Book Review: "When We Were Young" by Richard Roper

Is there anything quite like an old friend? See what you think after reading Richard Roper's new novel, When We Were Young.

Another late night getting surprisingly emotional over a book…this was another good one!!

Joel and Theo were childhood best friends who dreamed of being comedy writers. They haven’t spoken since one fateful night when they were 16.

Now, Joel is the writer of a hit television series and is still dating his high school girlfriend. Theo, on the other hand, is about to get evicted from his parents’ garden shed, where he’s been living for the last two years. He’s still reeling from a breakup and some career disappointments.

Joel shows up unexpectedly on Theo’s 30th birthday to remind him that they once made a pact to hike all 184 miles of the Thames Pass when they turned 30. Even though the last thing Theo wants us to spend an extended amount of time with his former best friend, Joel extends a carrot that’s too good to resist, and besides, what else is Theo doing?

While they make a promise not to rehash the past, of course, they can’t escape it. But there are things they don’t want to tell one another—things that could have changed the last 14 years and things that could impact the future.

As I’ve said before, I love books about old friendships and coming to terms with the past. When We Were Young snuck up on me and surprised me, and I really cared about these characters. It’s a beautifully written and emotional story, one that I’ll think of the next time I consider reaching out to an old friend.