Bel Macaulay, a sharp-tongued, award-winning podcaster, has just joined the Manchester office of a national newspaper as an Investigations Editor, is pared with Connor Adams, a thirty-something career-changer from finance who’s starting over in journalism.
When Bel stumbles upon a major scoop involving a powerful politician’s abuse of young women, she’s forced to go undercover—and Connor accidentally gets pulled into the operation.

To protect the story and their sources, Bel and Connor must pretend to be a couple. A couple deeply in love. What could go wrong, right?

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC!

So I did really enjoy this book BUT it’s not the book I was expecting given the marketing -like at all. Personally, I didn’t get rom-com vibes and I certainly didn’t get ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’ meets ‘The Hating Game’ -I cannot remotely see either comparison… however, it’s a good read! It’s much more of a women’s fiction novel (the term needs to be retired frankly, but you know what I mean) with a not-too-prevalent romance subplot.
It’s about a journalist, Bel, breaking a me-too style story about a local politician, and going undercover to access sources -with the unintended guise of a colleague as her boyfriend. The main subplots are the FMC’s stalker and the romance that grows from the fake dating scenario. I realise the content described sounds heavy, but the tone is very light, it’s a relaxing read.
Honestly it’s just a really pleasant read that doesn’t ask too much of you. This is my first time reading McFarlane but I imagine she’s the sort of author you’d be able to reliably reach for with each new novel.
I think what kept this from being a five star read for me personally was it felt slightly lacking -I wanted more of characters like Shilpa and the relatives and less time in the office.
If a story about a woman who’s learnt who she is and is determined to get the job done sounds like what you’re in the mood for, this would be a good book. And in my own lingo -this is a fab option for a train book.

Review set to post online: the week beginning 14th September

Thank you Net Galley for providing me with the opportunity to read this advanced e-copy!!

Mhairi McFarlane has a way of making me sit on the edge of my seat feeling emotions I did not know I had. This book had so many different elements that all seemed to work. My only caveat on this book is my strong dislike of the miscommunication trope. It had me on edge while also frustrated with the two main characters. It tied in well to the story as it is enemies to lovers but it also had me wanting to shake both the characters and just tell them to spit it out.

The title of the book was very accurate and I feel that the book could have been longer should Mhairi McFarlane wanted it to with the appearance of a trouble character. I will say, I was waiting for that character to make another appearance, but I am glad the story ended as it did.

Sometimes we find love and partnership in odd and traumatizing ways.

Cover Story 🏢👔👗
⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to receive this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I unfortunately could not get into this book. I found the two main characters very dull and this book was wanting to be like The Hating Game.

One of my favorite romance tropes is frenemies to lovers especially in an office setting, but I felt like the characters lacked that spark and energy.

I’ve read a few other books by this author and was very excited to read this book, but her writing style was hard to follow at times and seemed very drawn out.

I apologize for the bluntness of this book but it was just not my cup of tea.

I loved this & gobbled it up quick as I could. I do love McFarlane’s contemporary romances and the investing/unique couples that populate them. I thought this was totally different from past works - slightly more serious and somber (which I liked), and I found myself leaning into the experiences of Connor - being new, knowing your an outsider, feeling paranoid - and that’s new for me not to find myself in the females shoes. I have no issues with slow burn and I quite enjoy waiting for two duh-mmies to figure things out. This isn’t my favorite McFarlane - and that would be hard to choose anyway, but as per usual, I will also pick this up in audio and plan to enjoy it all over again. Um, I didn’t love Bella.

I've been a huge fan of Mhairi McFarlane's prior works - she has a way of exploring characters’ complex emotional growth in light of traumatic past relationships wrapped up in unique, crisp and funny writing. The same holds true here, just not as strong as what I was expecting.

Bel is an investigative journalist who is chasing a lead surrounding a corrupt mayor, and new intern to her Manchester office, Connor, gets wrapped up in the situation as they both have to go undercover as a couple. Connor has quit his job in Finance to start fresh as a journalist, and Bel and Connor get off on the wrong foot when they meet, but we get to see their relationship grow as the investigation unfolds.

Similar to McFarlane's prior works, this story is layered and tackles both Bel and Connor overcoming troublesome past relationships. I appreciated the emotional growth both characters demonstrated, but I felt that I didn’t connect with Bel and Connor as much I anticipated. I don’t usually expect a large romantic plot or subplot in McFarlane's books - they tend to lean more women’s fiction with the romance taking the back seat - but the dual POV made me second-guess this notion going into the book. I expected to feel more from Bel and Connor, but the pacing of the book made it difficult. I appreciated that the focus of most of the book was on the investigation element, only tilting heavily towards their relationship once that portion was largely resolved. However, I expected more out of the ending and felt things wrapped up too cleanly and quickly across their relationship and all of the side plots. There were many misunderstandings between the two main characters - and though we get to see the same situation unfold by both Bel and Connor with an understanding to the reader of why they acted the way they did, it didn’t really pack an emotional punch.

Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable read that I finished fairly quickly. Despite not wholly connecting with the characters, I would still pick this one up if you’re missing McFarlane's writing!

4 stars! This book has it all it’s the perfect romcom. It’s funny and emotional. It caught my attention right from the start ! The perfect slow burn enemies to lovers

cover story by mhairi mcfarlane
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

thank you @netgalley for this ARC, i am incredibly grateful! this is my first book by this author and i definitely want to read more of her work. however, i don’t think this book was necessarily for me. i loved the setting and description as well as character design! the story was just a little too slow burn for me. simultaneously, it felt kind of like there was a lot going on at once. i would love to read more of her books though so if anyone has recommendations pls lmk! 🫶

I really like this author and really wanted to like this book. But unfortunately, it had both too much and not enough going on for me.

First, it’s not a romcom, despite being marketed that way. There is no flirting or romantic tension in sight for, truly, 85% of the book. And then, a G rated, rushed wrap up with no on-page relationship.

The main plot line felt like the undercover story - which was interesting! And satisfying. Fuck the patriarchy. But it dominated most of the story.

There was also a 3rd-ish plot line with a stalker ex that felt… unnecessary? Somewhat of a plot device for character bonding but overall didn’t add much for me and instead added to the “so much going on and yet nothing at all” feeling for me.

The bummer is that there is so much potential between the 2 main characters - what little we got from at the end had a lot of promise! But a 1-2 chapter arc just didn’t do it for me.

Don’t take my word for it! Maybe this book is for you! And will definitely keep reading this author in the future. Xx

3.5/4⭐️This was a cute one!! I was hoping for a little bit more romance, but overall it was a very funny, endearing story. Loved the characters. Loved the banter. Just wanted more Connor+Bel!

Ahhhh this was so so good! But quite different than Mhairi’s other books in that the first half wasn’t the demise of a previous relationship. We jump right into the life of Bel, single investigative reporter, and the surprisingly old (34) & handsome new intern - Connor- who used to be a finance bro, but who left finance bc it was too stressful.

I really liked both Bel and Connor, and Mhairi’s wittiness makes everything enjoyable. Plus some enjoyable sleuthing (trigger warning — Bel & Connor are journalists investigating a series of sexual assaults), and a dual POV which I don’t think Mhairi has ever done before?? Making Connor even more relatable. 🥰

Another great book by Mhairi McFarlane!

Bel works for in a small branch office of a large newspaper. Connor, having made a drastic career change from finance to journalism, finds himself interning at the same office, at the age of 34. Bel and Connor do not immediately hit it off. Quite the opposite actually. They immediately assume the other cannot stand them, and for a long while, they both really don’t enjoy each other’s presence at all.

When Bel goes undercover for a big story, Connor ends up being in the wrong place at the wrong time resulting in him being a part of Bel’s facade, playing the part of her boyfriend. They have to work together to pull this story off. As they spend more time with each other, their assumptions begin to crumble. Watching their relationship evolve is the highlight of the book. They both judged a book by its cover (see what I did there 😉) and were wrong.

Cover Story is a slow-burn rom-com told in dual POV. As always, Mhairi had me laughing. Her female leads are always so witty and such a joy to read.

I only ever have one complaint when I finish one of Mhairi’s books…I want more the moment I’m done!

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

What can I say? Mhairi McFarlane knows how to write characters and it was no different with Cover Story. I love how she creates these characters that feel so real and that you root for. I really enjoyed the dialogue in Cover Story. Overall, a very entertaining and enjoyable read and I cannot wait to read more from McFarlane.

3.75 stars!
This book was good, enjoyable. The plot fell kind of flat for me but I really enjoyed Mhairis writing!

3.75/5 Stars!

This felt like I was watching a British Rom com and it had all the right stuff. The phrases and slang that I had to look up because what on earth is a handset? And why did I not know that meant a mobile phone? Maybe I am just simply uncultured. But this was a fun ride. I liked the dry humor and banter between the characters. It didn’t feel forced or that the author was trying too hard to do the whole “enemies to lovers” thing. Their miscommunication and mutual dislike for each actually felt genuine and like something that is a very real thing that happens between people who are sometimes way too similar.
I have read McFarlane’s book Just Last Night I really really like that one so I had no doubts about going into this one. The writing is great and flows really well. It was more on a lit fic than your typical rom com.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. This is my second Mhairi McFarlance novel and I think she's going to be a go-to comfort author for me going forward. The dialogue in Cover Story is excellent and the chemistry between the characters develops organically and without a lot of the over-reliance on tropes that plagues so many of today's rom coms. That said, this story didn't hit it out of the park for me because it was heavy on the reporting intrigue in a way that I didn't find terribly interesting and a little too light on the romance for my taste. I also prefer a little more pining - these characters seemed to only catch feelings at the very end of the story despite their interest in each other being completely obvious to everyone around them.

It’s time for me to admit that no one makes me feel the way Mhairi McFarlane makes me feel.

I absolutely ADORED this book. McFarlane just has a talent for writing characters who feel well rounded, with real flaws and real struggles. Despite the rather silly premise (fake dating undercover reporters), both Bel and Connor seemed so grounded. The characters feel like real people (who just happen to be incredibly witty). I couldn’t get enough.

Connor was such a lovely grumpy hero. Kudos to McFarlane for giving him mental health struggles and not shying away from the realities of that. I love how both Bel and Connor were realistic about their own and each other’s flaws.

No spice, but as always with this author, I didn’t miss it because the banter and chemistry was so good!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

while i enjoyed a lot of the topics (grief, mental health, etc) that the book touched on and felt moved by the way it was handled in the book, this is a 3/5 for me. i couldn't fully connect with the fmc but i was rooting for her. this had some strong moments and great character-driven writing.

When Connor, the new intern at a Manchester newspaper, accidentally crosses paths with his investigative journalist coworker, Bel in the middle of her undercover work, Bel has to ask for his participation in the cover story.

This story hits so many tropes without those feeling contrived to retain interest: workplace rivals, fake dating, forced proximity, only one bed, protective partner, friends to lovers. As a bonus: The third act (fourth act) miscommunication is exclusive to the subject of their relationship, not outside drama, of which this book had plenty.

The chemistry between the love interests is so well developed. I stan Bel and Connor! Their collaboration on the cover story alongside their genuine care for each other really wins you over. Just enough yearning to make things interesting.

If you want a full spicy rating, it’s pretty much restrained to attraction and conversation in this book, with minimal physical encounters, no open or closed doors.

TW: Stalkers, emotionally manipulative partners

This was a really fun and cute romance with funny and relatable characters. I really enjoyed the banter and the pace of the book.