This book was... interesting. I think I fell for the pretty cover and skimmed the synopsis too much because It was not what I was expecting.

I started this one in physical copy and then received an audio copy (thank you Netgalley/Hachette Audio Group!).

What I liked about this book:
-I liked the poetry and writing. I took a creative writing class in high school that I loved and it was fun to be back in that scene. Hearing about the writing and the prompts/students works gave me that itch to want to start writing (for fun) again.
-Some of the background parts of the story were good and kept me interested.

What I didn't like:
-Leigh was infuriating to me. She gets into this writing school somehow by just regurgitating Taylor Swift lyrics? I like Taylor Swift songs as much as the next person, but this was just odd. She also can't take any criticism, which I get is never fun, but you're at a school where peer review is apparently a huge part of the courses? Not to mention her unlikability made it hard to connect to her and I just felt bored. I was hoping she would grow up throughout the book but I guess not.
-There was no chemistry between the main characters. It could have been my distaste for Leigh that caused this but I just didn't feel like they would make a good fit for each other. I grew disinterested in whether they got together or not and it made it hard to get through the book.

Overall, this book was just okay. The story was written beautifully but the characters ruined it for me. I liked the narrator of the audio book as a narrator but I have to say that her voice was not what I expected when I switched from physical to audio - which is obviously no fault of theirs at all, just not a voice I would have picked to match to Leigh.

The storyline being largely focused around poetry is interesting and different in the sense of a writers trope which normally leans towards novels or ghostwriting memiors.

In the background of the story are sub storylines that gave insight into Leigh’s family and thus part of her insecurities and struggles. I gave this book 3 stars. It was good story, but it fell flat for me. I wasn't in love with either character and thus didn't feel connected to them or their story. The ultimate ending for them wasn't a big deal to me. If they walked away I could feel fine about it, which isn't what I look for in a romance.

I didn't dislike the narrator but I also wasn't invested in the story and found it to be to easy together distracted. It’s hard for me to tell if this was the story or if part of it was due to the narration. Overall, if the synopsis sounds good to you, try it out it wasn't a waste of my time, but I also wouldn't re-read it.

This story masterfully blends humor, ambition, and the messy reality of revisiting an old rivalry. The academic setting adds depth without overshadowing the emotional journey, making the tension between competition and connection feel real and compelling. Leigh’s struggles with self-doubt and artistic validation resonated deeply, and the sharp, witty banter made the evolving relationship all the more satisfying. The balance of humor and heart kept me invested, making this more than just a romance—it’s a reflection on growth, creativity, and the stories we tell ourselves.
Sarah Beth Goer’s narration brings the characters to life with nuance and energy. She perfectly captures Leigh’s sharp wit and underlying vulnerability, making every moment feel genuine. Her performance adds layers to the tension and chemistry between Leigh and Will, drawing me further into their dynamic. The audiobook format made the dialogue feel even more vibrant, enhancing the emotional highs and lows in a way that kept me completely engaged.

Thank you so much to Hachette Audio for the complimentary ALC!

This book is out now!

I am in a buddy read for this one that was spearheaded by a bookstagrammer who made this book her personality which meant I totally had to read it.

I love that this took place in a college and we really got to see the side characters in this. Of course my focus was on our main couple Leigh and Will. The way Will would always have his eyes on Leigh in class and in the library - swoon. And there was a moment towards the end that we learn that he assists her in a task that she was not able to complete that literally made me go "of course he would do that!" The two have been pining after each other since high school and it's very apparent that those old feelings just don't go away no matter how hard you try. Also who knew hooking up in a library would be SO sexy?!

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

I am very torn on how I feel about the HEA in this. Leading up to the end I thought it was more a Happy For Now until both characters took the time to grow separately and perhaps seek therapy. The turnaround time between the 3rd act break up to reconciling was just not enough. They really needed to work on themselves. Leigh was just TOO competitiveness and insecure and I just found it hard to believe that it wouldn't happen again if she would stay with Will while they were still in classes together.

There was a moment with Leigh and her therapist where I thought "Am I Leigh?" There is a moment when the therapist says, "Your first reaction, when someone ignores you, is to assume that there's something wrong with you. You assign your self worth based on your perception of what others think about you. WOOF - I felt attacked when I read it and attacked again as I type this out. I love that the author made it a point to have Leigh see a therapist on the pages. I also thought it was refreshing to show Leigh's parents relationship unfold in adulthood.

I paired my reading with the audiobook. This was narrated by Sarah Beth Goer and I thought she was a fabulous narrator! She was able to bring out the vulnerable Leigh needed and when she would do Will's dialogue, she would have to bring out a softer side to him too.

Ultimately I still really enjoyed the book and was invested on how the story would end. There were parts that had me smiling from ear to ear and giggly over what their future could be (*cough* pumpkin patch*cough*).

This was a debut and I'm excited to see what Katie Naymon will do in the future.

I recommend this book if you are looking for an academia setting, second chance romance with occasional flashbacks.

PS - I often don't fancast while I read but I could not get German actor Damian Hardung (Maxon Hall) out of my head for Will especially after seeing a photo of him with glasses on.

4.5

I wanted to DNF this book at 35%. I trudged along and can’t say I’m glad I did. Leigh was immature and I honestly didn’t care much for her. Not sure what will saw in her. This book took me forever to get through because I never really connected with or related to the characters. It was also heavily MFA and poetry focused which I didn’t realize would bore the heck out of me.
Also the straight white male comments got old. Prob should have just ended it at 35%. This book just wasn’t for me!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

DNF: Could be amazing so don’t take my rating to heart. I started the book and got partway through but I had sudden flashbacks to Creative Writing classes & Poetry Club and remembered how much I hated the round table discussions and peer critiques in that setting. So, absolutely not the book for me.

You Between the Lines was exactly what I needed it to be. It was a lovely rivals to lovers, almost second chance, romance. It was written quite well. The characters were each distinct enough to play their role, and that was lovely. I found the audiobook narrator to be good *most* of the time. I did not like when she narrated the seductive spice scenes, but that is just like a personal thing and some people may be really into it. The books is three stars for me because it did what I needed it to do as a nice little romance book, but trust it didn't do anything beyond that. The side characters could have used some more exploring and the major conflicts of the book were quite forced. A nice read overall if you're looking for a nice palate cleanser.

Leigh Simon's greatest nemesis in high school was William Langford. He had nothing good to say about any of her poetry. So color Leigh horrified when she discovers Will is in the same MFA program. She should be rich from all the lemonade she's making from the lemons life throws at her. If there's anyone she wants to best, it's William. She would love nothing more than to win the coveted fellowship. But everything she writes is superficial at best. William can't help but feel this is his chance for Leigh to give him a chance. But she doesn't want the attention he's giving her, and her discovery about one of his poems could finally give her the chance to beat Will. The more time they spend together, the deeper the connection between them gets.

I have to admit that I didn't like Leigh in the beginning. She wasn't someone I wanted to get to know. She seemed superficial, never giving her true self, which seemed to be the greatest stumbling block for her poetry. Once she began really feeling those emotions and not tamping them down, her true character came shining through. I felt that the animosity she felt toward Will was what was holding her back. Only then was she able to see (or read) between the lines of William's poetry that she could be open to loving Will and him loving her.

Sarah Beth Goer was a great narrator! She is new to me, and I can see her becoming a favorite. Her soothing voice was perfect for Leigh and Will's story!

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.

DNF. I gave this book 10% but was not interested in continuing the listen. I may have judged wrong, but I felt like I could see where it was going to go and was bored. They marketed it as Legally Blonde but in MFA. I don't think this is a compelling comparison because, without the disbelief that the main character can accomplish something so challenging, all that's left is a ditzy girl getting a master's degree.

I really liked this book! It was my first book by Katie Naymon. Based on some of the reviews, I thought I wanted like the addition of the poetry, but it really added to the story for me. I liked the pacing and the narrator did a great job with the fmc and the MMC voices.

This book was an adorable feel good romance. Leigh is tired of her corporate marketing job and decides to go back to college for poetry where she reunites with Will, the guy she’s had a crush on since high school and also said her poetry had no substance. As they both compete for the same fellowship opportunity they have to become vulnerable with each other and themselves as they learn to express themselves and communicate through poetry. Leigh deals with and grows a lot through the book providing things hat every person can relate too in some ways if they have insecurities and issues expressing themselves. The same can be said for will with his own self esteem issues coming into play. The wonderful thing with these main characters is the way that they portray even though our judgement of ourselves might be harsh and jaded, others can see the beauty in us and help us find it in ourselves. The narrative and voice of this book was beautiful as well, sounding like poetry in itself with the language and descriptions. This was a wonderful fun contemporary romance!

Thank you Forever & Hachette Audio for the review copies.
Quote from 85%:
Leigh:
"But it wasn't just the fight. From the very beginning, he's been wishy-washy." Gen:
"Well, maybe because you've been wishy-washy, too."
-two lines summarizing my thoughts on this whole story.
This had moments that I enjoyed - hello, we never get books that have ties to Ohio so shout out to that!! But overall I really struggled through this, specifically the main character's POV and how she dealt with nearly every relationship in her life. This will absolutely be a hit for folks who love slow burn, angsty, poetic, messy characters and books about writing - the comps to Beach Read are great and deserved. It just wasn't for me, and that's okay. With that said, I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Poetically this book was beautiful and I loved the lyrical flow of the words. It was fun to see a novel about poets written in a poetic way. But I didn't love the character developments and the characters in general felt like they could have had a more satisfying storyline overall. It just felt lacking something for me.

I am so glad I got the audiobook of this. I got the hardback in my BOTM box, but I was struggling to get into the story. The narrator of this book helped tremendously. I enjoyed listening and could easily have it on while I drove. I feel the main reason I struggled at first is I have recently read a lot of books about writing nemesis in a program together. It just seems to be done a lot lately and I was frustrated that I was getting a similar story from a different author. While I maintain that this still followed the same paths the other books did, I was glad that I got to listen to this story because it was well written, even though it was predictable.

“You Between the Lines” by Katie Naymon was such a delightful addition to my TBR. Leigh and Will share a complicated past and find themselves unexpectedly reunited in a graduate poetry cohort. Despite their best efforts to resist, the chemistry between them is undeniable. This romance is beautifully written, with touching poetry woven throughout the story, adding to its depth and charm.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a fantastic job with the pacing and delivery. Her voice for Will, in particular, made him even more swoon-worthy. If you love second-chance romances with a literary twist, this is definitely one to add to your list!
Thanks to NetGallery and Hachette Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I have such mixed feelings about this book. There were parts I absolutely loved, but Leigh drove me crazy the entire time. Without spoiling anything, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed to grow up a bit. That being said, I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was fantastic! Her flow, energy, and enthusiasm brought the story to life in a way that made the experience so much better. While this book wasn’t a favorite, I still appreciated the journey, and the narration definitely kept me engaged!

Former sorority girl Leigh unexpectedly lands in a prestigious poetry MFA, only to find her high school crush-turned-nemesis, Will, enrolled too—and he won't stop submitting poems (obviously about her). Forced to confront past feelings through verse, Leigh discovers some stories are best told between the lines.

Authentic and angsty. Those two words can describe the feeling of a lot of well-written contemporary romances these days, but few carry the weight of them like this story does. I really appreciated how unaware Leigh was while she was trying to be aware. It made her anxiety and grief about her parents’ divorce feel especially real. And though I’m usually not a fan of the poetry written within stories, Leigh’s imperfect poems actually helped convey her lack of personal understanding and made her attempts to solve her life's problems even more relatable. Her final poem at the end—her vulnerable self—was my favorite, as it should be.

So here we are, nearing the end of my review of a romance ebook, and I’ve yet to talk about the romance. Well, this story is less about romance itself and more about second chances—two poets discovering what being a poet means to them.

(Also, you know a book was truly enjoyable when you suddenly want to drop everything in your life to sign up for a poetry MFA, despite there being nothing you hate more than trying to write a poem.)

Thank you @netgalley @hatchetteaudio @readforeverpub for the books #netgalley

Perfect for you if you like:
Books about grad school and poetry
Second chance romance
Anxiety rep.
Taylor Swift

Similar to:
Not in My Book by Katie Holt
How to Plot a Love Story by Yulin Kuang
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

⛔️chapters 15, 20 & 22 contain explicit romance scenes (open door)
⚠️explicit language, parental divorce (very present), previous death of parent, anxiety and mental health (very present), sexual harassment

Thank you NetGalley for giving me early access to this audiobook. So…. it was a cute book in the end but there were definitely parts I liked and some I didn't like so much.
A very brief summery: Leigh a MFA student finds out she’ll be spending the next 2 years in the same program with a man “she can't stand” because he gave her criticism… also he can't forget her.
Okay so there technically is more to the story, but in my opinion for it to be framed as a “she can't stand him, he can't forget her” story there really needed to be more. I don't know if I just handle criticism really well because I went to college for art and we had critiques ever week… but like Leigh is far to sensitive when it comes to criticism. The craziest part is the criticism is also so VALID! I'm not sure if Leigh was supposed to be slightly unlikable so that when she grows we are happy with the growth… but there where times when I really couldn't stand her. For starters she's constantly talking about how “she's not like other girls” in her program. True to an extent, she's not like the typical indie poet but we also meet all her classmates and talk about how they are all slightly different. She feels so different because she likes Taylor Swift, pink, and was in a sorority. For starters I really don't feel bad for a girl who doesn't have to feel othered or different in every aspect of the world. The craziest part is, she talked about how another guy in the MFA program seemed like a party boy or frat boy…. So like you're obviously not alone girl, not everyone is the same. Yes that guy was technically part of the fiction group and not the poetry one, but my point still stands! Also Leigh needs to grow up, I’m sorry she makes anything going on in anyone's life about her not being good enough. I get it, I have a lot of trauma but like… for someone who worries so much about being enough for others, she only thinks about herself. Will was a good love interest in my opinion but that option might also be bias because he reminds me a lot of my boyfriend. That being said I think he's too good for Leigh, she said some really rude stuff that they just kind of brushed past. The craziest part is, he just lets it go even though she held onto a comment he made about a poem she wrote for like 10+ years. Sorry for saying the craziest part like 10 times!

I usually don't like the second chance romance but this one pulled at my heart strings! I love Will & Leigh so much, They will live happily ever after in my head forever.

Description
A former sorority girl starts a prestigious poetry MFA program only to discover that one of her classmates is her high school crush-turned-nemesis—​and he can't stop writing about her.
No one’s more surprised than Leigh when a prestigious MFA program in North Carolina accepts her. A former sorority girl, Leigh’s the first to admit she knows more about the lyrics of Taylor Swift than T.S. Eliot, and she’s never been able to shake the “all-style-no-substance” feedback her high school crush made in their poetry workshop. Leigh's insecurities become all too real when Will, that same high school crush-turned-nemesis, shows up at orientation. And now, he’s William, exactly the kind of writer Leigh hates, complete with his pretentious sweater vests and tattered Moleskine. Leigh’s determined to prove herself—and William—wrong by landing the program’s highly-coveted fellowship. But Will’s dead-set on proving himself too, and in a small cohort, they can't keep apart for long.
When Will submits an intimate poem (that's maybe, probably, definitely about Leigh) to workshop, they’re both forced to realize there’s more to the other than what’s on the page. And what’s between the lines may be even more interesting.

Thanks to NetGalley & Hachette Audio for the ALC of this book!

You Between the Lines
by Katie Naymon
Narrated by Sarah Beth Goer
Hachette Audio | Forever

This book just wasn’t for me! Leigh was immature and stuck in the past. I want to be able to root for an HEA in a romance and I just couldn’t. Will was deserving of so much more.

I have lots more thoughts about this book, but I’ll just say it wasn’t for me and move on! Cute cover though!