Thank you netgalley for this ARC. This is my second novel by the author and i enjoyed it. I enjoyed both the present day and past flashbacks while getting to know the characters. The story line was intriguing and kept my attention throughout the book. I didn't easily relate to the characters but i did find them to be believable. I would recommend this book to my friends and family, and i look forward to reading more by Betty.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for a copy of Tell Me How You Really Feel. This book didn't totally work for me, but it was still a fun read. Ideal for people who maybe haven't read a ton of romance, but enjoy friends to lovers, dual POV, and work place romance.

3.5/5 ⭐️s

Maeve and Finn met in college, became close friends when they both moved to NYC after graduation, and then launched a hit podcast together making them inseparable. But then, everything changed when they both gave in to the feelings they had for one another.

How can they keep the show going now that trust has been broken? Can they get back to where they were; the chemistry they had, now that feelings are hurt and things are left unsaid?

These characters were complicated people, both frustrating at times but I was rooting for them to figure out their crap and talk to each other the whole time.

Perfect if you like:
- Friends to lovers
- Second chance romance
- Workplace romance
- Dual POV
- Dual timeline

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5/5 rounded up

Thank you St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced reading copy!

While I liked this book overall, it was a bit of a disappointment after really liking Betty Cayouette's last book, ONE LAST SHOT. The premise was excellent -- second chance friends-to-lovers romance, plus the inclusion of a fun podcast that I would listen to if it was real! Unfortunately, I found both Maeve and Finn to be completely insufferable at various times throughout this book. I really struggle with the miscommunication trope, and that felt like this entire book.

From the beginning, Maeve was refusing to hear Finn out, and I felt super frustrated that she was avoiding this conflict. Especially as a therapist, I would have expected more from her communication styles. On that note, it was frustrating to see the ways Maeve let her anxiety run rampant. As a therapist with anxiety myself, I know it's not nearly as black-and-white as "dealing with it," but I do think more could have been done to combat Maeve's negative self talk and thought patterns throughout the book.

Finn, on the other hand, was exactly as Maeve suggested -- a nepo baby with privilege that he struggled to identify until the very end. He continued to do stupid things and then be surprised when she was upset about them.

On a positive note, I did like their conflict resolution at various points throughout the book, and I liked their chemistry. I like friends-to-lovers in general, and those parts of the book saved this one for me. Points for feminism as well -- I enjoyed the way that this was executed and how this included Finn's Mom.

In theory, a friends to lovers romance about a therapist that includes a podcast should’ve been perfect for me, but it fell a little bit flat. I still like this author's writing style and would be happy to read anything she writes in the future, I just hope it emulates ONE LAST SHOT a little bit more than this one.

Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC. Ok ok ok, was this a real romance… nah not really… it was a love story, but hardly a romance. And to be honest, while I liked the FMC and many of the supporting cast, the MMC was hard to adore given his frequent significant missteps. They would for sure have been deal breakers for me. That all aside. I liked the focus on breaking glass ceilings and found the plot interesting but I did not feel any sort of swooniness for the MMC.

The plot was very promising for this novel, I enjoyed the idea of two “ex-lovers” continuing a podcast with a falling out. However, I didn’t enjoy the characters. The characters growth and what they did / said in their personal life did not match what they preach on their podcast. I think that’s what irritated me the most. They seemed fake on screen vs personal life. The plot for the book was intriguing but the character development did not make me favor any of them.

I had high hopes but was let down, however, was a fun to read!

While the plot hat promise, friends to more to estranged enemies but still coworkers to everything, Finn and Maeve accidentally go viral from a podcast episode and a couple years later enter a significant deal with a streaming service, just after their personal and professional relationship has gone sideways.

I love a dual POV, but for this one the two voices are so similar, it doesn't seamlessly flow from FMC to MMC as one would expect. The flashbacks and present day aren't really differentiated, so it's hard to tell where in the timeline the chapters are taking place and somehow we don't see how/when/where Maeve and Finn's feelings turn to more in the beginning and it doesn't really give the reader something to root for. With some pretty significant issues just glossed over for its relation to the subject matter, the story is missing depth and growth to the characters, both individually and together.

Overall, this story was more than a little lacking and ultimately not for me.


Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my review!

This book was only ok for me. It had great moments, and then there'd be a moment to take away from it. Whether intentional, or not, the book felt trite and try-hard.

I don't think I'd recommend this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty Cayouette
Contemporary romance. First person, alternating POV. Second chance and friends to lovers troupes. Dual timeline via memories.
Maeve and Finn get a new contract as podcasters contingent on their ratings. If they win the listeners, Maeve will break the glass ceiling on being the highest paid. But to succeed, Maeve and Finn need their old compatibility back. Finn wants it desperately but Maeve doesn’t believe they can work together without arguing.
Maeve and Finn have known each other and been friends since they were young. She is a clinical psychologist and they use that plus dating trends and issues as their podcast platform, playing off each other. When they crossed the line from friendship to lovers, things were great, until they weren’t.

The beginning scene of the two arguing, was too much for me and I had to put it aside for a week. I’m just not comfortable with confrontational couples. Starting a bit further in, the story became lighter and entertaining with the two personalities and the different times. Fortunately each chapter that is in the past, includes a headline of exactly when it occurs, which was helpful for continuity.
Knowing Finn’s feelings gave this romance a big push towards heartfelt tenderness and love.
Gratifying and satisfying.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

I enjoyed reading Tell Me How You Really Feel. Maeve is such a well- written character, especially with how her anxiety is explained and shown throughout the story. It's such an accurate representation of how anxiety can be your worst enemy, but also how you can mistake a gut feeling for anxiety too.

Initially, I loved Finn. A man who is groveling and knows he messed up? Yeah, sign me up for that. But as the story progressed, I found myself really struggling with his character. He is a rich entitled nepo baby - who doesn't get things because they don't effect him. Rich male privilege 100%. And when he does mess up, luckily we have some strong female characters who are quick to correct him on his mistakes, but everything was still forgiven too easily in my eyes. Just.... no.

The ending was too quick to forgive him for me. 🤷‍♀️

Tell Me How You Really Feel means so many things in this book besides just the title. Told in dual perspective, the story follows Maeve and Finn as they learn to tell themselves and each other how they really feel.

Cayouette does a remarkable job at capturing the anxiety and inner struggle of opening up when you don't know how those around you will respond. Both characters are conflicted with how to open up to themselves and the others, yet are simultaneously giving advice focusing on just that.

There are many stereotypes that Maeve and Finn deal with, one of which becomes a central theme of the book, and is very important in reality. Cayouette has brought this into the story not in a way that is informational and droning, but woven into the story in such a way that shows it's importance and will stick with you.

While I did enjoy the book, and I really hope to see more books from this author, I don't think this will be one of the top five romance romance novels I recommend. Unfortunately, for those who have read Cayouette's first novel, One Last Shot, I felt the character arcs were too similar between both stories. I hope if we get a third novel, its just as entertaining but with some fresh character development.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC opportunity. This review has been left voluntarily.

I unfortunately ended up DNF-in this book. The MMC just was awful. So much miscommunication to the point it gave me anxiety lol but truly the mmc I just could not like and that derailed it for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tell Me How You Really Feel
By: Betty Cayouette
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Pub Date: 5/6/25
This is my second book from this author and the second was just as good as the first!
Maeve has spent years in school to become a therapist as her clinical hours reach their end, she and her best friend Finn start a podcast giving therapy advice. Maeve comes from a blue collar family and was always overlooked for her sister's however, Finn comes from two movie star parents, he has never wanted or had to work for anything. A question becomes can their friendship turn into something more? Can their vastly different backgrounds mesh together?

1.5 ⭐️s — Honestly if this was not an ARC, I would’ve DNF’d this… Although the premise was promising, I could not connect to it all. It was difficult to root for the relationship when both the FMC and MMC were insufferable. They both came off as caricatures and the miscommunication trope only made them seem more immature. And since this is a romance, that really killed it for me.

I also usually enjoy dual POVs and timelines but something about this felt so choppy. It was as if the plot immediately introduced the relationship at the third-act break up stage to be resolved with a classic rom-com grand gesture at the 77% mark to then have a final 3 1/2 act break up.

While I do appreciate the author trying to incorporate deeper topics — anxiety rep and discussion of the gender pay gap in the entertainment industry, it did not feel like it had a place in the book. I feel like both could’ve been developed further so it wouldn’t feel forced.

I don’t know— just wasn’t for

Tell me how you really feel is a rom com for the masses that is a feel good read and laugh out loud funny. So glad I got the opportunity to read this! The cover drew me in.

Podcasters Maeve and Finn got a blockbuster deal for their viral sex and relationships podcast, "Tell Me How You Really Feel." The two can no longer stand to be near each other anymore, which would ruin the deal. Maeve wants to keep the show going, and Finn is set on winning her back.

The story is told in two timelines, one consisting of flashbacks to the start of their show, and the other is the present. In the present, we see Finn with his famous parents, who keep pushing him into joining Hollywood with them. Maeve has a more humble origin and wants to support her sisters. Both are motivated to make the podcast work, especially when they're up against a vitriolic agitator of a podcaster. This forces them together, confronting their feelings for each other, their past, and even the industry itself. Podcasting is another branch of media and potentially Hollywood at this point, and the glass ceiling where women are paid less than men exists here as well. Maeve’s anxiety is a real issue as well, and we see how Finn's privileges from his upbringing mean he doesn't notice the things that make her anxious or the inequalities that she regularly faces.

This book is a romance, with the initial relationship as well as a second chance romance. The two of them really care about each other, which is why there was the capacity to wound as well. As they go through on their podcast, apologies need acknowledgement of the wrong done, as well as a plan to move forward. That happens here, with both Maeve and Finn learning how to communicate and build on their love.

I was nervous going into this one because I really LOVED the author's last book and am usually here for a good second chance romance, bonus when it involves a podcast storyline with forced proximity. That said, the two MCs act like children throughout this book despite being so-called 'relationship experts' and the miscommunication trope was heavy as well. Just a miss for me, despite decent anxiety rep (her) and thoughtful insights into the wage gap between men and women in the entertainment industry. Audiobook lovers note that not even my fav narrator Brittany Pressley could make this good for me :( Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review I wish I had liked it more.

this was unfortunately not the book for me.

after many times trying to get into the story to read it, it just never happened sadly. I wanted to love this one, it sounded like a great read, the cover is cute and i love the title.

I enjoyed reading Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty Cayouette. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty Cayouette

The blurb drew me into this one, but unfortunately the execution didn’t keep me interested. I thought the characters were immature, and I never could really understand why they gave advice but never took their own advice. It felt full of contradictions and the characters just lacked common sense on a basic level. There were also many messages (gender pay gap, female empowerment, anxiety) tossed in the story, but I’m not sure they should’ve been.

Basically, it was one big miscommunication trope without a clear focus, muffled messages, and two characters who I wasn’t really sure why they’d want to be together.

Fans of the miscommunication trope, podcast-adjacent stories, and dual timelines may enjoy this one more than I did.