



We Are Not Like Them
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4.5 • 20 Ratings
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- £2.99
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- £2.99
Publisher Description
THE MOST IMPORTANT NOVEL YOU’LL READ THIS YEAR
‘Harrowing and heartening in equal measure, this book is a breathtaking tale of racial fissures, fury and friendship’ David Lammy, MP and author of Tribes
‘A powerful story about friendship, race, love, forgiveness, and justice – and the stunning ways they intersect…Empathetic, riveting, and authentic’ Laura Dave, bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me
‘A painfully amazing read teaching us that sometimes, when it comes to race, the real enemy is ignorance’ Rhys Stephenson, actor and TV presenter
‘Provides a starting point for conversations which are crucial, at times uncomfortable, but long overdue’ Ruth Hogan, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things
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Not every story is black and white.
Riley and Jen have been best friends since they were children, and they thought their bond was unbreakable. It never mattered to them that Riley is black and Jen is white. And then Jen's husband, a Philadelphia police officer, is involved in the shooting of an unarmed black teenager and everything changes in an instant.
This one act could destroy more than just Riley and Jen's friendship. As their community takes sides, so must Jen and Riley, and for the first time in their lives the lifelong friends find themselves on opposing sides.
But can anyone win a fight like this?
We Are Not Like Them is about friendship and love. It's about prejudice and betrayal. It's about standing up for what you believe in, no matter the cost.
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‘Powerful and timely… explores every aspect of systemic racism, from micro aggressions to intergenerational trauma’ Guardian
‘Timely and important, I read it in one sitting but am still thinking about it weeks later’ Sarah Morgan, Sunday Times bestselling author
‘One of the most eagerly anticipated books of the year […] A brilliant novel from Christine Pride and Jo Piazza capturing today’s complex issues of race and class’ HELLO!
‘An absolute must read for your book clubs for debate and discussion’ Nina Pottell, Prima
About the author
Christine Pride worked in publishing for fifteen years. Over the course of her career, Christine worked with a variety of established and debut writers and published many New York Times bestsellers and critically acclaimed books including, From Scratch, Heaven is Here, and A Reason to Believe. Christine now writes full-time.
Jo Piazza is an award-winning journalist and editor who has written for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Glamour, Marie Claire and Elle. The bestselling author of The Knockoff, How to Be Married, Fitness Junkie, and Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win, she currently lives in Philadelphia with her husband and two children.
We Are Not Like Them is their debut novel as a writing duo.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Christine Pride and Jo Piazza’s We Are Not Like Them is a searing exploration of prejudice, loyalty and above all, the bond between lifelong friends in modern day America. Riley Wilson (a Black TV news journalist) and Jenny Murphy (a Philadelphia policeman’s wife, and white) have been best friends since childhood, but the limits of their love is tested when Jenny’s husband is implicated in the shooting of an unarmed Black teen and Riley reports on the high-profile case. Jenny (heavily pregnant—thanks to a Riley-funded round of IVF) defiantly stands by her man, while Riley must represent her Black community and keep her conflict of interest from the TV station bosses. Told from both women’s perspectives, this poignant, powerful novel offers a unique take on how race intersects our social circles, and offers a template on the understanding needed to come together again.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Piazza (Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win) teams up with veteran book editor Pride for a blistering and incisive story of race, friendship, and police violence in Philadelphia. Riley Wilson, who is Black, is a TV news reporter. Her best friend from childhood, Jenny Murphy, who is white, never planned to be a policeman's wife—but then her white husband, Kevin, quits his sales job and becomes a cop. Jenny gets pregnant after a series of unsuccessful IVF treatments, the last of which Riley paid for, and is in her third trimester when 14-year-old Justin Dwyer, who is Black, is shot by Kevin. Riley is assigned to cover the story while Jenny nears her due date. Riley and Jenny's relationship is strained after Jenny is initially concerned for Kevin rather than Justin, who is on life support (if he dies, Kevin could be charged with murder). The circumstances feel conveniently invented in service of the premise, though the authors skillfully build tension, such as whether Riley's boss at the station will discover her conflict of interest regarding Jenny, and what will happen with Riley's relationship with her ex-boyfriend Corey, who is white. This character-driven novel ought to spark much discussion.