Burningly funny, achingly romantic, and a plot so tightly crafted it's like a song' LAURA JANE WILLIAMS When Joe and Roisin join their group of friends for a weekend at a country house, it’s a triple celebration – a birthday, an engagement and the launch of Joe’s shiny new crime drama on TV.For Roisin, it’s a chance to connect with the group of friends she made a decade before, working at Waterstones. But for Joe, it’s a distraction as his writing career soars.As the weekend unfolds, tensions are revealed between the group and Roisin’s sense of foreboding about her own relationship grows.And when the friends watch the first episode of Joe’s drama, she realises that the secrets she told him are right there on the screen.But is that all he’s used? What if the fictional hero’s infidelity also isn’t fictional after all? Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane – eBook Details Mhairi writes with such magic, I am completely in awe . . . smart, funny, compelling – all things I’ve come to expect from Mhairi McFarlane’s books and more’ LUCY VINE

The problem for me in Between Us is that I think Roisin’s experience with Joe doesn’t really provide a natural segue straight into a new romance. While I came to like Matt, and understood the basis for their connection, for me their burgeoning relationship didn’t have the sense of inevitability that is present between the couples in McFarlane’s previous novels, and the balance between the romance and angst wasn’t there. I love Mhairi McFarlane’s books and this was no exception . . . it’s clever and engrossing and sharp’ LOUISE O’NEILL This isn't my favourite Mhairi McFarlane and at the start I didn't actually know if this was going to be for me, but I persevered and I'm very glad I did because I ended up enjoying this quite a lot.But when Roisin sees secrets she shared with Joe play out on the TV screen, she knows that between us means nothing at all.

For now on, any faux romance novels just get an immediate one star rating and review from me. I don’t care how much I used to like the author. Mhairi McFarlane is probably my favorite women’s fiction author. Everything I’ve read from her is simply beautiful and keeps me up until the early morning (hence this review at 3am). I was struggling to find time to read this one with my final college semester starting but after midterms this week I just read as much as I could. Roisin (Ro-SHEEN), her longtime boyfriend, Joe, and their fellow former bookstore employee friend group, The Brian Club, are off for a weekend of various group celebrations, including watching the premiere of screenwriter Joe's new crime drama. Roisin is horrified when on-screen events and characters seemingly mirror secrets of her childhood and possibly implicate Joe's infidelity. Joe swears it's creative license, but Roisin starts to see pieces that don't fit quite right and the more she digs, the more suspicious she becomes.I liked Roisin, however, I will say that at this stage, McFarlane's heroines are beginning to feel a bit samey. I despised Joe, and as such the fact that so much of the book was taken up by him did begin to grate on the nerves. It was very clear even before his show aired and aroused Roisin's suspicions, that the relationship was fraught, and given that Roisin was already contemplating ending things with him, things just seemed to drag on unnecessarily. Even after they have broken up, we then go on to spend the last 20% of the book mostly on Roisin still playing detective and trying to catch him out, which did make her seem rather too obsessive. I do appreciate that McFarlane was trying to explore gaslighting and manipulative relationships (and not for the first time either), however, for me personally having so much of the focus on a relationship that is already basically over just didn't make for a compelling read. I did appreciate the side plot around Roisin and her complicated relationship with her mother, and enjoyed their dynamics. I really enjoyed the way this was laid out and especially enjoyed the relationship between Roisin the other women in their friend group. The open and honest communication they had was a 180 from the way Joe spoke to Roisin throughout most of the book. As the group head out on a celebratory weekend away; tensions soar and relationships halt as incidents give cause to create a rift between them. At the center is Joe's latest crime drama, where the first episode seems to mirror actual events, causing Roisin to question her own reality. Buoyant and funny and warm, but still with enough realism and wryness to satisfy the cynic . . . A total treat!' NIAMH HARGAN

Mhairi McFarlane’s voice is as clear as a bell—she makes you laugh, but she also makes you feel. I adore her!”— Sally Thorne, USA Today bestselling author of The Hating Game If you're looking for a book that explores healing after a toxic relationship and confronts family issues that revolve around self-growth and women's fiction themes, rather than lighthearted romance, then this book would suit your needs. When they arrive at the weekend away, I did start to wonder whether this would be the main focus of the story but I loved seeing Roisin (and Matt) return to where she had grown up while helping out in the pub and interacting with her mum. Having the friend group meet while working in Waterstones was also such a nice touch, as a book lover.Unfortunately, some of the narrative did feel a little bitty. The depth of the feelings of the new love interest appeared so very suddenly and there are some awkward conversations which could be avoided by people just being honest with each other. I guess that this does chime with the repeated refrain 'slow but then fast at the end' which pretty much sums up this book! As with her last book, the focus in Between Us, is very much on a failing relationship, and whilst there is a new romantic interest for Roisin, who I liked, this aspect was just covered far too fast to feel any real connection to, and as such just didn't come off as believable or as a relationship to feel invested in. And whilst I appreciate that McFarlane perhaps wants to cover more ground than just romance in her books, one of the main reasons I fell in love with her as an author was for the great chemistry between her romantic leads, which unfortunately seems to have become very much a side aspect to her books nowadays. I am a HUGE Mhairi McFarlane fan and so I am a bit gutted that this one didn't live up to my expectations. Overall for me, it is a good book and one I think a lot of people will enjoy. I am so 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!

Between Us introduces the reader to uber-cool protagonist Roisin, her partner Joe, and the rest of the self-proclaimed Brian Club (Meredith, Gina, Matt & Dev) who have been besties for the better part of a decade. Roisin and Joe join their friends for a weekend getaway and series of celebrations. Unbeknownst to Roisin, they'll watch the series premier of Joe's new show between the engagement and birthday festivities. She doesn't expect secrets she's shared to be displayed on screen in excruciating detail and can't help but think he's using other life experiences as inspiration as well. Hollywood's calling and Joe leaves Roisin to figure out how she wants to proceed alone. She's so ridiculously talented . . . consider this recommendation my personal gift to you and your life' EMILY HENRYI enjoyed the side-plot that didn't villainize other women and went at things from a refreshing It is a short (and fast?) conclusion but very very sweet and says everything that needs to be said.