I will always love this woman and her witty characters who howl and honk with laughter.

Matt and Roisin my messy angels who went through hell to reach their ending…or should I say-their beginning <3

There’s people who like MM’s books and then there’s people that are wrong.

I love Mhairi McFarlane books. She writings amazing characters that pull at all of your heartstrings. The characters in Between Us are no different.

A weekend away leads to a falling out between Roisin and her friends and then also ends with a break up with her boyfriend (who also has written parts of their relationship into his latest screen play) she decides to escape her current life and goes to help run her family's pub. Although her life is quite the mess, she is pleasantly surprised by which friends show up the most for her in unexpected ways.

This book was an interesting read with great, very layered characters. I will say that I had a little trouble getting invested in the story. I felt like the lead up to the main parts of the story drug on a little too long. However, once I got into the meat of the stories and became connected to the characters, it was hard to put this one down.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Hmm. This one is hard to rate/review! On one hand, I love Mhairi’s writing. I loved Roisin. And, like I’m sure you are supposed to, I hated Joe and loved Matt. However, I do think the book spent way too much time on the ending of the Joe relationship rather than the new one with Matt – the new one was a bit too quick for me, even though that is one of my ALLTIMEFAVOURITE tropes. I should have loved that! (and I did, I just wanted MORE). But reading about Joe, the cheating and lying and gaslighting and manipulating and UGH. It honestly made me feel sick at times, and even though I like her writing and the book overall, it’s hard not to associate that feeling with the book, you know? I loved certain things about it (the female friendships, Beatrice, her mum, the pub) and it still gave me good Mhairi feelings, and she’ll continue to be an auto read author for me, I just hope her next book has a wee bit more romance, at least like… before the halfway mark :)

Mhairi McFarlane has long been one of my favorites - ever since I read and loved Don’t You Forget About Me. Between Us has more of her great writing but in a more toxic package.

Roisin and her long term boyfriend, Joe, are going on a weekend trip with a group of old friends (hilariously called the Brian Club), that ends in partial disaster for Roisin. Joe, on a fast trajectory up, is a screenwriter whose new show premiered and had pieces of Roisin’s life written in. After some major gaslighting by him to her, Roisin ends it. Roisin, feeling manipulated, takes a new look at their 9 year relationship and realizes that maybe Joe is more of a manipulator and liar than she knew.

One of the Brian Club friends, Matt, helps Roisin seek the truth while also becoming closer friends until their new romance emerges. While I really liked Roisin and Matt’s relationship, I think it was a hard segue from the toxic relationship of Joe and Roisin. I wish we would have seen more romance between Matt and Roisin.
The witty banter between all the friends and the strong support between most of them helped flesh out the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this eARC. Between Us is out now.

I received an advanced copy of Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane from the publisher Avon and Harper Voyager via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: Roisin’s life has been a little more strained as of late. Things with her boyfriend have been strained since he erupted into success as a television writer and her friend group has become quite strained. So when Roisin and Joe join their friends for a triple celebration, tensions rise, ultimately culminating in a viewing of Joe’s new show which very strongly resembles real life including a secret that Roisin only told Joe about her family. Now, Roisin feels like her world has shattered and goes off to help her mother in the country.

What I Loved: McFarlane’s writing style is out of this world. Last year, I read Mad About You and it was one of my best reads of the summer. As soon as I started this book I could not put it down, the characters and the story are so intriguing and I just didn’t want to put it down. This was consistently my MO while reading this. The story was super compelling and I couldn’t wait to keep reading. This book is also so smart and raises intriguing thoughts about writing and promises. Also, I really bought in to the romance (which is not Joe and Roisin) and just adored it. I did not want it to end.

What I Didn’t Like: Okay, my criticism is the book is slow moving. I feel like it takes about ~40% of the book to get to what is the premise of this book. This made us resolving the problems feel a bit rushed, I felt like this book needed more time to wrap up and make more people buy in.

Who Should Read It: People who loved McFarlene’s other work. People who love smart romance. People who like books where the woman leaves a bad guy.

Summary: When her secrets are revealed to all who watched her boyfriend’s new show, a woman processes her new life.

Mhairi McFarlane is one of my favorite authors. She is fantastic at creating realistic, flawed characters with great emotional depth, putting them into messy situations and having them change and grow. Her writing transports me and doesn’t let me go until the final page. This book was no exception.

Between Us is about Roisin who starts to question if her boyfriend of ten years has been keeping secrets from her, based on parallels she notices in the new TV show he wrote.

As the main character goes through suspicion and doubt about her relationship of ten years, you go through the same. It almost becomes a romantic mystery, are her suspicions correct or is she making a mountain out of a molehill? As the reader, are you being led by an unreliable narrator?

I loved the romance in this book even though it was secondary to the story. (I don't want to expand more for spoilery reasons)

The author is also great at depicting dynamics of a friend group. The intricacies of long term friend groups: the ties that are stronger, the ones that don’t seem to get along well at all, the WhatsApp group that generates many side WhatsApp groups… I loved many of the side characters within it. Plus they all knew each other from working at Waterstones, great tidbit for book lovers.

This one isn’t as strong as Just Last Night by the same author, which is still one of my fave books, but I absolutely enjoyed it and found it hard to put down.

Overall rating: 4.2⭐

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! I’ve enjoyed all the Mhairi McFarlane books I’ve read so far so was looking forward to this one. Between Us is more about the breakdown of a relationship rather than a love story, which made it more somber than MM’s other books. To me this made the story more engaging as you followed how it all went wrong. Roisin’s (the lead) feelings were described really well. The only things that felt off were the friends - everyone seemed slightly too hyper for people in their 30s. The other element that didn’t sit well with me was Matt’s past behaviour. Overall a good read with a nice ending.

I love McFarlane's books because they're so complex and detailed, and yet effortless!

This one fell a bit short for me though, especially by the end. This definitely isn't my favorite book from McFarlane.

It's more about a breakup than a love story, although the romance is there, and it comes from a pretty interesting place. I just felt like the momentum really slowed by the end and the answers to some of Roisin's weren't satisfying. (Although maybe that was the point, IDK.)

Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane is about Roisin and her group of friends who are going through different life changes. Her boyfriend, Joe, has a popular tv show and the new one he's written resembles their life a little too much making Roisin question a few things.

First of all being American there are a lot of references and slang that I did not get, but it doesn't hinder the plot or story.

The beginning and middle were a bit slow for me. I was interested in what was going to happen, but it took until the last 30% of the book that I couldn't put it down because a whole bunch of stuff was being revealed. I liked how it ended and the book is a solid 3 stars (I liked it, but won't read it again.) There is a romance that I wish we saw more of, like some sort of tension that there could be something there. I felt like that was left until the last quarter.

Thank you @netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I initially pegged this as a romance book based on the cover. While there are some romance elements in this book, it was definitely a story about friendships, parents and relationships. I see now its actually categorized as Women's Fic. All that to say, I did really enjoy it. Mhairi McFarline is such a good writer, her characters always feel real and complex. There was a lot of soul searching and self analyzing (sometimes the internal dialogue was a bit much) but its also really relatable.

**spoilers below***
I absolutely despised Joe the gasslighter from the start and really thought Gina was in on something with him. I didn't see the Matt thing happening until it was actually happening and I was excited to see things progress but somehow the big hookup felt anticlimactic. I think it would have flowed better if they they didn't get together, fight and then work it out because the second time around was definitely the better go of it. My favorite part of this book was the last chapter when she is talking to her students about endings actually being beginnings and thought it was quite poetic.

Contemporary Fiction

McFarlane can always be counted on when you want a contemporary romance novel that isn't simply about the romance. Her characters are nuanced, the relationships are developed, and nothing is instant and simply based on looks/chemistry. Another winner.

Roisin and Joe have been in a relationship for almost 10 years, but the past year has seen a distance between them. Some of it is due to Joe's increasing success as a writer, some of it's something Roisin can't quite put her finger on. She and Joe gather together with their core group of friends from college to celebrate their friend's engagement and Joe's new TV show. During the watching of the episode, Roisin realizes that Joe has used private moments in their lives in his program. Roisin confronts Joe and is ready to be done with the relationship, but he asks her to postpone this discussion until his return from LA.

During Joe's time away, Roisin thinks more and more about the show and believes that Joe may have been unfaithful and launches an investigation. Her findings aren't conclusive, and Joe has perfectly reasonable explanations. But can she trust him?

Roisin's mother asks her for help and so Roisin goes home to help and reflect. One of the group of friends - Matt, is on a break from his job and also offers to help. While they are both in town, they spend a lot of time together and Roisin talks through her problems with Matt. He also shares information about his past that she never knew. This exchange of confidences brings them closer.

All of the significant relationships in Roisin's life come to a head at almost the same time leaving her floundering. Information gets revealed from an unlikely source and that closes several doors for Roisin, but will she allow someone another chance?

This novel does a wonderful job of exploring the nuances of gaslighting. To gaslight someone is using psychological manipulation to cause the other person to doubt reality, their sanity or their memory. Unfortunately, many people today seem to think simply having a passionate discussion between people of opposing viewpoints is gaslighting. Roisin is involved in a true gaslighting situation and McFarlane handles all the intricacies very well.

I have too very small critiques - one - the gaslighting could probably be even more pronounced, and two - this book is very British. The terminology, the local chains/locations and the turn of a phrase can sometimes make it difficult to get involved in the story. I also felt the book started on the slow side and it took me about 1/3 of the way through to feel engaged. These are very minor complaints as I still very much enjoyed this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for my ARC of this book.

Another winner for Mhairi. I just couldn’t get over how cute she and Matt were. What a likable MMC. And of course a super likeable FMC too. I loved how straightforward she was. There was a part where she says “well I may as well just tell him straight up how I feel” and SHE DOES. What?! I don’t have to suffer from the inevitable miscommunication trope??? THANK YOU.

Mhairi McFarlane’s books always have such a compelling story and writing and this one is no different. I was so excited to read her newest book after falling in love with her writing style a year ago, and I really loved the focus on healing from a broken relationship in this one.

You definitely want to root for the FMC & can relate to a lot of the struggles they go through. I would’ve loved to see a little more of a look into the romance itself- this book felt more like a journey for the MC than a romcom dramedy like her others. However, every other element of her stories were there & they worked so well!

Roisin is looking forward to getting back together with the gang. There were six of them who worked together in a bookshop ten years ago—Gina, Meredith, Matt, Dev, Joe, and Roisin. Now they see each other when they can and keep up on their group chat, but now Dev is using some of his reality television money to rent a big country house for them all to get together for a weekend of celebrations. First, they’ll celebrate Dev’s engagement to Anita. Then it’s a belated celebration for Gina’s birthday. And lastly, Joe’s new television series is premiering, and the house’s screening room will be the perfect place to watch it.

Roisin finishes her day as a high school English teacher to the teasing barbs of teenagers before heading out with Gina and Meredith for their weekend. Although she and Joe have been together for ten years, she’s riding out with the girls, and he’s driving himself so he can leave early Sunday morning for a flight to L.A. The first television show he wrote has been doing well, and his second one is about to air. He is a hot commodity now in the entertainment world, and he’s taking advantage of that to take meetings and work on new projects.

As the weekend progresses, the old gang finds themselves falling into the old patterns. Gina’s feelings for Matt. Matt’s crazy dating exploits. Joe’s digs at Matt. And Dev’s ability to read the room and calm the masses. But Roisin finds herself standing back a little, watching Joe with a different perspective. She’d been feeling the distance grow between them for a while. She told herself it was just because he was working so much, but she was wondering if it was something more.

It wasn’t until the premier of his new show, Seen, that Roisin starts to question everything. The show is about a detective and sex addict who breaks the fourth wall and talks to the camera. The show starts off with the main character in a group of six friends, having dinner and drinks together. They leave the restaurant, but he goes back for the scarf he forgot. He finds it at their table, and ends up in the bathroom having an intimate encounter with their server. Roisin remembers the night exactly, when the six of them had gone out and Joe had forgotten his scarf, just like his character. He’d come back to their place and taken a shower immediately. At the time, Roisin hadn’t thought much about it, but now she can’t forget it.

After the show ends, Joe is congratulated by the group. The next morning, he heads to the States, after a conversation with Roisin that confuses her even more. He seemed to have an answer to all of her questions, a reason that should make sense. But they didn’t make sense. Roisin feels in her gut that something is wrong. She feels like he is lying to her. But is she willing to end a ten-year relationship over her suspicions?

And then, when her mom calls needing help at the pub where Roisin grew up, she heads back home to help her out. Joe is in L.A., school is out, and Roisin decides she can help her mother out some, serving drinks on busy Saturday nights. But she also calls Matt and asks for help chasing down whether Joe actually did sleep with a server that night they’d all gone out together. He agrees, but he also discovers a fondness for her family pub. He’d been given leave from his job and was finding himself at loose ends.

Over the next few weeks, as Roisin tries to sort out the truths from the lies, serves drinks at the pub, talks to her girlfriends, and hikes with Matt, she starts to get some clarity on what she wants. But she also realizes that the truths she finds out could potentially destroy their friend group. Will they be able to survive all the drama? Will Roisin?

Between Us is the newest novel from Mhairi McFarlane, known for her sparkling British rom coms. I showed up ready for the laughs and the loves, and that is not what I found. There is some romance, but the lighthearted banter has been replaced with breath-stopping truths, gutting secrets, and a depth of honesty and friendship that takes this book to an entirely new level.

Between Us is the journey of one woman through the half-truths and gaslighting she’s been subjected to at times of her life. Roisin is smart and courageous through this journey, facing the truths as they surface and finding ways to move forward. She stands up for herself, speaks her truths, and takes control of her future. I loved Roisin and how she put the pieces together. There may not be much comedy in this book, but there is a beautiful resolution which makes the sky seem bluer and the birds sing sweeter. Highly recommended!

Egalleys for Between Us were provided by Avon Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

I hadn't realized I had read another book by McFarlane when I started this one (Don't You Forget About Me); I'm glad to read another book from her!

Roisin and Joe have been together for years, having gotten together after working at a Waterstones in Manchester; they're still close with their group of friends from those days, though everyone has moved on--some, like Joe, to much better things. Joe is now a writer for a hit tv show, with another new one about to debut. There's tension in Roisin and Joe's relationship and tension in the friend group as they get together to celebrate milestones for a few members.

The first third or so takes place over that celebration weekend, and I was a bit disappointed to spend less time with the friend group for the rest of the book. Roisin's relationships with Joe and her mother become squarely the focus. On the one hand, I appreciate that McFarlane delves into Roisin's relationship with her family and how that affects her; on the other hand, I wish the pacing of the book were a bit different. Less Roisin doing detective work; more Roisin working on herself and also hanging out with her bookstore friends.

Part of my desire to spend more time with that group of friends is because the group dynamics and messiness and fragilities and history was just so well done and oof, really just rang true. It's been a while since I've been so enmeshed in a group like that, but I remember it all too well. I was more interested in that world than the world of Roisin's mother's pub (though the appearance of Meatball the cat was adorable).

An enjoyable read. McFarlane's writing is so good--I love how real her characters are, imperfect and shaped by all aspects of their lives.

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the chance to read an advance copy!

I finished this book in a weekend and it captured my interests completely. While at first glance, it may seem non-relatable- it’s completely the opposite. I don’t know of any person that could not identify with some portion of this book.

Being from the US did present its challenges though. There were a lot of terms and slang that made me scratch my head. And I even had to look up a few words that we just don’t hear a lot in the US, but how wonderful- learning about different slang from different countries.

This book made me guffaw, roll my eyes, sigh, and I enjoyed every bit of this story. This author is creeping up to be one of my most-loved. Can’t wait to read the next one.! Thanks so much to the author and publisher along with NetGalley for providing this book without charge in exchange for an honest review.

Engaging drama/romance with some humor mixed in. Roisin’s boyfriend uses something super personal from her past in his TV show, which makes her wonder what else is true-to-life. I love British novels so this was a treat. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I’m blown away by the depth and complexity that Mhairi has given these characters in a relatively short span of pages. This is not a particularly long novel, and yet by the end of this story, it feels as though I’ve known these characters for years and years. Mhairi manages to write incredibly nuanced, compelling — often fraught — backstories for her main characters, and then deftly weaves these histories into the narrative so that we aren’t hit over the head with the characters’ pasts, and yet deeply understand them. Note that while this is a romance, the story is first and foremost about Roisin’s own individual journey and healing. The familial trauma Roisin finds herself processing throughout this story really resonated with me, and felt so well balanced with the romcom humor and wit of this book.

And the ending!!! The ending is absolutely 100% perfect. I loved those last 2 short chapters so very much—one of my favorite romcom endings I’ve ever read.

I'm a fan of Mhairi McFarlane and this is among her top books. I really enjoyed how Between Us focused on a group of long time friends, who supported each other and also had some very realistic growing pains. A lovely romance and story of growth.

Thanks to Avon for the copy of this book!

Mhairi is a favorite author of mine, and Between Us didn’t disappoint! Roisin and Joe have been together for a decade, and when their friend group goes on a weekend getaway, they watch the pilot episode Joe’s new show… and Roisin sees a few too many similarities from their relationship in the show that make her start asking some questions about the integrity of their relationship.

I stayed up so late reading this book - it’s such a page-turner! Roisin and Joe’s relationship is clearly imploding, and Joe is such a dirtbag — I was so anxious waiting to see what would happen! There was such a feeling of dread as Roisin is second-guessing herself amidst Joe’s words and actions. She’s trying not to impact the larger friend group since there’s drama brewing elsewhere within it as well. But as more and more episodes of Joe’s show come out, there’s hope as Roisin starts to be more sure of herself and take matters into her own hands. I thought the messiness of relationships was really well done. To me, it was reminiscent of a Josie Silver-like storyline where the characters are messy and real and raw and you can’t help but cheer them on and hope everyone gets what they deserve in the end.