I’ve read other books by this author and enjoyed them but this book just wasn’t good. Roisin wasn’t a bad FMC but I didn’t connect with her and she felt pretty flat. Her personality was that she didn’t trust her boyfriend after he did something to break her trust. I liked the use of a screenwriter, but a show about a psychopath named Justin (written by Joe) who speaks directly to the audience isn’t exactly original. The entire plot felt like it was trying to figure more out about Joe and then threw in some lifelong best friends, a weird mom, and a carefree man and wrapped it up. The ending was well done but the entire middle took too long and had way too many unnecessary conversations and details. Technically it’s well-written overall, but just not enjoyable to read. 3⭐️, 0.5🌶

Roisin and Joe have been dating for years. Now, Joe's stardom is rising with the new show he wrote. But when Roisin watches the story of a cheating PI and sees that Joe took some things from her life to write into the show, she wonders if all of it may be true.

This was a good one that just started out slow for me. The real plot doesn't get started until about a tired of the way in. Before that you get a lot of background on the friend group. I wasn't sure all of that was needed to tell this story.

I liked Roisin and Matt a lot and found myself wanting to really only read more about them. The way they come together was very natural. I also disliked Joe, which was good since he was the villain of the story. There was one storyline that I was a little iffy on but by the end, I was somewhat okay with...

Overall, interesting characters, just a bit slow at times but the pay off was worth it.

Character driven view of relationships between friends and lovers.

Roisin and Joe and their quirky friends spend a weekend at a rental house to celebrate lots of things - birthday, engagement and Joe's new TV show.

Roisin and Joe are on the rocks but haven't told their friends and the dynamic between all of the friends is so well explored. There's crushes, animosity & love between all of them.

Joe is a screenwriter whose new show is airing while they are at the house, and Roisin notices so many similarities to things she has shared with him - in private! This is her last straw and they break up. It opens her eyes to everything in the past 10 years.

Roisin returns to the pub/house she grew up in and helps her mother run the place. She watches the show, helps her mom through some health struggles and Matt is there through it all.


So very British which I loved!

Synopsis: Roisin and Joe's relationship has grown stale. When Joe's latest TV show unsettles Roisin, she has to get to the truth of the man she has dated for the last decade.

Favorite quote: "Hopefully one day Gina will find herself indifferent to his WASPy erotic power and we can have him back."

My take: Mhairi McFarlane is such a fab writer. This book veered more into women's fiction than contemporary romance, similar to my last read from her, Mad About You (which I also loved). I don't want to say too much about the plot. It took me a while to get into the book, but I was invested by the 33% mark. From the 50% mark forward, I was utterly hooked and ripped through the rest of the story. It was easy to root for Roisin - she was witty and kind and feeling lost. Her doubt about her partner was relatable; we have all been in a situation where we wonder whether we have misjudged someone. Pick this one up if you love romance and complicated relationship dynamics - both romantic and platonic.

Roisin, her boyfriend Joe, and their tight-knit group of friends head to the countryside for a weekend of merriment, culminating in the premier of Joe's new television show. A few mishaps arise, causing tension in the group, but things really come to a head when Roisin discovers that Joe used secrets she shared with him in confidence as inspiration for his TV script. She begins to question the nature of their relationship just in time for her mother to call her back home to help with the family pub. The space from Joe feels necessary as Roisin tries to discern what other details in Joe's show might also be reality. At home, Roisin tries to reconnect with her dysfunctional family but the unexpected help she receives from an old friend might just be the answer to all her woes.

This was my first foray into Mhairi McFarlane's work and I was delighted by the keen wit of her writing. While the beginning started off a tad slow, I was fully invested once the drama picked up. The short chapters and their engaging cliffhangers had me feverishly flipping pages to see what was going to happen next. Being inside Roisin's head as she overanalyzed her relationships evoked some truly laugh out loud moments. The friend group (affectionally nicknamed The Brian Club) at the center of the novel was full of robust characters who I could envision clearly. There were also really great moments of women supporting women (one in particular towards the end that was beautifully handled) and I loved seeing how these complex characters navigated difficult conversations.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I have never picked up a book and known I would like it within the first ten pages, but this had me hooked!

Roisin (pronounced Row-Sheen, I had to look it up), the MC of this book, was SO relatable to me. She’s in her 30s and unsure about her relationship, has moments of doubt in her job, and comes from a fractured home. I really appreciate books that talk about how characters grew up, especially if it’s not “typical” as I think it adds depth and realness to the story.

This had a bit of a mystery aspect to it and I think that’s one of the reasons I enjoyed reading it so much. I also love the friend group and how they handled conflict – it just seemed so real to me and I hugely enjoy that. Meatball the cat was also a star character. If you enjoy Emily Henry, you should definitely pick up this read!

Thank you Avon and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Roisin Water is a school teacher and has been with current boyfriend Joe for over ten years. He is a script writer and they gather with friends to watch his latest tv detective show. She is dismayed to see cheating and gaslighting of the main character on screen but things come to head when he is using her personal drama and secrets for scripts. It causes her to question Joe’s own fidelity and faithfulness. This veers into women’s fiction as the focus is on failure of a relationship.

I love some of the clever lines and the very Britishness of the writing but at times this was slow going. The friend group of the Brain Club feels realistic and adds a lot to the story. They all worked together years before but now seem to be drifting apart. It is hard to call this a romance when a lot of the book is about a failed relationship. But enter Matt who finally gives you a reason to hope for a HEA. I also loved her wacky mother although not sure how realistic she is.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving an honest review. (3.5 Stars)

I enjoyed how this book explored healing after toxic relationship and family issues. This book is so much more than a romcom! The character development was really good! I was so invested in their relationship and I was so emotional during certain parts that I won't get into because of spoilers. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more from this author!

4..5 ⭐️’s

So appreciative of the ARC of Mhairi McFarlane’s new book, Between Us. It’s more than just.a romance with a HEA, it’s also a story of understanding yourself; trusting your gut; valuing what true friendship is; and appreciating your family for who they are.

Mhairi writes such real characters - where you truly feel everything that they are going through and this book was done so wonderfully. Life can be complicated and sometimes when you’re in the heart of it - you really can’t see the whole picture - Mhairi conveys this so well.

What I love best - the eloquence in her writing and the true humor in which she writes - I want to be friends with her characters - their sense of humor, their friendship bonds, it’s so real and just my favorite type of read.

Chef’s kiss!

Love it!!!
Mhairi McFarlane writes amazing book!!

Thank you soooooo much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

When her TV writer partner’s new show airs, Roisin notices scenes that seem familiar. Scenes that seem based on stories that she told him in confidence. As Roisin questions more and more about this person who has been a staple in her life for so long, she begins to learn that not everything is as is appears.

Let’s talk about Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane. These characters are insufferable in the best of ways. We begin the story and as these characters are spending time together, you kind of begin to hate them. Everyone comes off as self absorbed, but as the story progresses and more is revealed, the characters, their personalities, and their motivations all make sense to the point you just love them. While the story has a fairly slow pace, I could not put it down and just had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. I think it also helped that the chapters were fairly short. The best part of this book is seeing a new relationship begin to develop in a way that’s so natural until is just hits you like a brick and you can’t help but say to yourself “how did I not see this?!”

The writing was engaging, but I think the only tough part was for me, as an American, there were some references and phrasing that I was not familiar with and had to look up. In the end, I did not have trouble understanding this story. This book was such a fun read and is great if you are looking for a lighthearted mystery with some cute romance,

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Between Us comes out August 8th!

Thank you to netgalley and Avon

DNF @ 15%

I'm to the point where I don't want to force myself through books if I'm just not clicking with them or enjoying them. There was nothing extremely wrong with this book but I was 15% into a romance and there was no hint of romance or even a spark between the FMC and Love interest but she was still with her boyfriend she doesn't end up with. I just didn't feel like continuing it when I wasn't enjoying it. I'm not into super slow romances as someone who reads mainly romance.

3.5⭐️

This is my first book by this author and I have heard nothing but good things about her writing. It took me a while to get into this book and I struggled to finish it. I didn’t really connect with Roisin but I did feel for her and the way that Joe treated her and their relationship. I I wish there had been more of Roisin and Matt’s relationship and less of the relationship that was over. I understand the need for some of the insides of Roisin’s relationship with Joe but I was wanting more romance. Overall it was an okay read and I do look forward to more from this author.

This was the first book I've read by McFarlane, so I had no expectations going in.

There were some pacing issues that made this read a bit of a struggle. It was really slow, and I had a hard time getting into the plot. Additionally, the characters were a bit irritating. It's like there was nothing redeeming about any of them, so it got really tiring. There are instances of gaslighting, manipulation, dysfunction, and the FMC is in a really unhealthy relationship that she FINALLY gets out of just before insta-falling into love with someone else. This just wasn't my scene.

The perfect summer beach read -- smart and engaging. As the main character, Roisin, says in an early chapter, "Perhaps that was the magic of any holiday: it lifted you out of the familiar and gave you a brief aerial view of your life in progress. It made you confront your world's smallness in the vastness of opportunity."

A number of reviewers have been disappointed in this offering from McFarlane for not delivering her typical contemporary romance, but the strength of BETWEEN US is its exploration of the ways in which women's identities are intertwined with their friendships and romances. When you learn that those you love aren't who you thought they were, what happens to your own sense of self?

Although the novel begins slowly, it's not long before it's a page-turner. Roisin's friend group, formed when they were early-adults, is a strong ensemble of secondary characters, quirky and endearing. But can those friendships endure life choices that result in different values, incomes, and life styles? The novel's mystery and depiction of gas-lighting are compelling, and its romance is interwoven with Roisin's journey to a healthier self-understanding.

This is a fun and beautiful read, I loved it.
This book tells us the story of Roisie and Joe and their group of friends, they meet one weekend for various celebrations, but as the weekend goes by everything becomes a mess. I loved the friendship of the group, the way the author combines mystery and romance and how the plot unfolds, the romance is top notch, so hilarious and sexy.
You definitely don't want to miss this story, it's entertaining, funny and had me hooked from start to finish.

I was so right to be excited about Between Us! I was practically foaming at the mouth when I could read it.

When Roisin and Joe join their friends at a country club house for a birthday/engagement/TV Show Premiere Party tension rises as Roisin questions her relationship. As they watch her boyfriend Joe’s new TV drama she realizes the private things that should have been between them are now shared on the big screen. It begs the question, what other things on the show are inspired by true events?

The beginning of this story was a bit slow for me in terms of investment in the characters. However, sure enough, I gained more and more interest as Roisin and Joe’s relationship was shown and the dynamic between the friendships was displayed. Soon enough, I could not move from my pillow nest because I couldn’t put the book down!!

McFarlane has a real talent for making her characters seem so relatable and human that I found myself invested in not only Roisin but also our side characters. I wish I had even more time to spend with the characters in the group, especially as we navigate the complexities of romantic feelings between friends.

At a certain point, I did fear that Joe’s characterization was going to come off cartoonish in terms of his betrayal but instead, I empathize with Roisin as she navigated the mind games he played. Unfortunately being someone who has dated someone like Joe, I felt the nauseating anxiety and self-doubt that Roisin experienced as she jumped through hoops to figure out if she was doing the right thing by ending her 10-year relationship. 

While including dashes of romance, this novel leans heavily on the fiction side in that the romance does not take center stage and I am glad for it. I loved the reflection on family dynamics, womanhood, and the importance of having a place within a family or community. As a result, we get an often funny, reflective, and entertainingly chaotic exploration of a woman finding herself by unraveling the past.

This story was very entertaining. It kept me guessing what was really going on, and wondering how trustworthy Joe was as a character. Roisin has had a lot of history with Joe as they’ve been together forever, so she would know these things, right? As more is revealed on Joe’s show, what actually happened, and what was made up? Roisin is determined to find the lines between truth and fiction, and nothing is going to stop her. She is a character I rooted for, as she learned more about herself and what is important to her in her life, as well as in her relationships. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 stars)

Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane takes readers on an engaging journey through the life of Roisin, a complex and relatable protagonist. The novel's strength lies in Roisin's internal dialogue, a genuine portrayal of her struggles, insecurities, and aspirations. McFarlane masterfully delves into the depths of Roisin's mind, making her a truly authentic character. However, while her internal reflections were clever (and brilliantly British), I hoped for more external expression of her thoughts and feelings. Giving voice to her internal struggles in her interactions with others would have enriched the narrative and added an extra layer of depth to her character.

The plot heavily revolves around Roisin's toxic relationship, which becomes somewhat overwhelming as the story progresses. Though probably intended to illustrate Roisin's challenges and growth, it often overshadowed other potential plotlines. Additionally, Roisin's relationship with her friends, despite them being her "family," seemed shallow at times, and held the potential to unravel additional layers of her character and provide a refreshing perspective on her personal struggles.

Despite these reservations, Between Us retains its charm with McFarlane's engaging writing style and a cast of memorable supporting characters. The book captivates through its emotional depth and relatable themes (insecurity, cheating in the modern age, finding new love!). Fans of character-driven narratives will appreciate Roisin's journey, her internal struggles, and the glimpses of her potential for growth. Overall, Between Us is a compelling tale of self-discovery and personal transformation, making it a worthwhile read for those who enjoy stories that explore the complexities of the human heart and mind.

Thank you, Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of Between Us.

I enjoyed this novel. It was nice to see how a friend group bands together to help out when one is down on their luck. This was my first novel by Mhairi McFarlane, and I liked it. I found myself yelling at our MC to dump that loser gaslighter; I was rooting for our MC to open her eyes to the friend that should be more than just a friend; and I was hoping that Roisin could continue to build her friendships while still moving forward in her own way.

Roisin and Joe are on a weekend getaway with their friend group. The weekend is filled with fun as they celebrate a birthday, an engagement, and Joe's new TV show that he wrote. Roisin and Joe seem to be on shaky ground, but their relationship really jumps the shark when Roisin sees that private things that she has told Joe about her past have become fodder for his TV show. She's also left wondering which other parts of the TV show are rooted in truth such as the MCs infidelity. As their relationship crumbles, Roisin steps back to help her mother out at the family's pub and catch up with one of the members of the friend group. Roisin will need to find out what she wants in her life and what she's willing to sacrifice to get it.