Another great book from Mhairi McFarlane. Cover Story is so well written and doesn't take the obvious love story/Prince Charming will save her approach. A really fantastic read - 5 stars. I would recommend.

Let's start with the main character - Bell was absolutely brilliantly drawn and from the very beginning I kept everything crossed for her and I so wanted that everything will work out for her. The author portrayed her, and actually all of the characters, really well, in such an authentic way, they felt authentic and genuine. All kind of relationships between the characters are really well explored, it simply feels honest, not forced, making them all so very believable. The banter between them is entertaining, sharp and sophisticated.

What I really liked in this book that, underneath all this laugh and humour, there are really heavy issues being touched upon. They are serious, but the author approaches them in a sensitive way, with the right distance.

The real strength of the book is that is down - to - earth and you can easily put yourself in the characters shoes. I couldn't immediately get into the story and needed a few chapters to feel warm, but then it went smoothly and I enjoyed every single chapter.

I’ve read all of Mhairi McFarlane’s books and I am one of her biggest cheerleaders. I was so excited to read Cover Story and it certainly didn’t disappoint, in fact I stayed up until 2.30am to finish it.

It was nt your usual enemy to lovers story at all. Great to see the relationship between Bel and Connor develop over the pages. I laughed out loud and of course I cried, especially almost at the end- no spoilers.

Wipe out your calendar, cosy up and enjoy this amazing story.

I’ve loved Mhairi McFarlane since “Don’t you forget about me” and she delivers yet another sharp, funny, and thrilling rom-com 💙 Cover Story is a workplace romance full of miscommunication & high stakes.

Bel is a journalist, Connor the new intern, their first meeting: total disaster. Then they’re forced to work together (and fake a relationship for a story) sparks fly in all the best (and most awkward) ways. 💥📝

Their back and forth is fun, all the ways they interpret each other made me actually chuckle. All while exploring deeper themes: mental health, the courage to start over, abuse, the consequence of bad choices.. it definitely left me thinking long after I read the last page.

Also, Connor? Chefs kiss. Have nothing to point against him. Should be protected at all costs.

Finally: just enough slow-burn romance to keep anyone hooked 💕

I’ve read all of Mhairi McFarlane’s books and am usually her biggest cheerleader, but sadly this wasn’t my favourite.

It took a while for me to get into the story, but I did enjoy it when it got going. However as much as I enjoyed the relationship between Connor and Bel, the actual romance did feel a bit like it came out of nowhere.

An enjoyable, easy read, but sadly not as brilliant as I hoped it would be.

✨4 stars✨

This was the first book that I have read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

First of all, the characters all felt incredibly authentic and I loved the banter between all of the characters but especially Bel and Connor. The romance between these two characters developed at a pace that felt natural along with the fake dating aspect made for an enjoyable read!

Secondly, I loved the setting of this book. All the mentions of places in the book added to the authenticity especially as I have been to or have been near to the places mentioned. A lot of the books I read are by authors from North America so it made a refreshing change to read a book set somewhere other than North America or London! Also the British humour was amazing and the overall writing was engaging throughout!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will be on the lookout for this author’s other books.

I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

3⭐️

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This wasn’t my favourite unfortunately. I loved Last Night so when I got the arc for Cover Story I was absolutely ecstatic. This book was very different to Last Night, much more light hearted. My favourite thing of Last Night was how brilliant the writing and quotes were and in Cover Story I felt it wasn’t on par. There were some nice quotes but not nearly as many so the writing didn’t have much of an impact on me.

I really liked the start of this book but it just fell off a bit for me unfortunately. It was an interesting premise but I kind of stopped being invested in what was going on. The characters were fine but not the most memorable. It wrapped up well in the end. I’ll still continue reading other Mhairi books but this one just wasn’t my fave!

Endlich wieder ein neuer Roman von meiner Lieblingautorin Mhairi McFarlane. Und dann darf ich ihn Netgalley sei Dank auch noch vor der Veröffentlichung im Gegenzug zu einer ehrlichen Meinung lesen.

Bel arbeitet als Journalistin in Manchester und sie und ihr Kollege bekommen alle paar Monate einen neuen Praktikanten ins Büro. Der neue Praktikant Connor ist jedoch anders als die anderen, er ist in Bels Alter und wirkt auf den ersten Blick nicht besonders sympathisch auf Bel. Auch Bel macht keinen besonders positiven Eindruck auf Connor. Doch dann rennt er zufällig mitten in ihre neuesten Undercover-Ermittlungen und plötzlich müssen die beiden so tun als wären sie ein Paar. Kann das gutgehen?

Eine Enemies-to-Lovers und zugleich Fake-Dating-Story in einem. Man könnte meinen, damit würde sich die Autorin vielleicht übernehmen, aber nicht McFarlane, die gekonnt wie immer miteinander beides verbindet.

Wie immer bei McFarlanes Geschichten brauchte ich einige Kapitel, um mich einzufinden. Besonders schwierig fand ich es dieses Mal, Zugang zu den Personen zu finden. Aber wie immer hat es irgendwann Klick gemacht und die Geschichte ließ mich nicht mehr aus ihrem Bann.

Vielen Themen werden hier wieder behandelt, die ich jetzt um Spoiler zu vermeiden hier nicht aufzählen möchte, doch anstatt es mir zu viel wurde, fand ich jedes einzele Thema für total spannend.

Insgesamt betrachtet ist "Cover Story" nicht unbedingt mein neuestes Lieblingsbuch der Autorin, dennoch habe ich es sehr genossen, endlich wieder ein neues Buch von ihr zu lesen.

Ein kleiner Nachtrag zur Sprache: ich habe bisher alle Bücher von Mhairi McFarlane gelesen, einige im Original, die meisten auf Deutsch (davon viele als Hörbuch) und eins sogar als dänische Übersetzung. Dieses Mal hat das englische Original meine Sprachkenntnisse tatsächlich sehr gefordert, um nicht zu sagen: überfordert. Ich würde jedem Nichtenglischmuttersprachler daher empfehlen auf die Übersetzung zu warten, damit er/ sie das Lesen noch besser genießen kann.

I love everything Mhairi McFarlane writes, she’s consistently writing exactly what I need. I loved both Bel and Connor, but I’m definitely a little bit in love with Connor.

Mhairi Macfarlane has quickly become one of my auto-read authors so I was thrilled to be approved and advance copy of her latest offering. Cover Story did not disappoint, with Macfarlane' trademark loveable characters and intriguing plot. This story had the added interest of being set in my hometown, Manchester which the author depicts so well.

It can be tricky to find an original romance these days, but you can rely on Mhairi McFarlane to add something new and interesting to the conversation.
I always appreciate that there are layers to Mhairi's stories. These aren't just surface level romance or women's fiction. Heavier subject matter and topics are tackled and done so in way that keeps you engaged, while the romance is simmering away in the background.
I loved the combination of more traditional romance tropes (fake dating, enemies to lovers and forced proximity) with the investigation into and takedown of the slimy mayor. There's also the issue of Bel's stalker and Connor's struggle with depression, which again, were handled well.
Towards the end I was literally kicking my feet and the chemistry between them was just so good.
And Shilpa was one of the best best friends I've read in a while. I was a little bit obsessed with her.
I really did adore this book and sped through it in two evenings. All I can say is, Mhairi McFarlane has done it again.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited to read Cover Story – Mhairi McFarlane is one of my favourite authors – and this novel did not disappoint. In fact it is now one of my absolute favourites of hers. Combining the enemies-to-lovers and the fake dating trope (both executed perfectly), I was hooked immediately and raced to read more at every possible opportunity. Who could not adore Bel, the larger-than-life heroine with her big heart, strong sense of justice and indomitable spirit? And who could not fall a little in love with Connor as he has Bel’s back every second, despite the bickering and miscommunications? An absolute masterclass in romance, I could not have loved it more. Romcom perfection!

mhairi mcfairlane’s so back and cover story’s the proof!
she absolutely has done it again but i’m not surprised if i have to speak truly!

last year i read my first book written by mhairi mcfairlane and i ended up looking up for more to read and so i ended up reading a lot of her books because they were so addicting and so raw that i could mostly relate to the characters in her books and even when i couldn’t i was completely immersed in the story that i could feel the characters feelings… so while reading this u wouldn’t be surprised to find me here… and luckily i had the big opportunity to read cover story and what a lovely slow burn romcom we had here with a workplace setting with bel and connor and guess what? these two think that they hate each other but with time they will understand by getting to know each other that’s not true… especially during certain moments of tension ikyk 😁 plus with the help of the fake dating trope everything will be easier as we always know right?

as always when you read a book written by mcfairlane u should already know that’s not simply a book but there are a lot of different aspects and mostly of the times very serious topic included and in this story we have some such as: stalking, depression,gaslighting and suicide mention! so u should be aware and the way all the different themes are combined all together’s so amazing and unique as always!

the characters are so realistic and relatable that they can feel easily as real people because u can read laugh with them,understand their mistakes,issues… and in the end you’re simply captured in their life like you always been there and this a feeling that few authors can make you experience!

and so what are you expecting now? go and put this one on your tbr and if u haven’t read a book written by her well this is your sign to start ;)

a lot of thanks to netgalley and harpercollins uk , harperfiction for sending me the e-arc of this amazing book in exchange for my honest opinion!!

Wow this book had me in stitches! I loved all of the characters and finished it in one day which is always a good sign. A solid 4.5 star for me.

I found this book addictive. I liked Connor and Belle and their office tension as they come together to expose the mayor. The depression was handled well and I loved the setting of Manchester. The best book I have read this year! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

I've always loved Mhairi's books and she's a go to author for me.
This is definitely your standard rom/com girl meets boy fiction. Bel works as a reporter and when Connor, the drop dead gorgeous intern walks through the door, they immediately hate each other. A bit bizarre, seeing as they don't know each other at all.
Bel is working under cover and Connor gets tangled up in the deception. I especially enjoyed this part of the book. It was very well written and keep me turning the pages. This pushes them closer together but they still don't like each other. Or do they?
There are other aspects to the story with Bel and Connor's exs and a particularly horrible ex colleague of Bels. All giving the story plenty of interest. I'm giving it 4 and a half stars as i really did enjoy it but it just lacked originality. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this as an ARC.

Mhairi McFarlane has done it again !!! I enjoy a good romance read but find it hard to find original plots within the genre - safe to say this isn’t a plot I’ve read before. I really enjoyed the development of the main characters both individually and together. I also liked how the miscommunication trope wasn’t overdone - it was perfect for the story! This book had really great story about how journalism can be important (and not all journalists are bad people) with a lovely love story intertwined. I would definitely recommend this book!

Bel McCauley works in the Manchester office of a national newspaper and has an award winning podcast. She works with ambitious Aaron Parry and they have a good, jokey, working relationship. Their latest intern up from London, is 30 something Connor and their start is not exactly warm and fuzzy. He thinks she has a patronising attitude and she thinks his reactions are definitely in the hostile range and he comes across as superior. She seethes, he’s cool. Then Bel is offered a BIG topical story which she starts to investigate. It becomes quite cloak and dagger with Connor finding himself dragged into it. In order to get her story, it’s necessary for the pair to act as a couple. Can they pull it off ……. and what if?????

There’s obviously not quite a formula to Mhairi McFarlane’s novels which I enjoy as you know what you’re going to get and there’s the anticipation of plenty of sparkling humour thrown into the bargain. The author is particularly good at portraying her characters in a very authentic way and all feel believable. I really like Bel as she’s a strong woman, she’s resourceful and smart. Connor definitely grows on me, I think it’s from the point where Maurice is mentioned (🥹- no spoiler here). I also really like Bel’s best friend Shilpa but feel the absolute polar opposite with ex colleague Anthony who makes my blood boil. There’s very good banter between Bel/Aaron, Connor and Bel and Bel and Shilpa with the result of plenty of smiles.

There’s a good slow build between Connor and Bel with plenty of tension between them, as well as misunderstandings and balls of confusion. It’s a good Mr Darcy/Elizabeth Bennett vibe and indeed Darcy is referenced!

Underneath the breezy repartee, as with most of the authors novels, there are serious issues, especially those which Bel is pursuing and this adds an extra dimension to the storytelling. There’s harassment and abuse of power amongst other things and how Bel goes about getting her story is admirable. There’s the added bonus of various sparks between Connor and Bel.

Overall, this has a bit of everything. There are serious stories which unfold well, a lot of humour and romance in a good Manchester setting.

Publishers in the UK on 8/5.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins/HarperFiction for the much appreciated early copy and return for an honest review.

If you’ve read any of Mhairi’s previous work and enjoyed it, I’m pretty sure you’ll enjoy this one too. It has all of her trademark British snark and follows her usual formula or Girl meets Boy, Girl thinks Boy hates her (and vice versa) but after spending time with one another, Girl eventually realises that’s not the case! I feel like one of the side characters, Connor’s brother, summed it up perfectly when he said:

“I put it to you that the only thing you don’t like about her is that you don’t think she likes you.”

While it goes without saying that I enjoyed the romance, I also really liked the central plot, which has Bel investigating a “Me Too” type rumour surrounding the local Mayor.

I liked seeing Bella’s character develop as the book progressed because I have to admit that, at the beginning especially, I did find her annoying at times. She put a lot of blame on Connor for his perceived slights and negative attitude, when she was unwelcoming from the start and quick to pass judgment, while in a workplace dynamic where she was the more senior of the two. That being said, it’s also part of the charm of Mhairi’s books, she makes her character feel like real people, flaws and all. Overall, I had a great time binging this book and would definitely recommend.

Tropes:
- Workplace romance
- Enemies to lovers vibes
- Fake dating
- Slow burn

Bel, a former indie podcaster, and Connor, a thirty-something intern, are forced to work together at a Manchester newspaper—even though they can’t stand each other. But when Bel’s undercover investigation requires them to fake a relationship, things get very interesting. Cue the tension, the banter, and all the delicious enemies-to-lovers moments!

Mhairi has absolutely smashed it again! This was another total winner for me. The book tackles some really heavy topics—suicide, depression, stalking—but it never loses sight of the main story. And the dynamic between Bel and Connor? Perfection. Their chemistry crackles the whole way through while they’re trying to gather evidence to help a young girl.

There were so many standout moments I adored—Connor staying the night , those final undercover scenes, and that last chapter. Plus, the supporting characters like Shilpa and Adam were brilliant, and even Shaun had his moment!

I loved it so much I’m actually devastated it’s over.

Thank you Mhairi McFarlane

Thank you to NetGalley for the download.