I really hate giving this book 2 Stars.
I usually enjoy this author's books. Between Us just wasn't for me.
I am very thankful to NetGalley and Avon Books for my advanced copy.
I was gifted this eBook back in 2023. I didn't get to it right away so I bought an audio via Libro.fm so I could better prioritize the book and support the author.
In 2023 I picked it up and put it down. I remember I wasn't having the best day and I just couldn't get into the story.
Now over a year later I'm still not a fan.
I'm glad I came back to it and gave it a fair shot.
I'm still a fan of Mhairi McFarlane and look forward to reading more by her.
This book gets 1 star for me picking it up and 1 star for finishing it. I did finish this time around but I wouldn't recommend it to my friends.

DNF - For me this book felt disjointed and didn't flow well. The writing felt very staccato and the transitions between chapters felt broken. I've tried to read tho book twice and had the same feeling both time so I'm officially calling it done. I would read this author again as this may be a me issue and perhaps I wasn't invested enough mentally but it's time to move on to another book

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

I have never read a book by this author before but I know a lot of people love her books. This one sounded great and it didn’t disappoint.
I enjoyed it but there was also nothing really standing out to me

REVIEW: Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane

I've just finished "Between Us" by Mhairi McFarlane, and I've gotta say, it's a pretty solid read. McFarlane's done it again with her signature mix of humor, heart, and oh-crap-life-is-messy realness. Our main character, Roisin, is trying to navigate the wild world of online dating while dealing with some serious family drama. Throw in a workplace rivalry that turns into something... unexpected, and you have a story that'll keep you turning pages.

McFarlane has this knack for creating characters that feel like people you might know. Roisin's not perfect, but that's what makes her relatable. You'll find yourself rooting for her, even when she's making questionable choices (and trust me, she makes a few). The banter in this book is top-notch. I'm talking laugh-out-loud moments that'll have you snorting coffee through your nose if you're not careful. But it's not just fluff - McFarlane digs into some deeper stuff, like family relationships and self-discovery.

Now, it's not all smooth sailing. The pacing hits a few bumps here and there, and there were moments when I wanted to reach through the pages and give some characters a good shake. But honestly? That just made it feel more natural. What sets this book apart is how it tackles online dating and modern relationships. It's refreshing to see a rom-com that doesn't shy away from the awkwardness and pitfalls of trying to find love in the age of apps.

If you're into British humor, messy real-life romance, and characters who feel like they could be your slightly-disaster-prone friends, "Between Us" is worth a read. It's not reinventing the wheel, but it's a good time. McFarlane's done it again, and I'm here for it.

Thank you, Netgalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC! Between Us was unexpected - the content was at times difficult considering the nature of the relationship but overall was a nice story about healing. Out now!

I'm a big fan of Mhairi, but this one was a bit disappointing compared to her other books. But to be fair, compared to other books I read, this is leaps and bounds better.

I enjoyed the themes that were explored, betrayal, gaslighting, relationship dynamics. The book did make me want to root for Roisin, and for everything to turn out ok.

When I picked this one up on Netgalley, I didn't realize it was more Brit Lit, and I fear that is kept me from connecting as much as I wanted. While we written, it read more as women's fiction than romance which didn't hold my attention like I was expecting to. I did appreciate the slow burn between the MC and her friend as well as the detective work she did to find out her ex was cheating.

Mhairi McFarlane super fan here! She is a must-buy for me every time. If you like romance books with a real plot and hilarious side characters and turns of phrase— read all of her books!

I loved how this book delved into how unhealthy relationships affect us and examines gaslighting and manipulative relationship dynamics. However, I wish there was more of a balance between the FMC’s unhealthy relationship and her second chance romance which felt like it did not have enough time devoted to it.

Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane was overall an enjoyable book. Definitely started off a little slow for me, but boy am I glad that Roisin kicked Joe to the curb – to borrow some phrasing from the British he was a huge wanker. Enjoyed the dynamics and friendships amongst the “Brian Club” and between Matt and Roisin. This one is more woman’s fiction, than romance, and deals with some heavy topics including family dynamics and toxic romantic relationships.

A 3.5 star read for me!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Mhairi McFarlane and Avon and Harper Voyager for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

Unfortunately I have tried to read and review this novel multiple times. I keep getting to about 15-20% and just want to put it down. I don’t feel appropriate rating due to not getting far enough in to form an opinion. I just don’t think it’s for me! My apologies!

I've heard such lovely things about this author only to be completely disappointed by this book that I ultimately DNF'd it. I'm not a fan of infidelity in books, and to have it start with questioning about that, along with messes in the relationship, did not draw me in. The beginning was messy, and it never became unmessy or interested me. I put it down so many times, and every time I picked it up, I had to backtrack to try and figure out what was happening. Maybe McFarlane's other books are better and worth the praise I've heard (I hope), but this was very lacking. I barely made it a quarter of the way in before I picked up something new.

Thanks, Avon and Netgalley, for the arc!

From the cover and blurb, I didn't expect to get as moved by Between Us as I did. I think I was anticipating more of a rom-com or lighthearted second-chance romance. However, Between Us really delves into heavy stuff like cheating, pregnancy scandals, family issues, etc. The romance really didn't hit in this one, but as a women's fiction book, it works well. The beginning is very slow and the story really doesn't take off until almost halfway through. The side characters were great though, especially Roisin's interactions with her friends and family. Those parts boosted my rating from 3 stars to 3.5 stars.

Mhairi never lets me down, but this is one of my favorites. This book was a fun and engaging read. This book was a closed door romance, but still such a great story. I was really rooting for the love story and the happy ever after. It had a lot of other relationships to explore and the dynamic of a group of close friends, family, and romantic. I highly recommend this book. I was another win from Mhairi.

Really enjoyed the way the author delved into the complexity of relationship dynamics that a lot of women face — especially regarding their toxicity and I feel like she handled it very well in the story. Definitely wish that the new romance had a bit more of a focus in the majority of the story, though

I have enjoyed books from MacFarlane before but haven't totally caught up on everything she has out. This book did appeal to me due to the premise, because I enjoy when characters see each other in a new light. I also like a main character in their thirties, just because they usually know who they are and it makes the internal conflict more interesting.

I really loved the story's trajectory, and I already knew I enjoyed the writing style. The characters and the centering of the friend group worked for me, and I liked the different tensions between the members of the group. None of the characters were too much of an archetype, but all of them feel well realized and present in the story. I liked Roisin a lot, she comes off as a straight man among kooky characters, but she knows how to have fun, and she's very valued by the people in her life. I also like that she is settled in her life- she likes her job, she's not having a life crisis, she's just realized her long term partner kinda sucks. I also like Matt as a guy who basically avoids having any kind of depth in his relationships or friendships because he's so scarred, but isn't an asshole about it. I did wish we'd gotten more of him, because I liked so much of what we got with Matt and Roisin, and I wanted more!

The third act breakup didn't work for me, mostly because I don't like how little time Roisin and Matt have together before it happens. However, the ending worked for me and I liked the epilogue, so it's still a very strong showing.

I love romantic comedies and this one was great. I really enjoy stories like this and this one was really funny. I'll be reading more by McFarlane.

I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley. I am so happy I’m familiar with the name Roisin(pronounced Row-sheen) and some of the terms used in the book, otherwise I may not have enjoyed it as much. Written in Roisin’s POV, I could feel alongside with her everything she went through. The dynamics between her group of friends gave me Friends(the show) vibe. And as I listened to TSwift’s new album today I could see the use of the Tortured Poets Society song as Roisin’s anthem. I didn’t like Joe from the get-go and 10 years is quite a long time! Not entirely a rom-com, maybe more of a self-discovery? But entirely entertaining.

I cannot love this enough! This author is a go to for me! I have read almost everything she has written!

Roisin and Joe have been dating for years and Joe has recently become rather famous for a TV show he wrote and created. They both join their long time friends for a getaway at an estate, hosted by their friend Dev. Tension is high throughout the weekend and it feels like the friendships may be falling apart. While at the estate the group watches the premier of Joe’s new show and Roisin realizes the characters and plot look a lot like their lives and it brings up concerns about Joe’s fidelity. When they all get home Roisin begins to investigate and it takes her on a wild journey of discovery.
This book did not go where I thought it was going to go in the beginning, which was not a bad thing. I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome of the story and the twists and turns it took to get there. Joe was a pretty despicable character once you got to know him but I really loved the relationships between all of the other characters. This book dealt with a lot of relationship issues, between friends, significant others, family members, and they were all quite compelling. Although this story definitely had a romance element to it I felt like it was even more about the friendships and family dynamics than the romance. I really enjoyed the bit of mystery that was woven through the story and Roisin’s efforts to figure out what had been going on in her life and what comes next for her.