Maeve has finally gotten the dream podcast streaming platform she's always wanted, but there's a catch. She has to do it with her best friend, the man she loves, the man who knows her like the back of his hand... the man who tossed her aside for a famous model after a single month. Finn is desperate to get back into Maeve's good graces. He realized he threw away the best friend he's ever had, and this is his only shot to get her back. However, she isn't willing to hear it, and he's struggling to find out how he can make amends and bring them back to what they used to have.

*****

It was clear what the author wanted to do with this book and the messages and genuine interactions and growth she wanted to portray. Unfortunately, it got bogged down in endless, detailed therapy sessions and examples of how to communicate and make amends, all while both leads were failing to properly do either. The entire book was a massive miscommunication trope where Maeve let her anxiety and intrusive thoughts run the show. She was cold, dismissive, and constantly jumping to conclusions and putting up walls and barriers despite being a therapist and going to therapy for over a decade herself. Finn is a nepo baby who is also Just A Man (TM) so much so that he can't fathom why he'd get pushed off and given a cold shoulder for asking the girl he was with, if he could be with someone else, while already on a date with the other person.

I was baffled as to why either of them wanted to try to be together when they were in a constant cycle of hurt and repair, to the point we received two second act breakups in this book. In the end, the conflict is overly contrived and pointless, and forming an entire book around it with the underlying message of woman empowerment and gender inequality just ended up with the latter message being missed in the slog.

The authors writing itself is good, but this book missed the mark. I look forward to seeing what else she writes.

*****

Thank you, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Griffin, for the digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tell Me How You Really Feel delivers a compelling blend of tension, humor, and raw emotion as readers follow Maeve and Finn through the ups and downs of love, betrayal, and professional partnership. The novel effortlessly weaves between past and present, unraveling how this once-inseparable duo ended up at odds—and what it might take to repair the fraying edges of their relationship.

The dynamic between Maeve and Finn is electric. Maeve, fiercely independent and sharp-witted, brings a refreshing voice to the story, while Finn’s persistent charm and vulnerability add depth to his pursuit of reconciliation. As their viral podcast skyrockets to fame, the added pressures of success amplify the unresolved conflicts between them, leading to moments both heartwarming and gut-wrenching.

The flashback structure enhances the narrative, offering glimpses into the roots of their partnership and the unraveling of their relationship. Readers are drawn deeper into the complexities of their dynamic, rooting for them to find common ground, even when their flaws make it difficult.

At its heart, Tell Me How You Really Feel is a story about second chances—at love, at friendship, and at figuring out who you are when the world is watching. Fans of contemporary romance and layered character dynamics will find themselves hooked until the very last page. It's a binge-worthy read for anyone who loves sharp banter, emotional stakes, and the magic of rediscovery

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty Cayouette.

The story begins with Maeve and Finn receiving a significant deal for their popular sex and relationships podcast titled, Tell Me How You Really Feel. However, Maeve and Finn are no longer the best friends they used to be when we meet our two main characters. Maeve and Finn are forced to navigate the state of their relationship while preserving their show.

I was most drawn into the plot related to their podcast. Maeve and Finn developed a great friendship (the flashbacks were a good addition) and definitely had chemistry with each other. I’m not sure I fully understood Finn’s actions in the final act revelation but I could certainly see how these two got to where they were when we meet them at the beginning as a result.

If you enjoy a second chance, friends to lovers workplace romance this is a book to check out!

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishing team of this book for an ARC copy. While I enjoyed it, due to the friends to lovers/second chance trope… it also gave me miscommunication trope vibes which I am not a fan of. This book touched on so much mental health in different ways, anxiety as far back as childhood, panic attacks, ptsd effects from fame and harassment as well as normalizing therapy. I love that mental health is being brought up more and more in books in such a relatable way. I really enjoyed Maeve and Finn’s friendship but they had a lot of downs during the relationship part and it was all due to a lack of proper communication which is what bothered me. I did enjoy the epilogue and the proposal with the surprise.
I look forward to more from Betty Cayouette.

I absolutely loved the FMC, Maeve. She is a bad ass woman! I loved seeing a strong female portrayed in a book. However, I didn’t love the subject of the book. The whole podcast and pay disparity was overplayed and cliche. I wanted more of the relationship evolution between Finn and Maeve. Focus more on how a woman can have it all and not so much on the “man keeping you down.”

This was such a good book, I loved the interactions between the main characters and the back and forth between past and present. Maeve and Finn were friends who started a podcast about their hook ups and eventually they get a huge contract to buy the rights to the podcast. I love how much Finn loves Maeve through everything they go through.

thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Maeve and Finn are college best friends and together they have a very successful podcast. However, when the podcast gets bought out by a conglomerate, they need to get good ratings in order to survive. In addition, Maeve and Finn have a miscommunication and they end up not talking to each other for a while. Can they figure out how to move forward, and is there more than friendship in their future?

I didn’t love this to be honest! Took me a while to finish. I really liked the plot tho! Characters were not very likeable :(

This was a fast paced enjoyable book about two podcasters who do a show dealing with everyday topics that draws a large audience of viewers. The impact of their show spreads further than one of the characters Maeve could have imagined because of its honesty and humility dealing with topics such as anxiety, panic attacks, and true raw emotions. There is a true romance story tucked in this book that will stay with the reader long after the last page in the book is turned. Be sure to grab this one, it’s truly a treat with many messages for the reader woven throughout the book.
Many thanks to Netgalley and St Martins Book Press for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.

The plot: The Tell Me How You Really Feel podcast is breaking new ground with a huge studio deal, primarily due to the sizzling chemistry between its co-hosts Maeve and Finn. The only problem? It's difficult to continue to film a top-notch sex and relationships podcast when you're not on speaking terms anymore. Maeve is a charismatic licensed therapist, but she can't find the words to process her fight with Finn. And Finn's a handsome, former actor accustomed to getting everything he wants.. until what he wants is second chance with Maeve. Can the pair find a way to rebuild their relationship and give the world the second season of the viral podcast they want? Or will they crash and burn in epic fashion, forced to forfeit a multi-million dollar deal and a chance at podcast history. I recommend this book to fans of second chance romance, forced proximity, and general romance.

Maeve and Finn have been best friends since college, inseparable until their recent rift. The book takes us through the journey of their relationship in flashbacks from the the podcast's humble beginnings up until present day, at the peak of their careers. The "big reveal" of the reason for their feud comes toward the end of the book, bringing us along in suspense as to the details behind the clearly romantically-driven falling out. Along the way, we get to hear from both Maeve and Finn in alternating perspectives that complete the narrative.

My opinion: I liked this book. The strongest elements were the deep emotional scenes (scenes describing anxiety disorders, panic attacks, feelings of low self-worth) and exploration of serious topics (pay and gender inequity, sex disparities, and more.) I really liked the focus on mental health and therapy throughout the book, as it's important to destigmatize both for readers. One aspect I struggled with throughout the book is the inconsistency of both characters from one scene to the next. For example, in one scene we see Maeve and Finn as best friends who can talk about anything, and in the next they are breaking up over a small miscommunication because Maeve isn't clear with her words and Finn doesn't bother to clarify. Ditto with Maeve as the badass feminist icon who stand her own ground with difficult people, but refuses to say a word when Finn crashes her magazine set and steals her big photoshoot. The Finn of flashbacks also seems inconsistent (and much more likable, considerate, and caring) than Finn in the present day. I'm not sure if those inconsistencies were deliberate, and a comment on how our personalities and actions can fluctuate, or something that could have been smoother with an additional edit. . Overall, I enjoyed reading this and found it a unique spin on the "podcast book" and second-chance romance. I'll read anything Betty Cayouette writes because there's a sweet yearning in all of the books that's not easy to find in other romance novels.

Thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a great book, I loved it. I loved their podcast I enjoyed their banter, and I really enjoyed the entire story. Thanks for letting me read this book.

All I wanted was something Iight, but I just couldn't get into it. The writing needs more editing in my opinion, also the conflict is non existent

I’m sorry to the author, but this book is terrible. I have never hated two romance leads more, for just being obnoxious.
The characters lack any redeeming quality and I honestly don’t find any connection between them. I was surprised by how annoying this book was. I enjoyed Betty’s first book, this was an awful second book.

I am not a podcast person. But I do realize it is the current thing. Maeve is so creative and her good friend Finn helps her. As the relationship changes the drama really picks up. The story is fun to read. I am so glad I am past that age of angst and relationship uncertainty, A good book for sure.

Second chance romance! Pure fun and joy reading this. Loved it through and through. I also love when other professions are explored and the podcast storyline with romance was fabulous!

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty Cayoutette was engrossing! I was enveloped into the podcasting aspect as it seemed super modern and believable. I did love the relationship and the strength of the characters here. The storyline did get a bit predictable at times, but I did enjoy this one. Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the free advanced readers copy. All opinions are my own.

This book took me some time to get into. The dual timeline/dual POV didn't quite work for me as it has in other books. I didn't connect to the characters and why I should want them to be together until much later. It took me a week to read the first half and a day to read the second half. I'm not sure this book is for me.

I really enjoyed this book and the growth that both Finn and Maeve go through. I think a standout side character is definitely Maeve’s sister Sarah. She is fiercely protective of Maeve and is quippy. I enjoyed the friends to lovers to enemies to lovers troupe and the forced proximity. It did slightly feel preachy at times but it was an important issue about equality in the entertainment industry and therapy.

This book delivers the perfect mix of sharp humor, simmering tension, and heartfelt emotion. Maeve and Finn’s dynamic is electric, full of biting banter and unresolved feelings that make every interaction crackle. The dual timeline adds depth, letting us see both their messy beginnings and their current struggles as they navigate fame and old wounds. All in all, a witty, emotional read that feels as addictive as the episodes Maeve and Finn would create.

a fantastic starter bogged down by the miscommunication trope. there are two kinds of miscommunication tropes in romance: ones where you can see & understand why the miscommunication is happening, even if it’s frustrating, and… this. too much miscommunication! you are adults! podcasters! your whole job is Talk! TALK!