This book just didn’t resonate with me at all. Right from the start, I was surprised to find Maeve, the female lead, already harboring resentment towards Finn for breaking her heart. I expected some buildup to this conflict, but it felt like we jumped straight into her anger without any context. It took ages to uncover the root of their issues and get to the reconciliation, which ultimately left me feeling a bit frustrated.

Honestly, I found Maeve to be quite unbearable. Her reluctance to communicate was exasperating, especially since she had so much to gain from those conversations. Finn could hardly do anything right in her eyes unless it perfectly matched her expectations. Characters like that really don’t hold my interest.

On the flip side, the dual POV was a refreshing touch, allowing us to see things through Finn’s lens, which I enjoyed much more. However, by the time I reached the 60% mark, I found myself skimming through the pages. Maeve’s constant frustrations overshadowed the story, and I realized I wasn’t missing much at all.

This was a 5-star read that got reduced to 4 stars because I just can't get past this level of miscommunication. Maeve (very humble background) and Finn (child of very famous parents) have one of the most popular podcasts in the world, a podcast about relationships and sex and their own searches for Mr./Mrs. Right. They are close friends, and clearly have some romantic feelings for each other, but mostly they have a semi-physical relationship with unresolved boundaries. The book jumps among their timeline to help us understand their situation, but as much as I found this un-put-down-able (which is saying something for my busiest season at work!), I was very very frustrated with how these adults whose job it is to literally talk to each other were somehow unable to talk to each other when it mattered.

That said, I found it incredibly readable and would recommend it to all friends-to-lovers fans. The banter and side characters were great, and I really appreciated both the frank sex/relationship talks (on the podcast!) and the look at misogyny (intentional and unintentional) in professional settings.

I received a free review copy through netgalley but opinions are my own.

Eh. That's how I felt overall about "Tell Me How You Really Feel". It's an okay book, with an okay story/characters but it failed to really capture and hold me like I wanted it to.

Tell Me How You Really Feel was an easy read. I liked the story line and felt like I could relate to a lot of Maeve's insecurities, but I also didn't find Finn to be a super believable character. The flashback moments were a little choppy, but I did appreciate the back story. Overall, it was a good story and I would read more from this author in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC!
I struggled with what to rate this book because my favorite parts (the best parts) were not the romantic parts. I actually found myself frustrated with both main characters - entirely too immature to be in a relationship with each other - at least through most of the book.
I LOVED reading about the podcast and the guests. I almost wish the book could have been only about that - though, to be fair, I have no idea how that would have really worked.
I almost gave up on this book at the 50% mark, but ended up mostly sticking it out to the end (I did skim a bit). I think the conclusion of their refusal to talk about anything (I'm purposefully being a bit vague so as not to spoil anything) was interesting - I knew it was coming, but the way it happened surprised me.
Anyway, if the miscommunication trope is your jam, I think you'll love this book. If not, you may still enjoy it - the podcast sections were really well done.

So much tension within the first chapter! I already felt this story in my gut pushing and pulling as Finn and Maeve pushed and pulled.

It was like any exs worst dream to be put in a situation where you have to pretend to like the ex that broke your heart.

Though throwing Finn’s perspective had me rooting for him throughout

Which made the back and forth so much frustrating, it detracted from the romance a lot. I wasn’t sure I wanted them together by the end. Which I hate feeling.

Look, I didn't like this book. I hate the miscommunication trope. HATE IT. We start off with our two main characters (Maeve and Finn) already at odds. They just finished signing a multi-million-dollar streaming contract for their podcast - Tell Me How You Really Feel. The story unfolds between Maeve and Finn's perspective. Not only does the book switch perspectives, but it jumps between the present and the past. I actually like that we jump back and forth because we get to see how their relationship grew, fell apart, and how they're dealing with the fallout.

Everything else about the book, I didn't love. These are people who have been friends for 6 years, hosting an intimate podcast for two years, and then after one romantic encounter everything falls apart, but they still have to work together. I think this could have been a better story if one of the characters (Maeve) wasn't a licensed therapist. It's like Finn never learned anything from her and Maeve has no tools to communicate better. It was incredibly frustrating to read about how evolved or well-spoken the characters were and then read how idiotic they were together.

There was also way too much background story. There is another podcast that is like far-right wing conspiracies and hate. The host of that show directs his followers to bombard Maeve and Finn with threats and vitriol. But nothing comes of this storyline, other than constantly referencing it. Maeve and Finn also both mention their "one who got away", while Finn does have a storyline with his "one", Maeve doesn't. Like, what? Why mention it? I get that it sort of sets up Finn's storyline, but it had already been brought up by mentioning Finn's first love.

Overall, I just didn't vibe with this story.

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Griffin for the advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

This was a fun, quick read with a unique premise. Maeve and Finn had chemistry as podcast co-hosts (and ex-almost-lovers), and I liked the mix of humor and tension between them. The dual timeline worked well, giving just enough backstory to understand why their dynamic was so messy in the present.

That said, the miscommunication trope was *heavy* in this one. I get why it was there—these two were clearly terrible at talking about their feelings—but at times, it felt dragged out. Maeve’s anxiety was relatable, but her refusal to just hash things out with Finn got frustrating. And Finn, while charming, could’ve used a little more depth to make his obliviousness more forgivable.

Still, the podcast setting was timely, the banter was sharp, and the themes of self-worth and gender inequality added some depth. The ending was satisfying, even if the road there was bumpy. If you like second-chance romances with forced proximity and a side of drama, this one’s worth a read!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

A second chance romance with a lot of talk about mental health, importance of self care and speaking up, etc., and yet it relies too hard on the Miscommunication troupe. All's well that's well in the end, but it takes more work than seemed necessary to get there.

First I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this novel.

I thought this was a cute romance novel that had so much potential. I really enjoy the forced proximity troupe and this one was done really well. Some moments from the book were done really well and I found myself laughing out louid.

I am really not a fan of the miscommunication troupe and unfortunately for me they didn’t work again in this book. I also found the book a little confusing and the jumping of timelines made it hard to keep up.

Overall, it was a good but not great romance.

3/5 stars

Tell Me How You Really Feel had some great bones. I thought the story concept was interesting and it was a great use of the forced proximity trope.

Unfortunately, I felt like this book really could have been great with some stronger editing. The dialogue and pacing was at times quite clunky. The flashbacks felt disorganized and jarring for the reader. Finn, specifically, needed to be rounded out and more depth given to his actions and thoughts as the way they were written on the page left me feeling as though he was a character I did not want to root for.

This novel started out strong and I think the writing style was a good foundation, but unfortunately it really needed to be tightened up in order for it to be a more enjoyable story. I would rate this story a 2.5, rounded to 3 for this review.

TMHYRF is a cute glimpse into the dynamics of friendship, unrequited love and podcasting. The writing was strong and I enjoyed the world that was built.

The characters were sometimes hard to root for and I found their endless loops of bad communication and misunderstanding to be so frustrating!

I love the premise of this (best friends to lovers, second chance, entertainment industry, even the OW drama), but I couldn’t stand the MMC Finn. He sucked in the past (sleeping with Maeve and saying he loved her, only to ask her while out with the one who got away if he should give that woman a chance), but he sucked in the present, too! He kept messing up. I also could not get over that he decided to act opposite of Cassidy (the woman he chose over her) as her love interest without even speaking to Maeve (and even admitted knowing it would upset her). The miscommunication drove me crazy on both sides.

On the positive side, it was a quick and entertaining read. I’d rather have that than be bored. The groveling that did happen was cute (I wish there had been more!) and I liked seeing their friendship evolve in the past. May come back later to this, but for now 2.5 ⭐️

Maeve attempts to step out of the shadow of her male cohost, will she succeed?


This has great potential for a beautiful love story, but some of the writing was confusing. The different timelines with different POVs was difficult to keep track of. Maeve and Finn dated, had a falling out, and got together, only to fight again. Although, eventually they had the cutest ending. I loved that we got a look at their future and they had a happy ending. For as much as they talked about the importance of communication, they lacked so much of it. We could save a lot of time, if they just spoke honestly. The miscommunication was dragged out. The second half of the book was my favorite!!!! I love the pay gap conversation because it brings awareness. The conversation about PRIVILEGE is so important!


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange of an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Griffin Publishing for an ARC of Betty Cayouette’s book Tell Me How You Really Feel. This book is about Maeve and Finn, two podcasters who met in college and just signed a huge deal for their viral relationship podcast. The problem is that Maeve won’t speak to Finn due to a misunderstanding that happened about six months prior.

Maeve needs to find a way to continue producing the podcast without letting Finn ruin her; however, Finn is determined to get her back. The story is told from both of their points of view and through flashbacks, so the reader is able to see their relationship from when they met to how they became so close and how it all went wrong.

I enjoyed this book. I found myself laughing throughout the book but also genuinely feeling for the characters and what they went through throughout their relationships. That being said, I found the characters a little annoying at times. Maeve and Finn were running a relationship podcast, and while Maeve was great at giving relationship advice to her listeners, she wouldn’t face her fears and confront Finn about how he hurt her. Neither of them had good communication skills with the other, which was most of the problem to begin with. Both had pretty significant anxiety for different reasons; Finn was quite self-centered, and to him, the paycheck they would be getting wasn’t a big deal since he had extremely wealthy parents, but Maeve came from little money, and the money she earned meant a lot to her.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and recommend it.

#BettyCayouette #TellMeHowYouReallyFeel #ARC #NetGalley #StMartinsGriffinPublishing #Fiction #Romance #RealisticFiction #ContemporaryFiction #FriendsLikeFamily #Friends #FriendsToLovers #SecondChances #Podcasters #Anxiety #RichVsPoor #FirstLove #Celebrities #March #2025

Tell Me How You Really Feel is the story of Maeve and Finn, longtime college friends who move to New York City together after graduation, growing closer and closer the longer they hang out. Maeve’s in a grad program for counseling and Finn is rebelling against his movie-star mother and screenwriter father by avoiding the family business of acting and instead working a thankless finance job. At one of their weekend brunches, where they rehash their dates from the previous night, Finn randomly tells Maeve that she should start a podcast and she counters with them doing it together, basically taking their brunch gossip sessions and recording them. The podcast grows and grows until they’re offered million for an exclusive rights deal with a giant podcasting company but it quickly becomes apparent to Maeve that their more interested in Finn and his Hollywood status than her even though she’s the brainchild of the podcast. In present day, there’s visible animosity between Finn and Maeve and through a series of flashbacks, we find out what happened between them, why they almost happened as a couple, didn’t and if they have a chance again.

I really loved this book. The author’s portrayal of Maeve’s anxiety felt really spot-on, well-written and extremely relatable. The chemistry between the characters is fantastic and I loved the emphasis of just how much harder women have to work to make a fraction of what men make.

Thanks to St. Martin’s and Netgalley for this ARC.

I had a hard time getting through this one. I found both characters immature, and their inability to get it together and be effing adults for their effing jobs pissed me the eff off by the end. I literally skimmed the last... quarter simply because I stopped caring.

Thanks, NG!

The concept of having to do a sex/relationship podcast with your ex-best friend who you can’t stand to be in the room sounds like a nightmare.

I did appreciate the dual timeline. There are flashbacks that built a great foundation needed to understand the friendship between Maeve and Finn.
The downside of this book was the miscommunication. The irony is that they have a podcast together and she’s a therapist.

Cayouette also includes themes of anxiety, gender/pay gap, and dealing with the complexities of a friendship that is possibly a bubbling relationship while being business partners all rolled into one.

Overall, this book was generally okay and a quick read.

Thank You to NetGalley, Betty Cayouette, and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book! I liked the podcast host setting and was glad to see the back and forth between the past and current time. The FMC had relatable insecurities. The MMC was annoyingly oblivious, but it worked in this story.

3 stars ⭐️

I thought that this book had a light and quick read. I didn't enjoy the dual timeline or the miscommunication trope.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC audiobook.