Claire has had the same group of friends for years but their whatsapp group is gone very quiet and she knows they talk without her and she's feeling lonely and excluded. Joanne has lived the party life and is not ready to settle down yet but having a baby forces her to rethink. I thought this might have been quite a fun 'fluffy' novel and didn't expect to fall quite so hard for it! My Hot Friend is her latest book, published today and it is overflowing with all the things I love and have come to expect from Sophie White's books.

Oh, and of course the star of the show was really Scout, the adorable teacup puppy turned honorary member of a slipknot tribute band. My Hot Friend centres on three women navigating friendship and all the complexities that come with it in this digital age. And Lexi - well, Lexi is living the dream, hosting a podcast with her childhood bestie that's riding high at the top of the charts. There is one scene in particular on a plane that is astonishing, both in the writing and in how it plays out. By bidding on, or purchasing this item, you are agreeing to us sharing your name and address details with that 3rd party supplier to allow us to fulfil our contractual obligations to you.Her father is unwell, her brother has little respect for what she does and she is beginning to feel like she is on a fast-moving hamster wheel that is spinning out of control. It's brilliant the way the stories are weaved together and I actually found it quite an emotional read.

How are they to navigate the relationships that have been so important to them for so long and how it is possible to move on. This was a bit of a slow burn for me - until the three women’s lives became intermingled, I wasn’t really feeling it but once that kicked in, I was fully invested and couldn’t wait to find out what happened. To cavil over this would be a bit like grumbling about quests for powerful magical objects in fantasy. I also loved the novel's excellent, biting satire of the podcast/influencing world; several lines in Lexi's chapters made me laugh out loud - shout out to trepanning, 2023's hottest new beauty treatment.I have been on the receiving end of some very bad friendships so know the hurt and devastation it can cause.

All these women struggle with their own mental health but it is Claire's that is the most precarious. Her friends have absolutely no concept of the challenges of motherhood, focused instead on having a good time. I especially appreciated that mental illness was discussed in such a sensitive manner; informative without being overdone or garish, and very aware of the nuances of having to deal with a mental illness as well as having to deal with someone you love who is suffering. Every relationship is complex and dynamic, showing the confusing and frustrating sides of friendships that can happen when people change or get lost.

It is the story of three women: Lexi (a successful podcaster), Joanne (a new mum) and Claire (a nanny with mental health issues) who are all struggling within their close friendships as they navigate changes in their lives.