When We Were Bright and Beautiful

A Novel

By: Jillian Medoff

Narrated by: Marin Ireland

“Two parts Gone Girl, two parts Notes on a Scandal. . .will play with your expectations about who’s the villain and who’s the victim.” — Jennifer Weiner, USA Today

Longlisted for the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize for Fiction

The acclaimed, bestselling author of This Could Hurt returns with her biggest, boldest novel yet—an electrifying, twisty, and deeply emotional family drama, set on Manhattan’s glittering Upper East Side, that explores the dark side of love, the limits of loyalty, and the high cost of truth.

You can have everything, and still not have enough.

Cassie Quinn may only be twenty-three, but she knows a few things. One: money can’t buy happiness, but it’s certainly better to have it. Two: family matters most. Three: her younger brother Billy is not a rapist.

When Billy, a junior at Princeton, is arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie races home to Manhattan to join forces with her big brother Nate and their parents, Lawrence and Eleanor. The Quinns scramble to hire the best legal minds money can buy, but Billy fits the all-too-familiar sex-offender profile—white, athletic, and privileged—that makes headlines and sways juries.

Meanwhile, Cassie struggles to understand why Billy’s ex Diana would go this far, even if the breakup was painful. And she knows how the end of first love can destroy someone: Her own years-long affair with a powerful, charismatic man left her shattered, and she’s only recently regained her footing.

As reporters converge outside their Upper East Side landmark building, the Quinns gird themselves for a media-saturated trial, and Cassie vows she’ll do whatever it takes to save Billy. But what if that means exposing her own darkest secrets to the world?

Lightning-paced and psychologically astute as it rockets toward an explosive ending, When We Were Bright and Beautiful is a dazzling novel that asks: who will pay the price when the truth is revealed?

©2022 Jillian Medoff (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

Worth the credit

A bit cringeworthy at times and could be triggering to some. Great read overall. Well written

Such a letdown

Good start, with interesting characters and a big question - did he do it ? But the whole Marcus deception ( trying to avoid spoilers here) just didn’t work, the characters all made drastic personality shifts that just wasn’t plausible, and the central relationship was really yucky. Such a letdown after a great first half.

Emotional roller coaster

Story was told as well as you can tell a harrowing story such as this. I’d recommend.

Well written, but very disturbing.

Well written and gripping story, but very very disturbing and dark. Would’ve been better without the woke virtue signaling.

Roller coaster narrative

The story was kind of all over the place started out ok but then characters and back story was tough to keep up with as narrator voice and inflection was kind of annoying at times. I probably would have preferred the book rather than the audible version.

Nuanced and interesting

This book was complex and unexpected, and I was surprised to hear the author began writing it prior to 2016 and the MeToo movement. It didn’t lean into tropes.

Good book!

Took a bit to get into it but overall it was a great book and sad story. Worth the read for sure!

Predictable

Unfortunately The twist which wasn’t told until late in the story became obvious very early on.

Surprisingly great!

Originally got this book because I love Marin Irelands voice and the story seemed intriguing. I am very surprised to say I enjoyed the heck out of it! Lots of folks have mentioned trigger warnings so I wont, but there are definitely parts where anyone with a soul will feel anger, panic, anxiety, sadness, etc. This was absolutely worth the credit and kudos to Mrs Ireland for a wonderful performance (as always).

Smartly written, theatrical performance

Medoff’s quick pace and hard driving style I found unique. I enjoyed her story construction and riveting flow. Apart from the theme, I was personally thrusted into a menagerie of haughty characters both relatable, yet not so likable (good development), a product of the city from where they hail, big city, big egos, big messes, big falls. I liked her three-pete of certain words that not only drove home a point, but at times exemplified the meaning to the absurdity of the point toward its negation.