish so much of the turmoil these women experienced wouldn’t be around their jobs. Like I get that’s a given (since most people have to work) but it just bummed me out. But that’s not so much the book’s fault than it is the fault of American late stage capitalism (sorry). I do appreciate that despite the fact that employment or lack thereof was a central conflict for each of the characters, they really spent a decent amount of time considering how their positionality was affected by class and power dynamics, which was interesting and compelling.
As I have said before: this (female friendship book) is my favorite genre of book and while I normally much prefer when they are set in the UK, Ireland, or Australia since American ones tend to suck, this was a rare good American entry into the canon.
May 21, 2026
felt drawn out to a certain extent with little to no resolution ~ could have used an epilogue! would have loved to see margot land another (better) job or start her own firm, see ana move cities and reclaim her life, see lily thriving in recovery and happy in her marriage.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2026
In each step of our lives, we have big decisions to make. Are you going to college? What's your major? What are your plans after? Will you marry? When will you move in together? Will you have kids? Will you travel? What's your career path? When are you going to buy a house?
But who do you turn to when the decision you originally made just doesn't quite sit right?
Three 20-something ladies who've been friends since college are in different but similar stages in life. One of them is getting married, one of them is a boss babe excelling at her work and the third one just moved in with her long-term boyfriend. But are they all making the right decisions for their futures? We follow these ladies as they endure their internal battles of choices and life changing decisions. After months to years of pushing down the uncertainties and "what if's?", they find themselves dealing with these battles alone afraid to burden one another with their "issues".
Isn't that so relatable? We all have lives and problems, no one wants to listen to mine on top of theirs, right? WRONG. Let this be a reminder to all that when the thoughts get too loud, release them.
This is so relatable and felt really important to me. Maybe because I just turned 30. Maybe because I'm about to get married in a year "finally". Maybe because I've had to face my current reality and realize "I don't want this" more times than I can count. The "in-between" while you figure out is hard and feels so lonely but I promise, someone knows how you feel and someone cares enough to sit with you through it. And when it's time to step into who you are and not who you think others want you to be, you'll take that leap and allow your support system to cheer you on along the way.
But who do you turn to when the decision you originally made just doesn't quite sit right?
Three 20-something ladies who've been friends since college are in different but similar stages in life. One of them is getting married, one of them is a boss babe excelling at her work and the third one just moved in with her long-term boyfriend. But are they all making the right decisions for their futures? We follow these ladies as they endure their internal battles of choices and life changing decisions. After months to years of pushing down the uncertainties and "what if's?", they find themselves dealing with these battles alone afraid to burden one another with their "issues".
Isn't that so relatable? We all have lives and problems, no one wants to listen to mine on top of theirs, right? WRONG. Let this be a reminder to all that when the thoughts get too loud, release them.
This is so relatable and felt really important to me. Maybe because I just turned 30. Maybe because I'm about to get married in a year "finally". Maybe because I've had to face my current reality and realize "I don't want this" more times than I can count. The "in-between" while you figure out is hard and feels so lonely but I promise, someone knows how you feel and someone cares enough to sit with you through it. And when it's time to step into who you are and not who you think others want you to be, you'll take that leap and allow your support system to cheer you on along the way.
Did Not Finish
June 29, 2026DNF; the writing style was not for me.
May 20, 2026
I loved this!
July 29, 2026
I loved this book. I related to it on so many levels as navigating life in your late twenties with friends in all different stages can be so tricky. So grateful for the strong female friendships in my life like the ones in this book!
June 30, 2026
Lowk nothing happened and they were all kind of insufferable
June 26, 2026
3.75⭐️
Pean piinlikkustundega tunnistama, et valin suure osa raamatutest, mida lugeda tahan just kaanepildi põhjal, või vähemalt paneb kena kujundus mind poes raamatu järele haarama ja selle sisuga tutvuma, peale mida need tihti ka minu lugemislisti lähevad. Nii jõudis minu teadvusesesse (ja raamaturiiulisse) ka "Girls Our Age".
Kokkuvõtvalt saan öelda, et tegemist on pigem ebamugava raamatuga - ettekujutus "kõigil teistel on elu korras" purustatakse kiiresti ning lugeja silme all rulluvad lahti kolme sõbranna erinevad probleemid. Need kolm sõbrannat viskavad oma mõtisklustes õhku ka küsimused "Kas ma olen teinud õiged valikud?", "Kas mu karjäär on see, mida ma tahtsin?", "Kas ma olen maha jäänud?", mistõttu tundub mulle, et raamat annab päris hästi edasi kõhkluste ja eneseotsingute perioodi 20ndates eluaastates.
Samuti kiidan autori võimet "murda" lugeja pähe - tundsin, kuidas tegelaste ülemõtlemine, sisemised konfliktid ja vead kasvatasid ka minus tasapisi ärevust; tegelased ise muutusid seeläbi aina inimlikumaks ning neile oli lihtsam kaasa elada. Lisaks näitas raamat hästi, kuidas vanad sõprussuhted muutuvad, kui inimesed liiguvad erinevatesse eluetappidesse.
Tahan välja tuua ka selle, kui palju olulisi suuri teemasid (söömishäired, vaimne tervis, seksuaalne identiteet, karjääriga seotud ebakindlus jne), millest pigem ei räägita, oli selle pisikese raamatu sisse mahutatud.
Mind jäi natuke häirima kiirustatud lõpp - kohati jäi mulje, et kui kui probleemid lõpuks süvenema hakkasid, lahendas autor need liiga kiiresti ning raamat oleks võinud kokkuvõttes pisut julgem, mitte nii turvaline olla. Lisaks, saan küll aru, et igaühele ongi sellises raamatus tegelane, kelle peatükke enim ootad ja kes kõige samastutavam tundub, aga mulle näis, et siinkohal sai Margot siiski ebaausalt vähe tähelepanu ning tema seksuaalsuse ja identiteedi teemat oleks võinud rohkem uurida.
Ühesõnaga, mulle meeldis, et lugu jutustati kolme sõbranna vaatepunktist ning lugejale pakuti kolme omavahel seotud, kuid üksteisest nii erinevat maailma (mis alguses segadust põhjustasid) nii paljude erinevate kõhkluste ja muredega. Lool olid küll omad miinused, ning kahjuks ei tunne ma, et oleksin raamatuga väga lähedaseks saanud, kuid julgen teda ikkagi pigem soovitada, sest mõtlemisainet on ja kajastust saavad ka mitmed sügavamad teemad.
süžee: Lily, Ana ja Margot on kolm ülikooliajal kokku saanud parimat sõpra, kes kümme aastat hiljem seisavad silmitsi täiskasvanuelu keerukusega. Lily valmistub abielluma, Ana proovib leida oma kohta suhtes ja karjääris ning Margot liigub eduka tööelu tipus edasi, kuid pealtnäha ideaalse elu taga peituvad kõigil omad kahtlused ja raskused. Kui nad Lily pulmadeks taas Maine’is kokku saavad, hakkavad varjatud mured lõpuks pinnale tulema ning nad peavad ausalt otsa vaatama nii iseenda kui ka oma sõpruse muutustele.
Pean piinlikkustundega tunnistama, et valin suure osa raamatutest, mida lugeda tahan just kaanepildi põhjal, või vähemalt paneb kena kujundus mind poes raamatu järele haarama ja selle sisuga tutvuma, peale mida need tihti ka minu lugemislisti lähevad. Nii jõudis minu teadvusesesse (ja raamaturiiulisse) ka "Girls Our Age".
Kokkuvõtvalt saan öelda, et tegemist on pigem ebamugava raamatuga - ettekujutus "kõigil teistel on elu korras" purustatakse kiiresti ning lugeja silme all rulluvad lahti kolme sõbranna erinevad probleemid. Need kolm sõbrannat viskavad oma mõtisklustes õhku ka küsimused "Kas ma olen teinud õiged valikud?", "Kas mu karjäär on see, mida ma tahtsin?", "Kas ma olen maha jäänud?", mistõttu tundub mulle, et raamat annab päris hästi edasi kõhkluste ja eneseotsingute perioodi 20ndates eluaastates.
Samuti kiidan autori võimet "murda" lugeja pähe - tundsin, kuidas tegelaste ülemõtlemine, sisemised konfliktid ja vead kasvatasid ka minus tasapisi ärevust; tegelased ise muutusid seeläbi aina inimlikumaks ning neile oli lihtsam kaasa elada. Lisaks näitas raamat hästi, kuidas vanad sõprussuhted muutuvad, kui inimesed liiguvad erinevatesse eluetappidesse.
Tahan välja tuua ka selle, kui palju olulisi suuri teemasid (söömishäired, vaimne tervis, seksuaalne identiteet, karjääriga seotud ebakindlus jne), millest pigem ei räägita, oli selle pisikese raamatu sisse mahutatud.
Mind jäi natuke häirima kiirustatud lõpp - kohati jäi mulje, et kui kui probleemid lõpuks süvenema hakkasid, lahendas autor need liiga kiiresti ning raamat oleks võinud kokkuvõttes pisut julgem, mitte nii turvaline olla. Lisaks, saan küll aru, et igaühele ongi sellises raamatus tegelane, kelle peatükke enim ootad ja kes kõige samastutavam tundub, aga mulle näis, et siinkohal sai Margot siiski ebaausalt vähe tähelepanu ning tema seksuaalsuse ja identiteedi teemat oleks võinud rohkem uurida.
Ühesõnaga, mulle meeldis, et lugu jutustati kolme sõbranna vaatepunktist ning lugejale pakuti kolme omavahel seotud, kuid üksteisest nii erinevat maailma (mis alguses segadust põhjustasid) nii paljude erinevate kõhkluste ja muredega. Lool olid küll omad miinused, ning kahjuks ei tunne ma, et oleksin raamatuga väga lähedaseks saanud, kuid julgen teda ikkagi pigem soovitada, sest mõtlemisainet on ja kajastust saavad ka mitmed sügavamad teemad.
süžee: Lily, Ana ja Margot on kolm ülikooliajal kokku saanud parimat sõpra, kes kümme aastat hiljem seisavad silmitsi täiskasvanuelu keerukusega. Lily valmistub abielluma, Ana proovib leida oma kohta suhtes ja karjääris ning Margot liigub eduka tööelu tipus edasi, kuid pealtnäha ideaalse elu taga peituvad kõigil omad kahtlused ja raskused. Kui nad Lily pulmadeks taas Maine’is kokku saavad, hakkavad varjatud mured lõpuks pinnale tulema ning nad peavad ausalt otsa vaatama nii iseenda kui ka oma sõpruse muutustele.
July 19, 2026
Absolutely loved this book! At first I was worried that with the narrative following multiple girls on this friend group that it would be confusing, but the author did a fantastic job at making them all distinct people with complex lives that made it easy to tell them apart. I also love how they all had their own story trajectories, all learning different lessons and having different outcomes. I think this is such a great book for women to read on their 20’s or really at anytime in their lives.
July 28, 2026
Loved every second honestly. Fantastic.
Three friends from college living in diff cities have grown apart. They each have their own issues. Phoebe is such a candid writer. She is so great at exploring feelings. I’m so excited to see what she will do next.
Would recommend if you like heart the lover, sally Rooney, or girls on hbo. I would recommend this to really any girl age 26-32 give or take some years if you want.
My only complaint is that the end wrapped up too fast. Like i wish we had more time to see where they go from there.
Solid 4.75/5!
Three friends from college living in diff cities have grown apart. They each have their own issues. Phoebe is such a candid writer. She is so great at exploring feelings. I’m so excited to see what she will do next.
Would recommend if you like heart the lover, sally Rooney, or girls on hbo. I would recommend this to really any girl age 26-32 give or take some years if you want.
My only complaint is that the end wrapped up too fast. Like i wish we had more time to see where they go from there.
Solid 4.75/5!
July 28, 2026
meh. First, I would be pissed if after 10 years I was just finding out that none of my friends liked my boyfriend. Second, this book probably needs a TW for EDs. Third, I needed a quick easy read and I guess this did it.
July 9, 2026
4.5
This is totally my type of book!!
This is totally my type of book!!
Read
June 12, 2026a lengthy, post-processing review:
but first!! MASSIVE TW for ED!!
this book embodied the shift of girlhood to womanhood that never feels quite complete or even permissible and, to a lesser extent, the changing of friendships within that shift.
now. i would take a full mental inventory to see if you’re in a place where you can read a book about three women who are full of neuroses. being in their heads for a few hundred pages was emotionally and mentally taxing and anxiety-inducing. probs bc i did not take a mental inventory beforehand. allow me to save u from that! however, for me this was a right book right time kind of thing. in each of the women i saw something achingly familiar.
i don’t generally like the whole woman-who-doesn’t-know-what-shes-doing genre of literature but i think these characters were well written and their lives engaging and realistic enough to incline me towards empathy rather than judgement
i really liked this book, i loved lily, and i appreciated ana and margot’s stories as representative of many women’s stories.
now some critiques:
1. wish we understood more about the former beauty and closeknittedness of their friendship. i (and i NEVER say this) would have loved more flashbacks to the college years bc in the present time we are told sm about the absence of what used to be but not shown enough what made the friendships special in the first place other than being told that it provided a safe harbor from and for their individual neuroses
2. bouncing constantly between three women’s individual lives but not really seeing them tg made me forget that it was supposed to be ultimately abt their friendship
3. miscommunication/lack of communication trope is just as annoying in literary fiction as it is in romances BUT a caveat to this con is that when i sat and thought about it, i do the same lol so points for realism
4. i wanted more slice-of-life moments from each of them.
TLDR: i stand by my original reading update that this is catnip for a psych major. but ill amend and say, as someone who is also a bibliophile, story wise it could have been stronger
two-seconds-after-finishing review:
“tissues asap” -elizabeth puskar. i need to go touch grass before i can rate this book, but in a good way.
lump in throat. reading this while listening to noah kahan’s The Great Divide is a specific type of emotional devastation.
but first!! MASSIVE TW for ED!!
this book embodied the shift of girlhood to womanhood that never feels quite complete or even permissible and, to a lesser extent, the changing of friendships within that shift.
now. i would take a full mental inventory to see if you’re in a place where you can read a book about three women who are full of neuroses. being in their heads for a few hundred pages was emotionally and mentally taxing and anxiety-inducing. probs bc i did not take a mental inventory beforehand. allow me to save u from that! however, for me this was a right book right time kind of thing. in each of the women i saw something achingly familiar.
i don’t generally like the whole woman-who-doesn’t-know-what-shes-doing genre of literature but i think these characters were well written and their lives engaging and realistic enough to incline me towards empathy rather than judgement
i really liked this book, i loved lily, and i appreciated ana and margot’s stories as representative of many women’s stories.
now some critiques:
1. wish we understood more about the former beauty and closeknittedness of their friendship. i (and i NEVER say this) would have loved more flashbacks to the college years bc in the present time we are told sm about the absence of what used to be but not shown enough what made the friendships special in the first place other than being told that it provided a safe harbor from and for their individual neuroses
2. bouncing constantly between three women’s individual lives but not really seeing them tg made me forget that it was supposed to be ultimately abt their friendship
3. miscommunication/lack of communication trope is just as annoying in literary fiction as it is in romances BUT a caveat to this con is that when i sat and thought about it, i do the same lol so points for realism
4. i wanted more slice-of-life moments from each of them.
TLDR: i stand by my original reading update that this is catnip for a psych major. but ill amend and say, as someone who is also a bibliophile, story wise it could have been stronger
two-seconds-after-finishing review:
“tissues asap” -elizabeth puskar. i need to go touch grass before i can rate this book, but in a good way.
lump in throat. reading this while listening to noah kahan’s The Great Divide is a specific type of emotional devastation.
February 17, 2026
Thank you to the author for sending me an advanced copy of the ebook 🩷
First to start with the serious: There were so many elements of all three characters that I resonated with. My favorite line was in Ana’s pov: “She’d tried so hard to leave, and she hadn’t gone far at all.” I FELT that. I was envious of Lily’s ability to be honest with her mother by the end of the book. Definitely felt Margot’s struggles of establishing a work-life balance and unlearning being a lifelong overachiever. I think any woman in their 20s will find a little bit of themselves in at least one main character!
Now the silly stuff:
Silas SUCKS, don’t condone cheating but I almost wish Ana had made a real move on Alistair
What kind of girl brings her fiancé and his posse on her bachelorette??? Without warning all the bach attendees??? Least believable part of the whole book!
These girls need to TALK to each other more often! What do you mean you barely talked to the bride at all between the Bach and wedding??
I saw another review say they wish the book was longer- total agree!!! I want to know if Margot and Alix end up together and if Ana moves back to Wisconsin and if Lily ever gets a job !!!
Overall, a lovely depiction of what it is like to be in your twenties and be a friend of other women in their twenties. It’s all hard, life sucks a lot of the time, but you can get through it with people who love and support you <3
First to start with the serious: There were so many elements of all three characters that I resonated with. My favorite line was in Ana’s pov: “She’d tried so hard to leave, and she hadn’t gone far at all.” I FELT that. I was envious of Lily’s ability to be honest with her mother by the end of the book. Definitely felt Margot’s struggles of establishing a work-life balance and unlearning being a lifelong overachiever. I think any woman in their 20s will find a little bit of themselves in at least one main character!
Now the silly stuff:
Silas SUCKS, don’t condone cheating but I almost wish Ana had made a real move on Alistair
What kind of girl brings her fiancé and his posse on her bachelorette??? Without warning all the bach attendees??? Least believable part of the whole book!
These girls need to TALK to each other more often! What do you mean you barely talked to the bride at all between the Bach and wedding??
I saw another review say they wish the book was longer- total agree!!! I want to know if Margot and Alix end up together and if Ana moves back to Wisconsin and if Lily ever gets a job !!!
Overall, a lovely depiction of what it is like to be in your twenties and be a friend of other women in their twenties. It’s all hard, life sucks a lot of the time, but you can get through it with people who love and support you <3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2026
I feel like this book seamlessly captures the transition from college to adulthood to late 20s/early 30s where you’re holding on to friendships and everyone is experiencing life at a different rate. Really enjoyed it!
May 29, 2026
4.5 rounded up, ending was too short 😭
July 6, 2026
5 STARS🌟
'Girls Our Age' by Phoebe Thompson is a must-read for every girl in her 20s.
It perfectly captures the challenges and changes you go through during this decade. It touches on how friendship groups shift suddenly going from seeing each other every day to struggling to find time to meet up every few weeks and all going in different directions and that deep feeling of loneliness that follows.
It addresses the way we often feel like we’re letting people down or failing at life, even though, in reality, everyone else feels the same way and you aren't alone.
It also explores the necessity of outgrowing people who aren't right for you anymore, as well as the confusing process of navigating career paths and trying to find work that truly speaks to you.
This book did such an amazing job of making me feel seen and less alone. It helped me appreciate life and gave me the confidence to do what is right for me
HIGHLY RECOMMEND🤍
'Girls Our Age' by Phoebe Thompson is a must-read for every girl in her 20s.
It perfectly captures the challenges and changes you go through during this decade. It touches on how friendship groups shift suddenly going from seeing each other every day to struggling to find time to meet up every few weeks and all going in different directions and that deep feeling of loneliness that follows.
It addresses the way we often feel like we’re letting people down or failing at life, even though, in reality, everyone else feels the same way and you aren't alone.
It also explores the necessity of outgrowing people who aren't right for you anymore, as well as the confusing process of navigating career paths and trying to find work that truly speaks to you.
This book did such an amazing job of making me feel seen and less alone. It helped me appreciate life and gave me the confidence to do what is right for me
HIGHLY RECOMMEND🤍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2026
this novel made me incredibly sad, in a way. A sense of nostalgic grief and the way adult friendships change over time felt really close to home in some ways.
These three women were once so close, but as you read each of their POV’s, you realize they’re all carrying so much on their own. I think the story really highlights that while there are things we have to work through independently, sharing the load can be so important. It’s almost like a “coming of age” story for women in their late 20’s.
I think the ending was actually so perfect!!
I do think this book could benefit from trigger warnings. It includes discussions of eating disorders, mental health, and sexuality that may be difficult for some individuals if they’re not anticipating it!!
These three women were once so close, but as you read each of their POV’s, you realize they’re all carrying so much on their own. I think the story really highlights that while there are things we have to work through independently, sharing the load can be so important. It’s almost like a “coming of age” story for women in their late 20’s.
I think the ending was actually so perfect!!
I do think this book could benefit from trigger warnings. It includes discussions of eating disorders, mental health, and sexuality that may be difficult for some individuals if they’re not anticipating it!!
May 18, 2026
thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital and audio arcs.
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girls our age follows three best friends named lily, ana, and margot as they reunite for lily's wedding in maine, ten years after meeting as college roommates. on paper, they're doing fine: lily is getting married to jack, a man described as endlessly supportive and entirely symmetrical. ana is a teacher living with her long-term boyfriend. margot is about to land a major promotion at an ad agency. but beneath the surface, all three are cracking in their own ways.
the book does a lot of things well. it captures the specific loneliness of your late twenties - the way friendships thin out as life gets louder, the way we curate our lives for the people who used to know everything about us, the way we hide our struggles because admitting them feels like failure. the writing is sharp and interior, pulling you into each character's spiraling thought process. i found myself highlighting several lines that hit uncomfortably close to home.
but there are some significant issues that kept me from loving it fully.
the eating disorder storyline with lily is handled in a way that left me feeling pretty raw. being inside a fatphobic character's head while she cries about eating 200 calories at her cake tasting was a lot. what made it worse was how casually everyone around her treats it - people comment that she's "looking thinner" but there's no urgency, no real intervention. when she eventually goes to rehab, the way she talks about herself after gaining weight is ugly and honest but felt egregiously hard to sit with. i understand that's probably a true reflection of how disordered thinking works, but it was rough.
the perspective balance is also off. we spend the most time with ana and her truly terrible boyfriend silas. and wow, does he suck. i get that a bad relationship is a major source of conflict, but i found myself wondering why so much page time went to his nonsense when it came at the expense of other characters. margot, our sapphic character, is pushed so far to the side that i literally went back to check the chapter titles, convinced she only got one or two chapters. it's frustrating to see the gay character get demoted to secondary. it always seems to happen like that.
despite all this, i did enjoy the book. it's a solid, relatable depiction of what it means to be a woman in your twenties trying to hold your life together while also keeping your friendships alive. the core message - that it's easy to get wrapped up in your own struggles, but you still have a responsibility to the people who are going to stay with you - is a good one. i just wish it had given us more of margot, handled lily's storyline with more care, and maybe pushed a little harder before wrapping everything up so neatly.
--
girls our age follows three best friends named lily, ana, and margot as they reunite for lily's wedding in maine, ten years after meeting as college roommates. on paper, they're doing fine: lily is getting married to jack, a man described as endlessly supportive and entirely symmetrical. ana is a teacher living with her long-term boyfriend. margot is about to land a major promotion at an ad agency. but beneath the surface, all three are cracking in their own ways.
the book does a lot of things well. it captures the specific loneliness of your late twenties - the way friendships thin out as life gets louder, the way we curate our lives for the people who used to know everything about us, the way we hide our struggles because admitting them feels like failure. the writing is sharp and interior, pulling you into each character's spiraling thought process. i found myself highlighting several lines that hit uncomfortably close to home.
but there are some significant issues that kept me from loving it fully.
the eating disorder storyline with lily is handled in a way that left me feeling pretty raw. being inside a fatphobic character's head while she cries about eating 200 calories at her cake tasting was a lot. what made it worse was how casually everyone around her treats it - people comment that she's "looking thinner" but there's no urgency, no real intervention. when she eventually goes to rehab, the way she talks about herself after gaining weight is ugly and honest but felt egregiously hard to sit with. i understand that's probably a true reflection of how disordered thinking works, but it was rough.
the perspective balance is also off. we spend the most time with ana and her truly terrible boyfriend silas. and wow, does he suck. i get that a bad relationship is a major source of conflict, but i found myself wondering why so much page time went to his nonsense when it came at the expense of other characters. margot, our sapphic character, is pushed so far to the side that i literally went back to check the chapter titles, convinced she only got one or two chapters. it's frustrating to see the gay character get demoted to secondary. it always seems to happen like that.
despite all this, i did enjoy the book. it's a solid, relatable depiction of what it means to be a woman in your twenties trying to hold your life together while also keeping your friendships alive. the core message - that it's easy to get wrapped up in your own struggles, but you still have a responsibility to the people who are going to stay with you - is a good one. i just wish it had given us more of margot, handled lily's storyline with more care, and maybe pushed a little harder before wrapping everything up so neatly.
June 11, 2026
Ok i’m really surprised that i’m giving it four stars, but above all she managed to write reality, which is really hard to do. I was a bit irked by some of the reflections in it and it was occasionally tacky (like the fact that the word tradwife was used like 10 times) but do I believe that these exact people exist at Bowdoin? 100%. And tbh one of the best depictions of an eating disorder I’ve ever read, much better than all those essays that romanticize or over intellectualize.
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