You and Me

Although "You and Me" is rather slow and steady at the beginning, it changes at breakneck speed halfway through into a tense and perfectly planned thriller.

I loved how Rayner drew this story out - and how she played perfectly with the idea of an unreliable/problematic narrator.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read this great book!

Fran is a lonely spinster. As a book store employee, she spends her days reading, assisting customers, engaging in a small number of odd relationships, and watching people. Fran is obsessed with her past school days at her boarding school, in which things went terribly wrong for her closest confidante and beloved sister, Ellie. She has most disappointedly recently become estranged from her sister. As her lonely life continues, she spends more time in the past, until someone from that past ends up dead. Was it truly an accident or was it murder? As Fran searches for clues, the answers she finds are not what she expects nor hoped for.

This is the best mystery/thriller I"ve read all year! I loved it and truly could not put it down. Nicola Rayner is a great storyteller and has a fantastic way of advancing the story. Rayner keeps the reader guessing until the very end!

Thanks to NetGalley, Nicola Rayner, and the publisher for my advanced copy.

Fran lives a lonely life, estranged from her only sister and grieving the loss of her mother, alone in her childhood home. She is passionate about books, enjoys her job as a bookseller, and spends time alternately immersed in novels or caught up thinking about her past. As a student at an elite boarding school, she was an outsider, ostracized, bullied, but also met golden boy Charles, one of the only people to be kind to her, and who she still loves from afar. When she witnesses the shocking death of a former classmate, Fran is forced to face the past and begins to sense a dark deceit. The novel builds suspense incrementally, with Fran as an unreliable and sometimes unsympathetic, but compelling, heroine. Nothing is quite as it seems and the plot is twisty and unexpected throughout. A gripping read for fans of The Woman in the Window.

I really enjoyed this book!! It kept me guessing until the very end and it went several unexpected directions. It’s the perfect beach/airplane read!

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The main is character Fran. She’s a little odd and at times unlikeable (which I find so refreshing for a protagonist). She’s in her mid 30’s, works at a bookshop, and doesn’t have much of a life apart from her unhealthy obsession with a friend from boarding school. She is estranged from her only sister, her parents have both died, and she doesn’t really have friends. Then she witnesses an accident or (maybe a crime) involving a man that tortured her and her sister while at school. Fran feels she can’t go to the police because she was stalking her crush at the time. The mystery deepens as the group of former classmates come back together to grieve the man who died and process what exactly happened.

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Other reviews compared this to The Girl on the Train. This is another book from the obsessive woman’s perspective. However I loved the author’s writing style and the story got me from the beginning. I really enjoyed this book and sped through it. Will definitely read Nicola Rayner’s other book as well!

Good plot, believable characters to whom I could sympathise with (or not in some cases!). Fast paced with twists and turns. Hard to put down, I would recommend to anyone. Thank you.

#YouAndMe #NetGalley
Nicola has changed the definition of bullying. An epic psychological thriller.
Meet Freaky Fran who's living with Barnwell, her cat. She has a crush on her class friend Charles who once saved her from the teacher when she didn't have her book and notes. She's the owner of a bookshop where she can help others to select appropriate book according to their need.
Once she had a family, her mom and her sister, Ellie but she's cut off from her sister after their mother died.
The story starts with Fran's narration in which she's saying that she was there on the night Dickie Graham died. Dickie was also her classmate.
Dickie once looked behind and then he stumbled in front of the train.
Now the question is that was it suicide or murder?
If it was a murder then who did it?
Characters of the story were creepy but Fran's character was really pathetic sometimes in the story. I also loved Juliet Bentley's character. She and Fran are opposite.
The story is told from the single POV of Fran.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for giving me an advance copy of this awesome psychological thriller.

You and Me is a great holiday read: it is fast paced but reveals the clues slowly and it has an unexpected ending. It was very easy to read and I finished it in less than 24 hours.

The one thing that I struggled with was the narrator - Fran. I think the aim was for her to be awkward but ultimately likable, but I found it difficult to warm to her throughout the story. However, part of the pull of this story is that you can never work out which characters you can trust - and that even extends to Fran herself.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books and Nicola Rayner for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This psychological thriller is wonderfully written. An intense and twisty suspense until the last line, You and me is also a touching story about two sisters. They love each other and count on each other. Ellie the younger of the two is attractive and popular while the bookish and studious Francesca is awkward and ostracized. She bears the awful nickname of "Freaky Fran" at school where bullying is the law. The girls and boys they encounter at this school will play a crucial part in their adult life and not for the better. Fran becomes addicted to Charles, the only young man who has been kind to her while Ellie is dreadfully abused in a pool by Dickie and Tom who supposedly were her friends. Years later, Fran lives a sad lonely life since the pregnant Ellie left her after a fight. Fran knows Ellie had a little girl but they rarely communicate and as far as she can tell Ellie is traveling the world with her baby Rose. While Fran is stalking her adored Charles, she witnesses Dickie's plunge to death in a tube station. She thinks someone pushed him. Little does she realize that this is the beginning of a painful road towards the dark reality of life and evil minds. This book is a winner.

This book got me hooked right from the beginning till the end, and I must say I think I have found myself a new favourite author! The writing really engaged me and I love the complexity of the characters building. There were some plot twists that you kinda saw them coming but still, the engagement was real. This is a book that I would strongly recommended.

Fran sits on the bench, near the lake and watches his house, she is a sad and lonely figure who would do anything for the opportunity to spend time with him again, gaze into his gorgeous eyes and hear his voice. They haven't spoken for a long time but she knows deep within her heart that it is only a matter of time before her dreams will come true. One day Charles Fry will realise that they are meant to be together. Fran and Charles, Charles and Fran, together forever.

Then a tragic incident alters the course of Fran's solitary existence and she suddenly finds herself mixing with people that she hasn't seen or spoken to for years including Charles. But not everyone is who they appear to be secrets, lies and past deeds bubble away beneath the surface and Fran finds herself caught up in a deadly game that results in the ultimate betrayal.

This captivating thriller that has a story which slips back and forth in time between the present and the past is voiced entirely from the Fran's perspective. In her younger years she had been nicknamed Freaky Fran by her peers at Chesterfield Boarding School, a nickname that although it wasn't very nice and a bit cruel. was also a rather apt description of her. Fran was a complex character who caused me to experience a mixed bag of conflicting emotions as the story unfolded. She certainly had a number of issues but despite this she did have some redeemable qualities and it was impossible not to feel sympathy for her at times. It was whilst she was attending the boarding school that she met Charles and her obsession with him began. It was also at the boarding school were something horrific happened to Fran's sister Ellie, the events leading up to this incident are gradually revealed as the story unfolded. In the present day, Ellie has been missing for nearly three years, the last time Fran saw her, they had a massive argument and Ellie stormed out of their flat. Apart from the occasional comment on social media and posting pictures of her young daughter Rose, no one has seen her since, not even Fran. I did have a theory about what had happened to Ellie based on a aspect of Fran's behaviour but was I right, well you will just have to read this brilliant book yourself and find out?

You And Me is a well written, mesmerising and at times chilling tale of secrets, deception, manipulation, obsession, friendships and relationships that had me glued to my kindle and frantically turning the pages. I wanted to know what had happened to Ellie in both the present day and the past. The story was intriguing and kept the reader guessing, there was some unexpected twists and turns and the characters were well rounded and believable. I really enjoyed this gripping thriller and look forward to reading more of this author's books in the future.

This story about a dangerous obsession that a woman has over her married neighbor will resonate with fans of the book and series You. A creepy and wild ride that demonstrates you don’t have to be looking for trouble to find it

I found this book slow to start with but i think that is just to keep you reading as the book gets better the more you read. If like me i dont always persevere

The main character is hard to like and the style of writing isn't for everybody. But keep reading. Twisty, domestic thriller with shocking ending.
As always - do we know people or we know only the image of them that we created?

Joy to read.

An excellent domestic thriller that kept me engaged throughout the entire journey. The writer’s depiction of the characters was spot on. Highly recommended.

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review

This one was pretty twisty- some more obvious than others but still an enjoyable ride. 3.5 rounded up.

My Goodness. This book! Absolutely incredible. I'll be honest, in the first few pages I was thinking 'I' m not sure what's going on here'. And then I clicked that maybe that's what the author wants and so I went with it. I'm so glad I did. In actual fact this book is so sharply written, the author teasing us without giving away the whole story. A brilliant read and I guarantee you'll read it fast. It's a hard one to put down. Highly recommended xxx

This book is that rare and wonderful thriller that actually shocked me with its ending. My feelings towards the main character were constantly shifting between empathy, pity, disgust, suspicion, and rooting for her. It asks the question, do you really know the people you love or have you created a version of them in your mind that does not exist? I highly recommend this book! Thank you so much to Avon Books UK for this stirring read. I'm off to read more by Nicola Rayner!

A really fun and interesting read. I had an enjoyable time reading this and it held my attention the entire way through that I finished it within the day!

I liked this book about Fran, who has been obsessed with Charles since school 20 years ago. The fact that he’s now married with two children doesn’t faze her. She leads a lonely life with her mother dead, and her sister travelling and only contactable by email. This really picked up towards the end and became quite gripping.

Great book, This is completely unpredictable and captured my attention very quickly.
I have devoured this book in just one sitting.
This is a book which I will be recommending highly.

Wonderful author I was drawn right into the story multi layered characters that come alive so so tense.Kept me up reading late into the night guessing ball the way.#netgalley#avonbooksuk.

This was a good, twisty book that I couldn't put down. I stayed up until 1 in the morning to finish it because I needed to know what happened next. It was well plotted and well written.

This book was amazing!!!!! I’m a sucker for a good psychological thriller and this did not disappoint!! The twists and turns and secrets were unreal and I had no idea what was going on! 5 stars for this fantastic read.

You And Me By Nicola Rayner is a book to remember!
This book blew me away with its shocking storyline.
I couldn't tell you the last time I read a book this good!

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for this great read!

I am just finding my feet with thrillers and thank netgalley and the author for the advanced copy in exchange for a review.
Easy to follow and the writing style was good. I struggled with the slow pace at the start and was glad when the book sped up.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for the e-ARC of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Do you remember Rachel Watson, the protagonist from The Girl On The Train? How about Eleanor Oliphant (who, by the way, 'Is Completely Fine')? Now add a splash of Joe from Caroline Kepnes' book, You, and you have Fran, whose eyes we see through in Nicola Rayner's latest thriller, You and Me.

Fran is socially awkward. Fran is lovesick. Fran is an outsider.

Fran is scarred from her time at boarding school, as is her younger sister, who she hasn't spoken to in years. Her only happy memories from that time are of Charles, the most popular boy in school and the man Fran knows is the one for her. He may be married with children but she's just biding her time until he realises they are meant to be, then she'll be ready with open arms.

As Fran observes him discreetly one night, she witnesses a tragic accident, But what if the incident wasn't so accidental? As those involved in some way with Fran's school ordeals all those years ago begin to encroach into her life again, Fran finds herself trapped in a web of deceit and her own lies.

Fran doesn't know who to trust. Fran doesn't know she's in danger.

I loved the understated way in which Fran's character traits and history are gradually revealed to the reader. There is little fanfare with these insights and yet they have a huge impact on the reader's perspective of Fran. There were times when I disliked her and pitied her but there were times when I rooted for her too. Some readers may prefer their psychological thrillers with more of a high octane pace but this novel is ideal for those who like the more insidious drips of discomfort leading towards the final shocking truth.

I'm struggling to say a lot in this review because I want other readers to experience the twists, turns and shocks for themselves! I think this will be a love it or hate it novel but I am firmly in the love it camp. I'll be recommending it to all my friends and followers as one of my top five reads of the year.

Hooked from beginning till the end!

Definitely found myself a new favorite author and that right there is worthy of an extra star! If an author has the ability to captivate me from start till finish, then what is not to love, especially in these times, when a book that can capture and hold my attention and distract me from the outside world is pretty much a necessity if only to keep me sane?

The characters were well fleshed out, the plot was complex, engaging, and although I saw some of the twists coming, the story was built up and well rounded enough to still keep me captivated and intrigued.

Highly recommend!

As all thrillers usually do, this one had me turning the pages! However, what I did not expect was the wide range of topics I felt this book covered with each twist and turn making me fall victim to the “I know who did it” syndrome; I was wrong every time. Some of the ideas in this book do not appear in other thrillers, which I thought gave it a nice touch and mades it stand out in my mind.

Fran, the main voice of this book, gets thrown back into her high school days when one of her old classmates dies. As many can probably relate to, Fran has some fond memories from high school and some not so fond memories. Throughout the story, you meet old classmates and some new faces who all bring up memories from the old days. Most importantly, we hear about Ellie, Fran’s sister, who is traveling abroad. Their sisterly love is one only sister can relate to. But something seems off...

I would definitely add this to your TBR list for all you thriller lovers out there. The story had a lot to build into, so I read the beginning slowly. But once I started getting deeper into the story, I found myself thinking “I just need to find out!”

5 Stars!

You and Me is one of the best books I've read this year. A psychological thriller at its best. This novel is deeply nuanced and unfolds a layer at a time until the heart of the story is revealed. I couldn't put the book down. I'll think about this story and its flawed, complex characters for a long time. Loved it!

Many thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC for review.

This book was phenomenal! I'm never disappointed by Avon books - they always publish original and fantastic books.

'You and Me' was full of twists and turns, each one more shocking than the last. I saw absolutely none of it coming and was completely blindsided by the ending. I can't say too much without giving anything away because even the tiniest details in this novel are potential clues.

It is really hard to write a review without giving any real details, but let me just say that this novel is amazing - Nicola Rayner is a brilliant writer

This was a good book to me It started off pretty slow but definitely picked up. I found the main character to be relatable - wanting something she could never have- the forbidden married man. There was an unexpected twist that I didn’t see coming so it was a different take on this type of story. Great book overall and I would definitely read others by her.

I felt like a good portion of this book just kept plodding along, and then the ending flew by and was resolved very quickly with everything neatly wrapped up.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book and really enjoyed it!

Books told from a stalker's viewpoint seem to be in vogue at the moment, so although I liked the description of this one, I was afraid it might turn out to be a little generic/'more of the same'. But in fact it was something more gripping and sympathetic than I was expecting.

Fran, the narrator, is still obsessively infatuated with her school crush. She follows his friends on Facebook so she can find out where he'll be and sometimes travels to his house to sit and watch it from the outside. She's the epitome of an unreliable narrator … or is she?

I usually find myself empathising with the POV character in a book, even when objectively they are doing terrible things. So when I found that I'd developed a great deal of liking and sympathy for Fran despite her habits, I kept waiting for the rug to be pulled from under my feet. Yet as the plot gradually unfolded with the filling-in of both present clues and past actions, I realised that the author had successfully played with my expectations.

A well-written and twisty book. The publisher compared it to The Girl on the Train, but I'd also recommend it to fans of Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

This book-it made my head hurt with all those unexpected twists.You think you know what's going to happen in the end but then,you might want to think again. As a breath-taking suspense full of twists and turns,it's sure to stay with you long after you read it.I personally felt that the beginning was kinda slow paced,however the second half was totally worth it.The synopsis makes it sound like it's a sappy romance but it's far from that.To be honest it's kinda creepy in a few ways but nonetheless I loved it.

Wow. This book is a hot mess in a good way... is that a thing? Some seriously good twists in this one that I didn't see coming, and a fast-paced plot that had me constantly saying "Okay, just ONE more chapter."

You and Me by Nicola Rayner is a thriller that was slow to start but can go an exciting conclusion. I wasn’t sure which way the story was going at times and couldn’t really connect with the characters. Overall good book.

This is my first book by Rayner. It won't be my last. I read it super quickly and I enjoyed the premise. Freaky Fran is a WEIRDO. Gosh... she is obsessed with Charles. She was teased a ton and he was always kind to her. Something that I am constantly trying to instill in my kids. This makes it easy for Fran to fall in love. The main reason this book was 5 stars for me was because I didn't expect the ending. I did figure a small part out, but not all of it and rarely does that happen. When you've read as many thrillers as I have you almost always figure them out. I was pleasantly surprised by one of the twists!

The Unintentional Unreliable Narrator


You and Me, written by Nicola Rayner is a contemporary psychological thriller due for release later this year. The protagonist, Fran, lives a relatively simple life. She lives alone and works in a bookshop. Her mother is dead, and she misses her sister and niece who both live abroad. This all seems normal; however, Fran has a twenty year long obsession with a former school classmate, Charles.

Some reviewers feel that the story is slow to start; however, I disagree. The prologue is sinister, atmospheric, and like all good prologues, it subtly echoes the end. Chapter one begins in the middle of the action when a tragic accident occurs. I think rather than a slow start, there is a bit of a lull in the narrative drive while the focus is on the protagonist, Fran.

Fran is a first person narrator who is defined by her lack of credibility to the reader. Her version of events is unreliable. While her unreliability is apparent early on, Rayner still takes time to handle Fran delicately by allowing these traits to build and surface gradually. As she narrates the story, Fran begins to contradict herself and it becomes obvious that her obsessive behaviour towards Charles is worsening. She views him through ‘rose tinted glasses,’ so therefore, her fallibility of perception may misdirect the reader. Fran’s unreliability as a narrator is unintentional. She is an outsider and appears to have other issues, which garners the reader’s sympathy or empathy. The reader doesn’t really understand the true version of events—only Fran’s—so their expectations of the narrative may be upended.

The unreliable narrator is not a new phenomenon, but it is current. I enjoy reading psychological thrillers, and I often read so many that they all blur into one. However, I don’t believe this will be the case with ‘You and Me.’ The narration reminds me to think critically about the unintentional, unreliable narrator in order to question events.

I highly recommend reading ‘You and Me.’ If the beginning of the story seems slow, like others have suggested, or you experience a lull, stay with it. Rayner is developing psychological depth in Fran’s character which is essential to the narrative.

This book kept me guessing until the very end. I was pleasantly shocked and found myself wanting to keep picking up the book to finish it and find out what happened and who killed Dickie. My only problem with this book is I feel like it can be a how's to guide on stalking. Fran has stalking down to a science and this book put in the wrong hands could teach someone how to be discreet. I really enjoyed the twist at the end because it was not an easy conclusion to come too. Thank you to Avon and netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Nicola Rayner's "The Girl Before You", so when I saw she had a new book coming out, I couldn't wait to read it. And I was not disappointed! This book is so good. The entire atmosphere of the book is so well done. I spent the whole time both sympathizing for Fran, as well as not being sure if I could believe her. I knew something wasn't right, but was never able to put my finger on it. It made it so I couldn't put it down! The story development was so well written and the twists and turns were unpredictable. I'd definitely recommend this book!

Francesca Knight is a loner, has few friends, she’s even estranged from her sister Ellie and niece Rose. Since attending Chesterfield Boarding School in Derbyshire she’s had a ‘thing’ for Charles Fry. She follows him one night to a tube station, he’s chatting with another school acquaintance Dickie Graham when she witnesses something shocking. From this point in Fran’s life will never be the same again as she confronts tragedy and some horrific truths.

I really enjoyed this psychological thriller in the company of the enigmatic Fran. What is so interesting is trying to work out if she’s ‘Freaky Fran’ as her former school pupils believe, is she dark or is she a lonely voyeur, an outsider desperate for acceptance? The sisters school days at Chesterfields are conveyed well with all it’s confusing contradictions, teenage meanness and at times, brutality. I like the way the truth unravels a bit at a time and the mystery of her sister gets deeper and deeper. I really like the ending when the scales are completely removed from Fran’s eyes and she finally sees the truth and people for what they really are.

Overall, this is a well executed novel of obsessive love which blinds to the truth leading Fran to make many errors. I also really like the many literary references that match so well with Fran and her background. I look forward to reading mor e by Nicola Rayner in the future.

With thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.

I haven't read Rayner's debut yet, a mistake I'll be rectifying immediately! You and Me is one of those books that really keeps you guessing. Fran was troubled and did things that made her seem unlikeable, but I actually quite liked that about her. She doesn't do things for other people, she does what feels right for her, and because of this she was mercilessly bullied at school. She may be in her 30s now, but it can be difficult to forget the experiences that shape you as a young adult, and Rayner presents this very well.

This novel also shows just how blind love can be, and how willing we are to paper over the cracks and pretend everything is okay. I had a feeling about the way the ending would go and Rayner didn't disappoint. I was definitely giving one particular character the side eye throughout. I agree that this book is slightly slower paced than others in the genre, but that isn't a criticism. I enjoy a story I can relax into, a story which gets under my skin and drags me along until the bittersweet conclusion.

I do love a crazy stalker genre and this didn’t disappoint! I gave it 4 stars purely because the 5 stars I have read this year have been outstanding! Loved the flashbacks to high school! A great read

Fran has always loved Charles, since they were at school together, he may be married to someone else, but Fran will wait and Fran will love. She wishes her sister Ellie was around more and that they had never fallen out. The poison from their time at boarding school sends ripples through their lives but Charles was always there. the sudden death of one of their old school friends sends up a lot of questions for them all, but the answers are unexpected. I really enjoyed this one. I haven't read anything by this author before but will certainly look for her other work. The characters were easy to warm to and the quirkiness of Fran's character is brilliantly written. The twists were clever and I didn't see the final twist coming which I think is always the sign of an enjoyable plot. Thanks to netgalley and Avon Books UK for allowing me to read this book and thank you to the author for a great book.

I really enjoyed this novel. I was not expecting the big twist or the direction that this novel went. I enjoyed having flashbacks to when Fran and Ellie were at Chesterfield, as it helped me to form better opinions of them, as well as the people they went to school with. With these flashbacks as well as the situations in the present, the book felt very well paced to me.

I also greatly enjoyed the POV of Fran. It was interesting to be inside the mind of a potential stalker, and to see that they think what they are doing is not wrong, or how they justify it. Again, when the novel takes that crazy twist, I was not ready for it all. I was actually gasping out loud and I had to keep reading until the end. Once I got past the halfway mark of the book, I grabbed a large coffee, and sat down determined to finish it and find out all the answers to my questions. The novel does a fantastic job luring you inside the pages, and by the end you begin to question everything you thought to be true.

Overall, I would rate this novel a 4/5 stars, and I look forward to reading more from this author!

It was nice to read a thriller again that constantly had me guessing. I had so many theories and none of them were close to the truth.

I massively enjoyed reading this book, the narrator was creepy, certainly unreliable, and very lonely. I was torn between feeling a lot of pity for the character, but also being thoroughly disturbed by her actions. Although I felt the first few chapters were slow, once I got to about 30% of the way through, I was quickly hooked and finished it in one sitting. I actually felt quite unsettled and a little scared at one point (that footprint!!), but I’m sure reading late into the night in a dark quite house helped.

The only downside was that I felt very slightly let down by the ending. It was shocking, but didn’t quite have the impact I was hoping for.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The first few chapters are a little tough to get into. Once you get past this the story gets going and its makes for an exciting and fast paced read,. The characters are all credible and well written. I look forward to more from this writer.

Blimey! I had to read this in one sitting - I quite literally could not put this down (yes it is nearly 1am!)

The ‘You’ Netflix series meets ‘Girl on the Train’ tag line is absolutely spot on!

The story line is lacy and full of twists and turns. I love the flashbacks to Fran and Charles’ time at Chesterfield. The narrative detailing the treatment of those perceived as ‘weaker’ at school was gut-wrenching, and being a teacher unfortunately rang so familiar it was uncomfortable at times - but this added to how compelling the novel is.

Being an avid thriller reader I had my suspicions of the major plot line by about 2/3 of the way through - but even with this the ending was absolute dynamite! There were so many mini-narratives and threads that woven through the plot that, despite having pieces together some of them, you simply have to keep reading to complete the puzzle.

I try not to give away too much in reviews - but this is a definite must read!

Having not read this author before I wasn’t sure what to expect; although the story was slow to start it gradually grew on me.

Fran was in love with Charles Fry at school. Years later she’s still in love with him and likes to follow him around. On one of her regular watching missions she witnesses a tragic incident. She hopes this will bring her and Charles closer together; but what she finds instead are the answers to many unresolved questions, causing her to shed the rose tinted glasses she saw Charles through.

Good thriller with an unexpected twist.

This book is full of suspense with the main character not that likable as she can be rude although I felt great sympathy for her. Fran who many see as a loner, or weird and lacks friendships but from the back story of her time during her childhood in a boarding school, it is not surprising. Fran is obsessed with Charles who as they grow up into adulthood marries and has twins, whilst Fran continues her obsession with him. One night she follows him and believes she has witnessed a murder.
The secrets are revealed slowly throughout the book and it made me question continuously how blind love can be. For Fran, she cannot see what the truth is, and there were clever twists and the final twist towards the end was brilliant.
I enjoyed this book and gave it 4 stars.
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This was better than I could have expected.

Fran was so interesting as she written as unlikeable which is unusual in books. This book is a creepy slow burn that keeps you gripped until the final page!

I wasn’t too sure about You and Me when I first started reading it but then I looked and found I’d read almost half of it in one sitting. It turned out to be a gripping, thriller of a book that I found hard to put down. The book focuses on Fran. She was a loner at school, never really fitted in with the popular kids and that has carried on into adulthood. Her only family is a sister she never sees and a niece she’s never met. Fran witnessed a terrible crime that she hopes will bring her closer to her former school friends but it opens a world of secrets. Well written with some great twists and turns. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author for the chance to review.

I found this book to be a real slow burner but I was kept interested to the end by the way the author kept 'drip feeding' one new fact after another. The plot was well thought out with each twist more surprising than the last. It kept you guessing until the end, when everything as very neatly resolved.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon books for the advance copy of this book

Fran, or freaky Fran as her soubriquet goes, is a character to be reckoned with. Frumpy, friendless and estranged from her sister, Fran’s idea of a good night out is following around Charles Fry who she is obsessed by. Charles is everything Fran isn’t — good-looking and popular; he also has money to burn. Fran has fixed on him for many reasons — Charles was a boarder at the expensive school that Fran attended because her mother was a teacher there and the fees were waived, and when Fran’s sister was the victim of a terrible crime at the school, it was Charles who helped to pick up the pieces.

This is no thriller where the characters have been made to fit an outlandish plot. Rayner’s characterisation is stellar — Fran is an unhinged personality who I wanted to spend time with. Indeed, if you like your narrators unreliable then Fran is most definitely for you. The rest of the cast are superb too - from the people Fran works with at the bookshop to pupils from the past who attended Chesterfield Boarding School (— the dastardly Dickie was fascinating, for example).

Rayner’s writing is second to none, super stylish and accessible. A novel written by a most gifted author, I enjoyed this story immensely. PS - I adore the title!

It took me a while to get into this, predominantly because the main character is not easy to understand but beneath the obsession is someone who just wants to fit in and be liked. The story flows well and you do question the motivation of the characters, the flashbacks to her time at school go a long way to explaining her relationships with many other characters and by the end of the book I was totally engrossed, it was well worth persevering.

As soon as I saw this book was recommended for fans of "You," I knew I had to read it.

Fran, a loner who was made fun of in high-school, spends her days pining after Charles, her high-school crush. One night, Fran's stalking ways takes her to an overcrowded subway platform where she witnesses a terrible crime. Fran sees this as an opportunity for her and Charles to connect on a level that they never have before. But as the secrets start to come out, Fran's life is flipped upside in a way that she never sees coming.

This book had me hooked from the beginning and completely blindsided me at the end. The twists and turns keep you questioning throughout the whole story, while distracting you from the annoying character that is Fran. I would definitely recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC of You and Me by Nicola Rayner; I enjoyed her first novel The Girl Before You and looked forward to delving into this one! Rayner kicks the mystery off immediately, giving some melancholic family background, then straight into the cataclysmic event which I suspect will springboard us to past important,and possibly life-damaging, cruelties. Curious already? So was I...And there’s nothing like a funeral to reveal vulnerabilities, more se rets and it’s a great way to push the plot points; it’s not a spot in the book when you want to take a break! Rayner does a good job of fleshing out the characters as they interact with each other, always referring back to their college days to deepen the conflict. Fran is made to be off-putting in the eyes of her old mates and there was definitely a traumatic event that binds them...but what, and is Fran as weird as she appears to others? As she continues with her story, the reader has reasons to doubt her perspective...are people really acting as she describes or is it inly in her mind? This is definitely part of the appeal to this mystery, the questioning Rayner provokes, along with an undercurrent of doubt. The mystery picks up steam as you approach The Reveal and you will not be disappointed! Bravo, Nicola Rayner, you stumped me!

This is twisty, fast paced and addictive. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can totally see it as a Netflix feature.