Thank you for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

McFarlane always tears out my heart in ways I don't expect, so I was curious if this would be the same. I don't always love celebrity books but I LOVED this one, it felt so realisitic and gritty and real. I was so connected with the FMC that I found myself reading slowly just because I was nodding along and cheering her on. Elliot, is a dream. I was also SO pleased to see Richard, Hannah, Nick, and Fraser drop in again. McFarlane really has me rooting for all these side characters like they are mains!

I am a Mhairi fan through and through and I'm grateful every day Emily Henry rec'd her on her stories so I could find her.

The sequel I didn't know was coming or that I needed! After Who's That Girl, we hope that the knock on the door at Christmas leads to Edie's and Elliot's HEA. But we don't know know for sure But Mhairi McFarlane never disappoints, and this sequel gives the main characters a much fought-for and enduring HEA that we know is true.

Sometimes, I wanted to shake Edie in the book and wondered why she seemed to intent on self-sabotaging but I know the inside of all our brains is a funny place where logic doesn't always rule. Elliot is almost too good to be true but that's why we read these books :) Seeing them go through the up and downs, and finally coming into a relationship that can work for both of them is so satisfying.

Also really enjoyed Edie's improving relationship with Meg and her father as well as how Fraser got his happy ending and proved to be the loyal brother he always was to Elliot.

Mhairi's books are always witty, sharp and smart with great characters, and this one proves to be no different. Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

You Belong with Me was a cute and fun sequel to Who’s That Girl. One of the worst parts of finishing a great book is that you don’t get to see very much of the couples happily together, I liked that Mhairi McFarlane gave us the ups and downs of what it takes to actually make a relationship work especially when it’s long distance and then the added flair of Elliot being famous. It was fun watching the journey of them trying to figure out how to make everything work while attempting to keep open communication flowing as well.

Declan was fine as a character but I also feel as though he could have had his part in their story tied up a little neater. And if I’m being honest, I never favor a love triangle because we all know she was supposed to get her HEA with Elliot.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and had a fun time reading it. Thank you NetGalley and Avon or Harper Voyager for a copy of the ARC.

Oh, I just LOVE Mhairi's books!

Her writing is truly one of a kind. It's wildly funny, smart, and touches on emotions in such a relevant, human, and meaningfully tender way.

Admittedly, I did not realize before I started this book that it was a follow-up to one of Mhairi's previous books, WHO'S THAT GIRL, and found out when the book starts soon after the HEA of that story. But while I do wish I had had the relevant backstory of the first, my need for a character-catch-up honestly didn't hinder me too much from enjoying this book thoroughly.

And while I'll be the first to say that I generally throw proverbial tomatoes at even the *idea* of sequels, I don't think this follow-up was entirely unwarranted. I think it can be immensely valuable in cases to explore after-the-HEA, and it means a lot to me as a reader to get to see how characters handle challenges together, overcome new obstacles, and cement the firmness of their relationship. I do believe that this--let's say, additional angst--serves the story of these characters well while still allowing us to connect to a world and characters that we (errr, those who read the first in this series) loved the first time around. When done well, it can be a satisfying experience for the reader, and in this case, I think it very much was.

Because it's a "what happens after HEA" story, we get a different story structure, which I enjoyed. Starting with a grand gesture? FUN. We also get more development on these characters, and we get to see them in new situations where they're tested. They fail a lot, but in ways that help them become stronger. That growth felt realistic and relatable.

While some readers might get annoyed with the back-and-forth of the trust issues, I found it refreshingly honest and very meaningful to my own experiences and feelings. And while it's so emotionally dense and thought-provoking, it's also smart, swoony, and so so funny.

TLDR: this book was very well done, laugh-out-loud funny, and emotionally meaningful. Will read anything Mhairi writes!

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the e-ARC (and to Avon for the physical ARC) in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. YOU BELONG WITH ME is out 9/3/24.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. I didn’t realize this was a second book until I started reading and came here to mark as reading 😂 Stupid on my part. But I still give it four stars after reading! Things that happened in the first book were mentioned multiple times so I didn’t feel like I was missing info. Edie and Elliott were super cute together and I think the complications with them having a relationship were portrayed well. I’m glad for a happy ending for these two! It would be fun to read about some other characters too, maybe Meg or maybe even Elliot’s singer friend could have a love story if the author wanted to write more in this universe. There were a lot of British terms I didn’t know, but it didn’t hinder me from enjoying the story.

A sequel to WHO'S THAT GIRL, this book had my heart throughout!

"I don't think we were meant to be," Edie said. That suggests we could simply wait. I didn't wait for you, Elliot Owen. I was bust finding myself-- at the same time I found you. Then you chose me, and I chose you."

My gosh, my precious Edie & Elliot can't catch a break & live in peace, can they? I loved how beautifully this book starts with where the previous left off. Now, Edie & Elliot are madly in love and do their best to keep the long-distance relationship working while they are torn down by the media, ex-flames, etc.

As I keep saying, their relationship was too precious, heartwarming, & wholesome to begin with. I loved how both of them got together so perfectly despite the hindrances.

Elliot was such a simp and proved again and again how committed he was to Edie. He was man IN LOVE & he never did shy away from that. Edie was a brilliantly strong character & life wasn't easy on her. A lot of the time, you'll feel as if Elliot is the one trying the most but wait till the end!

The humor and dialogues were amazing in this book! I loved Fraser so much & how he added charm to the story. It was painful to watch Edie & Elliot grow apart even for a minute. But everything happened for a reason & they came out stronger than ever.

<i>Thank you Netgalley & Publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.<i>

Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager US, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

You Belong With Me is the follow-up to McFarlane’s 2016 Who’s That Girl, which had ended with a cliffhanger. This is an extremely satisfying, heartfelt and hilarious sequel. McFarlane’s witty dialogue has always made me laugh, but it’s truly impressive in this one. Some moments I literally shook my head in awe at the effortlessness of it all. I cared so much about seeing these two through the drama of this story and I cannot recommend it enough.

This was my first Mhairi McFarlane book, and I had no idea going in that it was a sequel. It took a few chapters to understand what was going on and the characters that had already been introduced in the previous book, but I was able to follow along fine and figure out the gist of what had happened previously. I think this book can be read as a stand alone, but I would advise reading the other book first to avoid any confusion and give better context to the story. That being said, I really enjoyed this one and found all the characters to be really likable. I can’t relate to dating a celebrity, but I still felt like all of Edie’s and Elliot’s struggles were totally understandable, and I was rooting for them throughout. My only complaint is that there were so many British phrases and terms that I had never heard before, even having read many authors from the UK, so there were times (especially during dialogue between characters) where I felt like I needed a translation to understand them. I plan to read the first book in this duet now because I was really intrigued by the story I gleaned, and I also am looking forward to reading Mhairi McFarlane’s backlist as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this follow-up to "Who's That Girl"! The readers of that book who were disappointed with the ending will be excited to read the continuation of Edie and Elliot's love story. Edie is such a wonderful, well-rounded character, and I was glad for the opportunity to spend more time with her! Her life is in a much better place, and things are really looking up when she opens the door on Christmas to find Elliot there, eager to rekindle their romance. Of course, things don't always go smoothly, but it was so much fun to follow along on their journey. You don't need to read the first book to enjoy this one, but you definitely should, because all Mhairi McFarlane books are amazing. :-)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This title is a sequel to "Who's That Girl?" by Mhairi McFarlane. (I did not read that title, and you don't need to to enjoy reading this newest title.) Edie is a copywriter who, in the previous novel, was asked to be a ghost writer for a popular young male star, Eliot. They had a romance, but broke it off because Edie couldn't deal with Eliot's fame apparently.

This book opens with Edie hosting a holiday dinner for friends and family. Eliot arrives at her front door, declaring his love and asking to try again, Edie has to deal with a long distance relationship, as Eliot is off in the States filming a new series, and she is asked to set up a new office for her agency, paired with a handsome newcomer to the firm. We follow Edie's difficulties with dealing with the press, and as details of Eliot's and Edie's relationship become public, who can you trust?

Publishing date for "You Belong with Me" is September 3, 2024. Special Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy of this fun read!

Thank you net galley and publisher for this ARC. I didn’t realize this was a sequel. After reading other reviews I’m going to read the first book before this one.

Incoming gushing review...I think I might have been one of the few readers who thought that Who's That Girl? ended on a pitch perfect note and further writing wasn't needed, though once I began reading this latest book, I was so happy that McFarlane decided a sequel was in order. Of course Edie and Elliot belonged together at the end of their first book. They proved that from the start when Elliot, against his better judgment, decided to let an unknown ghostwriter into his rarefied celebrity world to write his autobiography. Edie was a mess in the first novel, and Elliot was drawn to her swirling contradictions of kindness, fragility, and insecurity. Elliot might have started off in Edie's mind as "Megabrat," but once she got to know him and realized how much they had in common, the veneers of wealth and status were set aside. The uncertainties that plagued them in the first book were not thoroughly examined, but their love was such a passionate one that romance readers like myself accepted their future together. Of course it's Elliot knocking at her door for her in the final pages, which is exactly where You Belong with Me picks up.

This book depicts the rocky courtship of two people madly in love juggling internal and external problems that threaten their future together. I found that the problems were realistic but also always resolvable as long as they continued talking through them. And they do always keep talking and working on their relationship and never take it for granted. There are so many wonderful conversations that illustrate the give and take two people together must make in a relationship, and McFarlane does a lovely job of allowing both Edie and Elliot the grace to respect themselves while also nurture each other. There is a beautiful scene late in the book when Edie describes to Elliot that he is her "home" and how important he was to her in a frightening moment in the story when her father was ill that made me tear up. I had a few moments when I wondered if money, status, jealousy, long distance were all just insurmountable problems for them, but the priority put on building a steady foundation in the euphoria of falling in love remains central. Not only did I feel convinced that the characters do belong together but that the romance is in the work required to sustain a life-long love.

I loved the entire cast of characters here that carry over from the first book, and a few new ones. I love that despite the extent of Elliot's burgeoning career as an actor on the verge of A-list stardom, Edie's career successes are given equal weight and attention. I love that Elliot has so much respect for Edie, my personal favorite heroine from McFarlane's many books. In recent years, her books have been a little less romance-centric and this one puts romance at the heart of everything that happens. I hope this trend continues. Highly, highly recommend!

What happens after that HEA? This is what this book seeks to discover and describe and, unfortunately, it's not all peaches and cream. I enjoyed this behind the scenes ever after relationship between a celebrity and a non-celebrity but it was almost too realistic at times? It was not all hearts and roses but more a lot of misunderstanding and paparazzi. Still, well written and if you like this author, you will enjoy this one!

You Belong With Me comes out next week on September 3, 2024 and you can purchase HERE.

'Yesterday was magic, by the way, Edith, he said, 'I thought we must do it next year, then fretted: what if any of us aren't available to do it next year? This is a curse of the human condition. I've discussed it with my counsellor. Enjoy good times; don't become obsessed with prolonging and managing them. The only constant in life is change. You cannot step twice into the same stream.'

Dear readers, do not read this book if you have not read "Who's That Girl?" I honestly had zero idea this was a sequel until I started and kept going why do these characters sound familiar? LOL. I had to go back to my read list and found that I had read "Who's That Girl" in 2021. The book came out in 2015 though. And I have to say, I gave "Who's That Girl" 3.5 stars and rounded it up to 4 stars. I never really enjoyed Edie and Elliot's relationship in book #1 and in book #2 I was bored out of mind.

"You Belong With Me" follows Edie as she and Elliot try to have a relationship with each other and dealing with the PR of it all, people lying and scheming, etc. and Edie's lack of trust in the end with Elliot. This was just tedious. I think I got to the 30 percent mark and didn't like Edie or Elliot. Reading about a woman trying to navigate her romance with a movie star was not interesting and I don't know. I just want to read a romance that makes me root for the hero and heroine. Not wanting to go you need therapy and he needs to just be honest about things.

Edie was just boring. Reading about her reactions to Elliot out and about and reading their texts back and forth to each other made me bored and annoyed. I also got annoyed with how Edie kept acting like Elliot did something wrong by being with her. She was feeling insecure and that's most of this book. Hannah and Nick have zero personality outside of being Edie's sounding boards. Same with Fraser, Eliot's brother. Declan was not needed at all. Full stop.

Elliot, eh. I honestly at times wondered why he was trying to make it work with Edie. There's just no chemistry between them. He wants to be with her, but is resentful at times that she does not believe him and I swear they kept mini-breaking up to the point I was like are they still talking? No? Who cares. Maybe if I had re-read book #1 before I started this, I wouldn't have been caught confused a few times. I honestly had forgotten major storylines and went what a couple of times. I also wonder why McFarlane revisited these two characters. I can't imagine readers were demanding it.

The writing was so/so, most of it seems to be just text messages between multiple people and then emails, and then just barely any dialogue you can care about. . Look, I am 44 years old and don't text this much to anyone. Shit, I send my people goofy Instagram reels.

The ending was a big shrug to me. Probably because I didn't care if they stayed together or not.

I was so excited to find out what happens next for Elliot and Edie! These characters are so well done and very relatable. About 2/3 through the book I started to question if it was going to end how I hoped, but I was able to breathe a sigh of relief at the end! The author wrapped up their story nicely.

I had a very hard time getting into this book. Something about the writing, or phrasing, or something, just didn't work in my brain. Regardless, I stuck with it, and I'm glad I did.

About halfway through the story I got more into it and thoroughly enjoyed the ending. I thought it was going to go one way, and it didn't. That was a pleasant surprise.

While the book wasn't an overall success in my mind, I'd recommend it if you're a fan of the genre.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I didn’t realize this was the second book, but I as able to follow along and still enjoyed it. I did find myself almost feeling more chemistry between Edie and Declan though and was kind of rooting for them.

What happens after happily ever after? Eddie is just a regular gal, but she fell in love with Elliot, which means she's thrust into the spotlight right along with him. Can their relationship survive life in the public eye?

Unfortunately, I missed the fact that this was the second in a series - I've read a lot of Mhairi McFarlane, but I hadn't read Who's That Girl. Based on the other reviews I read, it would probably be best for me to read the first one before attempting this one. My library has a copy of it and we will be purchasing this to continue the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

I love Mhairi McFarlane. She is one of my OG favorite Brit-Chick-Lit authors. I was very excited to get my hands on a copy of You Belong with Me!

In her usual fashion, I was laughing out and couldn’t put this down.

Highly recommend to anyone who loves a British rom-com. Always excited to read whatever Mhairi writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an advanced copy!

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.