I can’t write a single poem where you don’t exist. (it’s giving Jack Black the holiday, if I wrote you a melody, I would use only the good notes)

I had such high expectations for this book and I’m so sad it didn’t work out for me. Between the stunning cover and some early comparisons to Emily Henry’s Beach Read, I was ready for this story to ruin me.

With Beach Read being one of my all-time favorite stories, Naymon had big shoes to fill. However, the Beach Read similarities ended up being entirely too much.

Both books are about writers writing the opposite of what the other, both are grumpy/ sunshine, both MMC’s change to their full name, both the FMC is dealing with navigating changes to her parents relationship and her perceptions about their relationships, both males dealing with grief, both it has always been you, both FMC’s have long distance best friends who are much more extroverted (Shadi & Gen). Just lots of similarities and after Beach Read gripped me so thoroughly, this was a letdown.

“A Taylor Swift–enthusiast sorority-girl Ohioan entering a Master of Fine Arts program. In poetry. In other words—a seersucker dress and sandals.”

Honestly, the problems I had with Leigh were the same problems Will had with her poetry. Leigh embodies a pessimistic Elle Woods- we didn’t get any of the montages where she worked her butt off and put herself completely out there. I feel like I don’t really know Leigh aside from her insecurity. I needed Leigh to be more vulnerable, but her fear of judgement and lack of growth kept the reader from truly knowing her.

I couldn’t fully buy into their love story. I think for the most part, Will was a great character. I think it was actually kind of shallow of Leigh to keep putting him in the mold of white male poet… she didn’t want to be stuck in the mold but she had no qualms of sticking him there and thinking he was unable to grown. Ie, “Will—the absolute embodiment of a white upper-middle-class straight male writer in his loafers and expensive glasses and New Yorker.”

The Lucas storyline also seemed unnecessary other than to further the point that men suck.

While I related to her feelings of inferiority, of not fitting in, of being forced to play a specific part, she also repeatedly put herself in that situation by never trying to break out. I wish we had seen more growth from her. I liked the therapy rep, but when the story ended her transformation felt unfinished.

I can tell you that Naymon is an extremely talented storyteller, and I would give her next book a try. Unfortunately, this just wasn’t the story for me.

I struggled with rating this. Would rate 2.5- didn't like the content, but did enjoy the writing style. I also enjoyed the poetry and poetry vocab intertwined in the story.

Am I the only one getting tired of all the Taylor Swift references in books? I wanted to like this one alot but it was just an ok read for me. I feel like the poetry MFA was super niche so if you are into that, you’ll love it!

Thank you for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.


I really enjoyed this one!! It was a unique storyline, and I enjoyed the poetry throughout. I liked the pacing of this.

You Between the Lines is the ultimate literacy lovers dream! Just the cover alone is beautiful! The relationship between Leigh and Will has such tension you could cut it with a knife! Will is also the best book boyfriend!! Leigh (Main Female Character) gets accepted into an MFA Program in a college in North Carolina. All of her classmates have read all of the right authors and they also have been published in many literary journals throughout the country. Leigh's fears truly come true when her high school crush Will, our (Male Main Character) joins the MFA Program that Leigh is apart of. One of Will's poem's is submitted that is very intimate (and is possibly about Leigh), they both realize there is more to what is written in Will's poem. The chemistry and tension in this book is just what you want to find out about.

I enjoyed this book as I could feel the chemistry between Leigh & Will coming off the page. There are some spicy scenes, however, that is not what all the book is about. Throughout the story you learn about Will & Leigh's history personally, and from what they both have been through with their past relationship with each other. I am not the biggest fan of spice so I did skip the spicy scenes (which thankfully were easy to do).

Overall I enjoyed this book and I would definitely read more books by Katie Naymon.

Leigh Simon's greatest nemesis in high school was William Langford. He had nothing good to say about any of her poetry. So color Leigh horrified when she discovers Will is in the same MFA program. She should be rich from all the lemonade she's making from the lemons life throws at her. If there's anyone she wants to best, it's William. She would love nothing more than to win the coveted fellowship. But everything she writes is superficial at best. William can't help but feel this is his chance for Leigh to give him a chance. But she doesn't want the attention he's giving her, and her discovery about one of his poems could finally give her the chance to beat Will. The more time they spend together, the deeper the connection between them gets.

I have to admit that I didn't like Leigh in the beginning. She wasn't someone I wanted to get to know. She seemed superficial, never giving her true self, which seemed to be the greatest stumbling block for her poetry. Once she began really feeling those emotions and not tamping them down, her true character came shining through. I felt that the animosity she felt toward Will was what was holding her back. Only then was she able to see (or read) between the lines of William's poetry that she could be open to loving Will and him loving her.

Sarah Beth Goer was a great narrator! She is new to me, and I can see her becoming a favorite. Her soothing voice was perfect for Leigh and Will's story!

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.

This was such a good book and I was very surprised by it. Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and this one was so well done.

I really liked that we got some background on why they were enemies. The chemistry had me almost screaming because it was so intense and I just wanted them to be lovers already. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

Also, this cover is so cute and it had a little bit of spice so don’t let it fool you. I ate it up.

You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon is a deeply emotional and evocative novel that explores themes of love, self-discovery, and healing. The story follows two people—whose lives seem destined to intersect—through personal struggles and emotional journeys. As their stories unfold, the novel delves into the complexities of relationships and the hidden layers of individual experiences.

Naymon’s writing is beautifully introspective, capturing the characters’ vulnerabilities with authenticity. The pacing is steady, allowing readers to connect deeply with the characters and their growth. The novel’s emotional depth and exploration of identity make it a compelling read, though some may find the slower pace a challenge.

Overall, You Between the Lines is a moving and reflective book that will resonate with fans of character-driven stories, offering an insightful look at the emotional complexities of love and life.

There was so much I loved about this one: the tiny liberal arts school in the North Carolina mountains, and "being inside" the MFA program; the poetry; the "will they-won't they" push and pull between Leigh and Will. Leigh read immature at times, but by the end of the book I realized why, which is always appreciated. It's a slow burn sizzle with a "half open door" (nondescriptive, but on the page), and that works so well with these characters and their story.

Thank you Forever & Hachette Audio for the review copies.
Quote from 85%:
Leigh:
"But it wasn't just the fight. From the very beginning, he's been wishy-washy." Gen:
"Well, maybe because you've been wishy-washy, too."
-two lines summarizing my thoughts on this whole story.
This had moments that I enjoyed - hello, we never get books that have ties to Ohio so shout out to that!! But overall I really struggled through this, specifically the main character's POV and how she dealt with nearly every relationship in her life. This will absolutely be a hit for folks who love slow burn, angsty, poetic, messy characters and books about writing - the comps to Beach Read are great and deserved. It just wasn't for me, and that's okay. With that said, I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

2.5 stars

When I read the blurb for this novel, it seemed like it would have everything that I love in a story. Romance, literary involvement, second chances, and somewhat of an enemies to lovers relationship.

However, as much as I liked some aspects of Will and Leigh's relationship, there were unfortunately a couple of things that kept this book from being a big hit for me.

I knew that there was going to be poetry involved in this storyline but I didn't realize the influence that it would have on the overall story. I didn't expect multiple poems to be incorporated or how heavy a presence it would have in the novel.

Additionally, both of these characters are meant to be in their late twenties but I could not help but feel that they were not coming across that way. Neither was the overall tone of the story or the environment. With very minor changes, I would have easily believed this novel involved characters in high school or young adults starting out in university.

Lastly, typically the flow of a contemporary romance allows me to become attached and read through a book somewhat quickly due to my investment in the characters. With this novel, I didn't feel that the writing had that flow and I also think when combined with my other issues for this novel, it lead to me not being as invested in the characters as I hoped to be.

I think this novel had huge potential but unfortunately it wasn't one that I loved.

***Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

It’s refreshing to read a romance where both main characters are in the arts, but unfortunately nothing felt well-rounded and fully developed about this one.

The characters, relationships, and their plot points felt muddled and often rushed, as if getting from point A to point B was as simple as one therapy session (when they were meant to be working through years of trauma).

Former sorority girl Leigh unexpectedly lands in a prestigious poetry MFA, only to find her high school crush-turned-nemesis, Will, enrolled too—and he won't stop submitting poems (obviously about her). Forced to confront past feelings through verse, Leigh discovers some stories are best told between the lines.

Authentic and angsty. Those two words can describe the feeling of a lot of well-written contemporary romances these days, but few carry the weight of them like this story does. I really appreciated how unaware Leigh was while she was trying to be aware. It made her anxiety and grief about her parents’ divorce feel especially real. And though I’m usually not a fan of the poetry written within stories, Leigh’s imperfect poems actually helped convey her lack of personal understanding and made her attempts to solve her life's problems even more relatable. Her final poem at the end—her vulnerable self—was my favorite, as it should be.

So here we are, nearing the end of my review of a romance ebook, and I’ve yet to talk about the romance. Well, this story is less about romance itself and more about second chances—two poets discovering what being a poet means to them.

(Also, you know a book was truly enjoyable when you suddenly want to drop everything in your life to sign up for a poetry MFA, despite there being nothing you hate more than trying to write a poem.)

Thank you @netgalley @hatchetteaudio @readforeverpub for the books #netgalley

Perfect for you if you like:
Books about grad school and poetry
Second chance romance
Anxiety rep.
Taylor Swift

Similar to:
Not in My Book by Katie Holt
How to Plot a Love Story by Yulin Kuang
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

⛔️chapters 15, 20 & 22 contain explicit romance scenes (open door)
⚠️explicit language, parental divorce (very present), previous death of parent, anxiety and mental health (very present), sexual harassment

4.5 STARS!

This book was equal parts beautiful, painful, moving, frustrating, and satisfying. The synopsis promises a nemesis/rivals to lovers, but this book is so so much more than that. It’s full of self discovery and looking deep into the scary and ugly parts of ourselves that we try to hide so deep in the form of masks mirrors. To learn how to not place our self worth and value through the perception of others. The entire time I was reading this book, Taylor Swift’s song mirrorball kept playing in my head. So many pieces of both main characters are so relatable and raw! Often times, leads can be presented as always having it together, but to be able to see the flawed parts of both Leigh and Will and how they overcome it in this book was such a beautiful thing to read!!

The book centers around Leigh who leaves her copywriting job that is slowly killing her and joins an MFA program in North Carolina. During this time her parents marriage is falling apart and she desperately wants to fall back in love with writing! Everything seems to be going off without a hitch until at the welcome bbq she makes the horrible discovery that her high school crush Will is also in the MFA program. The same Will that gave her a terrible critique on her writing in highschool and a terrible rejection the last time she saw him 6 years ago. After the death of his father, Will is struggling and sending mixed to Leigh and she can't help but wonder what she should do.

I thought this book was beautifully written and did such an amazing job of painting the characters. I loved how different poems where laced through out the whole book! The whole book almost reads like poetry though! It's so lyrical! I loved Leigh and Will's will they won't they it left me on my seat and wanting more! I feel like having their insecurities be a big part of why they couldn't connect worked so good for both the characters and once they finally get together it feels so rewarding!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Forever ( Grand Central Publishing) for this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review!

You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon is one of those rare books that makes you laugh out loud, only to leave you teary-eyed a few pages later. With sharp, witty dialogue and moments of heartfelt emotion, The author masterfully balances humor and depth.

What truly makes this novel unforgettable are its characters — flawed, endearing, and incredibly real. They feel like old friends, the kind you root for and miss once the story ends.

This book is a touching reminder that words — spoken, written, or left unsaid — have the power to shape our most meaningful connections. It's a must-read for anyone craving a story that's equal parts funny, moving, and full of heart.

Thank you Forever for an advanced copy of this book for review!

A former sorority girl starts a prestigious poetry MFA program only to discover that one of her classmates is her high school crush-turned-nemesis—​and he can't stop writing about her.

^from the publisher!

This romance hit all of the right spots for me and honestly I felt like Leigh’s therapy sessions with Bridget were mirror images of mine with my own therapist. I too put a lot of my worth in what others think of me. I also think people are mad at me if they don’t respond or don’t return my looks. Get very stressed about it. A people pleaser to my core. I related to Leigh so much. And how much she wanted Will?? Babyyyyy I felt the same.

ANYWAY. I loved the backdrop of the MFA program here, and I found the conflict really interesting and realistic. Her relationship with her parents was a bit stressful as they both seemed to pit her against the other. I understand her unease! I enjoyed the friend group. They were so much fun as they opened up to each other more.

Will Langford the tortured poet that you are 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨. “Why do you think Leigh?” “This isn’t you and you know it.” “Good girl.” I’m sweating. He was so flirty and hot and in charge. Swooooooony.

Such a sweet ending too that had me all up in my feelings.

A surprisingly engaging book despite the fact that the main characters are....in it. Leigh is unfortunately one of the most immature and self-centered FMC's I've read in a while, hiding behind a bunch of "pop culture" references that do nothing more than age the book nearly immediately. I was expecting a little bit more fun from her given there's a bit of an Elle Woods, Legally Blonde, kind of thing going on with a former sorority girl moving onto a more "serious" study, though in the end Leigh only mentioned that she was a sorority girl while never actually displaying any of the the straits she said she had. She came off as a "not like other girls" kind of girl, saying that because she was blonde and liked to party--something barely explored with her always finding an excuse to leave early, not go at al, or be upset about the idea of socializing all together--that she didn't fit in with the people in her group. Will was cute, I could see him clearly, but everything about him I wanted was More. There were moments when I thought we'd get more from him--more of his inner thoughts, more of who he is behind the feedback and poetry, more of just everything he said he was but barely showed. He wasn't bad, definitely the better between the two, but there was more to be had from him. In general, I can't say I didn't like the story itself given how it was hard to put down and I wanted to pick it back up every time I closed it, though the characters were the worst part of the whole thing.

I mean, WILL. Will just had my heart. His vulnerability really stuck with me, and I loved him for Leigh. The two main leads did drive me crazy at times with their immaturity, but all in all, a feel good novel that will make you feel all cozy and warm inside. <3

This was a fun one! I like gritty and real main characters. This felt more realistic than others I have read.

First and foremost as always thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. This was an incredibly good read! The story was beautifully written and the characters were flushed out really well! I really enjoyed the way the author weaved pop culture into her poetry, she did an amazing job! Definitely worth the read!