*Netgalley (but also purchased)

Between Us is the latest release from Mhairi McFarlane, someone who has become one of my favourite authors over the past few years.

In this book, we meet purple-haired Roisin, who has been in a relationship with filmmaker Joe for several years. Recently, she feels like something's wrong between them, and she's not entirely sure how to address it, choosing to enjoy a weekend away with their closest friends - Dev, Anita, Gina, Meredith and Matt.

When the gang settle in to watch the first episode of Joe's new series, "Hunter", Roisin quickly realises that he has taken more than a little inspiration from some very personal stories she has told him. Will they be able to come back from this huge betrayal? Or more importantly, should they?!

I really enjoyed this book, I thought Roisin was a brilliant lead character and I felt like I got to really know her. I loved the scenes in the family pub with her mother, I thought Lorraine was such a great character who brought some fantastic comic relief to the scenes she was in.

With a reference or two to satisfy the Swifties, some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments, parts that made me cry, and a love interest that I wanted to swoon over, this won't disappoint for fans of this author or anyone who enjoys a good rom-com drama.

I'd also recommend it for fans of Marian Keyes, Beth O'Leary, Emily Henry or Jojo Moyes.

Thank you kindly to @harpercollinsuk for the ARC via @netgalley, I did purchase a copy for myself on publication day too.

#sharonreadthis #sharonreadbetweenus #betweenus #irishbookstagram #irishbooksta

This was a last-minute arc request as I saw the new release and didn't know it was on Netgalley. I was waiting to buy it for release and I'm so glad I didn't wait, this was so good. I love Mhairi McFarlane's writing and books so much. They are always filled with real-life scenarios that don't feel far-fetched like some books. This one didn't disappoint, and I've never read 400 pages so fast. I was up at 6 am reading the last 40% because Roisin's story, life, and Mhairi's writing had me wanting to find out what was going to happen. Although this isn't a 5 star for me it's still a favourite, at the start I felt a little bored but I know Mhairi's writing at this point and knew we needed the backstory to get to the good bits. This is a fade to black sex scene book, but that doesn't bother me, I'm nearly 30 and think that this is the type of book I prefer. Real life, real things that can happen, and actual realistic conversations with an HOA. Thank you to Harper Collins for giving me the chance to read this for an honest opinion via NetGalley, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Loved it! Mhairi is always my go to for the prefect read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy, I will definitely be recommending.

I have read 6 Mhairi McFarlane books in one month and am so delighted to be able to follow it up with her latest release! Safe to say I am a huge Mhairi McFarlane fan and BETWEEN US doesn't disappoint. Roisin is one of my favourite of her protagonists - she's self-assured, no nonsense and intelligent and to be honest, just really cool - and (no spoilers but) her take-down of a certain character is everything I wanted it to be. I was fuming on her behalf for the way Joe treated her and couldn't (and actually didn't) put the book down til I reached the end. One thing I did feel was a little less developed than I was expecting was the romance, which was a bit rushed and could have been so good given a bit more focus. But overall I loved this - there's the trademark complex and funny dynamics of Mhairi McFarlane friendship groups, there's the flawed and brilliant main character, there's the hilarious lines...can't wait for her next!

This was nearly a DNF for me, and I have loved all of Mhairi's previous books. The first 20% of the book had too much scene setting for my liking. I began to wonder what the overall point of the book was going to be. It was encapsulating the lifestyles of a group of 30 somethings, none of whom I really clicked with and that's all I could get from it.

Once Roisin left the weekend away and returned to her teaching role I began to get interested. It turns out that Roisin is really rather smart and sassy and I liked that a lot about her. Just a pity it took me a lot of the book before that totally shone through.

Her Mum is also a part of the book and she was quite the comedian. I liked her character but maybe not all of her actions. It would give too much away to say anything about the other characters traits but I didn't really warm to any of them.

I've always said that Mhairi's books are not rom-com in the truest sense. I think this one is proably the closest to that description, and maybe why I didn't gel with it so much.

Thank you HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, HarperCollins and Netgalley. I am huge fan since I read my first book by the author. I am always amazed how she come out with the really great stories, incredible turns and exceptional friendship with a romance behind but so important.

REVIEW
⚠️cw: repeat mentions of cheating, gaslighting⚠️
When Roisin Walters' screenwriter boyfriend Joe airs his latest show for friends on a weekend away, Roisin notes startling similarities to her childhood. It sets her on a quest to reevaluate her close relationships, with some unexpected results.
This was a tricky book to categorise and also to review without spoiling the plot. It's billed as a rom-com, but I feel like it's more of a story about changing friend dynamics, self-reflection, self-empowerment, and learning to deal with toxicity in relationships, with a hint of mystery, and a side of romance. It was difficult to get into at first, but I'm really glad I persisted. At the start, I found myself bombarded with characters I didn't really like, with one exception, as the group of friends was introduced. I immediately hated Joe, but I grew to love Roisin, Meredith, Matt, and Gina. We get less of Dev and Anita, but I liked them by the end.
I won't spoil anything, but I saw the romance coming. That didn't stop me from rooting for them, and I was SO happy those people ended up together, even though there was a bit of drama along the way.
While not a straightforward or lighthearted rom-com, there is a lot to enjoy about this story.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating:
Emotional Rating: 🙄😒😬🙈😂🤬😬💔💓😂💓😒🤬👏🏻💓🥰😢💔😍🥰💓👏🏻💔💓🥰

*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review. Between Us is published on 11th May in the UK*

Favourite Quote:
'I never thought something I didn’t do could cost me this much.'


**I have uploaded the same review to Amazon UK butam awaiting moderation**

3.5/5 Realistic and completely absorbing, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read from start to finish. The characters are highly relatable and reflective of the dynamic between friend groups in their thirties, and the plot was intriguing and incredibly plausible. I haven't read many of Mhairi McFarlane's other works before now but I will definitely be checking out her previous publications when I need a quick and entertaining read.
Thank you to Netgalley.co.uk and Harper Collins for the free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who is a huge fan, I was genuinely excited to dive into "Between Us" by Mhairi McFarlane. I must say, the story did not disappoint! I give it a solid 4 stars for its captivating narrative and the depth of its characters.

The book showcases the amazing friendship between the main characters, and it's so real that it's almost tangible. McFarlane skillfully portrays the cracks that begin to form between them after ten years of friendship, providing an authentic look into how relationships evolve over time.

However, I did find some parts of the story predictable, such as the protagonist eventually discovering that Joe had indeed cheated on her and that Matt was her true love interest. But then again, I'm not easily surprised. I did secretly hope that Gina was sleeping with Joe all along, as that would have been a mind-blowing twist.

One of the aspects I particularly enjoyed was the detective vibe of the book. It added an interesting layer to the story that kept me engaged throughout. But what really stood out to me was Roisin's conversation with Joe's other woman, which served as an important reminder that Joe is the true villain in this tale.

Overall, "Between Us" was a great read that offered a different format from what I'm used to, and I genuinely enjoyed it. The book had its predictable moments, but they didn't detract from the powerful message about friendship and the importance of staying true to ourselves in the face of deceit and betrayal.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Between Us is like a game of two halves. The first half is a story about a group of friends, all with their own individual characters. The focus is on Dev, who has treated his friends to a get together in a posh country house with fiance Anita. We also meet Meg, housemate Sally, and couple Joe and Roisin. Joe is a high flying TV writer and the friends are eager to watch his new series. But long term girlfriend Roisin is shocked to find personal details she had shared with Joe featured in the programme. This leads her to question how much else of the show could be true?!

The second half of the book takes more of a traditional chick-lit route, with Roisin looking for answers about her relationships and herself.

Between Us is a great read, whilst it is a romance, you're never completely sure that there will be a happy ending, even though you're rooting for one!

Roisin is a secondary school teacher and her boyfriend Joe is a television scriptwriter. Joe’s career takes off after he pens a slightly risqué series. With his rise in fortune comes misfortune for Roisin as she deals with the teasing of her teenage pupils. But that’s just one reason why Joe and Roisin’s relationship is falling apart…

I’ve relished every book I’ve read by Mhairi McFarlane and this one not only compares very favourably with the others but also comes across as just a little bit different.
There’s a subtle dark and serious undertone to Between Us but the warmth and wit which readers of hers expect is still there. A punchy yet cosy romance.

A really good book that shows sometimes you don't really know a person even when you've been with them for years. That sometimes you're blind to things other people see, and that it just takes one thing to bring everything into focus and sometimes we need to trust our gut. Some very sweet moments, and great friendships. Definitely worth a read. 3.5 stars

Know that this isn't a romcom but rather an interesting look at how a woman copes when she realizes that her leg time love has exploited her and their friends for his own success. Roisin and Joe met working at Waterstones. He's spent years and years writing a television show and now they've gathered with friends to watch it. Except that it's not fun, not fun at all for her. Joe's a rat but their friends Meredith, Gina, Dev, and Matt are not. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This wasn't the McFarlane novel I was expecting but it's' a good read.

Having read 4 of Mhairi’s books to date (‘Here’s looking at you’, ‘Who’s that girl’ and ‘If I never met you’) I was looking forward to reading ‘Between Us’ however it just didn’t hit the mark as the other 3 had.

I think had the more scene building part for the majority of the first half of the book been shorter and the final third of the book been longer I would have enjoyed it more.

Overall there was nothing wrong with the story it just didn’t feel like a usual Mhairi McFarlane book. Amazon have it branded as a Rom-Com where as I would have thought it was more general fiction romance as their wasn’t much of the comedy side in there and more mystery/intrigue of finding out the full story of the characters.

Yet another superb book from Mhairi. It encompases love, laughter and happiness. The escapism of Mhairi's books, is a welcome break from the events happening around us.

I received an advanced reader copy of Between Us in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this opportunity.

This is the second book by Mhairi McFarlane that I read - the first was If I Never Met You, which I enjoyed but didn’t love. I had high hopes for this one because the premise seemed promising, but then I downloaded it, read the first chapter, and put it down again. I only picked it up again very close to the archiving date because I didn’t feel like reading it but I don’t make a habit of dnf‘ing arcs. However, I ended up only reading the first 18% (around 80 pages). The characters and plot didn‘t manage to hold my attention, sadly. Maybe I was just not in a romcom kind of mood - I hope other readers will enjoy this more than I did!

(no rating)

This is not really a rom com story but it is well worth a read. Roisin is on a voyage of discovery and the intrigue the book develops is rewarding.

I really enjoyed this book, the writing style had me hooked. I sat and devoured this, loved every second.

Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane explores many of the complexities not talked about enough in modern relationships, including gaslighting and manipulation. While I found elements of the storyline to be witty and engaging (as is typical of her writing style), this wasn’t my favourite book of McFarlane’s, and I didn’t particularly warm to Joe nor Roisin as characters. I’d give this 3.5 stars overall, as the humour always wins out in McFarlane’s books!

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

BOOK REVIEW: Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane

3 Stars

I am a HUGE Mhairi McFarlane fan and so I am a bit gutted that this one didn't live up to my expectations.

The story is about Roisin and her boyfriend Joe and their group of friends. I do not even want to touch on the storyline as I don't want to give anything away. However, for me, this was a very different book for Mhairi and unfortunately it didn't live up to her past stories.

For the first half of the book, I was thinking of DNFing every chapter or so. It took at least half of the book for me to get into the storyline and to actually care about the characters. I think this is because I didn't particularly like them as a group of characters and the storyline just wasn't for me. It had a kind of a mystery/detective feel which I'm not really a fan of.
However at around 60% I finally clicked with Roisin, I found her mum hilarious and some of her interactions with her friends to be both emotional and funny. The second half was definitely faster and had more of the characters I liked in it so I was really glad that I continued with the book and didnt DNF.

Overall for me, it is a good book and one I think a lot of people will enjoy. I am glad I continued as I loved the ending and the romance. Some of the issues I had are definitely based on my particular likes and dislikes so I would still definitely recommend reading this one!

Please note that I was #gifted this ebook in exchange for an honest review.