Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman
Pages: 384
Published by Berkley
Publication Date April 4, 2023
Source: Library
Genres: General Fiction
Format: Physical Book
A summer in Greece for three best friends ends in the unthinkable when only two return home in this new novel from Ella Berman. . . .
Ten years ago, after a sun-soaked summer spent in Greece, best friends Bess and Joni were cleared of having any involvement in their friend Evangeline’s death. But that didn’t stop the media from ripping apart their teenage lives like vultures.
While the girls were never convicted, Joni, ever the opportunist, capitalized on her newfound infamy to become a motivational speaker. Bess, on the other hand, resolved to make her life as small and controlled as possible so she wouldn’t risk losing everything all over again. And it almost worked. . . .
Except now Joni is tangled up in a crime eerily similar to that one fateful night in Greece. And when she asks Bess to come back to LA to support her, Bess has a decision to make.
Is it finally time to face up to what happened that night, exposing herself as the young woman she once was and maybe still is? And what happens if she doesn’t like what she finds?
Review Done Quick:
Before We Were Innocent is a quick summer read. At first, I thought the book would be more of a thriller; however, it soon unraveled into a book about entitled female relationships. Bess, Joni, and Evangeline were all very one-dimensional characters, and because of their spoiled nature ie, being bored in Greece or not being able to afford items or activities that, for most, are luxuries I had a hard time even caring for the girls and the fate that awaited them. The conclusion, when we find out how Evangeline dies, was very disjointed and predictable. I did stick with the book until the end only because it was a fast read. However, I found Before We Were Innocent to be a mediocre novel and was disappointed by yet another Reese Witherspoon selection.
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