I really, really loved this book but there were a few things that drove me absolutely insane.

What I Liked:
* The friendships. I love reading about super close friendship groups but this group definitely took the cake. They're so incredibly close to where it's a little questionable on where their friendship crosses the line haha. They're so much fun!! I wish I was in their friend group!
* The pub quiz aspect. It was a great addition to the story. I wish I still played in quiz leagues!
* The chemistry between Simon and Clarrie was HOT. Another favorite trope of mine is best friends to lovers and this story hit the nail on the head with that trope.

What I Didn't Like
* Clarrie was nearly insufferable. I totally understand certain things triggering her and questioning relationships but it seems like she refused to be happy. I can't count how many times Simon approached her telling her his true feelings and she kept shooting him down.
* I didn't NOT like this but there was SO much dialogue that it got kind of overwhelming in some scenes. I kept getting people confused.

I highly recommend this book to a lot of my friends. I've been comparing this to The Bookish Life of Nina Hill but British!

3 quizzical ★★★✩✩
This book is for you if… you enjoy light chick lit and are able to deal with a very slow start + one too many pub quizz nights. You'll be in for many funny lines but should be warned that mental issues are not addressed properly

⇝Overall.
I was very happy when Aria Publishing granted my request. The synopsis sounded super promising as it depicted a new version of the friends to lovers-narrative. I must admit that this book somewhat disappointed. The lines were funny and made me laugh out loud a lot and the general plot idea was really original.: "She was about to put out her hand when Greg spread his arms. Oh God, he was a hugger."

It was, however, executed poorly and that the first 40 to almost 50 (!!)% of the book were a total drag. Although the whole plot is designed around pub quizzes at one point I just thought Oh my goodness, not another pub quiz. The characters were unique, distinct (from one another) and quirky enough, however, that they made it bearable and even fun in the end. I also liked that feminism has been addressed a couple of times: "How come Si had got away with a nice, civilized handshake while she had to have her personal space invaded. Honestly, you'd think feminism had never happened."

⇝Was mental health addressed properly?
To be fair, I don't have a qualified answer for that. What I have is a feeling of uneasiness. From the beginning, Mary hints at the fact that the main character Clarrie deals with one or several mental problems such as trust and commitment issues (?). I expected that topic to take off throughout the book - as underrepresented as it is in common literature. I waited in vain, though. I would have wished for Clarrie to actually take a leap and seek professional help. The storytelling and plot repeatedly made clear she probably needed it. Instead this "problem" solved itself, so to say when (view spoiler) I honestly don't feel too good about this.

➺What’s happening.
Clarrissa and Simon have been friends ever since they were little troublemakers. It has been just as long - or so it seems to Clar - that Si made a fun game of mockery out of asking her out on dates. It has always been clear as crystal that it was never a series question. Or has it?

All of a sudden (at least from Clarrie's viewpoint), Simon gets very serious about dating her - he makes a bet. If their team wins the Pub Quizz league this year, Clar will have to go out on a date with him. Should he lose, he will stop asking her out for good.

While the bet is running, Clarrie suddenly loses confidence in her belief that Simon has only ever been joking all this time. Because, if she's being totally honest, she has thought about Si as more than just a friend herself. After all, there is a reason why she never failed to find something to break up over with her past boyfriends.
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Writing quality + easy of reading = 4*

pace = 2.5*

plot development = 2.5*

characters = 4*

enjoyability = 3*

insightfulness = 2*
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This eArc was provided by Aria via NetGalley/Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much!

Clarrie Midwinter is nearly 30 years old but she's still not really got the hang of being an adult. Permanently broke, cadging cigarettes from her friends and crippled by social anxiety when among strangers she is happiest working in her little book shop and quizzing in the local pub league with her friends, The Mighty Morphin' Flower Arrangers. Clarrie is the only woman in the team after Sunny and Gem split up. The other team members are Sunny, Simon, Dave and Dave's dad.

Simon has been asking Clarrie out on a date forever, they've been friends since infants school and Clarrie can't take him seriously, especially since he seems to have a procession of giggling women walking through his front door, so Simon makes a bet - if they win the quiz league then Clarrie will have to go on a date with him. Can Clarrie overcome her fear of losing Simon forever and take a chance on love?

Although the Might Morphin' Flower Arrangers are adults none of them have really grown up, except maybe Simon, some of them still live at home and they have a juvenile sense of humour which can be an acquired taste - you know when teenage boys are scared of girls so they cover it with bravado and sexist comments? That sort of humour.

I enjoyed this book, I love a pub quiz so this was right up my street, however Clarrie's fear of being an adult (because really that's what it was) did get a bit tedious, she was too old to have such a fear of marriage and having children and to make such crass inappropriate comments when in social situations.

Simon doesn't get off scot free either.(view spoiler)

Overall, if you have a soft spot for quizzers and young men who aren't ripped and don't have glamorous or sexy jobs and normal lives then I think you'll enjoy this low key romance.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Another original romantic comedy from the author, whose love of Yorkshire is evident from reading her believable, hilarious and romantic stories.

This story's characters are the members of a pub quiz team, a quintessentially British pastime, 'The Mighty Morphin Flower Arrangers'. A friends to lovers trope, this a gentle romance, despite the often raucous goings-on, and language that dominates the story.

Clarrie and Si have been friends since pre-school, Clarrie harbours a secret and inconvenient passion for her friend, who constantly asks her out, but never she believes in seriousness. She of course, always makes a joke of it and refuses. Now Si has changed the rules, he wants Clarrie to agree to a date if the team win the pub quiz league, what will she do?

The romance is predictably full of obstacles, most of which are Clarrie's internal battle over her feelings, and whether she is brave enough to take a chance on love. Suffering from anxiety issues that already make her life choices difficult, whether or not to risk the friendship they have, for something romantic is a major issue for Clarrie.

The village life experience is interwoven into the story, the gossip, the interfering, well-meant of course, and the secrets that everyone knows. The sense of community and the tight friendship amongst Clarrie and Si 's group are realistic and give this story depth and interest.

The romance although slow to start is lovely and worthwhile, enough to satisfy the romantics, and melt the cynics a little.

If you are unfamiliar with the author's take on life in a Yorkshire village, this book is an experience you won't forget, and for those of us, who are already fans, this is another great story full of fun, heartache, quirkiness and romance.

I received a copy of this book from Aria via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Well where do I start with this book.....I think I'll begin by saying simply that I loved it. It was an outright success on every level and I'm sad it had to come to an end. Being a huge Mary Jayne Baker fan I knew I was in safe hands when it came to this story but it completely entertained me from start to finish and it's definitely a book not to be missed.



As I've come to know and love with Mary's books, character creations are on another level. She really knows how to create loved and memorable characters and this story did not disappoint. Clarrie and Si were the perfect pair and together with the rest of The Mighty Morphin’ Flower Arrangers, made this book into the success story it was. I laughed, I smiled and I enjoyed each and every minute of my time spent with these loveable rogues and I know you will to.



A Question of Us is the like a gift that keeps on giving....entertainment at the turn of each page with heartwarming moments threaded throughout like bursts of magic. If this is not on your tbr pile yet then please rectify this oversight immediately - you will not be disappointed.

I can't believe I am saying this, but I was sooo HOOKED from the very first page. The dynamic vitality between the friends, the easy going humor, and the teasing and the feel of solidarity just sucks you in. It started off as a chick flick with romance and chemistry and friendship and challenges but ended up being a little insufferable. Even though the story was easy going and chic, the narrative became haywire in the second half and the "British" part began getting on my nerves. Clarrie, a fun and kind girl has issues of her own and even though she is secretly in love with her best friend, Simon, she has a hard time accepting his proposal. So this is the story of a bet and a quiz which made her realize what she always wanted.
A fun, easy book to read at the end of the day. I enjoyed it a lot, but kind of expected more.

An adorable read , this is an addictive and fast paced read with loveable characters, a lovely friends to lovers romance and amazing humour. The banter is so good, it’s a quirky and fun read.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

A Question of Us is a charming and funny contemporary romance from British author, Mary Jayne Baker.

The friends to lovers trope in romance has always been my favourite, and it’s the focus of A Question of Us. Clarrie and Simon have been best friends for over twenty years (since they were four) and both have harboured unacknowledged romantic feelings for each other since their late teens. Now in their mid twenties, Simon is ready for Clarrie to to take him seriously, but Clarrie, desperately worried that giving in to her attraction to Simon will eventually spell the end of their friendship, prefers to deflect and deny. Clarrie’s concerns are understandable, and relatable for anyone who has been in a similar position. Her fears are also magnified by what seems to be mild social anxiety.

In the attempt to convince Clarrie to give him a shot, Simon offers her a bet - if their team wins the trivia league she agrees to a date, and if the The Mighty Morphin’ Flower Arrangers lose, he will never ask her out again. The weekly trivia competition is a great framework for the story, allowing the author to bring her characters together naturally (and it’s fun to answer the questions).

Probably my favourite element of the novel is the dynamic between the group, which includes Clarrie, Simon, Sonny, Gemma and and Davy, who have all been close friends since high school. A lot of the banter involves the pushing of each other’s buttons in only the way people who have known each other forever can, and while much of it is hilarious, if juvenile (and un-PC), the affection between them reads as totally genuine. Each of the characters also have their own story, and unusually, so do their parents.

I also really enjoyed the ‘Britishness’ of A Question of Us, Baker freely makes use of British ‘slang’ and the story largely takes place in a variety of quintessential English pubs, resulting in the downing of several pints of Guinness, lager, and cheap wine. I’ve noticed some (American) reviewers complaining it’s ‘too British’ but as an Australian, with plenty of exposure to British culture and TV, it felt familiar, and honestly refreshing.

Witty, fun and engaging, I was delighted with A Question of Us.

Well, I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed A Question Of Us!
I loved the story.
I loved the banter between the characters.
I loved how I laughed out very noisily it made my dog jump!
I loved the other emotions, the sad moments, the angry moments and the understanding between the friends.
I loved the visits to the pubs, bars, ale houses.
And, I LOVED the Britishness around the whole story.

Thanks to NetGalley, Mary Jane Baker, who I would love to go to the pub with, as I think that we would have a giggle and Aria Publication.

Light-hearted, quirky, romantic; Baker's novel is ideal to get your mind off of things and your heart fluttering.

I really enjoyed this one! A Question of Us is the story of Clarrie and Simon, two people who have been best friends since birth. Clarrie suffers from anxiety and this tends to make things a bit more difficult for her. Simon, Clarrie's best friend, is a "ladykiller", but keeps asking Clarrie out. She doesn't understand this since he can have anyone he wants (her words). This is a definite slow-burn and a solid friends to lovers story. It is super British, and while I enjoyed that, some might not so I figured I would mention it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was pretty much everything I was hoping for!

This book had so much to love! Cute illustrated cover, off-the-charts chemistry between not only the love interests, but also the friend group, bookstores, pub trivia, best friends secretly in love with each other…seriously, it ticked all of my boxes.

I was hooked on this book immediately and not a lot happens plot wise, which honestly was fine for me. I love a good slice-of-life book and that is exactly what this is!

Clarrie and Simon have been best friends basically since birth. They’ve grown up together, seen each other at their best and worst, and have totally fallen in love along the way, they’ve just been too scared to do anything about it. Or, well, Clarrie has been too scared. Simon cannot stop asking her out, even though she repeatedly turns him down. Clarrie thinks it’s a joke to Simon. He could have anyone he wanted, so why her? But when a bet over their pub trivia league is made, everything begins to change and Clarrie starts to realize that maybe her very really feelings for Simon ARE actually real on his end too. (Spoiler alert: obviously they are!)

This book is very British and I loved that! I don’t often read a lot of British authors, so it was nice getting to experience that writing and world and slang and humor.

There were definitely some downfalls, like Clarrie constantly getting in the way of her own happiness, but I also understand why she felt certain ways about certain things. It was just hard to watch her ruin things for herself when she could have had it all a loooot earlier. Everything else worked so well for me though, so it still gets 5 stars. I loved the friend group and their dynamic immensely, and of course Simon and Clarrie too, because as mentioned earlier, their chemistry was EVERYTHING.

*Thank you to Aria and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

A story that involves childhood friends to lovers trope and a bet? Count me in! But as much as I loved the idea and setting for this book, it just didn't do it for me.

It started off very entertaining and fun. I really enjoyed the witty and dialogues and banter. I've never read a book before with so much dialogue and so little background story. As fun as the Britishness came through the conversations, I felt like most of the characters sounded pretty much the same. The pace was so slow at times and I felt like they were talking abut the same things over and over again. I didn't mind the British slang though, but thought that this group of friends were lacking a sense or perspective for life, because all they do is shag and drink.

I didn't find Simon and Clarrie's friendship endearing either. Yes, there were sweet moments and I'm glad how the bet ended, but Simon going out with so many girls all the years while he's supposed to be in love with Clarrie is just so weird. This is such a wrong way to tell a lass you like her. Also, Clarrie became so unbearable with each chapter, either swearing, whining or drinking.

There were so many times I felt like not finishing this book but I'm a sucker for happy endings, and although it was quite a ride to get to the end, I'm just semi pleased with it. The premise itself has potential, but it lacked so much depth and romance. Not sure if it's the humor, because I had a chuckle here and there, there was just not much between Simon and Clarrie to actually believe that love was there.

A fun, light-hearted book that's a great banterfest between friends at the pub quiz. The prose is largely conversations and so took a bit of getting used to compared to more plot/description showing but it is entertaining

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I didn’t know how much I needed this book until I sat down to read it and finished it in one sitting. Before I start ranting on about how much I loved this book and I loved these characters let me point out a few things that need to be addressed before reading this book.

Firstly, this book is very British and while I was completely here for it, I know that some people may not be. The banter, the friendships and even just the language used may find it distracting, plus the books are very focused around a pub setting. Honestly, I loved that it was so British, it honestly just made me feel so much at home. I loved the bond between this group of people and I just loved that I could completely and utterly relate to it.

Secondly, there are some trigger warnings in this book that people need to take into consideration. This book does mention cheating (although none with our main group) and cancer.

Now for my thoughts…

This book is a slow burn but perfectly done. I never once felt like it needed to be hurried up and I never felt bored. It also features best friend to lover’s trope which is one of my favourite ones. The friendship between Simon and Clarrie was everything I wish for in life. They bounce of each other so well and it never feels forced or awkward, even with Simon constantly asking her out.

Clarrie suffers from anxiety which stems from life experiences and she feels like she’s always going to mess things up which in turn means that she makes life a lot harder for herself. I had read a couple of reviews before starting this book and had seen that people ended up really disliking Clarrie for this and it made me worried going into it that I wasn’t to end up hating her too. That couldn’t have been further from the truth. Clarrie is such a strong and funny character and I can completely understand why she doesn’t give in to Simon because she’s scared and it’s hard to see what’s in front of you when your head tells you your going to mess everything up. All she’s known is heartbreak from a young age and she isn’t willing to ruin the one good thing she has in her life. I loved Clarrie and found her to be the perfect main character for this book.

Simon is the perfect human being, lets be honest. I want a Simon in my life, he’s kind, he’s funny and most of all he gives with all his heart. Simon, just like Clarrie, is a strong character who isn’t afraid to show his own emotions. However, while I could sit here and talk about how much I loved Clarrie and Simon this book would have been nothing without Sonny, Gemma and Dave their group of friends.

I loved these guys so much and the dynamic as a group is something I have always wanted in my own friend groups. They loved and supported each other but still were able to make fun of each other in a light-hearted manner. The humour used by this group of friends made the book for me and it’s one of my favourite books of this year.

If you’re looking for a good, unapologetically British, slow burn romance then this book is perfect!

Clarrie, Simon, Dave, Gemma, and Sonny are a tight knit group of 20-somethings in a small British village who comprise a quiz team. Clarrie's sort of a mess but Simon (aka Si) who has been her friend since forever, is totally in love with her, despite everything. He keeps asking her out, she keeps turning him down because she thinks, among other things, he's not serious. Then Si gets the bright idea to make it a challenge of sorts. This is classic friends to lovers with the twist that it's the man who is obviously carrying the torch. The other characters are also nicely drawn. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's fun, it's light, it's got lots of local color and there's a wait for it....happy time!

I received an ARC from Netgalley and I am happy to give my honest review.

I requested this book because of the cute cover and happy little blurb. I didn't really know what to expect, having never read this author's work before, and I am very pleasantly surprised. I've been smiling since I finished the book.

This book features Clarrie and Simon, as well as a host of friends and family. I am usually overwhelmed when there is a lot of side characters but I thought this book handled it well. Clarrie and Simon have been friends since they were little kids. Their group of friends have known each other for various amount of years and compete in pub trivia together. Now here's a fun fact about me: I love pub trivia. It's one of my favorite activities on cold winter nights. I knew this book would be right up my alley.

Simon has been asking Clarrie out for years. She laughs it off, knowing he's a flirt and that he'd never be interested in her seriously. She struggles with anxiety and fear of commitment due to her father leaving their family. She doesn't really know how to be an adult and is terrified of screwing up her life. Simon has his life together as a successful history teacher with a mortgage and a car. He's deadly serious about dating Clarrie and has been in love with her since high school. He bets her that if they win the pub trivia tournament he can take her on a date.

Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and this book did not disappoint. As much as Clarrie felt inadequate, I was charmed by her and wanted to be her friend. She was loyal and caring to the ones she loved. Some of the scenes with Simon broke my heart because of how intensely he loved her and wanted to be with her despite her issues.

In the end, I really loved this book and I want to continue reading more like it. I did struggle a bit because the author is British and there was a lot of unfamiliar vernacular as a US reader. I quickly overcame that and I couldn't put the book down. Check this one out - you won't regret it.

I found it hard to engage and connect with this one. It was very British so perhaps I just couldn’t relate. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC.

An absolutely brilliant read. Fun and lighthearted with absolutely perfect dashes of humour and brilliant characters. Exactly the sort of voice that the genre needs right now, highly recommended.

Clarrie and Simon have been best friends since primary school. Clarrie doesn't particularly want to grow up. Simon ... well, Simon keeps asking Clarrie out. She keeps saying no. It's a long running joke between them. Isn't it?

This book revolves around a pub quiz league and a group of quiz enthusiasts who are almost, but not quite, grown up. I loved the banter between the friends. I spent my mid teens in West Yorkshire and this is exactly the way my friends would talk to each other! It made me laugh out loud.
The 'found family' dynamic between the friends was wonderful.

Clarrie is one of the lads, which was great, but sometimes you did want to shake her. That said, she's a completely believable character because someone who is prone to anxiety would be scared at the idea of ruining things by moving out of the status quo. Simon was lucky enough to have figured out what (and whom) he wanted early on. I like a hero who isn't too uptight to cry when things go horribly wrong.

I really enjoyed this book. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.