When Leigh is accepted into a prestigious MFA program, the last person she expects to see is Will, her high school crush turned nemesis. The two have barely spoken since Will deemed her work “all style and no substance,” but when a coveted fellowship is on the line, Leigh must sort through her insecurities, and the return of that pesky crush on Will, to decide what she truly wants.

Katie Naymon crafts an introspective, lyrical gem with You Between the Lines. I am always happy when I find a debut I instantly connect with and such was the case with this novel. Naymon displays a deft ability to twist tropes with new perspective and the result is a tender-touched love story accentuated by gorgeous prose.

The romantic subtext in this book is EVERYTHING! There is so much yearning and flirting happening between the lines (as the title suggests) and I feel like I could do numerous rereads and catch new nuggets every single time. The prose often reads like poetry, every word intentionally placed to set the tone or drive a point home. The addition of Leigh’s actual poetry was striking and I stopped to dissect her work like I was in the seminar with her. It became a way for her and Will to communicate on common ground and there is something so swoony about the two of them using poetry to immortalize their feelings for one another.

Leigh is my soul character. Bogged down by imposter syndrome and insecurities of her own design, she is someone I think a lot of writers (myself included) will see themselves reflected in. Her arc was perfectly executed as we see her slowly come into her own and stop undervaluing her worth. The anxious, perfectionist, people pleaser in me felt very seen and I am grateful for the honest and realistic way these notions were represented. The conversation around mental health as a whole was incredibly important and I thought Naymon integrated these topics seamlessly into the story. It was cathartic watching Leigh and Will overcome their hurdles and it made their romance all the sweeter as they chose to prioritize their relationship.

With this lovely debut, Naymon proves she is one to watch and I am looking forward to seeing what she has in store for us next.

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Alexa play "Lakes" by Taylor Swift cause you'll be a poet after reading this book!

When Leigh is admitted to a prestigious MFA program, she's shocked as hell as she knows she doesn't belong here. To make things worse, her once crush-turned-nemesis, Will, turns out to be her classmate. Determined to prove him and herself that she belongs here, she's set on getting that fellowship that everyone wants. And so begins the take of the tortured poets.

I must say this book is nothing like other 2nd chance romance, or should I say 3rd chance romance. Leigh & Will's ran deep not just with other but also with their respective families. Over the course of these years they were stupidly in love but also stupid enough to think that weren't good enough.

I loved the mental health rep here & how deeply the MCs' inner turmoil was written. I definitely shed some tears over time. Instead of a "will-they-wont-they" situation, I thought it was more of "push-and-pull." They were on each other's orbit one way or another, but something was never right.

Deeply romantic & absorbing, this book was one of a kind.

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

Former sorority girl and avid Taylor Swift fan, Leigh is ready to prove to herself that she’s a “real writer” and deserving of the coveted fellowship amongst her highly competitive MFA cohort even if she writes pop culture poetry. She especially would love to prove her worth to her high school crush turned nemesis and current cohort member, Will, who once critiqued her writing as “all style, no substance”.

Between her insecurities brought out by comparing herself to her fellow students, dealing with her parent’s on going divorce, and her resurfaced crush on Will (who may have submitted a poem to workshop that is secretly all about her), Leigh must figure out how to ask for exactly what she wants and accept all that she deserves.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading You Between the Lines. Some will find Leigh’s persistent negative inner monologue and self-sabotage-as-a-defense-mechanism hard to tolerate, but I related to her character immensely. The will-they-won’t-they between Leigh and Will creates a needed tension. The relationship between the two is a slow burn and it was delightful to watch their connection grow over the school year. But for me, the real magic in You Between the Line is watching Leigh learn to like herself and to take up space.

Overall, this is a great debut novel from Katie Naymon that I definitely recommend!

Thanks to the publisher, Forever, and NetGalley for sending an eARC copy for review. All opinions are my own.

#YouBetweenTheLines #NetGalley

Thank you to netgalley and to the publisher! This book has everything I love - romance and two characters with their own passions/dreams. Our setting is at a MFA program in North Carolina where Leigh our fmc is beginning. To her surprise, her high school crush Will is also in the program. I absolutely loved how we got to read the poems and experience those emotions. Leigh was kind of whiny and did some contradicting things but I liked the overall story and romance.

I desperately wanted to love You Between the Lines. It felt like the perfect book for me, but unfortunately, I felt a huge disconnect from the story.

I have such conflicting feelings about Leigh. On the one hand, her character is messy and frustrating, and quite frankly, she is someone I relate to on certain things. But on the other, she began to annoy me with some things. I just wanted to shake her sometimes. I enjoyed her character to an extent, and I liked that she wasn't the standard "perfect" FMC, but sometimes the constant pity parties were a lot.

While I really liked Will, I felt like I didn't get to know his character a lot. In a way, I understand why that is. We were focusing on Leigh and seeing her come to terms with many things going on in her life, but being that this is a romance, I would've liked to see more from Will.

Speaking of the romance, I once again felt a disconnect between the characters. There was a lot more telling than showing between them, and once they finally got together, it seemed like the short time their relationship was shown was more spice than anything. This is not to say there were a lot of spicy scenes because there weren't, and any that did happen was towards the very end, but I felt like they were more deeply explored rather than the cute scenes between them going shopping or in the apartment.

Honestly, I just felt very wishy-washy while reading. There were things I liked, such as the writing and flow, but with the characters and romance, it felt like there was a wall between me and them. I'm not going to touch on the poetry because I couldn't really understand, but I'm not holding this against the book; it was still good even when I didn't know some of the literary stuff being discussed. This was a great debut novel, and I cannot wait to see what's to come from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for providing me with this ARC!

Review Title: A Poetic Premise That Misses the Mark

First, a huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of You Between the Lines! I was excited to dive into this one—an MFA setting, academic rivals with history, and poetry? Sign me up! Unfortunately, while the premise had promise, the execution left me more frustrated than swoony.

Let’s start with Leigh, our “former sorority girl” protagonist. Is that descriptor supposed to imply she’s not smart? Because… why? Why are we still acting like being in a sorority and being intelligent are mutually exclusive? Leigh spends the entire book insecure about her place in the MFA program, constantly questioning whether she belongs, and while impostor syndrome is real, it becomes exhausting when it feels like her personality is just self-doubt and Taylor Swift references.

Then we have William (formerly Will), her high school crush-turned-literary nemesis, who is the quintessential pretentious poet—sweater vests, Moleskine notebooks, and all. Their rivalry could have been electric, but instead, it’s built on a single comment he made in high school about her writing lacking substance. A comment that, years later, still fuels a one-sided grudge. When they finally start interacting, the tension isn’t sizzling—it’s just… there. And when William submits a deeply personal poem about Leigh to workshop, it’s treated as a grand romantic gesture rather than, you know, a weird invasion of privacy.

Beyond the romance, the story never fully embraces its MFA setting. There’s so much potential for witty banter, sharp critiques, and the kind of academic drama that makes this trope so fun, but instead, we get vague workshop scenes and a cast of side characters who barely register.

There are glimpses of strong writing here, and I can appreciate what the book wanted to be. But between the lackluster romance, a frustrating heroine, and a setting that felt underutilized, this one just didn’t work for me. Two stars for the concept and the poetry, but unfortunately, this wasn’t the love story I was hoping for.

Writer Leigh is off to North Carolina to complete her MFA program. What she doesn’t expect is for her high school classmate Will to be among the other writers in the program and competing for a coveted fellowship. With a lot of things left unsaid between them, Leigh and Will try to navigate their new adult relationship first as classmates and then as friends. They can’t hide the long held feelings that resurface between them, but will competing for the fellowship break Leigh and Will apart for second time?

With a realistic view of the life of a grad student as well as vulnerable, complex and compelling characters this slow burn romance is a love note to all the T Swit fans out there.

I really, really wanted to like this book. Intriguing premise, catchy title, adorable cover, plus an emotional rom-com = right up my alley. This book started out SO strong (the pumpkin patch scene?!!!?!? hello???!) but lost my attention a little before the halfway mark. While Will is a charmer and the years-long back story sets up a "will they, won't they" scenario quite well, Leigh reads as very stubborn and immature (and unfortunately, not self-aware). These traits cause some miscommunication between the pair, and, after a certain point, the whole relationship (from fights to spice) feels force. As the book went on, the plot dragged, and I was tired of both Will and Leigh by the end of it.

Will was strong enough of a love interest to raise the rating, and I did enjoy the premise -- this book just isn't my fave!

As someone who enjoys poetry but doesn't read a ton of it, I enjoyed the snippets of poems sprinkled throughout You Between the Lines and was not surprised to learn that the author has an MFA in poetry herself. I can't speak to the accuracy of going through an MFA program as depicted in this story, but it felt very real to me and I thought the characterization was done well as we are introduced to Leigh and follow her journey in the program alongside her one-time crush. As second-chance romances go, this was a very cute setup and I enjoyed Leigh and Will's back and forth, though it did tend to give me whiplash at times.

I am not rating this higher because being inside Leigh's head was exhausting for most of this book (coming from someone who deals with a lot of anxiety and people-pleasing like she does). I understand her judgmental tendencies combined with intense insecurities were part of her character journey, but I didn't feel we saw enough progress in her growth until the very end. By that point, I was so tense from feeling the depth of her anxiety throughout the book that it was hard to focus on her relationship with Will. Still, I think Naymon is a strong writer and this may appeal to readers who have experienced the complicated social dynamics of grad school and/or trying to pursue a career in the arts. Thank you very much to Forever for the arc!

Simply put - this is a romance readers dream 🩷 seriously stunned that this is Katie’s debut novel. Her writing is addicting in the best way. And the poetry she writes is SO good. It had me wanting to pick up a poetry book for the first time in a few years. An academic romance, mental health rep, rivals-to-lovers, and found family?! Plus so many other great tropes and micro tropes. I love Will and Leigh’s characters so much!! The YEARNING!! Ugh so romantic.

The character growth is just as great as the romance. Leigh is the ultimate people pleaser and has many insecurities that make her character extremely relatable. She craves nothing more than to be seen as a serious writer. Her journey with therapy was so well-written. I think many people will really connect with this book. Katie is an auto-buy author for me now and I honestly can’t wait to read whatever she writes next 🩷

I read this romance in less than 24 hours. The story really moved along quickly in my opinion and I felt very compelled by our main romance. I really enjoyed the college setting and if you’re on the hunt for something that’s slightly academic or something that follows the school calendar year - this checks the box! I especially loved depiction of fall in North Carolina. But of course we actually makes this romance sound so it for me is the fact that both of our love interests are in an MFA program and specifically in poetry and the author chooses to actually put in poetry by these two into the story! Honesty it has made me want to go out and look for a poetry collection to read! That’s how much I enjoyed reading the poems and especially the back-and-forth with them writing notes on each other’s poems and their work. It felt deeply romantic and really added intimacy.
I am a bit of a sucker for second chance romances and these two pined for each other in high school - always very much on each other‘s radar. They definitely were each other‘s biggest fans even though they didn’t know!

Our couple had a chance encounter when they are in college which leads to our female character bearing her feelings to our male main character BUT he doesn’t reciprocate! So when they bump into each other again , six years later at this MFA program hostility, tension and lingering feelings. I would say about the 50% or 60% mark they are dealing with the fact that their feelings for each other are very strong, but they both have such deep insecurities. Funny enough they kind of have same insecurity which is what makes them a perfect pairing. They both believe they’re not good enough. They admire each other so much but feel they will never be enough. I also especially enjoyed the commentary on her parent’s divorce and how that affects her perspective on long-term relationships. Our FMC thinks they’re ultimately not possible because the relationship that she held so dear is falling apart. I just love how they had to overcome this and grow. They really had to be vulnerable with each other and their true feelings and their insecurities

Lastly our epilogue wasn’t cheesy. While they did both finish the program, they didn’t have perfect poetry careers lined up. I’m so glad the author didn’t just make them have this perfect happily ever after. Instead showed the realities of having an MFA. I also love the full circle moment with her speaking to her poet idol and how her trajectory wasn’t linear either. So just overall I feel like it was a quick more serious romance with gorgeous tension and I’d be excited to read anything else of this author put out!

2025 is off to a STRONG start with 5-star reads 🥹


from the very first chapter, I could tell that this book was special. the author’s writing style, imagery, pop culture references, and use of/references to poetry and literary structures immediately hooked me and felt so fresh and unique.

I loved how fully developed the characters were throughout the story. I’m usually not one for the miscommunication trope, but I think it makes a lot of sense here and is just part of their growth journey. I related so deeply to Leigh for most of the book, which made this an extra special read for me.

The found family, mental health rep, well-written spice that flowed with the story, and believable relationships and plot made for one of my favorite romances I’ve ever read. I can’t wait to read every single thing this author ever writes!!!


Thank you to so so much to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing the ARC.

This book was a really nice surprise. I was expecting it to be more of a rom-com with a focus on the rivals to lovers between Leigh and Will. While that is certainly part of it, the story really captures one woman's journey overcoming her deep-seated insecurities to be the best possible writer she can and to have a relationship with the best possible partner.

Leigh is deeply relatable, especially for anyone who might be a recovering people pleaser. The imposter syndrome is strong with her and it takes a lot of her world crumbling down before she is able to fully start working on getting better. She is frustrating and imperfect and i love her all the more because of it.

This book is truly a gem and is not to be missed.

My sincere thanks to Forever and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon. I give my unbiased opinion of it in the following review.

Leigh and Will have been accepted into a graduate program where they will be studying creative writing, specifically poetry. They knew each other in high school and were kind of poetry rivals. Anyway, they are going to be in this program together for two years. How long will it take before they admit they really admire each other and go from crush to more?

This was a unique idea for a romance. The graduate program setting was interesting, and it was fun to read about how the different personalities in the program bonded and became a family of sorts. I really liked the beginning back story and the initial start of their time in North Carolina, but I got bogged down in the middle of the book and wasn't enjoying it as much. I'm not that much of a poetry person, so that might have been part of it. I was also not enjoying Leigh and her attitude. The ending was good, but I wasn't as invested at that point. I will definitely recommend this book to those I think will enjoy it even though it wasn't quite what I was looking for.

You know how sometimes you can tell when you and a book/an author’s writing just click? That was me with You Between the Lines. Katie Naymon’s debut already got my attention with the description (poetry and romance? A classic), as I’ve always had a soft spot for poetry from the days of poetry units in lit classes (thinking back to Shel Silverstein in elementary school and all the fun rhymes and patterns of other poems since), and I love the freedom of writing poems.

And then when I started reading YBTL, with just the prologue, I was hooked. I ADORE high school crushes/backstories to eventual lovers (hence my love for contemporary YA), and Leigh and Will are so unbearably CUTE. Their one interaction at homecoming? Sold. Leigh paying so much attention to him and looking forward to his comments in their creative writing class? Tell me everything. Being crushed at the meanness of that comment? Oof, I felt that and was waiting from then on for Will to redeem himself.

YBTL is everything—it contains all the elements that are my catnip: that element of second chance? Yes. The former crush to (one-sided) nemesis to lovers? Yes, please. The get this out of our systems but oops we’ll never be able to? I’m all about that. The “Somehow you knew who I was before I did.” “I can hardly remember a time when I wasn’t in love with you.” “I remember every conversation we’ve ever had.” It’s so achingly romantic and tender and vulnerable and lovely and sweet. Inject it straight into my veins because this is romance, folks. I’m unwell thinking of them and it’s been two weeks since I finished this book. The way Naymon crafts their story, from Leigh and Will’s own growth and character arcs, their vulnerable layers being peeled back and exposed for each other to see, their insecurities and mental health struggles, it’s truly a treat to get to read it.

I loved getting to see them become reluctant friends to eventual lovers because you really get to experience all the highs and lows and the way they’re there for each other, and seeing Leigh’s views on first Will and then herself and her MFA fam change and develop is beautiful. Leigh’s therapy sessions and working through her people pleasing tendencies, her fear of not being enough and being disliked, her imposter syndrome, it all made me cry. What we learn about Will and his own struggles with self-worth and his complicated relationship with his dad made me cry, too. And putting these two messy but warm and soft souls together? It’s magic. I cried so many times, my heart hurting for both of them (the angst is painful in the perfect way *chef’s kiss* and the PINING, the YEARNING, this is my jam), and I absolutely adored their hard-earned HEA so much. They deserve the world AHHHHH I love them, getting emotional thinking about them.

I’m sad I’ll never get to read this for the first time again, but I look forward to countless rereads of YBTL. Leigh’s journey is so relatable it hurts (imposter syndrome is so real, and it’s so hard not to people please!!), and I wanted to hug Will and reassure him too. The way Leigh and Will bring out the best of each other because they see past what everyone else sees, ughhh, yes. It’s everything. I highlighted SO MUCH. All the beautiful lines, the perfectly crafted words that hit the spot. When an author’s writing speaks to me, when her words are just right, I can’t help it. “And I choke in lavender” -Will Langford, the most romantic poet ML ever (iconic, you’ll understand once you read it)

(Also not to be weird or anything but I coped with being finished with this beautiful book by reading all of Katie Naymon’s poems for her MFA thesis and getting all excited when I saw which ones she repurposed or used titles for in YBTL because it felt like finding Easter eggs! Her origin story poems haha. They’re also fascinating and made me reread them to roll those lines over in my head and think about them.)

Anyway this book was written for me, and I’m sure for so many of you, too. So excited for people to get to experience You Between the Lines for the first time (and jealous 😭).

Thank you so much to Forever and Netgalley for the ARC!

“You Between the Lines” was slow to get started but I’m so glad I stayed with it because the second half was SO GOOD! The two main characters are both poets who went to high school together but have now reunited ten years later as they pursue their MFA degree. Things I loved: second chance/enemies to lovers trope, strong mental health rep, strong female characters. Content warnings: death of parent, emotional toll of divorce. Spice level: a few open door scenes.. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you’re a fan of heartfelt romance woven with poetry and the world of writers, this book is a must-read. The story follows the journey of two characters whose paths cross again after years apart. In high school, the female protagonist (FMC) harbored a crush on the male protagonist (MMC), but her admiration turned to resentment after he cruelly criticized her poetry as lacking depth. Fast forward to years later, and they find themselves reunited at a prestigious writing fellowship, where they are forced to confront their past, their unresolved feelings, and the potential for a future together.
The poetry in this book is beautifully crafted, offering a glimpse into the emotional core of the characters (though one particular Taylor Swift poem may raise a few eyebrows). The romance is filled with tension, ups and downs, and plenty of chemistry, though at times, the FMC can be difficult to warm up to. Both characters are deeply affected by personal struggles, and that complexity adds layers to their interactions. While it’s unclear whether their relationship will last, the journey toward their eventual happy ending is both emotional and rewarding.
This is a low-steam, high-emotion story that excels in character development and mental health representation, making it a sweet and impactful read. If you're looking for a romance that resonates on a deeper level, with a touch of literary charm, this book is for you. Special thanks to Forever for providing the ARC!

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for a review. I’m a sucker for a good romance between writers and the academic rivals trope so I was really excited to read this. I enjoyed the basic plot and the characters a lot. This fell a bit flat for me, I wanted more interaction between the love interests.. more flirting/banter. I didn’t feel super connected to the characters and as invested in their story. I liked this and enjoyed it, just didn’t really stick out to me.

“𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗲𝗺 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁.”

A debut romance for those that loved Not Another Long Song (Julie Soto). Katie Naymon comes in hot with a slow burn, high school crush-turned-rival starring two MFA poets.

If I read one more sexy MCC with glasses I may just combust. I love Will Langford with all my heart. Leigh is so messy but so relatable. Once they finally got together, I didn’t want to know a life with them apart. The yearninggg, the angst, the lavender, the PINKY TOUCH. Katie managed to turn me into a puddle with that little touch. This story gave me the upmost appreciation for poetry and Katie’s ability to write the scattered poetry throughout this book that fit each classmate perfectly.

✨mfa poets in NC
✨high school crush to rivals
✨anxiety / therapy rep
✨MMC with glasses
✨angsty tortured poet
✨single POV
✨found family

Thank you Forever Pub and NetGalley for the early read!

you between the lines by katie naymon 💜

don’t you just love yearning? 

you between the lines quite literally blew me away, it’s the kind of book that made me feel way too much, it stabbed me in the heart and it brought me back to life, it had me screaming and giggling at these fools but also crying when i found myself relating way too hard to the characters
i just knew instantly i was going to love this book

like woahhh woahhhhhhh they’ve been pining since HIGH SCHOOL?? and the POEMS??? there was banter, a shit ton of tension, and familiarity, godddd it was amazing

i, honest to god, will never forget about will’s poem because i also choked, its all im gonna think about for the rest of my life 
i dream of your wrist and i choke in lavender 
i dream of your wrist and i choke in lavender
I DREAM OF YOUR WRIST AND I CHOKE IN LAVENDER 
i need to lie down, william was just insane and i told katie this multiple times LOL (sorry for bothering you through dms)
it made me feral, even without his pov, seeing how amazed he was by leigh, reading all her poems and the notes he’d make! how much he yearned for her, how much he wanted to be the best for her, ahhhh the man that you are will!! 

leigh, girl i love you 😭
it’s CRAZY how much of her experience lined up with mine, from starting her program (no I’m not in an MFA program, I’m not cool like her lol) to how we both had the same thoughts about ourselves and made similar choices. it was scary, it made me emotional, it shocked me; leigh molds herself to others, to make sure they are not inconvenienced and oh god did that hit sooo close to home. i think the conversations she had with her therapist struck me the most, especially the last one towards the end, i was SOBBING. i understood her so well, and by the end i was just so happy for her, for finding herself in her writing and just life.

i loved that will just saw her, i love that they BOTH grew, saw each other, and encouraged each other’s writing. they were the person they needed for each other when life around them was sort of not where they wanted it to be.

tysm forever & katie for the ARC! this was a wonderful debut and i can’t wait for more!