A true romance novel is entirely stand-alone and has a happily-ever-after ending. This book, and its predecessor which I did not know was connected to this, do not fit that bill. Reading You Belong with Me is to be dropped into the middle of a story that has already happened.

"You Belong with Me" is a delightful continuation of Edie and Elliot's story, blending romance and reality in a way that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. Highly recommended for fans of McFarlane and anyone who enjoys a well-crafted, emotionally rich love story.

Absolutely loved this book! It was very heartfelt and was a feel good story for me. I loved the relationship between the MCs. I can’t wait to read more from Mhairi!

Oh I can’t wait to curl up and reread this one closer to the holidays… EEEE!! The way Mhairi McFarlane fleshes out characters is unlike anything else. And this was no different.

Edie and Elliot I love you!!! The ultimate stocking stuffer.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Mhairi does not miss! I love reading stories about people who would be deemed "incompatible" falling in love and I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we've all fantasized about romancing a celebrity at one point or another. This story was engaging, funny, and touched all the points of my heart that needed it. This is a sequel but does not necessarily need to be read in succession, similar to Abby Jimenez books. If you're looking for a light-hearted and sweet fall in love with the fan story, this is for you!

At this point, I would request an ARC of Mhairi's grocery lists. She will always be an auto-buy author for me. However, as much as I loved Edie and Elliot's story in Who's That Girl, this book did feel like it could have been a novella, and it fell a little flat. But even when I think about my least favorite parts of this book, they still feel like compliments to MacFarlane and how she can write intricately complex stories of human connection. Despite frustrating miscommunications and characters feeling like their own worst enemies, it was good to be back with Edie and Elliot. The moments of sweetness between them were quintessential Mhairi and carried me through the rest of the book.

As an aside, I see some people saying they read this as a stand-alone, and I can not say that I recommend doing that. I highly recommend reading Who's That Girl? first. While Mhairi does an adequate job of providing background details of Edie's tumultuous workplace history and Elliot's family saga in You Belong With Me, you miss out on so much character development and I can't imagine enjoying this book at all without the context of Who's That Girl?.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publishers Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is definitely of the “will they won’t they” variety. I couldn’t tell where we were going to end up and before I knew it, I was in the epilogue! This book takes a look at the intricacies of communication within relationships and really shows how we can misinterpret easily.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC for my honest review.

I had no idea this was a sequel so maybe that's why I felt lost and confused the whole time. I was so taken back just by the prologue. Also I don't think things like instant love or like happiness right away is my thing. Maybe all the dark romance I have read has been corrupting me, but if is not "realistic" to me (neither is dark romance).

I did not publicly review this on my Goodreads outside of the rating.

ARC review.
You Belong with Me
This is my honest to goodness review on this book, despite being an ARC reviewer. 🩵
Okay. Let me first start out by saying I didn't realize this was a sequel. I had a hard time connecting with the characters. The mfc was kind of annoying. I didn't feel any chemistry. I just really couldn't connect with the characters at all. It could really be because I didn't read the first book, but I don't know. I felt like this book could've been a lot shorter. The MC rarely seemed happy. And I just wasn't for this.
Maybe had I read the first book, my rating might have been higher? I don't know. I didn't even know it was a sequel until I peeked at the reviews from other people who loved the book. So maybe that was my problem.

Firstly thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an Arc of Mhairi McFarlane book in exchange for an honest review .


I really wasn’t a huge fan of the concept of the book. However that is strictly me because let me tell you . This book is very well written. The plot is good , the characters are great and sweet. I’m just someone who loves a good falling in love book. However, this book starts out in the middle of a relationship. It talks about the hardships in making a relationship work and the ups and downs and she does it in such an amazing way. So although the book wasn’t for me I still recommend for anyone looking for a cute read who is okay with this concept.

Ps: I did find out this is a second book to a series so be warned .

This was cute! If you liked the Amazon movie the idea of you, you’d like this. It had decent banter and some drama. It’s a nice easy day read when you want to relax as you read.

Mhairi McFarlane crafts a heartfelt, humorous, and engaging story in "You Belong with Me," exploring the complexities of a relationship between an ordinary woman and a famous actor. Edie Thompson, who previously found herself involved with Elliot Owen, the Hollywood heartthrob, faces the challenges of dating someone in the public eye. When Elliot unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep on Christmas Day, Edie is thrust into a whirlwind romance that is as enchanting as it is daunting.

Navigating the pressures of media scrutiny, long-distance woes, and family issues, Edie and Elliot's journey is filled with witty dialogue and realistic scenarios. The novel dives deep into their relationship dynamics, portraying the highs and lows with an authenticity that resonates. The supporting cast, including the growing bond between Fraz and Elliot, adds depth and warmth to the narrative.

First of all, "Who's That Girl" was an entertaining, easy-to-engage-with, gender-reversed version of "Notting Hill" that started off hilarious and fast-paced but lost momentum in the middle, ending with a heartbreaking conclusion that left readers screaming. The anticipation for this sequel has been high for nine years, and it feels like McFarlane is tying up unfinished business, providing closure to these beloved characters. However, the wait has been long, and some may wish it had come sooner.

The story beautifully balances humor and heartfelt moments, ensuring that readers are both entertained and emotionally invested. McFarlane doesn't shy away from tough conversations, making the characters' growth and evolution feel genuine. While the third act breakup is gut-wrenching, the resolution is satisfying and hopeful.

Overall, "You Belong with Me" is a delightful continuation of Edie and Elliot's story, blending romance and reality in a way that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. Highly recommended for fans of McFarlane and anyone who enjoys a well-crafted, emotionally rich love story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with a digital review copy of this highly anticipated sequel in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Wow, this was a mess. It took me forever to get into the book. In the first few pages, I was so thrown off and confused. I also discovered from other reviews this is the second book in the series, so that’s probably the main reason I couldn’t connect instantly with the book or characters. I was bored the whole time and felt like I started skimming pages early on cause I couldn’t get into it. Maybe if I had read the first book, I would have been more interested, but I feel the answer is no. Also, the writing bugged me a bit. It all felt jumbled together and hard to read. All the characters just seemed dull, in my opinion. The romance just wasn’t it for me either. I’m not a huge fan of sequels to romance books. Makes no sense to me. Honestly, this just wasn’t the book for me.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

OOOOkay--this one was my fault on taking so long. I did NOT realize this was a sequel until I'd been approved for the arc (so off to Amazon I went).

But! I can say, I much enjoy this author's writing. I won't go into detail since this is, technically, a follow up, but I very much enjoy the way McFarlane is able to great a seriousness to her books without making it too heavy. She is definitely in the ballpark of Emily Henry in nudging fiction genre topics while also creating a very enjoyable romance.

This one is set around Christmas time, so though it's not marketed as one, it definitely has a cozy feel to it and would be even more enjoyable to read once it gets cold outside! I highly recommend McFarlane (and this cast of characters), so anyone looking to get into romance or want a good laugh/cry combo!

This book starts with the romantic gesture. He shows up at her door with roses on Christmas Day, he does love her after all! And this book explores the NEXT part of the relationship. In Hallmark movies (my favorite) the couple kisses for the first time under the tree on Christmas Day, then the screen cuts to black and says "one year later" and then there is an additional 90 seconds where he proposes. As much as I love that formula, I did enjoy seeing the middle part of the relationship, as Edie and Elliott get closer, deal with family issues, culture differences and their pasts. There is an inevitable time period where a couple goes through the honeymoon period and that is what the plot of this book focuses on.

I enjoyed the book, the couple has great chemistry on the page, I believed both of their characterization and couplization. Very clever, witty dialogue. I determined this is the second in a series about this couple, it doesn't list as such, so I didn't know I was reading a sequel. I wish I could read the first but I am afraid it has been spoiled. That said, I do think the book is cute, lighthearted and enjoyable even if you hadn't read the first.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC. Book to be published September 3, 2024.

Loved being back with these two! Was it as good as the first? no not really the development of their relationship was more interesting than the relationship itself however I loved following their ups and downs again. I found Elliot almost a little too perfect but adored him nonetheless. Will forever read anything about these characters but just not as good as book one.

I absolutely adore Mhairi McFarlane's novels! They are always so realistic but written in a tender and welcoming way and You Belong With Me is a perfect example! TS reference aside, this book was full of little things that just got to me and I couldn't stop reading and flipping the pages! Another great story and I highly recommend!

Mhairi takes us through Edie's journey as she grapples with what could look like to actually be in a relationship with Elliot. I enjoyed that Edie and Elliot were a couple the entire book, they had already gotten together (due to this being a sequel) and I loved it. I loved the banter and real-life scenarios where Mhairi didn't shy away from having the hard conversations. I also loved seeing Fraz and Elliot's brotherly relationship grow. Though, spoiler alert, the very third act breakup almost broke me, very glad to see Edie and Elliot survive till the very end. A beautiful conclusion to their story.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for this ARC!

I will read anything Mhairi McFarlane writes! I’ve loved every book of hers I’ve read, which is all of them! When I started this book, I didn’t realize it was a follow up to her book “who’s that girl” I read that book 4 years ago and it might have been helpful to re-read it first since this seems like a direct follow-up!

I didn’t remember much about who’s that girl but I soon picked up what I had missed. Would recommend re reading that one before this! I really enjoyed this book. Her characters are always so real and fleshed out and there are so many laugh out loud moments! I don’t want to spoil anything but this book had many twists and turns and kept me so engaged I read it in one sitting. Would highly recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

As a huge Mhairi McFarlane fan who adored WHO'S THAT GIRL, I was over the moon to receive an ARC of the sequel, YOU BELONG WITH ME, in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publishers Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon.

I would live in this story if I could! Edie and Elliot are delightful from start to finish and this was exactly the sequel I was hoping it would be! After reading WHO'S THAT GIRL years ago, the cliffhanger ending is continued beautifully in YOU BELONG WITH ME. This sequel builds perfectly on the world and characters established in WHO'S THAT GIRL, while adding new characters, new story lines and conflicts, and new reasons to love and root for Edit and Elliot.

I absolutely and whole-heartedly recommend this book, and will reread this again in no time! I would recommend folks start with WHO'S THAT GIRL as to not miss out on the lovely character and world creation in that story.