I freaking loved this book! Katie nailed it on her first try! Bravo! I read this book in a day. I couldn't put it down!
It was so fun reading this book, especially because I grew up in Northeast Ohio (in the middle of nowhere, not in Cleveland haha) but all the references to the 216 area code reminds me of my late Grandma who lived in the Cleveland area. So many other fun references too, which made it so fun for me!
Leigh's character also touched me in so many ways. She's a people pleaser that lacks confidence in herself and fears rejection. I felt like I was reading my story (minus my lack of creativity and writing ability!) "She’s never been able to shake the “all-style-no-substance” feedback her high school crush made in their poetry workshop" and it really hits home that the things we say to people can really leave a lasting impact on their lives. So many times we forget the fact that most people say mean things because they are feeling badly about themselves. I feel like there were so many underlying lessons in this book. Most of the poems went way over my head, not really my thing, but there were so many times where I could totally relate to how Leigh was feeling and even Will sometimes too.
Will was one of my favorite grumpy sunshines. Everyone thinks that he's a pretentious jerk but there are so many times in the book where he proves that theory wrong. I feel like Will just wanted to bring out the best in Leigh and that he wanted the best for her. We all carry so much baggage and it can weigh us down, especially in relationships. Taking care of mental health is so important and I love how this book touches on that.
I'm so glad that I was able to read this book and I would highly recommend reading it to anyone else! If this is Katie's first novel, I can't wait to see what she does next!

The start of the book was a little slow and I found myself sad that the fmc thought so lowly of herself. However, I think a lot of the ways she thinks reminds me of myself too. Her anxiety around what other people think of her is relatable. I loved the use of writing/ poetry and how she interacted with the mmc. You could tell from the writing that he’s always liked/loved her but she’s too caught in her anxiety to really see it. I really loved this.

You Between the Lines
Author: Katie Naymon
This book would probably be your cup of tea if you like contemporary romance with cute poetry intermixed, second chance/ enemies to lovers style tropes, and relatable characters.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for allowing me to have an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the cute story and relationship within the book. The poetry vibes that were intermingled throughout the book made it different and kept things fresh. I’m a fan of academia settings so this was a good read for me with the location and theme. It was cute and realistic and the energy of the book was enjoyable.

I loved this! It was so fun and sweet. I also loved the academic setting. Plus, I’m from Northeast Ohio so the references (shout out to The Learned Owl) were so much fun!

This was a very solid debut novel for Katie Naymon. It was full of intelligent, intellectual commentary, which admittedly at times felt way over my head but I have to imagine will really connect with the academics in the audience of readers who pick this one up.

While this is a romance, the part of the story I connected with most was Leigh’s own personal journey throughout. Her intense insecurity was at times really grating to me, but as the book went on and I delved deeper into asking myself why, I think it’s because I saw a lot of the things I struggle with myself in that sense and the mirror was doing its job in reflecting that back to me. I really, really appreciated that Katie Naymon didn’t shy away from showing the ‘ugly’ side of Leigh’s thoughts and let her be a real human at the risk of her character being labeled “unlikable” as often happens to FMCs. Did I like her 100% of the book? Nope, but I don’t like myself 100% of the time either. The way things came around in the end felt like a triumph in growth for Leigh’s character and I was glad to have experienced the lows and the work that went into bringing things back up to a higher ground.

Will also had his own insecurities and shortcomings that had to be worked out. For two characters so intensely focused on words for their futures, neither one of them was great with using the spoken word to communicate. Can relate. I’m much better at putting my thoughts and feelings into words than I am speaking them directly. When Will got things right though, I found him endearing. I did feel like I wanted something more from the 10 years worth of backstory between Will and Leigh, but I can’t explain where I wanted it to come from. I just felt like I missed some of it.

Overall, a very impressive debut with a very distinct voice to the writing. I look forward to more from Katie Naymon in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

You Between the Lines is an ode to people who love writing and poetry. The poetry was amazing, and the overall writing was great. I liked how each writer in the MFA program was given a distinct voice and background.

Leigh goes through an emotional journey of self-discovery and self-love as she experiences her parents' separation/divorce and the embarrassment/trauma of running into high school crush Will. As Leigh evolves throughout the book, this is reflected into her poetry subject matter, and I liked how it became a more in depth representation of Leigh's personality.

Will and Leigh also go through an angsty rivals/enemies to lovers trope. Even when they were "enemies," it was obvious how much magnetic chemistry they had with each other. I liked how they truly supported each other's writing and careers: even when they were ignoring/avoiding each other, Will would still provide helpful, constructive feedback to Leigh - it felt like he truly wanted the best for her and her career. Both Will and Leigh had self-esteem/self-love issues, and it was nice that they could provide each other the reassurance and love that they both deserve.

This was a beautiful debut novel, and I would definitely read more of this author's books in the future.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was extremely cute, it was very reminiscent of Beach Read by Emily Henry. I loved the pining and longing between the two main characters though I wish the conflict wasn't a little back and forth.

Overall, this was a solid read and I definitely encourage everyone to read this when it comes out!

was so excited to get this book!! It was giving beach read by em hen vibes which is my favorite. Fellow writers with a shared tension filled past?? the longing and pining was great. I do wish the conflict wasn't as frustrating and they didn't go as back and forth as they did. I love a clear communication moment and this book did lack that a bit! but for sure worth the read for the rom com girlies.

I don't usually gravitate towards romance books, but the cover and description hooked me! I love a workplace/publishing/writing romance, and this was the perfect fit. I thought the characters all fit together perfectly - you had so many different types of supporting roles that all came together to create a lovely group dynamic. I loved the scenes with all of the friends together! I loved Will as a love interest...he was perfectly grumpy yet you could tell he had a soft spot for Leigh right away. The various different conflicts coming from Leigh's parents, her relationship with Will, and her application to the fellowship with Erica gave the story multiple heartbeats, which I thought kept it interesting and multi-sided. Overall, I loved this read and would recommend to anyone when it comes out!

This is a fresh and captivating story that beautifully intertwines humor and heartfelt emotion. The writing sparkles with wit, drawing you into Leigh’s world with sharp, relatable prose. The chemistry between the characters crackles off the page, creating a tension that’s both palpable and irresistible. Leigh’s journey of self-discovery is rich with authenticity, while her dynamic with Will adds layers of complexity and depth to the narrative. The exploration of creativity and vulnerability is handled with finesse, making every moment feel genuine. This book is a delightful blend of romance and personal growth, leaving you eager for more. A truly enchanting read!

I really liked this book! I loved the history of Leigh and Wills characters and I think the 6 years ago flashback comes at just the right time in the buildup of their relationship arc. I wish we got to see a little more pining from Will in the present tense of the book throughout the book (maybe in the workshops), but I also understand that this may have been intentionally left out as Leigh wasn't able to fully see how deeply Will felt for her until the end of the novel. I also wish we got to see a few more "cute"/happy scenes of them together post-conference and pre-poetry reading breakup. Similarly, I wish I got to see more of Kacey and Leighs friendship growing and the two of them having conversations about Will. Overall, there's nothing really I would change about what's already there I'd just love to read more about these characters! I especially appreciated the way you portrayed Leigh's time in therapy and feelings of imposter syndrome, it added an important layer of depth to her character that made me connect with her and the story so much more than I anticipated when going into the book. I cant wait to re-read this book when it's officially published and recommend it to my friends!

Thank you NetGallery and Katie for letting me read a pdf of this book. Let me tell you guys when I say I am SWOONEDDDD over Leigh and William. I am a sucker for enemies to lovers. This book has second chance x a bit of enemies to lovers. When I read “nemesis” I IMMEDIATELY downloaded a pdf. I’m very grateful for receiving an opportunity to read this book. I found myself relating with the characters a lot! I won’t be giving any spoilers though lol. Will be posting a review soon on my instagram: a.and.z.reads

YOU BETWEEN THE LINES is a love story filled with such depth and angst, and adding in the fact that the two main characters are writers (not to mention poets) adds a whole other level of emotional weight, intensity, lyricism and beauty to show they see the world and speak to each other. Leigh is about to start a MFA program in poetry in North Carolina after leaving her copywriting job in Boston, only to find that her high school crush in Ohio who rejected her, William, is also one of the other few students accepted into their program. How is she supposed to go the next two years sitting in class with the pretentious William, pretending that he doesn't get under her skin, and it doesn't help that he's even more infuriatingly good-looking and well-dressed? As a people pleaser who is afraid of rejection, feels she doesn't belong in the program compared to all the other great writers, but the one person who truly sees Leigh for who she is and her brilliance is said William. Being in close proximity forces the two to acknowledge the tension and connection between them. But how close can they get until their insecurities push the other away?

I greatly admired and enjoyed their story and how believable, honest and raw Leigh and William are. I thought the addition of Leigh's therapist was such a tasteful way to understand Leigh even more, inviting more vulnerability and depth to her character. I appreciated the reminder of asking what sort of stories we tell ourselves in our own lives that are limiting us from experiencing all the good that we can.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that this is one of my favorite books of the year so far. Anyone who has ever been a people pleaser will see themselves in the main character of the book. It is incredibly well written and relatable. The main character struggles with being vulnerable and you see her work through that in the book. I love that the journey was internal and that you see others help her, but the realization is hers alone. There is also beautiful poetry throughout the book although the whole book reads like poetry. The author is extremely talented.

I am genuinely at a loss to describe how much I enjoyed this book. I picked up the title on a whim because the premise sounded interesting and what I got was a thoughtful, beautifully written, emotional story written by a great writer for other writers. When I saw that this was Naymon’s debut, I was stunned because this doesn’t read like a debut novel. This reads like the author is a seasoned professional who understands their characters and the world they live in just as well as their own.

I will certainly be recommending this to anyone willing to listen and I cannot wait to see what’s next for Naymon.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette for this eARC!

This was a phenomenal read. I will fall head over heels for almost any book that highlights and romanticizes language and the power of words, but this one was so well done. I loved the camaraderie of the academia cohort, the realities of the atrocities that accompany being a people-pleaser, and the messy nature of diving into a relationship when you don’t feel worthy.

The way that Naymon built romantic tension with a simple touch of the pinky or caress of a wrist was outstanding.

I think there are two or three too many mentions of Taylor Swift (I say this as a Swiftie) and the use of the FMC’s prejudice against a straight, white, male poet feels a little overused by the end of the book.

It was a lovely, swoon-worthy read. Loved it!

A keenly observed debut with glittering prose and tender healing—YOU BETWEEN THE LINES is a powerhouse debut about figuring out how to be vulnerable in a world that can let you down. YOU BETWEEN THE LINES is packed full of razor sharp scenes that felt like mirrors exposing the human condition balanced perfectly with steamy spice, yearning, and bubbling dialogue. Leigh is my favorite type character to read, and her journey to shed her people pleaser tendencies and to dive head first into vulnerability struck true. Will was the swoony grump with a heart full of love of my dreams, and I ate up their tension with a spoon. Two spoons. And a straw. Their love story felt like reading a really great poem and listening to a really great Taylor Swift song. If you love Julie Soto, Yulin Kuang, and Ali Hazelwood, you need to read this book.

I wanted to love this book so badly but I just didn’t. I found Leigh to not be likeable or believable as a poet. I didn’t think the relationship between her and Will was believable either. I wanted this long pining and unrequited love realized a decade later but it fell short, unfortunately.

From a neutral perspective and looking at it as a whole, I thought it was a creative, complex, and fun romance story! This book gave me a rollercoaster of emotions! One second I felt like I could predict what was going to happen or thought I had a grasp on a certain character, and then BAM… plot twist or the character does or says something I didn’t expect. There was a point where I had trouble getting into it and thought I was going to end up not liking this story, but I’m glad I was wrong. There was a constant pattern of questions arising and getting answered to leave you needing more. The emotions were written so well. There was a scene in particular where I could feel all the stress and panic consuming Leigh, like it was actually happening to me.

Including my own opinion, I personally hate the miscommunication trope and thought Leigh’s insecurity consumed her to the point where it was exhausting. Like when someone said something she didn’t agree with or didn’t want to hear, she would lash out and say or do the meanest things. But maybe that’s the point? To highlight how important it is to not let our insecurities control us and to reflect and heal. As for her and Will, throughout their story, both of them were not clear with their feelings and intentions and kept things bottled up rather than just saying it. It’s so frustrating as a reader. I like to hear about characters who are courageous and bold and just do the scary thing and express their feelings. But I can also understand that it’s not always that easy in reality. I loved seeing their story come full circle and them finally accepting that they are enough individually and worthy of each other.

"you between the lines" is a captivating exploration of love, loss, and self-discovery, centered around leigh simon. i particularly enjoyed reading the various poems leigh crafted for her workshop. they serve as a mirror to her character arc, showing her growth and struggles throughout the story. both leigh and will are incredibly relatable; leigh’s tendency to people-please and will’s struggle with his father’s limited praise create a compelling dynamic. their relationship is beautifully portrayed, with will helping leigh find her voice in poetry, which emphasizes their complementary nature. the impact of leigh’s parents' recent separation on her view of relationships adds depth to her character. it’s frustrating to see her push will away, but this conflict feels authentic and relatable, reflecting the complexities of young love. one stylistic choice that bothered me was the frequent use of parentheses, which sometimes disrupted the flow of the narrative. however, this is a minor quibble in an otherwise engaging read. overall, this book is an enjoyable journey, and i can’t wait to have a copy in my hands to revisit it