Mhairi McFarlane writes another winner!

Bel's a podcaster turned reporter with the scoop of a lifetime. Connor's a new intern after leaving his career in finance in his mid-30s. They don't like each other, both feeling like the other is too full of themselves. Now they are forced to go undercover as boyfriend and girlfriend to find enough evidence to bring Bel's scoop to the light of day.

I couldn't put this down. Bel is a relatable delight. Connor is swoony and figuring out what he wants in life. There's the drama of the story, but also a lot of past relationship drama on both their parts, but especially Bel. The tension was great. The chemistry was amazing. There were a few suspenseful scenes that had my heart racing. I loved the moments of Connor being protective of Bel and the moments she defended him.

My only wish is that the book was a bit longer. I highly recommend this one.

Loved this so much. This is a smart love story with complex characters and complex circumstances. McFarlane proves you can write about morally repugnant politicians without attacking any one side of politics. This also has some Pride and Prejudice vibes that are done so well. The banter is smart and hilarious. Conner and Bel are delightful and it was wildly entertaining watching them navigate work and friendship together. This slow burn was near impossible to put down. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

DNFed, I just wasn’t really connecting with the writing style or the story. The characters felt very lackluster to me. I also may just not be in the mood for this right now.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was my first time reading Mhairi McFarlane and it definitely won’t be my last. I loved reading Bel and Connor’s story. Connor was my favorite of the two. But watching them work together, going from enemies to allies to lovers gave me all the feels. It just the right amount of banter, chemistry, and emotional depth. I couldn’t put it down!

I dnf'd this book around 52 percent of the way through. I couldn't really get with her writing and the story itself didn't really interest me. It may be a wonderful book to others, but it just wasn't for me.

A slow burn rom-com set in Manchester with incredible banter that had me giggling and kicking my feet? I could not get enough! This plot was so different than other contemporary romances I’ve read, but it still had all my favorite things that had me giggling and kicking my feet. Bel and Connor had such cool character arcs throughout the story and it was really sweet to see the family they found in the side characters🥹.

I loved the element of forced proximity/fake dating the characters navigated to keep their investigation undercover, and I loved how the book was able to explore and shed light on some much deeper topics while still keeping it light at times.

I can’t wait for another book by Mhairi!

This book was a bit difficult for me to get into. The story wasn’t hooking me from the beginning. I did enjoy the office dynamic and the subsequent banter!

This book was unfortunately a miss for me. I found the pacing soooo slow, and the relationship between the main characters wasn’t believable enough for me. I didn’t feel the chemistry between them and didn’t feel invested in the relationship at all. Bel’s character felt very one-dimensional, and everyone she met was obsessed with her but we aren’t really shown anything that’s particularly remarkable about her??? I did like Connor’s character, and I was interested in the investigation storyline, but the main reason I was reading this book was for the romance… and it just didn’t deliver on that front for me 😭

I went into Cover Story excited…this author is often hyped by booktubers. Unfortunately, I found myself surprisingly underwhelmed. The pacing felt slow and drawn out, and instead of the lighthearted banter I hoped for, the story leaned heavily into investigative journalism, trauma, and scattered subplots. While I could picture the scenes vividly, I just didn’t feel much spark or chemistry between the leads, and that made it hard for me to stay invested.

That said, I can see this appealing to readers who enjoy slower, character-driven fiction with themes of grief, resilience, and workplace bonds more than traditional romcom vibes. For me, though, it didn’t land, and I ended up feeling more bored than charmed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Avon for the ARC.

One of my favorite authors! Love this book! I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers. I also loved that this book dived into deeper topics - like the me too movement. I felt seen as a woman. So it wasn’t all fluffy. Which is something this author does well.

ARC review | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5| Chic-lit w/a hint of mystery

Release date: October 7th, 2025

Publisher: Avon and Harper Voyager

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Many a mixed feeling about this one! First I think to call this contemporary romance is setting folks up for failure and as such it took me a hot minute to really settle into the story. This is chic-lit with a sub-plot of romance that builds as the story progresses but literally does not peak until the last 3-5 chapters.

This is also one of the most egregious cases of miscommunication I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading. To hear it so clearly in both their POVs was deeeeeply irritating by the end.

However, this was a cast of truly delightful characters and I would have enjoyed my time with them much more if not for the issues above. McFarlane’s style is dialogue heavy which allows you to really sink into each characterization in a way that I found really lovely.

I was absolutely hooked from the get go on this book. An enemies to lovers slow slow burn story with razor sharp wit. Layered characters, amazing banter and an engrossing plot about journalists going undercover in a Me Too esque expose made this a top read for me this year.

This sucked me in! I loved the undercover journalists, political scandal, fake dating, laugh-out-loud humor, and British charm! I didn’t catch a lot of the references but still had a good time!

What happens when a sharp and mischevious reporter winds up in a fake relationship with the brand new rookie who doesn't like her while working undercover? Lots of foolery! Bel and Connor will find out that first impressions aren't always the truth.

Thank you, Net Galley and Harper Collins, for this ARC.

Premise was promising. Chemistry was cute, and slowburn even was a nice tension, but I just kept getting bored. There needed to be more sure signs of attraction, I think. but some of the situations were pretty priceless.

Being infinitely more interested in a story that two reporters are working on than their romance speaks volumes about a romance book that has 5-10 chapters, focusing mainly on the romance after resolving the story. I really like the start of this book; however, I didn't understand why both the characters, particularly the FMC, didn't like each other more. While neither's reasoning was strong, hers was much worse. While I found satisfaction in some of the resolutions we encountered in this book, when the romance took over, it really dampened my interest and the quality of the book. Thank you NetGalley and Avon for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mhairi McFarlane's Cover Story is a witty and emotionally resonant enemies-to-lovers romance that delves into the complexities of modern journalism and personal identity. The novel follows Bel, a determined journalist and podcaster, who finds herself embroiled in a high-stakes undercover investigation. To gain access to a key source, she enlists the help of Connor, a seemingly aloof intern at her Manchester newspaper. Their fake relationship becomes the centerpiece of their strategy, but as they navigate their charade, genuine feelings begin to surface, complicating both their professional and personal lives.

Unfortunately, this book just didn’t work for me. I struggled with the pacing, which felt slow and made it hard for me to ever get truly invested in the story. The romance fell flat for me—I didn’t feel the spark or connection between the characters, which made those parts difficult to enjoy. The aspect I did like was the investigative journalism thread; it added a unique and interesting layer that stood out. Overall though, I found myself bored and emotionally disconnected while reading.

Thanks to NetGalley for the earc!

I am never disappointed with a Mhairi McFarlane book. Great characters, great story, funny, romantic...all the things you want!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane.
This book had an intriguing setup with plenty of sharp observations about relationships, identity, and the messy truths people hide behind. McFarlane’s writing style is witty and conversational, and there were moments that had me completely pulled in.
That said, the pacing felt uneven at times, with certain sections dragging while others rushed through important developments. The characters had depth, but I struggled to fully connect with them, which made some of the more emotional beats fall flat. While the premise was clever, the execution didn’t always deliver the punch I was hoping for.
Overall, it was a solid read with some standout moments, but it didn’t quite reach the level of impact I’ve felt with McFarlane’s previous work. Fans of contemporary fiction with layered characters may still find plenty to enjoy here.

this is the first book I've read by mhairi mcfarlane, and I really enjoyed it! connor and bel were amazing together, and I loved the whole concept of them being journalists and working together. I do wish we had gotten to see more of them in a relationship, though! I also really loved connor's sweet personality. I'm usually not the biggest fan of books written in third person, but I really didn't even notice it with this one!