On Tour 02/01/26-03/05/26 “We Were Never Friends” by Kaira Rouda

Release Date: February 3, 2026

About The Book:

Meet the sorority sisters of Theta Gamma Mu:

Roxy Callahan Gentry, the ruthless former sorority president and current hostess who has painstakingly choreographed every detail of this weekend—even matching the cocktails to her couture—to prove that she remains their undisputed queen
Amelia Dell, the widow drenched in old money and alcohol, with her big pot-stirring spoon and uninvited boy-toy in tow
Jamie Vale, the double-legacy pledge, straight-A student with no sparkle, now a top cardiologist with a picture-perfect family—and a well-guarded bad habit
Beth Harrison, the scholarship student who never quite fit in and was only admitted because her best friend Sunny insisted that the two were a package deal
Sunny Spencer, the carefree and beloved friend to all, or so it seemed—until she wasn’t

They’ve been summoned to Roxy’s luxurious Palm Springs vacation home to celebrate the engagement of her son to Beth’s daughter. But the refurbished 1920s estate is eerily reminiscent of the hotel where tragedy struck during Spring Break twenty-five years ago. Long-simmering tensions and shocking secrets begin bubbling to the surface like bodies—because while the weekend was supposed to be about celebrating the future, it’s not so easy to bury the past…

For fans of Shari Lapena, Mary Kubica, and B. A. Paris, We Were Never Friends is an unputdownable, riveting train wreck full of dark humor and bad behavior.

About The Author:

Kaira Rouda is an award–winning USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author of contemporary fiction that explores what goes on beneath the surface of seemingly perfect lives. Her recent novel, JILL IS NOT HAPPY, was instant USA Today bestseller for 2 consecutive weeks.

Her novels of domestic suspense include The Widow, Somebody’s Home, The Next Wife, The Favorite Daughter, Best Day Ever, All the Difference, Beneath the Surface (optioned for a feature film), Under the Palms, The Next Mrs. Strom, and Only the Nanny(November 2024). To date, Kaira’s work has been translated into more than a dozen languages. Three of her novels have been named Amazon Editor’s Picks for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense. The Next Wife was one of Suspense magazine’s Best Books of 2021 and won a 2022 Silver Falchion for Best Suspense Novel. It was also a 2022 Silver Falchion first runner-up for Best Book of the Year.

Kaira is a leader and active proponent in the mystery and thrillerwriting community as a co-founder and co-host of the Killer Author Club, a live online show supporting authors. She’s also a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Women’s Fiction Author Association, and the International Thriller Writers Association.

She served as a committee chair for the Edgar Awards 2024 and frequently appears on panels at conferences across the country. Active in the areas of homelessness, food security, and empowering women and girls, in her twenties, as a volunteer, she created the first walk-in emergency shelter for homeless families in Central Ohio. Kaira has received numerous awards for her community service, including the national Kiwanis Service to Mankind Award, the Ohio Sertoma Service to Mankind Award, and Kick Ass Woman of Orange County by Orange Coast Magazine. Kaira was honored to be appointed by Governor Gavin Newsome to the California Volunteers commission.

Kaira Rouda lives in Southern California with her family. www.kairarouda.com

Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kairarouda

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@kairarouda

X: https://x.com/kairarouda

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kairaroudabooks

Bloggers On Tour:

Feb. 1st- Lindas Book Obsession https://www.facebook.com/lindasbookobsession/

Feb. 3rd- Love My Books 2020 https://instagram.com/lovemybooks2020

Feb. 3rd-Tammy Reads https://instagram.com/tammyreads62

Feb. 3rd- Cassie’s Book Reviews https://instagram.com/cassies_books_reviews

Feb. 4th- Books and Coffee MX https://instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx