I have a few of Mhairi McFarlane's books so I was excited to get my hands on this one. However the start is very confusing. It's not til later that I discover this book is follow up to "Who's that girl" By Mhairi McFarlane (which was published in 2015 btw via goodreads info). Normally you still get the base information you need to understand the story in the next book. If the first book was about them meeting and the this one was them dealing with the in and out of their relationship. Then I should be able to read it with out reading the first one, that came out almost 10 years ago. I was really excited for this book because the description sounds so good. Hollywood royalty who wants a normal girl and both have to learn how to adjust. Sign me up. But I just had no idea what was going on. I felt like I was dropped in the middle of the story. And if this is a case where this book cannot be read without reading the first one that needs to be made more clear. The description just stated this is the "follow up" to Who's that girl and has the same characters.

I absolutely adore Mhairi McFarlane. She always makes me laugh and writes beautifully deep relationships. I loved Who’s That Girl? And this was a lovely sequel. My only complaint was how abrupt the ending was, I wish there was a bit more time for the characters to fully reconcile before getting engaged.

3.5/5 - Reading the two books back-to-back may not be quite the way to consume them. It was confusing to have the first book set so squarely in the time it was written (a reference to Prince Harry being unmarried and the now defunct Vine) and then to have this book pick up exactly where the last one left off but be referencing TikTok and vaping.

Setting all that aside, I just didn’t like Edie and Elliot’s relationship as much this time around. I appreciated an “after the HEA” look at the reality of trying to date a mega-famous person, but there was just a lot of fighting and tension between them and I honestly didn’t know sometimes if I wanted them to work out. I also feel like there was a lot less of the secondary characters in this book and that was a miss. But we are introduced to other characters that maybe should have been at least mentioned in the first book? But weren’t actually invented yet.

Overall, I did like this book and I enjoyed the ending, but their relationship is kind of exhausting and I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one.

Note: I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

ARC Review: I’ll start by saying I absolutely enjoyed this read! So keep that in mind through my first quick qualms before the positives so that it ends with you wanting to read this book!
It’s fairly necessary to read the description first to have any clue what’s going on & the heavy British slang doesn’t help if you’re not fluent. It started off very confusing on who was who and what the setting was and why we immediately had conflict and even where we were. The characters were never truly introduced and we didn’t get a hint on dynamic/personalities until Chapters 3/4.
(A big) HOWEVER… once you do get further it’s a very unique gossip-y focused romance. It followed some fairly complex but natural thought-processes that come with every human brain in relationships (even one as situationally unrelatable as Edie and Elliot’s) and I loved loved loved the maturity of the characters while tackling those thoughts & emotions. It had me on edge until quite literally the last few pages wondering how the heck it would work out and even let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding at the conclusion. A big “will they or won’t they” plot. The open conversations and just plain wanting to be with each other brought me so much joy. Even I was a skeptic of the Elliot relationship when she first met Declan and had me thinking “they work so much better!”. But McFarlane did such a fabulous job at intentionally bringing the reader on that same thought journey to build the emotions for THE conversation.
I was so surprised at how enjoyable of a read this was and highly recommend giving it a go!
Thank you NetGalley & HarperCollins Publishers for the opportunity to read this work early in exchange for my honest review.

I feel like I didn't connect with this sequel as I did with the first one.

Who's that girl? was incredibly original and witty. The way the relationshipbetween Elliot and Edie started wasvery well executed. In this one, though very predictable, I didn't connect with them anymore. I didn't feel the banter and connection these two had in book 1 and I felt a bit boring reading it.

I'm very thankful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book, I had been waiting for it for a while, though it was mildly disappointing.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher. Mhairi McFarlane is one of my favorite authors, so I was thrilled to receive this. To my surprise it's the sequel to Who's That Girl? but I also think it could be a standalone.

I loved the way the characters were fleshed out. Only thing is I didn't love the prologue.

This was a really sweet read - I felt all the feels - McFarlane truly has a gift with just punching you i the heart.

This was a fun read, one where I was actively rooting on the characters and enjoying the entire story from start to finish.

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.