Today I'm partnering with WOW! Women on Writing to celebrate the release of The Me I Used To Be by Kristan Higgins. Keep reading for my review! I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Kristan Higgins
Published September 15, 2026
At a high school reunion, old secrets and heartbreaking truths come to light for four estranged friends in a poignant, humorous and bittersweet novel by a New York Times bestselling author.
Audrey, Micah, Jasmine and Beck—the lucky one, the beautiful one, the smart one, the sporty one—are called the Core Four. Full of promise, laughter and loyalty, they promise to be best friends forever. But the night after graduation, they’re in a devastating accident, and the friendship that seemed unbreakable is shattered.
Twenty-five years later, the four women agree to reunite for their high school reunion. None of them is where they hoped to be way back when, and all have scars and secrets. But for one, the diagnosis of early-onset dementia means this is the last chance to revisit their once-golden friendship.
Over the weekend, they’ll come to terms with that tragic accident, as well as the dreams and realities of their lives. Can they forgive each other and peel away those secrets? Is there anything left of that old friendship? After all these years, it’s time to see if the Core Four can come together once more. - from Goodreads
Audrey, Micah, Jasmine, and Beck were an inseparable friend group in high school, but a tragic accident on the night of their graduation rips the girls apart. Now, 25 years later, Audrey is facing a devastating diagnosis, and she wants to bring the group back together at their high school reunion and try to mend fences. Each woman is facing problems in her own life, but they agree to meet up and see if they can find that old magic together again.
I have to admit, I struggled a little initially with this one. The beginning felt very abrupt, as the woman meet up for the first time in 25 years, Audrey drops her bombshell secret, and asks that they all forgive each other for that night. Things did smooth out a little after that, as we move through the reunion weekend but also visit each woman individually and learn about their lives and how things haven't gone as they planned. This is definitely a heavy book, as really none of the characters are all that happy, so it was sometimes hard to read. The chapters about Audrey's early-onset dementia were probably among my favorites, actually. They had a different feel to them, and it was heartbreaking to see how Audrey discovered and then experiences her illness. It's very raw and honest. Overall, though, this is a bittersweet, rocky story about friendship, family, and illness, with some poignant moments.
3.5 stars
