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

This book was so good that I couldn't stop reading but I didn't want it to end. I adore Leigh and Will as a couple and even though it took some time, I'm so glad they got their HEA. I loved the college setting and getting a peak into an MFA program even if it was fictional and I loved reading their poetry. I want to thank the author for putting in a couple of surprise twists and some angst because it made them ending up together that much sweeter.

YOU BETWEEN THE LINES was a one-sitting read for me. I know nothing about poetry and I was a little worried that I wouldn't connect to the content, but from start to finish I did not want to put this book down. The story, the characters, the writing style—they all hooked me as a reader and made me feel just about every emotion possible.

The writing was gorgeous, the story was angsty and engaging and sexy, and Leigh and Will both felt so real to me. As a fellow anxious, creative woman with people-pleasing tendencies and a dash of imposter syndrome myself lol, I felt super seen by Leigh's journey. I can't wait to see what this author does next, she's definitely one I'll be watching for.

What a gorgeous book, a sincere ode to romance as a genre, writing, and millenials who love Taylor Swift. Truly it felt like this book was made for me.

Leigh had a crush on Will back in high school, but then he tore her work apart. Now, years later, they are rivals at the same MFA program and in competition for the same fellowship.

The two of them are undeniably drawn together. Naymon’s lush and descriptive prose pull us into Leigh’s mind as she and Will fall for each other in a messy and real way. The poems interspersed in the book are a true highlight, and a little extra window into the characters’ minds.

This book is filled with realistic dialogue, sharp and specific prose, and spicy and steamy scenes that make you shiver. Do yourself a treat and preorder this book immediately.

You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon had a beautiful premise! The author beautfully introduced the forced-proximity with the cohort plot and it was amazing! The author has wonderful control over her narrative and takes time and control properly over the charcater development, plot development and the characters' backstories. I found Will and Leigh to be relatable chacaters and I loved it! Loved this academia novel for romance readers!

Great book!! Interesting characters and believable plot. The book was just the right length to tell the story. Would read another book by this author