I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience. Please disregard the star rating below.

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book! Unfortunately for me this was one I did not finish for various reasons

Fairly predictable rom com but it was still a good read that I enjoyed. But I do tend to love the ones that are hate to me more than others.

This was a beautiful book about friendship, self-development, grief and courage. Handled the serious matter of emotional abuse and the effects on victims while also being full of humor. I loved the side characters and wished I had a friend like Lorna.

I wouldn’t categorize this book as a romance novel though, and feel like the description of the book gave me a wrong expectation about what I was going to read. The romance part was way more of a sub-plot that supported Harriet’s journey as well as exploring the significance of friendship in romantic relationships as well. Friendship is a lot more central to the primary plot so if you’re not searching for a romance-centric read, I definitely recommend!

I enjoyed the character development and growth. Feel this is more women's fiction than romance and I appreciate the author's writing. Thank you for my copy.

I was not a fan of this book! It bored me to death and I struggled to get through it. The plot did not move whatsoever.

100% honest yo no disfrute este libro! Si me gustaron varias cosas pero yo no estuve interesada en lo que estaba pasando en el libro en mas de 85% de el. No me gusto como se desarrolló la historia, odio a los dos ex de la tipa con toda mi alma tan freaking manipuladores y malas personas y enserio que no se como ella puede elegir tantas malas relaciones y hombres. Odio a la ex mejor amiga y espero que ella enserio se arrepienta de todo lo que hizo y no tenga mas amigas en su vida. La parte del fb post was so cringe worthy que literalmente tuve que parar como 4 veces, pero la la parte de la boda fue chef kiss 💋 la única parte que disfrute del libro. Y este no es un libro de romance ella pasó más de 90% del libro sin nadie. Y no pienso decir más nada de este libro que enserio no entiendo como termine bye

This is another old ARC that I completely forgot about until my library turn came around for McFarlane’s new release and it popped up on the Kindle . . . so I gave it a read first. This is the story about Harriet – a wedding photographer who realizes she and her live-in beau are probably not meant to be, calls it quits with him and takes a flatshare with landlord Cal. Like this author’s other works it’s very chick-litty. Unlike her other stuff, I wasn’t totally on board with the plot.

I liked the self-realization of getting out of a toxic situation (whether romantic or “breaking up” with a friend who doesn’t have your best interest), but the whole storyline with trying to run an intervention with a complete stranger about her relationship with your ex – and moreso that you are surprised when things backfire – was just a bit much for me.

I’ll happily keep picking up whatever Mhairi McFarlane puts down, this simply wasn’t my cuppa . . .

This author is such a refreshing take on "rom coms" leaning much more into womens fiction and bringing up real topics! I think most of her books make great book club reads due to heavier discussion topics, but she also manages a lightness in her narration somehow with humor and unexpected reveals. Another hit!

My thanks to NetGalley for this digital ARC. This is my honest review.

This is my first Mhairi MCfarlane read and I will definitely be searching out more.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I went in expecting a tropey romance from the summary but what I got was a thoroughly lovely romance and a deeply moving, character focused book with so much character development and plot. So well done. The storytelling is brilliant. There are so many themes addressed here: love, self-acceptance, trauma, the power of friendship, found family.

Be warned that there are mentions of abusive and controlling relationships.

The writing was so good, effectively showing the tension and trauma of the bad relationships and the sweeter side of the roommates to friends to lovers part of the story. I liked that both MCs had come out of troubled relationships, not just the female MC. I think the coming out of abusive relationship arcs were well written. Finding love and trust after that also felt very believable.

I also appreciated the way some of the women supported each other and put friendship and caring first.

The toxicity of family members, enabler, the exes themselves, was well drawn and quite believable and recognizable. The reluctance to trust something new, something that feels too good to be true also felt honest.

Overall a good read, not a formulaic rom com. Good use of tropes and good character arcs.

My favorite thing about Mhairi Mcfarlane is that she is able to write a romance that isn't just a romance. The development and friendships of the side characters are just as important as the main hero in her novels. She is one of the most elegant writers and Mad About You is one of her best yet. I adored the slow-burn pace of this one and the found family aspect. How she discussed abusive relationships didn't make me want to cringe, which is what typically happens. I loved the ending, and she is still an auto-buy author for me. If you want a romance with a side of trauma. This is the one for you.


Tropes:
Forced Proximity
Slow burn
Found family

Warning:
Abusive relationships, gaslighting, cheating.

"Mad About You" by Mhairi McFarlane is a witty and engaging novel that explores themes of love, self-discovery, and the complexities of relationships. McFarlane's storytelling expertise shines as she crafts a tale of second chances, personal growth, and the ups and downs of modern romance. The book's relatable characters and humor-infused plot create an immersive reading experience that resonates with fans of both romance and women's fiction. McFarlane skillfully navigates the emotions of love, heartbreak, and the challenges of finding one's own path, adding depth to the narrative. "Mad About You" is a delightful reminder that life's twists and turns often lead to unexpected opportunities for both love and personal fulfillment, leaving readers with a smile and a sense of hope as they accompany the characters on their journey of rediscovery and emotional transformation.

This book wasn't what I was expecting. Not so much of a romance and i think this book is advertised as that. I did enjoy this book !

TW: Abuse, and gaslighting

I started reading this book under the assumption that this was a romance book fully, but I was proven wrong. While it does encompass many elements of a traditional romance story, it is much more. It covers insecurities and the struggles of being an independent career women in this modern era.

MCFARLANE ALWAYS DOES IT! I’m so thankful to NetGalley for continuing to send me her releases because I love everything that she writes. This is women’s fiction with a romantic element and that must be understood before going into McFarlane’s books. Be prepared for your emotions to spin, because that is a must in any of her books.

First big thanks to Avon and Harper voyager, Mhairi McFarlane, and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for my fair and honest review.

This isn’t particularly a romance, more of a drama/therapy session with a romantic HEA finisher, but I have to say I really enjoyed the ride which is why I gave it 4 stars.

The main characters are navigating the fallout of old relationships, and dealing with past trauma and baggage, all while getting to know one another.

Fair warning this book covers emotionally abusive relationships, but as someone who has suffered and comes out of such an experience, I felt McFarlane’s treatment of the topic was well thought out, authentic, and healing for any reader. You really feel the struggle that Harriet goes through in trying to come to terms with her former trauma and dealing with her current breakup.

I found the connection between Cal and Harriet to be charming, and honest, but it did feel like a smaller side plot. I really wanted more interaction between them because I felt their chemistry was amazing and loved their communication.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Publishing for a copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I am pretty sure this was my first book by this author, and it was quite the interesting start to her work. This is a romance book, but it wasn’t a romance book. This book was more about the relationships between the characters, the character development, and the secrets that they held. Harriet, the main character, is an anti-commitment wedding planner, in a long-term relationship that she doesn’t care about, and trauma/abuse history that she has buried down & is ignoring. The male lead is Cal, who is pro-love/pro-wedding, but is single after his wedding is called off and is trying to find his way back to what he wants. The unlikely duo ends up living in the same place (Cal rents a room to Harriet), and secrets start to be uncovered, and they seem more deeply connected than was originally thought. This book is women’s fiction, not romance, and the difference is subtle but there. It is deeply about the character interactions/relationships and their development and not so much about the romance. One of the main things I thought of with this book is that it feels very much like the miscommunication trope, and that if people just talked about their feelings/problems, so much would have been resolved. I don’t know how I feel about this book overall, but I think I would be open to reading other things this author has…. maybe. This just might not be for me and that is okay. If you like very realistic, character heavy books, this is good for you, and I recommend you pick it up.

My first by this author and won’t be my last! The writing was smart and the characters were amazing! The tension, chemistry, banter! All of it was spot on!!

Mad About You highlights so many important topics inside it while still containing a relationship you can root for despite all of the obstacles facing them. However, romance is not the entire focus of this book, instead the development of the characters which is just as important. MM has a phenomenal way of piecing words and sentences together to create a book that is worth the purchase and worth the read. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

While the book holds its own, it does not match the cover or title. I appreciate the arc that this story had, focusing on the toxicity of some relationships and examining how those function. The title is a tongue-in-cheek reflection of how people do sometimes go a bit "mad" when it comes to relationships, but the romantic connotation of the phrase paired with the pastel, rom-com cover feels like false advertisement. It's an interesting story that definitely deserves to sit at the table, but the overall presentation is confusing.