I think I might be in the minority on this one. I wanted to love this book—it felt tailor-made for me: adorable cover? Check. Emotional rom-com with solid mental health rep? Check. An MFA poetry backdrop? Triple check.

And it started off promising. But somewhere around the halfway point, I started to lose interest. The characters—especially Leigh, the FMC—came across as pretty immature, which led to a lot of miscommunication and tension that didn’t quite land for me. The romance between Will and Leigh (including the steamy scenes) felt a bit forced, and the plot began to lose momentum as it went on. It’s not a bad book by any means, but ultimately, it just didn’t click for me.

On the upside, Sarah Beth Goer did a fantastic job with the audiobook narration. Even though the story didn’t fully resonate, she brought it to life beautifully. If you’re curious about this one, I’d recommend giving it a shot in audio format.

4.25 stars!! thank you to NetGalley & Forever Publishing for the arc!

You Between the Lines was a beautiful introduction to Katie Naymon’s writing! I couldn’t help but get invested in Leigh and Will’s story. I truly enjoyed them, the story, the writing, and everything in between!

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!!!

I had a hard time with this listen. I started it once and put is aside, then started it again. I didn't find the main characters to be lovable.

Thank you to Netgalley, Katie Naymon and Hachette Audio for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Okay first off - I adored this cover. Purple is so underrated! This one was so cute but sadly in no way exceptional. Enjoyed but won’t remember! Sad!

Leigh, a former sorority girl turned unlikely poetry student, is funny, self-aware, and easy to root for as she takes on academia—and her high school crush-turned-nemesis, William (formerly Will). Their rivalry-turned-romance builds with just the right amount of tension, sarcasm, and slow-burn chemistry.
I experienced this both in ebook and audiobook format. In the ebook version, Leigh’s voice shines on the page—equal parts sharp and vulnerable. The poetry excerpts and workshop scenes add a fun, immersive layer.
The audiobook version was a strong listen. The narrator did well with Leigh’s tone and inner monologue.
A charming enemies-to-lovers rom-com with witty banter and fun drama.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Hachette Audio and am voluntarily leaving my review.

You Between the Lines was the first book I've read by this author. I had a hard time liking Leigh and Will; they both came across as pretentious, and I didn't care for either of them. Leigh especially needs some psychological help. The miscommunication, violation of personal belongings, belittlement, and jealousy didn't work for me. I will not be posting about this book on my social media accounts as I preserve those spaces for positive reviews.

A modern enemies to lovers story between two aspiring poets, combined with the adorable cover? That’s what drew me into this book. What kept me reading until the end? The MMC. What almost had me putting it down throughout? Unfortunately, the FMC.

You Between the Lines has a cute storyline but the main character had me so annoyed. A constant people-pleaser, with incredibly low self-esteem, unhealthy jealousy, and constant insecurities, Leigh missed the mark for me. Instead of feeling relatable or like she was a “seemingly basic girl with a deeper meaning,” she just felt bland and immature. It feels like such a missed opportunity that this one wasn’t written in dual perspectives! If it had alternated between the two POVs, I think the story would have been redeemed and made for a fun, lighthearted read.

Thank you to Katie Naymon, Hachette Audio, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

This book was such a fun mix of academic chaos, slow-burn tension, and surprisingly sweet moments. Leigh is super relatable, especially with all her insecurities about not being “literary enough,” and I loved watching her try to prove herself in a space that clearly wasn’t built for someone like her. The MFA setting felt real without being too stuffy, and the poetry angle actually worked really well. Leigh and Will’s backand forth had me hooked their dynamic is messy, sharp, and full of chemistry. Some parts were a little predictable, but overall it hit the right notes. If you like rivals to lovers with a creative twist, this one’s worth picking up.

These main characters were insufferable and pretentious. I wanted to like the book and care about what was happening to them, but they were just so unlikable that I couldn’t muster up the energy to care.

So much angst. So much tension. So much pining. So many layers to their relationship and I wanted to peel back further and further until they both cracked. I felt like both Leigh and Will were such complex characters but still relatable. They have their flaws, but doesn’t everyone? It was refreshing to see main characters who don’t have it all together. We get to watch them figure it out. And the banter was top notch quality. So many quotable moments and I can’t wait to reread this.

The narration was done equally well. I felt like she had distinct voices for Leigh and Will and that she was able to capture the angst in their voices perfectly. Her voice was especially great for the poetry and it felt more impactful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the advance listening copy of You Between the Lines.

I really enjoyed this one. The premise—an ex-sorority girl entering a competitive poetry MFA program and facing off with her high school crush-turned-rival—was both fun and refreshingly original. The academic setting added great atmosphere, and the enemies-to-lovers tension kept the story moving at a nice pace.

The narrator was excellent and captured Leigh’s voice perfectly—balancing wit, self-doubt, and heart in a way that made her instantly likable. The audiobook format worked especially well for this story, given the poetry elements and character-driven dialogue.

Leigh and Will had great chemistry, and while the romance unfolds slowly, the payoff felt earned. I also appreciated the deeper themes about creative insecurity, growth, and learning to be vulnerable on and off the page.

A charming, smart, and heartfelt listen with just the right blend of snark and sincerity.

This is one of the best romance books about writers that I've ever read (and I've read a few).
Did I expect You Between the Lines to be steamy? No
But did I enjoy the spice? Absolutely.
And who would have expected this to be both second chance and enemies to lovers? I'm not sure, but somehow both tropes made this such a great read. While tropey, there was nothing cliche about this book. It was fresh, unique, and should be at the top of all romance reader's TBR.

And Sarah Beth Goer, I love your work.

I saw a lot of positive early hype for this book which was exciting, but the second it was in the hands of the masses, I started seeing fairly negative reviews which made me drag my feet on actually reading it. I kept hearing that it was a worse version of Not In My Book by Katie Holt and after reading, I have to agree. Being in this FMC's head was mildly insufferable and I just couldn't wait to be done.

DNF for now

How far did I get? About 100 pages, but I was curious about their history and did some skimming ahead as well.

Why did I stop? This has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the books I read in the first days after Inauguration Day, when the news became a constant barrage of horrifying developments. So I definitely was not in the right headspace for reading, and this became a casualty of that time. I kept saying I would come back to it another day and do it justice, but I just haven’t done that yet, so these are my thoughts from the first round.

Was I enjoying it initially? Pre-release, this had nothing but glowing reviews and a lot of building buzz, which had me going in with a lot of excitement and high expectations. It’s a debut, and I can definitely see why it was so buzzy. The characters are complex and compelling, their background had me very intrigued, and the writing felt distinct. I remember feeling like it wasn’t quite living up to the hype for me, and that caused me to skim ahead a little and try to figure out more about their history while inadvertently spoiling some future developments. I loved the potential of the story and the hero was quickly winning me over, but there’s also a lot of push/pull that was frustrating. I’m also not a Swiftie – nothing against her, that’s just not my style of music – and this had some references that I think would be better understood by fans of Swift. I was feeling underwhelmed, and ended up setting it down “for a few days” to see if it was a mood issue. I still haven’t gone back to it.

Would I finish this? It’s interesting to note that the book has not been nearly as well received post-release as I would’ve expected, so it’s entirely possible that it simply wasn’t as good as I was hoping. I’d still consider going back to it, for sure. I’d want to start fresh with it, so I will probably wait awhile to do so.

Who would I recommend this to? Fans of secretly smitten boys, academic settings, and complex storylines.

Audio note: The audio is good! I’m not super familiar with Sarah Beth Goer, but I really liked her voice. Since we only get the heroine’s perspective, it’s single narration, but she does a great job. The runtime (10 hours) is a good length for bingeing, and the vibe works well for a workday listen. I can’t speak to the spice level, but flipping ahead did seem to indicate there is some. I think the audio adds to the reading experience, and it’s a great way to get immersed.

Plenty of people will love this one but it steers a little too close to "Not In My Book" by Katie Holt but the execution was far worse. These characters were insufferable.

The narrators? Wonderful

This was so cute and relatable!!! I can totally see how this book might not be for everyone, but for me it totally hit! As an English minor myself I could easily connect to all those writing classes and feedback sessions that were equal parts terrifying and exhilarating.

You also can’t ever go wrong with a guy who’s been obsessed with her forever when she’s written him off and thinks he doesn’t want anything to do with her ever again.

I particularly loved how (unfortunately) relatable Leigh was. She had constant concerns with not feeling good enough, which largely stemmed from her parent’s relationship deteriorating. Her conversations in therapy revolved around her anxiety of being too much and adjusting her personality and likes/dislikes to whatever the person she was spending time with had opinions on. I’m sure many people can relate to moments like that.

The romance was great too and I loved the slow progression of their relationship, which we had to be veryyy patient to get to 😅.

Read if you like:
🌶️ medium spice (2.5/5)
📖 poetry
😍 he falls first
🙂‍↕️ she thinks he hates her but he hasn’t ever stopped thinking about her

This was a sexy, slow burn, spicy novel and it was fantastic!

I enjoyed watching the evolution of Will and Leigh both individually then not-so-individually.

I’m also a sucker for books that have characters who love reading and writing. I’m gonna full on connect to them no matter what!

The book and audiobook are both available now so I definitely recommend checking them out!

Thank you NetGalley, Katie Naymon, and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to listen to this yummy slow-burn in exchange for a review.

Leigh is surprised when she gets into a prestigious MFA program, but she is even more shocked to find Will, her high-school crush who broke her heart with the feedback he gave her poetry, is also in the program. With such a small cohort, there is no way to avoid Will, and it isn’t long before old feelings come back.

First of all, I would totally read a book of Leigh’s poetry - she’s a pop culture loving girlie after my own heart! I loved this debut - it was a great second chance romance and the MFA setting was a fun setting for them to reunite. I loved getting to know their classmates as well and the depth the side characters added to the storyline. I look forward to reading more from Katie Naymon.

I loved Sarah Beth Goer’s audiobook performance. It was easy to lose track of time while listening to her narration and I didn’t want to stop listening!

Thank you to Forever Publishing, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies.

I just finished You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon and here are my musings.

Leigh never expected to be accepted into a prestigious MFA program… Things are looking up. That is until William walks in and he is also in the same program.. He is the bane of her existence and his poetry… pretentious… Excellent but it's what everyone else does… She writes outside the box and she will stop at nothing to get that fellowship… Trouble is William is gunning for it too.

Firstly, this audiobook was really good. It set a beautiful pace and I was fully pulled into this cute romantic read. I am not a fan of poetry but I didn’t think about how vaste it can be. Leigh writes poetry like Taylor Swift lyrics and that's actually really bloody cool. I like the contrast between how and what William writes and what Leigh writes… It was almost like a grumpy vs sunshine poetry slam! It was totally clever!

I think my biggest beef was Leigh. I like FMCs that are unsure and vulnerable but she was constantly getting in her own way and she allowed whatever was or wasn’t going on with her and Will to derail her. It annoyed me. She walked away from her comfortable life to do the program and she was wasting it… a lot. That rubbed me the wrong way. I get second guessing yourself but this made me cringe.

It’s a debut novel so I always give more leniency to them and I could see some really solid work here. The pacing was off just a little bit but all in all I actually really enjoyed it. The last hour or so it really found its footing and was the best part of the book. It’s got some real vulnerable and raw moments and I can see what the book was trying to accomplish but some of it didn’t work as well as I hoped it would but I am super excited to see what the author does next.

3.75 stars

Thank you to @netgalley and @hachetteaudio for my gifted copy.

For me this was an adequate romance novel. The characters were a bit wishy washy- especially Leigh who cannot decide what she wants, she's not even sure about her writing. I am not a big fan of poetry so that part of the story did not work well for me. I appreciated the writing style but it was not as light hearted as I was expecting. Still a decent story. I listened to an audio version of this book and the narrator was good. 3 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Hachette Audio | Forever for a chance to read/listen to an ARC version of this book.