I devoured it in one day and I take my hat off to Sophie; this book is entertaining enough to attract the masses and so informative that it is bound to help strike up important conversations. At which point this book is elevated from a funny and a relatable read to a much more important read as we learn more about Claire and witness her mental health degenerating. She has had a past trauma that she wants to leave right there in the past but she is finding it difficult to remain balanced.

All three women find themselves skirting on the periphery of their once solid lifelong friends and romantic partners. Normally her WhatsApp group “the bitch herd” is hopping but she begins to worry that her friends have set up a separate group without her, and are keeping her out of their lives. Or at least, someone pretty high up in Satanic operations – corner office, nice car, the whole package?There was at one point I thought it was kind of dragging a bit but it could have been just me going through a funk with the book. Living online brings out unattractive parts of our personalities which are difficult to turn into compelling fiction. I recently heard one of those rare Republican never-Trumpers, Adam Kitzinger, talking on the Bill Maher show, about how his family had decided he was the devil for having turned on Trump. Joanne has just had a baby, the first of her friends to do so and her life is suddenly very different to that of her friends. To be honest I'm not sure I had them when I was young but, unlike our three protagonists - Lexi, Joanne and Claire - I had great friends who never let me down.

I really enjoy and admire Sophie White’s work and her essay-style memoir Corpsing is truly unforgettable. Fate brings these women together as they try to manage the complexities of finding and maintaining friendships in your thirties and how hard it can be. It was extremely witty and smart and this book will definitely be on my reread pile for a long time to come. The writing in the closing chapters is beautiful and informative and makes something that is usually ignored in this type of book relatable and understandable and I thought it was generous of the author to include and explore.Last we have Claire whose friends (and the WhatsApp name for the group - Bitch Herd - should tip you off to their true nature) seem to be pulling away after an incident the year before which we don't learn the true nature of until the last third of the book. I could see something of myself in all of the characters at varying times as I read on, and I think it’s the sort of story that will resonate with so many of us. It is an ultimately hopeful book about living with - not being cured of - a brain that is a bit tricksy. White also shines a light on the true realities of early motherhood and isn’t afraid to show that it isn’t all cute insta friendly matching outfits and smiles.

It’s impossible to say more without spoilers, so I won’t, except that you will laugh, you will cry, you will gasp, but above all, you’ll want to carry on reading and discover how life pans out for these women. My Hot Friend is a contradiction in that it is both witty and warm while at the same time having a very powerful and meaningful edge.That being said, I think because of that many fiction books shy away from the issues which are very real and very common. In a society where image is perceived as everything, and the number of reactions a social media post gets is tantamount to success, there are times when it all gets a little too much.

Lexi and Amanda are childhood friends who co-host a podcast where Amanda's brashness tends to get them in trouble with their fanbase.One dimensional characters full of cliches, I wish I had left this unfinished but thought it would have some redeeming features at the end - it didn’t.