What a brilliant book! I absolutely flew through it. I just had to find out what would happen next. I liked the main characters, I thought the plot was good. It was well written. Another great read from Mhairi. Thank you #netgalley

3.5 stars

An entertaining, emotional and exhausting story about friendship, and moving on from past choices and mistakes

Gosh I've read a few books by this author now, and know to expect more than just a romance, but I feel wrecked! Starting with the breakdown of a relationship (as Mhairi McFarlane often does) between Harriet and her boyfriend, we are treated to a well written story about how Hattie's past is affecting her present. Incorrectly labelled as an enemies to lovers rom-com, this did have its witty moments, great banter and humour, but it was so much more than that!

There was so much going on, from toxic relationships involving gaslighting, manipulation and abuse, to the death of parents, cheating and friendship. It definitely wasn't my favourite by this author; I felt a bit stressed and overwhelmed with how dramatic Hattie's life was, but I definitely appreciated the writing style, and how it came together at the end, with the message about standing up to bullies for yourself, and for the sake of others. I also really felt the commentary about online abuse, and how quickly we are to jump on a story and judge others online, when we don't have all the facts, and have only seen one side of the argument.

I did like Hattie, I felt for her, she felt real and flawed, and had faced some hardships in her life, was dealt some really bad cards if you like. She did feel a bit immature, but I could forgive her that considering what she had been through previously. I also really loved Lorna, her best friend since childhood. Cal, the love interest was lovely, but didn't get enough page time in my opinion. I really wanted to see them fall in love, but felt that the romance was rushed and like a bit of an add on?! I do like that this author doesn't just write about romance, but took too long to include it, and it focused to much on exes, in what really looked like and sounded like a great rom-com!

I felt like I'd been wrung out by the time I finished, loved the main characters, but wanted to dropkick other ones..

So if you're looking for a book with some serious issues, along with some great friendships and feminism, and a side of romance, then give this a shot! I will always read what Mhairi McFarlane writes, and think she's a fantastic writer!

I’m always happy to read a Mhairi McFarlane book and this one certainly did not disappoint.
I found it an easy read which started as a typical rom com but then dealt with deeper issues of coercion and controlling relationships but all dealt with in a good way. Lots of twists and turns too in this book which kept me turning the pages. Once again another GREAT read.

Harriet has a job she really loves, and a perfectly adequate relationship with her fella Jon. Although she makes a living as a wedding photographer, she has no desire to get married. When it becomes evident that Jon has different ideas, Harriet finds herself looking for somewhere else to live.

Her new roommate, Cal, doesn't seem to like Harriet all that much. But could his friendship be exactly what she needs in order to move on from Jon?

This isn't what I expected, and without giving too much away, I don't think it's what you think it is either. Mhairi is very good at mixing romantic comedy with more serious issues, as is evident here with discussions of red flags in relationships. Overall, while it is cute and sweet, it's also a love letter to female friendships and sticking by each other. I really, really liked this one.

I really enjoyed this, it had a bit of everything, some romance, some scary moments, some laugh out loud moments. My only criticism is the law around lodgers was quite wrong but that's okay and it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story at all. I would not describe this as "chick lit", I find that term a bit insulting, there are some dark undertones to the story and there are a few twists and turns as a result. This is the first book I have read by Mhairi McFarlane but I will definitely seek out some more. Thank you so much to New Galley and to the publishers for the advance copy.

A romance with surprises. This begins as a typical rom-com but ends up with a few twists. For a start, Harriet does a runner when her long-term boyfriend proposes! Then she meets a guy she knows is a runaway groom! Good fun so far but later the tone changes. Love the strong female characters, especially Harriet.

Chick lit at its finest. Harriet, a wedding photographer, has just ended a relationship that is going nowhere. She accepts a house share with Cal and then finds out exactly how she knows (of) him. A lovely romantic story follows, building to the crucial, will they won’t they moment. Also thrown in to the mix is a message for every women about the effects of toxic relationships, emotional abuse and coercive behaviour. All in all a nice easy beach read.

Mad About You opens with Harriet who is a wedding photographer at work when the best man tells her the groom has done a runner!
This cements Harriet’s feelings that she absolutely has no desire whatsoever to get married herself which she has made very clear to her boyfriend Jon.
Life is plodding along nicely for Harriet until during a posh lunch with Jon’s family he completely blindsides her with a ring and a proposal.
A swift break up follows and Harriet needs somewhere new to live and pronto!
Fortunately, one of her best friends is an estate agent and manages to find a house share that isn’t even on the open market yet and after a quick phone call Harriet has a new place to live.
It’s only once Harriet’s unloaded her car into Cal Clarke’s spare bedroom that he realises that they do actually know each other and it could be very uncomfortable!
Cal is the runaway groom.
There’s plenty of laughs in Mad About You, Harriet is very witty and likeable.
The chemistry between her and Cal is obvious and we all know where the story is headed or so we think!
McFarlane does throw a few spanners in the works and surprises – I did not see two big betrayals coming.
The second half of the book takes quite a different and more serious turn and makes this much book so much more than a rom com.
While shooting another wedding Harriet bumps into a notorious ex, who was awful to her, gaslighting and controlling and meets his fiancée.
Without giving too much away, the second half of the book deals with some harrowing issues, including emotional harassment, narcissism, and the role that social media can play in ruining someone's life.
Don’t worry – the humour doesn’t disappear and there’s some really heart-warming, romantic and heroic moments still to come.
Harriet is very lucky to have such a good friend in her corner, Lorna!
It was great to read a book that was set in Yorkshire rather than the usual London, had strong female characters, lots of funny moments but also has a serious side. I think this book could make a good film actually, especially the latter chapters.

With thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first novel from Mhairi McFarlane, and reading it prompted me to check out a few more. The characters in Mad About You were engaging, funny and real- the main character in particular was very well done.

This is a romance, but it stands out slightly from other romance novels in that there is a focus not just on the emerging romance for our main character, but an investigation into her damaging relationships in the past and how she needs to learn from them, and learn to move on. This rounded out all the characters and just made everything feel more real.

McFarlane is funny, too; there are definitely shades of Sophie Kinsella at her best, here.

Such an excellent book, whilst lighthearted and funny in places it also deals with the very real subject of coercion and controlling behaviour, Internet revenge and the consequences of this. The main character Harriet is subjected to this but thankfully comes out on top whilst also learning some things about herself along the way

Since I first read Mhairi McFarlanes brilliant 'You Had Me At Hello' I've been a fan, I love the way she writes, so expertly mixing sadness with humour and creating characters that are relatable and easy to fall in love with.

So what happened here? I struggled, I picked it up, I put it down and frustrated with myself because I normally fly through her books I picked it up again. I tried I really did.

I suspect my main problem was that I couldn't empathise with Harriet. I found her annoying rather than endearing, her chaotic love live and social media antics were sad rather than funny and this novel just didn't grip me in the same way her previous ones have.

Would it stop me reading her next novel? Not a chance! Its me not her, on reading the other reviews I'm obviously in the minority and I've been reading her books for too long to give up now.

This is really sweet, and it also covers a really important issue. The main characters are very lovable and the story is engaging and so well-written. Fresh, modern and fun.

Harriet Hatley is a wedding photographer who is happily floating through life avoiding drama and rubbing along with her boyfriend Jon. His entitled family are a bit of a nightmare but otherwise things are running smoothly until they're not. Mhairi McFarlane really knows how to make you feel how her characters are feeling and also make you care which is no mean feat, also she keeps you guessing so you really not sure how things are going to turn out. I loved this book.

<i>Mad About You</i> displayed all the great things in Mhairi McFarlane's wheelhouse: it was character-driven, funny, heartfelt and empowering. I always finish reading her books and feel like I could go out there and be as badass as she makes her MCs. One thing I would take slight issue with is how the title/cover make it look like a romance book, and it doesn't quite sit in that genre for me, but the background slow burn romance was delicious anyway. Great read, and I'm glad I have more of her backlist on my TBR.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC.</i>

Mhairi McFarlane has pretty much become an auto-read author for me. Her characters are so realistically flawed, I just love it. So I went into this book 100% blind. Which is always great in my opinion.

The book is about Harriet, a wedding photographer who never wants to get married. So she's more than a little upset when her boyfriend proposes in front of his entire stuck-up family. She quickly ends her relationship with him and searches for her own place to move out. She ends up co-living with someone who she has an unexpected acquaintance with.

Now before you think 'oooh forced proximity romance' let me stop you right there. Anyone who's read Mhairi McFarlane books before knows her books skew more toward women's fiction that romance.

Sure, eventually a romantic relationship develops between the leads, but let me tell you it is not the main story. If you ask me the story is about the personal growth that Harriet goes through, as she learns from her past mistakes, comes to grips with her choices, navigates friendships that hold her up and others that tear her down.

Overall, I liked the book, but I have some issues all the same:
- Many of her books seem to start with a bad breakup (Just Last Night, my favorite, being the exception) and that breakup is then the catalyst for growth for the female main character. (Disclaimer: I've only read 4 Mhairi McFarlane books in total, so I might be wrong)
- Harriet keeps making assumptions throughout the book. Even after she "learns" not to make those assumptions and how wrong she can be, she still makes assumptions at the very end of the book, making that part of her growth seem fake and frankly it's just annoying.
- The problem at the 80% mark was just completely unnecessary and based on a misunderstanding.

To be honest, from most other authors this would have been enough for me to give up on the book, but I really enjoy the writing style, the subtle British humor and the characters. So I'm giving this a 3.5.

Just Last Night is still definitely my favorite book by her and one of my favorite books from last year, so if you haven't read that one yet, I'd highly recommend it.

Wedding photographer, Harriet, has no interest in getting married. When her boyfriend, Jon, proposes in front of his awful family she realises it's time to move on. With a flat share with equally wedding adverse Cal, an ex-boyfriend with a grudge, a group of girls who can take on the world (or a room filled with two hundred wedding guests, at least) this is guaranteed to be another McFarlane success!

I enjoyed this story so much, but unlike other McFarlane books, I would say this was Harriet's story rather than a rom-com. Throughout the novel, the romance came second to her development and growth as a character. This book is also filled with fantastic friendships (and one that is definitely not so great).

McFarlane's novels always pack a serious emotional punch. Mad About You offers a sensitive look at emotionally abusive relationships, internet 'cancel culture', and considering the agenda behind things you read on the internet before joining a pile on against someone who hasn't been able to share their side of the story.

Jon's family were brilliant in how absolutely terrible they were. Harriet's run ins with Jon's mum were always fun to read. I laughed a lot, as this book has so many hilarious and cringe-worthy moments!

Harriet was such a great character - I rooted for her from the beginning and loved seeing her growth.

Great read, flows perfectly. Well-written and completely engaging. I have devoured this book in one sitting with no regrets. I NEED more.

I got this from NetGalley with the sort of screeching excitement that's quite embarrassing. I love McFarlane's writing and a new book from her is a massive treat, even if I then read it in a giant gulp and hate myself for not savouring it.

This is as complex and entertaining as ever, she's the master of managing the tricky tightrope of writing funny dialogue and witty characters while still giving everyone proper depth of character and often very serious backstory. There are some genuinely terrible people in this book, all horribly recognisable in their awfulness. Jon's parents, for example, are so convincingly hateful that only the knowledge they would soon exit the story made me able to bear them. Jon himself is very recognisable as a self-professed 'decent guy' who somehow isn't always that decent. And Scott's behaviour made me tense with anxiety on Harriet's behalf.

One of McFarlane's strengths is writing friendship groups and here both Harriet and Cal's best mates are really well-drawn - who wouldn't want to be friends with Lorna, or Sam? Harriet and Cal themselves are delightful and I really enjoyed getting to know both of them. It's a proper skill to take a number of fun but potentially cheesy tropes and conjure something so engaging.

So anyway, when's the next one out?

Harriet's life changes rapidly after a series of events that starts with a wedding that never happened, the good thing was that it wasn't her wedding, she is a wedding photographer.

Her life gets even more complicated when she meets a man from her past, that brings back bad emotions.

In the mist of it all, she moved in to Cal's home, he is her landlord who has his own personal demons.

I would say that this is more of a womens fiction than romance book. It's about strength, female friendship and love but not only the romantic one.

There is a romance in the story, but it's not the main focus in the story. The ending was especially sweet and the way everything was tied up together.

The first part quarter of the book was at a slower pace but after that it picked up and it was very quick to read from that point on.

* I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.

This book really sneaked up n me. Started off and it seemed like your average romance, will she get with him or will it be him, but it was much more than that. Dealing with coercive control and parental loss among other things, I began to really enjoy the journey with Harriet and yes, I was cheering at a certain point late on - and yes, I shed some tears at the end. Just what you need to immerse yourself in for a few hours.