4.5 ⭐️s (rounded up to 5)
With every Mhairi McFarlane book I read I know a few things to be true: female growth and development is important and friends play a role as close as family. This book did not disappoint and I loved how Harriet’s story kept evolving to introduce more and more characters. Difficult to describe without giving too much of the plot line away, Harriet, a wedding photographer, finds herself being spontaneously proposed to from her boyfriend Jon in front of his family. Feeling that this is not what she’s meant for, Harriet quickly decides she needs a new place to live and a step away from Jon. So many unexpected things happen leading Harriet to live with Cal Clarke and revealing more of her past life than perhaps she would like.

Toxic relationships and gaslighting play a huge role in this book and as McFarlane herself mentions in the Acknowledgments, this book is about “female solidarity”. Harriet’s friend Lorna, along with a few other cast of female characters play a tremendous role in how Harriet sees herself and discovers what she wants out of a relationship. I appreciated that not everyone Harriet encounters is meant to be a forever friend, which just goes to make the real relationships in her life that much more valuable.

This is the slowest of slow burns if you’re looking for a romance, I would definitely say that is the latter part of the story and not the main focus. There are very sweet, swoon-worthy moments between Cal and Harriet and some exchanged dialogue that any girl would die to hear in real life, but to be clear this is 100% Harriet’s story. That being said, I think this is my favorite Mhairi McFarlane book primarily because of the “girl power” vibe. And any book that has you immediately listening to Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark”upon finishing, gives a whole mood. Mhairi McFarlane just gets better and better and Mad About You is her best yet. Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5/5 STARS

Harriet Hatley is a known wedding photographer who doesn't wish to settle down so when her partner of years (who actually knows that Harriet DOES NOT WANT TO GET MARRIED) proposes to her, she loses it. She panics, breaks up with him, and sets off to find another place to live; enter her new flatmate - Cal Clarke. Cal Clarke is the hopeless romantic that has been screwed romantically, plenty of times. Harriet then realizes that Cal may just be "..the calm at the center of the storm."

Did I stay up until 2am reading this book? Yes, Yes I did.
Was I fully into the story telling of Harriet's past? YES! Yes, I was.
Was I <b>COMPLETELY</b> gutted by the last 10% of the book? Yes & NOT in a good way.

Harriet's past was crushing. How her relationships shaped her view in life with no family members must have been hard. Knowing she had Lorna on her side made it amazing. And let me tell you I LOVED LOVED Lorna and hopefully she has her own book because she's the bad bitch best friend that I (thank the higher beings) DO now have in my life. Harriet's character development was honestly, the most realistic, most amazing thing in this book.
Also the letters in the book?! I'm a sucker for letters! I loved this part.
Overall, if this book was about Harriet overcoming obstacles and succeeding in life this would, without a doubt, be a 5 star book BUT that's NOT what this book was supposed to be about.

In the blurb, we got introduced to Cal. In the blurb, we are to think that this big fiasco would happen and we would get cutesy angsty scenes between both of them. When in reality, the story was more focused on Harriet and her finding her own happiness within herself to be ready to love again (again, if that's what this book offered in the blurb then 1. I wouldn't have picked it up ).
We then get towards the last like 10% of the book and that's when we see more of Cal's interactions with Harriet and then... ITS OVER! The book literally ends (with the exception of the epilogue) with a 2 year glimpse into Cal & Harriet's future.
Like I was literally, going through my kindle and was like did I miss like 25 pages or wtf just happened? Like how did they end up saying the beautiful L word to each other without us knowing how they got there? Honestly, if you're picturing me typing this out, with a confused af face on, then you are 100% right. Like literally WTF?! There was no build up to their relationship, it went 0 to 100 in like 5 pages. I felt like it could've been there, like if she had spent a couple more pages through the book inserting more of Cal & her then it would've been perfect but the mark was badly missed.

Again, if this book was about Harriet & her journey? 5 star book. Unfortunately, it was supposed to be about romance & based on blurb it was set up for amazing things, yet it totally fell flat. nevertheless, here's an awesome quote lol

<i> "You don't have a place in my heart. You have it. Cal XXX ."</i>

and yes, SWOON at that. This was LITERALLY <b>LITERALLY</b> at the 98% point of the book & 10 minutes left for it to be over (4 of those were spend in the acknowledgements).
You see what I'm saying when I say that there was MAJOR potential here?

A woman who has ended her engagement 30 minutes after saying yes and a man who has ditched his bride on said wedding day find themselves as unlikely housemates... and even maybe more. Harriet Hatley is a popular wedding photographer. She’s had a history of horrible relationships and doesn’t believe in romance and hates the idea of marriage... but she’s one of the most in-demand wedding photographers in town. When she his hired for a wedding she finds out that the groom has run off and the best man has to tell the bride it’s over, she ends up befriending the best man and moves on with her life. Her life being, with a rich and friendly partner... who despite knowing she hates marriage and promises not to propose does so and puts her on the spot in front of his family... and she panics. Harriet ends the relationship and soon finds that she needs a place to stay and when she gets notified of a new apartment that needs a roommate...she signs up for it and she meets Cal Clarke. Cal is a hopeless romantic who has just experienced his own wedding-related disaster. Soon Cal and Harriet realize that they might have run into each other before and that they have a lot more in common than they think. With a horrible ex out to get Harriet and her latest ex still trying to get her back, she soon finds herself fielding all these relationships and to help her out is her best friend Lorna... and now Cal. Cal is sweet, funny, and calm. He’s friendly and makes Harriet feel like she’s finally found a calm in the storm that is her life. But Cal has his own ex out to get him back and soon both of them have to deal with their past relationships in order to see where they could possible be in the future... and what it could mean for them both. This is a story about toxic relationships, about abusers who gaslight, emotionally abuse, and try and control you and about healing and opening yourself up to love again. Harriet has been put through the wringer, all the horrible things that have happened to her make me feel for her. Cal was a sweetheart and their relationship was just so sweet. I had a great time reading this book and seeing both Harriet and Cal grow and fall in love.

*Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, Avon for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

4.25/5 stars

What I really enjoyed about this novel was the focus on the main character and everything going on in her life. I would not classify this book as a romance novel, but more as a humorous fiction that focuses on Harriet's trials caused by the men in her past. Seeing the progression of her relationships with her friends and how impactful those friendships can be in someone's life.

Mhairi McFarlane's Mad About You is a remarkable story about confronting your past and female solidarity. Harriet Hatley is a wedding photographer who is in need of a place to stay after breaking with her boyfriend after two years of a complicated relationship. In her desperation to get away, she accepts a roomshare with Cal Clarke after a brief phone call, not knowing that they have a complicated connection themselves. While living with Cal, Harriet comes to confront some events from her past and her own behaviors that have contributed to her current situation.

This is an emotionally heavy story due to the nature of Harriet's past relationships and how they have influenced her present life. Harriet's past heavily influences her behavior through most of the book, but the reader gets to see the changes in her as she opens herself up to Cal and is able to be more herself around him. She also begins to stand up for herself a lot more after past instances of doubting herself. Even though there is a friendship that develops between Harriet and Cal, the deep relationship in the book comes from Harriet and her friend Lorna. I love how much these two support one another and are so loyal. When it comes time for Harriet to confront her past head on, Lorna is there for her emotionally and physically, and there are some other supportive females as well it just illustrated how wonderful it is when women lift each other up.

This book is very immersive and while there is a lot going on plot-wise, it all works and comes together beautifully in the end. Harriet and Cal's friends were some excellent side characters that definitely added an entertaining and light-hearted element to the book. I love MacFarlane's books and while they have tended to be more about the emotional journey rather than romance lately, they are still excellent and enjoyable. I highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially readers of women's fiction.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

At first you might wonder how Harriett and Cal are supposed to be together. Mhairi McFarlane doesn't overtly shove their slow-building relationship in your face like some romances do. I appreciate her books and how they cross between romance and women's lit (like many of my favorite Brit/Scot authors do). The characters are flawed, nuanced, and relatable. Harriett has just been engaged for about 30 minutes to a 'nice guy,' who really seems a bit of a tosser until you learn about the previous boyfriend who was emotionally abusive. But Harriett's life is up for a series of changes. Cal is reserved and nice and it's easy to breeze past all the subtle qualities that McFarlane gives us about his merits and the building of their relationship. It's a tricky book to write with these two characters that are not flamboyant or severely damaged or wild. I loved them both and there is definitely an unexpected but much anticipated happy ending here.
This was a lovely book and I read it straight through. I am forever a McFarlane fan!
Thanks so much Avon and Netgalley for the ARC!

Wow. This book was an absolute ride let me tell you! (Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!) This is my first romance book I’ve read that’s based in England so the vocabulary took some getting used to, but I really really loved it!

What I loved:
💗 the best friend relationship. I absolutely adored the funny bestie moments that just had me rolling they were so hilarious!
💗 the ridiculousness of her most recent ex, oh my gracious, I couldn’t handle the fact that he was so insane, and his family, it’s like, are people actually like this?
💗 the justice winning out
💗 the twists and turns felt very much like watching a rom com movie you know you’re going to love and watch over and over again
💗 the character development, her whole journey is such a beautiful story that had me tearing up several times
💗 Cal oh my gosh SWOON

What I wished for:
💗 MORE CAL!! Why oh why didn’t we see more of him??
💗 More of the romantic tension with Cal, I felt like the story was more about Harriet’s growth which was still a beautiful story but I still wanted more Cal and more of them together 😂

Overall though I really enjoyed this book and I’m so glad I got to read it! Will definitely be reading more by this author

Okay so I was kind of excited about this one but I feel like I was disappointed, in a way? First of all, it was very hard for me to follow with so much British slang but that's just my oddity about it. I thought Harriet was lovely and the book started off decent but then it moved through multiple plots that I felt like it took away from the original story? There was like another story inside this main story and it was important, but maybe not so important to go so much in detail? The book was over 45 chapters so I just felt like a lot of it could've been left out.

*SPOILER AHEAD*

Harriet photographs a wedding where the groom leaves the bride at the altar and the best man Sam freaks out and explains the situation (sort of) to Harriet. Fast forward a bit, Harriet and her boyfriend of 2 years Jon go away with his family for his parents wedding anniversary where he proposes to Harriet. Harriet originally says no but once they get back to their room, she tells him that she doesn't want to be with him anymore and they leave. Harriet finds a room to rent from this man named Cal and after she moves in she finds out it's the groom that left the bride at the altar. -- this is where I feel like the story should have continued between her and Cal, but it doesn't . -- During another wedding she finds an Ex of hers from college who was emotionally abusive. Finds out that he is engaged to be married so she decides to write a letter to the fiancee because she can't imagine anyone going through with marrying him. This is where I feel like the story goes off the rails because then it just focuses on what goes on between this woman and Harriet and then it kind of treks back into Cal territory and friend drama and I just feel like it took too many paths.

I wanted to read more about her and Cal, not a throwaway paragraph about how two years later they get married?

I feel a bit hoodwinked by this book. I came for romance, but was served revenge, mired in a sauce of emotional abuse. I received an advance copy via NetGalley, and would've DNF-ed the book by 30% if not for my personal obligation to leave a review. (NetGalley does not mandate reviews, but I feel like it's my duty in exchange for the free book.) I was annoyed in the beginning by the amount of time spent on the breakup. That was supposed to be a baseline story element, not worth 30% of the book. But it paved the way for this book's true plot line - a woman scorned: rightfully so. The emotional abuse Harriet encountered was indeed maddening. But I don't read romance novels for maddening realism. Perhaps this scenario hit too close to home for me, but it wasn't an enjoyable read. The romance was tacked on at the end almost as an afterthought. And I was overly befuddled by the Brit-speak. I missed a lot of references, and didn't understand a fair amount of the slang. I do know this: it was not my cup of tea.

This was a good book. Heavy on certain topics, especially emotional abuse and living with your abuser/trauma from your abuser. The romance part was light. It was more about personal growth regarding the main character than a love story, I think. The romance was there, but it wasn't the meat and potatoes of the novel. The ending was a sweet scene that made me smile. It felt like a movie scene. It's a solid read and very raw emotionally at times, but I'd warn you off if you are looking for something lighter and fluffier right now. This was my first Mhairi McFarlane book, but it probably won't be my last.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ebook ARC.

''Harriet Hatley is the most in-demand wedding photographer in town, but she doesn’t believe in romance, loathes the idea of marriage. Which is why, when her long-time partner proposes, she panics. Suddenly Harriet is single… and living down the hall from her ex. She needs a new apartment, like, yesterday. Enter Cal Clarke, a hopeless romantic who just experienced his own wedding-related disaster. With her career, friendships, and reputation on the line, Harriet must finally face her past to take control of her future. ''

This book is just awesome. It’s more of a drama then romance, really. It’s about friendship, self-love, getting out of abusive relationships and finding happiness within yourself.

*SPOILERS*
The main character Harriet, comes from a very abusive and toxic relationship so it’s easy to understand why she doesn’t want to get married and why she says no to her bf proposal. That’s when the beauty of this book flourishes: her journey to get out (again) from a relationship doomed to failure and her discovery that she already has what she needs: herself.

This book it’s so well written, never gets boring or slow, the author puts it in a very real way what the character went through during her abusive relation and how she got out, the plot twist it’s when she gets along with 2 other girls that went through the same with the same guy and they start planning their revenge against him.

The end has the cherry on top, which it’s a healthy relationship between Harriet and her new landlord Cal, showing to us that yes, you can find happiness always.

It’s just so real and visceral and I can see it becoming a movie!

Received an advanced copy from the publisher.

After failing to connect with her last book, Mad About You was a wonderfully engaging entry from McFarlane who has become an auto-read author for me. The story begins with Harriet photographing a wedding with a no-show groom then jumps into her relationship with her boyfriend, which is clearly not working. When she breaks up with him, she rents a room from a stranger -- who turns out to be the runaway groom, Cal. Watching the two become reluctant roommates, then friends, then more is so lovely. Both need to grow and face their pasts and be honest with each other and they slowly open up and the relationship they build is tentative and lovely. I had a great time with these characters and was extremely emotionally involved by the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Going in, I had no expectations, because I haven’t read a Mhairi McFarlane book! This book was unexpected, because it was way more than a romance. In fact, the romance had little to do with the actual plot.

This story deals with grief from losing loved ones, ending a manipulative relationship while also facing the role you played in the relationship not working out, friendship drama, another emotionally abusive ex, and helping out a woman in desperate need. This was 90% of the story, and was very interesting to read about. I read almost all of this in one day, so I’m not complaining about the lack of romance, it just wasn’t my expectation. The romance is developing slightly throughout the whole story, but we don’t get much in that department until the end. If you’re a fan of slow burns, then this is right up your alley.

I loved the camaraderie, supportive friendship roles, empathy, and humor in this book. There were some very special, genuine characters that made this story feel so authentic. I am also a huge fan of getting immersed in British culture. The language McFarlane used (words, phrases, gestures) definitely made me feel like I was visiting the UK, and I found that delightful.

I highly recommend this book, but just want to reiterate that this isn’t really a fluffy romance. There are heavier topics, and it reads more like a contemporary fiction novel, but I still thoroughly enjoyed.

I think it’s mostly due to my reading slump I’ve been in, but I just couldn’t quite get into the story. It was a bit heavier than I was expecting. With the cover and synopsis, I was expecting a little more light and fluffy, but there were definitely some heavy topics discussed. Overall I’d give it 3.5-3.75 stars right now, I’d love to re-read it in the future though because I think I could appreciate it more if I wasn’t in such a slump!

I got this ARC of Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane from NetGalley, and I was only able to make it through 34% before giving up. The main characters are so one dimensional and annoying, the plot has yet to begin after 100+ pages, and there is so much unnecessary jargon that I can’t figure out who or what is involved and what’s happening most of the time. I’m a bit disappointed, and I don’t like to stop reading a book once I’ve started, but this one is definitely not for me. #dnf #netgalley #madaboutyou #bookreview #bookstagram

Mhairi McFarlane is one of my auto-buy authors – everything I’ve read by her has been so enjoyable, poignant, and thought-provoking. In her newest novel, Mad About You, McFarlane once again delivers an amazing read – and one that I stayed up far too late to read. Mad About You is not a Romance in the traditional since, but like her other novels, is rather what I would deem a Contemporary Romantic Drama – focused on emotion, character growth, friendships / relationships, with an underlying romantic arc.

One thing I love about McFarlane’s books is her ability to balance the emotional, serious topics and situations her characters encounter, with refreshing moments of levity throughout. This book deals with some heavier topics (Content Warnings below for those who prefer them), but despite this – the story still manages to be one that is fun, with humor woven in throughout and keeps you going. With some of the topics covered, it would be easy for this to feel like a heavy read, and yet somehow I couldn’t put it down and I still walked away happy and satisfied with the journey.

Harriet and Cal (our mains) were both intriguing characters to me, I really enjoyed the slow build / burn of their relationship: as they built up from awkward beginnings, slowly formed a friendship, worked through assumptions, and ultimately found love. It also really makes me happy to have a strong show of secondary characters – Cal and Harriet’s respective best friends were so fun to see, and added some great levity and though obviously not favorites Jon and his mother added some great dynamics / dramatic moments too.

I loved it and my only wish is that I didn’t have to wait a year for another McFarlane read. Definitely recommend for fans of Emily Henry and Beth O’Leary and of Contemporary Romantic Drama-type reads.

Thank you to the author and publisher, Avon and Harper Voyager, for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and freely given.

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CW: Emotional / Mental Abuse, Gaslighting, Loss of Parent (off page, prior to story)

Did the description of this book imply that it was a romance novel? Yes. Was it actually a book about a woman's path to standing up for herself and an ode to female friendships with a bit of romance on the side? Yes. And while I was a bit confused by the contents not matching the packaging, I really enjoyed it.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the protagonist, Harriet. I love anyone who can examine the more uncomfortable aspects of themselves and grow from it, and she does that in spades. It's worth noting that this book has a lot of past trauma, with a narcissistic emotional abuser playing a heavy role in the plot, so if that is uncomfortable proceed accordingly. For me, it was weirdly cathartic to see experiences that my life and those of my friends have touched on play out on the page.

A few pieces of the plot felt a bit wibbly and not fully resolved/fleshed out, but overall this was a satisfying book that I'm glad I read.

Mhairi McFarlane captures heart and warmth in this London rom-com.

Harriett is a charming wedding photographer that never wants to get married herself. Per usual, her fears around commitment and marriage surround her past. When her boyfriend of two years proposes, in front of his family who already doesn't like her, she accepts and then immediately regrets it and ends the relationship. In a rush to move out of his apartment, she signs a six-month lease with, who else, but the groom from a wedding she was hired for. They never met, because he ran out of the wedding before the bride even got there, leaving his best man to inform everyone.
Her initial impression of Cal is that he's a nice guy and will be easy to live with. Then, when his best friend shows up, low and behold, she discovers he is the runaway groom! Both are equally embarrassed by the situation and she offers to move out.
I did find the arc that includes another ex to be forced. In my opinion, it didn't add to the charm or the romance of this story. I'm also not a huge fan of miscommunication as a plot device. These two continued to overhear things they shouldn't and misinterpret them.
That being said, Cal and Harriett are adorable together. It's a super quick read and is perfect for a summer afternoon on a beach or by the pool.

CW: emotional abuse, gaslighting, negging
Once again, Mhairi McFarlane's latest novel is being mistakenly marketed by her publisher as a light-hearted enemies-to-lovers romance, rather than what it really is: a frequently angsty story about personal growth and recovery. The love story is just the icing on the cupcake. I didn't find Mad About You as engaging as McFarlane's 2021 release Just Last Night, but she remains one of my few auto-read authors.

Harriet is a successful wedding photographer whose most recent gig was abruptly curtailed when the groom called it off just as the bride was arriving at the church. Despite her profession, Harriet isn't a big fan of marriage, so her boyfriend Jon's very public proposal has the unintended result of Harriet breaking up with him. Wanting to move on as quickly as possible, Harriet accepts new lodgings, sight unseen. Her new home turns out to be lovely, but its owner is none other than the runaway groom who broke his fiancé's heart.

Harriet is horrified to learn that she is living with such a heartless cad, but Cal Clarke seems to be a nice, funny and handsome guy. He even helps Harriet rid herself of the exasperating Jon. But then she encounters another former boyfriend, and is far more traumatized by the memories of that toxic relationship. Can Harriet finally heal from the wounds that Scott inflicted, and is there a way to stop the same thing from happening again to another woman?

The novel's primary theme is the danger of judging others too quickly. Initially, Harriet thought Scott was the perfect boyfriend, but he turned out to be a nightmare. Cal did the unforgivable by jilting his bride on their wedding day, but once Harriet learns the full story she realizes there were justifiable reasons for his behavior. A lot of the fallout from Harriet's vendetta against Scott happens on social media, where people make scathing statements without knowing anything about the facts.

Harriet gets help from her two BFFs and two new friends she meets in a surprising way. The "sisterhood is powerful" theme pretty much overshadows the romance, which feels a bit like an afterthought. It mostly consists of Cal being supportive of Harriet while she gradually stops jumping to the worst conclusions about him, followed by an 11th hour shag and a Medium Sized Misunderstanding that is quickly cleared up.

Although the book has a serious tone, McFarlane never fails to throw in a few zingers, such as this description of the best man at the doomed wedding:

The best man looked at her with an expression of taut desperation. He was coated in a pastry glaze of sweat, like he'd been brushed with an egg wash and would form a solid crust at 180 degrees...he looked as if he were having an anesthesia-free foot amputation aboard a haunted boat in a storm.
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ARC gratefully received from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I'm kind of sorry I read this in June, because if McFarlane continues to release books on the same timetable I won't be treated to a new one for more than a year. And that's a long time to wait for new material from an author whose layered work evinces so many different feelings.

Mhairi McFarlane is one of my all time favorite authors, so I jumped at the chance to read this digital reviewer copy of Mad About You.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book may be classified as romance, but it’s so much more than that. Mhairi has a wonderful way of taking a story and developing the characters so well that it’s difficult not to get emotionally invested. I appreciate that she doesn't shy away from difficult topics. If you are looking for lighthearted steamy read, this isn't the book for you. The plot doesn't quite give the full picture of some of the content warnings I've listed below.

Harriett is a wedding photographer with a bit of a sordid dating history. She's just broken up with the "perfect man" when he blind sighted her with the proposal she never wanted. In an effort to escape living with her ex, she takes the first rental she can find. Enter Cal, the charming homeowner who is trying to piece his own life back together from a disastrous almost-wedding.

When a secret from Harriett's past comes out, partly by her own doing, it rocks her world completely. Cal's friendship is the steady and gentle calm that helps keep Harriett above water.

Cal is just adorable, and the chemistry between Hattie and Cal is so real and refreshing. My only complaint is that I wish this book had been longer and gone more into detail about Cal and Hattie. It just felt a bit rushed at the end.

CW: gaslighting, emotional abuse, death of a parent, toxic relationships

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest feedback.

This book comes out in the US on August 9, 2022!