I think this book was a slow start for me. It definitely was not my favorite romance I ever read. I think the story line was cute. A Librarian looking for love who almost gets herself catfished. I however though the ultimate romance was a slow burn which some might love but it was indeed not my favorite.

Thanks, @netgalley, the author & publisher for the ARC.
I started this a couple of weeks ago and kept meaning to go back and finish it, which I did today
This book has a mixture of mystery & romance, but I can't say it really had a wow factor, and I think that's partly why I just couldn't seem to finish it sooner. I think I persevered because it was an ARC & out of fairness (and I hate DNFing). I did get a bit bored with it & I couldn't seem to gel with the characters, and I felt it went on a bit too long!

I really wanted to love this one but felt like the romance was secondary to the cat-fishing storyline. I would’ve liked several more romantic scenes, even if they were very light and slow-burn. I felt like I didn’t see that connection between the characters, which is a shame as I liked both Kat and Leo and they both had good, fleshed out back-stories. The writing was good and the plot flowed. I just wanted to see that romantic connection a bit more.

4 out of 5 stars

A Cozy, Clever Romance for Book Lovers Everywhere

Read Between the Lines is a charming enemies-to-lovers romcom set in a small-town library, with plenty of warmth, wit, and heart. Kat is a hopeless romantic searching for a real-life version of her book boyfriends. Leo is a recently retired cop who’s a bit rough around the edges—and also occupying far too much space in Kat’s life (and library). When their paths keep crossing, a tentative truce turns into something more.

Emily Kerr nails the small moments: the quiet vulnerability behind Leo’s gruffness, the ways Kat hides her doubts behind jokes and book references, and the awkward beauty of two people figuring themselves out together.

A must-read for fans of:
• Libraries and literature-obsessed heroines
• Grumpy/sunshine dynamics
• Clean but heartfelt romance with just the right dose of tension

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in Kat and Leo’s slow-burning story—and their shared love of books.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this eARC!

I thought this story and idea were so cute, given how the dating world works in 2025 (and the potential dangers)! However, the story moved extremely slowly, in my opinion, and I found the execution a little awkward. I did expect there to be more romance, too. I made it to the end of the book, then basically nothing happened. I would be open to potentially reading other titles from this author though!

Kat and Leo meet in the library where she works. Some mysteries you keep you guessing and some great characters. Looking forward to more books from this author

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Cosy, witty, and wonderfully bookish.
Read Between the Lines is a charming rom-com set in a cozy Oxford library, with a lovable romantic mess of a heroine and a grumpy ex-cop who’s more softie than storm. The mystery isn’t hard to crack, but the heart and slow-burn chemistry make up for it. Perfect for fans of comfort reads, library settings, and sunshine–grump dynamics.
Thank you to Net Galley for providing the arc copy.

Read Between the Lines is Emily Kerr’s latest romance/Women’s Fiction title set in Oxford, England. It’s a clean romance with some mystery/suspense elements.
Kat Fisher is a librarian at the Oxford Community Library, near the prestigious Oxford University. She is single and seems to be the kind of girl that men date for a short time before settling down with someone else. She registers with a local dating app and is matched with a handsome soldier named Brian James. After several months of exchanging messages and him leaving her sweet voicemails, he says that he’s coming to town later in the week and will take her out to dinner. On the afternoon of their date, he messages her to say that he’s stuck at the London airport and needs money. She suspects that he may be a scam artist, so she shows the message to her library colleagues. They agree that she is being scammed.
Unfortunately for Kat, a male patron who has been a source of irritation for her overhears their conversation. When he says, “… Kat Fisher has been catfished …”, she is so angry that she makes him leave the library. Leo Taylor is a former police detective and has spent the past few weeks at the library studying business books. He arrives at the library the next morning to apologize, and Kat enlists his help to help her identify the scammer. Kat is a book lover who has read a lot of mysteries, so she draws on fiction to help her find the scammer.
Read Between the Lines is an enjoyable story that blends booklovers, mystery, and clean romance. The supporting characters, particularly Kat’s co-workers, Moira and Doris, add a lot of humor to the story. Both Kat and Leo have some personal baggage to work through, and their banter is very good. This story would make an excellent Hallmark movie.
I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and HarperCollins UK/One More Chapter for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The pretty cover and the main character being a librarian really pulled me in! I love a good book about books. However, I found the book a bit slow and hard to get into. I found it hard to relate to the main character.

To be honest this is not one of my favourite books I’ve ever read, I found it very slow and slightly immature at some points. Also couldn’t find myself connecting to any of the characters and that most of the page was filled with unnecessary information, just filler really. I ended up skipping or skimming so much of the novel just trying to finish it.

I was happy with the ending but the rest of the book just bored me to be honest. Is usually love book boyfriends that have a position of power in a community like a police officer but I just couldn’t attach myself to him. I think this is definitely more of a very young adult/teenager novel considering the writing style and choice of language.

Though I do want to say a big thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.

The gorgeous cover and intriguing premise had me grabbing for this book the second I saw it. A librarian and ex-police officer romance with a library setting had all the elements of a cozy, swoony worthy romance. It started out cute enough but eventually I started to get worn out by Kat’s excessive inner monologue. I would have loved to have gotten the opportunity to be shown rather than be told. Other than that, the writing was still good. I would have loved to see a little more chemistry between the two main characters. Also the pacing could have been a little faster. The Oxford setting was definitely my favorite part about this story. All in all it was a cozy, lighthearted read.

I have mixed feelings about this read. I had previously read a book by this author that I found really sweet. With this book, it started out strong with a cute bookish cover and book title - the synopsis made me think we were going to get really really good banter and humor (which there was some)... sadly, it took me well over 30% to get into the book and even then it wasn't all weaving together for me. I found the FMC a little too insecure (to be fair, I've read several books recently where this is the case so maybe it's just wearing on me) and then the MMC had some mystery to him but then it didn't feel like his story was done to the extent it could've been. I think that the book was decent as a whole, but it just didn't create the page turner I was hoping for.
I think the book adds up to about a 3.25⭐ rating - closed door romance type read so low 🌶️

Kat Fisher is a sweet,romanctic girl who wants to meet her prince charming. She isn't a fan of her name but is hoping to run into the perfect man for her. Leo Taylor is a former police office who is looking for his next step in life when he comes upon Kat. They seem like an unlikely couple but they might just be perfect for each other.

Thank you to NetGalley and @OneMoreChapter for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Read Between the Lines is a charming, low stakes mystery that delivers just the right mix of humor, heart, and slow-burn tension. Kat Fisher is a romantic at heart, working as a librarian and hoping her online match is the real deal until she realizes she’s been catfished. What follows is an unexpected partnership with Leo, a gruff ex detective who’s as annoying as he is useful.

The plot is more about the characters than the crime, and that works in its favor. Kat and Leo’s dynamic feels believable plenty of clashing personalities and playful back and forth, with a chemistry that builds gradually rather than rushing into anything. The story leans into its cozy vibes, and while the pacing is on the slower side, it never drags.

Emily Kerr does a great job balancing light romance with a bit of intrigue. The dialogue feels real, the side characters are endearing without being overly quirky, and the ending lands exactly where you want it to.

If you're in the mood for a feel good read that’s smart, funny, and quietly romantic, this is the book for you!

4.25 Stars!

#NetGalley, #OneMoreChapter, #ReadBetweenTheLines, #EmilyKerr

Shout Out to Netgalley for this cute arc read. From a librarian to detective.......IF this isn't an example of "love is literally staring at you in your face", then I don't know what is. hahahaha.........This was such a cute story. From possibly being catfished, to taking down a fraudster. Dom had it all planned out it seemed, and scammed a bunch of people in hopes to have his dating app be successful. Surprising turn of events is when his old friend found out what he was doing with his voice recordings........crazy how scammers think and are so prepared for any outcome. Anyways, it sure helped boost Kat's confidence and she got her man in the end.

This one was not for me. I felt like it was mis-genred, if that's a thing. If anything it was a mystery, with romantic elements. The MCs took WAY too long to acknowledge one another. It was exhausting.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy to read and review.

Read Between the Lines is a standalone title with an enemies-to-lovers or grumpy/sunshine feel to it. It’s a good story, a bit of a slow-burn romance combined with a mystery element.

Kat is a librarian who has entered the world of dating apps, looking for that special someone.
Unfortunately, she’s run into a man who on the surface seems perfect… perhaps, too perfect when red flags start to appear. Leo is a former police detective who is now doing research in Kat’s library on opening his own business. They clash constantly, but when Kat decides to track down the man who tried to scam her, they enter into a partnership that could lead to exactly what she’s been looking for.

Read Between the Lines by Emily Kerr is a fun story with engaging characters. It’s a good story, even though the pace, at times, seemed slow for me, and the romance is on the lighter side. Still, their investigation provided a few chuckles and some emotional moments.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

“Read between the lines” by Emily Kerr is a mysterious, rom com. In this book you follow the main characters, Kat and Leo as they navigate an investigation and their feelings toward each-other. This swoon worthy novel starts off slow but quickly picks up throughout the storyline. This story will have you kicking your feet and highlighting everything.

Set in Oxford, the story follows Kat Fisher, a librarian whose head is always in the cloud and a hopeless romantic. For the last two months, she has been speaking with a guy, Brian, who she met on a dating app. The only catch? They haven't met in person as Brian is in the army, and has currently been stationed abroad, but is finally returning to Oxford and is looking forward to going out with Kat on their first date. As Kat is getting excited for her date while working at the library, she stumbles across Leo, a grumpy ex-cop who can't keep his dirty feet off the library furniture. As Kat is about to leave the library to meet Brian for their first date, he sends a message saying he can't leave the army base as he has no funds and if she could send him some money. Red flag alert. Leo, listening in on the conversation, states that this is a common catfish tactic and starts to get Kat upset. The smart move would be just block and move on? But Kat decides to get Leo to use his former cop skills as they pair up as Sherlock and Holmes to solve the mystery of who is Brian and how can we stop him.

I can't tell if I didn't like the book because the author is British and I just don't understand British personalities/humor, or if the book was just not great. Everything in the book was just so literal - everything was explained rather than shown, which just added to the boringness of the book. Kat was one of the most annoying characters I've read in a while - I can't remember how old she is supposed to be, but god her rigidity and weird (not cute quirkiness) behaviors was incredibly off puting. Also how at your grown ass age would you chat with a man on an app for two months without meeting. No one with any common sense or self worth would do that, especially if you are trying to find a meaningful relationship. That is just what made this book so unrealistic for me. The romance between Kat and Leo felt forced, the spark was non-existent. Both characters spoke waaaaaaay too formal - once again, not sure if that is a British thing, but I was just in London and had multiple convos with locals and it was easy going. I feel like the author should have done dual POVs instead of just keeping us in Kat's head.

I absolutely adored Read Between the Lines! From the very first pages, I was hooked by the sharp humor, the heartwarming characters, and that delicious slow-burn romance between Kat and Leo. Their banter had me grinning, and the Oxford library setting made this story feel like curling up with a cozy blanket and a cup of tea. Emily Kerr strikes the perfect balance between charm and emotional depth. I especially appreciated the layers of vulnerability behind the laughs—and the unexpected mystery woven into the plot was the cherry on top.

I loved the book so much that I went straight out and bought her debut novel, Duvet Day. If it’s even half as delightful as this one, I know I’m in for another treat. Highly recommend to fellow romcom lovers, especially if you’re a fan of stories with brains, heart, and a dash of literary mischief.