Well, I still enjoyed this book! Ms. McFarlane’s smart descriptions to make us see through the characters’ soul and her method to write true heartbreaking angsty stories made me love this book. It’s not my all time favorite work of hers but it is still a MUST READ!

Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane | Goodreads Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane | Goodreads

again, the romance is not the focus of this book. its about trials, abusive pasts, letting go and moving forward. its a story about strength, resilience, and uplifting others. that being said, the connection between cal and harriet is so genuine, so charming, so realistic, that it completely outshines everything else in the book. even if it is just a side plot. Mhairi consistently writes flawless romantic comedies and Mad About You is no exception’ HOLLY BOURNE i>Sunday Times bestselling author Mhairi McFarlane was born in Scotland in 1976 and her unnecessarily confusing name is pronounced Vah-Ree. Thoughts: I love Mhairi McFarlane’s writing and feel she is on of the most underrated authors on Bookstagram and in general. Her character development is always superb as she creates these well rounded, three dimensional individuals, flaws and all, that you feel you could have encountered in your own life.

And this somewhat redeems her too. The way her character grows and develops, navigating life issues and battling everyday challenges, is surely a treat to read. Harriet’s long-time friendship with Lorna is another highlight of the book. These women are so supportive of each other, and they have such a strong bond. And Lorna is fantastic! She��s the kind of best friend everyone needs! Cal has a similar friendship with Sam, and they are so fun together. These healthy and supportive relationships stand in sharp contrast to some of the other toxic relationships Harriet and Sam have experienced. She has been in a steady 2-year-old relationship with her boyfriend but when he proposes marriage, she panics, eventually leading to a breakup. Now, not only Harriet is single but she also needs a place to live. Born in Scotland in 1972, Mhairi, whose name is pronounced as Vah-Ree, turned to writing fiction after a brief stint in journalism. Since, I had heard only good things about the author and her books, as could be expected, I was quite excited to read this one. And truly, the experience turned out to be a good one. It’s almost time for what the publishing industry should probably just go ahead and dub “Emily Henry season.”

Mhairi McFarlane (Author of If I Never Met You) - Goodreads Mhairi McFarlane (Author of If I Never Met You) - Goodreads

I LOVE STRONG, INDEPENDENT, BADASS HERIONES AND HARRIET WAS DEFINITELY IT!! I loved her so much, she’s been through so much but never gave up and I adored that! Her character development was wonderful and I’m so happy she got her HEA! Do nothing, and nothing happens. Life is about decisions. You either make them or they're made for you, but you can't avoid them.” Like most of McFarlane’s releases, the book begins with a breakup, this time initiated by our heroine rather than her partner. Harriet is a wedding photographer in her thirties who has no interest in getting married. She lives with her boyfriend, who is from a very posh and snobby family who have never shown her any warmth or genuine affection. We learn that Harriet is an orphan who was raised by her grandparents (who have also passed away). Additionally, early on in the narrative, there are hints that point to Harriet having had a traumatic experience in her 20s. She doesn’t really open up to her boyfriend and feels guilty about it. When he puts her on the spot however Harriet realizes that he isn’t the Nice Guy he tries so hard to make himself out to be. Harriet rushes to find somewhere else to live and ends up living with Cal Clarke. When they find out that they are exactly strangers to each other things get a little bit awkward and Harriet overhears Cal making some rather disparaging remarks about her. McFarlane (Don’t You Forget About Me) brings a welcome dose of reality to the fake office romance trope with flawed, honest, but still endearing protagonists. After Laurie’s boyfriend of 18 Continue reading »

Though the cover might convey something different, Mad About You is more of a women’s fiction than a romance. I won’t get much into the details for the fear of giving away the story. But am sure, fans of Mhairi McFarlane will love her latest release. As usual, it’s a good read from a talented author and also many thanks for the “God’s own country” setting – Yorkshire, where else!!

Mhairi McFarlane discusses her eighth novel, Mad About You Mhairi McFarlane discusses her eighth novel, Mad About You

On the other hand, she meets Cal Clarke, who unlike herself, is a hopeless romantic who has had his own wedding disaster. He is a guy who stood his fiancée up at the altar, minutes before the ceremony. Now single too, he has a place that Harriet desperately needs. This is my second book by this author and I remember the first one being a normal trope but being very well written and making it different and unusual. I felt the same about this book it was unusual and interesting. I’m usually someone that likes the sexy stuff and I don’t really think this author does much of that but I am still enjoying her books. You need to be ready to keep up with a LOT of characters.I could not do it you guys. I could not give this book more than a star rating. The more I thought about, the more issues I had besides this not being a romance book though it is promoted as one. The main character Harriet had too much stuff that just didn't work for me. And I loathed the fact that there is a very real topic in this one (gaslighting/coercive control). And the larger issue was that the whole thing with Cal was too contrived. There was no there, there. Most of the book dealt with Harriet's past relationships so there was no room for him at all. I did not cheer at the ending especially since it was just told to us as an aside. I still saw lots of plot holes with regards to one of Harriet's friends, Jon, Cal's parents, etc. I don't think I have disliked one of her books this much since "After Hello" (gave it one star) and didn't love "You Had Me at Hello" (gave it 3 stars) as much as other people did. I absolutely loved her last two books, so this was definitely a surprise. so go into this expecting it to be a womens fiction novel with a main plot that is pretty heavy, but you can also be looking forward to the brief interactions between cal and harriet that totally steal the show. Although her plots are sometimes a bit slow getting started, you always feel she’s given you just enough, never too much and never too little. You always come away feeling you Have regained a sense of what is important in life. Mhairi McFarlane never disappoints. Never! Her writing is the perfect mix of intelligence, hilarity and emotion. Nothing about this book is in your face or overdone.

Mad about You by Mhairi McFarlane | Waterstones

NOTE TO PUBLISHER: Stop marketing this author’s books with misleading covers. It is not in the best interest of readers, who end up disgruntled with an unexpected genre. Find the hottest teen books, connect with your favorite YA authors and meet new friends who share your reading interests! I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a book so much. A hero and heroine to root for, a plot that races along with the pace of a thriller and the heart of a romance, and an ending I will never forget' Gillian McAllister, That Night

MMs books are never really about the romance - they are always about the growth of the characters - but i definitely think this is the best romance MM has written. The deputy editor said, ‘It would be really great if you wrote Bridget Jones’ Diary, but as if she lived in Nottingham’. It was the naffest thing I’d ever heard, but when I actually sat down to write it, I found myself having obscene amounts of fun. And then I remember getting a phone call from the girls upstairs in sales, and they actually said, ‘What happens to her next?’ They were treating it like it was a piece of fiction,” says McFarlane. “That was the first time I thought, ‘There might be something here’.” It really felt like the actual positive romance was thrown in there just so the publisher could market it as romance (given it is the most profitable and best-selling fiction genre). I would classify this as a contemporary fiction or start a new category called 'stressy n depressy' reads. I honestly don't mind when books are 'mis-categorized' because the author doesn't have control over those decisions and I don't mind when romcom books are more com than rom, but the com wasn't poppin enough for me to say I really enjoyed this read. If you like rom-ish com books, I'd go with Lindsay Kelk. This was my first Mhairi McFarlane book and it's easy to see why this talented author has a huge reader following. What a gorgeous, funny, life-affirming writer Mhairi is. She just makes me laugh' Jenny Colgan, The Christmas Bookshop