Calling all tortured poets this book is for you. It is also a love letter to people pleasers. This debut is so beautifully written and totally captivated me from the beginning. I think so many people are going to connect to Leigh’s character on many levels. I really loved seeing her growth throughout the book and how she has evolved from the start of the program to the end. Will and Leigh seem to have this invisible string that keeps bringing them together. He was her high school crush but utterly destroyed one of her poems in a critique, they almost dated in college and now years later are both in the same MFA program. This story is filled with tension, angst, and yearning for the other person to want you the way you want them.


“He can’t write a single poem where I don’t exist. In his stanzas, his lines, his words.”

This was such a beautiful debut with an incredibly romantic writing style. The characters were very relatable and well-fleshed out. I especially enjoyed the glimpses into the past when Leigh revisited her interactions with Will. The pining and the tension was *chef’s kiss* Ate it up, no crumbs! I will say that the back and forth, should they/shouldn’t they grated on me a bit. I would have liked for them to just communicate about their feelings instead of using the excuse of the program to keep them apart, but I suppose it was useful in creating the tension. Overall, a fantastic book and I can’t wait to add a trophy copy to my shelves!

I did not enjoy anything about this book. Especially, Leigh.

She is incredibly childish. The plot was monotonous, and just downright painful to muddle through. William was basically a wet blanket.

I am sure I'm in the minority but this is a resounding no from me.

3.5 stars
What worked:
I liked the mental health representation in this book, from medication to therapy. Many of the actions of the main male character were endearing, including protectiveness and sweet gestures.
The poetry throughout the story was incorporated well into the flow.

What I didn’t like:
I did not think that the main female matured much through the book and as a result the romance didn’t hit entirely right for me. There was too much hurt and not enough happiness and that made it hard to see why this couple was really into each other beyond a surface level.

Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

This book was kind of a tough read for me- I'm also a graduate of a small creative writing program so it felt a bit close to home. Leigh is a very realistic character and I empathized with her fear of rejection. However, I felt like there was something missing with the secondary characters. There was an opportunity to make them more vital to the story, but Naymon's focus was narrow. Will didn't seem fully realized to me, which made him difficult to fall in love with

Oh my GODDD this book is just instantly a favorite!! I was drawn in by two of my favorite premises (academic rivals to lovers and books about books/writing)- but I stayed for the characters who felt like friends, the arcs and self-growth journeys of Leigh and Will, the beautiful poems I spent way too long reading and re-reading (which honestly, surprised me too), and the way this book made me feel.

I don't think I could even narrow this down to just one thing that worked for me- it was everything. The mix of poetry, poetic prose, and prose alone got me, it's so gorgeous and rich and tugged at my emotions; Leigh's journey through insecurities and learning to be vulnerable and struggling through impostor syndrome felt so real it kind of hurt me; and of course, all the Taylor Swift references (and poems) made me smile!

Whatever else Katie Naymon wants to write (and I'm seeing maybe a story for our best friend and well-developed side character who deserves her own plot, Gen...), I will be there. Thank you so much to Katie and to NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

First off, thank you NetGalley, Forever publishing, and Katie Naymon for the opportunity to read this book. It was an absolute delight and I loved every word.

This was such an amazing contemporary romance and a fantastic debut for Katie. There was so much raw emotion in this book the heart was aching for Leigh and Will the entire time. The story was well paced and believable. I loved their cohort of fellow MFA candidates and the relationships they built with them. It’s was the perfect fun comedic relief from the building tension between our main characters.

Will and Leigh were just perfection. From prologue when they’re in high school to the scene of them in college to their first year in the MFA their story was real and raw and filled with so much longing. The tension was so so good, and it was the perfect amount of spice! Some of those scenes definitely left me wanting more; which is what I want in a romance book.

This was such a fantastic read, and perfect for romance readers. I am so amazed that this was Katie’s first novel. Thank you again, to NetGalley and the publishers for this book. It was such a joy to read.

I fell in love with this cover and was intrigued by the premise. Rivals to lovers in a writing program? Sign me up.

There's a lot to like in You Between the Lines. The writing itself is great. I really enjoyed Naymon's writing style and her descriptions. She has great prose that doesn't feel too flowery so it doesn't take you out of the story. I definitely highlighted a lot. The MMC, Will, is good. i liked Will as an MMC and love interest. I thought he was complicated but also willing to be vulnerable. He isn't perfect which made him a relatable character. Plus, I liked the academic setting of a MFA program. It felt different and refreshing to have a romance set in the MFA writing world. I feel liked we don't see that at all. There's also a great emotional journey for both characters.

My main issue with the story was the FMC Leigh. She came off as immature/childish throughout most of the book. It made her hard to like at times.

I did enjoy the romance. It had it's ups and downs but overall the Will & Leigh had good chemistry and tension. It's low steam but has plenty of swoon!

Overall a good read, especially if you like emotional contemporary romances.

I liked this story overall. This follows Will and Leigh, who met in high school but didn't necessarily get along, then meet later in a writing program. Then end up spending quite a bit of time together because of the program and past hurts and misunderstandings start to come out.

I will say, I struggled with the first half to 60% of the book. I didn't really like any of the characters, and while I understand that we are supposed to be understanding the characters from Leigh's point of view, the personality switches at the end because she realizes how they actually are (nice!), is a bit abrupt for me. Also I feel like a lot of the book is just miscommunication and them not giving each other the benefit of the doubt (especially Leigh), which ended up being frustrating.

I do appreciate that Leigh has a lot of character growth by the end of the book and she is a very different character than who we started with. However, I do feel like there was no growth at all for most of the book and then suddenly a ton of growth all at once and suddenly she's all "fixed" with her therapist and everything is peachy now. Would have loved to see a slower, more stable growth over time.

That said, I did really enjoy the last 20-25% of the book and found the ending to be very sweet. Like I said, I am happy with where Leigh ended as a character as well as Will, and the friend group that they end up having.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

You Between the Lines was a great enemies to lovers story about two competing MFA students. Will and Leigh met in high school, but their rivalry (and flirtation) continued into grad school. Will was a great, layered character, however Leigh made me want to tear my hair out a little bit. She made many mistakes out of insecurity, and seems a little immature throughout the book. That aside, I really liked watching the two characters interact and of course, fall in love. I just yelled at her while doing it. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc,

I so badly wanted to love this, but unfortunately it was not for me😔

I thought the FMC was so unnecessary mean and judgmental. She treated Will so bad, i couldn’t believe they ended up together in the end. She didn’t take constructive criticism well AT ALL. She let one person’s constructive criticism in high school affect her dreams of being a writer (FOR 10 YEARS). I don’t think going to grad school for writing is a great choice if you cant handle criticism. Also, at the end, she was just unnecessarily mean to her best friend, again for no reason.

She also had zero self confidence and wouldn’t make any choices for herself (ex. She put on lulu lemon leggings on to go on a hike and someone made a comment like “i hope they don’t snag on anything” and she went and changed into “a pair of the most constricting jeans”)

Also, she did not handle her parents getting a divorce well AT ALL (she did admit at the end that she wasn’t handling it like an adult, so at least she became self aware). Sometimes i just feel like she acted like she was still in high school and not a 27 year old woman and she almost ALWAYS made everything about herself.

This is my first book by Katie Naymon. I absolutely adore Will and Leigh. The mental health struggles that they both face throughout shape the book into the story that it is. The love they share especially beneath their struggles both individually and together. I love the aspect the author included with the use of poetry as this really portrays the characters emotions.

While I love a good romance, this book felt more like an elder coming-of-age story. It wasn’t at all what I expected, but somehow, it was so much better. The heart of the story, for me, was Leigh—a deeply flawed character struggling with anxiety, self-worth, and thoughts she isn’t proud of. Her realness is astounding, and the fact that she can be unlikeable at times only makes her feel more authentic.

While I didn’t outwardly emote (no squeals, no crying, no laughing out loud), I was completely captivated. Naymon’s prose is clean and simple yet carries the elegance of poetry. The pacing was perfect, keeping me invested the entire time, and I found it nearly impossible to put down. I finished it in two nights—but honestly, I would have finished it in one if I didn’t have responsibilities in the morning!

I adored the romance and how it propelled the story forward—not just as another challenge for Leigh (is she worthy of Will?) but also as a catalyst for her growth. Will was a fantastic character, and while he wasn’t the focal point for me, his arc was just as satisfying.

Truthfully, this was an absolutely fantastic read. I can see myself picking it back up again one day, and I’ll definitely be reading whatever Naymon writes next!

This was so beautiful! The poetry, the messy, very real emotions and insecurities. The slowest but most intoxicating burn between Leigh and Will that will keep you turning the pages. I loved it! So many great lessons, beautiful poetry and so many gorgeous lines from Will that will melt you. What an incredible debut!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for my honest review.

THIS MAN Y'ALL!!!!!!!! I would die for him. Will and Leigh were fantastic in this story and I can't wait to read more from this author! Great work!

This one is for the pathological people pleasers. The ones molding and shaping themselves into whatever they perceive others want from them, and are experts at it. For the ones who self-sabotage so much that they’re a self-fulfilling prophecy of their own worst fears. Take a deep breath. Breathe in self imposed expectations and breathe out self love and kindness. Change is possible, even after all this time.

This book is a master class in yearning. In stolen touches,longing glances, the brushing of lips, and whispered, vulnerable words. So tender yet buzzing with electricity. A slow and wonderful burn leading to an explosion of light that is all consuming.

The poetry woven throughout. The memory of things said and unsaid. It’s all so evocative. Will and Leigh are everything.
They feel inevitable. In every universe they would find each other. It’s kismet. And after 10 years of missed moments and 10 years of longing for the other, this is their moment.

“Am I just supposed to do this forever?”
“Fall and get back up? Yeah, I think so. What other choice do we have, ya know?”
Everything about this book is earnest trying and resiliency.

If you’ve ever identified with or over analyzed a Taylor Swift lyric, this book is for you. If you’ve ever identified with Amy March (little women), this book is for you. If you’ve ever desperately wanted your therapist to like you, this book is for you. If you ever thought a wrist was sexy, this book is for you.

Grab an iced lavender latte, this book, and your favorite Taylor Swift album and get reading!

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever Publishing, Hachette Audio & Katie Naymon for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Oh the pining. Oh the angst. This is TTPD come to life. This is a debut? Hoollllly smokes.

Truly, if TTPD is your vibe- Down Bad, The Tortured Poets Department, Fortnight, I Hate It Here, The Prophecy, I look in people's windows, The bolter-- but MINUS a Matty Healy-esque Love Interest-- then this book is for you.

Now narration- I love narrators. They always bring so much to the table but this one. This one. Her cadence was perfect while reading the poetry. She brought this to life.

I really enjoyed the male main character's storyline. I thought he had a solid, steady growth and personal development through the story- his struggles with acceptance, his mental health struggles, his poems- all captured quite nicely. I felt like Will was always AWARE of Leigh in this book which was fun for me as a reader to see- always trying to set her at ease and make her comfortable.

I did struggle to connect with the female main character. She came off quite superficial for me and while there was a hint of growth and vulnerability towards the end I think there could have been more and a little sooner in the story. There were some parts of this book that came off as sexist and some comments that read as extremities for me that I could not connect with or relate to.

I do appreciate the therapy representation in this book and the overall mental health representation and how that plays a role in a relationship.

You Between the Lines was a really decent debut with a lot of elements I liked. The writing style was beautiful, and the poetry aspect refreshing. However, the pacing and romance just didn’t really work for me.

It’s in the heroine’s POV only and there are some great tropes like, academic rivals to lovers, found family, and let’s get it out of our systems.

The overall premise was enjoyable and the mental health representation was written beautifully. There were a lot of complex emotions, feelings, and insecurities explored throughout the story that felt very realistic. However, the pacing was very slow and there were certain subplots that felt rush and underdeveloped.

The romance was the biggest letdown for me though. While I loved the history and tension between them, their conflict and constant back and forth was just frustrating and too drawn out. I also just wasn’t sold on their relationship, there was just something missing for me.

I will say though, the side characters and friendships in the story were amazing. There were also some amusing and heartfelt moments.

Overall, this was a good read; I just didn’t love it as much as I’d hoped.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A romance on two writers? This caught my attention immediately and never let it go. I loved the author's voice, her humor, and the romance was just everything to me! I cannot wait to read more of Naymon's work!