I simply adored this book. I couldn’t get enough of Leigh and Will. They were both complex, imperfect characters and that made me appreciate them even more. The story was heartfelt and original and their chemistry was just spot on! Will was down BAD for Leigh and I enjoyed every second of the pining.

I related to Leigh in so many ways with her insecurities and I think anyone with people pleasing tendencies will relate to her character so much. Some of her decisions were frustrating, but it was also honest. Her growth throughout the story was beautiful from her self-worth to her relationships/friendships. The use of therapy throughout the book was such a beautiful touch.

w h a t i l o v e d :
+ second chance
+ academic rivals
+ poetry workshops
+ angst & tension
+ he writes poetry about her
+ therapy
+ found family

Thank you to the publisher, Forever, for the #gifted copy of YOU BETWEEN THE LINES, by Katie Naymon via NetGalley.

I really wanted to love this novel because it came highly recommended. I mean, it's one of those one-sided hate/rivals/nemesis to love stories, which is usually right up my alley. Unfortunately, I couldn't connect emotionally connect to Leigh, which I think was needed for how the story was told (1st person, single POV), and its contents.

To me, Leigh spent most of the book not really caring bout the daily decisions in her life that affected her, and her future. At the same time, she has a very people pleasing personality, wondering how people are judging her and if she can try to make them like her more. It seemed that Leigh would rather do what would get her the most universal likes/acceptance rather than taking a chance to go after what she really wanted. It was as though she had a lack of agency - she wanted other people to direct her, rather than doing what she wanted. This gave me some not like other girls/pick me vibes, particularly when she worked on, or presented assignments for her MFA.

Overall, the novel was fine, just not for me.

A smart, swoony academic rivals-to-lovers romance! You Between the Lines is packed with sharp banter, undeniable chemistry, and the perfect mix of humor and heart. Leigh’s journey from self-doubt to confidence is deeply relatable, and her tension-filled dynamic with Will—her high school crush-turned-MFA rival—makes for an addictive read. With poetic storytelling, witty dialogue, and a slow-burn romance that keeps you hooked, Katie Naymon is my favorite new author and delivers a perfect debut! OBSESSED <3

While I enjoyed this book, I did find it to be a bit slow at times. I found myself getting super frustrated with both Leigh and Will and found them both to be a bit immature. I also feel like there was no real chemistry with them and the banter was not great. I hated that they had the same fight over and over again and no real character growth.

This book was a mix of slow burn, self-improvement, manifesting aspirations, hard work, family issues, and friendship.

I was immediately drawn to this book because the main character is in her late 20’s. She's been out of college for several years working at a job she hates but decides to chase her passion for Poetry and apply for an MFA program. While in this program, as the audience, we see her vulnerability as she navigates her parents' separation, feeling like she is not good enough in her writing or relationships, finding her passion for poetry, and so much more.

I simply could not put down the book for the last 150 pages. We get to see her progress through the program through the first few months, but after her parents drop the bomb of their divorce, we see Leigh go through a slew of emotions as she processes everything she has been holding back.

Then you have Will…. Oh Will. I truly fell in love with him. The way he listens to Leigh’s wants, only goes as far as she will allow, gives her feedback on her work, weaves her into each of his poems. Swoon (Insert Heart Eyes). He is definitely not perfect, but we get to see his growth throughout the book as well. The way they both challenge and seek each other out is done in such a clever way to show their growth. Katie did not just throw these two together because that was the end goal but shows how the characters found their paths to each other despite denying their feelings. His character was portrayed with such grace by including pining, acceptance, resistance, consideration, and self-awareness. In FMC romance novels, we usually do not get a lot of open conversation. The male love interest is cagey and closed off, but the FMC opens him up. That is not necessarily the case here. Yes, the aspects are still there but I feel like we get a deeper view of Will as a whole from his own words via dialogue.

3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 stars)

It took me quite a bit to get into You Between the Lines because I just didn't connect with Leigh right away. But my interest picked up the more we learned about Leigh's classmates and her relationships with each of them (or lack thereof). I enjoyed the back and forth between her and Will, especially when it led to steamy makeout sessions because you could really feel the angst and tension between these two writers. But the various "off again" times were difficult to wade through because it felt like Will was trying too hard not to enjoy Leigh's presence, even when they were with friends.

However, I did really appreciate Will's mental health representation in the book and how normalized his medication was. But I also liked that he acknowledged he wasn't perfect even with the medication and he still had lower moments.

I almost DNFd the book when Will & Leigh had one too many off-again moments, thinking this just wasn’t the book for me. But I finally finished the book and I am so glad that I did! Their final come together moment was just so good and so beautifully written! I ended up loving all these characters so much!

I am so glad to have been able to read an early copy of this book! Thank you to Katie Naymon, Forever Publishing, and NetGalley for sending me an early copy!

4⭐️s This is a story of rivals to lovers and mental health rep. When there’s family drama, mental health is so important. Leigh is trying to find someone to acknowledge her work, but she may not even realize the depth she needs. William is confident in his writing. So confident, he writes a piece for their workshop about Leigh. Both fighting for an opportunity and fighting their growing attraction. What will happen the closer they get?

Thank you to @netgalley @katienaymonwrites and @grandcentralpub for the advanced copy. #netgalley #youbetweenthelines #romancereader #arcreview

this book felt like reading a coming of age film, except all the characters are in their late 20s. which is what made this book fun for me! from the beginning, you can sense how lost leigh feels. how badly she wants to fit in somewhere and how desperately she wants to find a place she belongs. and when she finds herself in an mfa program, she thinks she’s found her place, but instead she’s seized by imposter syndrome so strong, you want to remind her of how brilliant she is. how she should focus on pleasing herself and not the people around her. and of course we have will. the boy who admires leigh from afar and seems scared of all the same things leigh is. will who writes leigh in the lines of each of his poems. will who leaves flirty little notes in the margins of leigh’s work. will who has demons of his own that he’s fighting. will who sees leigh better than the other students in their mfa program.
being on leigh’s journey with her is both heart breaking and frustrating. heartbreaking because you want to remind her that she is her own person and that she gets to decide who she is. and frustrating because she is in so many moments of this book, unfortunately, the type of person she accuses her mfa classmates of being - judgmental and pretentious.
i loved getting to be with leigh on the journey, but i think what made this book fall a little short for me, was the way that leigh was so quick to judge hazel and will in particular. i think she was so fixated on what was the “norm” that she pitted herself against hazel and refused to see her brilliance and understand her depth. which was the point, but i think the execution just fell a little short for me. and with will, it lead to so much miscommunication and so much start and stop, that i was over it by the time they took their last break. i understand and accept both the miscommunication trope and the third act breakup as realistic parts of life and i enjoy both when the story calls for it. this story definitely called for a third act breakup and the miscommunication makes sense for both will and leigh’s characters. so i understand the use of both in this story. but there was something about both that felt rushed, even though it made sense for the story and the characters.
overall, i really enjoyed this story, there were just some moments that fell short for me.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

When aspiring poet Leigh was accepted into a highly selective MFA program, insecurities were amplified when she found herself face-to-face with her former crush who crushed her. But Leigh was ready and determined to prove she deserved her spot in the program, and now she just needed to keep those old feelings at bay.

Confession - I almost DNFed this book. First there was the raging about white straight men by a white straight woman, and then there was all this talk about how Leigh isn't a "serious" person, just some former sorority girl. I don't know what the Delta Gamma chapter at Tufts is like, but the one at Rutgers was comprised of some fierce women who I know went on to be doctors, lawyers, engineers, and even profiled in business magazines. I know because they were my sorority sisters.

So, yeah, those comments were working my last nerve, but then I got to the meat of the story. I found myself very invested in Leigh's personal journey. I wanted her to reunite with Will and allow those old feelings to sweep her away. I liked spending time with their crazy cohort as they worked on their craft. And I allowed myself to fall into this story which (no surprise) was beautifully written (even the non-poetry parts).

I feel this book falls into women's fiction territory more than romance. Though both Will and Leigh had some issues to comes to terms with, the story was told from Leigh's point of view and focused on her personal growth more than anything else. I was very pleased with all the progress Leigh made, and I think that's why I was able to tolerate a level of angst that was very high for me (I am more low angst/drama), but this was a high pressure situation with a romance that had started and stopped multiple times for whatever reason and involved feelings that had been simmering for a decade.

I was thinking that this was a solid story for me. I loved Will and Leigh was growing on me as she tamed her demons, and then, the last 10 percent of the book, my heart grew two sizes. There were a few things that happened in that final part of the book that pushed this up a notch for me. I was smiling through my stupid tears as I tried to keep my heart from exploding. It was just lovely and perfect and it made me happy.

Though this had a bumpy start for me, I found myself pulled into Leigh's story and was glad I got to be part of a personal journey where she was able to find love, her voice, and belief in herself.

I really loved this book! While Leigh could be a bit frustrating, I think that is what made her the most real and relatable. She shows a lot of growth throughout the story that made me feel really hopeful and proud!! This was a beautiful love story, filled with real-life issues and showcases living with trauma.

3.5 stars

The perfect book for anyone who enjoys poetry and loves a good rivals-to-lovers romance in an academic setting.

This was a solid debut novel. I quite enjoyed it. I loved how poetic the writing was, yet also how easy it was to read. I wasn't entirely convinced about Will and Leigh at first, but it made more sense the further I got into the book. I really enjoyed the banter as well as the growing tension between the two of them throughout the book. The little outings they had were absolutely adorable. I appreciated how in-depth Leigh felt as a character. I love seeing a character with vulnerabilities being shown. Leigh's self-doubt and lack of self-worth were all too relatable. Both characters dealt with traumas in their own ways, and it was great to see them slowly resolve them together, albeit unknowingly.

The only issue I had was with the conflicts in this book. They felt repetitive, and the constant doubt between both characters was becoming slightly annoying. The final conflict had me wondering how they would ever resolve it. It made me doubt whether they would last in a relationship if the slightest bit of conflict was what ended it. Otherwise, it was a very enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You, Between the Lines is a heartfelt and beautifully crafted romance with deep emotions and memorable characters. The unique storytelling style adds to the charm, making the connection between the leads feel even more intimate. It’s a touching, romantic read that lingers long after the last page!

This is a very solid debut from Katie Naymon! I am very much in my romance phase and I've realized that a trope I love is when two people feel as though they can't be together, but they are so obviously perfect for each other. You Between the Lines gave me just what I needed! The yearning in this book was incredible - almost to the point of being frustrating (like, can you just acknowledge the fact that you're in love with each other?) - but I devoured it. I will say that the middle of the book was a bit redundant; Leigh and Will constantly flirting, opening up to each other, then shutting down their relationship made me put this down for about a week or so, but I was happy with how it concluded. Overall, I did really enjoy You Between the Lines and look forward to anything and everything Katie Naymon writes in the future!

Very cute and sweet book. The female main character was very relatable. Overall it was a bit boring at times and just nothing special.

Anytime there’s a book with anxiety representation, I’m all over it! I didn’t know it was happening with this book, but it was a big focus. Leigh is a character that I saw myself in several times. I have seen some reviews where they couldn’t understand or thought she was annoying. They should count themselves lucky that they have never had the same anxiety-filled life.

I’m going to expand on this a little more. Leigh is in an MFA program because she’s lost in life. Her parents are divorcing, she hates her job, and pining over her High School crush. On top of all these things, Leigh is living with a lot of anxiety. When she gets into this MFA program, it rears its ugly head. She likes to have this persona of what she thinks other people like. People pleasing goes hand in hand with anxiety. If we think others think we are pretty, acceptable, smart, etc, there’s a feeling of belonging. She goes to her first workshop, and her thoughts are so relatable. I remember thinking similar things in a new college class or anywhere that it’s a new experience. You don’t want to talk or give your opinion because you are not confident it would land well. The embarrassment of something like that happening is just debilitating. I’m just pointing out another scope to understand the FMC. The way she acts throughout the book makes a lot of sense if you’ve experienced high levels of anxiety. I’m so glad that we get her therapist sessions because it helps open that up further. There is a lot to unpack with her parents.

Anyway, besides the mental health representation, the romance was great. There are many moments in their life when things don’t pan out. They are both holding onto words and grudges from the past that don’t help them move forward in the present. Regardless, I loved Will and how he saw Leigh. He was patient and way more understanding than a normal person would be. To all the spice lovers, there are a couple of moments, but not a big part of the story.I wish I would have gotten more of Will’s POV. He’s reserved, and we don’t know much about what’s going on with him.

The friendships are amazing! I loved Gen and how she didn’t put up with Leigh’s crap. She is really what a true friend should be. The writing workshop crew was great to get to know and love. I flew through this book in a little over a day. I enjoyed it and all the relationships. If you are looking for an angsty romance with a lot of poetry and mental health awareness, this is for you. I couldn’t put it down!

Thank you, Forever and Netgalley, for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The depth to both Leigh and Will’s characters was so well-done. I adored the amount of mental health representation, ranging from depression to anxiety, to self-esteem issues, and more. I found both Leigh & Will to be very relatable, even frustratingly so because I felt as if I was getting called out at times. I think a lot of readers will be able to feel seen in the way Will describes his struggles with depression and how Leigh feels like she needs to shape herself to those around her. Both of their stories made my heart hurt for them in different ways, and truly made me want to give both of them a big hug. Will and Leigh both carry their own flaws, but they also carry personalities filled with humor, kindness, care, and undying wit.

Speaking of wit, I loved Leigh & Will’s dynamic so much! The one-sided rivals to lovers that they existed in made for so much banter, tension, chemistry. It allowed for the romantic, intimate moments between these two to shine and made me giddy! Seeing these two experience growth in their own way, break down each other’s walls, and get their chance together after so many years was truly special!!! I adored these two so much, even when I wanted to grab them by the shoulders and shake them.

As a whole, I really enjoyed this story, and being immersed in the world of MFAs was so fun. The side characters added so much to the story, I loved the friendships that were created and the scenes where the entire group were together.

There were moments in the story where the miscommunication/lack of communication between Leigh and Will was a bit frustrating. However, the issues that appeared on that front make so much sense for both of their characters and make it feel genuine!

I would definitely recommend this one, especially if you love a book where there are two writers, lots of hidden feelings, one-sided rivals to lovers, and mental health rep!!!

First of all let me say thank you to Katie, the publishing group, and NetGalley for my ARC! All of my thoughts are of my own free will!

This book was so cute! I’ve always been a small fan of poetry since high school and even have a few poetry books on my shelf. The poetry concept in this book and how Leigh’s thoughts on her poetry correlate to her thoughts of herself is beautifully written. That is half of the book itself and I loved it so much. I loved getting to read all of the poetry throughout as well.

What I didn’t just love, but was still good, was the romance aspect. It fell flat for me. I had such a hard time reading the scenes between Will and Leigh and the I would put down the book for days because it didn’t capture my attention. I kept wanting to skip to the writing sessions or Leigh writing. And this is coming from a romance girlie!

However, the book itself was very cute! I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves poetry!!

2.5 ★

this did not work for me, for several reasons...

the biggest being the lead, leigh. it was a bit bothersome to spend the entire book in her perspective since I found her inner dialogue and actions to be judgmental and mean-spirited, both towards herself and those around her. though she was in therapy, little growth was evident even as the final chapters loomed. ultimately, it's tough to enjoy a book when you don't like the main character.

and the backdrop for the romance being an MFA program was just not my favorite. however, that is not a slight against the author, more so a personal dislike that I recognize and will log for future reference. poetry was heavily, heavily featured and not in a way that felt productive to the progression of the story. once pivotal moments began to occur between leigh and will, moments that didn't move me, I knew my investment was not where it should be.

thanks to katie naymon and forever for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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

- 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜 𝚋𝚢 𝙺𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚎 𝙽𝚊𝚢𝚖𝚘𝚗

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
✰ 𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴
✰ 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘢
✰ 𝘱𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘴 & 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴
✰ 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
✰ 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨

This book is one of those romances that explain very simply why I love the genre.
The slowburn of it all, a decade long pining, poetry as banter and flirting. It's for me. Literally.
Will is a perfect tortured poet character. But also the swooniest. Leigh was also a great character to read about. I related to a lot of her character and it's always nice to see myself in books I read.

I also liked the friend group. They're all so fun and cute. I always love found family trope becauseit adds so much to a story.

I highly recommend it!!

*arc kindly provided in exchange of an honest review

I was completely sucked into this and read it in a day. It was emotional and I really felt the attraction between Will and Leigh. Yes, they were both rather immature, but I think it worked. It was nice to really get that college feel from the MFA program they are in and that it's not just a backdrop for their relationship. I also really tend to like "stuck in high school" mentality romances. I don't know why.

The "not like other girls" think Leigh had going on didn't work for me, but she does improve somewhat towards the end. There were other moments that annoyed me or didn't sit right, but overall it was a very enjoyable read.

The audiobook wasn't the best I've ever read but it was fine. The voice actors did a decent job with it and I don't really have any complaints.

Thanks to Forever and Hachette Audio for providing an early copy for review.