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Family Friends
'A beautifully poised and riveting novel about the intricacies and entanglements of a group of friends holidaying in the south of France. I was gripped from the start' Claire Powell, author of At The Table
'Sultry and very evocative' Jo Hamya, author of The Hypocrite
Since they first met at university twenty years ago, Maggie and Will have spent the last two weeks of every summer in France with their close friends, Lydia and Roland. Both families have been looking forward to this cherished annual ritual – but this year things are different.
Will has been hiding something from his wife, and is struggling to keep his deceit from seeping into the cracks in their marriage. Maggie is worried about their withdrawn teenage son. Roland is grappling with grief over the death of his first wife. Lydia is trying to ignore past chemistry with an old friend while learning to play second fiddle to a ghost.
Into this conflicted fray steps Issy, Roland’s beguiling, irrepressible daughter from his first marriage. And as the August heat beats down, and the children find new ways to entertain themselves, it starts to feel as if the fault lines in these relationships might widen; that it might be harder to hide secrets here, under the bright sun.
Family Friends is a deeply atmospheric, sophisticated and compelling novel about what happens when the ties of love and loyalty are stretched to breaking point, how relationships change (and don’t change) over time, and how we navigate the challenges thrown at us in every season of life.
'A forensic examination of friendship and desire' Lisa Owens, author of Natural Disaster
'A piercing portrait of marriage, friendship and parenthood ... I had a wonderful time reading it' Jenny Mustard, author of What A Time To Be Alive
'A perfect literary holiday read' Roxy Dunn, author of Wants and Needs
'Sultry and very evocative' Jo Hamya, author of The Hypocrite
Since they first met at university twenty years ago, Maggie and Will have spent the last two weeks of every summer in France with their close friends, Lydia and Roland. Both families have been looking forward to this cherished annual ritual – but this year things are different.
Will has been hiding something from his wife, and is struggling to keep his deceit from seeping into the cracks in their marriage. Maggie is worried about their withdrawn teenage son. Roland is grappling with grief over the death of his first wife. Lydia is trying to ignore past chemistry with an old friend while learning to play second fiddle to a ghost.
Into this conflicted fray steps Issy, Roland’s beguiling, irrepressible daughter from his first marriage. And as the August heat beats down, and the children find new ways to entertain themselves, it starts to feel as if the fault lines in these relationships might widen; that it might be harder to hide secrets here, under the bright sun.
Family Friends is a deeply atmospheric, sophisticated and compelling novel about what happens when the ties of love and loyalty are stretched to breaking point, how relationships change (and don’t change) over time, and how we navigate the challenges thrown at us in every season of life.
'A forensic examination of friendship and desire' Lisa Owens, author of Natural Disaster
'A piercing portrait of marriage, friendship and parenthood ... I had a wonderful time reading it' Jenny Mustard, author of What A Time To Be Alive
'A perfect literary holiday read' Roxy Dunn, author of Wants and Needs
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 9, 2026
About the author
Chloë Ashby
6 books55 followersChloë Ashby is an author and arts critic who has written for publications such as the Times, TLS, Guardian, FT Life & Arts, Spectator and frieze.
Her first novel, Wet Paint, was published in April 2022, and her second novel, Second Self, followed in July 2023.
She is also the author of Look At This If You Love Great Art (2021) and Colours of Art: The Story of Art in 80 Palettes (2022).
Her first novel, Wet Paint, was published in April 2022, and her second novel, Second Self, followed in July 2023.
She is also the author of Look At This If You Love Great Art (2021) and Colours of Art: The Story of Art in 80 Palettes (2022).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
July 26, 2026
Group of close friends spend their summer vacation in the south of France. While this has been an annual event, this year is starkly different. This summer features an array of deception, cheating, first love, death and difficult marital strife. While the novel isn't bad in itself, I'd found it rather difficult to get attach with the bulk of the characters, which were for the most part, cold and sadly despicable.
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March 9, 2026Many novels have this setting. Holiday in the south of France which happens annually with longstanding friends. During the course of the story I became less and less keen on spending my time with these people.
I felt tripped up by so many things - picking a magnolia flower - at the end of August? in a French heatwave? The same a little further on as peonies appeared. What really bemused was a headteacher taking her holiday during GCSE and A level results.
Even if I ignored this, the characters were all dislikeable in their own ways but most of them ill considerate of others' feelings.
There are so many far better novels of revelations in the sun, done more subtly and more credibly. Thinking particularly of Deborah Levy, Claire Fuller, Marina Kemp....
Just not for me
With thanks to #NetGalley and #PenguinUK for the opportunity to read and review
I felt tripped up by so many things - picking a magnolia flower - at the end of August? in a French heatwave? The same a little further on as peonies appeared. What really bemused was a headteacher taking her holiday during GCSE and A level results.
Even if I ignored this, the characters were all dislikeable in their own ways but most of them ill considerate of others' feelings.
There are so many far better novels of revelations in the sun, done more subtly and more credibly. Thinking particularly of Deborah Levy, Claire Fuller, Marina Kemp....
Just not for me
With thanks to #NetGalley and #PenguinUK for the opportunity to read and review
June 22, 2026
A family drama with a very modern lens on family life and friendship. I would say this felt fairly conventional to me rather than anything particularly unusual about the storyline, but it did draw me in - the novel centres around two couples, Lydia and Roland, and Maggie and Will, who have been holidaying together every summer for the past 20 years. The dynamic is complicated by various factors - Will, Maggie and Lydia met at university, but Roland was their professor before dating Lydia. Roland has an ex wife who has recently died, his daughter Issy joins the family holiday for the first time, alongside the other children of the two couples: Sammy, Bea and Alice. Unbeknownst (or maybe not) to everyone else, Will and Lydia were an item before Will and Maggie. There’s quite a lot going on, from cyber bullying and periods, criminal investigations, affairs, pregnancies or perimenopause, redundancies, depression. I found the characters compelling and believable - they were rounded beings and I think that was the best part of the book. The plot in some ways felt too much like a check list of expected modern issues. I did enjoy reading, particularly the languid sense of holiday and avoiding reality - until it all comes crashing down.
My thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher, Penguin (Fig Tree), for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
My thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher, Penguin (Fig Tree), for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 10, 2026
Chloe Ashby I love you so much!!! You’ve done it again x
Thanks so much to Fig Tree for my copy, yet another book of the summer incoming
Thanks so much to Fig Tree for my copy, yet another book of the summer incoming
July 18, 2026
3.75 - lots of drama!
July 9, 2026
I feel like every summer we get one literary offering of holiday rot in the South of France. Perhaps unfairly, the question becomes less “was this a good book?” and more “how does it stack up against Kemp, Steed, and Levy?” But let’s talk about the merits of Ashby and Family Friends.
For twenty years, couples Maggie+Will and Lydia+Roland have spent every August in the South of France with the intention of simply rotting away from societal expectations (or maybe that’s just me). It sounds impossibly luxe, but it’s more like an algorithmic loop: returning to the same place, year after year, too paralysed to change, with the only real update being the addition of children over time.
Beneath the glossy European summer aesthetic, these not particularly likeable characters are trapped in their own mental loops. I struggled to connect with any of them because of this overwhelming interpersonal numbness.
The plot felt like a modern holiday packing list of problems, except it was well over the weight allowance. I would not let this suitcase fly, and frankly, I did not want to unpack any of this shit. I feel like someone needed to leave this case unattended and the bomb disposal squad needed calling. The paralysing grief of a deceased ex-spouse – but is it grief or guilt? The clichéd younger second wife forced to play ghost-fiddle. The even more clichéd disruptive teenage daughter from the first marriage. And that’s before we unzip the carry-on containing pregnancies, perimenopause, a secret redundancy, debt, depression, cyber bullying, first periods, a criminal investigation, and an affair…. Exhausted? Me too… I need a month off in the South of France.
Somehow… despite carrying ALL that emotional baggage, the novel still felt oddly slow-burning, like someone had quietly cracked open my San Pellegrino and left it sitting in the sun until it went flat. The bastards.
Call me a sadist, but I need my summer reads to burn me. I need to spend a week holed up in a hotel room because I was stupid enough to forget my emotional SPF. I need there to be a NEED for emotional SPF.
This one was pleasant. It gave me a light scattering of freckles. I can’t complain… but I also kind of really want to. I want to complain to people. To tell people how badly this book burned me. How much my skin peeled.
3 stars – I came looking sunstroke, got a respectable tan, and a bill for excessive baggage.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin UK Fig Tree for letting me read an advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
For twenty years, couples Maggie+Will and Lydia+Roland have spent every August in the South of France with the intention of simply rotting away from societal expectations (or maybe that’s just me). It sounds impossibly luxe, but it’s more like an algorithmic loop: returning to the same place, year after year, too paralysed to change, with the only real update being the addition of children over time.
Beneath the glossy European summer aesthetic, these not particularly likeable characters are trapped in their own mental loops. I struggled to connect with any of them because of this overwhelming interpersonal numbness.
The plot felt like a modern holiday packing list of problems, except it was well over the weight allowance. I would not let this suitcase fly, and frankly, I did not want to unpack any of this shit. I feel like someone needed to leave this case unattended and the bomb disposal squad needed calling. The paralysing grief of a deceased ex-spouse – but is it grief or guilt? The clichéd younger second wife forced to play ghost-fiddle. The even more clichéd disruptive teenage daughter from the first marriage. And that’s before we unzip the carry-on containing pregnancies, perimenopause, a secret redundancy, debt, depression, cyber bullying, first periods, a criminal investigation, and an affair…. Exhausted? Me too… I need a month off in the South of France.
Somehow… despite carrying ALL that emotional baggage, the novel still felt oddly slow-burning, like someone had quietly cracked open my San Pellegrino and left it sitting in the sun until it went flat. The bastards.
Call me a sadist, but I need my summer reads to burn me. I need to spend a week holed up in a hotel room because I was stupid enough to forget my emotional SPF. I need there to be a NEED for emotional SPF.
This one was pleasant. It gave me a light scattering of freckles. I can’t complain… but I also kind of really want to. I want to complain to people. To tell people how badly this book burned me. How much my skin peeled.
3 stars – I came looking sunstroke, got a respectable tan, and a bill for excessive baggage.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin UK Fig Tree for letting me read an advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
July 20, 2026
Family Friends follows a group of friends and their two families who have spent the twenty years since they met at university spending two weeks together every summer in Lydia's French summer house. Maggie, Will and Lydia met at university living in the same dorms, and Lydia's now husband Roland was one of their professors. Over the years this tradition of holidaying together has continued, through relationships, marriages and children, but this year, something is different. Beneath this surface level perfect holiday, each of the four are keeping secrets. Will is hiding something massive from Maggie and its starting to affect their marriage. Maggie is becoming increasingly concerned with how withdrawn their teenage son is and is struggling with the challenges of parenting. Roland is grieving his first wife and has welcomed his daughter from his first marriage into their lives full time. Lydia is struggling with the complicated reality of sharing a life with someone whose previous relationship will always be a part of their current one, and is also complicit in Wills lies.
Set against the heat and beauty two weeks in the French summer, this is very much an exploration of the complicated nature of long-term relationships: the friendships that endure, the marriages that evolve, and the secrets that threaten to unravel everything.
This was a really interesting read and it fascinated me how even within an enduring friendship that has lasted as long as the one in this book, you see these sort of separate alliances between the friends, and how all of them are hiding something from all of the others. It definitely also explores the fact that even as adults, we are still capable of hurting each other despite thinking we are doing the right thing. You spend so much of the book getting increasingly frustrated with all of the adults, and the author has been really clever with this because I think you are meant to take a good look at this group of people who are deeply flawed, selfish, and more often than not make questionable decisions and then reflect upon your own self and how you’d behave in these situations.
I have to say that I found this burgeoning romance between Issy and Sam a little bit icky. She is 19 and Sam is just shy of 16, and to be quite honest I really feel like she took advantage of him as the adult in the situation. Even if the intention here was to highlight how this relationship has developed over time and, I don’t know, surpasses conventions or something, it was actually just really uncomfortable and I don’t feel like something that basically amounts to statutory rape is ever necessary as a plot device.
That being said, this is a book that spans a huge range of difficult topics, including grief, death, losing your job, infidelity, bullying, mental health – its quite a long list really and this doesn’t even cover half of it – but Ashby has done really well to have this myriad of issues going on but one never overshadows another and I really think that on the whole they were dealt with in a really relevant and tactful way.
I did really enjoy this and never having read this author before I am definitely going to be looking at anything else shes written. Her writing kept me engaged and I actually didn’t want to put this book down despite it being character driven and therefore not my usual cup of tea!
Set against the heat and beauty two weeks in the French summer, this is very much an exploration of the complicated nature of long-term relationships: the friendships that endure, the marriages that evolve, and the secrets that threaten to unravel everything.
This was a really interesting read and it fascinated me how even within an enduring friendship that has lasted as long as the one in this book, you see these sort of separate alliances between the friends, and how all of them are hiding something from all of the others. It definitely also explores the fact that even as adults, we are still capable of hurting each other despite thinking we are doing the right thing. You spend so much of the book getting increasingly frustrated with all of the adults, and the author has been really clever with this because I think you are meant to take a good look at this group of people who are deeply flawed, selfish, and more often than not make questionable decisions and then reflect upon your own self and how you’d behave in these situations.
I have to say that I found this burgeoning romance between Issy and Sam a little bit icky. She is 19 and Sam is just shy of 16, and to be quite honest I really feel like she took advantage of him as the adult in the situation. Even if the intention here was to highlight how this relationship has developed over time and, I don’t know, surpasses conventions or something, it was actually just really uncomfortable and I don’t feel like something that basically amounts to statutory rape is ever necessary as a plot device.
That being said, this is a book that spans a huge range of difficult topics, including grief, death, losing your job, infidelity, bullying, mental health – its quite a long list really and this doesn’t even cover half of it – but Ashby has done really well to have this myriad of issues going on but one never overshadows another and I really think that on the whole they were dealt with in a really relevant and tactful way.
I did really enjoy this and never having read this author before I am definitely going to be looking at anything else shes written. Her writing kept me engaged and I actually didn’t want to put this book down despite it being character driven and therefore not my usual cup of tea!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In Family Friends, Maggie and Will, along with their two children, spend their last two weeks of summer with Lydia and Roland’s family in France. This has been the tradition for twenty years since the four met at university but is set to be challenged with the revelation that Lydia’s father is planning to sell the summer house. Alongside this looming change, secrets and tension brew under the hot summer sun which threaten to throw friendship and tradition to the wind and might unravel the perfect summer send off.
I found Family Friends such an addictive and inviting book. The story is told in such a way that mirrors a summer holiday- languid and relaxed but warm and comforting at the same time. We are lulled into the summer routine of the two families - relishing in french pastries and chlorine scented pools. At the same time, the secrets pull at the edges like the children picking the flakes off their fresh croissants.
The history of Maggie, Will, Lydia and Roland is revealed in between glasses of wine and cold showers that clean off the sweat of the day. The way that the flashbacks feed into the narrative keeps the story flowing at a good pace and also not only sets up the character’s relationships but also constructs their personalities. We get to understand how the group functions as we follow them around the house and their quirks and actions make sense with the backdrop of their university days.
Ashby really captured the essence of a holiday with the pacing and the time taken to describe the setting and foods to create a strong setting. The summer house is where the whole two weeks is set so making a strong image of this location is crucial and Ashby does this through her descriptions so that we know exactly what it looks like when this all starts to be pulled apart.
Once the drama unfolds, there are two layers to the tension. The first is the openly known facts- the house being sold, the death of Roland’s wife and his daughter’s mum- positioning Lydia as an outsider especially as her and Roland’s daughter are not close. Maggie is worried that her son is withdrawn. As soon as we get comfortable and the suitcases are unpacked, the cracks start to show and we readers realise there are more cracks than what appear on the surface. The tension and suspicions rise with each dinner until all is ultimately revealed.
I loved the ending. It was tense, unsure and proposes more questions than answers. It is unsatisfying by choice and this makes it such a frustratingly good ending- not unlike the bittersweet ending of a highly anticipated holiday. The story begins at the start of the two weeks and ends with the characters returning back to their regular lives- but the conflicts still linger and we are left to wonder what will happen when they get home?
This was juicy, warm and cosy but also with tension alongside the summery scenery. A perfect story to read on a holiday like the setting, or poolside on a warm day.
I found Family Friends such an addictive and inviting book. The story is told in such a way that mirrors a summer holiday- languid and relaxed but warm and comforting at the same time. We are lulled into the summer routine of the two families - relishing in french pastries and chlorine scented pools. At the same time, the secrets pull at the edges like the children picking the flakes off their fresh croissants.
The history of Maggie, Will, Lydia and Roland is revealed in between glasses of wine and cold showers that clean off the sweat of the day. The way that the flashbacks feed into the narrative keeps the story flowing at a good pace and also not only sets up the character’s relationships but also constructs their personalities. We get to understand how the group functions as we follow them around the house and their quirks and actions make sense with the backdrop of their university days.
Ashby really captured the essence of a holiday with the pacing and the time taken to describe the setting and foods to create a strong setting. The summer house is where the whole two weeks is set so making a strong image of this location is crucial and Ashby does this through her descriptions so that we know exactly what it looks like when this all starts to be pulled apart.
Once the drama unfolds, there are two layers to the tension. The first is the openly known facts- the house being sold, the death of Roland’s wife and his daughter’s mum- positioning Lydia as an outsider especially as her and Roland’s daughter are not close. Maggie is worried that her son is withdrawn. As soon as we get comfortable and the suitcases are unpacked, the cracks start to show and we readers realise there are more cracks than what appear on the surface. The tension and suspicions rise with each dinner until all is ultimately revealed.
I loved the ending. It was tense, unsure and proposes more questions than answers. It is unsatisfying by choice and this makes it such a frustratingly good ending- not unlike the bittersweet ending of a highly anticipated holiday. The story begins at the start of the two weeks and ends with the characters returning back to their regular lives- but the conflicts still linger and we are left to wonder what will happen when they get home?
This was juicy, warm and cosy but also with tension alongside the summery scenery. A perfect story to read on a holiday like the setting, or poolside on a warm day.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Since they first met at university twenty years ago, Maggie and Will have spent the last two weeks of every summer in France with their close friends, Lydia and Roland. Both families have been looking forward to their cherished annual ritual - but this year things are different. Will has been hiding something from his wife, and is struggling to keep his deceit from seeping into the cracks in their marriage. Maggie is worried about their withdrawn teenage son. Roland is grappling with grief over the death of his first wife. Lydia is trying to ignore past chemistry with an old friend while learning to play second fiddle to a ghost. Into this conflicted fray steps Issy, Roland's beguiling irrepressible daughter from his first marriage. And as the August heat beats down, and the children find new ways to entertain themselves, it starts to feel as if the fault lines in these relationships might widen; that it might be harder to hide secrets here, under the bright sun.
This novel centres around two couples, Maggie and Will, and Lydia and Roland. Lydia, Maggie and Will met at university, Roland was their professor before dating Lydia. They have went on holiday together for twenty years. Roland's ex-wife had recently passed away, so his daughter, Issy, joined them and the other children on holiday.
There was quite a lot of bullying going on in this quick read. I did not like any of the characters. The story covers: infidelity, bullying, cancer, and the death of a parent. We get flashbacks into their pasts. I did feel for Maggie. I also expected a better ending to the story.
Published 9th July 2026
I would like to thank #NetGalley #PenguinGeneralUK and the author #ChloeAshby for my ARC of #FamilyFriends in exchange for an honest review.
This novel centres around two couples, Maggie and Will, and Lydia and Roland. Lydia, Maggie and Will met at university, Roland was their professor before dating Lydia. They have went on holiday together for twenty years. Roland's ex-wife had recently passed away, so his daughter, Issy, joined them and the other children on holiday.
There was quite a lot of bullying going on in this quick read. I did not like any of the characters. The story covers: infidelity, bullying, cancer, and the death of a parent. We get flashbacks into their pasts. I did feel for Maggie. I also expected a better ending to the story.
Published 9th July 2026
I would like to thank #NetGalley #PenguinGeneralUK and the author #ChloeAshby for my ARC of #FamilyFriends in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Are you looking for a sophisticated, summery read that you can sink into while lounging by the pool? Well, look no further. ‘Family Friends’ by Chloë Ashby is a perfect pick.
The writing hits that sweet spot between literary and accessible, having a high-quality, refined feel without any hint of the abstruse or experimental. This makes it ideal if you’re wanting something that is easy to read but not too commercial (read: trashy).
The atmosphere makes it a solid summer pick, too. The rural French setting is very evocative—you can practically feel the sizzling warmth of the heatwave emanating from the page. And don’t get me started on all the mouth-watering food! The butter! The bread! The pastries!
The characters, though not likeable, feel complex and undeniably human, and I found myself emotionally invested in them throughout. I kept wanting them to be better or bolder, and when they let me down, it didn’t feel like a disappointment but like an authentic rendering of what people are really like.
Speaking of characters, this is a book that very much focuses on character, with just enough plot for the cast to play off and show their true colours. So, it’s definitely one for readers who are interested in complex dynamics and the decisions people make, while readers hoping for lots of action and big twists will be left underwhelmed.
Overall, an engaging read that is easy to tear through in a day or two, but will keep you thinking about it much longer.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Chloë Ashby, and Fig Tree for the ARC.
⚠️ Cancer, death of parent, infidelity, adult/minor relationship, references to bullying
The writing hits that sweet spot between literary and accessible, having a high-quality, refined feel without any hint of the abstruse or experimental. This makes it ideal if you’re wanting something that is easy to read but not too commercial (read: trashy).
The atmosphere makes it a solid summer pick, too. The rural French setting is very evocative—you can practically feel the sizzling warmth of the heatwave emanating from the page. And don’t get me started on all the mouth-watering food! The butter! The bread! The pastries!
The characters, though not likeable, feel complex and undeniably human, and I found myself emotionally invested in them throughout. I kept wanting them to be better or bolder, and when they let me down, it didn’t feel like a disappointment but like an authentic rendering of what people are really like.
Speaking of characters, this is a book that very much focuses on character, with just enough plot for the cast to play off and show their true colours. So, it’s definitely one for readers who are interested in complex dynamics and the decisions people make, while readers hoping for lots of action and big twists will be left underwhelmed.
Overall, an engaging read that is easy to tear through in a day or two, but will keep you thinking about it much longer.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Chloë Ashby, and Fig Tree for the ARC.
⚠️ Cancer, death of parent, infidelity, adult/minor relationship, references to bullying
July 12, 2026
* gifted copy from publisher in exchange for honest review
Set on a summer holiday in France at a friend's holiday house, it's been tradition to spend a few weeks together, but this year the air is heavy with secrets, with grief, with old feelings. A summer storm of drama is brewing and it slowly builds in an addictive summer haze.
Ashby paints the scene so beautifully and realistically that you can imagine you're sat on a sun lounger watching this all unfold. Perhaps it's her attention to detail, or her artistic eye for describing, but all her work transports you to the scene. She captures the differing emotions and the building heavy tension that builds between the friends, the couples, and the older kids.
The ending leaves you wanting to find out what happens next, but feels realistic in its open questions left.
This book is the perfect accompaniment to any summer holiday, or just the heavy summer weather we're experiencing in the UK. It's enjoyed slowly, like a tasty cocktail (or three which you drink quicker and quicker the further in the book you get.
Another stunning book from Chloë! She knows I'm a massive fan of hers by now, and that I will read literally anything (scribbles, lists, ideas - I will take it all). This compliments well All In by Claire Powell, the summery scenes of Normal People (I'm thinking when they go on holiday with friends), and Jo Hamya's The Hypocrite. A gorgeous slow burn of tension and secrets that will leave you hooked.
Set on a summer holiday in France at a friend's holiday house, it's been tradition to spend a few weeks together, but this year the air is heavy with secrets, with grief, with old feelings. A summer storm of drama is brewing and it slowly builds in an addictive summer haze.
Ashby paints the scene so beautifully and realistically that you can imagine you're sat on a sun lounger watching this all unfold. Perhaps it's her attention to detail, or her artistic eye for describing, but all her work transports you to the scene. She captures the differing emotions and the building heavy tension that builds between the friends, the couples, and the older kids.
The ending leaves you wanting to find out what happens next, but feels realistic in its open questions left.
This book is the perfect accompaniment to any summer holiday, or just the heavy summer weather we're experiencing in the UK. It's enjoyed slowly, like a tasty cocktail (or three which you drink quicker and quicker the further in the book you get.
Another stunning book from Chloë! She knows I'm a massive fan of hers by now, and that I will read literally anything (scribbles, lists, ideas - I will take it all). This compliments well All In by Claire Powell, the summery scenes of Normal People (I'm thinking when they go on holiday with friends), and Jo Hamya's The Hypocrite. A gorgeous slow burn of tension and secrets that will leave you hooked.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Family Friends is a slow burner that took me a while to get into but once I did I couldn’t put it down.
Lydia, Maggie and Will are best friends from uni. Maggie and Will are married with two children and Lydia is married to Roland an older man that did used to be their lecturer, they have a child together and Roland has brought his daughter from his first marriage as her mother has just died. Every year they holiday together in France in Lydia’s family home. Everything sounds idyllic even the bakery runs in the morning but this year the atmosphere is tense. Each person is experiencing their own conundrum and with the wine and the heat old tendencies seem to appear and secrets are around them but will there be a revelation?
This was a slow starter for me but I loved it by the end, the characters are all very different and have their own reasons for their secrets and the way they are behaving. The setting is idyllic and is captured well as are the character dynamics. It shows that one persons dynamic can affect the whole group and that they may be the same age they all have their own ideas.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin General UK, Fig Tree for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.
Lydia, Maggie and Will are best friends from uni. Maggie and Will are married with two children and Lydia is married to Roland an older man that did used to be their lecturer, they have a child together and Roland has brought his daughter from his first marriage as her mother has just died. Every year they holiday together in France in Lydia’s family home. Everything sounds idyllic even the bakery runs in the morning but this year the atmosphere is tense. Each person is experiencing their own conundrum and with the wine and the heat old tendencies seem to appear and secrets are around them but will there be a revelation?
This was a slow starter for me but I loved it by the end, the characters are all very different and have their own reasons for their secrets and the way they are behaving. The setting is idyllic and is captured well as are the character dynamics. It shows that one persons dynamic can affect the whole group and that they may be the same age they all have their own ideas.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin General UK, Fig Tree for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is why you shouldn’t go on holiday with another couple when there’s a past history between you and one of them!
You think your marriage is built on solid foundations then one of you keeps a secret that rocks things once it’s revealed and you wonder if you can ever trust them again. Then a photo reveals more deception. Even for the sake of the children, can your relationship survive? Annoyingly, in this case, we will never know, as the story ends there.
The only adult I liked was Maggie, finding the others very self-centred. Unfortunately, she was the one who was hurt the most by things.
An enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review,
You think your marriage is built on solid foundations then one of you keeps a secret that rocks things once it’s revealed and you wonder if you can ever trust them again. Then a photo reveals more deception. Even for the sake of the children, can your relationship survive? Annoyingly, in this case, we will never know, as the story ends there.
The only adult I liked was Maggie, finding the others very self-centred. Unfortunately, she was the one who was hurt the most by things.
An enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review,
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
"And for the first time, it occurs to him that ordinary might just be doable. And how completely magical would that be?"
- Family Friends, by Chloe Ashby
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️|| 🫑
Following a group of university friends who reunite in France each year, this story leans into messy, complicated, very real lives. The characters are around my age (or a little older), and while I didn’t always see myself in them, I couldn’t look away from their secrets, relationships, and family tensions.
What really stood out to me was the writing. Ashby has this way of capturing tiny sensory details so vividly, you feel like you’re there; the heat, the atmosphere, even the crackle of a water bottle label. It’s subtle, but it completely pulls you into the moment.
This is very much grounded in reality. Think complicated friendships, parenting struggles, growing up and realising life isn’t as simple as you thought. It’s not my usual genre, but I genuinely enjoyed it.
If you love contemporary fiction that explores real, adult lives in all their messiness, this one is worth picking up.
- Family Friends, by Chloe Ashby
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️|| 🫑
Following a group of university friends who reunite in France each year, this story leans into messy, complicated, very real lives. The characters are around my age (or a little older), and while I didn’t always see myself in them, I couldn’t look away from their secrets, relationships, and family tensions.
What really stood out to me was the writing. Ashby has this way of capturing tiny sensory details so vividly, you feel like you’re there; the heat, the atmosphere, even the crackle of a water bottle label. It’s subtle, but it completely pulls you into the moment.
This is very much grounded in reality. Think complicated friendships, parenting struggles, growing up and realising life isn’t as simple as you thought. It’s not my usual genre, but I genuinely enjoyed it.
If you love contemporary fiction that explores real, adult lives in all their messiness, this one is worth picking up.
June 8, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I really liked the Summer holiday setting of this book and the flashbacks to the past, seeing how things happened to get the characters into the situations they’re now in. I thought this book really captured the tension between the characters and did a good job of delivering small revelations throughout that completely change your first impressions.
One downside of this book was that I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likeable and I felt bad for Maggie. It felt like we were supposed to sympathise with each character but for most of them I couldn’t and I especially didn’t like Will. It also felt like there should have been more happening towards the end but it was a little anticlimactic and unresolved. Overall, it didn’t completely win me over but I appreciated its nuanced portrayal of messy relationships and the way it slowly unravelled the past.
One downside of this book was that I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likeable and I felt bad for Maggie. It felt like we were supposed to sympathise with each character but for most of them I couldn’t and I especially didn’t like Will. It also felt like there should have been more happening towards the end but it was a little anticlimactic and unresolved. Overall, it didn’t completely win me over but I appreciated its nuanced portrayal of messy relationships and the way it slowly unravelled the past.
July 26, 2026
I must admit, this certainly isn't my typical type of read, but I believe it's important for authors to have the perspective of readers who are not necessarily their target audience so I try to read outside of my comfort zone as often as possible, and in this instance I'm really glad I did as I did enjoy this. I found it to be a refreshing change from my usual Sci-fi / Fantasy.
So here we follow the story of two families, who meet up once a year for last two weeks of summer. But this year, things are a little different. There's unease between the families, secrets to be exposed and loyalties tested, all set beneath the French summer heat.
Want to know more? Be sure to pick your copy up to find.
So all in all, an enjoyable read. It's absolutely perfect for summer and is stylish, heady and atmospheric.
If you're off on your summer holidays, make sure you take this with you. Just ideal for beside the pool or at the beach.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
So here we follow the story of two families, who meet up once a year for last two weeks of summer. But this year, things are a little different. There's unease between the families, secrets to be exposed and loyalties tested, all set beneath the French summer heat.
Want to know more? Be sure to pick your copy up to find.
So all in all, an enjoyable read. It's absolutely perfect for summer and is stylish, heady and atmospheric.
If you're off on your summer holidays, make sure you take this with you. Just ideal for beside the pool or at the beach.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
July 7, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️I enjoyed reading Family Friends, however at times it was confusing & I felt I had more questions rather than answers. I found some of the characters quite unlikeable, however some of their interactions between each other kept me interested in the overall story.
The pace of the story at times kept me wanting to read on to find what was going to happen next.
The story is set in France & is centred around 2 families on their summer holidays. The story focuses on the characters relationships, friendships and all the complications that come with them.
With the setting & overall vibes of the story I thought it would be a perfect summer read, perfect for those who enjoy stories that focus more on people and relationships rather than plot twists.
Thank you to Chloe Ashby & Penguin General UK for this ARC via NetGalley in return for my unbiased review.
The pace of the story at times kept me wanting to read on to find what was going to happen next.
The story is set in France & is centred around 2 families on their summer holidays. The story focuses on the characters relationships, friendships and all the complications that come with them.
With the setting & overall vibes of the story I thought it would be a perfect summer read, perfect for those who enjoy stories that focus more on people and relationships rather than plot twists.
Thank you to Chloe Ashby & Penguin General UK for this ARC via NetGalley in return for my unbiased review.
July 30, 2026
There is something profoundly 90s about Will's middle-aged lechery. I'd actually just read a more recent work by an author who started writing in the late 80s/early 90s — Elizabeth Knox — and one of the impressions I was left with was an overwhelming wish for her to have stayed offline more. The writing was peppered with these throwaway observational asides, which, half a decade later, made it seem oddly dated in some ways. But strike those parts, and the core of the story was still extremely compelling to me, at least for the first three quarters. This book is sort of the opposite. It feels like one of the central conceits is a kind of timelessness. That is, the encapsulation of distinctly contemporary themes within a sort of universal summer domestic novel archetype by excavating it from its current discursive moorings. The prerequisite of being able to divorce something from the discourse is of course a hyperawareness of said discourses: someone who is online/fully enmeshed in hyperpolitics nach Anton Jager but endeavours to write in a way that pretends they are not.
Parochialism for effect. Beyond this, some half-sketched characters and storylines. A shrug.
Parochialism for effect. Beyond this, some half-sketched characters and storylines. A shrug.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It was quite an enjoyable read, which was perfect for the warm, summer weather.
It took me a little bit to get into it, mostly because I needed to get into the vibe of change of POVs. But once I got the hang of it, I was really invested in the relations between the characters and their life troubles. I wish we had a touch more about the younger children.
I think the book quite nicely presented the complicated dynamics in closer friends groups, or even friend trios. The different stages of life, individual or couples can be at, the same but at the same time different situations they might be going through, and how one little decision can change the group dynamic.
The read was enjoyable, and I would definitely recommend it to readers of various kind.
It took me a little bit to get into it, mostly because I needed to get into the vibe of change of POVs. But once I got the hang of it, I was really invested in the relations between the characters and their life troubles. I wish we had a touch more about the younger children.
I think the book quite nicely presented the complicated dynamics in closer friends groups, or even friend trios. The different stages of life, individual or couples can be at, the same but at the same time different situations they might be going through, and how one little decision can change the group dynamic.
The read was enjoyable, and I would definitely recommend it to readers of various kind.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2.5 stars
Family Friends tells the story of two families on their annual holiday to a holiday home in France. However, this year, everyone is in turmoil. Maggie and Will are having marital problems but both are keeping potentially life changing secrets; Lydia is feeling unmoored by the death of Roland's first wife and Roland has become distant now he has daughter Issy to care for. As if that wasn't enough to deal with, the children - Bea, Alice, Sam and Issy are all having an interesting summer.
I'm afraid this novel didn’t particularly grab me. The story was quite pedestrian - marital problems, old love affairs resurrected, children doing things they shouldn't do. None of it was particularly different or interesting.
If you want a quiet book where nothing much happens then Family Friends might be just what you are looking for. It simply wasn't my cup of tea.
Thsnkyou to Netgalley and Penguin General UK for the digital review copy.
Family Friends tells the story of two families on their annual holiday to a holiday home in France. However, this year, everyone is in turmoil. Maggie and Will are having marital problems but both are keeping potentially life changing secrets; Lydia is feeling unmoored by the death of Roland's first wife and Roland has become distant now he has daughter Issy to care for. As if that wasn't enough to deal with, the children - Bea, Alice, Sam and Issy are all having an interesting summer.
I'm afraid this novel didn’t particularly grab me. The story was quite pedestrian - marital problems, old love affairs resurrected, children doing things they shouldn't do. None of it was particularly different or interesting.
If you want a quiet book where nothing much happens then Family Friends might be just what you are looking for. It simply wasn't my cup of tea.
Thsnkyou to Netgalley and Penguin General UK for the digital review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I wholeheartedly loved this.
Every character was deeply complex, driven as much by their insecurities and doubts. Except for the children (and I’m including Issy in this), who carried with them more of a suspension of judgment; a way of living fully in the present? And a quiet + persistent sense of hope that cut through the adults’ hesitations and fears and their constant (and flawed) weaving and reweaving of the past.
To anyone who loves beautifully-written character-driven stories and studies of midlife people in motion and making their way/stumbling forward while trying, trying, trying to make sense of the past, I highly recommend this!
Every character was deeply complex, driven as much by their insecurities and doubts. Except for the children (and I’m including Issy in this), who carried with them more of a suspension of judgment; a way of living fully in the present? And a quiet + persistent sense of hope that cut through the adults’ hesitations and fears and their constant (and flawed) weaving and reweaving of the past.
To anyone who loves beautifully-written character-driven stories and studies of midlife people in motion and making their way/stumbling forward while trying, trying, trying to make sense of the past, I highly recommend this!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Family Friends by Chloë Ashby 5/5 🌟
SUMMARY: Imagine a Sally Rooney book about 2 couples that go on vacation together every year but it's written in 3rd person and they have kids. All the drama, all the messiness, and just a slice of their lives.
For me, litfic doesn't have to be difficult to be great. Sometimes the perfect 5 star read is something I can tear through, not wanting to put down
READ IF YOU LIKE: Messy relationships, summer in France vibes, wrestling with whether or not you like a character, yummy litfic you can finish in a weekend
Thank you Pegasus for the ACR! Comes out Nov 2026
SUMMARY: Imagine a Sally Rooney book about 2 couples that go on vacation together every year but it's written in 3rd person and they have kids. All the drama, all the messiness, and just a slice of their lives.
For me, litfic doesn't have to be difficult to be great. Sometimes the perfect 5 star read is something I can tear through, not wanting to put down
READ IF YOU LIKE: Messy relationships, summer in France vibes, wrestling with whether or not you like a character, yummy litfic you can finish in a weekend
Thank you Pegasus for the ACR! Comes out Nov 2026
July 14, 2026
I really enjoyed Family Friends and shot through it in a day. The story of old friends that come together every year in a beautiful old french house, bringing children and a lot of history, some of it unknown to others.
It wasn't terribly original, I've read many versions of this story in similar settings, but it was engaging and very readable. Most of the adult characters could do with a good shake, and the younger children were annoying, I did enjoy the teenagers and their romance, even if not massively believable. The scenery and the house are gorgeously described, and the long friendship between the group seemed true to life.
A strong summer read
It wasn't terribly original, I've read many versions of this story in similar settings, but it was engaging and very readable. Most of the adult characters could do with a good shake, and the younger children were annoying, I did enjoy the teenagers and their romance, even if not massively believable. The scenery and the house are gorgeously described, and the long friendship between the group seemed true to life.
A strong summer read
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Two couples, long time friends, spend the end of the summer together every year on holiday in France. The ease between them comes from knowing each other for so long.
Except this year is different. Because relationships are dynamic, marriages have their weaknesses, and children grow up, so things are changing...
An insightful look at marital maneuvering, parenting perils and mid life messiness, this gets 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Except this year is different. Because relationships are dynamic, marriages have their weaknesses, and children grow up, so things are changing...
An insightful look at marital maneuvering, parenting perils and mid life messiness, this gets 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
For many years two couples holiday in the French holiday cottage of one of the protagonists. They have been carrying out this ritual since their university days. This summer many things come together to test their friendships. Redundancy, dying ex-wife, introduction of estranged daughter and having to sell the holiday home all conspire to test their friendships.
It was relief to read a book that didn’t feel the need to draw all the different situations/relationships into one final happy ending.
I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
It was relief to read a book that didn’t feel the need to draw all the different situations/relationships into one final happy ending.
I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Maggie, Will and Lydia all met at University and Roland was one of their lecturers. After Uni Maggie and Will became a couple and Roland left his wife and child for Lydia. Each summer Maggie, Will and their family join Lydia, Roland and family at Lydia parents house in France for 2 weeks..
This summer, tensions are high from the outset, Roland's first wife has recently died from cancer and his 18 year old daughter has joined them on the holiday. Will they all be friends at the end of the holiday?
This summer, tensions are high from the outset, Roland's first wife has recently died from cancer and his 18 year old daughter has joined them on the holiday. Will they all be friends at the end of the holiday?
June 9, 2026
I received an advanced reading copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin General, and the author Chloe Ashby.
This story was...fine! A tried and tested format, so didn't feel like anything particularly new and fresh.
A typical family and friends summer holiday set up, long-standing relationships and long-suppressed feelings bubbling up in the hot weather, complicated family dynamics and cross-generational dramas.
An easy read, would be good for a holiday or by the pool. 3 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin General, and the author Chloe Ashby.
This story was...fine! A tried and tested format, so didn't feel like anything particularly new and fresh.
A typical family and friends summer holiday set up, long-standing relationships and long-suppressed feelings bubbling up in the hot weather, complicated family dynamics and cross-generational dramas.
An easy read, would be good for a holiday or by the pool. 3 stars.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed this. The characters and their situations were messy and complicated but in a really believable way. I loved how some of the little moments really made me feel for these characters. I wished the ending could have been different but it’s the natural reality. 4.5 stars!
Thank you to net galley for the arc
Thank you to net galley for the arc
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I love a book with unlikeable characters, and it's a good job really as this is full of them😀
Timed reading this perfectly as we're currently in the middle of a heatwave in England and this takes place over two weeks in a baking south of France. Secrets are spilled, tempers frayed and things won't ever be the same.
A thoroughly entertaining read, a real page turner, I absolutely loved it.
Timed reading this perfectly as we're currently in the middle of a heatwave in England and this takes place over two weeks in a baking south of France. Secrets are spilled, tempers frayed and things won't ever be the same.
A thoroughly entertaining read, a real page turner, I absolutely loved it.
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