Cover Story is a charming and witty enemies-to-lovers romance about Bel, a talented journalist at a national newspaper, and Connor, her prickly intern with a secret past. What starts as a forced fake relationship for a big story quickly turns into a complex and captivating dynamic as Bel and Connor discover that their pretend romance may be more real than they ever anticipated. Amid workplace rivalry and the pressure of a high-stakes story, their growing connection forces them to confront their own vulnerabilities and the unexpected twists of love. Filled with humor, tension, and heartfelt moments, this story explores the fine line between love and competition, with a deliciously satisfying payoff.

Mhairi McFarlane Rom-com is the best kind of rom-com. Her characters always have such depth and the dialogue is filled with great wit - Cover story is no exception.

My only complaint on this one, was it felt like the credits rolled too soon. I do wish there was another chapter or two of Conner and Bel together.

This is the first book I’ve read from this author although I’ve heard good things about all her stories. I loved this one. Connor and Bel were believable characters and their heartwarming story was a joy to read.

3 stars for Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane. I’ve read 5 of her previous books and enjoyed them but this one missed the mark for me. Maybe because it’s advertised as a romance and this was like …..10% romance story and I didn’t feel the romance, the buildup, the love. I enjoyed the ~cover story~ and journalism storyline but wish there had been MORE of the rom-com she’s usually known for.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc and chance to read early.

I’ll be looking forward to the next Mhairi McFarlane book and hoping this is just a fluke.

i really did enjoy this book from the banter and development of the characters! Mhairi McFarlane does it once again

Mhairi McFarlane is one of my favorite romcom authors so I was excited to get hold of her latest and it didn't disappoint. Bel is a great heroine. She's flawed - she did a dumb thing in her past and now it's following her in a way she doesn't deserve. And Connor is a fantastic romantic hero, going along with Bel's shenanigans. I so enjoyed both her pursuit of justice and the romance.

2.5⭐️

A podcaster and a journalism intern team up as a fake couple to take down a “Me Too” offender. There was a lot I didn’t like about this book. I don’t know if it worked for me as a rom-com. I didn’t think the “rom” was very strong. I felt no sexual tension. Some may think of this as a slow-burn. I’d think of it really as a lack of spark. As far as the “com”: there were some good one-liners and quips in here that I caught, and likely many I missed because I was just trying to get through it. I maybe would’ve been more interested in the political takedown if this was a drama or literary fiction. Secondly, why was she a podcaster at all? It was next to irrelevant. Which I found so surprising given the current societal obsession with podcasts. Additionally, both the stalker AND the angry ex-boyfriend dynamics felt like overkill. I would’ve been fine with just one out of the two.

I appreciate short chapters, but this was a sort of cut-scene, choppy writing style that other’s may vibe with, but I did not.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins | Avon | HarperVoyager for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Cover Story! I was immediately sold on the pitch: Mr. & Mrs. Smith meets The Hating Game? A fake relationship between two bickering journalists? Say less.

Bel is a sharp, ambitious reporter riding high from podcast fame, and Connor is a thirtysomething intern whose life just blew up. She thinks he’s arrogant. He thinks she’s patronizing. Obviously, they’re forced to fake a relationship for the sake of an undercover scoop. Hijinks? Check. Banter? Check. Swoony tension? Well… that’s where things got a bit murky.

Mhairi McFarlane is known for her clever dialogue and layered characters, and that’s here, no question. Bel and Connor are both interesting on their own, but as a couple, the chemistry never fully snapped into place. The enemies-to-lovers arc felt more like grumpy-to-slightly-less-grumpy, and while the stakes of the central investigation added intrigue, the pacing sometimes stalled just when it should’ve sizzled.

Still, Cover Story is a smart, modern rom-com with a lot to say about journalism, ambition, and second chances. It just didn’t leave me swooning the way I’d hoped—but I wouldn’t hesitate to read what McFarlane writes next.

It took me a few chapters to really settle into Cover Story, but once I did, I was all in. Mhairi McFarlane has a gift for writing characters that feel layered and real, and this book delivered a great mix of sharp banter, emotional depth, and just the right amount of mystery.

Bel’s arc, especially her struggle with past mistakes and how they shaped her, felt incredibly grounded and relatable. Her chemistry with Connor was slow-building but totally satisfying, and the newsroom setting added a fun energy to their story. The fake dating angle made for some entertaining twists, but what really stuck with me was how thoughtfully the story handled the ripple effects of personal and professional decisions.

Overall, this was a compelling, heartfelt, and clever read—one I’ll be recommending to friends who love romance with brains and bite.

Publication Date: October 7, 2025

I. LOVE. MHAIRI MCFARLANE.

This was sooooooo good, I read it and wept on a plane. I absolutely love how distinctive and British her writing is - I feel such a strong sense of place when I read them! Bel and Connor were incredible characters to read from, both imperfect but absolutely perfect in my eyes!!

There's obviously a wonderful romance in here, but there are storylines of workplace sexual harassment, with some amazing parallels between a few different situations. The main storyline, I would say, is the investigative journalism, and I was waiting with baited breath to see how it turned out!

AMAZING!

I unfortunate had to DNF this book. I could not get attached to the MCs. Connor and Bel were such insufferable characters. There was also too much modern jargon (I.e. low-key) that left me feeling dissociated with the story. I felt no pull of relation to either of the main characters in this book.

I loved this. Everything you’d want from enemies to lovers and more. Well-built characters all around, genuinely interesting plot, and the kind of yearning you feel down to your toes. I love everything Mhairi writes and this is one of her best.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the advanced reader copy!

If you like a slow burn, you’re in for a treat. The way Connor and Bel’s relationship builds, I was dying for them to get together. Their chemistry is fire. And I would give just about anything to have a Connor of my very own.

The only thing I didn’t love about this book is the way their investigation wrapped up. All the pieces came together so nicely, but then it felt like it was over so quickly I had to flip back and forth few pages to see if I’d missed something.

I’m grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this in advance!

This was sharp, funny, and full of heart. Bel and Connor’s enemies-to-lovers arc is packed with chemistry and wit, and the fake dating twist adds just the right amount of tension. Super bingeable! 4/5

This story gave me Hating Games vibes. This book follows two writers that have to fake date for an “undercover” story. The concept was great but I struggled with it being slow to start and the use of location slang words.

Mhairi McFarlane is back! I’ve been a longtime fan and have read everything she’s published, so I know just how good she can be—which is why my expectations are always high. Unfortunately, this latest novel felt like a departure from what she does best. Her signature humor and sparkling banter are noticeably muted here, taking a backseat to the journalistic investigation that dominates the plot. The romantic arc feels tacked on, with the wedding at the end reading more like an epilogue—a quick reminder that, oh right, this is a romcom.

That said, I’ve always appreciated how McFarlane weaves serious themes into her stories, and this time she tackles toxic masculinity. While the theme is relevant and tied to the main character’s arc, its execution felt scattered rather than sharp. I really wanted to love this book, but in the end, it felt like a one-off not just for McFarlane—but for me, too.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I’ll absolutely keep reading McFarlane—this one just didn’t land for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity of getting this ARC. This is my first book from this author and let me just say I am impressed.

Mhairi McFarlane’s Cover Story is a witty, emotionally resonant novel that masterfully blends romance, self-discovery, and sharp social commentary. Known for her clever prose and emotionally layered characters, McFarlane delivers once again with a story that feels both modern and deeply heartfelt.

The plot was unique and the character development was amazing as well.

Only minus 1 star because the middle was a little tough to get through but overall it was a good read.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218545692-cover-story

Cover Story is a smart, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance with a journalistic twist that’s as satisfying as it is entertaining. Bel, a journalist, and Connor, the intern, don’t like each other right off the bat but an accidental run-in forces the two of them to fake date for an important story Bel is working on.

This is my only my second Mhairi McFarlane but I can tell she’s a great writer. She really knows how to write flawed, funny, and deeply human characters, this time bringing together cynical, sharp-tongued Bel and disgruntled but charming Connor.

I really enjoyed this story especially outside of the budding romance just because of how well it was told. I think Mhairi could be a standout author for me outside of the romance genre. While this one romance did eventually hit and I found myself sobbing over some of the dialogue near the end, this may have been too slow of a burn for me where I felt like if they just stayed friends, I would’ve been just as satisfied. Either way, I will definitely be reading more from this author.

If you love character-driven romance with workplace tension, snappy banter, and a side of ethical journalism, Cover Story is well worth the read. It’s not quite a five-star read for me, but it’s a clever, heartfelt, and thoroughly enjoyable story.

I asked for this book because it was compared to The Hating Game, which I loved. This was just kind of meh. It didn't have the wit and banter of The Hating Game that I was craving.

This book is billed as "Mr. and Mrs. Smith meets The Hating Game." I'm not so sure it rises to that level, but it was a cute enough 3-star read. I've really enjoyed many of Mhairi McFarlane's other books, and while this one isn't my favorite, it wasn't bad.

Bel and Connor spend a lot of the book not liking each other, so this really isn't a romance. There's no romance to speak of until the inevitable happy ever after, so if you go in expecting that, you're going to be disappointed. There's some chemistry and a little sizzle, but that's it.

What this book DOES have, in typical Mhairi McFarlane fashion, is a sociopath or two. The reason I first connected with McFarlane's books was that she wrote emotional abuse from the victim's point of view so well. I've been a victim of that, so I felt it very deeply. I didn't realize then that there's an antagonist like that in many of her books. I don't know if she's writing what she knows or what, but I do sometimes feel like it's a variation of the same plot every time. Still, she writes Cover Story's former lover turned stalker well.

My journalism professors from grad school would really hate some of the professional choices Bel makes -- they move the plot along but they're really dumb and nothing an actual journalist would do. If you can get past that, the #MeToo storyline works well enough and creates situations that put Bel in some genuinely precarious positions, which makes for good storytelling.

Overall not her best work, but not a bad way to spend a couple of days, either. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!