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Girls Our Age
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Expected 5 May 26Three 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
Expected publication May 5, 2026
5141 people want to read
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January 20, 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.
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
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 🫶🏼🫶🏼
December 16, 2025
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!
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.
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?
December 3, 2025
Wow. I want every woman I know to read this book. So insanely good, cried multiple times (I am currently 30 and all of it was way too relevant, sue me).
Thompson writes self-worth, doubt, and the shifting terrain of female friendships with such sharp accuracy it almost hurts. The book digs into self-image and the loneliness of independence and eating disorders in a way that feels intimate and truthful. Each character’s internal world feels lived-in, messy, and heartbreakingly familiar.
What really stayed with me is how it shows the growing pains of your late twenties: realizing the plans you made at 20 (or 22, or 25, or 28) don’t fit anymore, watching friends grow in different directions, and confronting the stories you’ve told yourself about who you’re supposed to be. So good and raw and beautiful. God I love women.
I did think it ended a little too quickly, I wish the girls had talked sooner than the like like 5% of the book so we could see the fall out a little more BUT also in love with the way it’s written anyways. Also great cover artwork.
Also this was an arc book from NetGalley, I think I’m supposed to say that.
(Spoiler: fuck Silas, absolute loser status. And we all know a Silas)
Thompson writes self-worth, doubt, and the shifting terrain of female friendships with such sharp accuracy it almost hurts. The book digs into self-image and the loneliness of independence and eating disorders in a way that feels intimate and truthful. Each character’s internal world feels lived-in, messy, and heartbreakingly familiar.
What really stayed with me is how it shows the growing pains of your late twenties: realizing the plans you made at 20 (or 22, or 25, or 28) don’t fit anymore, watching friends grow in different directions, and confronting the stories you’ve told yourself about who you’re supposed to be. So good and raw and beautiful. God I love women.
I did think it ended a little too quickly, I wish the girls had talked sooner than the like like 5% of the book so we could see the fall out a little more BUT also in love with the way it’s written anyways. Also great cover artwork.
Also this was an arc book from NetGalley, I think I’m supposed to say that.
(Spoiler: fuck Silas, absolute loser status. And we all know a Silas)
January 14, 2026
I really enjoyed Phoebe’s writing style, I couldn’t stop devouring this book when I picked it up. I was kindly given an ebook version by NetGalley and Lake Union. Thank you!
As someone who just passed her late twenties, it’s nice to find something where the main characters are on the cusp of adulthood, because although technically they were adults like 10 years earlier, I find like late 20s/early thirties to be the time that people really discover the real world (and start thinking about who they are and who they want to be) and it was really refreshing to see it through the eyes of the three main characters: Lily, Ana and Margot.
I’m actually a bit gutted that we didn’t get more of Margot though. Margot was seen less in the second half of the book and there was really something happening there between Margot and Alix and I don’t think it was covered enough.
I found it a really enjoyable read, fresh, easy writing style, good characters and their developments.
As someone who just passed her late twenties, it’s nice to find something where the main characters are on the cusp of adulthood, because although technically they were adults like 10 years earlier, I find like late 20s/early thirties to be the time that people really discover the real world (and start thinking about who they are and who they want to be) and it was really refreshing to see it through the eyes of the three main characters: Lily, Ana and Margot.
I’m actually a bit gutted that we didn’t get more of Margot though. Margot was seen less in the second half of the book and there was really something happening there between Margot and Alix and I don’t think it was covered enough.
I found it a really enjoyable read, fresh, easy writing style, good characters and their developments.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2025
This book follows 3 college friends (the story told through a rotating POV) and their lives post grad. The story explores female friendship, identity, and the complexities of becoming an adult, as each woman navigates a personal issue they’re going through. The pacing was sometimes off but it’s a heartfelt character driven story with emotion which I liked.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest interview.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest interview.
December 31, 2025
thank you to the publisher for the ARC!
i went into this expecting to read about a bachelorette and a wedding, but instead it was about friendship, and classism and elitism and being in your late twenties and feeling like everyone else is doing soooo much better than you. and i loved it a lot!
it’s crazy because i am 27, but i feel so BEHIND compared to the girls in this book (they are 28). but then i’m like, thats the whole point of the book! we are all at different paces.
tw for ED.
i went into this expecting to read about a bachelorette and a wedding, but instead it was about friendship, and classism and elitism and being in your late twenties and feeling like everyone else is doing soooo much better than you. and i loved it a lot!
it’s crazy because i am 27, but i feel so BEHIND compared to the girls in this book (they are 28). but then i’m like, thats the whole point of the book! we are all at different paces.
tw for ED.
Read
January 25, 2026Girls Our Age is a nuanced and emotionally resonant novel that captures the quiet complexity of female friendship in the transition from youthful ambition to adult reality. Through the intertwined lives of Lily, Ana, and Margot, Phoebe Thompson explores the tension between outward success and private uncertainty, offering a portrait of late-twenties womanhood that feels intimate, honest, and deeply recognizable.
What distinguishes the novel is its emotional restraint and authenticity. Rather than relying on dramatic turns, Thompson allows character, memory, and unspoken truth to carry the narrative. The wedding setting in Maine becomes a natural catalyst for reflection and revelation, giving space for the characters’ hidden struggles to surface organically. Girls Our Age succeeds as both a coming-of-adulthood story and a thoughtful meditation on identity, vulnerability, and the bonds that endure when certainty begins to fracture.
What distinguishes the novel is its emotional restraint and authenticity. Rather than relying on dramatic turns, Thompson allows character, memory, and unspoken truth to carry the narrative. The wedding setting in Maine becomes a natural catalyst for reflection and revelation, giving space for the characters’ hidden struggles to surface organically. Girls Our Age succeeds as both a coming-of-adulthood story and a thoughtful meditation on identity, vulnerability, and the bonds that endure when certainty begins to fracture.
December 18, 2025
s/o netgalley for the arc!!! i love female friendships and people overlapping lives and reconnecting and loving each other ❤️ good girls book for sure for sure
January 9, 2026
Girlhood be like that
Read
November 30, 2025**Thanks to netgalley for providing me with a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.**
Some poignant scenes and some challenging bits. More thoughts available upon request.
Some poignant scenes and some challenging bits. More thoughts available upon request.
December 14, 2025
*advanced reader copy*
This book truly is the raw and real telling of life after college and personal battles you don’t speak about. As someone who has been single for 5 years and moved across the country from all my loved ones to figure my life out, it truly felt like this was written for me. Especially in this season of watching my friends get married and have their own lives separate from what used to be ours together. Highly recommend everyone read this when it comes out.
This book truly is the raw and real telling of life after college and personal battles you don’t speak about. As someone who has been single for 5 years and moved across the country from all my loved ones to figure my life out, it truly felt like this was written for me. Especially in this season of watching my friends get married and have their own lives separate from what used to be ours together. Highly recommend everyone read this when it comes out.
November 30, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this eARC
"She had needed to become who she was outside the confines of the limits that had been imposed on her, to learn what she was capable of when the options weren’t held up in front of her like a magicians hand of cards"
The book opens with three old college friends experiencing major life changes: an upcoming wedding, moving in with a longtime boyfriend, and being a slight workaholic up for a big promotion. The story switches between each of their perspectives, showing how each woman is struggling with something but feels she has to internalize it and handle it alone while keeping a composed face. This inevitably creates tension that soon comes into play. Seeing each of their perspectives really highlights how important communication is in relationships, especially friendships.
It truly felt like everyone’s fault but also no one’s fault, which made it feel very real and human. No one was innocent, but they all had things going on, and each made mistakes with the others. I loved seeing how friendships age and how you grow from a group-mentality person into more of an individual. As freshman besties and roommates, each girl had her “role” in the group, but as they get older, they become more independent and eventually form a healthier relationship—not desperately holding onto what once was, but choosing each other in a more intentional way. It does take conflict for them to reach that open, communicative place, but that growth felt authentic. The mistakes each character makes show the strength of friendship and the importance of admitting when you’re wrong and apologizing. Their personalities also foiled each other really well. I especially resonated with Lily because of her mental health struggles. So many of her thoughts mirrored my own, and her experience with therapy was very similar to mine. I highlighted a lot of her thoughts because of how deeply I connected with them. Her perspective was my favorite to read, but I never saw the other two girls as villains. You can’t blame your friends for what they don’t know when you aren’t communicating your feelings. I felt Lily’s character development and growth the most.
I think this book would appeal to people of all ages, but I especially think women in post-grad life would appreciate it and relate to at least one of the challenges the characters face. Long distance, different life paces, and varying relationship statuses are all big parts of post-grad life and can be difficult to navigate. The book shows both individual growth in each of the girls and how close friendships evolve over time. The ending honestly made me want to meet up with my college roommates and give them all a big hug.
"She had needed to become who she was outside the confines of the limits that had been imposed on her, to learn what she was capable of when the options weren’t held up in front of her like a magicians hand of cards"
The book opens with three old college friends experiencing major life changes: an upcoming wedding, moving in with a longtime boyfriend, and being a slight workaholic up for a big promotion. The story switches between each of their perspectives, showing how each woman is struggling with something but feels she has to internalize it and handle it alone while keeping a composed face. This inevitably creates tension that soon comes into play. Seeing each of their perspectives really highlights how important communication is in relationships, especially friendships.
It truly felt like everyone’s fault but also no one’s fault, which made it feel very real and human. No one was innocent, but they all had things going on, and each made mistakes with the others. I loved seeing how friendships age and how you grow from a group-mentality person into more of an individual. As freshman besties and roommates, each girl had her “role” in the group, but as they get older, they become more independent and eventually form a healthier relationship—not desperately holding onto what once was, but choosing each other in a more intentional way. It does take conflict for them to reach that open, communicative place, but that growth felt authentic. The mistakes each character makes show the strength of friendship and the importance of admitting when you’re wrong and apologizing. Their personalities also foiled each other really well. I especially resonated with Lily because of her mental health struggles. So many of her thoughts mirrored my own, and her experience with therapy was very similar to mine. I highlighted a lot of her thoughts because of how deeply I connected with them. Her perspective was my favorite to read, but I never saw the other two girls as villains. You can’t blame your friends for what they don’t know when you aren’t communicating your feelings. I felt Lily’s character development and growth the most.
I think this book would appeal to people of all ages, but I especially think women in post-grad life would appreciate it and relate to at least one of the challenges the characters face. Long distance, different life paces, and varying relationship statuses are all big parts of post-grad life and can be difficult to navigate. The book shows both individual growth in each of the girls and how close friendships evolve over time. The ending honestly made me want to meet up with my college roommates and give them all a big hug.
December 8, 2025
4.5 —This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2026 and I think I even went so far as to beg the author for an ARC in her instagram comments? So imagine my delight when it became “Read Now” on NetGalley—I swooped it up QUICKLY.
As a 30 year old with a bit of a nostalgia problem and a deep fondness for my college years, I am absolutely the target audience for this book and it really worked for me. I want to say that I could’ve written this story based off how some of the feelings described in it seem to bit lifted directly from my own life, but 1) I’ve been trying to write a book for years and haven’t made it past 60 pages and 2) I know these experiences are not exactly unique to me but. Still.
While I like to challenge myself to read outside my own experiences regularly, there’s a certain specialness about reading a plot that feels so familiar. The story made me feel less alone. Is there anything more important to the human experience than that? I was sneaking in pages whenever and wherever I could because reading it felt like a little hug from the universe or a really impactful therapy session. While all the characters are deeply flawed, it would be incorrect to write them any other way. Their rawness and messiness and realness was what endeared me to them so easily. In the grand scheme of unlikability, these girls are also pretty mild. I found it impossible not to cheer for them individually and collectively, although I will say I wasn’t totally impressed by how they handled their conflict. But again, that just made it feel REAL.
As I mentioned above, this book definitely has a target audience and I’m not sure how it’ll land in the mainstream market. I do think most women will enjoy it, but I’m not totally sure. Honestly, if you hated college, you might hate this. If you aren’t a sentimental person or someone who considers HBO’s Girls the Holy Gospel, you also might hate this. If you have your shit together fully, you may not be the target audience either. But I hope those who need it find it—those like me, who are sometimes messy and sometimes lonely and sometimes feel like they are the only ones one who don’t have a social media worthy life.
I do wish it was longer and that the girls had their reunification a bit earlier in the story because the ending reminded me that all that messiness and loneliness isn’t quite so scary when you have friends that know and love you through it all.
(Oh and shoutout and thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!!)
As a 30 year old with a bit of a nostalgia problem and a deep fondness for my college years, I am absolutely the target audience for this book and it really worked for me. I want to say that I could’ve written this story based off how some of the feelings described in it seem to bit lifted directly from my own life, but 1) I’ve been trying to write a book for years and haven’t made it past 60 pages and 2) I know these experiences are not exactly unique to me but. Still.
While I like to challenge myself to read outside my own experiences regularly, there’s a certain specialness about reading a plot that feels so familiar. The story made me feel less alone. Is there anything more important to the human experience than that? I was sneaking in pages whenever and wherever I could because reading it felt like a little hug from the universe or a really impactful therapy session. While all the characters are deeply flawed, it would be incorrect to write them any other way. Their rawness and messiness and realness was what endeared me to them so easily. In the grand scheme of unlikability, these girls are also pretty mild. I found it impossible not to cheer for them individually and collectively, although I will say I wasn’t totally impressed by how they handled their conflict. But again, that just made it feel REAL.
As I mentioned above, this book definitely has a target audience and I’m not sure how it’ll land in the mainstream market. I do think most women will enjoy it, but I’m not totally sure. Honestly, if you hated college, you might hate this. If you aren’t a sentimental person or someone who considers HBO’s Girls the Holy Gospel, you also might hate this. If you have your shit together fully, you may not be the target audience either. But I hope those who need it find it—those like me, who are sometimes messy and sometimes lonely and sometimes feel like they are the only ones one who don’t have a social media worthy life.
I do wish it was longer and that the girls had their reunification a bit earlier in the story because the ending reminded me that all that messiness and loneliness isn’t quite so scary when you have friends that know and love you through it all.
(Oh and shoutout and thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!!)
December 7, 2025
I was really curious about this book since the main characters are literally my age and it didn't disappoint me.
Margot, Ana and Lily have been close friends since college and now, at 28, they all face different problems regarding adulthood that are really easy to relate to. This is a book about friendship and the way it changes when we grow older, when it's more difficult to keep up with the lives of your friends. I feel that this is a very important topic than not many books talk about it.
My only complain, however, is that sometimes it was a little bit difficult to relate to them since they are all quite upper class (especially Lily). I think that I would have loved to have more diverse perspectives. Ana is the only one that comes from a more humble environment, but by dating Silas she also has access to the privilege that money entails.
Overall, I think that this is a great novel about friendship and adulthood and I can't wait to read more books by Phoebe Thompson.
Thanks NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.
Margot, Ana and Lily have been close friends since college and now, at 28, they all face different problems regarding adulthood that are really easy to relate to. This is a book about friendship and the way it changes when we grow older, when it's more difficult to keep up with the lives of your friends. I feel that this is a very important topic than not many books talk about it.
My only complain, however, is that sometimes it was a little bit difficult to relate to them since they are all quite upper class (especially Lily). I think that I would have loved to have more diverse perspectives. Ana is the only one that comes from a more humble environment, but by dating Silas she also has access to the privilege that money entails.
Overall, I think that this is a great novel about friendship and adulthood and I can't wait to read more books by Phoebe Thompson.
Thanks NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.
December 13, 2025
Girls Our Age was the epitome of girlhood! Genuinely, it could not have shown post-grad life in a better light. I definitely recommend it to anyone who is past their early 20s, or even those in college getting anxious about life afterwards.
The creative choice to follow three women was perfect for this novel. It was enough to get a good grasp of the intention behind the story. It wasn't too many that I was getting lost or confused while reading. Each woman was different in their own way, and that was a beautiful way to show the different ways realities can occur.
If you typically love a good female friendship, you will adore this novel. It is so real, raw, and intentional. The author did a great job making it feel incredibly realistic down to the details. You will feel for each and every character.
Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, & Phoebe Thompson for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Girls Our Age will be released on May 5, 2026!
The creative choice to follow three women was perfect for this novel. It was enough to get a good grasp of the intention behind the story. It wasn't too many that I was getting lost or confused while reading. Each woman was different in their own way, and that was a beautiful way to show the different ways realities can occur.
If you typically love a good female friendship, you will adore this novel. It is so real, raw, and intentional. The author did a great job making it feel incredibly realistic down to the details. You will feel for each and every character.
Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, & Phoebe Thompson for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Girls Our Age will be released on May 5, 2026!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Contemporary fiction — 4.5⭐️
Lily, Ana, and Margot have been best friends since being assigned as college roommates, and a decade later they appear to be thriving. But as personal struggles come to light, the three women confront the truths they’ve been hiding.
I love books about womanhood, female friendships, and figuring out life. This one follows three longtime friends (as individuals) each carrying their own fears, hopes, and struggles through relationships, mental health, and career aspirations.
What works so well is how grounded the story feels. There’s no manufactured drama and it felt so true to this stage of life: where some friends are getting married, some are falling apart, and some are holding themselves together by staying busy.
It’s a tender and relatable story, especially for anyone navigating their late 20s and early 30s. I’m grateful every single day for my incredible friends to help me survive all of life’s ups and downs.
Lily, Ana, and Margot have been best friends since being assigned as college roommates, and a decade later they appear to be thriving. But as personal struggles come to light, the three women confront the truths they’ve been hiding.
I love books about womanhood, female friendships, and figuring out life. This one follows three longtime friends (as individuals) each carrying their own fears, hopes, and struggles through relationships, mental health, and career aspirations.
What works so well is how grounded the story feels. There’s no manufactured drama and it felt so true to this stage of life: where some friends are getting married, some are falling apart, and some are holding themselves together by staying busy.
It’s a tender and relatable story, especially for anyone navigating their late 20s and early 30s. I’m grateful every single day for my incredible friends to help me survive all of life’s ups and downs.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
unfortunately, i had a really hard time enjoying this book. the premise was exciting to me, and i famously love to read about girls navigating life in their 2os and maintaining their friendships, but this fell very flat. the characters are all a little older than me, but I found the dialogue very cheesy. i could tell that the author wanted to mimic how girls our age (no pun intended) speak, but all of the "likes" felt very clunky in the dialogue.
as I mentioned, i tend to read a lot of books that have a similar starting premise, and since that's such a popular topic right now, they can quickly blur together if the writing or characters don't stand out, and this was a case of leaving the book and immediately knowing that it didn't stand out to me. i'm really disappointed since I had high expectations for this one.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy!
as I mentioned, i tend to read a lot of books that have a similar starting premise, and since that's such a popular topic right now, they can quickly blur together if the writing or characters don't stand out, and this was a case of leaving the book and immediately knowing that it didn't stand out to me. i'm really disappointed since I had high expectations for this one.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read Girls Our Age.
It is soon to be Lily’s wedding and we are following her life as well as her friends’s- Ana and Margot.
I thought it was such a great read that made me relate to all the characters and reflect on my own life too. I enjoyed how it makes us realise that we are all going through something and we don’t necessarily see it in our friends because of our own issues.
This is a book that also highlights big societal topics/issues that women still face everyday- beauty standards, sexual orientation, getting married, having children, work- and I liked that the author addressed them regarding each character’s perspective.
I would highly recommend it.
It is soon to be Lily’s wedding and we are following her life as well as her friends’s- Ana and Margot.
I thought it was such a great read that made me relate to all the characters and reflect on my own life too. I enjoyed how it makes us realise that we are all going through something and we don’t necessarily see it in our friends because of our own issues.
This is a book that also highlights big societal topics/issues that women still face everyday- beauty standards, sexual orientation, getting married, having children, work- and I liked that the author addressed them regarding each character’s perspective.
I would highly recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Girls Our Age was a novel outside my normal reading habits which came to me at the perfect time. This is a book that follows a friend group of three women from college into a ten year time hop centred around one of their weddings.
Thompson switches between three different POV's effortlessly to drive a story that I truly believe any women can relate to. Being in my late twenties I can say that I have worried about boys, my career, my relationships with others and myself, and so much more. At the end of the day it's about the village around you and the love they give back to you. This is a kind reminder that in this big, scary world you always have loved ones to lean on.
This is a novel I will be recommending to all my girlfriends upon its release and hope you pick it up as well.
Thompson switches between three different POV's effortlessly to drive a story that I truly believe any women can relate to. Being in my late twenties I can say that I have worried about boys, my career, my relationships with others and myself, and so much more. At the end of the day it's about the village around you and the love they give back to you. This is a kind reminder that in this big, scary world you always have loved ones to lean on.
This is a novel I will be recommending to all my girlfriends upon its release and hope you pick it up as well.
December 5, 2025
**Thank you NetGalley for an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review!
While the threads around female friendship were engaging, the pacing was a bit hot-and-cold for my taste. I enjoyed the varied emotional backgrounds & "fatal flaws" the MCs had to work through-- these girls definitely were not passive!-- but some of their decisions irked me (while being understandable). There was plenty of conflict, but I thought having it all be wrapped up between the three of them with one nice, neat conversation was too tidy. Also, Silas sucked.
The last chapter of watching ur college BFF get married got me bad
The millennial speak— “girlypop”, Instagram reels, girlbossing too close to the sun, unproblematic king— was very hard to get thru
Ana was whiny and annoying, Silas was a certified bitch, Margot was too self-involved, Lily was a waffler at all times….and yet i needed to know what happened next
Ngl they REALLY fucked up ignoring Lily and her warning signs that she was relapsing. Like I get that you have personal stuff going on but wtf???
The ending would have been perfect if it ended at the “Ana tearing up watching Lily walk down the aisle to unproblematic king Jack”, rather than the “all these friends + random acquaintances run into the ocean like little kids and chasing to reclaim their youth” MFA-esque ending
Pace was very fast and also extremely slow? Baffling
While the threads around female friendship were engaging, the pacing was a bit hot-and-cold for my taste. I enjoyed the varied emotional backgrounds & "fatal flaws" the MCs had to work through-- these girls definitely were not passive!-- but some of their decisions irked me (while being understandable). There was plenty of conflict, but I thought having it all be wrapped up between the three of them with one nice, neat conversation was too tidy. Also, Silas sucked.
The last chapter of watching ur college BFF get married got me bad
The millennial speak— “girlypop”, Instagram reels, girlbossing too close to the sun, unproblematic king— was very hard to get thru
Ana was whiny and annoying, Silas was a certified bitch, Margot was too self-involved, Lily was a waffler at all times….and yet i needed to know what happened next
Ngl they REALLY fucked up ignoring Lily and her warning signs that she was relapsing. Like I get that you have personal stuff going on but wtf???
The ending would have been perfect if it ended at the “Ana tearing up watching Lily walk down the aisle to unproblematic king Jack”, rather than the “all these friends + random acquaintances run into the ocean like little kids and chasing to reclaim their youth” MFA-esque ending
Pace was very fast and also extremely slow? Baffling
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2025
This was an extremely good story centering around women trying to find their place. It’s an interesting look on how different events and pacing of different peoples lives can directly influence their growth as people. This definitely made me feel seen and I could relate to a lot of what the girls were experiencing which made the read even more interesting to me. I would for sure recommend it to any women who are just trying to find their place. It’s a well written take on how the world around us and our own thoughts and experiences directly impacts who we become as people.
Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this arc.
Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book switches between the perspectives of three college roommates who have found themselves deep in adulting. One is getting married, one just moved in with their partner, and one is on the verge of a career grand slam. Life seems easy until it isn't. I found this book painfully accurate in describing the way our relationships change as we dip our toes into the next stages of life, and how those small shift over times create spaces we sometimes aren't even aware of until we encounter a situation that used to go one way, but instead goes another.
Grateful to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.
Grateful to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I think this was one of the best contemporary books I've read in a while.
We're introduced to three women who became friends at college, have different priorities and show how those priorities lead their life afterward.
At first I related more with Margot but after some chapters I really connected with all three of them.
It was amazing seeing that is not too late to rethink their life perspective and pivot their way to a more fulfilling relationship with themselves.
I loved how the author didn't solve all the problems in a short amount of time but showed us that the characters are in the process of following the right path.
We're introduced to three women who became friends at college, have different priorities and show how those priorities lead their life afterward.
At first I related more with Margot but after some chapters I really connected with all three of them.
It was amazing seeing that is not too late to rethink their life perspective and pivot their way to a more fulfilling relationship with themselves.
I loved how the author didn't solve all the problems in a short amount of time but showed us that the characters are in the process of following the right path.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I absolutely adored this book. Told from multiple perspectives, the story follows three friends navigating life as they grow up and apart after college. Their stories were heartfelt and relatable and I just couldn't put it down.
Themes included navigating relationships, eating disorders, nepotism, failure and all the growing pains that come with trying to figure out who you are once you get out into the world and have to figure out what you want in life, work, relationships and if staying with something safe and easy is the best thing to do even if it makes you miserable.
Love, love, loved this book!
Themes included navigating relationships, eating disorders, nepotism, failure and all the growing pains that come with trying to figure out who you are once you get out into the world and have to figure out what you want in life, work, relationships and if staying with something safe and easy is the best thing to do even if it makes you miserable.
Love, love, loved this book!
January 26, 2026
This book was fine but I guess I was expecting a little more. I didn’t particularly like any of the POVs, and they all came across a bit younger (would argue mid twenties versus late). I wish the group communicated better early on so we had more of them exploring their new dynamic. I do think the author accurately writes on the change in female friendship, it just personally was a realization in my life much earlier than 28.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Girls Our Age was a fantastic read. The story is relatable for any woman who has ever been in her 20s and ever had relationships with friends or parents. I was especially impressed by the way Thompson brought the three main characters, Lily, Ana, and Margot, to life. They each had their own quirks and reasons to love them, making them very human. I was rooting for Lily, Ana, and Margot and by the end was anxious to know where the story would take them. There is also a sense of human to Thompson's writing that is very enjoyable. Highly recommend!
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