This was a great read albeit with a slow start. The friends' dialogue is so true to life that I found myself laughing out loud, and the depictions of her interactions with her pupils were spot on! There's a good plot and a satisfying end, what more could you want?

As always, another fantastic read from Mhairi McFarlane. Her writing is always so cleverly constructed, the word that sums up her style perfectly to me is ‘witty’. You always feel that you’re taken on a journey with the main characters and I love how you don’t quite know where it’s heading.

All I can say is that I was shouting inside on behalf of the protagonist Roisin, and rooting for her to speak her mind and get justice for herself in her relationship. I found Roisin to be really likeable but also flawed enough to be normal and relatable.

I have never read a bad book by McFarlane and this is up there with the best of them!

A good read involving long term friendships and relationships as they evolve, change and, on occasion, fracture. There are also family secrets and misunderstandings to unfold and, of course, a love interest to satisfy the romantics amongst us. An enjoyable story with some relatable and endearing characters - I feel like I know The Mallory!

For me, a Mhairi McFarlane being released is an event - she is the Queen of the RomCom. And this is no exception. In fact, as much as I've loved the last few, I think this has immediately entered my top 3 of her 12 publications. So cleverly and charmingly written, it's the handling of the realisation and fall-out of a decidedly toxic relationship. Roisin and Joe have been together since uni, but their lives have been splintering apart since he became a megastar writer. During a weekend away with their friends, Joe's latest auteur piece seems alarmingly informed by personal experience. For Roisin, this feels like a wake-up call and triggers all manner of change. Along the way there's painful realisations, wonderful humour and delicious romance. Perfection!

No one can beat Mhari McFarlane for a great read - twisty and funny and poignant and ultimately a fabulous page turner. Buy this and settle down to be transported away.

Mhairi does it again. Another wonderful book. Although the main character does turn a little bit weird and creepy during it. But I did enjoy this one. Maybe not quite as much as others I have read by this author.

✨ BOOK REVIEW ✨

Between Us - Mhairi McFarlane
🌟🌟🌟

LIKES
☀️ I absolutely adore the ‘it’s always been you’ trope and it was so cute here.
☀️ The friendship group, especially the bond between the women, was lovely.
☀️ I really enjoyed the humour. Mhairi’s books always make me laugh!
☀️ There were some really special quotes I’ll absolutely be making a note of.
☀️ A, fun easy read with a mix of both romance and mystery. I love watching everything unravel bit by bit.

DISLIKES
🌙 Roisin turned a bit borderline creepy for someone who claims not to care about her ex or salvaging her relationship. I don’t know why you’d stalk your ex even though you’ve moved on with someone else?
🌙 I really dislike ‘haha’ and ‘lol’ being written in dialogue as they’re sounds, not words you say. I wish it had just said ‘xx laughed’ instead.
🌙 It could’ve been 100 words shorter.

On another note, I have to point out as someone with PTSD, I am really disappointed to see yet another book with a reference that massively undermines an extremely serious condition.

Stating that the MC had ‘Joe PTSD’, aka a condition commonly derived from a serious trauma such as almost losing your life or prolonged abuse, is offensive on so many levels.

I wish authors would stop turning PTSD into a ‘trendy’ new term to show an extreme, like when tidy people are described as ‘so OCD’. I also wish editors would start calling it out. It’s a life long, devastating mental disorder not a funny joke to be used in a throwaway manner.

I really hope the publisher takes into consideration before this book’s official release as it definitely effected my enjoyment of an otherwise lovely book.

The book starts when Roisin (can I just say I like the fact the main character had a tricky name to say – just like Mhairi!!) was a small girl and an outing with her Mum and her Mum’s friends – whilst you know it’s going to be relevant later on – it’s not immediately evident why.

Then we’re back to the present day when Roisin and her boyfriend Joe meet up with a group of friends whom they worked with in a bookshop historically – AKA the Brian club (it’s explained in the book so don’t be confused!) for a weekend away in a fancy house in the countryside. I did wonder if this was going to be Mhairi’s first foray into an Agatha Christie style murder mystery who-dunnit – but do not fear, it’s not! They are congregating for various celebrations – and it’s also the first showing of Joe’s new TV show which they’re all going to watch together. As they’re watching it – it becomes evident that things Roisin had told Joe in confidence ‘between us’ – had been used as part of the storyline in the series – and not only is Roisin gutted by this, she also begins to wonder what else of the storyline is based on the truth – when she can spot Joe and other friends as different characters.

The book then follows the disintegration of Roisin and Joe’s relationship – along with the whole friendship group ripping apart at the seams.

I have to say I did then guess some of Roisin’s ‘plot twist’ – but I was not disappointed by this at all (it just cements the fact that I think Mhairi and I would get on brilliantly if we met in real life #weirdstalkervibesnotintentional!) and I’m not going to spill any beans here.

Whilst a lot of the book is the story of Roisin, Joe and their friends – I also really enjoyed the relationship between Roisin and her Mum – and also the scenes of Roisin in her day job as an English teacher. With a large number of teenagers in my house (my kids, not some strange hostage situation) – I did think the students interactions with her were brilliantly written!

As you’d expect from a Mhairi McFarlane book it’s cleverly written, laugh out loud funny, has current reference points and you can’t wait to read on (and will miss the characters now it’s finished!) Another fantastic book.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mhairi McFarlane's writing speaks to my soul and I love it! Her books are always laugh out loud entertaining and this one is no different (and it may be my favourite so far but I LOVED last year's....). Our heroine is Roisin who is in a relationship with Joe, and the book starts with them on a weekend away with their friends (the Brian Club) and the story follows Roisin and Joe's relationship and what develops from that weekend. As always there is some brilliant dialogue in this book (leading me to take photos and send it to friends saying I could see you saying this...
In summary another fantastic book that I will have no problems recommending when it is released.

I loved this, especially since it was set in and around South Manchester. A Mhairi classic, it didn’t disappoint - dealing with real life grown up friendships and how they evolve, as well as relationships. Mhairi’s books always feel so true to life for this genre, and a healthy shot of realism combined with lovely stories is a win in my book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'Between Us' by Mhairi McFarlane.

Sadly, this was yet another Mhairi McFarlane I couldn't really get into so I think any budding relationship between me and her is over. Mhairi does write beautifully but I don't like the characters and I just didn't really invest myself into this book like I would have thought.
Is it purely a me error? Possibly but sadly, not for me today.

I only discovered Mhairi McFarlane last year and really enjoyed her books so was delighted to be accepted for an ARC of Between Us. Mhairi's books are always easy to get into and Between Us was no different.

I loved the character of Roisin, she was brilliantly written, very likeable and I think many women will be able to relate to her. In fact, all of the characters were really well developed, each one having their own distinct personality and it's really interesting to see Roisin's relationship with different characters change and even flourish. I think the concept of a long-standing group of friends and the secrets they keep is always really interesting and while at first all seems well with the Brians, it quickly becomes apparent there's a lot bubbling below the surface.

The plot itself has a lot going for it and adding in TV series with threads of reality made things especially interesting. Although I think it's pretty clear that Joe is a walking red flag from the beginning, I liked as a reader not being able to put my finger on what exactly he was guilty of (other than being a total arse) and learning alongside Roisin. Although the first half of the book was slower than the second, I personally didn't mind this as I thought it was a good chance to get to know the characters better.

I'll be honest, I'm still not sure how I felt about the Roisin-Matt relationship and this is where I've knocked off a star. While Matt was clearly a lovely characters, it kind of felt like the sudden relationship (especially for Roisin) came conveniently out of nowhere and I personally would have preferred Roisin to have enjoyed being single and her independence rather than leaping into another relationship, I think this could have been a much stronger and more refreshing ending. I also think Gina's response to the news didn't ring true, given how much time was spent on how much she loved Matt. It felt a bit disingenuous.

Overall, I really, really enjoyed this book and I'll genuinely miss the characters.

Between Us is the first novel that I have read by Scottish author, Mhairi McFarlane and it is a laugh-out loud romp through the highlights of friendship and relationships. And of course, the resulting trauma when a relationship breaks down.
Our main protoganist is Roisin, a secondary school teacher and the partner of Joe - the current "one to watch" of British scriptwriters. They have been a couple for over ten years but when Joe's new tv show is launched, Roisin discovers some unpalatable truths about her boyfriend and their lives take a turn for the unexpected. They are surrounded by an amusing group of friends and my favourite is probably Gina with her brilliantly over the top reactions and one liners. Though at times it did feel as though the characters - in particular Anita and Dev - are rather one sided and I would like to have seen more of their storyline.
There were moments when I found myself becoming frustrated with Roisin and wanted her to react, rather than being passive. But when she does act, I was firmly in her corner and shouting "Go Ro" (and yes, I did shout this out while reading the book, to the confusion of my family! :))
McFarlane has a turn of phrase that is decidedly amusing and knowns when to also bring a touch of poignancy to the storyline. The references to social media, popular products such as Charlotte Tilsbury add a sense of reality to the storyline and help us to relate to the characters.
I'll be keeping an eye out for the next book from Mhairi McFarlane.

I've heard great things abut Mhairi McFarlane, but this book wasn't for me. The plot didn't get going quick enough, and so I lost interest unfortunately. I still want to read the author's other novels as the writing was great, but it couldn't hold my interest.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Firstly, thank you to @netgalley for this gifted arc to review. It's my first read by this author, but it just wasn't for me.

It was very slow paced mostly, and the plot was very bland and anticlimactic for me. Also, I struggled so much with the mfc Roisin. I just couldn't relate or follow her character development.

While this book was not my cup of tea, it hasn't deterred me from picking up any of her other books in the future. Perhaps I was not ready for this author yet 🤷‍♀️

A devoured this in one sitting, and had to stay up til 2am to do finish it! It had all the things I love about a Mhairi McFarlance book: a complicated friend group, a complicated end to a relationship (and a complicated start to a new one), and a love interest that I just want to scoop into a hug. As usual with her books, I disagree with the marketing that this is a romcom, I think it fits better in the Romance and Contemporary Fiction sections.

The romance is deliciously slow-burn, up to and including a hand-holding scene that had me squealing and sending screenshots to my book club. I really enjoyed watching the characters navigate their changing relationships, as people with differing financial situations and changing responsibilities, whether that was between individual friends or the whole group dynamic. The only thing that wasn't perfect for me was I found the first half - the first third especially - a bit slow for my tastes - although it picked up satisfactorily in the second half ("slow but fast at the end" is a phrase used to describe several things in the book, and I think it sums up the overall pacing as well).
I received a free copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I always love getting a new Mhairi Mcfarlane book. Her dialogue is just always on point, snappy and clever. And I like how she deals with messy subjects like gas lighting and cheating in a real way.

I enjoyed this one, but it isn't my favourite by her. The pacing was a bit off - if you've read the blurb you've essentially read the entire first half of the book. I understand why Roisin's previous relationship and the fall out is the focus but it does mean there isn't as much time for the actual romance to develop.

A weekend away gone wrong, this one is a bit darker than some of McFarlane’s past novels, although her books always transcend the chick-lit/romcom cliches. Roisin is relatable and you want her to get her happy ending. I felt strong ties to her and I was ready to jump in the book and fight!
Five fun stars.

Between Us was an absolute joy from start to finish. I loved every character, every page, and every twist and turn. I found myself snatching pages in every spare moment and wondering if it was realistic to stay up all night just to read more (it's not, I have a toddler). And at the same time as I was devouring it, I really didn't want it to end.

Roisin is a wonderful character, and the love interest is sooooo dishy OMG. And the jokes are genuinely funny, depicting realistic friendships with teasing and in-jokes and decades-long habits. Honestly, this was the best book I've read in ages. If I could give six stars, I would.

5* Hugely entertaining

I have to admit that I'm already a great fan of Mhairi McFarlane's writing. Between Us is another brilliant novel. The plot concentrates on several close friends who met ten years ago when working in Waterstones book shop. Now in their thirties they've kept their friendship alive as the years passed and their careers progressed.

Mhair'si story telling ability and the punchy dialogue between characters are, as usual, engrossing and excellent.

Not a book to dip in and out of, I found it unputdownable. Prepare to settle down and ignore everything around you until reaching the final chapter. You won't be disappointed.

Thank you HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for the ARC, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.