Galentine’s Day

by Rebecca Anderson

Pre-order the funny, insightful love-letter to female friendship now, perfect for fans of Dolly Alderton and The Bold Type!

Thirteen years. Three women. One annual sleepover.

13 February 2013. Alicia, Marnie and Hannah have their first Galentine’s Day sleepover. They’re eighteen, single, and the world is at their feet. Soon they’ll go their separate ways after college, but they promise that every year, they’ll have their sleepover.

13 February 2026. There are only two friends at the annual sleepover. Their friendships have been tested by life, by partying, breakdowns, and even by pregnancies. Are their best Galentine’s Days now behind them?

Galentine’s Day is a love letter to female friendship, that celebrates messiness, real relationships, and growing up together.

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Fiction, Adult, Contemporary, Book Club

Audible Audio

First published January 6, 2026

Reviews

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

⥼~-✰-~⥽ ☽ ˚•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙˚＊☾ ⥼~-✰-~⥽
.𖥔 ݁ ˖༘⋆𐦍⊹₊.𖥔.𖥔 ݁. ˖༘⋆𐦍⊹₊.𖥔 ݁
⚠️ranting review”⚠️

ৎ  this is my first reading Rebecca Anderson book what a great introduction too! I loved the plot of this book that we have 3 girls who are the best of friends at school who are; Alicia , marine and Hannah. TO say they have different drives of passion careers they still support one another which is good dynamic rather than toxic friendship of trying to be the best.
I love how committed they were to spend Valentine’s Day every year together even if there busy with outside life still want to keep the tradition which I find so wholesome!


˚┊✦ Hannah
Really hated Hannah here her fucking attitude stinked so bad when it came to her friends like girl you don’t deserve them at all there trying to keep positivity in the group especially in the group chat too I hated her so much she was just so negative at the start being such a drama queen when her friends is starting a life of their own like girl stop being a bad fucking friend only being there for yourself when only something good is happening for yourself for your insta posts and YouTube for views it’s not a healthy relationship especially when your going on about wanting to shag everyone peer pressuring your friends too. Fuck off bestie you not a supportive friend at all.



˚┊✦ marine
I admired her so much as friend despite being her in the middle of the dynamic for the conversation but honestly I feel like she was the glue of the friendship why marine could tolerate Hannah for so long to keep that friendship . Despite her struggles getting pregnant at such a young age she deserves a reward honestly so many family drama she doesn’t need being manipulated so badly that she couldn’t make it as mum like parents grow up yourself. Just because you screwed up in your teens doesn’t mean to disown your own child that fucked me off 🙄



˚┊✦alcia
I loved her also but I feel like she was more of the shy one in the group she wanted to fit in but one friend aka Hannah didn’t respect her believes wanted to wait for the right person to be intimate with like I don’t blame her being so shy as she always get nick picked by Hannah only get supported by marine

The one thing I didn’t appreciate the whole Covid scenario what wasn’t in the trigger warnings from what I gathered or in the description that was a total surprise in itself the way it shocked me reading th whole past trauma of that made me so upset like was it worth it binging the book after this? I appreciated the whole nhs and nurses and doctors around the world keeping us alive throughout all that but this can be more trigger of someone who lost of loved one through this period not even mentioning in trigger warning? Come on author low blow on this one on your end shitty move I loved doing the whole clapping for the nhs when we did this but I just don’t want to relive that whole pandemic like yes me personally had good time in lockdown but i can’t say same for others which can be a trigger for people for reading this


˚┊✦ Romance - Epilogue
The relationship status of this book was just completly messy the way that Hannah is complete centre of attention completly when it came to the university it was all about the shagging for her and peer pressure Alicia to have sex just get it over with like excuse me you don’t peer pressure someone for that responsibility if they’re not ready be respectful! About it 🙄
Marine and Daniel these two was just such a cute couple together despite the negative for her last relationship she legit found the one that supports her and her daughter Sophie too.

The only downfall in this book was the lack of communication between the 3 girls I feel like group chats can be so messy and toxic if your not careful like Hannah for instants always changing plans when she’s committed to original like stop upsetting your friends only being there when YOU need them 🙄🙄
There was so many uncessary drama between the 3 girl group like yes lifegets busy can’t always keep same traditions but don’t also be spoilt brat.

I didn’t like this book at all there was some important topics in there which was important to see with the pandemic etc but that was total surprise in itself I have listed some trigger warnings below about this book mentioned this one just really frustrated me with no communication in certain areas the lack of sometimes “I couldn’t give 2 shits” of plans that fucked me off.



So glad this book is done !! 🤦‍♀️

╭ ✦ • ⥼~-✰-~⥽ ☽ ˚𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 & 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐✩•̩̩͙˚＊☾ ⥼~-✰-~⥽
│ ⊹ ⭐️3.1
│ ⊹ 🌶0…..
╰ ✦ •⥼~-✰-~⥽ ☽ ˚•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙˚＊☾ ⥼~-✰-~⥽
💘⭒˚.⋆ 💘 ⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.💘⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆ 💘 ⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆ 💘⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆ 💘 ⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.💘⋆⭒˚.⋆ 💘⋆⭒˚.⋆ 💘⋆⭒

‧₊˚♪ 𝄞₊˚⊹.𖥔 ݁ ⟡ ݁₊ .˖𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐‧⟡ ݁₊ ..𖥔 ݁ ˖₊˚♪ 𝄞
- unwanted pregnancy
- Manipulation
- Toxic parents
- Covid ⚠️⚠️
- Talk of abortion
- Mental health
- Toxic friend groups
- Alcoholism
- talk of miscarriage

﹏﹒✦﹒✶﹏﹒✦﹒﹏✦

Pre Read:

This was meant to be for valentines read from last weekend but better late than never?? LOL I have my anticiaptions high for this one too so this one better not let me down im excited for this one!!! Don’t be a slow burn I beg 😫let’s go! Already seems a fluffy romance 😅😅

[B · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have A LOT to say about this book…

Firstly, it’s an incredibly easy, lighthearted read, and the ending was wholesome. However, other than that, this book managed to irritate me for the majority of the time.

The story follows three women from age 18 through to around 30/31, meaning most of the book is based on them being in their 20s. Yet the way it’s written, the conversations, their priorities, and just the overall vibe, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were reading about a group of women in their late 30s or 40s. Not a single thing about them screamed girls in their 20s, which was so frustrating. At one point they’re 28/29 and talking about how they’re running out of time to have children, WTAF

I’m being nitpicky here, but it really got under my skin, the author relied heavily on ‘buzzwords’ to try and anchor each chapter to a specific year. But the timelines were completely wrong. It genuinely felt like the author hadn’t done an ounce of research and was instead using what an ‘older’ person might assume people in their 20s cared about at the time. Quite literally all of it was off.

The text message sections at the end of each year also felt like pure filler, utterly pointless. They added nothing to the story or the characters, so essentially being the most useless piece of writing.

My final point, and probably the most important, is that this is meant to be a book about female friendship and platonic love…Yet, I don’t think I’ve ever read about a group of girls who seemed to hate each other more. I mean, who doesn’t tell their so-called best friends about major life updates, purely so they can have a one-up on them later or get a power trip from withholding information?! Nothing about the friendships felt supportive or empowering. If anything, the book just reinforced shitty stereotypes about female friendships being competitive and emotionally shallow.

Overall, this was a very surface-level read. I never felt like I truly got to know any of the characters. Yes, it’s easy to read, and I can see how people who don’t enjoy challenging or thoughtful books might like it, but it just wasn’t for me.
2 stars, based purely on the cute cover and the fact that Hannah decided to start studying law at the Open University at age 24, which is the exact same life change I made at 23, and was a fun surprise when reading😅

[Frida Hemborg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gillade verkligen denna boken. En bok skriven för alla oss som känner att våra riktiga själsfränder är våra vänner. Ett kärleksbrev till kvinnlig vänskap. Både det bra och det dåliga. De giftiga tillfällena när avundsjukan tar över, tillfällena när livet är på topp och man skrattar så man får ont i magen, och de tillfällena när man nått botten och behöver stödet från sina äkta vänner. Älskade att vi fick följa denna trios vänskap under 13-års tid, från tonåringar till 30-åringar. Hur vänskapen förändras över åren, hur yttre påverkan bidrar till bråk och att glida isär. Men att alltid återförenas, no matter what, den 13/2 för Galentine’s day. Denna dagen är då vi får läsa längre kapitel om deras liv, och emellan får vi sms meddelanden för uppdateringar om vad som sker under året emellan. Roligt och nytt upplägg. En läsning jag njöt av för fulla muggar, skrattat, känt mig ledsen och arg åt karaktärernas vägnar, och en hög igenkänningsfaktor på alla känslor. En bok jag tror de flesta tjejer och kvinnor hade uppskattat att läsa, och kunna relatera till. Och ja, jag grät under slutet. Hade ni förväntat er något annat? 🥲🥹😅

[Becca ♡ PrettyLittleMemoirs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored Officially Losing It in 2024, Rebecca’s YA debut, and couldn’t wait for more from her poignant way of bringing down-to-earth characters, and with Galentine’s Day, her Adult debut, the wait did not disappoint. We meet three friends at school, Alicia, Hannah and Marnie. They’re different on so many levels, from their passions and desires for their futures, but something wholesome connects them on a deeper wavelength, the entire essence of feminine friendship that is so hard to describe in it’s entirety. The day before Valentine’s Day when they are eighteen, they begin a tradition that will carry them through their lives for the next thirteen years, spurred by the breaking of Hannah’s heart—celebrating Galentine’s Day together under one roof, promising an oath to each other that it would be a forever thing.

Of course, time keeps moving and the girls turn into women, splintering into different directions, universities and cities. Hannah, the life and soul of the group, feels lost and hopeless as she strives to become an influencer. Alicia works her way into a teaching career, unsure if and when she’ll meet the right man. Meanwhile Marnie falls pregnant young, becoming a single mum, and her life changes shape overnight. Still, Galentine’s and their group chat remains, although sometimes they’re ships in the night, lost in the changing of their own lives. They try and be there for each other, but sometimes it’s hard—Hannah and Alicia know that Marnie is the glue that keeps them together, the reason they are friends at all, and often the lack of communication between them all can lead to silly arguments and misunderstandings. Yet, Galentine’s is a mighty entity in itself, and it manages to soften the sharp edges of it all, a day of healing. But after a colossal blunder and further fall-out between Hannah and Alicia about their pasts, something shifts between the women that threatens to shape their friendship forever.

It’s hard to put into words just how flawlessly Rebecca captures the heart of female friendship through Hannah, Marnie and Alicia’s lives. Despite being in third person POV, I felt entirely submerged in their thoughts and feelings as the years flew by. I felt the mirrored strain of adolescent friendship as it merges into adulthood, changing shape and never feeling quite the same. Hannah often came across as needing to put on a show, of never really showing weakness, and I was moved in the way she felt pressure as a second-generation immigrant. Alicia’s marriage troubles and the discussion of wanting children—and dealing with the coerced clashes—is something that I know a lot of twenty-somethings (and older) will see themselves reflected in. Likewise for Marnie, who found herself changing her entire life to give Sophie, her daughter, everything she needed, still wounded from the shame people made her feel, yet determined to never give up. On paper, the women shouldn’t be friends. They lived far apart now they were older, they didn’t always understand each other, and they had a tangled history—but Galentine’s Day was their saving grace, and in the end, isn’t that the beauty of female friendship? Something created for the celebration of friendship brought them together year after year, and in the end, it’s this tradition—this remedy—that forged an unbreakable sisterhood to last a lifetime, and what a wonder of a story Rebecca writes to capture this in all it’s delightful chaos and big-hearted joy.

[jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun easy read, It really showed the true value of friendship although if my friend didn’t tell me about her hen party until i arrived there, i’d be so pissed

[Emma Bergstrand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tyckte den här var mysig! Perfekt att läsa runt alla hjärtans dag och tyckte det var fint att följa deras vänskap över åren (även om deras vänskap emellanåt gick att ifrågasätta). Det är inget litterärt mästerverk eller en bok med värsta handlingen eller djupaste karaktärerna, men jag gillade den när jag läste den. Jag kunde själv relatera till karaktärerna vid flera tillfällen, och deras känslor kring hur deras liv ser ut.

[Charlotte ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon Books and Rebecca Anderson for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Thank you for sticking by me throughout all these years, and for loving all versions of me”.

‘Galentine's Day’ is the ultimate love letter to female friendships. Think Jacqueline Wilson’s ‘Girls in Love’ series but for adults. This is a book from the POV’s of three women - Marnie, Alicia and Hannah. It looks at the ups and downs of their friendship, their lives and general struggles over 15 years - from sixth form to their 30’s, through the plot structure of Galentine’s Day, with the girls making a promise to meet every year on this day. We see each year come around on the 13th February and discover what has happened for them recently.

It was such a heartwarming story, very lighthearted and easy to read - the ultimate ‘girl’s night in’ sort of book. It really made you stop to think about how life is so short and what we do with it - whether it be your job, your living space, any sudden changes. Yet, at the heart of it all are your friendships and relationships with others.

Life isn’t easy for any of these women, but they always have each other there to share the good times and the bad. I chose the above quote because they do truly see so many versions of each other throughout the years, and yet they stick around for one another through it all. I enjoyed how different personality wise they all were as a trio, but how this acts as a gel for them to bounce off each other, always landing back together despite challenging circumstances. The power of female friendship is strong.

Definitely recommend as an alternative to all of the romance books coming out in February!

[Lisa Andersson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Att man kan bli så .berörd av en bok but this one destroid me
störst av allt är vänskapen <3

[meggiee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the niche references, especially when he proposed to her after they watched Mary Poppins returns 😍

[Amelia Christopher&#x1fa75; · Rating 5 out of 5]

If i could rate this 6* I would. Just wow. From the comedy, to the highs and lows, all the way to the full on feels, this book had me hooked. We had everything from pre drinks to miscarriages and it just speaks volumes for women, especially us 90’s babies. I loved all 3 girls in different ways and think the author did an incredible job or showing their personalities. The way she just ‘got it’ with how friendship groups work and how each individual can feel and how everything changes over the course of our lives. We grow apart but we’re also only 1 SOS away from the promise of help. I am so glad I picked up this book!!!!

[Sophie Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

truly phenomenal

[Eline Freriks · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Ashley Shipp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This might not be the most incredible thing I have ever read, however this book made me think so much!
It made me cry, and instantly pick up my phone and message my childhood besties, who I don’t see or speak to enough due to all having houses, husbands and kids to juggle. I feel like that was entirely the point, to remind us the importance of our gals no matter where life takes us ❤️

[Amelia Wintle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing love letter to female friendships. Will be recommending this book to just about everyone who cares ( or maybe they don't care but are too polite to say) for the foreseeable 💗

[Suzanne thebookblondie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Initially I found this story fun and gossipy, the perfect brain break from the heavier reads I’ve been devouring. It tells the story of 3 friends who get together every Valentine’s Day and the directions their lives go with each passing year. Galentine’s Day was light, easy to fly through, and predictable.

[Ciara Steele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm not sure on this one. Nice easy read but despite it being set one same day over 15 years, I didn't feel like the characters were explored as much as they could have. Characters experienced big life events but it was just brushed over.

[Sammi Gilfand · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley and avon books for the alc! This book was not for me. I did not like the writing style nor the characters! The idea was friendship and to be honest, I thought the friendship between the three girls was toxic at times and overall just not like any friendships I strive to have. Only reason for two stars is because I liked how often therapy and its benefits were mentioned.

[Jo Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟 for reasons detailed later.

Galentines Day did win me over and I was locked in, but it also grated a bit.

I loved the concept. We initially meet in the present day, and there’s tension in the air between a group of women who are lifelong friends. We are swept back to 2013 when all 3 friends arrange a Galentine’s day sleepover to cheer one of the trio up after a rejection in the month of romance, then given updates of their lives and the long held tradition of every Galentine’s since, a lot of the story is an ode to female friendship, the highs and the lows, the sticking by one another through thick and thin, the way their lives evolve and how essentially they drift apart yet always keep the date, I really enjoyed getting to know them, although some of the detail was scant or a bit surface level, I rooted for them, I felt their irritation and sometimes neglect of one another. I wanted to love the group chat, but this is where it grated on me for want of a better way to put it, it felt like the author had done a quick google search of what happened in the UK in each year and inserted it into the chat, now obviously it’s natural that people will talk about current events but it made the book very British in theme and took time away from exactly what the girls were doing, the first couple of entries offered nostalgia fir me but it wore thin.

Overall though I really enjoyed the story, the friendship and the narration was lovely, and I can definitely see it becoming a big hit!

Huge thanks to HarperCollins UK audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

It took me forever to get into the story, but once I did I was sold. I cried reading the last chapter because I was so invested in Alicia. Right away I hated Hannah and it took me until the end of the book to come around and forgive her. I will say that the amount I hated her gives credit to the author for writing complex characters because even as I hated her I understood her poor behavior. Marnie was an okay character for me.

Maybe I’m not a very forgiving person but I am shocked the three women stayed friends and showed such loyalty after everything they went through. Their friendship was a journey.

I didn’t love the text messages in between years because they felt more like a check list of current events. It was a really interesting experience to drop into their lives once a year.

I recommend this book to people who don’t mind a slow start and would enjoy watching characters grow over 15 years.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc.

[Anna Marone · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was alright I got the audio. I had to keep the speed low so I could understand her. but I enjoyed that these girls were a strong group of friends and I envy that because I have 2 real friends total.

[Emma Hatton · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were so many points when I was reading this that I questioned if the girls even liked each other😅

I love how this book showed you friendships at such an angle that made you see them for just how complex they really are.

I love how this book showed you just how different each person is in a group and how no two people interpret something the same or find the same path easy.

The layout of this book was really unique and made it so easy to read and follow along. The way each year was separated out with a couple of chapters and then a string of messages over the year to show the reality of adult friendships, it was perfect.

Throughout the read I swapped favourites more times than I could count. Each woman flourished and fell at different life stages and reacted extremely human for a book character.

I loved how in the end there wasn’t necessarily a HEA, it was extremely real, raw and jagged at the edges. Perfect for this trio!

Overall I really enjoyed it and it made me want to call my friends and tell them that I love them🩷

[Naomi Chowdhiry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute read, exploring the trials of friendship spanning over a decade.

Marnie, Alicia and Hannah decide to have a Galentine's sleepover party when Hannah is ghosted by the boy she likes. It becomes an annual tradition regardless of where they are or what they are doing in their lives. Their stories take off in three different directions, always coming back to that get together on the 13th Feb every year.

I adored Marnie's character from start to finish - her story was my favourite and the most relatable IMO. Hannah was a tricky one, sometimes a sweetheart but often self-centered, however, her character arc was great. I loved her in the last 25% of the book. Alicia... hmmm I don't really know how to explain her but she irritated me alot. I could understand her anxiety and that she was a more timid character but I found her to be too rigid and needy.

I enjoyed the book and found it a quick and easy read with multiple POVs.

[Niamh Gallagher · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ I just wish we got a little more depth to the characters but otherwise a lovely read!

This was such a quick, easy read. We follow the girls through what feels like every trial and tribulation of life. At times, I’ll admit I seriously questioned why they were friends - communication was definitely not their strong point - but they always found their way back to each other, which was really lovely to see.

Seeing three women go on completely different journeys - none of them perfect - felt very real and relatable too. If there’s one takeaway I’ve had from this book it’s that life isn’t perfect, but with a solid group of girls in your corner, you can get through anything (& wine and chocolate can definitely help too) 💕

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
finishing this on the galentine‘s day it ends is kinda iconic if you ask me…
i really liked the message in this, prioritizing friendships even when life gets busy is really important to me!
i like that the characters were written to be really real and messy but i will say i didn’t really like them that much in the beginning, they grew on me more throughout the story though

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, we got to know all three girls and see the high and lows of their life’s. Sometimes Hannah didn’t come across well, but in the end I felt for her. Marnie and Alicia were great characters, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was an easy read, I would love to read more from this author.

[Megan Mckellar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never read a book about galentine’s day before so I didn’t know what to expect but I absolutely loved it! I really connected with all three girls at different times throughout the book.
I loved the nostalgia in the books and it was so representative of the times. For example the ice bucket challenge, college night outs that includes a trip to spoons and is the iconic dress white and gold or blue and black?😂
I liked how Rebecca wrote a true representation of how friendships can be different between friends and how life can sometimes test those friendships.
Overall I feel this book was such a lovely celebration of female friendship. I cried many happy tears whilst reading this book and I identified so much with each character but Hannah has really motivated me to continue my dream with my own book social media account.
Highly recommend this book💗

[Elise Porter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the ending more than I thought I would and the sentiment/theme was really sweet....however I couldn't help but feel like throughout the chapters that these girls actually really disliked eachother. Hannah's character in particular felt very unlikeable and the friendship amongst the 3 of them felt more like a life-sentence than 'soul-sisters'🙃

[Holly Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this - didn’t listen (no option for the physical book on Goodreads). Quite different from my usual thriller but was lighthearted and an appropriate read for the date!

[Corrine · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up, read for B&N book club.

This was an easy popcorn read. The three main characters are very different but held together with the bond of a long friendship. They have highs and lows as individuals and friends but stick together even when it seems sparingly. Overall, this book made me sad. I honestly think they all need new friends or better ones 😭 lol.

[Emma⭐️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freundschaften zwischen Frauen sinds einfach