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Start giftingWhen We Were Young
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Learn moreFrom the author of Something to Live For, a nostalgic, heart-warming story of two long-lost friends who embark on a 184-mile walk of the Thames Path in order to find their way back to the truth, and to their friendship.
How do you move forward…when all you want to do is go back?
Joel and Theo haven’t spoken since the summer they turned sixteen, but that’s about to change.
From the outside Joel looks like the picture of success: a TV scriptwriter with a smash hit who’s still together and in love with his teenage sweetheart, Amber. But he's falling apart at the seams. He's headed home to reconnect with best friend Theo--to get back to the start of it all.
Theo has been living in his parents' shed, nursing a broken heart and a wounded ego, convinced life can't get any worse. Then he gets evicted on his 30th birthday. He thinks he's done with the real world - until it shows up on his doorstep...
One of them is keeping a secret, and the other is living a lie. But can the promise they once made to walk all 184 miles of the Thames Path help them find their way back to the truth--and to their friendship?
Richard Roper is a non-fiction editor at Headline, an imprint of Hachette UK. He lives in London and is the author of Something to Live For.
Reviews
Advance Praise for When We Were YoungOne of Good Morning America’s 33 Books to Heart Up Your July
“Richard Roper writes with wit, soul, and beautiful prose.” –Good Morning America
“A funny, tender British bromance.” –People
“When We Were Young is such a warm, uplifting read. It's a celebration of the bond we have with our oldest friends, and it's so funny, without ever losing its poignancy—Richard Roper writes humour so brilliantly.” –Beth O’ Leary, author of The Flatshare and The Switch
“This delightful, endearing outing becomes a heartfelt meditation on male companionship, forgiveness, and navigating life’s ups and downs. Roper’s story shimmers.” –Publishers Weekly
“Writing with both great humor and heart, Roper has a light touch that keeps the reader laughing even while he gently pulls on the heartstrings...A funny and poignant portrait of friendship.” –Kirkus
“Bittersweet and full of heart, this book will appeal to fans of Jonathan Tropper and Matthew Norman.” –Booklist
“Roper possesses a wry and formidable wit. But his real gift is the ability to infuse that humor with such immense heart that it becomes the path for an uplifting and redemptive journey. I loved this book.” —Steven Rowley, author of Lily and the Octopus
“Delightfully life-affirming and funny, a moving exploration of friendship and finding the path to redemption. Fans of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry will love it!”—Bianca Marais, author of Hum If You Don’t Know the Words
"A beautifully bittersweet tale about the enduring power of friendship, reminding us how sometimes the best way to face life’s biggest challenges is to take them one step at a time with your best friend by your side.” —Oliver Sands, author of Breeda Looney Steps Forth
Praise for Something to Live For
“[An] offbeat and winning debut...Something to Live For earns its pathos. Even more to its credit, it gives resiliency and the triumph of the human spirit a good name.” —TheWall Street Journal
“[A] winning debut novel...Roper’s unbridled compassion for his characters is the book’s greatest strength.” —TheNew York Times Book Review
“Just the kind of book I wanted to read in these times. Charming, empathetic, witty, emotional, and hopeful, Roper’s cast of quirky, vulnerable characters make for a truly warm and affecting debut.” —J. Ryan Stradal, author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest
“Darkly humorous.”—Entertainment Weekly
“Wryly funny and quirkily charming–perfect for fans of A Man Called Ove and Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.” —Eleanor Brown, author of The Weird Sisters
“Richard Roper uplifts the human spirit and shows us how to embrace life and hope.” —Phaedra Patrick, author of The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper
“The pleasure in Roper’s winning, good-hearted tale is seeing this lonely sad sack cautiously rejoin the world.” —People Expand reviews