Like every Mhairi McFarlane book I have read, I couldn't put Between Us down. I do agree with other reviewers that the pace of the first part of the story was a bit slow and I would have liked more development of Roisin and Matt's relationship but, on the whole, this was a pleasure to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Argh! I read this and forgot to write a review which is annoying because I really liked it.

Roisin is a teacher, she is dating Joe, a writer, who has recently found success with a hit TV show (sounds a bit like Game of Thrones) which has been green-lit (lighted?) for a second series and is about to have a completely different series air. After years of supporting Joe financially, Roisin can't quite get used to the change in their lifestyles.

Joe and Roisin got together when they worked together at Waterstones (a British bookstore chain) together with a group of other people that they have stayed friends with. It's a decade since they all worked together and they are all away for a swanky weekend to celebrate Roisin's birthday, Joe's new series, and the engagement of two friends. But tensions are riding high and Roisin worries that rather than being the start of another decade of friendship, this could be the end.

Then when Roisin watches the first episode of Joe's new series it seems as though she and their friends are being portrayed on screen, and not in a good way. Is Joe's series fiction, or is he really a cheating, lying chancer like his character on screen?

This was interesting and cleverly done, is Roisin allowing her imagination to run away with her, or has Joe been gaslighting her all these years? None of their friends can believe he has cheated on her, yet so many things in his TV show resonate with things that have happened between them ...

Some things I saw coming, others I was completely wrong about. This kept me intrigued all the way.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

the pacing is a tad slow to start but picks up throughout the book for what is an exciting and tense story. I really felt for the main character, who had some her personal secrets used for the plot of her partners show, and what she went through from there. Our main character is strong and knows what she wants, and i love that in a romance novel, however i felt the love interest cam eout of nowhere. I really enjoyed the firneds and side characters in this and the journey the main character wenton throughout

Mhairi McFarlane is a completely reliable writer of excellent romantic comedy. This time, it had a little darker side but done beautifully as you would expect. I'd never hesitate to recommend Mhairi's writing, her well rounded, relatable characters and moments of genuine mirth.

I have mixed feelings about this book - I usually love this Author's work and despite the writing being up to her usual high standard, I found this story to be just OK. A lot of time is spent on Roisin's existing relationship with Joe and the first half of the book is pretty slow. Not much time is spent on the developing relationship between Roisin and Matt, which is a shame - you don't get to the opportunity to feel the chemistry, so the romance doesn't feel authentic. Despite the slow start, there were some sweet moments and the story is well told. Many thanks to NetGallery and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for allowing me to get a copy of the book. Despite my lukewarm feelings towards this novel, it won't stop me reading further books by this Author.

I’ve never read a book by Mhairi McFarlane before. But I did see enthusiastic reviews about many of her books. So when I found Between Us on NetGalley, I immediately requested it and was really excited to read it.

Sadly, I’m not sure if Mhairi McFarlane and I are a match. I started reading eagerly, but after a few chapters, my eagerness waned. The writing is fine, good even, and many people will probably love this story. Unfortunately, I didn’t. I just couldn’t connect to Roisin as much as I wanted to. And somehow, I found the pacing rather slow, especially in the first half. The pacing got better in the second half, but then I had already given up on the story and had started skim-reading. Therefore, please check out other reviews if you’re thinking of reading this book.

A nice friends turned love story tale with the added elements of a bad boyfriend who’s a walking red flag, a pub in need of a pick up and a likeable protagonist. I picked up and put down this book a few times, not because the writing wasn’t great but it wasn’t as gripping as I’d have liked. The conclusion/ love story felt quite rushed and unformed for me, it all became tied up in a nice bow but without us really reading how if that makes sense. Overall a nice book for the genre but maybe not quite as good as McFarlanes previous.

I once said that Mhairi McFarlane could write the phone book and it would be amazing - and I stand by it after finishing Between Us.

Between Us is essentially a romcom, which McFarlane does spectacularly, I’ve been a huge fan since her first novel You Had Me At Hello and I’ve genuinely enjoyed every offering since. Many have hailed this as her best yet - on this I disagree, but it was still a fantastic, easy (which I mean in the best possible way!) read.

My only negative is that this story felt a little slower than McFarlane’s previous novels, which is why I’ve not given it 5 stars. It took a little longer for me to get stuck in than I would have liked. However once I was in, I was flying.

If you’re a fan of a romcom with great chemistry between all of the characters, not just the romantic pair, then you’ll love this one!

‘Between Us’ is a romantic drama of friendship, betrayal and a woman’s desperate search for the truth.

Roisin and Joe have been together for ten years but the cracks in their relationship are starting to show. What’s worse, scriptwriter Joe’s latest TV drama premieres and retells some of Roisin’s most personal secrets. It’s also full of infidelity, sexual fantasy and deceit - but what inspired the Joe she knows to write this?!

As the distance between them widens, Roisin begins to see past Joe’s sarky attitude and tip-of-the-tongue lies, and sets out to find out the truth …

The novel welcomes a well-rounded diverse array of characters that all offer something unique to the novel. It’s easy to feel the main characters’ emotions with them. I felt the first half was too slow, but enjoyed the fast-paced second half and was rooting for Roisin to find her happy ending.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The premise for a good story was all there, only that in my opinion the author dragged everything out too long and the situation, which for me was the main romantic one, found a short and behind-the-scenes resolution, in short a bit of a disappointment.

Le premesse per una buona storia c'erano tutte, soltanto che secondo me l'autrice ha tirato tutto troppo per le lunghe e la situazione, che per me era quella romanticamente principale, ha trovato una risoluzione breve e dietro le quinte, insomma un po' una delusione.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

When Joe and Roisin gather their peers for a vacation at a country house, it's a triple commemoration: a birthday, an engagement, and the premiere of Joe's gleaming new crime series on television. It's a chance for Roisin to reunite with the friends she made working at Waterstones years back. But it's a diversion for Joe as his writing career takes off. As the weekend progresses, frictions between the group emerge, and Roisin's anxiety about her own relationship gets bigger. And when she and her friends watch the first episode of Joe's drama, she recognises that the secrets she disclosed to him are right there on the screen. Is that all he's done? What if the tv shows' hero's infidelity is also not made up?

Plot and writing:
There's something special about this author's writing. I could tell this type pf writings usually compelled readers which advanced reading ability as Mhairi brilliantly used high-level vocabulary and engrossing conversations between characters. I was able to enjoy the whole ride despite reading it slowly or repeated to grasp the plot. It was refreshing to read about how gaslighting has been howering your life for eternity but it took a tv series made by your partner to realize that maybe he isn't for you and you guys were not meant to be. It was profounding, brilliantly executed, with great supporting characters along the way. I agree and disagree a lot of times with the main characters, but I was satisfied with the outcome. How each had grown into a better version of themselves and finally found their comfort.

Characters:
Well-written characters, protagonist and antagonist, each person played a part in making this book a success (kudos to Mhairi!). Roisin is a wonderful character, with a patience of a monk, and her growth arc made me like her even more. True, I did disliked her a bit when she confronted Matt about 'something crucial' but I felt that Matt was also at a distress moment and he acted what he thought was write at that moment, and I couldn't fully put the blame solely on Matt. Pretty much everyone here played a part in that heartache lol.

And Matt is just wonderful. He's the epitome of a green flag. His past was kinda shaped him of who he is, and I related to that so much. Which is why I sympathiesd with him. Glad to see things worked out for the better for him.

Joe, on the other hand, was a walking disaster with a manipulative streak. A big liar, gaslighting as his excellent talent, and I wished he was burried alive lol. I haven't met a character this manipulative, and poof here he is! But I can't lie his character made the book more interesting, it made me so mad my anger issue could never handle this person.

Overall:
Definitely live up to the hype I've seen on goodreads. Mhairi McFarlane never disappoint!

This is another great book by a great author.
I’ve loved all of Mhairi’s books and this one was no different.
A relatable and engaging book that I’d definitely recommend.

I *loved* this book. The story arc is simple and effective and there are no real surprises but it is a great validation, as a woman, to read a subtle tell of gaslighting. To some extent we've all been there and this story is told with a lot of compassion and a lot of fun. It felt very realistic and I greatly enjoyed the dynamics between all the different characters.

Another cracking read from Mhairi McFarlane, but something different too. It has the beats of a romcom - her signature modern, savvy and insightful breed of romance- but my god, it reads like a thriller. Roisin is trying to work out whether her partner of ten years is a pathological liar and the situation threatens to shatter their integral friendship group. The tension is high as she tries to work whether she’s misreading the signs and becoming paranoid. It’s written with sharp, comic turns of phrase, whip-smart observations and funny scenes, but that worrying undercurrent is constantly there regarding the truth and ulterior motives, as McFarlane deftly tackles another example of ‘men behaving badly’, as in her more recent books. Don’t be worried, there’s still room for a gorgeous love story and she skillfully delivers a properly romantic ending. Wise, clever and, as always, properly entertaining. A highly recommended, brilliant rollercoaster of a romance.

I’m giving this book ALL the stars. Honestly I loved it just as much as Mhairi’s others, if not more! It gave me all the emotions from anger to giddy with joy. It couldn’t have had a better ending (and I was so relieved with who Roisin ending up with!)…
There was a great mix of characters with some hilarious bits (and even a Ross and Rachel kiss!). It’s a book to savour and enjoy.

This book made me feel like I was reading a romance-turned-mystery and I absolutely loved it! The constant questioning of what, if anything, influenced the aptly-named ‘sex show’ written by Joe, and how this affected Roisin created a satisfying ending, and an overall brilliant read! Roisin is such a loveable character, and following her through the hardships she faces, including the many lies and betrayals she uncovers made me root for her to have her happy ending (or better said ‘happy start’). Matt was an adorable character who fit perfectly into the misunderstood category of book boyfriends, and the pining he goes through over the years is both heart wrenching and heartwarming.

Review for NetGalley:
I will very happily read anything that Mhairi McFarlane writes. There’s humour, well developed characters, and messy relationships which feel very human.

Between Us introduces us to Roisin and her friendship group who have known one another for 10 years. As secrets are played out on TV, the dynamics start to shift and new possibilities emerge.

I’m usually a die-hard romance reader, and while there is romance in this book, the real beauty is in the cast of characters. They’re all wonderful and flawed people; quintessentially British and charming.

I’ve highlighted lots of great quotes on my e-copy and will definitely add this to the re-read pile. Loved it!

I am a huge Mhairi McFarlane fan, having devoured her whole back catalogue. As soon as I finish one book, I am anxiously anticipating the release of the next one! 'Between Us' is her latest offering, focused on a group of friends who call themselves the Brian Club. They met many years ago working at Waterstones, staying friends into adulthood. The group includes Roisin and Joe who met through the group but after ten years, find their relationship is on the rocks. This is not helped by Joe's TV show 'Hunter' having some uncomfortable parallels to reality.

Whilst not my favourite book from McFarlane, there are lots of things to like about the story. Roisin is strong and knows her own mind; I admired her not wanting to be messed around by any romantic partners and the gutsy way she deals with Joe's indiscrete writing of his TV show. It is hard to give too many details about the story without ruining the direction of the narrative but the section where Roisin works at her mother's pub and rediscovers family ties was probably the strongest for me.

Unfortunately, some of the narrative did feel a little bitty. The depth of the feelings of the new love interest appeared so very suddenly and there are some awkward conversations which could be avoided by people just being honest with each other. I guess that this does chime with the repeated refrain 'slow but then fast at the end' which pretty much sums up this book!

An enjoyable read with a satisfying pay off. Onto the next! :) 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A great read, really enjoyed the flow and the different scenes.
Felt relatable.
Another great book by this author.

A thoroughly entertaining enjoyable read. The book is well written and unfolds at a good pace with a well balanced mix of characters, I liked and empathised with Roisin, the main character except for a few pages near the end where she was quite intolerant of another character being unable to see the dilemma that person was faced with. Many twists and turns with an excellent exploration of friendship group dynamics changing over the years plus plenty of subplots bubbling along including a delightful slow romance.