I enjoyed this! I do wish McFarlane would give us more time/slow down the pacing after the HEA, especially for a closed door romance. Give me an extended cut! I want to see how it all works out!

This was my first title by this particular author of which I had previously heard great things about but perhaps this book isn’t the one to start with. I found it a bit difficult to read and when the writing started to flow it was immediately cut off by a chapter break. Normally by the first quarter of a romance book, I’m rooting for the chapters or at least kicking my feet in excitement however, Cover Story is just not giving me those giddy feelings :(

Thank you NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyage for the ARC!

4 stars 🌟

A romcom about two journalists who go undercover to get the story on a government employee that is using his position to take advantage of young female employees.

What I Liked:
Macfarlane probably taught me more new words than any other author in one book. I appreciate the variety in her language.
The miscommunication in this book did not feel trope-y but felt authentic. You could see from some of their assumptions and stumblings that it is a very real way for people to react. It was not a situation that required the reader to suspend their belief to follow the book. I loved the banter and the characters.

What I Didn’t Like:
Nothing I can remember. I thoroughly enjoyed and will be reading everything I can get my hands on by this author.

I've really enjoyed Mhairi McFarlane's previous books and this one did not disappoint! The banter, the British straight talk, sense of humor, and the "undercover" pining was right on point. A fresh read that left me feeling delightfully warm and fuzzy!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

This one was just okay for me, The premise of the story was cute however I did not love the execution of it. I did like the banter of the two main characters however I did think they acted a bit juvenile at some points. Also the ending to the story came up very quick and not many questions were answered it was almost rushed to finish the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy! This was a fun read about two journalists, Bel and Connor, who go undercover as part of a investigation into their city’s mayor. I enjoyed the Manchester setting and the characters - all were fleshed out pretty well even if they had brief parts. The romance doesn’t really happen till the end and I liked that the author kept the suspense going. The Me Too investigation felt a little light for such a serious topic - it felt like it was just in service to getting Bel and Connor together and I wonder if it would have been better to have a different story. I didn’t really agree with how Bel’s past was handled either.

I absolutely loved this book but felt that the ending fell flat. It was the perfect blend of humor and romance, but the end seemed underdeveloped and would've benefited from an epilogue to build on the HEA.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book! Absolutely was floored I even received this ARC. I absolutely loved the dynamic between Bel and Connor it was definitely a slow burn but done so well and throwing in fake dating? Omgg loved the banter and the humor was for sure on point was laughing out loud!

In my brain, Mhairi McFarlane writes rom coms that happen to have a story, but it is for sure the other way around--she is a fiction writer that features some romance. And I love it! Once I got over the mindset that this was supposed to be a cutie lil romance, I was fully invested.

I loved the concept of this book, and the fact that it was very much a mystery. Will they get away with being undercover? Also, I am always a sucker for fake dating. Gets me every time.

Definitely will recommend this one!

4 iPads out of 5

I am a big fan of this author and can not believe I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book. I have to say she killed this book. I will read anything this author writes and they have once again proven to me why they are a top author of mine. I could not put the book down, I read it in two days. Slow burn will keep me locked in from the very beginning and this book did just that. Bel and Connor had such a fun dynamic in the beginning. I love that they started as not liking each other and then slowly as time went on that changed at a pace that was believable and fun to follow. The romance did not feel rushed in any way. McFarlane should be given an award for the banter that their characters have, they are funny and real and I just love reading her books as they always feel real and relatable which can be hard to find with a book that has a romance. Cheers to this author once again nailing it at their craft.

It was just too "wordy" for me! I wanted to like it but I couldn't quite get past that! The concept was good but the characters weren't likable enough for me to finish it!

This was a good read! I had a tougher time getting into it for about the first quarter of the book but then it began to pick up. The beginning felt a little slow but then it really started to pick up around 65% into the book. There is a lot going on in this story. It is a very slow burn which was enjoyable! Check this one out if you like workplace rivalry, enemies to lovers, and fake dating!

Thank you Avon and NetGalley for the advanced copy! All opinions are my own.

Cover Story is a fun enemies-to-lovers story with the witty banter and fun but authentically flawed characters that McFarlane does so well. The undercover journalists plot line was an interesting twist in a rom-com that I was very invested in. I also always enjoy how thoroughly British McFarlane's books are; there are always references or turns of phrase that I don't immediately understand which gives me a chance to expand what I know about British culture.

Thank you to NetGally and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

McFarlane never fails to produce smart rom-coms that are ACTUALLY funny. The MC's side conflict with an ex fell a little flat (and her weakness in handling it for much of the book felt contrary to her character), but loved it overall.

✨Release Date: Oct. 7th, 2025✨

I love love love Mhairi McFarlane novels so much and I think Cover Story might be my favorite one yet (I’ll always love you, Just Last Night).

Mhairi’s writing has the very rare ability to draw you in and hold your attention in such a captivating way that putting her books down feels physically painful. I’ve thought a lot about what makes this the case and i’ve decided that it’s because the voice is as witty and quick as the dialogue. All of the descriptions of characters, places and events are always so funny and smart.

I loved these characters and this story. Two journalists who have made hasty judgements of each other wind up in an undercover relationships to land a huge story.

Bel and Connor both felt so real to me - flawed and going through tough life transitions - but deeply tender and kind hearted. I really enjoyed watching their relationship develop in a way that felt authentic. I was also LOCKED IN on the undercover story they were trying to get and wanted to see that through.

A random side note, but I also love how she lets her characters eat and drink very well. I always want to go out and get a good meal afterwords.

Big cheers for this amazing book

This novel started as a slow burn but slowly amped up speed towards the end. The office, fake dating, cover story banter was great! All of the plot twists came full circle. Fun read!

Mhairi McFarlane is the queen of women’s fiction: meaningful storylines, realistic characters, and emotional weight. Add to all that literary goodness a whopping dose of clever wit and great banter and you have some of the best contemporary writing around. I don’t know how she does it year after year, because her writing is never stale, her humor is always sharp, and her protagonists always somehow fully 3D. She’s just the best! I keep seeing her classified as “rom-com,” but I feel like that’s misleading, because while the humor is perfect and there’s always a guy in the picture, the “rom” is never at the center of her writing - the struggle and triumph of her female protagonist is.

In this latest gem, Bel, an award-winning podcaster, has taken a job as an investigative reporter in the small Manchester office of a major UK paper, where her only workmates are the ambitious Aaron and a rolling cycle of interns, Conner, older than the usuals, being the latest. Their initial impression of each other is less than positive, but as Bel is about to break a really important story, Connor accidentally gets pulled in to her investigation. The two are forced into a “fake dating” situation in order to not jeopardize Bel’s lead. Let the slow burn begin.

I appreciated Bel’s commitment to justice and to supporting the women who’d been victimized by the subject of her investigation. I also appreciated watching Connor wrestle with his personal doubts and vocational frustrations over starting in a new career in his thirties. Once again, McFarlane writes characters who come to life on the page. I loved them!

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy of my favorite author’s latest novel.

2.5 ⭐️

I had a hard time getting into this book—it just didn’t hold my attention the way I’d hoped. The premise was definitely intriguing, but there was so much happening that it became distracting rather than engaging. I also struggled to connect with the characters, which made it even harder to stay invested in the story. While the idea behind the book had potential, it ultimately didn’t work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Books that offer slowburn friendships and deep emotions are rare gems. This one delivers all of that, giving the kind of story that pulls you in and makes you feel every moment.

The way the characters’ friendship grows feels natural and unhurried, which made the emotional scenes hit even harder. It’s a story that takes its time to build real connections, and that made the experience much more meaningful for me.

By the end, I was left thinking about the characters long after I finished reading. If you enjoy stories that focus on genuine relationships and powerful feelings, this book is definitely worth your time.

McFarlane understands romance in a way few authors manage to do well. She lets us get to know the characters intimately until the relationship feels far from contrived. Brilliant novel, great characters, I will never stop picking up her books.