Again I am sure I have already reviewed this but since it is showing up again I will say I love the book and the dynamics between all the characters.

Another great Mhairi McFarlane book. A slow burn to start with but as I continued to read the more invested I became in the characters. I really enjoyed it and the way the relationship built and changed with Bella and Connor. Fun summer read

Another excellent read by Mhari McFarlane, Cover Story's main character Bel is a journalist with a passion for rooting out the truth whilst at the same time trying to conceal her own secrets. To break her latest story Bel goes undercover with her new co-worker, befriending the pubs landlady to get closer access to the truth. The closer she gets to breaking the press worthy story, the closer she becomes to revealing her past deeds to her new co-worker. Overall very enjoyable, likeable main characters, and a good storyline which kept me invested until the emotional end

Mhairi Macfarlane's Cover Story delivers a healthy dose of dry, relatable humour throughout, which I absolutely loved. As I have a background in journalism and have family roots in Manchester, I found many aspects of the narrative incredibly relatable.

While this was a largely enjoyable read, I did find the ending felt quite rushed after a slow build-up. There were also moments where some of the dialogue was lost on me, leading to more than a few Google searches to fully grasp certain references.

Where the book truly shines in its character development - I felt like I really got to know both protagonists and their individual struggles well. It was also really refreshing to see a male character take a complete trajectory with his career and put his happiness first. I was pleased to see certain toxic male character(s) get what was coming to them, and Shilpa was a personal highlight for me (spin-off book with her as the main character please).

Ultimately, I'd give Cover Story a 3.75-star rating, rounding up to a solid 4 stars.

*Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Effortlessly blending romance, humour and mystery, this novel quickly became addictive to read. The characters were given so much depth that it was easy to get invested in them and root for them together.

I loved getting both Bel and Connor's perspectives. Without this, I don’t think I would have felt as empathetic towards them because they each held quite skewed first impressions that took some time to shake. Both characters were afforded nuance and allowed to make mistakes and learn from them. They didn’t do things perfectly, but I really felt like they were perfect for each other. I looked forward to their sparring/teasing/bantering as their interactions were always electric. The fake dating was SO good! The reason behind it – not wanting to blow their cover – actually made sense and raised the stakes, which in turn made the investigation all the more compelling. Bel and Connor faking a relationship made for both hilarious hijinks and deliciously charged moments. Their inevitable very real romance was so satisfying to watch come to life.

Would I recommend?... Without a second thought, yes! Especially if you're after a romantic comedy that delivers on both fronts, as well as adding in a mystery that feels high-stakes.

If you’re after a smart, sharp, and totally satisfying read, Cover Story absolutely delivers. It’s got everything you want from a McFarlane novel—quick wit, emotional depth, and characters who feel like people you’ve met (or wish you had).

At the heart of the story, Bel and Connor, and spoiler – they hate each other. There’s an air of mystery here as they head undercover, with just enough suspense to keep those pages flying, but it never strays too far from the emotional honesty that makes Mhairi’s writing so special.

Expect brilliant dialogue, proper laugh-out-loud moments, and that warm, knowing touch she does so well when it comes to betrayal, friendship, love, and starting over. It’s romcom meets revenge meets redemption—and it’s glorious.

With relatable and super likeable characters, buckets of humour and laugh out loud dialogue, and a delicious enemies to lovers fake dating romance, I loved @MhairiMcF's #CoverStory.

Smart, joyful and funny.

"Are they looking over?"
"I have no idea"

Witty, sharp, and utterly addictive 📖💘. Cover Story is a laugh-out-loud rom-com with clever twists, sparkling dialogue, and loveable characters. Mhairi McFarlane nails the humour and heart, delivering a story about secrets, reinvention, and unexpected romance. I adored the snarky banter, emotional depth, and feel-good energy. Another winner for fans of smart, swoony contemporary romance.

3.5 - I should know by now to not judge a Mhairi McFarlane book by the first 150 pages because for some reason it takes me that long to really become invested, which is of course what happened with this one as well.

I don’t know what it is about the first third of her books but it’s like watching paint dry - maybe it’s the establishing of the characters and the story that I just don’t vibe with. But once the story gets going count me in because I cannot put it down.

Cover Story was another brilliantly put together silly and a little unhinged romcom that kept me entertained (for the second half at least). I really loved Bel as the main protagonist and how independent and fierce she was. And Connor my bbbbyyyy 🫶🏼🫶🏼 I don’t know why his dad driving him to and from Manchester made me want to cry but it did.

Overall an enjoyable read and I really just need to remind myself to disregard the first third of any future Mhairi McFarlane books I read lol.

Enjoyable tale by Mhairi McFarlane, however not up there with her best. Liked the main characters, though I felt there was a lack of spark.

Thanks must go to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

For me this was a little slow to get into, compared to the author's previous books, but once it clicked I was hooked. So glad I persevered! Lovely to see a read something with a somewhat different plot, with plenty of intrigue and tension, but still will a fun romance at heart. Overall I really enjoyed It.

I love the relatability of Mhairis writing and how they are written about local places, I love a romance especially when writers are in the forefront and this being based as Manchester really topped it for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the relevant publisher for the ARC of this book.

I’m a big fan of McFarlane so my finger was on the request button really quick for this one and, I’m happy to say, I really enjoyed it.

Although it did drag a little and take some time to get into the fun, romantic parts, it was interesting to learn a bit more about journalism (as someone who wanted to be one at some point in my own life!).

The characters are engaging and if you’re a sucker for a fake dating trope you’ll definitely enjoy it.

Another cracker by Mhairi McFarlane.

I was drawn into the story straight away and as usual, there was plenty of humour and well drawn characters.

Enough jeopardy to keep you turning the pages well past ‘lights out’ time!

An interesting setting and a modern problem that will have you rooting for the good guys - and a satisfying outcome. Loved it!

This is a delightful slow burn romance, I love books by this author and this was another well crafted piece. I particularly enjoyed the character of Bel.

This was my first ever book by Mhairi McFarlane that I got around to reading even though I already own Last Night, but I guess I need the time pressure of arcs to pick them up. I was so very excited but sadly so very disappointed. Strap in for a rant of some sorts.

🔆 Premise:
We follow Bel and Connor on a journalistic undercover fake dating mission regarding a high profile case of power abuse in exchange for sexual favours and blackmail.

🔆 Review:
This alone would be a promising storyline, with everything fake dating and the one bed trope in some scenes entails. So why did I feel nothing? How is that even possible?

a) The first 20-25% of the book mainly follows Bel getting the mission started, and way too serious for a romcom. And this case felt like a thriller, but at the same time was dealt like a cute side story that's fun to uncover and reveal. Like did we not learn in the past decades that powerful charismatic men in charge can do whatever they please and simply with two nobodies uncovering his mistakes and felonies this does not mean anything. Why deal with is like it's fun?

b) Connor starts off in a very weird and unhappy relationship that does not end until like 25% into the book as well. This all gives off such a weird vibe and makes everything odd and too fast moving.

c) Bel also has a "stalker ex-colleague turned wanna be boyfriend even though he is married and does not get 1000 no's thrown into his face". How should this be a romcom? It is creepy, super serious -ONCE AGAIN.

d) There was no real banter, flirting, or tension. There wasn't any real yearning. And I mean, I am fine with a slow burn. But that is slow BURN. I did not even see or feel a spark.

e) Bel gets portrayed as this somewhat weak woman in her mid-thirties that needs help and saving. She cannot deal with her stalker Anthony without Connor, she does not speak up to her family about her ex and his lies (yes, ONCE again, a serious topic), she does not think things through on her undercover mission, she labels herself as undesirable, even though we get from Conner's POV that basically every man lusts after her,...

f) I got bored reading the same scenes from first Bel and then Connor's POV multiple times throughout the book and started skimming on basically rereading the same scene with one sentence difference on every page.

So I guess I did not feel nothing. I felt nothing regarding the romance, because where was it? Besides the few pages towards the end and like 5 sentences throughout the book?
I felt anger, disappointment, frustration, annoyance, rage, and then relief when I made it through.

This does not mean that I won't read the Mhairi McFarlane book that I already own, but this one was a total miss. Please do not romanticize stalking, power abuse, and me too cases. Just don't. And if you do talk about them, which is important, do not deal with them as if they managed to take them down with no skill and without fight. That's just not how the world works, sadly.

Special thank you to HarperCollins UK, Netgalley, and Mhairi McFarlane for the arc in exchange of an honest review!

Cover Story is a fast, fun novel about investigative journalism. As with every McFarlane novel, it brilliantly combines heartfelt romance with serious and important topics, leaving readers with plenty to think about long after the last page.

A classic Mhairi MacFarlane, a smart and spunky northern girl with trauma in her past and a less than perfect ex boyfriend misunderstands the handsome but grumpy man with his own baggage at first, but their chemistry and genuine goodness mean that over dirty jokes and pop culture references they end up falling for one another. good banter, well rounded secondary characters and well paced, but exactly the same as all the others.

Usually I am a big fan of Mhairi McFarlane's books but I really struggled to get into this book and found myself more skim reading instead to see if I could get into it/it would get better but sadly not as the synopsis made it sound like a great book to read.

A great read to get your teeth into. Bel is an investigative journalist and podcaster in Manchester when a new intern Connor arrives from London he and Bel don’t get off to a great start can they help each other and maybe find a common friendship while trying to get a scoop for their newspaper. A great read for the summer holidays