I’m a fan of Mhairi McFarlane’s books, she writes fun romcoms that I really enjoy. This book is a little more serious, because the FMC named Roisin is being gaslighted by her 9 year boyfriend Joe, who uses embarrassing situations from her real life in his popular TV show.

It’s his first success, and as he gets more well known his behavior towards her gets even worse. Roisin realizes that the tough, uncaring persona of his TV show is based more on Joe’s personality than she had realized.

Fortunately she has a group of longtime friends to support her, and after Joe is out of her life she acknowledges the attraction between herself and another member of the group, Matt.

I liked the way the toxic relationship was addressed in the book, it will be familiar to anyone who has been in a similar situation. 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars

Between Us is another heartfelt romance from Mhairi McFarlane. It follows Roisin, a woman whose life unravels after her boyfriend uses their relationship as material in his new show. She flees the chaos and returns home to help run her family’s pub. Things do not settle down as her dysfunctional family creates more drama and Roisin is left with questions about how much truth is in her ex’s show. However, an old friend may provide some comfort.

This was a very character-driven story and I loved Roisin. I wanted a bit more romance, but I loved the chaos and drama of the story. McFarlane always has a sharp wit that helps with the heartbreak of her stories. Another great story from a reliable author.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Between Us is Mhairi McFarlane’s newest stand-alone Women’s Fiction/Romance novel. It’s a relationship-ending and new beginnings type of story featuring a six-member friends’ group.

The story opens with precocious 12-year-old Roison Walters spying on her parents during one of their parties and discovering that they are swingers. She overhears her mother’s best friends discussing her accidental pregnancy from a liaison and subsequent abortion. Roison is devastated by what she learns.

Fast forward 20 years later and Roison is a tenth-year English teacher struggling to reign in her students at the end of the school term. She is attempting to lecture on Great Expectations while her students want to discuss her “husband’s” new TV show. Roison has been with her writer boyfriend, Joe Powell, for nine years and he has just found success within the past three years as a TV screenwriter.

Roison and Joe’s friend group, the Brian Club, was established 10 years ago when they all worked at a bookstore and were harassed by a deranged co-worker named Brian. Dev Dosh was the bookstore manager but later found fame and wealth as a reality TV star; now he owns a successful media consultancy business and wants to pay for the group’s travel adventures. He is engaged to Anita, who is a make-up artist for Asians. Gina does public relations for a university and has had unrequited feelings for Matt which prevent her from pursuing any other relationships. Meredith is Gina’s lesbian housemate and is the calming influence of the group; she provides really good advice to the others. Matt McKenzie is the wealthy, handsome charmer of the group who works in sales for a wine merchant. Joe has always resented Matt and constantly makes derogatory remarks about him and his bachelor lifestyle.

Dev hosts the Brian Club at an English country estate named Benbarrow Hall to celebrate his and Anita’s engagement, Gina’s birthday, and the debut of Joe’s new TV show. But as the weekend unfolds, tensions come to light in the group and Roisin begins to question her own relationship. When they watch the first episode of Joe’s drama, she is devastated to recognize a scene from her childhood being acted out on-screen. She told Joe things in confidence and feels betrayed by him. Matt accidentally walks in on Gina naked, and winds up leaving the castle early and cutting off contact from the other members of the Brian Club.

When Joe returns to Hollywood to work on the show, Roison talks to Gina and Meredith about Joe’s betrayal and her fear that the lead character is based on Joe’s past actions and/or fantasies. Roisin’s mom guilt-trips her into coming home to work in her pub while she is off for summer break. Roison is scared to watch more episodes of Joe’s drama, and she wrestles over whether she should break up with him. Matt winds up helping Roison by playing detective and working at her mom’s pub after he gets let go from his job.

Between Us is really not a romance, more of a women’s fiction tale. I was disappointed because I thought Between Us would be a romantic comedy when it was more of a relationship drama. As long as the reader understands its genre, it will be enjoyed due to the excellent writing and plot. The female characters are very engaging and I found myself engrossed in the mystery of whether or not Joe was gaslighting Roison. The other characters in the book really admired and respected Roison but she seemed to me to be a doormat. There were times where I really wanted to slap her and say, “stand up for yourself!” and “take his money, you dummy!”.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What would you do if the person who is supposed to love you most, not only treats you and everyone around you with disdain, but actually reveals extremely personal emotional trauma to the world? This book is about relationships, specifically how they change and grow over the years. Is what you wanted in your early 20's still relevant in your 30's? An intriguing look at how friends grow and merge together or apart. The author did a good job of bringing these relationships to life and looking at them closely then evaluating what worked and what doesn't. It's a good read, but does drag a bit in parts and you will definitely either love the characters or hate them, sometimes both at the same time. Kudos to the author for dragging strong emotional response to the characters out of the reader and making you engage with the characters and events unfolding on the page.

I’ve read a few books by Mhairi McFarlane in the past and I’ll say if you usually enjoy her writing you will also enjoy Between Us. I’d classify this as less of a romance and more of a contemporary fiction with a side of romance, though there is plenty of drama here - I was so invested that I read the whole book in one day.

The main story follows Roisin and her group of friends, The Brian Club, as they get together for a weekend to celebrate a series of major life events. Things quickly go off the rails and from that weekend on Roisin’s life and the whole group dynamic completely changes after ten years of friendship.

I really loved how Roisin followed her gut when it came to her suspicions about Joe. I loved her relationships with her friends, especially Gina and Meredith. They really felt like a solid friend group who were there for one another, no judgements or questions asked. It was refreshing to see that with a group who have been friends for so long. I wish we had been able to see more of the group’s backstory as I felt the romance in the second half of the novel kind of came out of nowhere.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for an advance copy.

Roisin and Joe have been together for ten years. They met in a bookshop, and formed a friend group called the Brian Club. The Club is now getting together to celebrate ten years of friendship, an upcoming wedding, and the premiere of the new show Joe’s written. The show hits a little too close to home for Roisin when she sees scenes play out that mirror things she told Joe in confidence. This is the last straw for their already strained relationship, and Roisin decides to end it despite what it might do to their friend group. The group is already strained as well due to secret crushes and old jealousies, so what will this mean for all of them? Mhairi McFarlane is great at writing friend groups. In fact, this book would’ve been better if it focused more on the friends instead of Roisin’s focus on Joe’s behavior. Her hyper fixation is justified, but it was too drawn out. This book felt like it could have been three separate books, one about the friend group as a whole, another about Roisin helping her Mom at her bar, and the third about Roisin’s past and new budding relationships. Instead, the reader is left with these great storylines that aren’t as fleshed out as they could be. Ultimately, this was a good read, but with some more pages, could have been great.

This was a quick and easy read! Solid 3.5 stars. I really enjoyed the female main character, Rosin, and her group of friends. Some parts of the story fell a little flat for me but the witty banter and character development was a plus! Still would recommend to readers

'Between Us' tells the story of Roisin, a British high school teacher in a long-term relationship with Joe, a television writer whose star is on the rise. Their relationship has staled and stagnated over the years, and Roisin is unsure whether to put in more effort or call it quits... that is, until scenes in Joe's new television series echo their reality in such a way that Roisin questions whether he's ever been worthy of her trust. With the help and support of her longtime friends, Gina, Meredith, and Matt, a handsome playboy with surprising depths, Roisin takes time and makes efforts to suss out the extent of Joe's duplicity, if any there is. She's on a journey to discover whether she's ready to trust again, both herself and anyone else.

I'm a big Mhairi McFarlane fan, and this book is mostly really pretty good. Now for the nitpicking: This novel lines right up with many of McFarlane's usual themes, but isn't among her best. The romance is delightful, but it doesn't get enough real estate and its central conflict is resolved too easily. The time we spend with Roisin outside her romantic plot drags somewhat, partly because this novel lacks some of the comedy at which McFarlane usually excels. In the end, we're rooting for the characters and happy to see the good guys win and the bad guys get their comeuppance. I definitely enjoyed the read, but when I reach for a Mhairi McFarlane classic, 'Between Us' won't be it.

Many thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the eARC.

I am absolutely obsessed with Mhairi McFarlane's books. Between Us was one of my most anticipated reads this year. So you can imagine my absolute elation when a physical copy landed in my hands -- although TBH, I would have also purchased anyways. This falls along the lines of what used to be called women's fiction. Between Us follows Roisin who has this amazing group of long term friends called the Brian Club after a shared retail work experience. The group is celebrating the engagement of one of the members and capping off the weekend together screening Joe's new show. Joe is a screenwriter and Roisin's boyfriend. As it turns out though, Joe's show reveals something that Roisin told him in confidence. And so, she sees threads of other real life things. They break up and Roisin returns home to help her mom run a pub. Support comes to Roisin from an old, unexpected friend.

McFarlane has such a talent for writing relationships, friendships and the beginning of something new from unexpected quarter. Between Us is the third book I've read by McFarlane and I have noticed some common themes between the three books. Namely that something bad happens to the main character and that a relationship happens, but from someone unexpected and it is a long slow burn. However, as my previous experience proves, the payoff is immense. I love a slow burn and longing. So, this book was absolutely perfect for me. If you are a fan of Emily Henry, I think that you will really enjoy picking up Mhairi McFarlane's books. As for me, I have a few of her backlist to read through but I am also going to be on pins and needles for the next book.

4.5 stars.

The vibes.
- mystery plot
- large friends group
- Found family
- Unexpected journey

My thoughts:
When I jumped into this novel- I came into it hoping it would be similar to previous Mhairi books I’ve read. It did not disappoint! Mhairi delivers on drama, twists and turns, comedy, and a really complex story. There’s romance but definitely not the focus.
I really enjoyed this one. It felt really cozy and I was so intrigued the entire time. I really recommend it if you’re looking for a more interesting plot type of romance.

Releasing august 8.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Mhairi McFarlane, and Avon and Harper Voyager for the copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


*note- posted on bookbub, Instagram, goodreads, and barnes and noble. Links provided. Will be posted on Amazon after release date when Amazon allows me to.

This is a contemporary fiction with a rollercoaster ride of different emotions in it. The book focuses on the lead character, Roisin who is in a toxic relationship and he boyfriend uses their own relationship inspiration for his new television show which leaves her devastated as the things she shared with him in private are all out to the public.
She tries to get over this heartbreak by escaping from the drama but will she be able to escape in actual? Will she be able to find the type of love she deserves?
The author has written down the an very interesting emotional story of a girl healing up from an toxic relationship and getting over it with amazing set of side characters and scenarios involved in it. The narration of the book is so smooth and easy that the readers are able to enjoy the spirit of the book. Each character shines throughout the book as the author has well potraited each and every character. The book is being layered nicely with the situation and incidents that were quite interesting to read. The characters in the plot kept me hooked till the end. Each has been given sufficient scope to contribute to the plot. The language used is lucid.

I've read previous works from McFarlane and liked how she delved into toxic relationships. In this book, Roisin's boyfriend Joe created a tv show that highlights things that were supposed to be private between the two of them. She is understandably upset and leaves the vacation that they are on with friends to go home and work at her family's pub. Then Nate, her old friend, shows back up in her life and is there for her.

In this book there is a lot of gaslighting happening from Joe and emotionally draining family dynamics. I didn't like how long the book stayed on this relationship. I feel like once the show aired the trust was broken. I wanted Rosie to have more time to rebuild her life and us as readers to really get to know Nate and Rosie as a pair. I think their relationship was really rushed and she jumped in very quickly.

if you want light and fluffy, this book isn't for you. There are trigger warnings, toxic relationships, and it digs deep into family issues & self growth.

This was a bit of a hard book for me to rate, tbh.

McFarlane is an excellent writer. Like, truly one of the best. Her stories are whip-smart and so, SO funny. I haven't laughed out loud at a book like this in a while. She writes an ensemble cast incredibly well and I honestly enjoyed reading this book for the quality of the writing alone.

But the plot was just kind of ??? for me? The pacing felt a little bit off and I wasn't really vibing with the story itself in the first half or so. It definitely picked up but it was overall just kind of an odd story and I'm not sure I bought Roisin's eventual relationship.

But like I said, fantastic, enjoyable writing and still worth a read!

A big thank you to Avon and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review! BETWEEN US is out 8/8/23!

To have spent 10 years with a guy to find out you didn't know him at all... This story really picked up with the viewing of Joe's new show - he betrayed Roisin and it made her question pretty much everything. Interesting read. The story really kept me involved and wanting to know the truths of the various characters.

Interesting conundrum in the relationship department🤔

The underlying premise in Between Us and the way the romantic issues ended up really made this book sing for me. The writing is good though a bit drawn out and, for an American reader, relies maybe too much on British cultural references and jargon. It's romantic but with virtually no heat or intimacy, which is an aspect I liked.

The main characters all belong to a small clique that have hung on to their friendship for the decade since they all worked together as young adults in a bookstore. The author actually mentions the movie Peter's Friends and this reminded me very much of that type of camaraderie, or, for American reference, maybe something like the characters in St. Elmo's Fire ten years on.

Joe, Roisin's long-term boyfriend, is something else! and I liked the sleuthing she undertakes to determine just how truthful he's been about his fidelity after he blindsided her with the content of his latest TV production. Roisin is definitely the central character and the story all comes out from her POV. I did not connect with her that well but found her conundrum realistic and her handling of things showed a maturity and strength, though she's not quite as adept at dealing with her own family. Matt, the bachelor in the group and a bit of an odd man out, I understood and sympathized with much better.

The author entertained me and, after a slower start, I really got interested in the outcome. Particularly when Matt becomes a bigger focus in the story.

Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

dnf @ 9%
i tried really hard but i felt like i was swimming in quicksand. i thought maybe once i got to the premise it'd be better but then i saw a review where that doesn't happen until a third through and i couldn't force myself to slog through it for that long. (also not the biggest fan of a teenage boy sexually harassing the main character, his teacher, and it's being played for laughs. like straight up everyone is laughing at him asking about her sex life and telling her to get an oil massage on her vacation.) i just know it would be three stars max and i could be reading books i enjoy more.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

BETWEEN US – Mhairi McFarlane
Avon
ISBN: 978-0-06-311799-0
August 8, 2023
Contemporary Fiction

England – Present Day

Schoolteacher Roisin Walters is spending the weekend with her group of friends at a country house outside London. Roisin’s longtime boyfriend Joe will be there, along with a newly engaged couple, Dev and Anita. Joe is celebrating the premiere of his newest tv show and the news that he is going to sign a deal for a new show in the United States. Things have been off between Joe and Roisin for a while, but this weekend’s trip finally has her realizing that maybe he hasn’t been truthful with her. Seems the protagonist of his “fictional” show has been sleeping with other women behind his girlfriend’s back. Meanwhile, another friend of the group, Matt, arrives with a hoity-toity new girlfriend who insists that all phones must be locked away. That is when Roisin recognizes the woman as a famous actress. To be clear, the weekend is turning into a disaster. By the time it ends, Roisin knows that she needs to break off with Joe, but how can she explain the reasons why with no proof?

BETWEEN US reads like an ensemble piece but it is told only from Roisin’s point of view. She has devoted ten years of her life to Joe, supporting him as he worked his way into writing success. He is now at the pinnacle of his career and Roisin is wondering if she was just someone that he used to get where he wanted. It is particularly embarrassing when she recognizes in the television show characters that not only resemble their friends, but situations. Including something that she told him in confidence which happened to her as a child. Joe brushes away her concerns as if trivial. That is when she lets him know that maybe it’s time that they go their separate ways. But Joe asks her to hold off announcing it. She agrees but soon realizes that he may be continuing to lie to her.

There are several characters in BETWEEN US that Roisin talks to, but it is Matt who Roisin turns to and confides in what is going on between her and Joe. He offers to help her. Joe has through the years made fun of Matt, who comes off as a bit of a playboy. But once Roisin finally gets to know him, she learns that he is kind and helpful. Will he help her get to the bottom of Joe’s lies? Will this group of friends stay together despite the breakup of one couple? Roisin is going through a lot of emotions in BETWEEN US. She had put up with a lot living with Joe and now he treats her like a piece of baggage to be tossed out as he moves on to his next adventure. He is more concerned about how things look to the public than about her feelings.

BETWEEN US plays like a drama and is an emotional journey for Roisin. Will she take the right path to a future filled with happiness? Find out the answer by grabbing a copy of this tale.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

I enjoyed this book but I did wish it focused less on the breakup. At first, I was fine with it but it felt like it dragged on and on. The romance itself was super cute! And I enjoyed the characters. Overall, I would recommend this book to fellow romance lovers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Mhairi McFarlane never fails to delight and Between Us is no exception.

On it's face, this book rests on a simple premise: Roisin and her boyfriend of 10 years, Joe, a screenwriter, are celebrating with friends at a country estate. When they watch the premier of Joe's new show, Roisin is horrified to discover that her very personal life details have been woven into the script. It calls into question everything she thought she new about her partner and shatters her trust in him.

And that's about it. Not much happens in the book other than relationship/friendship trials. If you're looking for an action heavy plot, you best look elsewhere. But oh my goodness you'd be missing one heck of a story. It's got it all--laughter and tears and the voice is unbelievably amazing. Every time I dip into a McFarlane book I think that she should give a master class on dialogue. Subjectively, this is something that can make or break a reading experience for me. Her words just flow effortlessly--filled with wit, charm, and heart. And her characters are so darn likable. Flawed, yet real. She could be writing about any one of us.

Many thanks to Avon Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book through NetGalley. It was an absolute pleasure and one that I'll certainly recommend.

Mhairi McFarlane has long been on my list of authors to read—I’ve seen so many rave reviews from readers I trust that I just knew I would love her work . . . and I was right!

Between Us is a lovely, compelling romance centered on Roisin Walters, a young woman who joins her boyfriend Joe and their long-time friends for a celebration at a luxurious weekend getaway. They’re going to celebrate the launch of Joe’s new show, their friend Dev’s engagement to Anita, and their friend Gina’s birthday, along with Meredith and Matt, the final two members of the group who first bonded when they worked together right out of college.

The weekend does not go as planned. The tension that has been simmering in Roisin and Joe’s relationship surfaces, prompted by the revelation that Joe has used some of Roisin’s family’s secrets on his show. Joe and Matt, who have never been the tightest friends, are sparring, and Matt fumbles through some horrific missteps with Gina, who has had a crush on him forever. It seems their friend group may not survive the weekend.

The novel focuses on the aftermath of the disastrous getaway, on Roisin’s attempts to avoid tension by returning to her hometown to help her mom with her family’s pub, as well as her desire to get to the bottom of Joe’s behavior . . . and on Matt’s valiant efforts to maintain a friendship with Roisin.

McFarlane brilliantly builds both a sense of what made this group so central to each character and also the ways that the years have changed the dynamics between the friends. Roisin is a strong central character whose complex relationships—with Joe, with her friends, and with her family—have shaped her into a compelling and compassionate woman who nevertheless expects to be treated with care and respect and honesty.

I love the way that Roisin and Matt’s friendship grows through the novel, the way that they work through the conflicts of the initial weekend and the challenges that occur as they contend with all that was uncovered. There’s a nuance throughout the novel that in no way took away from the romance. Between Us will definitely not be my last McFarlane novel!