Thank you to NetGalley for the advance review copy in return for an honest review. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I had an enjoyable time reading this, but I wanted to love it more! I just couldn’t vibe with the main character.

This just didn't grab me. I DNF'd it at 56% - not because it was cringey or bad, but simply because I found it boring and couldn’t connect with any of the characters. If you're into writing, poetry, or the MFA scene, you might enjoy it, but it wasn’t for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

This one was cute, but it just wasn’t for me. I usually love books about writing and books, but this leaned too heavily into poetry, making it hard for me to connect. The poetic metaphors—especially during the spicy scenes—felt a bit much. The love story frustrated me at times, but in hindsight, it was realistic for the characters’ ages… Maybe I’ve just outgrown college romances.

This is a good book. I really tried to like it more. I just couldn't give it the five stars that I had wanted to. She's kinda annoying throughout the whole book. The poems seemed forced and not very good. I think it was a great idea for a book but it just didn't hit the mark.

A huge thank you to @readforeverpub for the eARC and @hachetteaudio for the gifted audiobook!
I have never felt more seen than when reading this book. I related to Leigh so much, reading this book was cathartic and enriching. The story is so real - the characters' vulnerability and identities felt near tangible. This was such a beautiful and healing story. I loved the romance. I loved Leigh's emotional journey. This was such an incredible book. My favorite romance of the year so far. Please read immediately!

This was interesting for me. I really enjoyed the writing style, but found the FMC hard to like. Maybe it was the narration but it was hard to get attached to either MC. Much of the time I didn’t feel like much was going on.

I have read many books that surrounded something very niche and still loved the book, but the poetry part of this book felt forced. Also her being a sorority girl was about 1% of the book.

This was a middle of the road book for me. I listened to it very quickly and wanted to love it, but I just didn’t.

This is the story of a young woman in an MFA program and her ongoing ten+ year crush on another member of her program. Leigh met Will in high school and adored him until he gave her a cutting critical review of her poem. Now, they’re forced to review each other’s works, even when they’re writing about each other.

This story had so much angst, which is expected when it comes to poets falling in love. While I wanted the couple to get together a little more quickly and for Will to be a little bit more proactive, I understood his motives better at the end of the book.

The audiobook narrator did a good job of conveying Leigh’s sorority girl, people-pleasing personality without going over the top.

Overall, I’m always down for a cute romance, and this was fun.

1/5 ★

DNF at 38%... -- I am so sad I could not get into this book because I really did want to love it! Initially what drew me in was the cover art, title, and concept but this just fell really short for me. I struggled to find any connections with the characters in this book. But what really stumped my desire to continue reading was Leigh. Her personality was not my cup of tea. Her whiny attitude (especially during any constructive feedback) annoyed me. I looked past that though because it was short, but then it was the weird Taylor Swift references that just made me cringe a bit. Pair all of that with the chemistry between both main characters that was giving nothing?? I could not continue. Maybe I'm being picky but I just didn't love their connection in the start of the book.

I didn't love this book but many do, so maybe I'll attempt again in the future

Notes on audiobook:
I feel like some parts were strong but the delivery of other weren't for me. Everyone has preferences and this specific audio of the book just didn't do it for me.

The premise is a sorority girl meets former high school crush at a prestigious creative writing program and sparks fly. It's sort of friends to lovers but also enemies to lovers in the sense that she thought of him as his nemesis, but he never did, so maybe not?

I really wanted to like it but from the beginning the FMC wasn't my favorite. I was hoping she would grow on me, but she made a lot of assumptions, felt bad about herself or thought people judged her because of her looks/background, pushed everyone away without communicating well, and it felt like her character evolving took a LONG time. The MMC obviously had his own issues with how he was raised, but he was clearly trying to communicate with her in a healthy way. It was a bit frustrating to see the dynamic play out over and over even though I knew there has to be a HEA at the end. It was like no matter what he did with good intentions, she felt like he didn't do good enough or thought he had bad intentions as part of it. Not saying that we don't all do that, I'm sure my husband would say I do this too, so I know it's reality of how we all judge and jump to conclusions or have our own narrow perspectives, but man it just kept happening. There are definitely good lessons to be learned along the way, but I almost DNFed it. I'm glad I finished it, it just wasn't my fav.

The narration also wasn't my favorite, especially the male voice. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't my favorite. As an audiobook gal, I've gotten picky though!

I really wanted to love this (especially as a former English program girlie), but Leigh was insufferable. her childishness and "not like other girls" attitude was annoying to say the least.

That said, I enjoyed the narration and the audiobook was well produced.

A slow burn academic rivals to lovers, full of tension, pop culture references, and beautiful poetry.

Leigh, a former sorority girl and proud Taylor Swift-lover, starts a Masters Poetry program with fellow grad students, when she realizes her old high school crush, turned enemy, who couldn’t stop writing about her… is in her cohort. Leigh is determined to prove herself after getting no substance feedback, and she can’t avoid Will for long. Will we find out what is happening for them between the lines?

This was so creative and witty! I listened to the audio and it added so much extra personality. Katie’s writing was fun, impressive, and beautiful. I love a down bad man and I love a girl who loves to write. Hidden feelings, angst, and falling in love through poetry?! Yes, yes, and yes please!

Leigh and Will’s story was unique, fun, and extremely well done. There was great mental health and therapy representation, and so many relatable personality traits in both of them. I love a down bad man and I love a girl who loves to write. The side characters in the cohort were a great added addition!

Thank you NetGalley, Hachette, and BookHuddle for the ARC! I was really looking forward to reading this one – a romance centered around books – sounds perfect! Leigh and Will, both angsty writers, have been circling each other for years and are forced together again in a MFA program as late 20-somethings. However, it fell a little flat for me and I gave it 3 stars. There was nothing wrong with the book, just nothing that made it memorable for me.

The parts of the book I liked best were the bits of writing we got to hear from the students in the MFA program. Writing poetry seems like something only a masochist would choose as a career, but I’m thankful that people suffer through it! The narrator did a fine job with the book and I followed the character switches without issue.

Without giving too much away, I felt that some of Leigh and Will’s “I love you I hate you” reasoning was pretty thin, and their reactions overdone. And Leigh seemed awfully tied up in her parents’ relationship. I would expect that from someone in middle school, not middle age.

Basically, I enjoyed the book well enough while I was reading it, but it is not one that I will really remember or be recommending to others. Sorry!

4 stars ⭐️ This was such a fun read! The yearning and the poetry were fantastic!

The narrator, Sarah Beth Goer, did a fantastic job giving each character a distinct voice.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a cute enemies to lovers romance. I felt it was a little dragged out but over very sweet overall.

Thank you Hatchette, this was a big win for me. I am now fan of Katie Naymon's (so much so that I messaged her on social media to share my appreciation for the book, I don't often do that!). To appreciate this book you need to know that she is writing about poets and MFA life and grad school life along with someone struggling to figure out her less than awesome parental situation... Being in your late 20s is a messier time than some realize, or remember, and while this book is a romance, and a good one at that, it is also an ode to the experience of realizing I guess I am an adult and I need to figure out what really is coming next and what I want from adulthood. Naymon nails that along with the complicated self consciousness and inferiority issues that come with grad school, it was real along with the intense magic of making friends with people who want to study and talk about the same niche nerdy things you want to talk about.

stand outs
1. Naymon's lyrical writing. I truly loved her style. This was a in some ways a standard romance and story *which is not a bad thing at all* elevated by her writing. That is what won me over.
2. Leigh's conversations with a therapist. There was something about adding in those scenes, having them happen and part of the story, that added the kind of depth and challenge to Leigh's mindsets that really worked for me. What could have been skipped, or done "off screen" was instead a part of the story that I really valued.
3. messiness. I could understand why Leigh was struggling, some might feel she was immature for 27 but honestly... her parents weren't modeling the best of relationships, she was a little stuck professionally and interpersonally which can happen as you shift into adulthood but don't have models of great adulting (I didn't like her parents much... ), and when you are yearning for something that can feel out of reach, such as a career as a poet.

This book honestly changed my life and healed me in ways I didn't know I needed. The FMC, Leigh was so relatable that sometimes I hated the mirror she was holding up to me. This realisticness of how Leigh dealt with her imposture syndrome, feelings of not being enough, and dealing with the scariness of vulnerability and truly being seen. I found myself getting frustrated at her for becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy when I do the exact same thing in my life. This book made me reflect and look into how I have handled things, which was so surprising, as I did not expect this from the book. Will is an amazing love interest. He isn't perfect and that's what makes him perfect.

The audiobook narrator did such a fantastic job really putting us in Leigh's head and really made the book feel so grounded.

The way this book was written was so beautiful I literally had to pause the book several times to process and. catch my breath. Truly, the style was unique and fresh.

3.75 🌟

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for my audiobook ARC.

The story itself wasn’t my favorite. I appreciated the character depth and Cleveland references, but really struggled with the main character’s mix of insecurity and judgement, the insane lack of communication between the leads, and how insufferably pretentious her MFA cohort is. I can only believe this was done intentionally due to how over the top they are but I was just really wishing for a character I could root for.

The audio production was very impressive; I thought the narrator did a good job with character voices and matching the atmosphere. I did feel like the narrator sounds older than I envisioned the FMC to be, but I’m sure that was an intentional choice.

Not for me, but if you’re a lover of poetry and more lyrical romance, you will likely enjoy this!

"You Between the Lines" is an absolute delight—equal parts witty, romantic, and emotionally raw. Leigh’s journey of self-discovery in the high-stakes world of academia is relatable, hilarious, and full of heart. I love Katie Naymon's banter between Leigh and Will, and their chemistry crackles with tension, making their enemies-to-lovers arc all the more satisfying. Plus, the use of poetry as a narrative device? Chef’s kiss. Overall, this novel is a charming and witty exploration of second chances, self-discovery, and unexpected romance. The characters are well-developed, the plot is engaging, and the writing is sharp and insightful. It's a perfect read for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted romantic comedy with a touch of literary flair.

This was cute , simple and not that much going on, but cute. it does need some work and maybe some chapters need to be looked at. The characters do need a little more development and some work to make them a little more likable.

The story is pure, heartfelt, unique, creative and so enjoyable. There is a fantastic balance of sarcasm and sensitivity. I loved the narrator. I was quickly engrossed in the story.