A big-hearted comedy about friendship, the 90s and the greatest girl band in the world
Three independent women – and one man who lives for drama – haven’t spoken to their best friend in 20 years, after an epic talent show disaster tore them apart during the height of Spice-mania.
Self-appointed gang leader Carmen then decided to go it alone – Geri style. But now, in 2018, the school reunion is fast approaching. Friendship Never Ends tells the story of Carmen’s plan to win back her former besties – Jemma, Ellie, Laura and Benny – ahead of the big night. But has Carmen really changed? And can their friendship ever really go back to how it was?
Friendship Never Ends by Ella Dyson Review
A Fun Fabulous and Nostalgic Read
This light-hearted read will transport you back to your childhood… well – if you were still relatively young in the 90’s that is.
Friendship Never Ends is a nostalgic read that takes you back to the time of the Spice Girls, Tamagotchi’s and bitchy school catfights. If you are looking for a nice relaxed and easy read to take your mind off the here and now, this might very well be for you.
About the Book
1996. The year the Tamagotchi was born, Charles and Diana divorced, England reached the semi-finals of the World Cup and five British women told the world what they really, really wanted.
Sarah, Laura, Gemma, Benny and Carmen have been best friends all their lives. They have survived high school, finding salvation in their friendship and through the guidance of their ringleader Carmen. However, the year they turn 13 is the year everything changes. In order to find love Carmen enters the group into the school talent show, thrusting her reluctant friends into the limelight. Forming a Spice Girls tribute act called The Spice Rack, Carmen assigns each of her friends a role in the band. The gig is a disaster, and the group never speak again.
2018. The year the Tamigotchi is reborn on iOS, Harry and Meghan get married, England crash out of the World Cup and five women put aside their differences and reunited for a Goodbye tour.
Sometimes it is easy to look back on our school days and see it through rose tinted glasses. We either focus on the amazing friendships we had or the terrible bullying we encountered, but reading this book it’s easy to relate to the teenage angst, anger, frustration and romantic complications.
The characters may rub you up the wrong way a little at times (Carmen in particular) but the very fact that her immaturity and self-centred nature only serves to remind us that we all that that ‘one person’ in our lives.
Throughout the book, Carmen tracks down her old school friends Sarah, Laura, Gemma and Benny on Facebook and after hearing that Darryl Kenny will be at the reunion, Carmen is keen to impress him – reviving The Spice Rack seems like the perfect way to grab his attention.
The morning of the reunion brings disaster strikes and the girls have to work through some nasty revelations and learn to put aside their differences, but can things ever be the same again?
Friendship Never Ends is a truly romantic comedy that will take you on a nostalgic trip back to the 90’s while navigating the reader through a massive range of emotions. Funny, emotional and at times toe-curling cringeworthy moments knit together to create a truly lovely read – that is as long as you can put aside your adult side and embrace the memories.
Friendship Never Ends is published by: Orion Publishing
ISBN: 978-140918-362-4
