A review by alanadcr
Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
My gourd, this one is so tough because it started so strong! I adore Mhairi McFarlane and her trademark humor and angst. True to form, McFarlane tackles complex subjects; toxic relationships (romantic and otherwise), gaslighting, complicated family dynamics, and the self-care and growth as our FMC is put through the ringer.
Roisin is straight up fun! She is funny, down to earth, and a loyal friend. McFarlane has done her dirty though and has her paired with *gag* Joe. To make up for it, Roisin is part of a robust friend group that has been through triumphs and heartbreaks. Unfortunately, even this mainstay in Roisin's life appears to be more weather-worn and brittle than she realized. I loved watching Roisin's journey through all the heartache in Between Us. At times, it was like watching a wreck (can't look away!) but the self care, love, and growth themes grew along with Roisin and I loved it!
That said, readers that struggle with their MCs being in a committed relationship with someone other than the intended love interest may have a tough time here. Readers won't see Roisin with her "second chance" relationship until the latter part of the book and even then it is overshadowed by her journey through toxic relationships.
Unfortunately, Between Us ended up middling for me. This read closer to women's fiction than contemporary romance for me and I was disappointed by the lack of real development in the final relationship. Overall, it was a solid women's fiction story but it didn't quite hit my mark for romance. Even with my complaints, Mhairi McFarlane remains an auto-buy author and I'm excited to see what she dreams up next.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Roisin is straight up fun! She is funny, down to earth, and a loyal friend. McFarlane has done her dirty though and has her paired with *gag* Joe. To make up for it, Roisin is part of a robust friend group that has been through triumphs and heartbreaks. Unfortunately, even this mainstay in Roisin's life appears to be more weather-worn and brittle than she realized. I loved watching Roisin's journey through all the heartache in Between Us. At times, it was like watching a wreck (can't look away!) but the self care, love, and growth themes grew along with Roisin and I loved it!
That said, readers that struggle with their MCs being in a committed relationship with someone other than the intended love interest may have a tough time here. Readers won't see Roisin with her "second chance" relationship until the latter part of the book and even then it is overshadowed by her journey through toxic relationships.
Unfortunately, Between Us ended up middling for me. This read closer to women's fiction than contemporary romance for me and I was disappointed by the lack of real development in the final relationship. Overall, it was a solid women's fiction story but it didn't quite hit my mark for romance. Even with my complaints, Mhairi McFarlane remains an auto-buy author and I'm excited to see what she dreams up next.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.