I had higher expectations for this book as a devoted fan of Mhairi McFarlane, but don't get me wrong, I still devoured it and enjoyed her brilliant writing style. This book delves into gaslighting, exploring dysfunctional and manipulative relationship patterns that blend into emotionally consuming family dynamics.

The only thing that bugged me was that most of the book revolves around the unhealthy relationship of the heroine, who finds herself deceived by the illusion of their love life, leaving little time for her second chance romance. Indeed, her blooming romance with another man after getting rid of her toxic ex is too instant for my liking.

If you're looking for a book that explores healing after a toxic relationship and confronts family issues that revolve around self-growth and women's fiction themes, rather than lighthearted romance, then this book would suit your needs.

While I wished for more spicy romance parts, the author's brilliant mind charmed me enough to round up my rating from 3.5 stars to 4! I never dare to give any of her works less than 4 stars.

Here's the brief logline:

Rosie and Joe met while working at Waterstones, a British bookstore chain, a few years ago. After finding a job as a teacher, Rosie supported Joe to pursue his writing dreams for years. He finally makes his big break when his screenplay gets a green light from Hollywood producers. The TV series he's created has resemblances to GOT but with a better ending (I wish!). Rosie cannot believe their life's trajectory changes with this imminent success. They decide to celebrate both Rosie's birthday and their friends' engagement party by getting together with their longtime friendship group to watch the pilot together. But when Rosie starts watching her boyfriend's precious work, he realizes he wrote about them. She feels like she's punched in the face when her secret, which she only shared with Joe, is revealed on the episode, and this is not the only bomb he threw on her lap. The leading guy of the story is a liar and cheater, and even the supporting characters are carbon copies of their common friends.

Has she been gaslighted by a man who has been cheating and lying to her for years without giving away his second nature?

So far, the book has not bored me, even though spending so much time with the ex-drama is frustrating. I wished Nate and Rosie's romance took up more of the book, and I prefer more intimate, slow-burn romances to instant love stories.

At least I easily got into the story, enjoying the friendship drama, self-growth, and second chances theme.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for sharing this lovely book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Mhairi McFarlane has become one of my favorite authors. She writes character driven romance with lots of supporting cast members, and I always enjoy the ride she takes me on.

Mhairi McFarlane is an auto buy author for me and i was SO excited to see a new title from her! The pacing of this started a little bit slow but I stuck with it and Im glad. It picked up in the second half and I just adored the way this played out!!

As a fan of McFarlane I know her books don't truly start until about half way through, and even with that in mind, this book is still bizarrely slow. The romance is the most rushed and least convincing of her work. In general I don't think she writes with the depth needed to pull off such pacing. But I still enjoyed the book! Funny and filled with love, I'll keep reading McFarlane's work for as long as I live.

I love Mhairi McFarlane's writing style, and I think I'll always pick up her books for that reason, but with this one, I picked up on some flaws more than I had before. The first half of the book, when the friends are on holiday together, felt very tight and I could see where the story was going, but then the plot sort of falls apart after the holiday. I can't stand unnecessary characters who barely have their own plot, and all of the other friends very much felt that way after the story's first half. I didn't buy the chemistry between Roisin and Matt and thought that she put up with Joe's horribleness way too easily. On a less important note, including so many chapter breaks mid-scene was so silly and jarring.

This book was super cute and easy to read. If you’re looking for a fast, swoony, and romantic read, read this one!

did not finish. something about the writing style of this one just did not work me, i can't really explain it lol. the premise was very interesting, though, and I'm sure a reader who is not me will love it much more than I did.

When a woman discovers that her screenwriter boyfriend has used their relationship as inspiration for his new show she begins to see that things are not as good as she thought and that the real love of her life might be someone closer to her than she ever thought. Roisin and Joe are a long time couple, he is a screenwriter who has a new show out called Hunter.... but after the showing that included their friends over the weekend to celebrate a birthday, an engagement, and the launch of Joe’s show... things unravel fast. Roisin begins to question her relationship with Joe, and if she is even in love with him and the fact that he used private things she told him without her permission for the first episode of his show, it’s the final straw. She breaks off their relationship and in order to avoid causing conflict in their friend group she goes to work for her mom’s pub.... but then there is Matt. The handsome playboy friend in the group who is suddenly the only person really there to comfort her and she begins to realize that maybe she didn’t really now him as much as she thought and that he might be the perfect person for her. Roisin also begins to think that Joe has been cheating on her throughout their entire relationship but every time she tries to ask he has excuses, and she begins to spiral down an investigation of who Joe really is and what their relationship truly meant. With so much drama in her life, it’s beginning to feel a lot like a tv show itself. Unfortunately for me, this one did not work. I really did not like anyone in that much in the book and the romance barely felt there, you don’t really get any sense of connection between Roisin and Matt and the whole entire relationship drama with Joe just dragged on and on. The story felt so much longer than it actually was and definitely could have bene cut shorter. Honestly, I just didn’t have. a great time with this one, but I do adore the author’s other works so I will be checking out any of her other future books but this one unfortunately was just a miss for me.

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

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this.

This one didn’t quite grab me like my previous McFarlane read unfortunately. It was a very long time before I figured out where the direction of the book was heading. Nevertheless she’s a great writer so I’d still read more of her work

Genre: contemporary fiction

Roisin, 32, a teacher, supported her boyfriend Joe for years while he was a struggling writer. Now he’s written a hit TV show, his next is about to debut, and he’s getting calls from Hollywood. With this lifestyle change, Joe has seemed a bit more distant, aloof, and distracted by his importance and his writing. Watching his new show debut, though, Roisin sees secrets from her past that she’s told Joe, and she begins to wonder how much else is borrowed from reality, including that the protagonist is a serial cheater….

The thing about sitting down to write a review of a Mhairi McFarlane book is that she throws you smack into the middle of people’s messy adult lives and a plot emerges. It’s hard to summarize her books because by the time you finish, the plot feels very different from where you started. That’s something I’ve come to expect from Mhairi, as I watch her characters grow and change on page, and they begin to understand who they are. The best thing about a Mhairi book is the breaking down of the “polished 30-something” as a milestone and instead reminding us that our 30s (and later) are all still spent growing.

This book feels a little darker than her last one - but if you read that, you’ll get similar vibes from the gaslighting creeps. For much of the book, we’re left wondering whether or not Joe is lying, and Roisin begins to doubt her own instincts at points. As a reader, it was hard to handle at some points because of the emotional implications (or maybe that was having covid while reading?). THAT SAID, as with any Mhairi book, this really catapults into deep emotional insight for Roisin and her relationships with her mother and her friends.

While every Mhairi book has a romantic arc and a meaningful resolution, they aren’t strictly romances. The focus is as much on relationship to self and with the friends as on a romantic partner or even the plot. Every book by Mhairi McFarlane is a treat to read.

May we all have as supportive of friends as a Mhairi heroine.

I love Mhairi MvFarlane and will automatically pick up anything she's written. "Here's Looking at You" is one of my all time favourites of the genre.

Though "Here's Looking at You" & some of her earlier books did touch on some very serious themes, the central story was certainly the romance. In her more recent books, she's definitely ventured more into other plot-lines being more central, and the romance taking the back seat (e.g. Just Last Night, that focused more on grief, friendship, past trauma, more so than the romance). "Between Us" continues this trend and though much of the book is about relationships - it's more about toxic relationships, gaslighting, friend-group interactions. I still thoroughly enjoyed it and McFarlane continues as the queen of witty banter, but I wish the balance of storylines/pace of the book had been distributed a bit differently -- it felt like the first 1/3rd or even 1/2 of the book was the slow death of Roisin and Joe's relationship, and then the initial romance with Matt felt very, very quick & almost abrupt. I wish this balance had been reversed, so we'd have less of the slow demise of R & J and more of a slow build for R & M....

I truly enjoyed Roisin as a strong and smart female lead character though & the way she, for the most part, did not let others get the better of her or let Joe's fast talk & conniving ways off the hook.

Overall, McFarlane remains a go-to rom-com author if you are looking for some deeper topics, smart women and witty banter.

Roisin has been in a relationship with Joe for nearly a decade. Lately, things have felt a little off. Like maybe they are no longer compatible. When Joe’s new television show about a serial secret cheater premieres, Roisin begins to wonder whether art is imitating life…

Between Us has a lot going on - friendship drama, family tensions, breakups, unrequited love, mystery, romance, and more. I generally adore Mhairi McFarlane’s writing and Between us has a lot of charm. While I was invested in the central romance (though I do wish there had been more tension/build up), I think the television show/is Joe a cheater plot overshadowed everything else. Read this is you are interested in a friendship group x relationship drama with a sprinkling of a love story. 3.5 stars.

Thank you very much to Avon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Mhairi McFarlane remains one of my go to and auto-buy authors, I adore her reads. They are always poignant, thought provoking and feel relatable. Some of her reads are lighter than others, some cover heavier topics and themes. In all of her reads though, she without fail provides characters that feel like real people – some you love and feel like old friends and you root for, some you can’t stand.

While her stories often contain a romantic arc / romance element, I would typically classify her reads as a Contemporary (Romantic) Drama. Her books definitely focus heavily on emotion, character growth, and interpersonal dynamics especially of the familial and friendship variety – they also generally feature an underlying romantic arc component, that while compelling is not the central piece of the story.

Between Us is another wonderfully written and thought provoking piece from McFarlane, it does read a bit heavier than some of her other books, just based on the serious topics broached alone – the implosion of a long term relationship, deceit, possible cheating, and the fall out as a result. However, though I am a sucker for a romantic comedy – Mhairi never fails to draw me in. Her writing and pacing keep me wanting more. I stayed up reading this one late into the night, only giving it a rest when the kindle I was reading my arc copy on hit me in the face from falling asleep while reading. I immediately picked back up the story upon waking and finished it in a day.

I once again found her characters compelling and authentic. I loved Matt, found Roisin an interesting character and enjoyed seeing her growth, and really enjoyed getting to know the friend group. I think it goes without saying that Joe made my blood boil. But throughout it all, despite one topic I usually avoid, I could not put it down. I wanted to see what would happen, I wanted answers, and yes, I wanted a book that ended on a hopeful note. Thankfully, all my wishes came to fruition by the end of the story.

Mhairi remains a favorite author, I’m excited to receive my physical pre-order copy and I will wait impatiently for her next wonderful release. Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Avon Books for the opportunity to read an early copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I generally enjoy Mhairi McFarlane books so I was so excited to read her latest novel "Between Us". This is not my favorite book of hers but it's worth reading. My biggest criticism is the pacing of this novel. The 3/4 is very slow and the last feels so rushed. Roisin was a likeable and strong female lead in this book. I depised Joe. (Enough said) Matt's character saved this book for me. He is everything you want in a love interest and he was such a great character. Having said that I didn't really feel the build up to he and Roisins connection and there were so many missed opportunities to build on that earlier in the novel. Overall it was a decent read but not going on my favorite shelf. If you love reading about dynamics and lives of friend groups and how they build/change overtime you will enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Thank you Net Galley and Avon and Harper Voyage for this ARC. I have read several books by Mhairi McFarlane and unfortunately this one wasn't for me. The pace was a bit too slow and I struggled with the writing style and didn't finish the book. The description of the book sounded really interesting to me and lots of other readers have enjoyed it.

Super cute, even though the MC was the last one to...No, actually it was just super cute. But, I will say: I had a little fun reading out the especially Brittish turns of phrase to see if my handsome fella could figure out what was going on. There was a bit with a pidgeon who had a manky foot and was packing a pasty that has us both stymied.

This is the second title, in a handful of days, from yet another auto-read author that has not quite measured up to the ones that came before and, also, my expectations. This one came out a little stronger, thank goodness, but either I’m broken (I swear, I’m not in a slump, I’m opposite slumping, my reading is posture-perfect!) or maybe 2023 is just turning out to be an off-year for my favourites.

It can’t be said that McFarlane disappoints because even in something a little less magical than the usual there’s still a lot of good here. There’s the core friend group, a classic staple in the author’s arsenal; a longterm relationship going tits up, with a new love in the wings waiting to be discovered; and, of course, some messy familial dynamics to sink your teeth into. Normally I would expound plenty of praise on the great ensemble but this might’ve been my least favourite. As for the longterm beau, this one was an easy one to relish being chucked in the bin. The whole meta thing was just.. w o w. When it came to the new love, though, wellllll. I definitely saw it coming a mile away but part of me wishes Roisin had, too. The switch was just a little too quick for me and I really didn’t feel it. And lastly, as for the family dynamics, I really didn’t see the payoff until right until the end. One brief moment. It was a good one but I wanted more.

It might also have been the least entertaining when it came to lols. Normally I can’t count the amount of moment inspiring outright cackles. For this one? I can’t even think of one.

And I think that basically sums up the state of the whole experience. I just wanted more. More laughs, more heart, more things to cry over, more sizzle. I wanted to feel a whole lot of things, because I’m used to feeling a whole lot of things, and — barring maybe two moments — in the end I didn’t feel much of anything.

I enjoyed the side-plot that didn’t villainize other women and went at things from a refreshing angle; though it did feel a little similar to McFarlane’s last book, though in a quieter way. Which segues into another thing I was thinking of. I found MAD ABOUT YOU to be a louder book than usual from this author and while this wasn’t on the same decibel scale, it still felt a little bigger. I think I miss the quieter books, the lower scale bits and bobs, though it’s hard to properly describe that. There was just something very focused about McFarlane’s previous books, big feelings in smaller social climates, less fireworks and drama on a stage, and I miss that. It was magic to me.

I doubt I’ll ever find a reason to stop requesting (aka begging, which is what I did to get this early; and I waited, oh, four days before diving into it — hello from March!) this author and I will always, constantly, recommend her. I will always be feral for her stories, her characters, her wit. This just wasn’t one I think I’ll ever come back to and, sadly, I’ll likely only remember it for it’s most outrageous element (the meta bit).

I'm a big fan of Mhairi McFarlane's works. I think her writing does an amazing job of making you feel hopeful by the end of the story. This one was no exception but I will say that this is probably my least of her work so far. I felt like it took 50% into the book for the story to really take off and even then it lagged a bit. I pushed through to the end because I just wanted to know whether Joe did do the thing they thought he did or didn't.

Overall, an enjoyable read. Maybe a little slow but still enjoyable.