I felt this book was a disappointment. The characters were very unbelievable.
I felt the book was a bit too tame for what I was expecting.

It took me quite a while to fully finish this book but looking back, I don't really know why. Once I was able to get myself out of my slump and really start reading, I really enjoyed this book. It focuses mostly on the young step-mother who feels like she can do nothing right when it comes to her husband's children. This is made worse by the children's mother literally just nitpicking every little thing she says or does. Things get twisted and words are said. It was definitely a look at knowing who you marry, making sure it's for all the right reasons, and learning to be grateful for what you have. I really enjoyed this book and will probably re-read it in the future to get it all together instead of so spread out like I read it during this slump.

I loved this book. I did find Joe a little irritating, but I can so relate to the story, and the many problems of trying to blend a family. I thought it was well written, and I simply couldn't put it down. I felt so many emotions reading this story, and found the characters well drawn and utterly believable. Highly recommend.

I am not a stepmom, but I do have one, and I know how difficult it is to navigate that relationship. I get along with mine, but I can identify how difficult it might be to suddenly become one, especially if the kids are still young. A good and solid read that makes you think about your own life.

I really wanted to like this book based on the synopsis and the fact that I’ve read books by Carol Mason before. However this book felt different and didn’t grab me once I started reading it.

Thank you to the Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. This was a lovely feel good book about a couple trying to make a go of things while dealing with his ex wife interfering. An enjoyable read.

Lovely feel good book to read. It was a joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot. The book was charming. Very well written. I’d definitely recommend this book

Lauren, a medical student has a chance meeting with Joe, a businessman in the US. Move forward a few months, and they are married and Lauren is now stepmother to Joe’s son and daughter. Constantly in the background is Meredith, their mother. A domestic drama if ever there was one and sadly not very captivating. By the time the kids are involved Lauren is a fully qualified doctor and therefore intelligent or is meant to be! She certainly doesn’t act like it and becomes a whining doormat letting the four above characters walk all over her. Exactly the type of book that I find particularly irritating. Each time something happens she’s more downtrodden to the point where you want to shake her. I wish I could say I enjoyed this book but I can’t but no doubt the author’s fans will love it.

I enjoy Carol Mason's writing and domestic dramas. Add a female doctor, grappling with step-motherhood and the ex-wife, and some mystery and good twists and it becomes a very entertaining read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance digital galley.

Domestic Disharmony..
A dose of domestic disharmony in this relationship fuelled read. Is Lauren’s husband really who she thinks he is? Has she made a mistake of gigantic proportions? A twisting plot and deftly drawn characters combine to make a gently engaging tale.

This was my second book by Carol Mason. I honestly hate to give a negative review, because I know a lot of people loved this book, but it wasn't for me. I was rolling my eyes at the writing style, and I felt like our two main characters, Lauren and Joe, had absolutely NO chemistry. It was just bland and I felt like I was reading a juvenile novel for lack of a better way to describe it. I wanted to love this based on the synopsis, but I was just annoyed and disappointed.

Great book. Highly recommend and will most defiantly read more by this author and suggest to others!

Wow! What an enjoyable story, well written with great characters. I felt very sympathetic to the main protagonist, Lauren, in her role as a step mum. I was sorry when I came to the end of the book which had añ excellent ending and left me wondering. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book and to discover this excellent author.

Synopsis: When Lauren meets Joe on a trip she tries to forget about him and leave it all behind. A year later when they fall even deeper in love they find out how there is much more to a relationship than just love. In Joe’s previous marriage he had two kinds and his ex wife shares custody with him. Lauren finds out that being a stepmom isn't always easy.

Thought: I think that this book did a great job talking about some of the difficulties of dating and marriage when one of the spouses has children. It brings a whole new level and other relationships in. I felt like I understood what Laruen was feeling and that I could have been there to give her advice even though I'm not sure that would have helped.

A gripping story about family relationships and how it's difficult to create the perfect balance. Ms Mason doesn't shy away from the gritty details of life and this kept me turning the pages. Realistic, twisty and enjoyable. Five stars!

Carol Mason does slow burn domestic fiction brilliantly and I can see why she is such a popular thriller writer.. Filled to the brim with family drama consisting of the main character Lauren whom has married Joe. Joe's ex-wife and 2 kids make up the rest of this drama filled escapade. If your after a solid family psychological drama look no further.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book, and I think the 'fairytale romance' start to the book lured me in - sometimes you can't go wrong with a bit of cheesy romance! As the plot developed I started to question some of the main characters, so it kept me guessing and eager to read more. There were some interesting plot twists which weren't too obvious, and despite the romantic element to the plot, it avoided the predictability that often comes with such genres. A nice easy page-turner.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. An interesting novel by a new author in my personal reading-sphere! I am sure others would enjoy it too. Good character portrayls, descriptive setting and gripping plot.

Between You and Me is an engrossing domestic drama detailing dating and marriage within the modern family. Lauren, a young doctor from the UK, meets older, charming Joe at a resort in the States. There is immediate chemistry but knowing his situation is complicated Joe leaves it at that. Fast-forward 14 months later-Joe and Lauren are married. Told through Lauren's perspective, with some flashbacks to the past, we find out that Joe's situation was no longer complicated and he and Lauren had a whirlwind courtship-and became an instant-family with his two children. Lauren navigates being a stepmom to a teenager and a four-year old while Joe expects her to jump in without much preparation or help. Situations arise that threaten their happiness and family life; Carol Mason takes you on an emotional roller coaster while leaving some things to the reader's interpretation.

I enjoyed this story and how Mason developed some of the characters and really examined how modern families blend today. Some of the situations Lauren found herself in seemed a little far-fetched but if the lens we are supposed to see her through is that of someone without exposure to caring for children than that could be accurate. Overall a 3.5 star read-had there been some more context and development of why Joe changed so much it would have been a 4 start novel.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I enjoyed this book but just wanted to give the two main characters a good old shake and tell them to stop and talk to each other.