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This Is Why I Need You: A Novel
With the promise of nothing but fun in the sun, Zinnia, Fay, Kiara, and Valentina are all geared up to reconnect on their 10th annual girls’ trip that brings them together from all different cities. What they don’t know, however, is that some baggage comes on vacation whether you pack it or not. Their outside lives slowly seep into their seaside getaway, and when the weekend proves to be a series of secrets, snide remarks, and non-stop bickering, tensions escalate. Suddenly they are all forced to Have they outgrown their childhood friendships?
Shedding light on the power and complications of lifelong friendships, This Is Why I Need You questions the choices we make in life that can bring us closer together with — or pull us further apart from — the people we need our friends.
Shedding light on the power and complications of lifelong friendships, This Is Why I Need You questions the choices we make in life that can bring us closer together with — or pull us further apart from — the people we need our friends.
352 pages, Paperback
First published May 12, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
May 6, 2026
3.5/5 - Netgalley ARC Review
Wow, what a rollercoaster of emotions. My initial thought when I started reading was that all of the main characters needed to go to therapy ASAP… and only one of them actually made it there. They were a total mess, but then again, aren't we all? I think that's what I ended up really loving about this book, it's such an honest, real portrayal of friendship and life.
Kakon portrays beautifully how life gets completely turned around in your 30s. We all get so caught up in our adult lives that we can easily forget about our friendships and the lives of the people we love. We start to question everything, feel regrets, and feel lost because we're supposed to have it together by now, right?
One of the things I loved most was how these characters always found their way back to each other. Communication got a little spotty along the way, but in the end they always had the heart-to-hearts that needed to happen.
Val ended up being my favorite character, even though I was so frustrated with how she handled things with Jack's proposal. She was always the one willing to talk it out and forgive, always the one trying to hold the group together.
Kiara's POV was the hardest to get through, given the abusive relationship she was clearly in and the heartbreak of her miscarriage.
My biggest hiccup was Fay and Zin's relationship. Their reconciliation felt too rushed… one conversation and Fay proposes? Girl, have some dignity! 😄 Zin up and leaving Fay high and dry was a pattern, and I'm still not convinced Fay should have moved on from that so quickly. More conversation and real action needed to happen. And yes, I'll acknowledge that Fay had so many flaws of her owns, she was truly the worst of the friends. If it weren't for her obsession with Zin, I don't think she would have stayed connected to the group after high school at all.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
Wow, what a rollercoaster of emotions. My initial thought when I started reading was that all of the main characters needed to go to therapy ASAP… and only one of them actually made it there. They were a total mess, but then again, aren't we all? I think that's what I ended up really loving about this book, it's such an honest, real portrayal of friendship and life.
Kakon portrays beautifully how life gets completely turned around in your 30s. We all get so caught up in our adult lives that we can easily forget about our friendships and the lives of the people we love. We start to question everything, feel regrets, and feel lost because we're supposed to have it together by now, right?
One of the things I loved most was how these characters always found their way back to each other. Communication got a little spotty along the way, but in the end they always had the heart-to-hearts that needed to happen.
Val ended up being my favorite character, even though I was so frustrated with how she handled things with Jack's proposal. She was always the one willing to talk it out and forgive, always the one trying to hold the group together.
Kiara's POV was the hardest to get through, given the abusive relationship she was clearly in and the heartbreak of her miscarriage.
My biggest hiccup was Fay and Zin's relationship. Their reconciliation felt too rushed… one conversation and Fay proposes? Girl, have some dignity! 😄 Zin up and leaving Fay high and dry was a pattern, and I'm still not convinced Fay should have moved on from that so quickly. More conversation and real action needed to happen. And yes, I'll acknowledge that Fay had so many flaws of her owns, she was truly the worst of the friends. If it weren't for her obsession with Zin, I don't think she would have stayed connected to the group after high school at all.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to Read
April 18, 2026Thank you to ECW Press for the gifted copy! Excited for this one
May 27, 2026
Synopsis:
With the promise of nothing but fun in the sun, Zinnia, Fay, Kiara, and Valentina are all geared up to reconnect on their 10th annual girls’ trip that brings them together from all different cities. What they don’t know, however, is that some baggage comes on vacation whether you pack it or not. Their outside lives slowly seep into their seaside getaway, and when the weekend proves to be a series of secrets, snide remarks, and non-stop bickering, tensions escalate. Can the four women find their way back to each other, or must they accept that they have outgrown their friendships and face whatever life is about to throw at them alone?
Review:
This follows four close friends after a trip with explosive revelations, and how they each handle the fallout differently, and what friendship can look like as it evolves over time. I've personally found it challenging to maintain long-term friendships as everyone goes about their own lives and journeys, it's hard to stay in touch. Most of the women in the book had some frustrating aspects of their personalities (as a reader) which were reflected in their often frustrating reactions and decisions - but I think this is reflective of real life. We all make decisions that we regret and I thought it was quite realistically portrayed.
Thank you ECW Press for my copy!
With the promise of nothing but fun in the sun, Zinnia, Fay, Kiara, and Valentina are all geared up to reconnect on their 10th annual girls’ trip that brings them together from all different cities. What they don’t know, however, is that some baggage comes on vacation whether you pack it or not. Their outside lives slowly seep into their seaside getaway, and when the weekend proves to be a series of secrets, snide remarks, and non-stop bickering, tensions escalate. Can the four women find their way back to each other, or must they accept that they have outgrown their friendships and face whatever life is about to throw at them alone?
Review:
This follows four close friends after a trip with explosive revelations, and how they each handle the fallout differently, and what friendship can look like as it evolves over time. I've personally found it challenging to maintain long-term friendships as everyone goes about their own lives and journeys, it's hard to stay in touch. Most of the women in the book had some frustrating aspects of their personalities (as a reader) which were reflected in their often frustrating reactions and decisions - but I think this is reflective of real life. We all make decisions that we regret and I thought it was quite realistically portrayed.
Thank you ECW Press for my copy!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Zinnia, Fay, Val and Kiara meet as teenagers in Montreal and are instantly inseparable. They are there for each other throughout their teenage trials and triumphs and, when things get tough, they can always be found in the sanctuary of Val's apartment, where her larger-than-life father Eduardo holds court and dishes out life advice. Before they go their separate ways to college, the girls promise that they'll always be friends, and plan to reunite every year without fail for an epic girls' trip.
Over a decade later, life has pulled the four in very different directions: Zinnia and Fay are in Toronto, Zinnia having sacrificed her dreams of being a professional dancer to raise a family while Fay runs a struggling art gallery; Kiara now lives in Miami with her fiancé and loves her job as a teacher; Val is the only one to have stayed in Montreal - bound by both love and obligation as she is expected to take over the running of the family business when Eduardo retires. The foursome are not as close as they once were and even Fay and Zinnia - who see each other every day - are grappling with secrets from each other and from their friends. On their annual vacation, simmering tensions come to a boiling point, and words are said which cannot be taken back, creating fissures in the group which threaten its very foundations. Can the four women find their way back to each other, or must they accept that they have outgrown their friendships and face whatever life is about to throw at them alone?
After a shaky start (it's hard to warm to a set of characters while they're drunkenly berating each other, storming off and sulking for most of the early chapters), I found all of the women likeable, interesting characters, with each developed enough that they functioned well as standalone characters when their storylines diverged from the other three; their backgrounds, family dynamics, careers, relationships and personalities were all very different, and I imagine most readers will find something to relate to in at least one of them. For the most part, author Alecsandra Kakon did a good job of allowing the reader to make up their own minds about the women’s characters from how they behaved, but there were instances where there was a little too much telling rather than showing; I particularly noticed this with Fay, whose actions drew remarks like, 'That's our Fay - always a rolling stone' on several occasions. Similarly, there were times when a character's actions led others to comment, 'That's so Val' etc; it just felt like the author was trying too hard to make sure the reader draws the correct conclusions about each woman.
I enjoyed the novel's structure, which begins with the dramatic trip but then checks in with each of the women in turn over the course of a year, focusing on each of their individual journeys as well as the ebbs and flows of the relationships between them. It reminded me a lot of a grown-up Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (which I loved as a teenager.)
Initially I found it hard to invest in the various friendships as I didn't feel they were established enough before the rift, which comes so early in the narrative. It would have been useful had the author begun with a flashback to make it clear how close they once were and what is at stake when they fall out. This definitely became apparent later on but it took a while to get there. Flashbacks would also have helped establish the bond between the women and Eduardo; they all kept saying that he was like a father to all of them but, again, I would have preferred to be able to reach that conclusion under my own steam. Finally, on the same note, it felt like a missed opportunity not to show the evolution of Fay and Zinnia's relationship, which is such a pillar of the narrative. However, This Is Why I Need You is Kakon's first novel, so it is likely these are elements she will develop given time.
Thank you to ECW Press for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Over a decade later, life has pulled the four in very different directions: Zinnia and Fay are in Toronto, Zinnia having sacrificed her dreams of being a professional dancer to raise a family while Fay runs a struggling art gallery; Kiara now lives in Miami with her fiancé and loves her job as a teacher; Val is the only one to have stayed in Montreal - bound by both love and obligation as she is expected to take over the running of the family business when Eduardo retires. The foursome are not as close as they once were and even Fay and Zinnia - who see each other every day - are grappling with secrets from each other and from their friends. On their annual vacation, simmering tensions come to a boiling point, and words are said which cannot be taken back, creating fissures in the group which threaten its very foundations. Can the four women find their way back to each other, or must they accept that they have outgrown their friendships and face whatever life is about to throw at them alone?
After a shaky start (it's hard to warm to a set of characters while they're drunkenly berating each other, storming off and sulking for most of the early chapters), I found all of the women likeable, interesting characters, with each developed enough that they functioned well as standalone characters when their storylines diverged from the other three; their backgrounds, family dynamics, careers, relationships and personalities were all very different, and I imagine most readers will find something to relate to in at least one of them. For the most part, author Alecsandra Kakon did a good job of allowing the reader to make up their own minds about the women’s characters from how they behaved, but there were instances where there was a little too much telling rather than showing; I particularly noticed this with Fay, whose actions drew remarks like, 'That's our Fay - always a rolling stone' on several occasions. Similarly, there were times when a character's actions led others to comment, 'That's so Val' etc; it just felt like the author was trying too hard to make sure the reader draws the correct conclusions about each woman.
I enjoyed the novel's structure, which begins with the dramatic trip but then checks in with each of the women in turn over the course of a year, focusing on each of their individual journeys as well as the ebbs and flows of the relationships between them. It reminded me a lot of a grown-up Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (which I loved as a teenager.)
Initially I found it hard to invest in the various friendships as I didn't feel they were established enough before the rift, which comes so early in the narrative. It would have been useful had the author begun with a flashback to make it clear how close they once were and what is at stake when they fall out. This definitely became apparent later on but it took a while to get there. Flashbacks would also have helped establish the bond between the women and Eduardo; they all kept saying that he was like a father to all of them but, again, I would have preferred to be able to reach that conclusion under my own steam. Finally, on the same note, it felt like a missed opportunity not to show the evolution of Fay and Zinnia's relationship, which is such a pillar of the narrative. However, This Is Why I Need You is Kakon's first novel, so it is likely these are elements she will develop given time.
Thank you to ECW Press for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Warning: I rant about Spanish a little too much in this review.
This book was not for me. I'm usually not one to need to relate to a character in order to read a book. I'll read about characters that I hate any day, but there's has to be something for me to care about or root for (whether that's rooting for or against the characters or certain plot points). This book had none of that. These are the most infuriating and, somehow at the same time, boring characters I've read in a while. I just couldn't care less what happened to any of them.
There's four female characters exploring their relationships with each other. Initially, I was so excited to read a hard hitting exploration of female friendships that are lowkey falling apart and maybe a little toxic. Imagine my disappointment when I learn two of the MCs are actually hooking up even though one of them is married with kids. And the other? Oh, she's been in love with her best friend since they were kids and somehow that must entitle her to have her. And then there's the friend with the "hot Israeli temper" who really is just an asshole to everyone, including her so-called besties. I thought I would root for her since she's dealing with a toxic romantic relationship, but I couldn't stand her. And then there's the Latina friend. I think she's the one I was the most interested in. But.
Oh.
My.
God.
If you're going to write a book with a character (and her family!) who speaks fluent Spanish, then pleeeease take a minute to research the language. It honestly felt like words and phrases were translated to Spanish and then someone went "Ah, the table is female!" and changed the ending of words to "a" to words it doesn't apply to. My first language is Spanish. I know a lot of Spanish speaking people from Latin America. "Amor mia" and "cariña" are NOT proper words. "No estoy buena" literally translates to English as "I'm not good" but in Spanish??? In Spanish it basically means "I'm not hot." Granted, I don't know anyone specifically from Venezuela, but I would imagine that they're not the only ones going against the entire language... And then imagine my surprise to read the author has a masters in Hispanic Literature?? I can promise you those words are not in any Hispanic books. Because they're not words in Spanish. It's "amor mio" and "cariño" even if you're talking about a woman... Improper Spanish from supposedly fluent people (i.e. characters) is one of my biggest pet peeves (I'm looking at you, Gustavo Fring). There's millions of Spanish speaking people who could've been consulted. It's not a dead language. And suuure, they might be said lightheartedly with purposefully incorrect grammar, but there was zero indication of that being the case. It's mentioned that the mom struggles with broken English, bit it's ignored that she also struggles with broken Spanish! Her "Spanglish" is called out but we just ignore that she can't conjugate verbs properly (it's "verlos" not "verles"). I honestly have soooo many more examples but I don't want this review to be just of how bad the Spanish was.
It's also about how annoying the characters were!
There's one particular scene when I finally decided there was no saving this novel and that was the alphabet drinking game. It literally put me in a bad mood. And listen, I get it if that's the intent I'm very into it. But this was just so aggravating. Have I mentioned these are older characters in their 30s? Because they behave like teenagers who think their actions won't have consequences. With characters this aggravating I typically need something to keep me engaged like an interesting plot or beautiful writing. And just to reiterate... this book was not for me.
Received review copy from Netgalley
This book was not for me. I'm usually not one to need to relate to a character in order to read a book. I'll read about characters that I hate any day, but there's has to be something for me to care about or root for (whether that's rooting for or against the characters or certain plot points). This book had none of that. These are the most infuriating and, somehow at the same time, boring characters I've read in a while. I just couldn't care less what happened to any of them.
There's four female characters exploring their relationships with each other. Initially, I was so excited to read a hard hitting exploration of female friendships that are lowkey falling apart and maybe a little toxic. Imagine my disappointment when I learn two of the MCs are actually hooking up even though one of them is married with kids. And the other? Oh, she's been in love with her best friend since they were kids and somehow that must entitle her to have her. And then there's the friend with the "hot Israeli temper" who really is just an asshole to everyone, including her so-called besties. I thought I would root for her since she's dealing with a toxic romantic relationship, but I couldn't stand her. And then there's the Latina friend. I think she's the one I was the most interested in. But.
Oh.
My.
God.
If you're going to write a book with a character (and her family!) who speaks fluent Spanish, then pleeeease take a minute to research the language. It honestly felt like words and phrases were translated to Spanish and then someone went "Ah, the table is female!" and changed the ending of words to "a" to words it doesn't apply to. My first language is Spanish. I know a lot of Spanish speaking people from Latin America. "Amor mia" and "cariña" are NOT proper words. "No estoy buena" literally translates to English as "I'm not good" but in Spanish??? In Spanish it basically means "I'm not hot." Granted, I don't know anyone specifically from Venezuela, but I would imagine that they're not the only ones going against the entire language... And then imagine my surprise to read the author has a masters in Hispanic Literature?? I can promise you those words are not in any Hispanic books. Because they're not words in Spanish. It's "amor mio" and "cariño" even if you're talking about a woman... Improper Spanish from supposedly fluent people (i.e. characters) is one of my biggest pet peeves (I'm looking at you, Gustavo Fring). There's millions of Spanish speaking people who could've been consulted. It's not a dead language. And suuure, they might be said lightheartedly with purposefully incorrect grammar, but there was zero indication of that being the case. It's mentioned that the mom struggles with broken English, bit it's ignored that she also struggles with broken Spanish! Her "Spanglish" is called out but we just ignore that she can't conjugate verbs properly (it's "verlos" not "verles"). I honestly have soooo many more examples but I don't want this review to be just of how bad the Spanish was.
It's also about how annoying the characters were!
There's one particular scene when I finally decided there was no saving this novel and that was the alphabet drinking game. It literally put me in a bad mood. And listen, I get it if that's the intent I'm very into it. But this was just so aggravating. Have I mentioned these are older characters in their 30s? Because they behave like teenagers who think their actions won't have consequences. With characters this aggravating I typically need something to keep me engaged like an interesting plot or beautiful writing. And just to reiterate... this book was not for me.
Received review copy from Netgalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book caught my attention for its summary and a review that praised it for its depiction of friendship, both its good and bad, and having gone through an unofficial breakup from my highschool friends, I decided to give it a read. Now, I think the synopsis of the book doesn't present the story in the most accurate way--it felt more about each character individually first, then about their friendship. I'll also mention recurring cheating is a big part of the story, not a spoiler. (Spoilery content warnings at the end of this review.)
The book follows the lives of four friends--Zinnia, Fay, Kiara and Valentina--starting from them coming together for their annual group vacation in the Bahamas, and following them in the months after as they each deal with personal issues. Zinnia is having an affair with Fay, while struggling with the feeling of being stuck as only a mother and a wife. Fay is trying to keep her art gallery running. Kiara is an elementary school teacher who is in an extremely toxic relationship. Valentina is stepping into her father's shoes to run his fashion company while her relationship with her long time boyfriend is going through a crisis.
To start with the good, I appreciate the themes the book touched upon. I personally felt like the author's best writing took place in Valentina's chapters, and even more specifically in the scenes that had to do with her family--those felt the most real, genuine and touching. I wish we would have seen that in the other girls, and it made Valentina's background seem more familiar/grounded than the others. For example, when Kiara mentioned Halloween being her favorite holiday, it seemed like a missed opportunity not to mention Purim in any type of way, at the very least.
It felt to me like the story has the right base, but was developed the wrong way and the emotional beats were often rushed. I wanted to know and understand the relationships much better, to have their pasts much more established--how did the group form, what's the inner dynamic, how did Jack and Valentina fall in love, how did Fay and Zinnia fall in love. The story skipped important moments and used dialogue to fill in the readers, or unnecessary scenes, while unimportant conversations took up too much room without adding depth. At the same time, there were a few things that were discovered by the group towards the end, but I found the timing to weaken those discoveries and their meaning.
The foundation of the characters was good, but, unfortunately, I found them very frustrating to read a lot of times. The places where I could relate to some of them were overshadowed by an absolute lack of self awareness and/or hypocrisy from all, and a few romantic decisions definitely felt too rash for me. Personally, I had a hard time with the friends not being there for one another in a few very important moments, and despite the apologies, it made it hard for me to see the strength of this friend group--maybe it's personal, but I would have been very bruised by the absence of these characters, specifically Valentina and Kiara.
Big content warnings for emotional abuse and pregnancy loss.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange of an honest review.
The book follows the lives of four friends--Zinnia, Fay, Kiara and Valentina--starting from them coming together for their annual group vacation in the Bahamas, and following them in the months after as they each deal with personal issues. Zinnia is having an affair with Fay, while struggling with the feeling of being stuck as only a mother and a wife. Fay is trying to keep her art gallery running. Kiara is an elementary school teacher who is in an extremely toxic relationship. Valentina is stepping into her father's shoes to run his fashion company while her relationship with her long time boyfriend is going through a crisis.
To start with the good, I appreciate the themes the book touched upon. I personally felt like the author's best writing took place in Valentina's chapters, and even more specifically in the scenes that had to do with her family--those felt the most real, genuine and touching. I wish we would have seen that in the other girls, and it made Valentina's background seem more familiar/grounded than the others. For example, when Kiara mentioned Halloween being her favorite holiday, it seemed like a missed opportunity not to mention Purim in any type of way, at the very least.
It felt to me like the story has the right base, but was developed the wrong way and the emotional beats were often rushed. I wanted to know and understand the relationships much better, to have their pasts much more established--how did the group form, what's the inner dynamic, how did Jack and Valentina fall in love, how did Fay and Zinnia fall in love. The story skipped important moments and used dialogue to fill in the readers, or unnecessary scenes, while unimportant conversations took up too much room without adding depth. At the same time, there were a few things that were discovered by the group towards the end, but I found the timing to weaken those discoveries and their meaning.
The foundation of the characters was good, but, unfortunately, I found them very frustrating to read a lot of times. The places where I could relate to some of them were overshadowed by an absolute lack of self awareness and/or hypocrisy from all, and a few romantic decisions definitely felt too rash for me. Personally, I had a hard time with the friends not being there for one another in a few very important moments, and despite the apologies, it made it hard for me to see the strength of this friend group--maybe it's personal, but I would have been very bruised by the absence of these characters, specifically Valentina and Kiara.
Big content warnings for emotional abuse and pregnancy loss.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange of an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
OK, I will admit that as a reader I am skeptical when I start any new book. It's part not being able to let go of the story and characters from whatever I was reading previously and its part anxiety that the new book won't measure up.
This book, though. It was so achingly good! I stayed up way too late to get through it knowing my kids would be waking up at 6:30 am but still unable to put it down!
If you've ever heard and loved Heidi Priebe's thoughts on long term love; "To love someone long-term is to attend a thousand funerals of the people they used to be. The people they're too exhausted to be any longer. The people they grew out of, the people they never ended growing into. It is our job to travel with them between each version and to honour what emerges along the way" then this book will grab you.
This is a story about the deep bonds of female friendships and relationships. It is about the divine, the powerful, the truly life-altering impact women have on other women. We are drawn to people who we feel safe with, our most raw and authentic self. We may not even realize or know things about ourselves that emerge in our understanding and knowing of ourselves when we are cradled, accepted and lifted up by other females.
Kiara, Valentina, Zinnia and Fay each have their own lives, relationships, trauma, fears of inadequacy, and hope. It is through a shared past and friendships built so many years ago that each of these women moves towards becoming the truest and most unapologetic versions of themselves. OK, well, there are definitely *some* apologies but only for things that warrant apologies.
The growth of each of these characters as they navigate life and its joyful, hopeful but sometimes devastating and painful paths is monumental. This is a story that actually made me laugh and cry. It is very real. It addresses relationships both male and female, the power of friendship and family and the promise to stand next to your people over and over again as they discover, destroy and reinvent themselves.
I loved that this book is set in Canada (mostly) 🇨🇦 and that it celebrates the beauty and diversity of Montréal. There are also side trips and moves to so many other amazing locations! California, The Bahamas, Portugal... you will be aching to hop on a plane somewhere!
I think that this is going go be an awesome and popular summer read! Add it to your TBR!
Thank you first to @alecsandrakakon for writing this wonderful story. I loved this book.
Thank you to @ecwpress and ECW Insiders (Alex Dunn) for the Advance copy to read and review!
This book, though. It was so achingly good! I stayed up way too late to get through it knowing my kids would be waking up at 6:30 am but still unable to put it down!
If you've ever heard and loved Heidi Priebe's thoughts on long term love; "To love someone long-term is to attend a thousand funerals of the people they used to be. The people they're too exhausted to be any longer. The people they grew out of, the people they never ended growing into. It is our job to travel with them between each version and to honour what emerges along the way" then this book will grab you.
This is a story about the deep bonds of female friendships and relationships. It is about the divine, the powerful, the truly life-altering impact women have on other women. We are drawn to people who we feel safe with, our most raw and authentic self. We may not even realize or know things about ourselves that emerge in our understanding and knowing of ourselves when we are cradled, accepted and lifted up by other females.
Kiara, Valentina, Zinnia and Fay each have their own lives, relationships, trauma, fears of inadequacy, and hope. It is through a shared past and friendships built so many years ago that each of these women moves towards becoming the truest and most unapologetic versions of themselves. OK, well, there are definitely *some* apologies but only for things that warrant apologies.
The growth of each of these characters as they navigate life and its joyful, hopeful but sometimes devastating and painful paths is monumental. This is a story that actually made me laugh and cry. It is very real. It addresses relationships both male and female, the power of friendship and family and the promise to stand next to your people over and over again as they discover, destroy and reinvent themselves.
I loved that this book is set in Canada (mostly) 🇨🇦 and that it celebrates the beauty and diversity of Montréal. There are also side trips and moves to so many other amazing locations! California, The Bahamas, Portugal... you will be aching to hop on a plane somewhere!
I think that this is going go be an awesome and popular summer read! Add it to your TBR!
Thank you first to @alecsandrakakon for writing this wonderful story. I loved this book.
Thank you to @ecwpress and ECW Insiders (Alex Dunn) for the Advance copy to read and review!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
An exploration of the volatility and power of friendship amongst four women as they experience setbacks and challenges that life throws at them.
‘This Is Why I Need You’ follows four long term friends through a year of their lives. Each chapter is from the perspective of one of the women – Fay, Zinnia, Kiara, and Valentina providing insight into the thoughts and feelings of each person. It gives the reader an intimate understanding of a singular experience and the impact of it on each person.
I found this an interesting way to present the story because it provided something we don’t always get in real life. Taking a single interaction and exploring how it made each character feel and react. Demonstrating how a comment can hit differently depending on the context and emotional state of the person receiving it.
Each of the characters have their own struggles that are explored through the lens of their friendships; and how each friend responds to the issues each other is having.
The dynamic of having four people in the friendship was interesting; seeing how they were closer to some and more distant from others; but how as a group they all had their place.
The book celebrated friendship and how even when the friendship feels weakened; that real friends still show up when they are needed. That was demonstrated multiple times in the story and something I appreciated seeing.
The focus is really on the four women with some of the tertiary characters left on the edges of the page. I thought the story was strong enough with the focus on the friends and including more details on tertiary characters wouldn’t have added to the story for me, but I’m sure others would have a different view point.
I’d recommend this book for people who value the strength of friendship and want to read about four women who no matter what has happened in the past; are there for each other when they need them. It is a celebration of the ride-or-die friend!
Thank you to ECW press for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 25, 2026
Originally reviewed at Books Etc.
This Is Why I Need You had everything that I should have loved in a book. A group of long-time friends, some drama, some travel. But something about Alecsandra Kakon’s debut novel just didn’t quite work for me. I’m really sad about it but sometimes a book just doesn’t work and there’s not always a satisfying reason for it.
I hate to say it but, I think my biggest struggle with this book was with the characters. I like to think I’m all for unlikeable characters but when I’m spending a few hours with four people who are making questionable and selfish decisions? And kind of treating each other like crap? Why do I want to read about that? I know that everyone is flawed. I am absolutely not perfect. But I guess I just need characters who aren’t jerks to each other in my books and it’s too bad for Kakon that her characters didn’t deliver for me. I’m sure there are some people who would have been into the hot mess that were all four characters. I’m just not one of them.
What Kakon does well is show how the lives of a group of friends can change drastically over the course of their friendship - especially from twentysomething to thirtysomething. There are a lot of Big Moments that come after high school and a ton of growing up to do after 20. I liked to see that the four friends had stayed connected but at times it just seemed forced. I don’t know that I ever totally understood why the four of them worked together. Or even why the two pairs (Zin and Fay, and Kiara and Val) worked. Was it because I had checked out of the story and was skimming the book? That’s entirely possible.
I’m not a literary reader and there were times that Kakon’s prose veered too hard into literary territory. I read an egalley so I can’t quote anything in particular. But there were a few phrases and moments that just felt too…earnest? or something? for the story. Meditation got shoved in a little obviously and one of the characters “discovered” yoga in high school, which just felt a little off-putting. I’m not shitting on either of those things! They can be important for some people. It’s just the way it was described and woven into the narrative that didn’t work for me.
I didn’t hate This is Why I Need You by any means. I just didn’t necessarily enjoy reading it. I truly do think there are readers out there who will enjoy Alecsandra Kakon’s novel. And I will be keeping an eye on what she publishes next.
*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, ECW Press, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*
This Is Why I Need You had everything that I should have loved in a book. A group of long-time friends, some drama, some travel. But something about Alecsandra Kakon’s debut novel just didn’t quite work for me. I’m really sad about it but sometimes a book just doesn’t work and there’s not always a satisfying reason for it.
I hate to say it but, I think my biggest struggle with this book was with the characters. I like to think I’m all for unlikeable characters but when I’m spending a few hours with four people who are making questionable and selfish decisions? And kind of treating each other like crap? Why do I want to read about that? I know that everyone is flawed. I am absolutely not perfect. But I guess I just need characters who aren’t jerks to each other in my books and it’s too bad for Kakon that her characters didn’t deliver for me. I’m sure there are some people who would have been into the hot mess that were all four characters. I’m just not one of them.
What Kakon does well is show how the lives of a group of friends can change drastically over the course of their friendship - especially from twentysomething to thirtysomething. There are a lot of Big Moments that come after high school and a ton of growing up to do after 20. I liked to see that the four friends had stayed connected but at times it just seemed forced. I don’t know that I ever totally understood why the four of them worked together. Or even why the two pairs (Zin and Fay, and Kiara and Val) worked. Was it because I had checked out of the story and was skimming the book? That’s entirely possible.
I’m not a literary reader and there were times that Kakon’s prose veered too hard into literary territory. I read an egalley so I can’t quote anything in particular. But there were a few phrases and moments that just felt too…earnest? or something? for the story. Meditation got shoved in a little obviously and one of the characters “discovered” yoga in high school, which just felt a little off-putting. I’m not shitting on either of those things! They can be important for some people. It’s just the way it was described and woven into the narrative that didn’t work for me.
I didn’t hate This is Why I Need You by any means. I just didn’t necessarily enjoy reading it. I truly do think there are readers out there who will enjoy Alecsandra Kakon’s novel. And I will be keeping an eye on what she publishes next.
*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, ECW Press, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This Is Why I Need You understands something many friendship stories try to capture but rarely articulate this clearly: longevity doesn’t guarantee closeness—it just raises the stakes.
What makes this debut stand out is its commitment to character over convenience. There’s no rush to smooth over tensions or force sentimentality. Instead, the narrative leans into the discomfort—the silences, the sharp comments, the moments where affection and frustration exist side by side. It feels intentional, almost observational, as though the reader is watching these dynamics unfold in real time rather than being guided toward a neat conclusion.
Each of the four women is drawn with enough specificity to feel distinct, yet there’s a shared emotional thread that ties them together. The novel does a strong job of exploring how individual growth can quietly disrupt long-standing relationships. The tension doesn’t come from dramatic twists, but from recognition—those subtle realizations that people you’ve always known may no longer fit into the life you’re building.
There’s also a notable balance in how the book handles its themes. It moves between friendship, identity, and personal change without letting any one thread overpower the others. The result is a story that feels grounded and reflective rather than overly polished.
This Is Why I Need You is less about the idea of friendship and more about the reality of it—messy, evolving, and sometimes uncomfortable. A thoughtful debut that trusts its characters enough to let them be complicated, and in doing so, feels all the more authentic.m
What makes this debut stand out is its commitment to character over convenience. There’s no rush to smooth over tensions or force sentimentality. Instead, the narrative leans into the discomfort—the silences, the sharp comments, the moments where affection and frustration exist side by side. It feels intentional, almost observational, as though the reader is watching these dynamics unfold in real time rather than being guided toward a neat conclusion.
Each of the four women is drawn with enough specificity to feel distinct, yet there’s a shared emotional thread that ties them together. The novel does a strong job of exploring how individual growth can quietly disrupt long-standing relationships. The tension doesn’t come from dramatic twists, but from recognition—those subtle realizations that people you’ve always known may no longer fit into the life you’re building.
There’s also a notable balance in how the book handles its themes. It moves between friendship, identity, and personal change without letting any one thread overpower the others. The result is a story that feels grounded and reflective rather than overly polished.
This Is Why I Need You is less about the idea of friendship and more about the reality of it—messy, evolving, and sometimes uncomfortable. A thoughtful debut that trusts its characters enough to let them be complicated, and in doing so, feels all the more authentic.m
May 13, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!
I have quite mixed feelings about this book. It took me a really long time to actually get into it and I struggled to connect with the characters or become invested in their stories. Maybe this just wasn’t the book for me but I didn’t always enjoy the writing style and really struggled to understand a lot of the characters actions and choices. This made it really hard to root for any of them throughout. I also found their ‘friendship’ to just be full of hatred and resentment from the offset, leaving me feeling like they maybe just should have grown apart after high school instead of continuing to act like teenagers forever. I also feel like everyone’s situations were resolved way too quickly at the end of the book and I just didn’t feel like this ‘happy ever after’ would last longer than a week.
However, there were certain elements to the book that I did enjoy. I really liked the format of the story, starting off with a girls trip and then following each of the women for a year before the final reunion. This was a nice way to introduce the characters and then show the passing of time while the rest of the events played out. There were also some lovely moments between Val and her parents that I really enjoyed (honestly the parents might have been the best characters). I also feel like Kiara had a very touching story and was maybe the most likeable character for me. Her problems felt much more real than some of the others and it was hard to see her go through the hard times but absolutely rewarding to see her grow and move into a better future.
I have quite mixed feelings about this book. It took me a really long time to actually get into it and I struggled to connect with the characters or become invested in their stories. Maybe this just wasn’t the book for me but I didn’t always enjoy the writing style and really struggled to understand a lot of the characters actions and choices. This made it really hard to root for any of them throughout. I also found their ‘friendship’ to just be full of hatred and resentment from the offset, leaving me feeling like they maybe just should have grown apart after high school instead of continuing to act like teenagers forever. I also feel like everyone’s situations were resolved way too quickly at the end of the book and I just didn’t feel like this ‘happy ever after’ would last longer than a week.
However, there were certain elements to the book that I did enjoy. I really liked the format of the story, starting off with a girls trip and then following each of the women for a year before the final reunion. This was a nice way to introduce the characters and then show the passing of time while the rest of the events played out. There were also some lovely moments between Val and her parents that I really enjoyed (honestly the parents might have been the best characters). I also feel like Kiara had a very touching story and was maybe the most likeable character for me. Her problems felt much more real than some of the others and it was hard to see her go through the hard times but absolutely rewarding to see her grow and move into a better future.
May 14, 2026
A plot which I do not believe is accurately mentioned in the synopsis.
I nearly DNF'ed because I found the characters insufferable and unlikable. From the beginning, characters were depicted to be women in their 30s, I believe who did not appear to have any issue being cheaters. Weirdly enough, I decided to push through and finish the book.
It made it better.
Throughout the whole story, I had clear favourites. This book would have been nothing without Eduardo in it. I love how loving, kind and understanding he is. It gave me an idea as to how one of the fine 'Val' turned out the way she did. I grew to love her character. Do I condone her choices and actions? No. However,she feels oddly relatable. (I do not know what that says about me lol-)
Coming to the ending, it feels very weird to say that I wasn't very overjoyed or happy about the happy ending.It just felt pretty 'meh', a conclusion which I could see coming from miles way.
I do hurt for the characters that were hurt, thrown and tossed away just so these 4 girls could have their hapy ending.
It does live up to its grenre of 'female friendships', it just happens to not be the kind of friendship I would ever want or be a part.
Second chances to wrong people should be given, I believe in change. Not in this manner though, I guess they went through some more grovelling or rrepentance behind the scenes? I cannot assume a fictional character's actions beyond the pages of the book that an author does not mention themself.
Thank you to NetGalley, ECW Press and Alecsandra Kakon for giving me the opportunity to receive a free copy to review!💙
I nearly DNF'ed because I found the characters insufferable and unlikable. From the beginning, characters were depicted to be women in their 30s, I believe who did not appear to have any issue being cheaters. Weirdly enough, I decided to push through and finish the book.
It made it better.
Throughout the whole story, I had clear favourites. This book would have been nothing without Eduardo in it. I love how loving, kind and understanding he is. It gave me an idea as to how one of the fine 'Val' turned out the way she did. I grew to love her character. Do I condone her choices and actions? No. However,she feels oddly relatable. (I do not know what that says about me lol-)
Coming to the ending, it feels very weird to say that I wasn't very overjoyed or happy about the happy ending.It just felt pretty 'meh', a conclusion which I could see coming from miles way.
I do hurt for the characters that were hurt, thrown and tossed away just so these 4 girls could have their hapy ending.
It does live up to its grenre of 'female friendships', it just happens to not be the kind of friendship I would ever want or be a part.
Second chances to wrong people should be given, I believe in change. Not in this manner though, I guess they went through some more grovelling or rrepentance behind the scenes? I cannot assume a fictional character's actions beyond the pages of the book that an author does not mention themself.
Thank you to NetGalley, ECW Press and Alecsandra Kakon for giving me the opportunity to receive a free copy to review!💙
May 14, 2026
This Is Why I Need You by Alecsandra Kakon - ⭐⭐⭐✨
I'll be honest, I always start a new book with a little bit of skepticism. That mix of not being ready to let go of whatever I just finished and the quiet anxiety that nothing will measure up. Especially after a massive reading slump. But this book though? It surprised me. 💕
This Is Why I Need You follows four women, Kiara, Valentina, Zinnia and Fay, each navigating their own lives, relationships, fears and hopes. What ties them together is a shared past and a friendship built years ago that continues to shape who they are and who they are becoming. At its heart this is a story about female friendship and the quiet but life changing power women have on each other. 🌸
There is something so honest about the way this book captures what it means to truly know someone. To be seen in your most raw and unfiltered form and still be accepted. Watching each of these four women move toward the most authentic version of themselves through joy, grief, growth and the occasional very warranted apology was genuinely moving. I laughed. I cried. Sometimes even in the same chapter. 😭💛
The setting is also such a love letter to Canada and especially Montréal the beauty and diversity of the city comes through so warmly. And the side trips to California, the Bahamas and Portugal? I was ready to book a flight by page fifty. ✈️🌍
It's not a perfect read for me and the pacing had its moments, but the emotional depth and the celebration of female friendship made it so worth it. A really lovely summer read. 🌿☀️
ARC kindly provided by ECW Press in exchange for an honest review.💛
I'll be honest, I always start a new book with a little bit of skepticism. That mix of not being ready to let go of whatever I just finished and the quiet anxiety that nothing will measure up. Especially after a massive reading slump. But this book though? It surprised me. 💕
This Is Why I Need You follows four women, Kiara, Valentina, Zinnia and Fay, each navigating their own lives, relationships, fears and hopes. What ties them together is a shared past and a friendship built years ago that continues to shape who they are and who they are becoming. At its heart this is a story about female friendship and the quiet but life changing power women have on each other. 🌸
There is something so honest about the way this book captures what it means to truly know someone. To be seen in your most raw and unfiltered form and still be accepted. Watching each of these four women move toward the most authentic version of themselves through joy, grief, growth and the occasional very warranted apology was genuinely moving. I laughed. I cried. Sometimes even in the same chapter. 😭💛
The setting is also such a love letter to Canada and especially Montréal the beauty and diversity of the city comes through so warmly. And the side trips to California, the Bahamas and Portugal? I was ready to book a flight by page fifty. ✈️🌍
It's not a perfect read for me and the pacing had its moments, but the emotional depth and the celebration of female friendship made it so worth it. A really lovely summer read. 🌿☀️
ARC kindly provided by ECW Press in exchange for an honest review.💛
May 21, 2026
3.5/5 rounded up.
A story about four women and their friendship, This Is Why I Need You follows a particularly messy Bahamas trip of theirs and the aftermath when their relationship imploded. I really enjoyed the character setting for all four women, where each of them have their own issue and baggage. It made for a complex relationship dynamic between the four of them and it was intriguing to see the differences in their interactions. I also love that the women were very millennial coded, so the culture references were fun Easter eggs.
Yet, with such a strong foundation for a story, I felt there wasn't much building on top of it. With a variety of issues set up to be explored, I wished Kakon wasn't so afraid to dig deep into them. We never saw the individual work that each of them had to go through, particularly with some of the heavier ones (e.g. abusive/controlling partner, cheating) which felt like it was resolved overnight and not very realistic. In addition, with such a complex group of people that involved different dynamics and individual issues, I felt that we never get to see the work that they had to go through in their resolution nor the healing after the betrayals. I think it was a missed opportunity to present really difficult conversations and journeys for the four women.
Overall, while I've enjoyed This Is Why I Need You, I felt that there was a lot of untapped potential and I wished those were fully fleshed out so we can get a much more impactful story.
Thank you to ECW for the gifted copy!
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A story about four women and their friendship, This Is Why I Need You follows a particularly messy Bahamas trip of theirs and the aftermath when their relationship imploded. I really enjoyed the character setting for all four women, where each of them have their own issue and baggage. It made for a complex relationship dynamic between the four of them and it was intriguing to see the differences in their interactions. I also love that the women were very millennial coded, so the culture references were fun Easter eggs.
Yet, with such a strong foundation for a story, I felt there wasn't much building on top of it. With a variety of issues set up to be explored, I wished Kakon wasn't so afraid to dig deep into them. We never saw the individual work that each of them had to go through, particularly with some of the heavier ones (e.g. abusive/controlling partner, cheating) which felt like it was resolved overnight and not very realistic. In addition, with such a complex group of people that involved different dynamics and individual issues, I felt that we never get to see the work that they had to go through in their resolution nor the healing after the betrayals. I think it was a missed opportunity to present really difficult conversations and journeys for the four women.
Overall, while I've enjoyed This Is Why I Need You, I felt that there was a lot of untapped potential and I wished those were fully fleshed out so we can get a much more impactful story.
Thank you to ECW for the gifted copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is Why I Need You sets us up with four female friends who are celebrating their annual trip together at a time when they’re all a bit in flux with their relationships, careers, and each other. The affairs, the secrets, and the toxic behavior was hard to overlook for a lot of the book and I don’t know that all of them had many redeeming qualities.
I felt a little mislead at the book being presented as an exploration of female friendship, which I don’t think I got very much of. Yes, there were a lot of changing dynamics amongst this group and you could see that they all were struggling with the way their relationships had changed in recent years, there were some moments where it felt so glaringly sad that they were grasping the people they all thought they used to or needed to be and then there were moments where I just wanted them to be the grown up versions of those people. Not reaching out after a death in the family or a miscarriage and then not working through it and surprisingly being fine I not real life. The novel does a strong job of exploring how individual growth can quietly disrupt long-standing relationships.
Zinnia and Fay broke my heart. Then gave me hope. Then broke my heart again. “You robbed me of believing our love was real.”
Overall, the book was well written and had strong, supported themes. I wish the ending didn’t feel so rushed so we could watch them resolve some of their issues a bit.
This is Why I Need You is due to be published May 12, 2026 and I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for my review.
I felt a little mislead at the book being presented as an exploration of female friendship, which I don’t think I got very much of. Yes, there were a lot of changing dynamics amongst this group and you could see that they all were struggling with the way their relationships had changed in recent years, there were some moments where it felt so glaringly sad that they were grasping the people they all thought they used to or needed to be and then there were moments where I just wanted them to be the grown up versions of those people. Not reaching out after a death in the family or a miscarriage and then not working through it and surprisingly being fine I not real life. The novel does a strong job of exploring how individual growth can quietly disrupt long-standing relationships.
Zinnia and Fay broke my heart. Then gave me hope. Then broke my heart again. “You robbed me of believing our love was real.”
Overall, the book was well written and had strong, supported themes. I wish the ending didn’t feel so rushed so we could watch them resolve some of their issues a bit.
This is Why I Need You is due to be published May 12, 2026 and I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for my review.
May 20, 2026
3.5 stars. This Is Why I Need You follows four women in their 30s - Zinnia, Fay, Valentina and Kiara, longtime pals since high school who meet up for their 10th annual girls trip in the Bahamas. What starts as a carefree albeit tense vacation with everyone's secrets threatening to spill over, the trip ultimately ends up being the driving factor in pulling them apart over course of the next year. Told in alternating storylines, we dive into each character's messy and complicated realities and the emotional baggage they bring with them on the trip. The dynamics between each of the women felt very authentic, especially in the way unspoken truths and secret resentments build into something heavier, which can create tension and destruction along the way. I appreciated when the narrative leaned into moments of discomfort instead of quick resolution; truthfully, conflict in long-term friendships aren't always dealt with in a neat and tidy communicative way but in sometimes ways where moments of frustration, avoidance and affection exist at the same time. The book expertly captured the feeling of realizing that the people you thought would be there forever may no longer fit into the life you're building. There were some moments that I just wanted to shake the characters out of disagreement with some of their choices and lack of empathy and emotional depth but ultimately it made them more human and relatable. Excited to read more from this author! Thank you to ECW Press for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2026
I enjoyed some parts of this book and absolutely hated others. The Zinnia and Fay affair was by far the most interesting part of this. I would have preferred a story centered entirely around them. Some people don't like cheating in books, but I didn't mind it in this story, it was messy, of course, and I liked it. There also was an exploration on motherhood that was insightful.
Now, on to the bad parts... All of their drama is like: 'Oh no, I need to call and tell this person this thing. If I don't, everything will be ruined, but I can't actually tell them because either way it will be the end of our relationship/friendship, oh noo.' Spare me, you're grown-ups.
The friendship (the central theme of this book) is so superficial. They only talk about trips, their businesses, and their past trips, it sounded like a parody of rich people talking.
Val is insufferable. Her side plot about not wanting to inherit a big company because she dreams of being a blogger bored me to tears. That, combined with her incorrect use of Spanish and her correcting her mother's English, drove me up the wall.
There is one gigantic issue with this book: the use of Spanish and Latin American heritage for empty representation. The author even includes propaganda against Venezuela's government in one part. Also, Kiara being Israeli? I almost put the book down because of that, there is no criticism of the current genocide. The identities of these characters are just there to be there, like decoration.
Thank you to ECW Press and Netgalley for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This Is Why I Need You does something I don't see enough of in fiction: it takes adult female friendship seriously.
Not as a backdrop to romance, not as a support system that exists only to cheer on a protagonist's main plot—but as its own complex, fraught, necessary thing. Alecsandra Kakon understands that the friendships we've carried since childhood can become both our greatest comfort and our deepest source of tension, especially as we grow into different versions of ourselves than the people we were when those bonds first formed.
Zinnia, Fay, Kiara, and Valentina feel like real women with real baggage—the kind that absolutely does come on vacation whether you pack it or not. The simmering resentments, the unspoken hurts, the way old dynamics calcify even when everyone's changed—it all rings painfully true. Kakon doesn't shy away from the messiness, and the result is a story that feels honest about what it actually takes to maintain friendships across decades and life stages.
The exploration of romance, motherhood, sexuality, and loss all weave through naturally, but it's the friendship dynamics that anchor everything. The central question—have we outgrown each other?—is one that will resonate with anyone who's ever looked at an old friend and wondered if shared history is enough to bridge who you've both become.
Warm, sharp, and emotionally satisfying.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Not as a backdrop to romance, not as a support system that exists only to cheer on a protagonist's main plot—but as its own complex, fraught, necessary thing. Alecsandra Kakon understands that the friendships we've carried since childhood can become both our greatest comfort and our deepest source of tension, especially as we grow into different versions of ourselves than the people we were when those bonds first formed.
Zinnia, Fay, Kiara, and Valentina feel like real women with real baggage—the kind that absolutely does come on vacation whether you pack it or not. The simmering resentments, the unspoken hurts, the way old dynamics calcify even when everyone's changed—it all rings painfully true. Kakon doesn't shy away from the messiness, and the result is a story that feels honest about what it actually takes to maintain friendships across decades and life stages.
The exploration of romance, motherhood, sexuality, and loss all weave through naturally, but it's the friendship dynamics that anchor everything. The central question—have we outgrown each other?—is one that will resonate with anyone who's ever looked at an old friend and wondered if shared history is enough to bridge who you've both become.
Warm, sharp, and emotionally satisfying.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I read somewhere that if you are still friends with your group of high school friends, it can mean that you’ve grown in exactly the same way or that you are all very fake. In the case of Zinia, Valentina, Kiara and Fay, I think it’s a mix of both: they are really similar, all of them trapped in toxic dynamics, but at the same time their friendship feels really forced.
In the first part of the novel, when they are travelling together, it reminded me a LOT of a younger version of the three friends from the third season of The White Lotus. In the sense that they are all talking behind each other’s backs and that it’s also a very old friendship between people who now have very different lives. I thought it could be an interesting story, but the second and third parts of the novel take a very different path.
I feel that all the characters had a lot of potential, but with four main characters we can only really see their issues and the dynamics between them. We almost don’t get to see them interacting with other minor characters. It really bothered me in the case of Zinia, since she is married and has kids but barely interacts with them throughout the novel.
The ending felt really rushed and I’m not really satisfied with how things turned out. It felt like the author took the easy way out in resolving everything and it didn’t leave enough room for some of the characters to really learn and grow.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
In the first part of the novel, when they are travelling together, it reminded me a LOT of a younger version of the three friends from the third season of The White Lotus. In the sense that they are all talking behind each other’s backs and that it’s also a very old friendship between people who now have very different lives. I thought it could be an interesting story, but the second and third parts of the novel take a very different path.
I feel that all the characters had a lot of potential, but with four main characters we can only really see their issues and the dynamics between them. We almost don’t get to see them interacting with other minor characters. It really bothered me in the case of Zinia, since she is married and has kids but barely interacts with them throughout the novel.
The ending felt really rushed and I’m not really satisfied with how things turned out. It felt like the author took the easy way out in resolving everything and it didn’t leave enough room for some of the characters to really learn and grow.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
April 12, 2026
3.5⭐️
This story is about friendship, love, being true to yourself and finding your way back. I truly enjoyed following along with Val, Zin, Fay and Kiara. They each have things to work through in the year this story takes place and we get taken along the journey. Though I sometimes found that journey went in fits and starts. Some of the big things were done so fast and longer stories about some of the smaller things. There is one thing that should be big to all the characters and yet none of the supporting ones showed up. Although it gave more tension to the story, it seemed a little unbelievable, that no one would at least call.
In terms of character development, I feel like I know Val the best, Zin second, though I feel her transformation a little glossed over. Fay and Kiara don’t feel like they have shared top billing. Kiara’s struggles were the most fraught and yet it almost felt like back story. Though admittedly, with hard topics, living within them can be hard on a reader.
This is a debut novel and I’m here for it. I look forward to what comes next, something tells me that Alecsandra Kakon is just finding their feet and that the next novel will be even better.
I’m always rooting for Canadian authors, I love seeing the places I know represented in the books I read. It’s lovely to be transported while staying grounded.
Thank you to ECW Press for providing the free ARC of this book for me to enjoy and review.
Look for this book in May 2026.
This story is about friendship, love, being true to yourself and finding your way back. I truly enjoyed following along with Val, Zin, Fay and Kiara. They each have things to work through in the year this story takes place and we get taken along the journey. Though I sometimes found that journey went in fits and starts. Some of the big things were done so fast and longer stories about some of the smaller things. There is one thing that should be big to all the characters and yet none of the supporting ones showed up. Although it gave more tension to the story, it seemed a little unbelievable, that no one would at least call.
In terms of character development, I feel like I know Val the best, Zin second, though I feel her transformation a little glossed over. Fay and Kiara don’t feel like they have shared top billing. Kiara’s struggles were the most fraught and yet it almost felt like back story. Though admittedly, with hard topics, living within them can be hard on a reader.
This is a debut novel and I’m here for it. I look forward to what comes next, something tells me that Alecsandra Kakon is just finding their feet and that the next novel will be even better.
I’m always rooting for Canadian authors, I love seeing the places I know represented in the books I read. It’s lovely to be transported while staying grounded.
Thank you to ECW Press for providing the free ARC of this book for me to enjoy and review.
Look for this book in May 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Hands down one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. I couldn’t put it down.
It’s a story of friendships, life, grief, family, losing and finding yourself. It follows the life of four friends who try to navigate life through hardships and focuses on their individual connections. The book depicts friendships so real and raw and it’s impossible not to relate at least to one of the characters, because the author did such a good job portraying real people and struggles.
What I also found interesting is that, I think you’ll probably pick your favourite character (the one you relate to the most) after four chapters, just to realise by the end of it, that you love and understand all of them. That each character is there to teach you something, to give you another perspective, to make you understand that it’s in human nature to make mistakes and grow from them.
An aspect I enjoyed so much is the fact that you’ll read a chapter from one POV and form an opinion on a certain character, just to change it the next chapter when you see how their friends see them. This is especially true for Kiara, who is going through a toxic relationship and has a very distorted image of herself. I think the author’s best work is shown through this particular character.
Anyway, I hope this book will get recognition that it deserves!
Hands down one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. I couldn’t put it down.
It’s a story of friendships, life, grief, family, losing and finding yourself. It follows the life of four friends who try to navigate life through hardships and focuses on their individual connections. The book depicts friendships so real and raw and it’s impossible not to relate at least to one of the characters, because the author did such a good job portraying real people and struggles.
What I also found interesting is that, I think you’ll probably pick your favourite character (the one you relate to the most) after four chapters, just to realise by the end of it, that you love and understand all of them. That each character is there to teach you something, to give you another perspective, to make you understand that it’s in human nature to make mistakes and grow from them.
An aspect I enjoyed so much is the fact that you’ll read a chapter from one POV and form an opinion on a certain character, just to change it the next chapter when you see how their friends see them. This is especially true for Kiara, who is going through a toxic relationship and has a very distorted image of herself. I think the author’s best work is shown through this particular character.
Anyway, I hope this book will get recognition that it deserves!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This Is Why I Need You is a beautifully raw exploration of a friendship forged in adolescence and tested by adulthood. What struck me most was how honestly the book portrays conflict; not the tidy, well‑communicated kind, but the real, messy, human kind where people lash out, shut down, avoid, cling, and sometimes hurt each other without meaning to.
The friendship at the centre of the story feels lived‑in. These characters aren’t polished or consistently likeable, and that’s exactly what makes them compelling. They make mistakes, they hide things, and the secrets they carry threaten to unravel everything they’ve built. Watching them navigate that emotional minefield, often unhealthily, sometimes destructively, and eventually with more honesty, gives the story its weight.
The LGBT element added another layer of tension that I found both infuriating and deeply relatable. It’s the kind of storyline that makes you want to shake the characters, not because it’s written poorly, but because it taps into fears and choices many people struggle with. Even when I disagreed with how things were handled, the payoff at the end felt right. It landed with a sense of relief and emotional truth that made the journey worthwhile.
By the time the characters find their way back to each other, the reconciliation feels earned. Imperfect, but real, just like the rest of the book. That authenticity, combined with the emotional complexity and the queer thread running through it, made this a solid four‑star read for me.
The friendship at the centre of the story feels lived‑in. These characters aren’t polished or consistently likeable, and that’s exactly what makes them compelling. They make mistakes, they hide things, and the secrets they carry threaten to unravel everything they’ve built. Watching them navigate that emotional minefield, often unhealthily, sometimes destructively, and eventually with more honesty, gives the story its weight.
The LGBT element added another layer of tension that I found both infuriating and deeply relatable. It’s the kind of storyline that makes you want to shake the characters, not because it’s written poorly, but because it taps into fears and choices many people struggle with. Even when I disagreed with how things were handled, the payoff at the end felt right. It landed with a sense of relief and emotional truth that made the journey worthwhile.
By the time the characters find their way back to each other, the reconciliation feels earned. Imperfect, but real, just like the rest of the book. That authenticity, combined with the emotional complexity and the queer thread running through it, made this a solid four‑star read for me.
May 22, 2026
Hi :) I have a Tiktok account(in spanish): https://www.tiktok.com/@velocilectora_
2.5 stars
The story isn’t bad; we follow four friends, each with their own background and problems, on a trip together at the start of the book and then back home.
Some of their situations are complicated, others familiar, and others rather murky. The fact is, as a story it’s a relatively easy read, but there are a few things that took me out of the story several times.
Firstly, as a Spaniard, coming across poorly translated Spanish words and phrases spoken by the character Valentina made me think that rather than being Spanish speakers, they were were making a bit of a mockery of them. Simple terms like ‘cariña’ or ‘no estoy buena’ (which should be ‘cariño’ and ‘no estoy bien’) made it clear that no one had bothered to check the translation.
On the other hand, even though they were adult and ‘mature’ women, they often behaved like teenagers, creating problems out of thin air and going for each other’s throats for no apparent reason.
I do think that Kiara and Zinnia’s stories were better constructed, as both had compelling reasons for being the way they were to a certain extent, though I didn’t quite buy into them entirely.
In short, I think the story has a lot of potential, but due to flaws like the ones I mentioned above, it didn’t quite work for me.
2.5 stars
The story isn’t bad; we follow four friends, each with their own background and problems, on a trip together at the start of the book and then back home.
Some of their situations are complicated, others familiar, and others rather murky. The fact is, as a story it’s a relatively easy read, but there are a few things that took me out of the story several times.
Firstly, as a Spaniard, coming across poorly translated Spanish words and phrases spoken by the character Valentina made me think that rather than being Spanish speakers, they were were making a bit of a mockery of them. Simple terms like ‘cariña’ or ‘no estoy buena’ (which should be ‘cariño’ and ‘no estoy bien’) made it clear that no one had bothered to check the translation.
On the other hand, even though they were adult and ‘mature’ women, they often behaved like teenagers, creating problems out of thin air and going for each other’s throats for no apparent reason.
I do think that Kiara and Zinnia’s stories were better constructed, as both had compelling reasons for being the way they were to a certain extent, though I didn’t quite buy into them entirely.
In short, I think the story has a lot of potential, but due to flaws like the ones I mentioned above, it didn’t quite work for me.
May 14, 2026
This Is Why I Need You is honestly such a messy, addictive read.
It was such a deep, emotional story about love, friendship, discovering oneself and coming together even after the hardest life events.
I love how it takes that classic girls' trip setup and just turns it into this high-tension story that is so addictive. I also appreciated how it is relatable as it hits on that exact moment where you realize a friendship is only surviving on history, and sometimes that just isn't enough anymore.
Seeing Zinnia and Fay’s secrets finally start to leak out while Kiara and Valentina are just struggling to keep the peace while balancing their own messy lives made it so hard to put down.
It’s super character-driven and does a wonderful job showing that thin line between loving someone and actually resenting them for who they’ve become.
If you’re into stories that are a little dark and dive deep into complicated female dynamics, you’ll definitely be obsessed with this one. It’s the perfect blend of contemporary drama and that "can't outrun your past" vibe.
Grateful for the opportunity to read this novel! ❤️
It was such a deep, emotional story about love, friendship, discovering oneself and coming together even after the hardest life events.
I love how it takes that classic girls' trip setup and just turns it into this high-tension story that is so addictive. I also appreciated how it is relatable as it hits on that exact moment where you realize a friendship is only surviving on history, and sometimes that just isn't enough anymore.
Seeing Zinnia and Fay’s secrets finally start to leak out while Kiara and Valentina are just struggling to keep the peace while balancing their own messy lives made it so hard to put down.
It’s super character-driven and does a wonderful job showing that thin line between loving someone and actually resenting them for who they’ve become.
If you’re into stories that are a little dark and dive deep into complicated female dynamics, you’ll definitely be obsessed with this one. It’s the perfect blend of contemporary drama and that "can't outrun your past" vibe.
Grateful for the opportunity to read this novel! ❤️
May 18, 2026
Four women in their 30s, friends since high school, go on an annual weekend trip that ends up driving them apart. Zinnia is married with two young children but it is also having an affair with Fay without telling Fay that her family will soon be moving far away. Valentina rejected the marriage proposal of her long-term boyfriend, blurting out while he was on one knee, that she had cheated. Kiara is engaged to a man who is controlling and dismissive of her, while also being loving and affectionate.
The novel alternates between each woman as narrator both during and in the months after the weekend trip. Each must deal with the issues in her own life as well as the breaks in their friendships with one another.
I was initially drawn into this book and even when things got less engaging toward the middle, I was still interested to learn how it would all turn out. But some of the ways in which things were resolved were accompanied by a lot of sophisticated insights that seemed a bit too much for these characters. A good exploration of long-term female friendships and relationships with some flaws.
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley.
The novel alternates between each woman as narrator both during and in the months after the weekend trip. Each must deal with the issues in her own life as well as the breaks in their friendships with one another.
I was initially drawn into this book and even when things got less engaging toward the middle, I was still interested to learn how it would all turn out. But some of the ways in which things were resolved were accompanied by a lot of sophisticated insights that seemed a bit too much for these characters. A good exploration of long-term female friendships and relationships with some flaws.
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There’s something quietly honest about This Is Why I Need You—a story that leans into the messy, complicated reality of long-term friendships and the ways we grow (and sometimes grow apart).
Set against a girls’ trip that promises sunshine but delivers tension, this book captures that all-too-real feeling of outgrowing versions of yourself—and maybe the people tied to them. The dynamics between Zinnia, Fay, Kiara, and Valentina felt authentic, especially in the way small resentments and unspoken truths slowly rise to the surface.
That said, the pacing felt uneven at times, and I found myself wanting a bit more emotional depth in certain moments that could have hit harder. While the themes of friendship, identity, and change are strong, the execution didn’t always fully land for me.
Still, it’s a thoughtful and relatable debut that many readers will see pieces of themselves in—especially if you’ve ever questioned where you stand with the people who once felt like everything.
Thank you to NetGalley and ECW Press for the ARC
Set against a girls’ trip that promises sunshine but delivers tension, this book captures that all-too-real feeling of outgrowing versions of yourself—and maybe the people tied to them. The dynamics between Zinnia, Fay, Kiara, and Valentina felt authentic, especially in the way small resentments and unspoken truths slowly rise to the surface.
That said, the pacing felt uneven at times, and I found myself wanting a bit more emotional depth in certain moments that could have hit harder. While the themes of friendship, identity, and change are strong, the execution didn’t always fully land for me.
Still, it’s a thoughtful and relatable debut that many readers will see pieces of themselves in—especially if you’ve ever questioned where you stand with the people who once felt like everything.
Thank you to NetGalley and ECW Press for the ARC
May 11, 2026
This book just wasn’t for me. There wasn’t anything wrong with the writing. It was written fine. It was the storyline and the characters that I really struggled with. The characters were very insufferable and vapid. I didn’t want to read about women complaining about trivial problems like which designer is better in a time when the vast majority of us can’t pay for groceries. Belief had to be really suspended to believe this book. Especially when the women either didn’t have jobs or had recently lost them but could jump on a plane on a whim and eat out for every meal. It wasn’t realistic. The story is told in three parts. The timeline didn’t make any jumps in those parts. The story continued to progress and each part shows their individual stories progressing as well as how their friendship with each other changed over the course of a year. During the second part, we witness the women really taking on some challenging issues like child loss and parental loss. I think this book had potential but the characters just were too unlikable.
May 14, 2026
A Joyfully Jay review.
3 stars
This book has a lot going on as the women deal with Zin’s cheating, Val’s father’s death, Kiara’s toxic relationship, her fiance’s negging and gaslighting, her pregnancy and miscarriage, and Fay dealing with Zin’s lying and cruelty. Kiara’s miscarriage is obviously a giant part of her story. It isn’t just there for the drama and gone; it’s a grief that stays with her, especially on her due date. It’s beautiful, it’s sad, and it’s something so many women go through. But for those readers who neither want to read about such things nor feel comfortable with them, there are so many other books out there for you and I hope you find one that you enjoy.
This book is messy, and if you like messy books, you might enjoy this. But there’s no resolution to anything beyond a banal “yay” at the end. For me, this is a solid pass.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
3 stars
This book has a lot going on as the women deal with Zin’s cheating, Val’s father’s death, Kiara’s toxic relationship, her fiance’s negging and gaslighting, her pregnancy and miscarriage, and Fay dealing with Zin’s lying and cruelty. Kiara’s miscarriage is obviously a giant part of her story. It isn’t just there for the drama and gone; it’s a grief that stays with her, especially on her due date. It’s beautiful, it’s sad, and it’s something so many women go through. But for those readers who neither want to read about such things nor feel comfortable with them, there are so many other books out there for you and I hope you find one that you enjoy.
This book is messy, and if you like messy books, you might enjoy this. But there’s no resolution to anything beyond a banal “yay” at the end. For me, this is a solid pass.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
May 13, 2026
This is Why I Need You is the story of 4 messy girls in a friend group in their early 30s. From each perspective, we get to know each character in the first person and all the messy mistakes they’re getting into.
Zinnia is a mother and wife having a secret affair with her best friend Fay. Fay is upset Zinnia won’t leave her husband. Val has just ended her marriage, claiming she cheated. Kiara has a fiancé who clearly sucks and the relationship is not healthy.
When all four come together on an annual trip they are buzzing with suspicion and resentment for each other while secretly navigating their own life.
I really enjoyed this book! I think it’s relatable and many adult friend group function this way. It’s a great read if you love a character driven story or ensemble novel. Thanks to EVW for the gifted copy.
Zinnia is a mother and wife having a secret affair with her best friend Fay. Fay is upset Zinnia won’t leave her husband. Val has just ended her marriage, claiming she cheated. Kiara has a fiancé who clearly sucks and the relationship is not healthy.
When all four come together on an annual trip they are buzzing with suspicion and resentment for each other while secretly navigating their own life.
I really enjoyed this book! I think it’s relatable and many adult friend group function this way. It’s a great read if you love a character driven story or ensemble novel. Thanks to EVW for the gifted copy.
May 13, 2026
I wanted to love this book. The blurb about female friendships and a pact to always go on vacation together felt very "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" but make it grown up. So I was looking forward to an emotional read about life and the work that adult friendships require.
Unfortunately I struggled to get thru this book. I am all about character flaws and growth through out a book, but I could not root for any of these characters.
I will say despite my dislike for the plot and characters the book is well written and I enjoyed the format. It provides the POV of each of the 4 FMCs strategically timed so that important conversations and plot elements are on page in a way that gives just the right amount of information from the POV that made the most sense.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Unfortunately I struggled to get thru this book. I am all about character flaws and growth through out a book, but I could not root for any of these characters.
I will say despite my dislike for the plot and characters the book is well written and I enjoyed the format. It provides the POV of each of the 4 FMCs strategically timed so that important conversations and plot elements are on page in a way that gives just the right amount of information from the POV that made the most sense.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
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