An early front runner for my favorite book of the year!! This book is truly so special to me and I hope everyone who reads it has the same experience with it that I did. Not only was this romance so beautiful to watch develop, but Leigh Simon is honestly the most relatable character I have ever read about. From her people-pleasing tendencies to her need to be validated by other people to feel like she's worthy to her imposter syndrome towards everything from her career to her relationship with Will made me feel so seen I was actually nauseous at some points. Reading this felt like going through a therapy session (my therapist and I have had shockingly similar conversations to the ones Leigh and Bridget did) and I had to do a lot of self-reflecting because of it. This is one of those books that even though I may forget details of the plot, I am never going to forget Leigh or the way it made me feel.

3.5 stars

This book is perfect for readers who love an academia setting and writers!

Will and Leigh were flawed characters, like a normal human would be. This book really spoke to those insecurities about being rejected and that fear of rejection. They both had those feelings, it just presented different in both of them.

There was history between them that kept them from being together. But I think that time apart (not a second chance romance) helped them grow more and become the people that could fall in love.

The amount of yearning that was in Wills poetry??! Whew. I miss yearning in romance books.

The authors writing was so beautiful too! Truly just knew how to write those feelings, the intimate moments so romantically.

I think a dual POV would have added SO much more to this book. Leigh wasn’t my favorite FMC. Her “white literay men are the worst!” Got really repetitive. She really had a victim mentally during most of the book which was hard to get through. Plus there was a lot of miscommunication in this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I can’t even put my love for this one into words. The yearning, the pining is unreal. 10 years of being obsessed with each other from afar brewing into some friction until they finally try to “get it out of their systems.” yeah right. ate it up. will do it again. loved this.

I hund in around 30% before accepting I didn’t feel a connection to the characters. I don’t know if I just don’t get it, but it feels like the self doubt of the FMC is overwhelming and that the romance was truly never going to show up. Unfortunately it’s a miss for me :(

I highlighted every word that came out of this man’s mouth i fear i’m in love and i would die for him. also leigh is me, i am leigh and i’m not ready to talk about it. gusjanuary truthers this book is for US!!!!

I'm not really a "poetry" person. I get that other people *get* it, but I just don't.
Katie Naymon, on the other hand, is clearly a "poetry" person.
And she wrote a book that is very much about poets and their poetry that manages to be both accessible and intriguing to this "non-poetry" person.

I really enjoyed this. Characters were emotionally intelligent and well-developed. And academic-yet-athletically built MMCs? Yeah, I *get* those. Great chemistry with a well-paced burn. Interesting and multidimensional side characters, realistic conflicts.

All in all, I highly recommend if you're looking for academic rivals-to-lovers with a past and are interested in learning *a lot* about poetry construction.

A gorgeous, emotional contemporary romance that puts a fresh spin on the classic writers-in-love-with-writers setup. A poetry MFA program is such a great place for romance to thrive—fraught workshops, dramatic house parties, and of course, layers of hidden meaning in every poem! Naymon has a poetry MFA herself, so the setting feels totally lived in and realistic. Not to mention prose written by poets is always more fun to read.

Leigh and Will are such relatable characters—Leigh, careening between doubt and self-righteousness as she tries to find her voice, and Will, doing his best to outrun an overbearing father and make his writing truly his own. Their problems and flaws make them more lovable, not less, and it’s so satisfying to watch them find a safe harbor in each other.

A must read for lovers of academia, angst, and poetry!

You Between the Lines is a charming, witty romance that blends academic rivalry with emotional growth in an unexpected setting. Leigh, a former sorority girl trying to prove herself in a prestigious MFA program, finds herself facing off against Will, her high school crush-turned-nemesis, in a literary battle for a coveted fellowship. Their tense relationship, built on old insecurities and past misunderstandings, provides the perfect backdrop for a slow-burn romance full of humor and heart. Naymon’s exploration of Leigh’s internal struggle to reconcile her past with her ambitions adds depth to the story, while the dynamic between Leigh and Will, full of rivalry and unresolved attraction, keeps the pages turning.

The story, while compelling, leans heavily on familiar tropes like the enemies-to-lovers dynamic and the “underdog” trying to prove their worth. While these themes are well-executed and relatable, they sometimes feel predictable, especially with the tension surrounding the poetry workshops. The poetic, sometimes pretentious setting may not appeal to every reader, but those who enjoy literary references and intellectual banter will find it charming. What stands out in You Between the Lines is the emotional development of both Leigh and Will as they peel back the layers of their relationship, realizing there’s more to each other than meets the eye. The book offers a satisfying balance of humor, romance, and self-discovery, making it an enjoyable read for fans of smart, character-driven rom-coms.

I was very excited to read this but it ended up not meeting my expectations. I thought the writing was a bit choppy and the story was very dragged out. Aside from that, the content mentions of Taylor Swift were annoying and cringy. It just wasn't the book for me sadly.

I really resonated with the afterword on Judaism and memories being a blessing, but I would’ve loved to see that mentioned throughout the book. This was a beautiful story on grief, and it has lgbtq characters! I was kinda shocked by how amber wronged Dina but it’s a very small part of the story

I like reading books with characters who are writers so I was looking forward to picking this up. Overall, a cute romance with good character development. Nothing too unique about this but solid read!

I really wanted to enjoy this book more than I did. The plot was a bit slow-moving for me and characters worked my nerves just a tad bit at times which made it less enjoyable. And also I am so sick of hearing about Taylor Swift lol. Just wanted to put that out there.

You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon was an absolute joy to read! I was captured right from the start and I couldn’t put it down. It was emotional, entertaining and swoony. Honestly, the only bad thing I have to say about this book is the Taylor Swift references (it’s been done too many times and it’s tiresome at this point). The writing was well done, and I felt connected to the characters. The dynamic between all of them was also done so well. Overall, a very enjoyable read.

You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon is an absolute gem of a romance that captured my heart from the very first page. Leigh and Will are unforgettable characters whose chemistry practically leaps off the page, but it’s their individual growth and depth that truly make this story shine.

Leigh is the ultimate girls’ girl—relatable, funny, and fiercely independent. Her journey feels so authentic, filled with moments of vulnerability, self-discovery, and unshakable strength. Will is the perfect match for her, a layered and swoon-worthy love interest who balances charm with substance. Watching their dynamic shift from cautious interactions to undeniable connection is pure magic.

Naymon’s prose is breathtaking, and the dialogue is sharp, witty, and brimming with emotion. It’s not just the romance that makes this book stand out but also the way it explores themes of identity, ambition, and the courage to embrace change.

The steamy romance is perfectly balanced with heartfelt moments, making this a story I’ll be thinking about for a long time. I already know You Between the Lines will be one of my favorite reads of the year. It’s relatable, empowering, and oh-so-satisfying. I can’t wait to read it again and recommend it to everyone I know!

I should’ve known that this wasn’t gonna be a hit for me when I read that she was a former sorority girl who knew Taylor swift songs.

It’s the year 2025, and we have yet to escape the Taylor swift references. When will enough be enough?? 😃

Leigh and her conflict with Will in the beginning was honestly quite petty?? Like girl this was a thing he said in high school PLUS he mentioned it as a critique too 🧍🏻‍♀️ and you’re still thinking about it till this day??

(Ok lowkey me and my anxiety…but I didn’t vibe with it)

I just wasn’t invested in this the way the author was portraying these characters. I think it was supposed to be angsty writers trying to find their place in the world but I received as wannabe ttpd vibes.

Thank you for the free e-arc Forever publishing & NetGalley in exchange for a review!

this was simultaneously one of the most emotional, reflective, and uncomfortable books i’ve ever read. i don’t even know how to put into words the toll that this book took on me. the entire time i read this book i felt like leigh was my reflection staring back at me and it was so unnerving and difficult to push through but it was so worth it! i hope this isn’t coming off as negative because i adore this book! it’s an unflinching look into a character who is deeply insecure, sad, and lost finding herself.

Leigh is a really interesting character to follow because I was rooting for her so bad even when she made the wrong decisions. She’s harsh, judgmental, self sabotaging, and in desperate need of validation from others. she hold grudges and refuses to face issues head on. it’s so frustrating to read her pov because you can see her make a decision, knowing it’s the wrong one out of anger, spite, or fear. she continuously follows this cycle over and over but i think this is something this book does so well. it doesn’t shy away from the ugly thoughts and feelings but instead shows you an unedited version of someone deeply sad and vulnerable. since we get leigh’s pov there’s so many moments where she knows she’s going to make the wrong choice but does it anyway. she makes so many snap judgements but hopes people don’t make snap judgements of her. she’s hypocritical and she knows it but she can’t stop doing it. she constantly seeks validation from her classmates because she desperately wants to know from others that she deserves a spot in the mfa program.

at first reading leigh’s thoughts was making me so upset because she could so easily make the right decision. she could choose not to judge, not to say things in moments of anger or stress, she could talk about her feelings and all of these issues could be resolved. but then i thought about how i would respond in these moments and i was distraught to realize i would act the exact same way. leigh is uncomfortably relatable because she doesn’t feel like she’s enough and she projects this though on to her relationship with others. she prioritizes other people’s feelings and puts herself last and then gets upset because she did this to herself.

while i say all of this about leigh i need you to know while she’s messy and imperfect i love her so much. something this book does so well is show leigh’s growth slowly but surely. she’s in therapy and her discussion with her therapist felt so similar to some i’ve had. i love her openness in these sessions and moments of reflection where she realizes things about her patterns of behavior and what she needs to do to fix it. her growth is so honest and realistic because she’s trying so hard to better herself and while she makes progress sometimes she slips up. when she does the author takes the time to show that leigh realizes she shouldn’t have reacted this way and reflect on why she self sabotages. leigh desperately wants people to like her for who she is but as the story begins you can tell she has no idea who that is. her desperate attempt to avoid vulnerability is so sad and honest. by the end i feel like i know who she is and her relationship with others and therapy help her find herself.

i absolutely adore will langford, a man who yearns!! will is reserved yet forceful. will and leigh have such great tension, there were so many times i just wanted to push these two stubborn people together!! the flashbacks to their previous meetings were in the exact right spot where we got the info enough to give us insight into their current relationship and propel the story forward. at the beginning their relationship feels like one of just tension needing to be released but as the story progressed and they opened up to each other i really felt like they started something new and honest with each other. they’re so alike but so different and they’re perfect for each other. i’m hesitant to compare them to other book couples but they kind of felt like a january and gus prequel while being their own thing.

i feel like i could talk about this book for hours but this book is so special. my only wish is that we sat with leigh’s growth for a bit more, it was gradual and realistic and then felt like it happened all at once towards the end. this book is relatable, and honest and doesn’t shy away from ugly emotions. the romance is flirty and hot while also being gentle and exactly what the other person needs, someone who sees the other for who they are and loves them for all of their faults.

Thank you to netgalley and forever publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

I was really excited for this book because of the cover art and the blurb but I really didn't like the plot execution 😭 there is more miscommunication than there is communication and chemistry between the MCs.

There's also a fair amount of miscommunication with the READER - the prologue is an interaction between the MCs in high school and there's a jump to 6 years later when they join the same MFA program; it is to be assumed that that is all the history between them? But no, from the minute they see each other again, the MC keeps vaguely referencing an unknown intermediate interaction between them which colors all their scenes and we as the reader have no clue what happened. This interaction which happened two years before the present is not shown to the reader until a fair amount of the book is done (I'm not able to find the chapter now so idk the exact place in the book), and this made their interactions till that point in the book really confusing (ok now I'm saying "interaction" too much 😭). Chronologically, all this makes perfect sense BUT it was very confusing to me reading it out of order, and I ended up not being convinced about them as a couple.

I still liked the author's writing style and the MC's character growth by the end - I just did not get the romance and it made it a not great for me 🥲

TWs - divorce of parents (preceded by a lengthy separation and couples counselling) all narrated on page, anxiety, panic attacks, verbal abuse by a parent, death of a parent

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy.

You Between the Lines
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks so much to @readforeverpub for the free eARC!

Oh, this was LOVELY. I adored so many things about this story and I’m so impressed by it being a debut novel!!! Amazing!
To be totally transparent, I’ve never been into poetry, and that is primarily because I’m not great at dissecting the deeper meanings. So, when I realized this book focused on poetry, I got a tad bit worried.
Luckily, the poetry in this book worked for me. I saw the author advertise this as “poetry as banter” and I agree!
The poems in this book become such a lovely way of communication between the two main characters and it made their love story so beautiful.
This book was so well done in terms of writing and representation. There was so much mental health representation in this book and it was written PERFECTLY. There were mentions of medication, therapy, and hard emotions. All of these topics were discussed with care and were written so realistically.
The characters were so lovable, and I loved the dynamic of the classmates together. The main characters did have my heart though. While the main character is working through a lot, and some of her inner monologues can feel redundant at times. I loved her feminist energy and motivation. I appreciate the way she dreams, and there are so many times when I just wish I could hug her.
The MMC was swoon-worthy. I would let him read poetry to me all day. What a wonderful man. So sweet and considerate.
The last thing I will say is that I really loved the ending of this book. The way she wrapped up their journey was great!
This book comes out on February 18th, so add it to your TBR now!

Read If You Like:
✍🏼poetry
✍🏼rivals to lovers
✍🏼opposites attract
✍🏼characters in grad school
✍🏼mental health representation

There's a trend in town and it is "romance writers writing romance books about people who want to write books." The queen, of course, is Emily Henry, but Katie Naymon's story of an MFA program romance reminds me of the recent "Not in my Book" by Katie Holt, with less simmering tension but equal recognition of the challenges that come with the vulnerability of exposing yourself to your enemy through the written word. This is a cozy mystery and one aspiring writers in particular will love.

This is a book for poets or literary readers that want to dabble in romance.

While I ultimately enjoyed this book by the end... I did struggle a bit. I wanted more of the cute moments, the bonding moments, the swoon and blush moments. Instead I was introduced to characters struggling through therapy and self-doubt - which is incredibly realistic and relatable, dont get me wrong - but not really a romance.

Since it is set in a masters program with a focus on poetry its not surprising that I struggled, but I do think there is an audience for this book and I hope they find it