I had serious FOMO seeing everyone's gorgeous reviews and edits ahead of this book, so I was STOKED to get an ALC just a few weeks ago!

I think this is my first narration by Sarah Beth Goer and I cannot recommend her highly enough! There's some tricky "what's written vs what's spoken" dynamics at play here and she did a phenomenal job.

Its difficult for me to recall a more beautifully, purposefully worded book. Naymon has a gift for choosing the exact right phrase for the moment and feeling. The poetry written "by the characters" is the icing on the cake.

However, I have a hard time buying that someone with Leigh's degree of people-pleasing tendencies would thrive as a writer. If it costs you that much to be vulnerable..maybe don't stake your livelihood on it?

Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Forever for the ALC of *You Between the Lines* by Katie Naymon. Experiencing this novel in audiobook format made it even more immersive—an absolute gem of a romance that captured my heart from the very first chapter. The narration brought Leigh and Will to life, making their chemistry feel even more electric and their emotional journeys even more poignant.

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. Hearing their dynamic shift from cautious interactions to undeniable connection was pure magic.

Naymon’s prose is breathtaking, and the dialogue is sharp, witty, and brimming with emotion. The narrator’s performance enhances every moment, from the steamy romance to the heartfelt introspection, making the themes of identity, ambition, and personal growth resonate even more deeply.

This audiobook is an absolute must-listen—relatable, empowering, and oh-so-satisfying. I already know *You Between the Lines* will be one of my favorite romances of the year!

First thing’s first: thank you Netgalley for the ALC of this book!
You Between The Lines was an absolute master class in yearning. You’re looking for yearning? Look no further. This is the book for you!! Both main characters are poets so you know the writing is beautiful and flowery and sweet. I thought this was a super strong debut novel and I can’t wait to read more by this author!! There was a brief period of self destruction that made me roll my eyes but it was addressed in a way that was very satisfying to me. I really enjoyed this one!
4.25⭐️

On the surface, this is a light and fun Romance, but it is also a little more. The setting and characters in the story are based in a graduate Poetry program. The poetry woven throughout is delightful. The main (female) character narrates, and her views and descriptions are so poetic. We also get snippets of the poems the students are creating and critiquing.
After initially getting frustrated with the main character's (often whiny) insecurities, I soon realized this was a serious, crippling issue for her, affecting her relationships and career goals. The author presents this very well, acknowledging and normalizing mental health issues.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator really brought out the characters' personalities well through her varied tones. And actually hearing the poetry read was a real plus with the audiobook (perhaps adding that 4th star!).
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the advance copy to review.

I really enjoyed this. I'm a bit of a stickler for audiobooks--the narrator truly makes or breaks the story, regardless of how good it is. This one was pretty alright! Story itself I really liked.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and Hachette Audio for providing me with an audio ARC of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Leigh has been admitted to a prestigious MFA program. All she wants to do is keep to herself and write her poetry. When her childhood nemesis, Will, ends up in the same program, she wants to stay as far away from him as possible. But when the work he submits makes it obvious he's writing about her, she can't help but feel drawn to him. Competing for the same fellowship could possibly push them further apart. Or will it bring them closer?
I love the premise of this book. I was an English major who always dreamed of getting my MFA. And if you like poetry and romance, you will more than likely enjoy this title. I wanted to connect with these characters and understand their thought process and reactions. Unfortunately, that was not to be for me. I ended up DNFing this title at 55%.
I need to start by saying I was expecting this to be more adult than it came across. The characters just did not seem like people who were in their late 20s with some life experience behind them. But both main characters came across as immature.
Leigh centers her whole personality around her having been a sorority girl in college, though I actually never got the sense that she had those connections with her sorority sisters I know happen. Her constant insecurities about being in the MFA program also seemed odd to me. She got into the program but was always stating she didn't belong. I cannot imagine she would have been admitted had that been the case. I did not see her growing and developing and understanding her worth. I didn't get a sense that this would change, either. I was also annoyed with the fact that she had one experience with Will in high school she deemed bad and that was what shaped her entire opinion of him. And that moment was about constructive criticism, which she tells us she can take a few times in the book. Obviously this was not the case. Listening to her POV became exhausting and repetitive.
As for Will, I didn't know him at all. He was very surface level. Given the book was only from Leigh's POV, I needed more from her to show who Will was and that just didn't happen. All I saw was what she deemed a pretentious white male poet. But I never got that sense from him. I didn't get much of a sense of him at all.
As for the romance, it felt a little forced. I know the characters had some past engagement that was part of what should have been their underlying chemistry, but it didn't resonate with me. I wanted to feel the emotion between them and it just wasn't happening for me. There were some sweet moments when I though this might turn around but for me it did not.
I really thought this would have been a bit more light-hearted than it was. It was bogged down with a lot of emotion centering around the death of parents and lives that did not go as planned. While I don't mind emotional things in a book, I need to see the characters utilizing it for growth and this was not happening. The blurb made it feel more like a rom-com than it was.
There is much potential from this author, though. I can see it in her phrases and how her words flow. She just needs to tighten up how she portrays things on the page. A little more showing and a lot less telling. I did like the inclusion of the poetry in the story.
The narrator was fine but I think because the pacing of the book was so slow, it made me not like her as much as I might have.
Overall, the book fell flat for me. The plot was monotonous and the repetitive scenes never seemed to move the story forward. I wasn't invested in the story and I didn't care about the characters. I didn't find the FMC likeable and the themes were repetitive to the point I didn't understand why they were never getting resolved or at least developed past being the same thing over and over again. This book is likened to Julie Soto's works but I just don't see it. I do see I'm in the minority on that opinion, though. Perhaps the book would have hit me better in print and I'll give it a try that way once it's released.

I enjoyed You Between the Lines as a rivals to lovers romance set in the competitive atmosphere of an MFA program. It reminded me of Beach Read and Not in My Book, two of my other beloved conroms. However, I really found myself feeling frustrated and often annoyed with Leigh. She spent so much time bemoaning how there's a certain mold of MFA writers who find success easier than she ever could simply because they're the artsy fartsy types while she's *exactly like other girls* aka a sorority girl who loves Taylor Swift whose only trauma is her parents getting divorced when she's in her late 20s. For a the last half of the book I found her less and less likable with every chapter -- especially in her self sabotage era, but that is the point there! I did also really enjoy how poetic the writing was throughout the book. There were certain lines sprinkled throughout that had me pausing, rewinding, and just sitting with the beauty of their words.

This was a nice story with a strong female lead. It was sad and a bit depressing; definitely not light-hearted. However, I did like the story overall. It was a good, cozy romance.

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the gifted audiobook!

I just love this book so much. It's got the heart and humor of an Abby Jimenez book. It uses poetry the way Julie Soto uses cellos (IYKYK). The writing is “Emily Henry”-esque with characters that could’ve walked straight out of Emily’s latest novel. If you gave me this book without a title page and told me Emily Henry wrote it, I’d believe you. YBTL is the whole package and an absolute must read for anyone who has ever enjoyed a romcom.

This is one of those books I know I'll come back to over and over again, so I was so relieved to love the audiobook just as much. Sarah Beth Goer was the perfect choice to bring Leigh to life, capturing her hang-ups, insecurities, a-ha moments, and triumphs with authenticity. She also gives each side character a distinctive voice, which is especially important in a story with so much dialogue from minor characters. My only minor critique is that it was sometimes difficult to distinguish between Leigh’s internal monologue and her poetry drafts. Not a dealbreaker at all—this is still one I’d highly recommend!

Leigh is in her late 20s who leaves behind her soul-sucking copywriting job after being accepted into a prestigious MFA program in North Carolina. Only thing is, her crush turned rival from high school is also in her class and vying for the same fellowship position.

I think this didn’t work for me as I didn’t like Leigh as a character.
She was so self-absorbed from her parents’ broken marriage and divorce to putting herself at the centre of any issue she and Will has without asking or considering him.

She is also not like other girls and she thinks that’s why she’s never picked for opportunities.
I actually had to check she was in her late 20s because she acts so immature.

<b>He can’t write a single poem where I don’t exist. In his stanzas, his lines, his words.
</b>
Finally, there were way too many references and hits on “straight, white male” authors.

Perhaps this didn’t hit as hard as it felt eerily similar to Not in My Book by Katie Holt.

Arc gifted by Hatchette Audio.

This book didn't catch my interest like I wanted it to, but it was a good first book for the author.

I felt that the story was too repetitive, too long, and too negative.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Hachette Audio for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was very interested in the premise of this novel, but unfortunately for me I don't think I was the target audience because the story fell flat for me. I was drawn in by the Taylor references and thought the poetry aspect would be fun. It took awhile for me to get engaged with the story, like...30%. By that point I'd usually DNF if I wasn't feeling it, but I also acknowledge this is a debut novel and I believe that the author has a lot of talent. I just didn't resonate with this story or the characters. Enemies to lovers is also not my thing. I know that is a popular trope. I also felt like the character seemed a bit immature for their ages. .

As for the audiobook experience- I did believe it was well produced and the narrator was one I had never listened to before. I added them to my list and will seek out others of their work. I had no issues with it.

Katie Naymon’s debut novel is set in a poetry MFA program with main characters Leigh and Will who knew each other in high school and college. Leigh has never forgotten a comment Will made about her poetry in high school (high school!) and she’s still ruminating over it many years later.

The narration was excellent. There’s a lot of dialogue, so Sarah Beth Goer uses many different tones, and creates some nuance for our hero William (Will) – who doesn’t say all that much, so it needs to make an impression. Sarah Beth makes his tone low and slow which captures his character. The novel is all in FMC Leigh’s point of view, and Sarah Beth captures her preppiness and the way that she masks and avoids responding genuinely - especially to Will. I loved the narration much more than the book itself.

I didn’t connect at all with Leigh, she is self-absorbed to an almost frightening degree. She doesn’t accept any criticism, or even reflect on gentle critiques of her poetry. She makes assumptions about everyone, second-guesses herself and responds to her classmates based on what she thinks they want. She does grow into herself and into a relationship with Will, but it’s almost too little, too late. Will also has mental health issues and some grief to navigate.

I’ll read more of Katie’s writing. The college campus was memorably portrayed and all the side characters were vivid.

Thank you Katie Naymon, Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Leigh and Will were high school nemeses and secret crushes. They almost had a moment during college, which left some lingering and unresolved tension. Years later, they unknowingly enroll in the same MFA program studying poetry. To any Swifties reading this: Will would absolutely be a member of TTPD. IYKYK.

I mean this as a compliment: This book gave Ali Hazelwood vibes. From the rivals-to-lovers in higher ed, competing for a prestigious position, to the angst and secret pining/slow-burn developments.

A lot of the story is focused on Leigh’s introspection about her place in the MFA program, navigating the changes in her family, and general personal insecurities (throwback to normative feelings in your 20’s). I enjoyed the mental health rep (for both characters). Leigh and Will are imperfect characters and are managing complex but relatable emotions. The character growth was well done.

The audiobook narration made this fun and engaging!

Thanks to Hachette Audio (Forever Pub), & NetGalley for an audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review!
Pub date: 2/18/25

3/5
Meh. This was fine. It was annoying and felt longer than it needed to be. I didn’t love any characters so I wasn’t invested in their story.

I received this book from NetGalley and @HachetteAudio in exchange for an honest review. I felt like the audiobook version was pretty good. The female narrator wasn’t my favorite but I did like the voice that she did for Will, the MMC. The characters’ voices were different enough to keep track of. I felt like sometimes it got muddled and hard to discern when the poetry was being read. Sometimes I couldn’t tell if it was just what was going through the FMC’s mind or if she was actively coming up with ideas for poems.
So I enjoyed this book and there were things about it that I really liked, for example how the MCs would communicate/flirt through their notes on each other’s work. I also appreciated the representation and destigmatization of therapy as well as taking medication for mental health. There was a lot of back and forth in the relationship which became a little much for me, though the lack of communication and vulnerability was a big part of the FMCs struggle through the book. So while the middle seemed long, I really did enjoy the ending and who the FMC became once she was willing to do the hard work on herself.

"...the one who decides she is pretty
with the lights on, with arms uncrossed
and breath slow enough to catch."

You Between the Lines is one of my most anticipated titles of the year for good reason. Literary romance has quickly become an elevated and delicious subgenre for this reader. This title weaves personal and professional growth, delectable drama of an MFA poetry cohort, and a toe curling slow burn romance spanning nearly a decade.

Leigh is a girl's girl. A pink sundress wearing, former sorority girlie, writing Taylor Swift lyric wielding poetry full of pop culture imagery. When Leigh is depressed and burned out of her copy editing marketing job, she is pleasantly elated upon obtaining a coveted spot in a prestigious North Carolina MFA program.

Leigh is shocked to learn that her high school crush/high school nemesis is part of her program. Will never held back criticism in their creative writing program, and she is mortified to have continued workshopping with this complication from her past. He's still insufferable, meandering his way into her poetry feedback--pushing her to increased vulnerability in her writing.

This single POV piece of art is a deeply introspective glance into Leigh's perfectionist insecurities surrounding her parent's failing marriage, what "kind" of art and woman she should be, and what in world the beautiful William Langford has in his pretty, confused head. The MFA poetry cohort brings her foundational doubts to the surface, forcing Leigh to make some welcomed growth.

Thank you Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the audio ARC. Sarah Beth Goer does a beautiful rendition of the loving but neurotic Leigh. The emotion in her performace is unmatched and this audiobook is an absolute delight. You between the Lines debuts February 18, 2025.

As a poetry reader and English lit minor I thought this would be a great read for me but I found it very disappointing. Leigh spent the majority of the story complaining about having to read poetry and dissect poetry, which is pretty much the whole point of being in an MFA for poetry. I also really disliked the subtle ways she set herself apart from the other poetry students by othering the way they dress and act. It felt very stereotypical and "pick me". I understand that part of the storyline is her insecurity/imposter syndrome but she also actively refused to really be part of her program. Not reading classic poetry is not something to brag about to feel superior to classmates when you're in grad school to study poetry. And again, if there was more self reflection or recognition that Leigh is not a great person and is getting in her own way constantly by ignoring week meaning feedback, this could have worked but if she's not even mature enough to discuss poetry with her classmates, how could she possibly be in a lasting relationship by the end of this story?!

I also found myself frustrated by her constant assertions that the poetry style she enjoys is somehow superior to traditional/classical styles of poetry. It felt like someone who read Rupi Kaur and Amanda Lovelace and then decided no other styles of poetry are valid. Experimental feminist pop culture poetry exists in conversations with the genere and asserting that it is the only valid style is no different than someone say Tennyson's style is the only valid poetry. Leigh is just as dismissive as she assumes her classmates to be but thinks she is superior because the poetry she likes speaks to her so it must be better.

I also found both Will and Leigh to be very immature. Neither of them read like almost 30 year old grad school students. This story would have felt more believable if they were undergrads in a selective program. They were insufferable as grad students. Leigh's constant whining took away from any chemistry the author was trying to develop. Overall this was a big miss for me.

3.5⭐️I really wanted to love this more. Because I really did love parts of it and the writing especially, I can’t believe this is a debut.

But I found the FMC insufferable. She is meant to be 27, but reads close 17 to me. And it just got to be me painful to read for me.

The whole push pull between them also got so frustrating. Like her friend Genevieve said, I really wanted them to just get over themselves and get on with it. Side bar, Gen might have been my favourite character, she seemed like a riot, I wanted more of her.

The audiobook was great, I really did enjoy the narrator. Overall pleasant book, but could have been better.

Thank you to Hachette audio, NetGalley & the author Katie Naymon for the advanced listening + reading copies, all my opinions are my own.

in all honesty, i didn’t love this one. it started off strong for me but as it went on it felt it dragged and lacked chemistry between the two main characters.

narration was great and enjoyable! it was just the plot that i didn’t love.