Leigh is surprised when she gets into a prestigious MFA program, but she is even more shocked to find Will, her high-school crush who broke her heart with the feedback he gave her poetry, is also in the program. With such a small cohort, there is no way to avoid Will, and it isn’t long before old feelings come back.

First of all, I would totally read a book of Leigh’s poetry - she’s a pop culture loving girlie after my own heart! I loved this debut - it was a great second chance romance and the MFA setting was a fun setting for them to reunite. I loved getting to know their classmates as well and the depth the side characters added to the storyline. I look forward to reading more from Katie Naymon.

I loved Sarah Beth Goer’s audiobook performance. It was easy to lose track of time while listening to her narration and I didn’t want to stop listening!

Thank you to Forever Publishing, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies.

Loved Will and Leigh, some of my new favourite characters...EVER. Will was literally the perfect book boyfriend and this author has jumped up as one of my favs very quickly.

I adored the first half of this book, it reminded me of my time studying english literature for my undergrad. The insecurity of sounding smart enough, or reading between the lines enough, in a space filled with wildly creative and intelligent people was such a real driving thing throughout the book. But it reached a point where the conflict between the main characters just became petty and insecure. It dragged on much, much longer than necessary and it became borderline childish. This is an adult woman and she's holding onto grudges and insecurities from high school. The second half of the book began to drag on and on the longer these two just circled around their issues when all they needed to do was sit and have a serious conversation.

Loved this debut! Such a great idea for a romance and loved being able to pair it with the audio. Storyline flowed really well, although some pop culture references were a bit much. Overall can’t wait to see what else Naymon publishes in the future!

Thank you to Naymon & Forever Pub for the e-arc!!

Leigh is thrilled and nervous to start her MFA program. What's a little imposter syndrome? But showing up and seeing her crush turned nemesis is a terrible way to begin. And she certainly doesn't understand why his work could be about her.
I wanted to love this and found myself somewhat disappointed. It features bookish main characters - that should be an auto-win! I found the writing to be good but Leigh to be fairly unlikeable for the majority of the book. She is simply blind to those around her and her constant jump to conclusions was frustrating. The grand gesture though? Incredibly sweet and the perfect way to a bookish heart.
Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for the alc. All thoughts are my own.

*Thank you Forever Publishing and Netgalley for the free e-arc!*

When I tell you this book felt monumental to me! Katie's prose is so stunning, there were so many moments when I was reading when I had to stop and let things sink in because her writing was just so significant in a way that I don't often see in romance. Experiencing her regular prose coupled with her poetry was an incredible experience, I honestly feel grateful for it.

Now, Leigh and Will? Hot messes!! And I mean they're both hot and both messes but you know what, I love them and I support their rights and wrongs!!!!!! Their journey was long and tumultuous but ultimately so worth it and so necessary. And THE poem is a bit of writing I will be thinking about for a long time.

I loved this book from start to finish and I can't wait to see what Katie gives us next.

The debut novel is a powerful and emotional and heart-wrenching read, yet beautifully written. Kate Naymon writing in truly fantastic, leaving me in awe that this is her first book. The way in which she crafts her characters is done so beautifully, adding depth to the story in a way that enhances the overall experience.

Fun and flirty! The enemies to lovers trope is fantastic and I devoured this book in a day! Great for other romance readers and highly recommend!

I really tried to get into this, but the main character is insufferable. Having had a similar education/career background, I thought I’d relate to her a lot but her personality was very frustrating to me. It’s hard to connect her self-proclaimed passion for writing with her disinterest in engaging in writing discussions with her peers and her admittance that she doesn’t read poetry in her free time and is only really familiar with one poet. Her narration is so judgmental of others and insecure of her own merits that it’s hard to find anything likable about her or enjoyable about reading from her perspective.

This was soo good. I loved it, honestly books like this remind why I love romance. If you are itching for Emily Henry style writing - you will devour this!!

3.5 stars overall! I really enjoyed pockets of this, but I struggled with the characterization of both Will and Leigh's characters. I think I specifically struggled at the length at which it took for both Leigh and Will to get to a point where I didn't want to shake their shoulders (90%).

When the self discovery and the willingness to be vulnerable was finally in Leigh's grasp I was thrilled that she was taking the chances, but while I think it was intended to feel hard-earned, it ultimately just made it difficult for me to like Leigh I think. I could tell that there were moments intended to shed light on everything going on in Leigh's head but I think the structure of allowing the reader to view into these windows felt placed poorly.

all in all, I did come to enjoy the overall book once I sat with it and may recommend, it just didn't *fully* work for me. I'm still interested in reading more from Katie Naymon because I think her voice is really special!

I'm going to start by saying I loved this book so much. From the gorgeous cover to the characters and pacing, Katie Naymon really hit the mark. I finished this in one 24 hour period (and I have two young kids, so that's saying a lot!).

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Romance novel I’m absolutely loving? Hello YOU BETWEEN THE LINES! This book is following two MFA students with a past, and I’m obsessed. I majored in creative writing as an undergrad, and I freaking love books set in academia, especially that were the same major as I had, because I can envision it all so well. The workshops are truly authentic, and I feel like I’m 20 again. But there were no hotties in my classes 🤣🙈 what can I say, I had a thing for the business major… 😘😏 LOL! Do you like books set in academia?

I won’t bury the lead here: You Between the Lines is now my favorite contemporary romance.

Two poets, one MFA program. An exploration of imposter syndrome and what healing looks like. A book about how impossible it can feel to be vulnerable — on the page, in love - and why it matters so much that you try anyway.

Most importantly for me, Naymon gives the English major permission to also love romance novels - reminding us that:
🌸just because it’s popular doesn’t mean it can’t be profound
🌸just because you adore Love Island, doesn’t mean you aren’t also a scholar

And, as a Taylor-Swift-loving PhD in literature with new Bookstagram account, THIS was the book I didn’t know I needed.

📝If you are a romance reader, you’re going to love it.

📝If you are - or were - in a grad program, you’re going to love it even more.

📝And if you were also majoring in English in said program, this book is about to become your entire personality.

I think everyone who reads contemporary romance is going to adore YBTL, but if you’re an English major, it will hit on another level, taking you you out with nostalgia (in a good way).

When I was in these programs it always felt like there was such a huge divide between critical (where I was) and creative tracks, between the MA and MFA.

YBTL convinced me that isn’t actually the case.

Did we all have the same brand of imposter syndrome? Yes, we did.

Did we use absolutely cringy esoteric language in class comments? Yes, we did.

Did we also pick a sushi place and make ridiculous cohort toasts when left to our own devices at academic conferences? Yes, we did.

Y’all. Did Katie Naymon just write my favorite Contemporary romance I’ve read this year?

Yes, she did.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for an ARC of this incredible read in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting idea for a book that missed the mark a bit for me as a reader. Leigh felt very immature for a 27 year old, and her relationship with Will made me feel more frustration than a desire to see the characters get together. I think this is a book that would have been helped significantly by the inclusion of the MMC’s POV, because as it stands, Will is mostly a blank slate and thus I as a reader found it hard to care about him much in general and particularly as a match for Leigh. The book did pick up towards the end as we got real insight into what Will was thinking and also as Leigh actually committed to working on herself more, but for my taste, it was too little too late to save the book overall. I did enjoy some of the poetry and the insights into the workings of an MFA program, but overall this book was not for me.

This was such a fun and heartfelt read! You Between the Lines follows Leigh, a former sorority girl who’s just been accepted into a prestigious MFA poetry program in North Carolina—only to discover her high school crush-turned-nemesis, Will, is in the same program.

Leigh is determined to prove herself as a serious writer, especially after Will once dismissed her work as “all style, no substance.” But when Will (now William) submits an intimate poem clearly about Leigh, the tension between them ignites. Cue the slow-burn rivals-to-lovers tension, angsty poetry, and unexpected vulnerability.

I loved how this story tackled mental health openly and authentically, while also showing Leigh’s journey of self-acceptance and growth. The found family element among the MFA students was so heartwarming, and the chemistry between Leigh and Will was full of delicious tension.

Adorable, emotional, and full of academic tension and heart, You Between the Lines is a perfect pick if you love slow burns, enemies-to-lovers, and books with big heart.

Tropes you’ll find:
💖 Rivals to lovers
📚 Poets in MFA program
🧠 Mental health rep
👯‍♀️ Found family
🌟 High school crush turned rivals
🔥 Slow burn tension

Adorable, emotional, and full of academic tension and heart, You Between the Lines is a perfect pick if you love slow burns, enemies-to-lovers, and books with big heart. I completed an immersive read for this book and really enjoyed it!

Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever and Hachette Audio for providing an e-ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was perfectly swoon worthy, a love story for the ages that I tabbed and annotated to death and wanted to devour and keep reading it forever in equal measure. Leigh and Will will carry a part of my bookish heart forever, there’s just not enough space to gush enough about this book, but you HAVE to read it.

Katie’s beautiful writing style, from the perfectly crafted poems to each beat of the plotline wove emotion and vulnerability into characters that were messy and real and perfect together. It had everything about second-chance that I love, while giving depth to miscommunication in a way that worked for the characters. I loved how messy they were, together and apart. Their group of fellow writers were both the family they needed and the competition that enhanced their insecurities and showed their true talent that kept me invested in their character growth outside of the relationship.

✨ The Vibes ✨
The Tortured Poets Department (if it was an MFA program in North Carolina)

📖 Read if…
✨ You had a crush on someone in your college lit class
✨ You firmly believe TTPD is Taylor Swift’s best album
✨ You enjoy angst and pining in your romances

I think I was five pages in when I was sure You Between the Lines would land on my favorites of 2025 list. That’s a bold declaration, but it’s true, as I can’t remember the last time I was so instantly captivated by a romance novel.

Jumping right into why this is a new forever favorite, the main character Leigh was so relatable it almost hurt. I could relate to her feelings of imposter syndrome and constant second guessing, as well as her struggles with balancing corporate writing and creative writing. That’s such a specific feeling and Katie Naymon absolutely nails it.

In terms of love interests, Will is up there with some of the greatest book boyfriends of all time. He’s broody and emotional, but sweet and well meaning and reading his email at the end (IYKYK) was just 🥺🥺. And in a world where we could have literary crossovers in the vein “That’s So Suite Life of Hannah Montana,” I could see Gus Everett and Will being best friends.

If that doesn’t make you want to read this book, I don’t know what will. I’m already planning a reread while I wait for what Katie Naymon cooks up next!

You Between the Lines is out now. Thanks to Forever and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the author’s writing style, but the story itself was just too slow for me. I was somewhat invested in Leigh but not at all in Will, which made their romance a struggle for me. I had to put it down at 25%. Might pick it up in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever Publishing for this ARC of You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon! I will be giving my honest review.
I could not put this book down! I finished it in less than 24 hours. Naymon wove together a narrative that was compelling and engaging and had me desperate to know what happens next, even if at times it was because I was severely frustrated with the storyline and needed resolution.
I enjoyed both main characters of Will and Leigh. They were both deeply flawed but relatable and mostly likable. Although Leigh at some points truly had me going crazy. Her constant fear of judgement but in turn being the most judgmental character gave me a bit of whiplash. I think the hypocrisy was intended but mixed with her intensely deep-rooted insecurity and victim complex, I was finding myself ready to both yell at her and give her a big hug. Because truthfully, I have been a similar version of her in the past and so I both related and resented her fears and motives.
I think the biggest reason that I took off a star (and was considering going lower) was because of the constant "will they, won't they" of it all. Up until about 65% or so, I was fully hooked and convinced this was a 5 star, EmHen level romance for me. But the constant back and forth and rejection and emotional immaturity between Leigh and Will (but primarily Leigh) turned me off a bit. I felt myself getting so frustrated, and by the official 3rd act breakup, I almost wanted them to not get back together because they were both so toxic for one another.
I think what truly redeemed this was Leigh's revelations through therapy and the entire situation of her parents divorce. She didn't just brush off her past actions and mistakes, but instead recognized and apologized for them and made an effort to do better. I always like when an author can take you through an emotional roller coaster throughout the book and end with you actually liking them and proud of them.
This is a book that I will most definitely be purchasing a physical copy of me. I am very excited to read more books by Katie Naymon.