It was grand, it wasn’t life changing or anything, but I still finished it pretty quick, and I’d say I’ll probably give it a reread at some point in the future, but that’s just a maybe.

Another fabulous offering by McFarlane Between Us was a easy read with plenty going on.

I really engaged with the group of characters especially Roisin who was highly relatable.

The storyline was entertaining with lots of drama and twists that kept me interested all the way through.

Loved the fact the group all met at Waterstones - I feel a prequel with their book selling history would be awesome!

Definitely one for the romance/romcom fans.

🌟🌟🌟🌟 from me.

I've loved every Mhairi book I've read so far. So I had high expectations for this. Sadly though this just didn't work for me as well as the others. I went into this expecting a romance, but it really isn't. While the story is good and follows an important topic I just struggled to fully become invested in her life.
This story is more about a woman opening her eyes and leaving a toxic relationship with a man who would gaslight her and cheat on her repeatedly.
I found spending 80% of the book on that relationship too much. It made it hard for me to care about her next relationship because we barely got anytime. In fact she moved on within days and then was still obsessing over her ex.

Thanks to Harper Collins UK for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I went on a journey with this book. I requested it because I’d been wanting to read this author’s work, and I somehow thought this was a romance (I didn’t properly read the synopsis – rookie mistake). Then, after requesting it, I looked up the plot summary and while it sounded interesting, it didn’t seem like my vibe, but I decided to give it a go since I’d committed to reviewing it. The first time I picked it up, I was so confused and I just didn’t gel with the writing style, but then a few chapters in, I was absolutely hooked. What a ride!

This book follows Roisin, whose boyfriend, Joe has just released a new TV show. They head out on a weekend away with their friends to celebrate this (among other things), and when Roisin watches the first episode, she realises that Joe has used her personal life as inspiration. Then she starts to wonder if there are other bits of truth in the TV show . . . Such as the fact that the main character, who reminds her a lot of Joe, has been unfaithful to his partner.

While Roisin and Joe’s relationship drama is definitely the focus of the book, there are loads of other sub-plots involving their friends and family. Instead of taking away from the overall plot, as sub-plots often do, these were all very interesting and added to the story. I was invested not only in the characters but also in where the story was going.

The characters were the highlight of this book. While this book does have a decent plot, it’s definitely still very character-driven, and the characters absolutely made this book. They all felt incredibly realistic and, and even though Roisin is the main character, all of the other characters still felt very distinct and well-fleshed out. This book was such a character study and I loved getting to know all of the characters and getting insight into their relationships.

The writing was also excellent. It was witty and funny, and it brought the story to life. My issue with these types of books is usually that, because we spend so much time with the characters doing mundane things, it’s easy to get bored. Luckily, that wasn’t the case with this. Even when the characters were simply hanging out and chatting, their banter was so well done that I couldn’t put the book down. I will say that there’s a lot of slang in this book, and I had to look up multiple words and phrases to figure out what was happening. Another thing that kind of jarred me was the way the chapters were structured. It often happened that a chapter would end while the characters were in the middle of a conversation, and then the next chapter would just start where the conversation left off, which was a bit odd for me.

Overall though, this book surprised me in the best way possible and essentially gave me what I was looking for from Sally Rooney’s books.

Between Us is another triumph from Mhairi McFarlane. The story is a slow burn but makes for a deliciously immersive read as we try to navigate our way to the truth just as Roisin has to.

Roisin and Joe have been a couple for ten years. But as screenwriter Joe's career takes off, their relationship suffers and at a weekend away with friends, the cracks become even more apparent. Coinciding with the screening of Joe's new series Hunter, Roisin discovers nothing she's confided in him is sacrosanct to him. She feels humiliated and begins to doubt everything. Add to that tensions amongst the friends and the weekend is an mitigated disaster.

As Roisin goes into detective mode, we experience her doubts, her confrontations and I certainly didn't know what to believe for quite a lot of the story.

But Roisin knows her instinct isn't lying.

And from the ashes of her broken relationship with Joe, comes a beautiful friendship and a realisation that will rock her world in the best possible way.

Believable characters, gritty, compulsive plot and a wonderful helping of romance. I loved it.

honest review i did struggle to get into this book and to connect at first with the characters.
joe annoyed me and i don’t know what roisin ever saw in him, a real unhealthy relationship which is sad
a slow start but does get better

Mhairi is one of my favourite authors so I was really keen to read this.

The story centres around Roisin, a schoolteacher and her group of friends, including her boyfriend Joe, and their relationship is struggling.

When Joe gets a prime time writing job, Roisin recognises some of the scenes as personal stories she has told Joe. It leads her to question what else in the tv series is taken from real life and the gap between them widens.

Additionally a call from her mother who is running a struggling pub, sees her going back home to help out.

I enjoyed this story, though the romance between Roisin and Matt seemed to come a little out of nowhere. Also Joe was rather dislikable and it was hard to see what would’ve attracted Roisin to him in the first place.

A good read but not the best story Mhairi has written.

3.5 stars

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

This is the second book that I've read from Mhairi McFarlane and I had big expectations from it. The storyline was unique and something different but I just couldn't connect with the characters. At first, it was very difficult for me to really get into the book because it was so boring and slow paced. I did not click with Joe at all but I found Roisin likeable after the second half. Some characters added the much needed humor to the story and the pacing was quite fast after 60%. Overall, it was surely a contrasting read but not worthy of a re-read according to me.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review

My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Between Us’ by Mhairi McFarlane.

‘Between Us’ is her ninth novel. Its main protagonist is Roisin Walters. She and her long time boyfriend, Joe, are meeting up with a group of friends who had first met when they had all worked at Waterstones in Deansgate some ten years previously. Some had become couples while others are single. They have arranged this weekend away for a triple celebration – a birthday, an engagement and the launch of Joe’s new crime drama on TV.

As they watch the premiere, Roisin is shocked to see family secrets that she had shared with Joe playing out on the TV screen. Roisin finds herself searching for clues to the truth about her life, their history, and the man she thought she loved. No further details to avoid spoilers, yet as it’s a romance expect a love story at its heart, though with who my lips are sealed.

While I rarely read contemporary romance, Mhairi McFarlane is an author whom I trust to provide relatable characters and an engaging story. I class her novels as comedy-dramas as they have light moments but are not overly fluffy. There are also plenty of references to books that is sure to please bookworms.

Roisin is an English teacher and those chapters where she seeks to encourage discussion of ‘Great Expectations’ with her Year 10 students were very funny. They constantly interrupt the lesson with ‘Miss. Miss’ and irrelevant questions as well as innuendo. I expect that it’s very true to life.

With ‘Between Us’ I found myself wrapped up in Roisin’s journey towards a more fulfilling life. It’s a delightful read and very much on par with Mhairi McFarlane’s other works.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one I’ve only recently discovered Mhairi McFarlane and can’t wait to read more.
I loved the characters and how they developed throughout the book and there was so much going on in the plot that I couldn’t put it down and didn’t feel boring like some rom coms often can.
The relationship that developed in the end tho had me feeling it was a little too sudden and would have liked to see them build up to it more slowly.

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this Arc.

There are some authors whose books you will read without bothering to find out what they’re about. Mhairi McFarlane is one of these authors for me. I always know that I’m going to enjoy her books so I went into this one blind. But then there’s always that niggling worry – will this be the book by a favourite author that actually you don’t like after all? Well, let me tell you this was not that book!

Reading about English teacher Roisin dealing admirably with a cheeky pupil made me respect and like her immediately. As an ex teacher, I’ve definitely been in that position! There’s a strong focus on relationships in this book whether that’s with friends or a romantic partner. The question arises time and again, how well do you really know someone? I wasn’t sure what to make of Roisin’s partner Joe, whether he was a good guy and all his explanations were plausible or whether he was betraying her. I changed my mind changed several times as I was reading. This made this a really compelling book as like Roisin, I really had to find out!

Mhairi McFarlane’s books often have a common theme of women supporting women and female friendship and that was true for Between Us too. She has created a strong supporting cast from Roisin’s friends in the ‘Brian Club’ to a more unexpected source of support. These were friends who she could have fun with, who made sure she didn’t take herself too seriously, who she could rely on to make her laugh but who absolutely had her back when she needed it.

Between Us is a funny and clever page-turner with a heroine you will be cheering on and a plotline that will keep you guessing. If you are a fan of Mhairi McFarlane’s novels, you are going to love this one. And if you haven’t read any of her books before, what are you waiting for? You’ve been missing out on one of the best rom-com writers around!

I've loved Mhairi's books in the past and been hooked. I'm not sure why this one didn't have the same pull, but I did enjoy the story of Roisin and Joe and really liked the scenes at her mum's pub in particular. The first half of the book felt like a slog, but the second half picked up pace a bit more.

It can be tricky to keep track of large groups of characters, but this wasn't the case with this book, so that was great!

Thank you Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is my first from this prolific romcom author and I was pleasantly surprised by the quirky prose and storytelling. Very enjoyable!

Mhairi McFarlane is one of my all-time favorite authors, so I was thrilled to receive an ARC of BETWEEN US, McFarlane's latest novel, from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review!

BETWEEN US tells us the story of Roisin and her longtime love, Joe, and their quirky, lovely group of friends, The Brian Club. Roisin is so loveable and relatable - she was definitely one of my favorite main characters of McFarlane's stories - and while some of her ups and downs were predictable, some caught me completely by surprise! I loved the topics of family and friendship, love and second chances, loss and solidarity. This story was so lovely, I couldn't put it down! My only complaint is that the ending felt a bit rushed and I would have loved a bit more time devoted to wrapping up the romance with a little more emphasis on their love and happiness.

In all, I would whole-heartedly recommend this novel, particularly to McFarlane fans, but to all fans of Emily Henry, Jojo Moyes, Marian Keyes, and modern romance in general.

Another amazing read by a very talented author.

I loved the protagonist and how her character develops throughout the story. The relationships between the characters feel very authentic and very interesting to immerse yourself in.

A definite recommendation from me.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I don't know what Mhairi puts in these books but I have never been able to walk away when I start reading and always finish feeling like i learned some kind of life lesson lol.

Highly recommend!

I didn’t even take the time to read the synopsis for Between Us when I saw it, trusting that bestselling author Mhairi McFarlane would deliver on a heartfelt romance with an edge. Somewhat unexpectedly, and despite what the cover may suggest, she doesn’t, exactly. That doesn’t make Between Us a bad book at all, just not one I was anticipating.

Secondary teacher Roisin Waters is looking forward to a weekend away with her closest friends of almost a decade, her boyfriend Joe, Meredith, Gina, Matt, Dev, and Anita. ‘The Brian Club’ has plenty to celebrate, including an engagement, a birthday and a television premiere, and Roisin is hoping that the tension that has been building between she and Joe doesn’t spoil it. Things start to go sideways rather quickly though, even before Joe’s betrayal of Roisin is writ large on the eight-foot-wide HDTV for all to see.

Between Us then becomes more properly about the end of a relationship. Roisin is surprised when Joe seems to object to the break up, but she has doubts about the sincerity of his apology. Stuck on the idea that the ongoing script of Joe’s show reflects more truth than fiction, Roisin re-examines their nine year relationship, discovering an undercurrent of deceit and manipulation to which she has been oblivious. It’s a devastating realisation, and I really felt for Roisin, though she reacts with far less self-recrimination than I would manage in her place. I think McFarlane exposes the situation, and the issues it raises, with sensitivity.

The problem for me in Between Us is that I think Roisin’s experience with Joe doesn’t really provide a natural segue straight into a new romance. While I came to like Matt, and understood the basis for their connection, for me their burgeoning relationship didn’t have the sense of inevitability that is present between the couples in McFarlane’s previous novels, and the balance between the romance and angst wasn’t there.

McFarlane’s knack for portraying an authentic dynamic amongst longtime friends is here however. Though there are some obvious growing pains and stress points in the group, and between individuals, there is also genuine affection and the friendships, characterised by witty banter and warm support, offer relief from the novel’s darker elements.

While I didn’t get what I wanted from Between Us, McFarlane’s writing is strong enough it didn’t ever occur to me to put the book down. I was invested in Roisin being able to move on, but I missed the connection to the romance that I’ve usually found in McFarlane’s books.

*I had to go Google how to correctly pronounce Roisin in my head 😁 Lemme save you the trouble, it's Row-sheen! And it means Little Rose 🌹 You're welcome!!!

I was so into this book! Loved it's progression. I was totally with Sheen from the get go. Her process, disbelief and growth.

She's been with one man for ten years and now he's a rising star 🌟 and acts like his 💩 don't stink, ignores her, belittles her and is generally a snarky, over-grown, mean boy. Then his latest TV series comes out and we realize he's put personal, traumatic childhood experiences of Sheen in the series which opens Sheen's eyes to the fact that other disturbing things in there may also be true! And it's all downhill from there, her seemingly perfect life unravels.

*Arc provided by publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

*Netgalley (but also purchased)

Between Us is the latest release from Mhairi McFarlane, someone who has become one of my favourite authors over the past few years.

In this book, we meet purple-haired Roisin, who has been in a relationship with filmmaker Joe for several years. Recently, she feels like something's wrong between them, and she's not entirely sure how to address it, choosing to enjoy a weekend away with their closest friends - Dev, Anita, Gina, Meredith and Matt.

When the gang settle in to watch the first episode of Joe's new series, "Hunter", Roisin quickly realises that he has taken more than a little inspiration from some very personal stories she has told him. Will they be able to come back from this huge betrayal? Or more importantly, should they?!

I really enjoyed this book, I thought Roisin was a brilliant lead character and I felt like I got to really know her. I loved the scenes in the family pub with her mother, I thought Lorraine was such a great character who brought some fantastic comic relief to the scenes she was in.

With a reference or two to satisfy the Swifties, some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments, parts that made me cry, and a love interest that I wanted to swoon over, this won't disappoint for fans of this author or anyone who enjoys a good rom-com drama.

I'd also recommend it for fans of Marian Keyes, Beth O'Leary, Emily Henry or Jojo Moyes.

Thank you kindly to @harpercollinsuk for the ARC via @netgalley, I did purchase a copy for myself on publication day too.

#sharonreadthis #sharonreadbetweenus #betweenus #irishbookstagram #irishbooksta

This was a last-minute arc request as I saw the new release and didn't know it was on Netgalley. I was waiting to buy it for release and I'm so glad I didn't wait, this was so good. I love Mhairi McFarlane's writing and books so much. They are always filled with real-life scenarios that don't feel far-fetched like some books. This one didn't disappoint, and I've never read 400 pages so fast. I was up at 6 am reading the last 40% because Roisin's story, life, and Mhairi's writing had me wanting to find out what was going to happen. Although this isn't a 5 star for me it's still a favourite, at the start I felt a little bored but I know Mhairi's writing at this point and knew we needed the backstory to get to the good bits. This is a fade to black sex scene book, but that doesn't bother me, I'm nearly 30 and think that this is the type of book I prefer. Real life, real things that can happen, and actual realistic conversations with an HOA. Thank you to Harper Collins for giving me the chance to read this for an honest opinion via NetGalley, I thoroughly enjoyed it.