4.5⭐️

I absolutely loved this, it has such a unique premise and that was done so well. As a UK girlie, it was also amazing to finally read a book set in the UK that was actually accurate to UK culture and language.

My only wish is that it was Dual POV, I would have loved to get in Leo’s head and hear everything from his perspective (and have some male yearning).

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of Read Between the Lines. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Harper Collins UK, for this opportunity.

Emily Kerr delivers a charming and engaging romance in Read Between the Lines, a story that perfectly blends humor, mystery, and heartfelt moments. Main character, Kat Fisher (yes, really!), finds herself deceived on a dating app. Frustrated and determined to uncover the truth, she enlists the help of former detective, Leo Taylor, who brings both dry wit and reliability to the mix. As they work together to track down the fraudster, their unconventional partnership sparks undeniable chemistry, leading to a slow-burn romance filled with delightful banter and touching moments.

Cute premise, love me some librarian-based romance. However, I wasn’t a huge fan of the dialogue in this one. Felt the writing was choppy in some parts and very much a slow burn. I liked Kat’s character but couldn’t stand Leo. The grumpy trope didn’t feel exactly at the level he was at.

I thought this book was very cute. I had the potential to be so much more, but unfortunately, I didn’t find it very memorable after I stopped reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

From the conversations to character connection and interactions, I'm sorry to say, but I wasn't impressed. Half the time, the characters spoke way too formally and the other half was them saying very chatty sort of things that don't fit in a book.

I could not see any spark between the Kat and Leo, while there weren't many signs of love, Leo showed absolutely nothing. And that was right up until the epilogue. I feel like love sprung up from nowhere. Idk, maybe the author was trying to go for a slow burn, despite the characters saying they loved each other from the start.

It would have been nice to see Leo's perspective throughout the book. Everything he did left me confused, I feel like I've read a cliffhanger, now I'm waiting for the guide to Leo's brain part 1.

Thank you Netgalley and the author for the ARC 🔆🍋🐇

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book!

I thought this was cute but a bit boring. I feel like they went over the same conversation over and over again. I felt like there could have been more romantic moments between the couple!

Thank you for One More Chapter for the ARC!

This was a cute book, but I did not find it super memorable. The FMC was a bit annoying throughout the entirety. I know she is naive but everything that she does seems like someone would be doing in high school or college. I think it was fine for a one time read but I do not love it enough to reread.

I felt like I was reading about some of my own old coworkers in this book! I actually liked the side quests about books. It's actually scary how accurate they are to people I knew IRL.

Moira and Mr Moria are the confidence and safe space to ask questions to, no matter what. A sassy and confidence friend who is in a super committed relationship but has a heck of a sense of humor.
Then there is Doris , a library patron who reads books so fast and speaks the truth. It is a shame we can't just lock authors up with snacks and a computer for company!

Onto the main characters, Kat and Leo! These guys are very cute. Dating apps will do anything to get customers, not love or relationship. So when things go wrong, it starts a more interesting story. The revenge story is a bit fantastical in that everything happens to home.

The story is really light hearted and would make a wonderful read while traveling or on the beach!

Read Between the Lines was such a fun read! I found the plot very orginal, didn't expect it at all! I really enjoyed following Kat and Leo during their quest. I didn't expect the plot to take such a big part of the book though and would have loved a bit more from Kat and Leo's relationship. I liked their dynamic and their chemistry in the second part of the book, but wished we had a bit more flirting (and have it earlier) in the book! I found myself a bit annoyed at all the "he's so far out of my league" and "I don't believe someone like him could like me" kind of comments from Kat and I thank her sister for shaking some sense into her. Overall cute and fun read!

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion 🫶🏽

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I do not like the male main character immediately so I had no choice but to DNF it. I like for me in a rom com these days I need to like the male love interest of i immediately loose interest and get the ick.

oh i needed this book in my life and heart right now. it did exactly what i hoped for from seeing both the cover and blurb. it was a fun and joyful read. the type of book thats story just feel you lifting more and more throughout. the books that seem to have contagious sunshine feelings bouncing out the pages to our hearts.
i love the bookish setting and could really feel myself inner giggling and smile as these two interacted. and that slowly went on to form that goofy book reader grin you get in a book like this.
we are taken to the uk for this book which automatically gave me some nostalgia homely vibes too. Kat is our romantic of the story. but dont be fooled into thinking this is her being a push over or not whip smart. shes a great girl but boy does she fall far too quickly for whats good for her. and she definitely feels like she is waiting for her Prince.
we also have Leo. who is to have more of a vital role in her life than she could ever thought possible. shes going to need him in more ways than she thinks and watching these two come together was a joy.
i love how this book wasnt just the typical romance between the two. they also had to come together for a much bigger cause. and i loved how for this part Leos past work really came to the fore. Kat needed him to help her locate who was cheating her online. but it turns out they needed each other or might just want each other for a whole lot more than finding love cheats. there progression from Leo irritating her with how he left HER library to coming together as a team was just so cute and even from the stat you could see the spark between the pair. but it builds naturally. its builds into something you truly feel is authentic. and you feel so much warmth for them both and definitely a duo i was rooting for.
not only did i love the story and our two main characters but woven throughout was a great cast of others who come into the library. i truly reminds you of how important these spaces are,far more than they are ever given credit for. they are safe spaces and beyond for many a folk. and so so so important for individuals and community alike. not least for the community's grown within them.
a gorgeous read. loved it.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Kat works in a library, and her dream is to find someone who is just like her book boyfriends. But, after meeting someone on a dating app she finds herself duped.

Leo is in the library a lot, he’s in the process of making a plan for his business and used to be a detective.

She wants to find who the person was and asks Leo to help her. It was interesting to see the two become close as they solve the mystery.

I loved the characters who come into the library, with their funny moments.

There’s some twists throughout the story which keeps you engrossed.

I recommend this book.

If you love cozy mysteries wrapped in slow-burn romance with a touch of humor, Read Between the Lines is the perfect escape. Librarian Kat Fisher is a hopeless romantic who thinks she’s finally found “the one” online—until she realizes she’s been catfished. Determined to uncover the truth, Kat reluctantly teams up with Leo Taylor, a former detective whose messy habits and smug grin drive her absolutely mad.

What follows is a charming, twisty adventure as the unlikely pair chase down a scammer, navigate hilarious hijinks, and slowly discover that their best match might be standing right in front of them. Kat’s feisty spirit and Leo’s dry wit make for irresistible banter, and the chemistry between them crackles on every page.

Emily Kerr delivers a delightful mix of heartfelt moments, clever plot turns, and lovable side characters that bring warmth and depth to the story. The pacing may feel gentle at times, but it’s worth every page for the satisfying conclusion and emotional payoff.

Read Between the Lines is a feel-good blend of rom-com and mystery that leaves you smiling long after the last page. Fans of witty dialogue, charming leads, and unexpected romance will want to cozy up with this one!

The premise of this book caught my attention, along with the book cover. As a child, I wanted to be a librarian and just loved this idea.
However, I couldn't get past chapter 4.
There is a lot of unnecessary info dumping and I just do not like the FMC. She starts out as a lovely woman who wants love and then just immediately turns unlikeable in her approach to Leo, who seems like he is just a flirty banter guy and she just insults him from the start. She straight away assumes he is picking at her. She comes across as toxic already, like a decent person would see that he is flirting and thinks he is making witty banter to her.
I felt in chapter 1 that this book wasn't for me based on the info dump and writing style but pushed on a bit more.
I think this book had potential to be great, but it's just not for me.

If you like this kind of communication/miscommunication trope in books, then it's probably a good book!

I thank the author and netgalley for the opportunity.

Kat's been catfished! The librarian signed up for a dating app, met Brian (well, on line) and thought things were going well but he turned out to be a scammer. Now Leo, a former police officer who has been the bane of her existence thanks to his messy ways, helps her investigate the rat. The romance between Kat and Leo is pushed aside for a long time in favor of the investigation but know that they do eventually turn to one another. This has a good supporting cast and fans of novels set in libraries will enjoy the atmospherics. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I was really intrigued once I saw the general premise of this book... and who can resist a book-related romance?? Kat is a librarian, constantly irritated with Leo's messy, unorganized presentation in the library. Even worse, he ends up overhearing an embarrassing moment in her life that she wishes he would not have heard. Fortunately for her, this event turns into an investigation for which Kat seeks help from Leo, who is a former police officer. The cover of this book is ADORABLE and I felt like Kat was such a cute, funny character that I enjoyed reading about. And the supporting characters in the book like Moira and Doris were added fun and entertainment that truly made me envious I didn't work with them at this library!

While I was initially stoked to read this romance, I was disappointed that the actual romance did not occur until the very very end of the book (literally like 90% into the book). Most of the book was centered around Kats' investigation, and the romance did not truly start to flourish until the book was wrapping up. While I think the investigation part of the book was super interesting, I was hoping for a lot more romance! However, overall I enjoyed Emily's writing (hey name twin!) and felt that the plot of the book was unique and exciting! Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and Emily Kerr for allowing me to read this book earlier. Read Between the Lines will be published on Jun 13th, 2025, just in time for summer!

Set overseas, surrounded by books, romance? This has every element for a fantastic beach/pool/summer read. This was so incredibly enjoyable from start to finish.

Set in the UK, this book is quaint and sweet.

Librarian Kat is head over heels for her online sweetheart Brian, but he starts showing some red flags and she enlists ex-cop Leo to help sleuth out whether Brian is who he says he is and whether the dating app is legit.

The investigation is the main part of the book, it probably takes up 20-80% of the chapters and so the romance between the main characters feels lacking unfortunately.

⭐️ 3

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!

I was really excited for this book, but sadly, it didn’t meet my expectations. It took me longer than usual to finish because I struggled to stay invested. This is a very slow-burn romance with zero spice, which is perfect if that’s your thing, but it didn’t work for me. I didn’t feel much chemistry between Kat and Leo, and honestly, Leo came off as a bit moody, while Kat I just found annoying.

The plot focused heavily on the romance scam artist mystery rather than the actual romance.As i say for all books that are single POV i think this book would have really benefited from leo’s persepective.

Not sure if the authors is British, but as a British reader whith family who live in Cambridge (Very similar to Oxford, where this book is set), I found the dialogue overly posh and stereotypical—it felt more Victorian than modern oxford!

That said, I did enjoy the idea of an ex-cop and a librarian teaming up to catch a scammer. The mystery element was engaging, but the lack of romance made it feel more YA than adult fiction.

Emily Kerr whips up a romantic study of contrasts, a down on her luck librarian who dreams of romantic gestures and forever afters and a jaded ex-cop who is trying to find his own after a defeat at the hands of the system that was meant to protect.

Kat Fisher loves books, romance and her library flock (Mrs and Mr Moira being my absolute delight!!!) - when she signs up for a dating app she dreams of romance with her Military dreamboat, only to be crushed when she gets stood up and demanded of funds. She turns to an unlikely expert, Leo Taylor, ex-cop who complains about her squeaky trolley and puts his boots up on the furniture. Unfortunately, he also had front row seats to her getting ready for her romantic rendez vous which didn't transpire.

The banter between the two is exquisite and Emily Kerr rides a fine balance between the does he does she, and adding in the mystery of who the actual catfisher is. The story is fast paced and I polished it off in a day - perfect for a lazy beach read any day of the week!

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins UK, One more chapter for the ARC! It was a roaring delight to devour!