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Who We Were
IT'S BEEN TWENTY YEARS
BUT ALL IS NOT FORGIVEN
Katy is not the shy schoolgirl she once was, and she's looking forward to showing her classmates who she's become. Annabel was the queen bee, but her fall from grace changed her life forever. Zach was cruel, but he thinks he's changed. Robbie was a target. And he never stood a chance.
Their reunion will bring together friends and enemies, many for the first time in decades. But someone is still holding a grudge, and will stop at nothing to reveal their darkest secrets...
BUT ALL IS NOT FORGIVEN
Katy is not the shy schoolgirl she once was, and she's looking forward to showing her classmates who she's become. Annabel was the queen bee, but her fall from grace changed her life forever. Zach was cruel, but he thinks he's changed. Robbie was a target. And he never stood a chance.
Their reunion will bring together friends and enemies, many for the first time in decades. But someone is still holding a grudge, and will stop at nothing to reveal their darkest secrets...
416 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2020
66 people are currently reading
1282 people want to read
About the author
B.M. Carroll
5 books118 followersLibrarian Note: B.M. Carroll also writes under the name Ber Carroll.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
May 23, 2020
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
4.5 stars
Writing for the second time under the name of B.M. Carroll, Ber Carroll presents her awaiting audience with yet another brilliant, astute and consuming thriller. Who We Were uses the stage of a high school reunion to unfurl a story of regret, revenge, deceit and mystery. I couldn’t take my eyes off this one and I begrudged having to turn my reading lamp off and stop reading before I was able to reach the thrilling climax of Who We Were.
Turning back the clock to twenty years earlier, a group of students at an Australian high school created a yearbook charting their memories and reflections of their poignant high school years. For one of these students, high school was an absolute nightmare. Now, two decades after they forged a new life for themselves as adults, this cohort is drawn together again as plans for a reunion are made. At the head of these arrangements is Katy. We learn that Katy is very keen to prove to everyone that she is a somebody. We also catch up with other members of this alumni, including the popular crowd and the outsiders. As reconnections are made and the reunion begins to take shape, a terrible set of messages received by the former students from an unknown source hits hard. These malicious accusations follow an awful event, that strikes at the very heart of reunion group. It is unclear who is responsible for these dangerous threats, with many in the group holding secrets. Who is desperate enough to seek a deadly form of revenge for mistakes made in the past?
What a juicy and colourful subject to base a book on. Who We Were tackles the cruel and unfair world of high school, with an additional focus on reunion plans. I have to say I was relieved when I was unable to attend both my ten year and twenty year high school reunion, due to distance constraints (I went to high school in the UK and I now live in Australia). As much as there are a handful of old friends I would love to catch up with, there are some awful memories of high school that continue to haunt me to this day. B.M. Carroll does a truly excellent job of ripping apart the high school experience, warts and all, along with providing the reader with a solid focus on life after the final school bell has rung.
I will admit that it took some time to settle into the groove of this novel, but I’m glad I persisted. There are seven different narrators that alternate as the book progresses. I loved how we were introduced to these narrators via their life at present and their past aspirations thanks to their respective yearbook entries. Although there are multiple voices to be heard, each is inhabited well by Carroll. I also appreciated that Carroll sign-posted each character interchange with a chapter heading, this assisted my reading process, which I found to be smooth and very addictive.
The time period, which tracks back to the past in 2000, is recreated very well. I felt a sense of nostalgia wash over me as I read through these areas of the book. Being very close in age to the characters, with my own graduation year just one year prior to the set in this book, I was able to completely relate. I was also able to see shades of myself, my friends and members of my high school cohort in Carroll’s figures. It was little confronting at times to be reminded of this difficult past, but the realistic tone Carroll takes carried me through the hard times. Carroll does a fine job of providing a good cross section of characters. However, it was Robbie and Katy that seemed to occupy a firm place in my thoughts.
The central mystery was simply fantastic and it urged me along. The idea that someone was behind a sinister set of punishing yearbook entries outing regrets, mistakes and failures made for an interesting read. It was quite crushing for the characters and witnessing their responses was devastating at times. Carroll sets up plenty of red herrings and I wasn’t able to pick the culprit’s identity. Carroll managed to stay one step ahead of this reader, what an astute plotter!
There are a number of themes that really got to me as a I read this novel. From bullying, loneliness, disconnection, acceptance, misunderstanding, pregnancy, parenting, medical conditions, disability, drug use, loss and mental illness, Who We Were covers plenty of contentious territory. B.M Carroll provides a subtle word of caution in her new novel and she draws our attention to feelings of regret, past mistakes and retrospect. These warnings are still occupying my thoughts, which is perhaps a sign of the power of this book.
*I wish to thank Allen & Unwin for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Who We Were is book #58 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
4.5 stars
Writing for the second time under the name of B.M. Carroll, Ber Carroll presents her awaiting audience with yet another brilliant, astute and consuming thriller. Who We Were uses the stage of a high school reunion to unfurl a story of regret, revenge, deceit and mystery. I couldn’t take my eyes off this one and I begrudged having to turn my reading lamp off and stop reading before I was able to reach the thrilling climax of Who We Were.
Turning back the clock to twenty years earlier, a group of students at an Australian high school created a yearbook charting their memories and reflections of their poignant high school years. For one of these students, high school was an absolute nightmare. Now, two decades after they forged a new life for themselves as adults, this cohort is drawn together again as plans for a reunion are made. At the head of these arrangements is Katy. We learn that Katy is very keen to prove to everyone that she is a somebody. We also catch up with other members of this alumni, including the popular crowd and the outsiders. As reconnections are made and the reunion begins to take shape, a terrible set of messages received by the former students from an unknown source hits hard. These malicious accusations follow an awful event, that strikes at the very heart of reunion group. It is unclear who is responsible for these dangerous threats, with many in the group holding secrets. Who is desperate enough to seek a deadly form of revenge for mistakes made in the past?
What a juicy and colourful subject to base a book on. Who We Were tackles the cruel and unfair world of high school, with an additional focus on reunion plans. I have to say I was relieved when I was unable to attend both my ten year and twenty year high school reunion, due to distance constraints (I went to high school in the UK and I now live in Australia). As much as there are a handful of old friends I would love to catch up with, there are some awful memories of high school that continue to haunt me to this day. B.M. Carroll does a truly excellent job of ripping apart the high school experience, warts and all, along with providing the reader with a solid focus on life after the final school bell has rung.
I will admit that it took some time to settle into the groove of this novel, but I’m glad I persisted. There are seven different narrators that alternate as the book progresses. I loved how we were introduced to these narrators via their life at present and their past aspirations thanks to their respective yearbook entries. Although there are multiple voices to be heard, each is inhabited well by Carroll. I also appreciated that Carroll sign-posted each character interchange with a chapter heading, this assisted my reading process, which I found to be smooth and very addictive.
The time period, which tracks back to the past in 2000, is recreated very well. I felt a sense of nostalgia wash over me as I read through these areas of the book. Being very close in age to the characters, with my own graduation year just one year prior to the set in this book, I was able to completely relate. I was also able to see shades of myself, my friends and members of my high school cohort in Carroll’s figures. It was little confronting at times to be reminded of this difficult past, but the realistic tone Carroll takes carried me through the hard times. Carroll does a fine job of providing a good cross section of characters. However, it was Robbie and Katy that seemed to occupy a firm place in my thoughts.
The central mystery was simply fantastic and it urged me along. The idea that someone was behind a sinister set of punishing yearbook entries outing regrets, mistakes and failures made for an interesting read. It was quite crushing for the characters and witnessing their responses was devastating at times. Carroll sets up plenty of red herrings and I wasn’t able to pick the culprit’s identity. Carroll managed to stay one step ahead of this reader, what an astute plotter!
There are a number of themes that really got to me as a I read this novel. From bullying, loneliness, disconnection, acceptance, misunderstanding, pregnancy, parenting, medical conditions, disability, drug use, loss and mental illness, Who We Were covers plenty of contentious territory. B.M Carroll provides a subtle word of caution in her new novel and she draws our attention to feelings of regret, past mistakes and retrospect. These warnings are still occupying my thoughts, which is perhaps a sign of the power of this book.
*I wish to thank Allen & Unwin for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Who We Were is book #58 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
April 25, 2020
“Annabel Moore: pretty, popular, poisonous.
Grace McCrae: couldn’t go to the toilet without Annabel.
Zach Latham: thought he was so fucking funny, the idiot.
Melissa Andrews: stuck-up bitch.
Luke Willis: gay as Christmas.
Katy Buckley: always trying to be everyone’s friend.
Jarrod Harris: Annabel’s on-and-off boyfriend till he got her up the duff and became full-time ‘on’. Jarrod is the one he despises the most.”
Who We Were is the second novel by Australian author B.M. Carroll (who also writes as Ber Carroll). For the twenty-year reunion of class of 2000 at Macquarie High School, Katy Buckley, now a science teacher, thinks it would be a great idea to update the yearbook entries to reflect their present-day lives. But someone has taken this idea to a level with which most of the school’s ex-students would not be comfortable: official-looking emails mimicking the yearbook entries are dropping into inboxes, and they reveal private lives most have not, nor would prefer to, share.
By the time several people have received these disturbing, perhaps even slightly threatening, messages, brains are racked to deduce who the sender might be, trust is strained and suspicions emerge. Katy has second thoughts, wonders if she should cancel the whole thing, but is encouraged by the others to persevere.
Then a shocking assault has them wondering if it is related to the messages. Invasions of privacy induce a bit of paranoia, and several recipients look back on their treatment of a certain student, most with guilt and remorse, and realise that resentment of their teenaged behaviour could furnish a motive.
The story’s narrative is from seven perspectives that make it clear that several of the characters are in very different places from what was expected when they left Macquarie High. Carroll’s characters are easily relatable, and their dialogue familiar, the sort we all encounter in the café, bar or supermarket. Her depictions of teenaged cruelty, insecurity, drug use, anxiety and rebelliousness are convincing. The story also features homelessness, bullying, cliques, and step-children.
The story is set in 2020, but it’s not the written-by-Stephen-King 2020 we currently inhabit, it’s the 2020 we might have had if COVID-19 had not reared its ugly head. The mystery aspect (which definitely has a Big Little Lies/Liane Moriarty feel) is skilfully done, and even the most astute reader will be kept guessing until the final chapters. This is a brilliant novel, a moving and thought-provoking read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Serpent's Tail/Profile Books
Grace McCrae: couldn’t go to the toilet without Annabel.
Zach Latham: thought he was so fucking funny, the idiot.
Melissa Andrews: stuck-up bitch.
Luke Willis: gay as Christmas.
Katy Buckley: always trying to be everyone’s friend.
Jarrod Harris: Annabel’s on-and-off boyfriend till he got her up the duff and became full-time ‘on’. Jarrod is the one he despises the most.”
Who We Were is the second novel by Australian author B.M. Carroll (who also writes as Ber Carroll). For the twenty-year reunion of class of 2000 at Macquarie High School, Katy Buckley, now a science teacher, thinks it would be a great idea to update the yearbook entries to reflect their present-day lives. But someone has taken this idea to a level with which most of the school’s ex-students would not be comfortable: official-looking emails mimicking the yearbook entries are dropping into inboxes, and they reveal private lives most have not, nor would prefer to, share.
By the time several people have received these disturbing, perhaps even slightly threatening, messages, brains are racked to deduce who the sender might be, trust is strained and suspicions emerge. Katy has second thoughts, wonders if she should cancel the whole thing, but is encouraged by the others to persevere.
Then a shocking assault has them wondering if it is related to the messages. Invasions of privacy induce a bit of paranoia, and several recipients look back on their treatment of a certain student, most with guilt and remorse, and realise that resentment of their teenaged behaviour could furnish a motive.
The story’s narrative is from seven perspectives that make it clear that several of the characters are in very different places from what was expected when they left Macquarie High. Carroll’s characters are easily relatable, and their dialogue familiar, the sort we all encounter in the café, bar or supermarket. Her depictions of teenaged cruelty, insecurity, drug use, anxiety and rebelliousness are convincing. The story also features homelessness, bullying, cliques, and step-children.
The story is set in 2020, but it’s not the written-by-Stephen-King 2020 we currently inhabit, it’s the 2020 we might have had if COVID-19 had not reared its ugly head. The mystery aspect (which definitely has a Big Little Lies/Liane Moriarty feel) is skilfully done, and even the most astute reader will be kept guessing until the final chapters. This is a brilliant novel, a moving and thought-provoking read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Serpent's Tail/Profile Books
September 16, 2020
*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
**4.5 stars**
Who We Were by B.M. Carroll. (2020).
20 years after they went their separate ways, friends and enemies are coming together for their school reunion. Katy is desperate to show she's not the shy girl anymore. Annabel ruled the school until her fall from grace. Zach who was popular but cruel thinks he's a changed man. And Robbie was always the victim who never stood a chance. As the reunion nears, anonymous threats are made and a terrible event that binds everyone begins to resurface. Everyone in their own way is guilty and someone is out for revenge...
I was in the mood for a fast-paced suspense thriller type novel and this one definitely hit the spot for me. I think this kind of story demonstrates just how long a lot of us are affected by events that occurred at high school, particularly any kind of negative experiences. I can't say I got overly attached to any character in particular as we do switch between perspectives frequently but I probably found Katy the most relatable, and had a lot of empathy for Robbie. I found Zach quite interesting as he clearly had the most growth from high school. One character who wasn't mentioned at all in the synopsis was Grace who ended up being one of the best characters to follow in my opinion. There are quite a few clever red herrings in relation to the culprit behind the nasty notes and readers will have trouble guessing who exactly is behind everything. Events escalate fast and I was definitely not expecting certain events to occur (no spoilers, read it yourselves haha).
I would happily recommend this gripping novel.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
**4.5 stars**
Who We Were by B.M. Carroll. (2020).
20 years after they went their separate ways, friends and enemies are coming together for their school reunion. Katy is desperate to show she's not the shy girl anymore. Annabel ruled the school until her fall from grace. Zach who was popular but cruel thinks he's a changed man. And Robbie was always the victim who never stood a chance. As the reunion nears, anonymous threats are made and a terrible event that binds everyone begins to resurface. Everyone in their own way is guilty and someone is out for revenge...
I was in the mood for a fast-paced suspense thriller type novel and this one definitely hit the spot for me. I think this kind of story demonstrates just how long a lot of us are affected by events that occurred at high school, particularly any kind of negative experiences. I can't say I got overly attached to any character in particular as we do switch between perspectives frequently but I probably found Katy the most relatable, and had a lot of empathy for Robbie. I found Zach quite interesting as he clearly had the most growth from high school. One character who wasn't mentioned at all in the synopsis was Grace who ended up being one of the best characters to follow in my opinion. There are quite a few clever red herrings in relation to the culprit behind the nasty notes and readers will have trouble guessing who exactly is behind everything. Events escalate fast and I was definitely not expecting certain events to occur (no spoilers, read it yourselves haha).
I would happily recommend this gripping novel.
July 27, 2020
I enjoyed this one for the most part. The mystery kept me guessing until the end. However, the "thriller" angle of the story took a back seat to the lives of all the characters. The characters themselves were intriguing, so that definitely went a long way in keeping me interested. So ya, I liked it, but it wasn't something that blew me away.
May 8, 2020
Who We Were is the second standalone thriller to be written under the nom de plume BM Carroll and is a gripping novel about the power of childhood cruelty, and how it makes us the adults we become. "IT'S BEEN TWENTY YEARS...BUT ALL IS NOT FORGIVEN." Katy is not the shy schoolgirl she once was, and she's looking forward to showing her classmates who she's become. Annabel was the queen bee. But her fall from grace changed her life forever. Zach was cruel, but he thinks he's changed. Robbie was a target. And he never stood a chance. The reunion will bring together friends and enemies, many for the first time in decades. But someone is still holding a grudge. As secrets and lies abound with the tension expertly ratcheted up and the hidden feelings of the limited suspect pool beginning to unravel themselves, we see old resentments fizzle up and rise to the fore and characters start to take drastic measures. Revenge is sweet, or so they say...
This is a compulsive, pacey and deeply thought-provoking read that deals with a multitude of problems encountered by teens as they come-of-age. The group of long-term frenemies make up the bulk of the cast and they are written in such an engaging, believable and very intriguing fashion and they each appear to have huge egos. It's a thoroughly enjoyable, well-written tale with a plot that rapidly becomes addictive. You can very much see the ripple effect of past trauma and repressed memories as they impact lives despite being decades later. It's a simple tale told from varying points of view and although it isn't exactly brimming with originality it was well crafted. This is exactly the type of book you could use as escapism as it's fun, entertaining, straightforward in terms of plot and a compelling way to pass a couple of hours. Recommended. Many thanks to Viper for an ARC.
This is a compulsive, pacey and deeply thought-provoking read that deals with a multitude of problems encountered by teens as they come-of-age. The group of long-term frenemies make up the bulk of the cast and they are written in such an engaging, believable and very intriguing fashion and they each appear to have huge egos. It's a thoroughly enjoyable, well-written tale with a plot that rapidly becomes addictive. You can very much see the ripple effect of past trauma and repressed memories as they impact lives despite being decades later. It's a simple tale told from varying points of view and although it isn't exactly brimming with originality it was well crafted. This is exactly the type of book you could use as escapism as it's fun, entertaining, straightforward in terms of plot and a compelling way to pass a couple of hours. Recommended. Many thanks to Viper for an ARC.
June 27, 2020
I actually really enjoyed this book! I bought it as I seen that Liane Moriarty had posted about it on her fb page so thought it would be worth a try. I found it to be a similar writing style to hers which I just love!! Glad I picked this one up 😊
November 20, 2019
Who We Were is a highly addictive novel, part character drama part psychological thriller with some really engaging characters, a beautifully tense group dynamic that keeps you turning the pages.
I’ve always avoided my school reunions to be honest, fairly sure there’s a few people who at the very least would glance at me sideways, this book is basically that- the way we were versus the way we are. Do people really change and let’s just say there’s at least one person holding a severe grudge…
I loved this because it explored all the nuances of growing up and the benefit of hindsight, threw some real life difficult experience into the mix and did so through genuinely authentic and memorable characters. You’ll find yourself in here somewhere – the popular kid or the quiet kid, the comic or the clever one and you’ll rock along with them hoping all will be ok.
Well it probably won’t be ok because there’s at least one person out there with malice in mind.
Excellent. Very much recommended. Another to watch in 2020.
October 7, 2020
“Annabel Moore: pretty, popular, poisonous.
Grace McCrae: couldn’t go to the toilet without Annabel.
Zach Latham: thought he was so fucking funny, the idiot.
Melissa Andrews: stuck-up bitch.
Luke Willis: gay as Christmas.
Katy Buckley: always trying to be everyone’s friend.
Jarrod Harris: Annabel’s on-and-off boyfriend till he got her up the duff and became full-time ‘on’. Jarrod is the one he despises the most.”
The second standalone thriller by B.M. Carroll, WHO WE WERE is about the power of childhood cruelty and how it can shape us into the adults we become. The way we were versus the way we are now. It raises the question and explores the notion "do people really change?"
It's been twenty years...but all is not forgiven.
As someone who was always on the periphery during high school, Katy Buckley is keen to prove to everyone that she is now somebody. The class of 2000 from Macquarie High School is approaching twenty years and Katy, now a science teacher, is organising a reunion and thinks it would be a great idea to update the yearbook entries reflecting their present day lives.
Throughout the course of putting together plans for the reunion and tracking down old classmates, someone has decided to take the updated yearbook idea to a different level by writing their own version of the entries and then sending them to their respective recipients. The emails are official looking and mimic the previous entries yet revealing mean and harsh facts, private aspects of the lives these former students would rather not share. At first it was thought to be a joke, albeit a cruel one. But then the entries continue, revealing innermost secrets and private fears...and no one is exempt.
At school, Annabel was a "mean girl". She was pretty and popular and had friends trailing in her wake. Now she is 37, married to her high school sweetheart Jarrod with three children - Jemma, Daniel and Mia. But Annabel's life is not as perfect as outwardly seen. And someone knows what she and Jarrod have tried to keep quiet.
Grace was Annabel's bestie in school and remains so to this day. She is now married to hunky Tom and has four children - Tahlia, Poppy, Lauren and Billy. Her big regret was listening to Annabel's ministrations about "dropping" who was not socially acceptable...and someone knows this. Someone also knows her deepest fears about her daughter Lauren, who is anxious of just about everything.
Melissa was always destined to succeed...although she didn't succeed in keeping Jarrod. Not after just two short months when he revealed that Annabel was pregnant and that he was sticking by her. Now Melissa is married to Henry but lives alone in her apartment overlooking Bondi Beach. Henry has a separate house in which his teenage children live with him because they have refused to accept Melissa. At least she has a successful career as marketing director...but is she happy? And how does this person know about her living arrangements and secret fears?
Zach was one of those boys who just loved taking the piss out of everything and everyone...and using it as his "party piece" just for laughs. He was insensitively cruel without really thinking about it; he just wanted to be the centre of attention and make everyone laugh. But Zach had a defining moment not long after leaving high school which changed the course of his life. He became a doctor, gave back to the community, married his beautiful wife Isabel (also a doctor) and has a son Carson, who is a joy to his life. But Carson is not a normal child and as much as Zach loves him, he also fears for him. And someone knows these fears. They also know of his deepest secret which he has never confessed to his wife.
Luke was naturally funny and someone who was, strangely enough, comfortable in his own skin. He came out as gay as a teenager, which enraged his father who refused to accept his son as a "faggot", so he escaped to the other side of the world after graduating and became a flight attendant. Now living in London with Aaron, Luke wants nothing more than to marry the love of his life but can't find the courage to ask him. But someone knows something else about Luke...something he didn't even know. And drops on him a bombshell that leaves him reeling...
Katy was a science nerd with bright red hair. It was a given that she would not be one of the popular ones. But neither was she cruel. She was kind and always tried to be everyone's friend. She would leave birthday cards in their lockers on their birthdays...for some it meant the world. To others, like Annabel, it only fueled their hate of her. Now Katy is a science teacher and doesn't take no crap from the type of kids she used to shy away from. But Katy is lonely. She is 37 and single...and she wants a baby. And she knows who she wants to ask to donate to her cause...as does somebody else.
Jarrod was Annabel's on-again/off-again boyfriend throughout school until she fell pregnant and then he devoted his time and effort into being a good husband, father and provider for Annabel and their baby. But Jarrod did something that someone has never forgiven him for...
And then there is Robbie. Robbie was the one everyone taunted and made fun of. He was the easy target with his epilepsy and his sensitive nature. He was the butt of everyone's jokes. And yet no one bothered to take the time to get to know him. He was depressed, he hated life and he hated himself. When he was 18, Robbie left home suddenly and never returned...until now.
Everyone had a part to play - both now and 20 years ago - and these malicious accusations stir each of them and their lives, wondering who is taunting them? Who knows these things about them? And how do they know? It is unclear just who is responsible for these malevolent grievances with so many hiding secrets. But who is desperate enough to embark on a sadistic revenge for mistakes made when they were no more than children?
These disturbing and slightly threatening messages begin to unsettle the group as some find themselves suspecting others. Katy begins to have second thoughts and wonders whether she should just cancel the whole thing but she is encouraged by the others to persevere.
But then a shocking assault leaves them all wondering if it is related to the messages or something else entirely. And as the group look back on their teenage behaviour twenty years ago, mostly with guilt and remorse, they begin to realise that such actions may have borne a resentment which could now become motive. And as such, only one person comes to mind. But would they? Do they have the capacity? The ability to undertake such a malicious action with such malevolence? Or is there someone else they have failed to recall?
Unfolding through seven perspectives, WHO WE WERE is clear and concise in narrative so that the reader is not left discombobulated by the sheer number of POVs. Each narrative flows seamlessly into the next at each perfect moment, building a picture of each of the characters as individuals and as a whole. It is cleverly told and very well written, dealing with a multitude of problems from teenage bullying and cruelty, loneliness, depression, anxiety, insecurity, drug use, rebelliousness disability and homelessness. The depiction of each of these issues is convincing.
Whilst not a thriller as such, WHO WE WERE was indeed a mystery of sorts that makes for an addictive and compulsive read from beginning to end. I couldn't get enough of it...even if it did remind me a little of my own terrible teenage years at school. It has been likened to Liane Moriarty's "Big Little Lies" although I couldn't agree or disagree having never read it.
But what WHO WE WERE does do is beg the question "do people really change?" The way we were versus the way we are now. For most of us, school is a time we would probably rather forget...for different reasons more than likely. But for some it's a time that, while we would rather forget, still haunts us through the taunts we received and the cruelty we endured. I was not one of the "mean girls" (I loathed them); I was one of those taunted and belittled who was not worthy of their popularity...so I could really empathise. Part of me was Katy Buckley, wanting to be everyone's friend although I wasn't as smart as her...and in no way would I become a school teacher and revisit that awful time daily.
As a side note, I was thrilled to discover the Irish born author now resides in my city of Sydney and so therefore I was familiar with many of the places mentioned that I could picture them, such as Manly and Bondi Beach. It's always a refreshing change to recognise places I have actually been to...for example when one of them was trying to decide whether he would have more success with hailing a taxi (in Manly) at the wharf or the beachfront. Hahaha...both places are next to impossible.
A thoroughly engaging read I couldn't put down, WHO WE WERE is an enjoyable well-written tale with a plot that rapidly becomes addictive. I have no hesitation in recommending this thoroughly gripping read.
I would like to thank #BMCarroll, #NetGalley and #ViperBooks for an ARC of #WhoWeWere in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Grace McCrae: couldn’t go to the toilet without Annabel.
Zach Latham: thought he was so fucking funny, the idiot.
Melissa Andrews: stuck-up bitch.
Luke Willis: gay as Christmas.
Katy Buckley: always trying to be everyone’s friend.
Jarrod Harris: Annabel’s on-and-off boyfriend till he got her up the duff and became full-time ‘on’. Jarrod is the one he despises the most.”
The second standalone thriller by B.M. Carroll, WHO WE WERE is about the power of childhood cruelty and how it can shape us into the adults we become. The way we were versus the way we are now. It raises the question and explores the notion "do people really change?"
It's been twenty years...but all is not forgiven.
As someone who was always on the periphery during high school, Katy Buckley is keen to prove to everyone that she is now somebody. The class of 2000 from Macquarie High School is approaching twenty years and Katy, now a science teacher, is organising a reunion and thinks it would be a great idea to update the yearbook entries reflecting their present day lives.
Throughout the course of putting together plans for the reunion and tracking down old classmates, someone has decided to take the updated yearbook idea to a different level by writing their own version of the entries and then sending them to their respective recipients. The emails are official looking and mimic the previous entries yet revealing mean and harsh facts, private aspects of the lives these former students would rather not share. At first it was thought to be a joke, albeit a cruel one. But then the entries continue, revealing innermost secrets and private fears...and no one is exempt.
At school, Annabel was a "mean girl". She was pretty and popular and had friends trailing in her wake. Now she is 37, married to her high school sweetheart Jarrod with three children - Jemma, Daniel and Mia. But Annabel's life is not as perfect as outwardly seen. And someone knows what she and Jarrod have tried to keep quiet.
Grace was Annabel's bestie in school and remains so to this day. She is now married to hunky Tom and has four children - Tahlia, Poppy, Lauren and Billy. Her big regret was listening to Annabel's ministrations about "dropping" who was not socially acceptable...and someone knows this. Someone also knows her deepest fears about her daughter Lauren, who is anxious of just about everything.
Melissa was always destined to succeed...although she didn't succeed in keeping Jarrod. Not after just two short months when he revealed that Annabel was pregnant and that he was sticking by her. Now Melissa is married to Henry but lives alone in her apartment overlooking Bondi Beach. Henry has a separate house in which his teenage children live with him because they have refused to accept Melissa. At least she has a successful career as marketing director...but is she happy? And how does this person know about her living arrangements and secret fears?
Zach was one of those boys who just loved taking the piss out of everything and everyone...and using it as his "party piece" just for laughs. He was insensitively cruel without really thinking about it; he just wanted to be the centre of attention and make everyone laugh. But Zach had a defining moment not long after leaving high school which changed the course of his life. He became a doctor, gave back to the community, married his beautiful wife Isabel (also a doctor) and has a son Carson, who is a joy to his life. But Carson is not a normal child and as much as Zach loves him, he also fears for him. And someone knows these fears. They also know of his deepest secret which he has never confessed to his wife.
Luke was naturally funny and someone who was, strangely enough, comfortable in his own skin. He came out as gay as a teenager, which enraged his father who refused to accept his son as a "faggot", so he escaped to the other side of the world after graduating and became a flight attendant. Now living in London with Aaron, Luke wants nothing more than to marry the love of his life but can't find the courage to ask him. But someone knows something else about Luke...something he didn't even know. And drops on him a bombshell that leaves him reeling...
Katy was a science nerd with bright red hair. It was a given that she would not be one of the popular ones. But neither was she cruel. She was kind and always tried to be everyone's friend. She would leave birthday cards in their lockers on their birthdays...for some it meant the world. To others, like Annabel, it only fueled their hate of her. Now Katy is a science teacher and doesn't take no crap from the type of kids she used to shy away from. But Katy is lonely. She is 37 and single...and she wants a baby. And she knows who she wants to ask to donate to her cause...as does somebody else.
Jarrod was Annabel's on-again/off-again boyfriend throughout school until she fell pregnant and then he devoted his time and effort into being a good husband, father and provider for Annabel and their baby. But Jarrod did something that someone has never forgiven him for...
And then there is Robbie. Robbie was the one everyone taunted and made fun of. He was the easy target with his epilepsy and his sensitive nature. He was the butt of everyone's jokes. And yet no one bothered to take the time to get to know him. He was depressed, he hated life and he hated himself. When he was 18, Robbie left home suddenly and never returned...until now.
Everyone had a part to play - both now and 20 years ago - and these malicious accusations stir each of them and their lives, wondering who is taunting them? Who knows these things about them? And how do they know? It is unclear just who is responsible for these malevolent grievances with so many hiding secrets. But who is desperate enough to embark on a sadistic revenge for mistakes made when they were no more than children?
These disturbing and slightly threatening messages begin to unsettle the group as some find themselves suspecting others. Katy begins to have second thoughts and wonders whether she should just cancel the whole thing but she is encouraged by the others to persevere.
But then a shocking assault leaves them all wondering if it is related to the messages or something else entirely. And as the group look back on their teenage behaviour twenty years ago, mostly with guilt and remorse, they begin to realise that such actions may have borne a resentment which could now become motive. And as such, only one person comes to mind. But would they? Do they have the capacity? The ability to undertake such a malicious action with such malevolence? Or is there someone else they have failed to recall?
Unfolding through seven perspectives, WHO WE WERE is clear and concise in narrative so that the reader is not left discombobulated by the sheer number of POVs. Each narrative flows seamlessly into the next at each perfect moment, building a picture of each of the characters as individuals and as a whole. It is cleverly told and very well written, dealing with a multitude of problems from teenage bullying and cruelty, loneliness, depression, anxiety, insecurity, drug use, rebelliousness disability and homelessness. The depiction of each of these issues is convincing.
Whilst not a thriller as such, WHO WE WERE was indeed a mystery of sorts that makes for an addictive and compulsive read from beginning to end. I couldn't get enough of it...even if it did remind me a little of my own terrible teenage years at school. It has been likened to Liane Moriarty's "Big Little Lies" although I couldn't agree or disagree having never read it.
But what WHO WE WERE does do is beg the question "do people really change?" The way we were versus the way we are now. For most of us, school is a time we would probably rather forget...for different reasons more than likely. But for some it's a time that, while we would rather forget, still haunts us through the taunts we received and the cruelty we endured. I was not one of the "mean girls" (I loathed them); I was one of those taunted and belittled who was not worthy of their popularity...so I could really empathise. Part of me was Katy Buckley, wanting to be everyone's friend although I wasn't as smart as her...and in no way would I become a school teacher and revisit that awful time daily.
As a side note, I was thrilled to discover the Irish born author now resides in my city of Sydney and so therefore I was familiar with many of the places mentioned that I could picture them, such as Manly and Bondi Beach. It's always a refreshing change to recognise places I have actually been to...for example when one of them was trying to decide whether he would have more success with hailing a taxi (in Manly) at the wharf or the beachfront. Hahaha...both places are next to impossible.
A thoroughly engaging read I couldn't put down, WHO WE WERE is an enjoyable well-written tale with a plot that rapidly becomes addictive. I have no hesitation in recommending this thoroughly gripping read.
I would like to thank #BMCarroll, #NetGalley and #ViperBooks for an ARC of #WhoWeWere in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
August 26, 2025
This was engaging and riveting throughout. Thanks Liane Moriarity for recommending this Sydney author, it's always fun to read about one's home town, even if it mostly takes place on the wrong side of the bridge. Very involving characters told at a brisk pace, very reminicent of One of Us is Lying in a whodunnit while planning a 20 year high school reunion and a yearbook upgrade. A warning that it does get nasty at times, but always entertaining and will keep you reading until the very end.
Recommended
Recommended
January 4, 2021
This book drew me in from the cover with the broken lollipop and then reading the back with a 20th High School Reunion, I knew I would love it as I love these type of books with a revenge twist as one of my favorite horror movies is Valentine where the bullied victim from High School gets revenge on those popular girls who made his life hell during a reunion. This book starts with Katy Burch organizing a reunion and getting in touch with some of her old classmates and we get a glimpse of where they ended up and whether they met some of their goals from school. One of Katy's ideas was to make a modern yearbook about their lives these days, someone though has hijacked this idea and sending out Q and A's of their own and these are threatening the classmates as their dark and dirty secrets are coming to light. We have single woman Katy who secretly wants to have a baby with her gay classmate Luke whom she forever had a crush on, Luke who dreamed of being a broadway star and ended up a flight attendant who loves to get wasted, Annabel who was the Queen B and Jarrod her boyfriend who ended up teen parents and now dealing with a druggie son, Grace and her four kids and police officer husband Tom, Zach who was a bully and class clown who had a change of heart and now a Doctor, Good Guy and a father of a Down Syndrome child, Melissa who got her chance to rule as a CEO but her marriage though is less to be desired and then Robbie - the boy they all bullied and made his life a living hell. I loved the twists and turns of this novel and did not see the ending coming. If you love mysteries and revenge to those who deserved it, then check out Who We Were - an Australian novel by Aussie author B.M Carroll.
February 14, 2020
Sadly this wasn't for me.
The plot seemed interesting at first, but then I couldn't connect with the characters. They didn't call my attention at all. Although, this is just my point of view, so it doesn't mean there's something wrong with the book, this is more like a "sorry, it's not you, it's me" but literally.
I really wanted to like it, because thrillers are my cup of tea. Anyway, thank you so much Serpent's Tail / Profile Books and NetGalley for providing me this digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The plot seemed interesting at first, but then I couldn't connect with the characters. They didn't call my attention at all. Although, this is just my point of view, so it doesn't mean there's something wrong with the book, this is more like a "sorry, it's not you, it's me" but literally.
I really wanted to like it, because thrillers are my cup of tea. Anyway, thank you so much Serpent's Tail / Profile Books and NetGalley for providing me this digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2020
Who We Were is the latest thriller from Irish author B.M Carroll. I had previously come across Carroll’s contemporary books when she wrote under the name Berr Carroll. Like many authors before Carroll, a change of genre has led to a change of name. Who We Were has positive reviews on Goodreads and it is the first book I have read by Carroll. Set in the present time in New South Wales, Australia, the story is told in the third person using multiple points of view. While I usually don’t mind numerous narrators, I had difficulty keeping track of them in my head. For me it was just a few too many. Despite this minor problem, the themes of teenagers and high school had me hooked.
All the characters are linked together by graduating 20 years ago from the same high school and, about to come together for their reunion. As I switched between characters, it became quickly clear that like in the real world, they have all been affected by their time in high school. For some it was positive, for many more it was a negative experience that has shaped who they are as adults. Kitty is the woman who is collating an updated yearbook. Trying to get information on some former students is a breeze as they try to outshine their former classmates. They want to prove just how far they have come. Others have disappeared under the radar. Things become difficult for Kitty when anonymous threats are made against some of them, sharing personal details through a fake email account. As the danger increases Kitty and the other ex-students must decide whether to take their concerns to the authorities.
As I reminisced about my own teenager years through the various stereotypical characters, I found myself racing through the pages to an unpredictable conclusion.
All the characters are linked together by graduating 20 years ago from the same high school and, about to come together for their reunion. As I switched between characters, it became quickly clear that like in the real world, they have all been affected by their time in high school. For some it was positive, for many more it was a negative experience that has shaped who they are as adults. Kitty is the woman who is collating an updated yearbook. Trying to get information on some former students is a breeze as they try to outshine their former classmates. They want to prove just how far they have come. Others have disappeared under the radar. Things become difficult for Kitty when anonymous threats are made against some of them, sharing personal details through a fake email account. As the danger increases Kitty and the other ex-students must decide whether to take their concerns to the authorities.
As I reminisced about my own teenager years through the various stereotypical characters, I found myself racing through the pages to an unpredictable conclusion.
May 6, 2020
Once in a while, a novel hits close to home. So close that your heart wraps itself around the words and keeps them warm. The chapters ignite something in you that you thought was gone. I didn’t just relate to some elements of Who We Were. I clutched the book as a survivor medal. I am grateful that B.M. Carroll found the perfect way to capture those teenage years and the scars they leave.
High school doesn’t define you. Katy was once shy, and now she is beaming, at the top of her career. Annabel had won the Prom Queen title and tiara, but the shine didn’t last forever. Zach’s behavior and words were mean and sharp, far from the caring GP he has become. Twenty years ago, a high school year graduated. Twenty years later, Katy wants to reunite them. What better way to reconnect, see what everyone has become, compare their old aspirations to reality?
One chapter, one point of view. We get to compare the characters to the profile on their yearbook. I wish France had this kind of things. Or maybe not. As my profile (see above) shows, I was unpopular, different, not interested in dating, or partying, or anything deemed remotely ‘fun’ by teens I do not miss and would not agree to see again. I was the shy, top of the class girl who loved books more than guys. I was bullied and up to this day, never had a novel made me open my eyes to different stereotypes of high schools, nor talked to my heart in such as soothing way as did Who We Were. We only get to see the world through our own pair of eyes. B.M. Carroll opened my eyes to different sights, not as pretty as I would have thought.
So, back to the matter. The high school reunion planned by Katy takes a surprising turn when nasty messages find their way to several former students. Copying the profile they filed up in their yearbook, a mysterious person reveals mean and harsh facts, causing ripples in the lives of the adults they have all become. I like to think of Who We Were as a coming of age story. Why? Because life is an eternal coming of age story itself. We grow up until we die, nothing is set in marbles, but our experiences shape the person we become. Some find a brighter path, others peak at school, but we never truly shake the insecurities and traumas we go through. We learnt to live with them. And sometimes, we hold a grudge…
Twenty years is a long time and the novel is inhabited by many characters, so my radar was going crazy, and I couldn’t figure out who wanted revenge. Weirdly, it didn’t matter. What truly kept me engaged was the characterization, and the different angles with which the author handled many difficulties we are faced as youngsters, then adults. I like to think adults are kids who have eaten their spinach. We don’t know better, we just go along and pretend. The depth of this novel is outstanding and equals the tension ratcheting up with every chapter.
Who We Were is a cracking read. I was absorbed from the first to the final page. B.M. Carroll’s novel is stunning and addictive in every way.
High school doesn’t define you. Katy was once shy, and now she is beaming, at the top of her career. Annabel had won the Prom Queen title and tiara, but the shine didn’t last forever. Zach’s behavior and words were mean and sharp, far from the caring GP he has become. Twenty years ago, a high school year graduated. Twenty years later, Katy wants to reunite them. What better way to reconnect, see what everyone has become, compare their old aspirations to reality?
One chapter, one point of view. We get to compare the characters to the profile on their yearbook. I wish France had this kind of things. Or maybe not. As my profile (see above) shows, I was unpopular, different, not interested in dating, or partying, or anything deemed remotely ‘fun’ by teens I do not miss and would not agree to see again. I was the shy, top of the class girl who loved books more than guys. I was bullied and up to this day, never had a novel made me open my eyes to different stereotypes of high schools, nor talked to my heart in such as soothing way as did Who We Were. We only get to see the world through our own pair of eyes. B.M. Carroll opened my eyes to different sights, not as pretty as I would have thought.
So, back to the matter. The high school reunion planned by Katy takes a surprising turn when nasty messages find their way to several former students. Copying the profile they filed up in their yearbook, a mysterious person reveals mean and harsh facts, causing ripples in the lives of the adults they have all become. I like to think of Who We Were as a coming of age story. Why? Because life is an eternal coming of age story itself. We grow up until we die, nothing is set in marbles, but our experiences shape the person we become. Some find a brighter path, others peak at school, but we never truly shake the insecurities and traumas we go through. We learnt to live with them. And sometimes, we hold a grudge…
Twenty years is a long time and the novel is inhabited by many characters, so my radar was going crazy, and I couldn’t figure out who wanted revenge. Weirdly, it didn’t matter. What truly kept me engaged was the characterization, and the different angles with which the author handled many difficulties we are faced as youngsters, then adults. I like to think adults are kids who have eaten their spinach. We don’t know better, we just go along and pretend. The depth of this novel is outstanding and equals the tension ratcheting up with every chapter.
Who We Were is a cracking read. I was absorbed from the first to the final page. B.M. Carroll’s novel is stunning and addictive in every way.
May 20, 2020
Who We Were is an entertaining, fast paced contemporary suspense novel from Irish born Australian author B.M.Carroll, (who pens womens fiction as Ber Carroll).
In organising their twenty year high school reunion, Katy Barclay invites her former school mates of Macquarie High to answer a few questions to create an update of their yearbook. Annabel is the first to receive a spiteful email with her questions completed by someone else, Grace is next. In both instances the mystery writer knows details about their lives that no stranger should. Katy initially dismisses it as a thoughtless prank but soon more of her classmates, notably members of a particular clique, are targeted.
Who We Were unfolds from multiple viewpoints giving each character the opportunity to share their current lives, and their perspectives on their shared past. Katy, as the reunion organiser, acts as the story’s anchor. Along with Annabel (and by extension her husband Jarrod) and Grace, whom have remained friends over the years, we also meet Melissa, Luke, Zach and Robbie. I found the characters recognisable, and even relatable, both as teenagers, (as it happens my highschool ‘Queen Bee’ was also named Annabel), and as adults (like Grace I’m a SAHM of four).
Most of the group harbour regrets from their high school days (I think there are few of us who don’t), and any one of them could have reason to be holding a grudge. Carroll carefully lays misdirects and red herrings as the threats escalate, which left me guessing as to the identity of the guilty party for most of the novel.
With a dramatic conclusion, a well crafted plot and interesting characters, I really enjoyed Who We Were, and I’m happy to recommend it.
In organising their twenty year high school reunion, Katy Barclay invites her former school mates of Macquarie High to answer a few questions to create an update of their yearbook. Annabel is the first to receive a spiteful email with her questions completed by someone else, Grace is next. In both instances the mystery writer knows details about their lives that no stranger should. Katy initially dismisses it as a thoughtless prank but soon more of her classmates, notably members of a particular clique, are targeted.
Who We Were unfolds from multiple viewpoints giving each character the opportunity to share their current lives, and their perspectives on their shared past. Katy, as the reunion organiser, acts as the story’s anchor. Along with Annabel (and by extension her husband Jarrod) and Grace, whom have remained friends over the years, we also meet Melissa, Luke, Zach and Robbie. I found the characters recognisable, and even relatable, both as teenagers, (as it happens my highschool ‘Queen Bee’ was also named Annabel), and as adults (like Grace I’m a SAHM of four).
Most of the group harbour regrets from their high school days (I think there are few of us who don’t), and any one of them could have reason to be holding a grudge. Carroll carefully lays misdirects and red herrings as the threats escalate, which left me guessing as to the identity of the guilty party for most of the novel.
With a dramatic conclusion, a well crafted plot and interesting characters, I really enjoyed Who We Were, and I’m happy to recommend it.
February 17, 2020
It’s been 20 years since high school finished and Katy is organising a reunion, she’s excited to show everyone that she’s not the same girl she was 20 years ago, but mention of a reunion doesn’t spark happy feelings for everyone, someone is holding a grudge and will stop at nothing to get revenge....
This is book was certainly entertaining! Once I was nearing the end I couldn’t stop reading because I just wanted to know how it would all unfold. The ending took me by surprise but I didn’t necessarily love it either.
Told from seven (yes, seven!) points of view, I did find it a little overwhelming at the start but as the story progressed, I actually enjoyed it and felt like each character did have enough time to develop and each point of view did add to the story and it was all wrapped up nicely at the end. Id recommend giving this one a go if you like multiple points of view books.
This is book was certainly entertaining! Once I was nearing the end I couldn’t stop reading because I just wanted to know how it would all unfold. The ending took me by surprise but I didn’t necessarily love it either.
Told from seven (yes, seven!) points of view, I did find it a little overwhelming at the start but as the story progressed, I actually enjoyed it and felt like each character did have enough time to develop and each point of view did add to the story and it was all wrapped up nicely at the end. Id recommend giving this one a go if you like multiple points of view books.
May 3, 2020
I’m so not a thriller reader, so I was scared to start reading my ARC, but this was perfect for me. It’s definitely more character based domestic noir than bloody and violent. The storyline was so interesting. 17 year olds can so self centred, obnoxious and casually cruel in ways a 37 year old with life experience and empathy would never be. The story centres around a group of people whose 20 year school reunion is coming up. It’s an interesting premise and so easily relatable. There are lots of main characters, but I never lost my way with them, they’re all so different and well defined. It was such a mystery, I stayed up way too late because I just had to know. As well as the obvious themes of then v now and friendship, step parenting, loneliness, homelessness and disability are here too. It was my type of mystery, loved it!
September 10, 2023
Katy is organising a 20 year high school reunion. However, several of the students are receiving mildly threatening notes, some mocking their limited achievements since school, or exposing secrets nobody could possibly know. Annabel, Grace, Melissa, Luke, Zach and Jarrod all seem to be targets. Could it be related to classmate Robbie, who they were all awful to back then?
When you advertise yourself as a thriller, please give me a thriller.
The blurb from Liane Moriarty on the cover of my edition should clue you in that this book is yet another white-upper-middle-class-urban-discontent soap opera, and not a suspense tale. The mundane ins-and-outs of the characters' lives make up 95% of the focus here. The thriller element is an afterthought.
A better title might have been, Help, My Teenage Son Is A Drug Addict
Seriously, half the fucking book is taken up with this. Annabel's teenage son is an insolent, annoying drug-addicted prick who treats everyone like shit, and pages and pages and pages of the book are wasted on him. It barely has any bearing on the plot. I wanted the antagonist to take him out.
I read this in one go, so it obviously has merit. And I do like a soap opera. Aside from Annabel's angst over her son, I was mildly interested in the other characters' stories.
But I was supposed to be reading a thriller.
The climax is pathetic. It only involves characters (with one exception) who weren't even the antagonist's target. Why am I reading about all these main characters if none of them were ever actually in any fucking danger?
The whole reason behind everything was also pathetic.
Can I please get a thriller that calls itself a thriller that is actually a thriller? Pretty please? By virtue of not being as awful as so many clunkers that I've read this year, this gets 2 stars, although I would not recommend it.
When you advertise yourself as a thriller, please give me a thriller.
The blurb from Liane Moriarty on the cover of my edition should clue you in that this book is yet another white-upper-middle-class-urban-discontent soap opera, and not a suspense tale. The mundane ins-and-outs of the characters' lives make up 95% of the focus here. The thriller element is an afterthought.
A better title might have been, Help, My Teenage Son Is A Drug Addict
Seriously, half the fucking book is taken up with this. Annabel's teenage son is an insolent, annoying drug-addicted prick who treats everyone like shit, and pages and pages and pages of the book are wasted on him. It barely has any bearing on the plot. I wanted the antagonist to take him out.
I read this in one go, so it obviously has merit. And I do like a soap opera. Aside from Annabel's angst over her son, I was mildly interested in the other characters' stories.
But I was supposed to be reading a thriller.
The climax is pathetic. It only involves characters (with one exception) who weren't even the antagonist's target. Why am I reading about all these main characters if none of them were ever actually in any fucking danger?
The whole reason behind everything was also pathetic.
Can I please get a thriller that calls itself a thriller that is actually a thriller? Pretty please? By virtue of not being as awful as so many clunkers that I've read this year, this gets 2 stars, although I would not recommend it.
June 4, 2020
Full review can be found here OneBookishGirl
Agh! This book has all the mystery and all the feels!!
I was drawn into this story from the first chapter!
The characters are engaging, relatable, and not always likeable.
They are authentic, honest (some dishonest) characters you bond with, despite some of their pasts.
I highly recommend this book to everyone!
It is a gripping, intense read with so many twists!!
I can’t wait to see what the author brings out next!!!
Thank you to the author and Allen & Unwin for providing me with a copy of Who We Were!
This has in no way affected my views or opinions.
Agh! This book has all the mystery and all the feels!!
I was drawn into this story from the first chapter!
The characters are engaging, relatable, and not always likeable.
They are authentic, honest (some dishonest) characters you bond with, despite some of their pasts.
I highly recommend this book to everyone!
It is a gripping, intense read with so many twists!!
I can’t wait to see what the author brings out next!!!
Thank you to the author and Allen & Unwin for providing me with a copy of Who We Were!
This has in no way affected my views or opinions.
January 6, 2025
4 ⭐️
Woahhh!!! This book was twisty and kept me guessing right until the end. I suspected so many people of being the bad guy but never got it right!
I combined both the audible and ebook versions of this book. I loved the audio but I found myself wanting to go back and review details to keep who was who straight and go back over some of the details so needed to have the ebook to flip back and refer to.
I loved the story being told from different characters view points and I really enjoyed the reflections from each character on who they were and who they now are.
I love BM Carrolls books and can’t wait to see what’s next for her!
Woahhh!!! This book was twisty and kept me guessing right until the end. I suspected so many people of being the bad guy but never got it right!
I combined both the audible and ebook versions of this book. I loved the audio but I found myself wanting to go back and review details to keep who was who straight and go back over some of the details so needed to have the ebook to flip back and refer to.
I loved the story being told from different characters view points and I really enjoyed the reflections from each character on who they were and who they now are.
I love BM Carrolls books and can’t wait to see what’s next for her!
May 7, 2020
Katy decides to organise a school reunion after twenty years and asks those attending to fill in a profile for an up to date year book. It seems fun until a number of the ex-classmates including Katy, Annabel, Grace, Zack, and Jarrod receive communications from an anonymous source detailing secrets they wouldn't want the others to know. When one of them is physically attacked, the stakes are raised as one of them is holding a deadly grudge.
I enjoyed this one quite a lot. The story is told from several points of view but the reader doesn't lose track of who is who. I thought the author did a good job of showing the rivalries and cliques that exist amongst classmates, and still exist years later. There were one or two nicely done red herrings and the ending was in keeping with the rest of the book. I recommend this if you like contemporary suspense.
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Viper/Serpent's Tail/Profile Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
I enjoyed this one quite a lot. The story is told from several points of view but the reader doesn't lose track of who is who. I thought the author did a good job of showing the rivalries and cliques that exist amongst classmates, and still exist years later. There were one or two nicely done red herrings and the ending was in keeping with the rest of the book. I recommend this if you like contemporary suspense.
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Viper/Serpent's Tail/Profile Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
May 29, 2020
Really enjoyed this book - thought I had it all worked out but was wrong. Looking forward to reading more books by this Australian author.
March 23, 2023
4.25 Stars.
A highly entertaining book to read in christmas (as I have read). I am not a fan of the thriller part of the book(when it is actually marketed as a thriller) but enjoyed the drama.A lot of dramas are here. I am very much satisfied with the blurb of the book as it didn't reveal anything that can kill your interest. I guess, the blurb is the hero of the book. The characters were relatable,their story and family drama keep you hook up to the end of the story. I am also impressed by the writing style of the author. So easy and smooth for a thriller. I am definitely planning to check out her other books.
Morever a pleasant read. Start reading from today with a expectation to enjoy a lot of family dramas.
A highly entertaining book to read in christmas (as I have read). I am not a fan of the thriller part of the book(when it is actually marketed as a thriller) but enjoyed the drama.A lot of dramas are here. I am very much satisfied with the blurb of the book as it didn't reveal anything that can kill your interest. I guess, the blurb is the hero of the book. The characters were relatable,their story and family drama keep you hook up to the end of the story. I am also impressed by the writing style of the author. So easy and smooth for a thriller. I am definitely planning to check out her other books.
Morever a pleasant read. Start reading from today with a expectation to enjoy a lot of family dramas.
April 27, 2020
Addictive read.
Katy is organising a 20 year high school reunion. As part of the fun, she's asking for updated equivalents of their old yearbook entries from attendees. But someone is turning nasty, anonymously sending mock updates revealing secrets that attendees would not want revealed. Who is out for revenge?
A novel with a realistic feel, entertaining learning of the old schooltime insecurities, and how the characters have changed (and some not so much).
Tore through this one !
Katy is organising a 20 year high school reunion. As part of the fun, she's asking for updated equivalents of their old yearbook entries from attendees. But someone is turning nasty, anonymously sending mock updates revealing secrets that attendees would not want revealed. Who is out for revenge?
A novel with a realistic feel, entertaining learning of the old schooltime insecurities, and how the characters have changed (and some not so much).
Tore through this one !
July 5, 2020
I enjoy this book very much it was in the vain of Liane Moriarty’s work .. it wasn’t a thriller as such but the characters were well developed and everything was resolved at the end
May 14, 2020
Many thanks to Viper Books for my invite onto this blog tour/reunion. And, thank you for my gifted digital copy.
Do you remember your high school days? For the blog tour, we were asked to say a bit about Who We Were in school, and if we related to anyone in the book. I was the shy one out of our group, if you ask my friends though they would probably tell you different. But, there were definitely more outgoing and extroverted girls in my group. Despite doing all the bad things in school like smoking, skipping classes and under-age drinking (hopefully none of my family will read this). I still kept my head down and studied hard. You could say I was the cool kid with brains. At the time school obviously wasn't the best place to be, but we tolerated it. Now looking back though I only have fond memories, I'm still very close to the group of girls and we get together to reminisce about the good ole days.
Have we had a reunion though? No, we are very long over due one. Despite only leaving school a couple of years ago (heavy note of sarcasm) but, I doubt that I'd go anyway. Like I said I'm still close to the group I hung around with, so I know what we've got up to in life. Do I want to know what the rest of the year got up to. There's social media to check on stuff like that 😂
Right down to the nitty gritty of the review. I loved this book. It did bring back memories of school days. Carroll nailed the group dynamics of the cliche school gang to a tee. Each character had their own personality and a different take on how school life was. In each character you will undoubtedly recognise someone you remember from your school days, you may even be one of these characters yourself. (I was more of a Katy)
The storyline builds up mystery and suspense throughout. Culminating in an epic reveal. As the reader we don't even know who is behind the emails and notes, and we get to work with the information as the story unfolds.
Who We Were does deal with hard hitting topics of mental health, drug use and bullying. And, it does give you pause for thought about how your treatment of people may affect people not oh in the short term but in the long term too.
A fantastic psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Fully gripping you in its mystery.
Do you remember your high school days? For the blog tour, we were asked to say a bit about Who We Were in school, and if we related to anyone in the book. I was the shy one out of our group, if you ask my friends though they would probably tell you different. But, there were definitely more outgoing and extroverted girls in my group. Despite doing all the bad things in school like smoking, skipping classes and under-age drinking (hopefully none of my family will read this). I still kept my head down and studied hard. You could say I was the cool kid with brains. At the time school obviously wasn't the best place to be, but we tolerated it. Now looking back though I only have fond memories, I'm still very close to the group of girls and we get together to reminisce about the good ole days.
Have we had a reunion though? No, we are very long over due one. Despite only leaving school a couple of years ago (heavy note of sarcasm) but, I doubt that I'd go anyway. Like I said I'm still close to the group I hung around with, so I know what we've got up to in life. Do I want to know what the rest of the year got up to. There's social media to check on stuff like that 😂
Right down to the nitty gritty of the review. I loved this book. It did bring back memories of school days. Carroll nailed the group dynamics of the cliche school gang to a tee. Each character had their own personality and a different take on how school life was. In each character you will undoubtedly recognise someone you remember from your school days, you may even be one of these characters yourself. (I was more of a Katy)
The storyline builds up mystery and suspense throughout. Culminating in an epic reveal. As the reader we don't even know who is behind the emails and notes, and we get to work with the information as the story unfolds.
Who We Were does deal with hard hitting topics of mental health, drug use and bullying. And, it does give you pause for thought about how your treatment of people may affect people not oh in the short term but in the long term too.
A fantastic psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Fully gripping you in its mystery.
June 19, 2020
Who We Were is the second novel by B.M. Carroll, who has also published novels as Ber Carroll, and the first I have read since 2015’s Once Lost (by Ber Carroll). I saw a bit of buzz on Facebook for this one and then having read the blurb I was hooked, straight onto my local Library site to place a hold and it jumped straight to the top of the pile once I got it home.
School reunions are a time fraught with emotion for many, whether it be the nostalgia of a simpler life, the scars that remain from being bullied and even the horror at the way teenage selves treated others. There’s an excitement about seeing how everyone has changed, or showing off how much we’ve changed; and there’s often apprehension about facing those we haven’t seen, and sometimes have no desire to.
I love that this book was centred around a 20 year reunion, I remember being excited for mine, though I didn’t make the trip in the end. The curiosity about what people had done over the years, who did what they set out to do.
Katy is driving the 20 year reunion, the first the class of 2000 have had. She has changed a lot in the years since high school and she can’t wait to show off who she’s become, no longer the plain, shy science nerd of her high school years. She also thinks it will be fun to print an updated yearbook with new photos and a new set of questions to get to know the cohort a little better.
RSVPs for the reunion are coming in slowly and there are still a couple of people no-one has been able to track down but Katy is efficient and putting in the hard yards to pull it off. Until people start getting messages answering the questions, and they aren’t pleasant. Someone is not thrilled with the idea of a reunion and the messages are putting people on edge.
Carroll has crafted a suspenseful story that I’m sure could come out of most graduating classes. There are always the popular kids, the class clowns, the unremarkable and the bullied. Most readers will be able to relate to at least one of the characters in Who We Were and empathise with their part in the story.
Who We Were is told in alternating chapters by a group of characters, all connected by their time at school but not part of the same friendship group. We get inside of their current lives, and how far from their teenaged selves they’ve come.
The character who touched me the most was Robbie. He was targeted for things beyond his control and his reactions broke my heart. His whole life after high school broke my heart and I think he touched me so deeply because I could relate him to someone I know, and it broke me to think that she could have felt the way he did. Of course, there is a lot more I want to say here but I don’t want to delve into spoiler country so I think I’ll leave it at that.
We follow Katy, Annabel, Grace, Melissa, Zach, Luke, Jarrod and Robbie through the escalating threats in the lead up to the reunion. We see their lives change once more, new friendships formed, old bonds reforged and penance paid for sins of the past.
Carroll reminds us that our words and our actions can have a profound effect on people and we should remember to always be kind. What you say and do as a thoughtless and insensitive teen can affect a person for decades, and a little life experience may see your actions haunting even you for years to come.
Exceptionally crafted suspense with a few timely red herrings leaves the reader guessing to the very end, never quite sure who is out for revenge. All of the popular crowd have things to answer for and each of them has wronged someone, and left a lingering hurt.
Alongside the theme of revenge Carroll explores a wealth of topical and hardhitting issues from violence, depression, loneliness, sexuality and drug use to the everyday issues of parenting, dating and finding balance.
Who We Were is a novel I’m glad I tracked down and would whole-heartedly recommend.
School reunions are a time fraught with emotion for many, whether it be the nostalgia of a simpler life, the scars that remain from being bullied and even the horror at the way teenage selves treated others. There’s an excitement about seeing how everyone has changed, or showing off how much we’ve changed; and there’s often apprehension about facing those we haven’t seen, and sometimes have no desire to.
I love that this book was centred around a 20 year reunion, I remember being excited for mine, though I didn’t make the trip in the end. The curiosity about what people had done over the years, who did what they set out to do.
Katy is driving the 20 year reunion, the first the class of 2000 have had. She has changed a lot in the years since high school and she can’t wait to show off who she’s become, no longer the plain, shy science nerd of her high school years. She also thinks it will be fun to print an updated yearbook with new photos and a new set of questions to get to know the cohort a little better.
RSVPs for the reunion are coming in slowly and there are still a couple of people no-one has been able to track down but Katy is efficient and putting in the hard yards to pull it off. Until people start getting messages answering the questions, and they aren’t pleasant. Someone is not thrilled with the idea of a reunion and the messages are putting people on edge.
Carroll has crafted a suspenseful story that I’m sure could come out of most graduating classes. There are always the popular kids, the class clowns, the unremarkable and the bullied. Most readers will be able to relate to at least one of the characters in Who We Were and empathise with their part in the story.
Who We Were is told in alternating chapters by a group of characters, all connected by their time at school but not part of the same friendship group. We get inside of their current lives, and how far from their teenaged selves they’ve come.
The character who touched me the most was Robbie. He was targeted for things beyond his control and his reactions broke my heart. His whole life after high school broke my heart and I think he touched me so deeply because I could relate him to someone I know, and it broke me to think that she could have felt the way he did. Of course, there is a lot more I want to say here but I don’t want to delve into spoiler country so I think I’ll leave it at that.
We follow Katy, Annabel, Grace, Melissa, Zach, Luke, Jarrod and Robbie through the escalating threats in the lead up to the reunion. We see their lives change once more, new friendships formed, old bonds reforged and penance paid for sins of the past.
Carroll reminds us that our words and our actions can have a profound effect on people and we should remember to always be kind. What you say and do as a thoughtless and insensitive teen can affect a person for decades, and a little life experience may see your actions haunting even you for years to come.
Exceptionally crafted suspense with a few timely red herrings leaves the reader guessing to the very end, never quite sure who is out for revenge. All of the popular crowd have things to answer for and each of them has wronged someone, and left a lingering hurt.
Alongside the theme of revenge Carroll explores a wealth of topical and hardhitting issues from violence, depression, loneliness, sexuality and drug use to the everyday issues of parenting, dating and finding balance.
Who We Were is a novel I’m glad I tracked down and would whole-heartedly recommend.
March 10, 2020
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Who We Were is a light mystery, which often feels more like a contemporary. Although the characters are targeted by threatening messages, most of the book is focused on the characters' personal storylines and problems, and the stakes get higher only towards the end. I like my mysteries to be more engrossing and focused on the thriller element; however, the ending was quite good and, while I figured out the culprit eventually, I had doubts right until the end.
The characters were interesting enough. I preferred some above others, but all of them were not typically likeable or unlikeable, and their problems were different and well portrayed.
All in all, worth a read, but definitely more recommended if you prefer light mysteries which are more character driven.
Who We Were is a light mystery, which often feels more like a contemporary. Although the characters are targeted by threatening messages, most of the book is focused on the characters' personal storylines and problems, and the stakes get higher only towards the end. I like my mysteries to be more engrossing and focused on the thriller element; however, the ending was quite good and, while I figured out the culprit eventually, I had doubts right until the end.
The characters were interesting enough. I preferred some above others, but all of them were not typically likeable or unlikeable, and their problems were different and well portrayed.
All in all, worth a read, but definitely more recommended if you prefer light mysteries which are more character driven.
April 1, 2020
Who We Were by B.M Carroll
Thanks @netgalley and @serpentstail for my arc
Publication date 7th May 2020
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This book was fabulous, a highly addictive and fast paced read. A group of friends are about to attend a Twenty year school reunion. Old secrets and dark pasts emerge. Someone is out to torment each and every one. Creepy, dark and a really authentic read. Very likeable and relatable characters. Highly recommended xxx
Thanks @netgalley and @serpentstail for my arc
Publication date 7th May 2020
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
This book was fabulous, a highly addictive and fast paced read. A group of friends are about to attend a Twenty year school reunion. Old secrets and dark pasts emerge. Someone is out to torment each and every one. Creepy, dark and a really authentic read. Very likeable and relatable characters. Highly recommended xxx
September 5, 2020
3/3.5 stars for this book.
I think we can all look back on our school years with mixed feelings. Cringe at the things we said & did & this book was a reminder of that. How school can be a great experience for some & a misery for others. This telling of the story resonated with me & I enjoyed that part but the ‘mystery/psychological’ component just didn’t do it for me & didn’t really ring ‘true’ for me.
An ok/good book.
I think we can all look back on our school years with mixed feelings. Cringe at the things we said & did & this book was a reminder of that. How school can be a great experience for some & a misery for others. This telling of the story resonated with me & I enjoyed that part but the ‘mystery/psychological’ component just didn’t do it for me & didn’t really ring ‘true’ for me.
An ok/good book.
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