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You Between the Lines
“A brilliant, poignant love story perfect for fans of Emily Henry. With vibrant characters, You Between the Lines is a master class in the art of the romance novel.”
—Peyton Corinne, author of Unsteady
A former sorority girl starts a prestigious poetry MFA program only to discover that one of her classmates is her high school crush-turned-nemesis—and he can't stop writing about her.
No one’s more surprised than Leigh when a prestigious MFA program in North Carolina accepts her. A former sorority girl, Leigh’s the first to admit she knows more about the lyrics of Taylor Swift than T.S. Eliot, and she’s never been able to shake the “all-style-no-substance” feedback her high school crush made in their poetry workshop. Leigh's insecurities become all too real when Will, that same high school crush-turned-nemesis, shows up at orientation. And now, he’s William, exactly the kind of writer Leigh hates, complete with his pretentious sweater vests and tattered Moleskine. Leigh’s determined to prove herself—and William—wrong by landing the program’s highly-coveted fellowship. But Will’s dead-set on proving himself too, and in a small cohort, they can't keep apart for long.
When Will submits an intimate poem (that's maybe, probably, definitely about Leigh) to workshop, they’re both forced to realize there’s more to the other than what’s on the page. And what’s between the lines may be even more interesting.
“You Between the Lines is almost indescribably fresh and smart and tender, with not just some of the most gorgeously crisp prose, but poetry I’d pin to every one of my Pinterest boards. Leigh is my soulmate, and Will is the gold standard for book boyfriends.”
―Jessica Joyce, USA Today bestselling author of The Ex Vows and You, with a View
—Peyton Corinne, author of Unsteady
A former sorority girl starts a prestigious poetry MFA program only to discover that one of her classmates is her high school crush-turned-nemesis—and he can't stop writing about her.
No one’s more surprised than Leigh when a prestigious MFA program in North Carolina accepts her. A former sorority girl, Leigh’s the first to admit she knows more about the lyrics of Taylor Swift than T.S. Eliot, and she’s never been able to shake the “all-style-no-substance” feedback her high school crush made in their poetry workshop. Leigh's insecurities become all too real when Will, that same high school crush-turned-nemesis, shows up at orientation. And now, he’s William, exactly the kind of writer Leigh hates, complete with his pretentious sweater vests and tattered Moleskine. Leigh’s determined to prove herself—and William—wrong by landing the program’s highly-coveted fellowship. But Will’s dead-set on proving himself too, and in a small cohort, they can't keep apart for long.
When Will submits an intimate poem (that's maybe, probably, definitely about Leigh) to workshop, they’re both forced to realize there’s more to the other than what’s on the page. And what’s between the lines may be even more interesting.
“You Between the Lines is almost indescribably fresh and smart and tender, with not just some of the most gorgeously crisp prose, but poetry I’d pin to every one of my Pinterest boards. Leigh is my soulmate, and Will is the gold standard for book boyfriends.”
―Jessica Joyce, USA Today bestselling author of The Ex Vows and You, with a View
365 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 18, 2025
581 people are currently reading
36602 people want to read
About the author
Katie Naymon
2 books445 followersKatie Naymon lives and writes in Stockholm, Sweden. Originally from Northeast Ohio, she got her BA in creative writing at Johns Hopkins University and her MFA in poetry from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. YOU BETWEEN THE LINES is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,360 reviews
April 30, 2025
miscommunication, jealousy, going through personal belongings multiple times, also the belittlement our main character constantly throws to others was a very hard read.
September 6, 2025
May I have your attention, please! I urgently need to put this fantastic read on your radar! I know I might be generous with my frequent five-star reviews, but this book truly earns and deserves more than five stars! There's nothing formulaic or cliché about its romance. Everything feels pure, heartfelt, unique, and thought-provoking, with a perfect blend of sensitivity and sarcasm that tugs at your heartstrings like a beautiful love song.
If I had the talent to write a love poem for this book, that would be my review instead, as it feels like the most fitting feedback for such a brilliant debut—one that I enjoyed with every fiber of my being! The slow-burn romance between Leigh and Will, their insecurities and resentments, their coping mechanisms that hold them back from fully being themselves, their witty yet sensitive banter, and all the small, sweet moments—from sharing cider and donuts while pumpkin picking to stolen kisses behind closed doors—are nothing short of magical. It’s an underrated gem, and I’m convinced it’ll be one of the best romance reads of 2025!
The plot centers around Leigh, a former sorority girl in her late twenties who, after being accepted into a prestigious MFA program in North Carolina, leaves behind her soul-sucking copywriting job. After witnessing her parents’ troubled marriage and being dissatisfied with her career choices, she sees this as a fresh start—a chance to embrace her high school self who loved writing freely without the restrictions of corporate life. She has long missed the power of creative freedom.
Her ability to weave pop culture lyrics into her poetry sets her apart, though she’s still hesitant to fully reveal her true voice, preferring to write from other perspectives to avoid rejection. What she didn’t expect was to run into her high school crush, Will Langford—the same guy who once harshly criticized one of her favorite poems in front of the class, crushing her self-esteem. And six years after a near-kiss at his apartment, he rejected her again.
Leigh has moved on in her own way, through therapy and coping with lingering insecurities, but Will—now a pretentious, intellectual, and confident man—is also struggling. After the loss of his father, he’s numbing his feelings and focusing too hard on work, yet he sends mixed signals to Leigh, making her wonder if letting her go was a mistake. But how can she trust the boy who broke her heart, now a troubled man who could ruin her all over again? Even her parents’ 30-year relationship is on the rocks—how could she risk starting something that may not last? What if she’s still not good enough? What if Will chooses someone more like him?
Overall, this book is angsty, lyrical, eccentric, and utterly unique—A MUST READ! I’ll be promoting this book among other romances because when you find something this special, you hold on to it and treasure it. This book deserves to be highly appreciated!
I’m eagerly anticipating Katie Naymon’s next work, as much as I fell for this one!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for sharing this FANTASTIC WORK in exchange for my honest opinions!
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If I had the talent to write a love poem for this book, that would be my review instead, as it feels like the most fitting feedback for such a brilliant debut—one that I enjoyed with every fiber of my being! The slow-burn romance between Leigh and Will, their insecurities and resentments, their coping mechanisms that hold them back from fully being themselves, their witty yet sensitive banter, and all the small, sweet moments—from sharing cider and donuts while pumpkin picking to stolen kisses behind closed doors—are nothing short of magical. It’s an underrated gem, and I’m convinced it’ll be one of the best romance reads of 2025!
The plot centers around Leigh, a former sorority girl in her late twenties who, after being accepted into a prestigious MFA program in North Carolina, leaves behind her soul-sucking copywriting job. After witnessing her parents’ troubled marriage and being dissatisfied with her career choices, she sees this as a fresh start—a chance to embrace her high school self who loved writing freely without the restrictions of corporate life. She has long missed the power of creative freedom.
Her ability to weave pop culture lyrics into her poetry sets her apart, though she’s still hesitant to fully reveal her true voice, preferring to write from other perspectives to avoid rejection. What she didn’t expect was to run into her high school crush, Will Langford—the same guy who once harshly criticized one of her favorite poems in front of the class, crushing her self-esteem. And six years after a near-kiss at his apartment, he rejected her again.
Leigh has moved on in her own way, through therapy and coping with lingering insecurities, but Will—now a pretentious, intellectual, and confident man—is also struggling. After the loss of his father, he’s numbing his feelings and focusing too hard on work, yet he sends mixed signals to Leigh, making her wonder if letting her go was a mistake. But how can she trust the boy who broke her heart, now a troubled man who could ruin her all over again? Even her parents’ 30-year relationship is on the rocks—how could she risk starting something that may not last? What if she’s still not good enough? What if Will chooses someone more like him?
Overall, this book is angsty, lyrical, eccentric, and utterly unique—A MUST READ! I’ll be promoting this book among other romances because when you find something this special, you hold on to it and treasure it. This book deserves to be highly appreciated!
I’m eagerly anticipating Katie Naymon’s next work, as much as I fell for this one!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for sharing this FANTASTIC WORK in exchange for my honest opinions!
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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January 23, 2025
BIG YEAR FOR HOT MEN NAMED WILL. Leigh is my soulmate, though. Definitely a top 3 fave for the year for me. This one is for the thought daughters.
official blurb:
You Between the Lines is almost indescribably good: fresh and smart and tender, with not just some of the most gorgeously crisp prose out there, but poetry I’d pin to every one of my Pinterest boards if I could. It’s the characters that make this an all-timer for me, though: Leigh is my soulmate and Will is the gold standard for book boyfriends. Katie Naymon has a forever fan in me.
official blurb:
You Between the Lines is almost indescribably good: fresh and smart and tender, with not just some of the most gorgeously crisp prose out there, but poetry I’d pin to every one of my Pinterest boards if I could. It’s the characters that make this an all-timer for me, though: Leigh is my soulmate and Will is the gold standard for book boyfriends. Katie Naymon has a forever fan in me.
March 13, 2025
1) leigh is an absolute VILLAIN, this is not a romance this was victimization 😟
2) miss girl over here was using an amalgamation of romantic scenes from every emhen book left and right and i don’t see how she’s so confident doing that??? like we’ve all read emily’s books first???
(ex: “who’s the poem about?” “who do you think, lee?”
vs “you called from a party and dumped you girlfriend? why would you do that?” “why do you think, january?”) COME ONNNN that’s like everyone favorite line from br!!
3) the taylor references…an entire poem written from her perspective…the people taylor’s slept with…this is all incredibly invasive and weird
4) the audiobook narrator left MUCH to be desired
thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an alc
2) miss girl over here was using an amalgamation of romantic scenes from every emhen book left and right and i don’t see how she’s so confident doing that??? like we’ve all read emily’s books first???
(ex: “who’s the poem about?” “who do you think, lee?”
vs “you called from a party and dumped you girlfriend? why would you do that?” “why do you think, january?”) COME ONNNN that’s like everyone favorite line from br!!
3) the taylor references…an entire poem written from her perspective…the people taylor’s slept with…this is all incredibly invasive and weird
4) the audiobook narrator left MUCH to be desired
thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an alc
November 26, 2024
Leigh's needs a serious physiological intervention. 🤨
February 20, 2025
this is going to be my LONGEST review ever y’all I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY I HAD TO TAKE THIS TO MY NOTES APP TO PROPERLY WORK THROUGH IT ALL. let me start by saying that i applaud almost anyone who writes a book and that i don’t think miss katie is a shit writer by any means. now let’s move on. i have never in my life abhorred a main character more than the one we find here. i do not think the author co-signs her bad behavior, bad takes, or shitty poetry by any means—but i also don’t think she’s written her in a compelling enough way to make me believe in her character arc or her journey towards no longer being a complete flop bitch. if i had been in school with this girl i would’ve been her BIGGEST HATER. i don’t know how to describe this type of white nightmare other than: a pick me for insufferable girls. in an alternate universe, where the idea of going to grad school didn’t make me suicidal beyond belief, if i sat in an mfa program with a girl who lamented about “straight white men” all day long without acknowledging that she was A STRAIGHT WHITE WOMAN i would be doing a life sentence for premeditated murder. i’m honestly going to have to write so much more about this offline and update y’all at a later date because holy shit i hated her LOLLLLL. and again, i don’t think the author co-signs her bad behavior at all but, unfortunately, she only skims the surface of what makes her so fucking insufferable and the “trauma” she gives her is so white middle class that my eye is twitching. and i can’t even be happy for her happy ending bc i find her so wildly undeserving of her man!!!! and her mfa cohort who should’ve had her kicked out of the program!!! i truly hated every second of this!!!!!! oh my god!!! jesus be a palate cleanser!!!! a book about a girl who longs to be a poet but who seems to actually hate the medium????? who can’t be vulnerable bc a boy rejected her twice and her parents divorced at the big age of 27?????? who writes taylor swift poems and wants me to be mad at people in her cohort who take their art seriously while she can’t find her voice to save her damn life????? literally nothing could redeem her in my eyes and i’ve never rooted against a character more lmfao i’m actually seeing red. i didn’t expect a ROMANCE NOVEL ABOUT TWO POETS to send me into an absolute spiral about race and class and anti-intellectualism disguised as an aversion to pretension. brb gonna go apply to grad school to spite this fictional woman!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2025
god this book hurt SO GOOD!!!! angsty romance books are my favorites and katie’s debut was promptly added to the list.
leigh is finding her footing after her parents’ separation and feeling restless at her ad agency job. she applies for a spot in a mfa program and, to her surprise, gets accepted. the surprises keep coming when will, her crush from high school who rejected both her writing and her 6 years ago, is also in the program. when their cohort is up for a prestigious fellowship, they try to stay away from each other. they try to just get it out of their systems. it doesn’t work.
I adored this book so much. leigh is messy, imperfect, and so god damn relatable. will is soft, quiet, and unreadable. but in the little moments in their interactions, we get to see him. and how much he cares for leigh. there’s an undercurrent of nostalgia woven into the pages that hits so hard. the yearning between leigh and will had me giddy, frustrated, sad, happy, and every emotion possible. the two of them are perfectly imperfect and their journey was angsty and beautiful and healing.
leigh’s mental health journey was so well done. she is THE pathological people pleaser and her therapy scenes were so real. her character growth had me misty eyed and I loved every second of it. will’s journey with his insecurities and challenging relationship with his dad hit so hard. it was so complex and moving and I would protect him and his softness forever!!
this book is easily my favorite of january. the two imperfect poets messily falling in love and figuring their shit out are gonna stay with me forever. the two of them saw each other, learned to be vulnerable with each other, and refused to shy away from the hard stuff. even if it hurt. even if it was scary.
thank you so much to forever for the arc!
what to expect
⟢ so much delicious angst
⟢ mfa poets, and sort of rivals
⟢ so much yearning
⟢ anxiety and therapy rep
⟢ finding your people and learning to be vulnerable
instagram || storygraph
leigh is finding her footing after her parents’ separation and feeling restless at her ad agency job. she applies for a spot in a mfa program and, to her surprise, gets accepted. the surprises keep coming when will, her crush from high school who rejected both her writing and her 6 years ago, is also in the program. when their cohort is up for a prestigious fellowship, they try to stay away from each other. they try to just get it out of their systems. it doesn’t work.
I adored this book so much. leigh is messy, imperfect, and so god damn relatable. will is soft, quiet, and unreadable. but in the little moments in their interactions, we get to see him. and how much he cares for leigh. there’s an undercurrent of nostalgia woven into the pages that hits so hard. the yearning between leigh and will had me giddy, frustrated, sad, happy, and every emotion possible. the two of them are perfectly imperfect and their journey was angsty and beautiful and healing.
leigh’s mental health journey was so well done. she is THE pathological people pleaser and her therapy scenes were so real. her character growth had me misty eyed and I loved every second of it. will’s journey with his insecurities and challenging relationship with his dad hit so hard. it was so complex and moving and I would protect him and his softness forever!!
this book is easily my favorite of january. the two imperfect poets messily falling in love and figuring their shit out are gonna stay with me forever. the two of them saw each other, learned to be vulnerable with each other, and refused to shy away from the hard stuff. even if it hurt. even if it was scary.
thank you so much to forever for the arc!
what to expect
⟢ so much delicious angst
⟢ mfa poets, and sort of rivals
⟢ so much yearning
⟢ anxiety and therapy rep
⟢ finding your people and learning to be vulnerable
instagram || storygraph
August 16, 2025
*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an E-Arc and an audiobook in exchange for an honest review!*
First read: 4.25 Stars!
Second read: Audiobook version…
Giggling, kicking my feet in the air and etc.
A former sorority girl starts a prestigious poetry MFA program only to discover that one of her fellow grad students is her high school crush-turned-nemesis—who can't stop writing about her.
Am I sensing a second chance and a fascination towards one another which is disguised as ''hatred/dislike''? *faints*
First read: 4.25 Stars!
Second read: Audiobook version…
Giggling, kicking my feet in the air and etc.
A former sorority girl starts a prestigious poetry MFA program only to discover that one of her fellow grad students is her high school crush-turned-nemesis—who can't stop writing about her.
Am I sensing a second chance and a fascination towards one another which is disguised as ''hatred/dislike''? *faints*
March 2, 2025
I don’t really know where to start with this one.
Leigh, our FMC, may have a victim complex. She’s whiny, rude, and just overall unlikeable. We’re supposed to be rooting for Will and Leigh to get together, but they’re honestly so bad for each other and I don’t believe they can make it past the epilogue if i’m being honest.
Will and Leigh have known each other from high school, but fall back into each others orbit when they discover they’re in the same MFA writing program.
One of the biggest issues I have with this book is the relationship between her and her parents. I mean, Leigh is 27 and her parents are separating and that seems to just rock her world. Which is understandable to a degree but not to the degree that Leigh is taking it to.
Leigh, our FMC, may have a victim complex. She’s whiny, rude, and just overall unlikeable. We’re supposed to be rooting for Will and Leigh to get together, but they’re honestly so bad for each other and I don’t believe they can make it past the epilogue if i’m being honest.
Will and Leigh have known each other from high school, but fall back into each others orbit when they discover they’re in the same MFA writing program.
One of the biggest issues I have with this book is the relationship between her and her parents. I mean, Leigh is 27 and her parents are separating and that seems to just rock her world. Which is understandable to a degree but not to the degree that Leigh is taking it to.
April 8, 2025
when she’s an MFA student who writes poetry but doesn’t read poetry and can’t take criticism of her writing and writes poems about taylor swift and is not like other girls (except she is quite literally just like other girls) and he’s an MFA student whose dad was super famous for his writing (nepo baby) and the only poem of his that his dead dad was ever proud of was one he plagiarized but he’s actually also very talented so it’s okay guys he only plagiarized the one time and both of them are still hung up on each other because they had a crush in high school even though that was years ago and the book is simply giving discount emily henry
May 19, 2025
I did go into this with high expectations, and found that at parts, it was underwhelming and lackluster. I feel like I've been trying to gaslight myself into thinking this was a better book than it actually is... because I wanted to love it so much more than I do. I still enjoyed it, loved it, yes-- but I didn’t feel a physical tug with the characters. The tension wasn't really brewing... Like the VIBES were there but it was kinda empty. I think Will said it best: "All style, no substance" and sadly that can be applied to this book. (sorry not sorry) I still loved the vibes and the idea of the romance and story and think it shows potential.
Leigh had some deep rooted insecurities, and was insufferably toxic for most of the book. The worst part is she was already in therapy and was still a pretty horrible person and often suffered from self-victimization. I went from relating to her and then resenting her. I did enjoy watching her grow to be more vulnerable with herself and with Will, but her back and forth was SO ANNOYING. She was very toxic and a genuinely exhausting character. She is the kind of person who you would make you need to go to therapy fr. I don't know what Will saw in her. Her thoughts towards everybody were genuinely so mean and I didn't know what her therapist was doing but it wasn't working. She felt very pick me and desperately wanted to be "different" than the other writers, constantly shamed them for going with the grain of what big awards look for, and constantly complains about Williyum being the "straight white male" who always wins. (Yet you're hooking up with him). I also loathe swifite loving heroins. Truly HATE taylor swift in books SO MUCH.
Character development for her severely lacked. We know big milestones of her life and the people in her life but never really anything about her. Other than these small fragments, she truly had no personality. She was a very flat and boring character and, as I mentioned, lackluster. For most of it, she was jealous, bitter, and complained about everything. im glad other characters called her out for her "self fulfilling" prophecy. I genuinely did not understand why she acted or treated people the way she did. She was just giving mean girl the entire time. I also do not know why her parents divorce made her act the way she did... when at 10 I was not as devastated as her LMAO like youre pushing 30 girlfriend!!!! talk to your therapist and write less Taylor Swift poems maybe???
I loved Will. I will always love a Will. I thought the way his character unfolded was done really well. Since it’s single POV, we only get snippets here and there, but by the end (IYKYK) we know why Will is so detached!!! And it had me squealingggg!!!! His obsession with her wrists???? “I choke in lavender” excuse me???? I am deceased. But also, that was where my obsession started and ended. The romance between Will and Leigh was there but I don’t think it was written that well. (I also think the "Good girl" and "You're doing so well" was extremely out of character and lowkey icked me out.) Their "rivals" aspect was not flushed out well, and Leigh has a grudge against him for one single comment... Like girl your poems suck why are you upset???? He was being honest.
When I say that that is the majority of the plot is some party, someone getting drunk, and Leigh running away, that is the majority of the plot. Whenever Will and Leigh aren’t on page, I was pretty bored. there’s A LOT of drinking in this book. I feel like they were drunk through most of the book? Like somebody is always having a drink. And sure, you’re in college… that’s great… but like do you have any other personality lol.
With that being said, this was still a solid debut novel and I’m excited to read anything by Katie in the future. It wasn't quite what I'd anticipated but I can appreciate what it was trying to do<3
Leigh had some deep rooted insecurities, and was insufferably toxic for most of the book. The worst part is she was already in therapy and was still a pretty horrible person and often suffered from self-victimization. I went from relating to her and then resenting her. I did enjoy watching her grow to be more vulnerable with herself and with Will, but her back and forth was SO ANNOYING. She was very toxic and a genuinely exhausting character. She is the kind of person who you would make you need to go to therapy fr. I don't know what Will saw in her. Her thoughts towards everybody were genuinely so mean and I didn't know what her therapist was doing but it wasn't working. She felt very pick me and desperately wanted to be "different" than the other writers, constantly shamed them for going with the grain of what big awards look for, and constantly complains about Williyum being the "straight white male" who always wins. (Yet you're hooking up with him). I also loathe swifite loving heroins. Truly HATE taylor swift in books SO MUCH.
Character development for her severely lacked. We know big milestones of her life and the people in her life but never really anything about her. Other than these small fragments, she truly had no personality. She was a very flat and boring character and, as I mentioned, lackluster. For most of it, she was jealous, bitter, and complained about everything. im glad other characters called her out for her "self fulfilling" prophecy. I genuinely did not understand why she acted or treated people the way she did. She was just giving mean girl the entire time. I also do not know why her parents divorce made her act the way she did... when at 10 I was not as devastated as her LMAO like youre pushing 30 girlfriend!!!! talk to your therapist and write less Taylor Swift poems maybe???
I loved Will. I will always love a Will. I thought the way his character unfolded was done really well. Since it’s single POV, we only get snippets here and there, but by the end (IYKYK) we know why Will is so detached!!! And it had me squealingggg!!!! His obsession with her wrists???? “I choke in lavender” excuse me???? I am deceased. But also, that was where my obsession started and ended. The romance between Will and Leigh was there but I don’t think it was written that well. (I also think the "Good girl" and "You're doing so well" was extremely out of character and lowkey icked me out.) Their "rivals" aspect was not flushed out well, and Leigh has a grudge against him for one single comment... Like girl your poems suck why are you upset???? He was being honest.
When I say that that is the majority of the plot is some party, someone getting drunk, and Leigh running away, that is the majority of the plot. Whenever Will and Leigh aren’t on page, I was pretty bored. there’s A LOT of drinking in this book. I feel like they were drunk through most of the book? Like somebody is always having a drink. And sure, you’re in college… that’s great… but like do you have any other personality lol.
With that being said, this was still a solid debut novel and I’m excited to read anything by Katie in the future. It wasn't quite what I'd anticipated but I can appreciate what it was trying to do<3
December 29, 2024
I highlighted every word that came out of this man’s mouth i fear i’m in love and i would die for him. also leigh is me i am leigh and i’m not ready to talk about it. gusjanuary truthers this book is for US
March 2, 2025
5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟❣️❣️
for the beach read girlies!!! academic rivals to lovers!! THE ANGST AND TENSION!!!!!! SLOW BURN? ✅ Beautifully written!!!
for the beach read girlies!!! academic rivals to lovers!! THE ANGST AND TENSION!!!!!! SLOW BURN? ✅ Beautifully written!!!
February 3, 2025
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!
ah jeez, i really wanted to love this romcom about two “rivals” in the same mfa program (especially for
the writing center representation — heyo!!) but all my issues stem back to our lackluster fmc leigh. she’s just ridiculously insufferable, and it seems that while i’m in the minority about this book, a few other reviewers agree that her behavior is childish.
let me start by saying if you’re going to be a hater, at least be an educated hater. multiple times leigh says she hates the “straight, white male” authors of the canon, and ok while totally valid for most of those guys she referred to, she admits she never even read their works??? as a self-proclaimed hater, at least when i say i hate something, it’s because i was originally intrigued and then either the content, creator, or both spoiled it for me. so, there’s that.
secondly, her hatred towards will was childish and petty. leigh, babe, he gave you GOOD constructive criticism ONE TIME back in high school and it dashes your hopes and dreams? idk how she made it this far in life then. at least in other academic rivalries i’ve read, whatever character that felt insulted by the other worked hard to spite them…
as for the audio, the narrator did a fine job! i think i prefer it more as a listening experience, rather than a physical reading experience.
anyways, i wanted to love this, i really truly did, but man when the fmc/mmc are foolish it takes the fun out of everything. this book clearly has found its audience, but unfortunately it’s not me.
ah jeez, i really wanted to love this romcom about two “rivals” in the same mfa program (especially for
the writing center representation — heyo!!) but all my issues stem back to our lackluster fmc leigh. she’s just ridiculously insufferable, and it seems that while i’m in the minority about this book, a few other reviewers agree that her behavior is childish.
let me start by saying if you’re going to be a hater, at least be an educated hater. multiple times leigh says she hates the “straight, white male” authors of the canon, and ok while totally valid for most of those guys she referred to, she admits she never even read their works??? as a self-proclaimed hater, at least when i say i hate something, it’s because i was originally intrigued and then either the content, creator, or both spoiled it for me. so, there’s that.
secondly, her hatred towards will was childish and petty. leigh, babe, he gave you GOOD constructive criticism ONE TIME back in high school and it dashes your hopes and dreams? idk how she made it this far in life then. at least in other academic rivalries i’ve read, whatever character that felt insulted by the other worked hard to spite them…
as for the audio, the narrator did a fine job! i think i prefer it more as a listening experience, rather than a physical reading experience.
anyways, i wanted to love this, i really truly did, but man when the fmc/mmc are foolish it takes the fun out of everything. this book clearly has found its audience, but unfortunately it’s not me.
April 4, 2025
katie what the fuck
June 25, 2025
2.5 ⭐️ “close enough, welcome back beach read-“ uh uh. take my wife’s name out of your mouth and NEVER compare this book to that masterpiece ever again 🤨🔪
every few months I need a book to fulfill my hater quota and I fear this one went above and beyond in multiple categories ✋🏼 turns out I actually *do* need to listen to my favorite booktubers when they tell me an fmc is annoying because WOW I was not prepared for the walking disaster that was leigh. I could sympathize with her a little bit in terms of her chronic people-pleasing/overthinking, but that’s about where my tolerance for her ran out. the amount of times I thought to myself “wow, this girl is SO selfish and judgmental, she should really be in therapy”- only to remember, she WAS!!! absolutely insane that she acted the way she did at her grown age and nobody rocked her shit 😧
will, however, is an entirely different story. I LOVED that sweet shy man 💜 he honestly saved the book for me because I cared so much more about his story and success as a poet. I don’t think he deserved half of what he put up with nor was the hate against him warranted in any way. how are you gonna hold something this man said 10 years ago (as a literal TEENAGER) against him?? girl. it’s time to double those weekly therapy sessions because something is not clocking to you 🫵🏼
the .5⭐️ is honestly for sheer entertainment value, because this *was* a genuinely wild read that I finished in just under 2 days. but in my opinion, the repetitive, simplified writing left a lot to be desired and I ultimately wanted more from leigh and will as a couple. tension + a history together does not = automatic soulmates, unforch 🙂↔️❌
every few months I need a book to fulfill my hater quota and I fear this one went above and beyond in multiple categories ✋🏼 turns out I actually *do* need to listen to my favorite booktubers when they tell me an fmc is annoying because WOW I was not prepared for the walking disaster that was leigh. I could sympathize with her a little bit in terms of her chronic people-pleasing/overthinking, but that’s about where my tolerance for her ran out. the amount of times I thought to myself “wow, this girl is SO selfish and judgmental, she should really be in therapy”- only to remember, she WAS!!! absolutely insane that she acted the way she did at her grown age and nobody rocked her shit 😧
will, however, is an entirely different story. I LOVED that sweet shy man 💜 he honestly saved the book for me because I cared so much more about his story and success as a poet. I don’t think he deserved half of what he put up with nor was the hate against him warranted in any way. how are you gonna hold something this man said 10 years ago (as a literal TEENAGER) against him?? girl. it’s time to double those weekly therapy sessions because something is not clocking to you 🫵🏼
the .5⭐️ is honestly for sheer entertainment value, because this *was* a genuinely wild read that I finished in just under 2 days. but in my opinion, the repetitive, simplified writing left a lot to be desired and I ultimately wanted more from leigh and will as a couple. tension + a history together does not = automatic soulmates, unforch 🙂↔️❌
April 24, 2025
never did i think i’d defend men but the amount of “straight white man” hate in this book is abhorrent
bad at best. horrific extremely self centers characters writing poems about taylor swift and one direction at best. like god i can’t believe that was published
bad at best. horrific extremely self centers characters writing poems about taylor swift and one direction at best. like god i can’t believe that was published
March 21, 2025
✰ 2.25 stars ✰
It feels a bit hypocritical to be giving a harsh critique about a story that pretty much was based on one's frustrated emotions of the other simply because of their fair and helpful take of her literary work. But, I don't think that high school hatred is enough to spawn a viable enmity that picks up when the two of them reunite once working in the same workshop nearly a decade later. That's not enemies to lovers, at all. More like a one-sided grudge that refuses to budge. 🙄
But, that's hardly the reason for how much this was a chore to get through. As much as I did try to read between the lines of twenty-seven-year-old Leigh's misguided and misconstrued animosity, not to mention, her deliberate reluctance of taking a chance with Will's attraction for her, it was my first impression of her that hit me in a very bad taste.
“I suppose it’s the classic confidence of the white, straight literary man. Must be nice.”
What was the deal with this obsessive hatred against 'straight white male' authors? The number of times it was brought up - straight white male poet in an MFA workshop - what does that even mean?? 😒 It sounds so condescending and downright wrong and honestly, disconcerting. It was such a prejudiced and narrow-minded way of thinking that the author chose to give her main character the refusal of even reading their works, but being so judgmental towards real-life ones that it almost felt like a personal grudge from the author themselves. 🤨
I wish I could say it improved after, but then from the constant need to give me every painstaking detail into character's clothing attributes that was TMI, to Leigh behaving like such an incompetent poet, who had low self-esteem that it seemed laughable that she still carried such a grudge against Will - with even misguided impressions of his well-meaning intentions! 😮💨
“Babe, what exactly do you want from him? I need you to explain this to me, because I don’t understand what the problem is.”
Uff, you and me both. I get what it's like carrying a torch for someone this long, only to feel hurt and rejected by it, but even when he offers himself on a silver platter, she refuses to trust in it, even when he kept proving to her that he did care for her! 😩 Argh. The writing was very wordy; true, it is a romance that features aspiring writers, but even I could not get the ambiguous figurative flair to the poetry Leigh wrote. I didn't feel like rooting for her, nor did I care for how tortured she felt over not feeling good enough. Her growth failed to impress. 🙂↔️🙂↔️
I understand that she was projecting her own parents' failure of a marriage to her reluctance to pursuing anything with Will, and I know what it's like being a people-pleaser who is haunted with the fear of being considered all style, and no substance, but she was so self-involved otherwise, that there was just no room to breathe or even really connect with her to paint her as even a likeable person, despite how relatable some of her thoughts may have been. 🙅🏻♀️
“How can I get this out of my system? I want to do everything with you.”
So, it's with a heavy heart that I once again am disappointed with a romance that I really wanted to like. Leigh made it really hard to care. But, I won't deny that the You Between the Lines confession was a sincere and heartwarming moment. Some of the steamy moments were nice - that mirror scene was *fans self*. ❤️🔥 And some moments did set my heart a flutter, so those extra points are rewarded for those butterflies, but begrudgingly so. 🙎🏻♀️
“Somehow you knew who I was before I did.”
It feels a bit hypocritical to be giving a harsh critique about a story that pretty much was based on one's frustrated emotions of the other simply because of their fair and helpful take of her literary work. But, I don't think that high school hatred is enough to spawn a viable enmity that picks up when the two of them reunite once working in the same workshop nearly a decade later. That's not enemies to lovers, at all. More like a one-sided grudge that refuses to budge. 🙄
But, that's hardly the reason for how much this was a chore to get through. As much as I did try to read between the lines of twenty-seven-year-old Leigh's misguided and misconstrued animosity, not to mention, her deliberate reluctance of taking a chance with Will's attraction for her, it was my first impression of her that hit me in a very bad taste.
“I suppose it’s the classic confidence of the white, straight literary man. Must be nice.”
What was the deal with this obsessive hatred against 'straight white male' authors? The number of times it was brought up - straight white male poet in an MFA workshop - what does that even mean?? 😒 It sounds so condescending and downright wrong and honestly, disconcerting. It was such a prejudiced and narrow-minded way of thinking that the author chose to give her main character the refusal of even reading their works, but being so judgmental towards real-life ones that it almost felt like a personal grudge from the author themselves. 🤨
I wish I could say it improved after, but then from the constant need to give me every painstaking detail into character's clothing attributes that was TMI, to Leigh behaving like such an incompetent poet, who had low self-esteem that it seemed laughable that she still carried such a grudge against Will - with even misguided impressions of his well-meaning intentions! 😮💨
“Babe, what exactly do you want from him? I need you to explain this to me, because I don’t understand what the problem is.”
Uff, you and me both. I get what it's like carrying a torch for someone this long, only to feel hurt and rejected by it, but even when he offers himself on a silver platter, she refuses to trust in it, even when he kept proving to her that he did care for her! 😩 Argh. The writing was very wordy; true, it is a romance that features aspiring writers, but even I could not get the ambiguous figurative flair to the poetry Leigh wrote. I didn't feel like rooting for her, nor did I care for how tortured she felt over not feeling good enough. Her growth failed to impress. 🙂↔️🙂↔️
I understand that she was projecting her own parents' failure of a marriage to her reluctance to pursuing anything with Will, and I know what it's like being a people-pleaser who is haunted with the fear of being considered all style, and no substance, but she was so self-involved otherwise, that there was just no room to breathe or even really connect with her to paint her as even a likeable person, despite how relatable some of her thoughts may have been. 🙅🏻♀️
“How can I get this out of my system? I want to do everything with you.”
So, it's with a heavy heart that I once again am disappointed with a romance that I really wanted to like. Leigh made it really hard to care. But, I won't deny that the You Between the Lines confession was a sincere and heartwarming moment. Some of the steamy moments were nice - that mirror scene was *fans self*. ❤️🔥 And some moments did set my heart a flutter, so those extra points are rewarded for those butterflies, but begrudgingly so. 🙎🏻♀️
February 27, 2025
This is the closest thing to an Emily Henry serotonin rush I’ve found!! A former sorority girl joins a poetry MFA program, only to realize one of her classmates is the high school crush-turned-nemesis she’s never quite forgotten—and he cannot stop writing about her. Like, sir?? The yearning??
Leigh was such a relatable main character, there were times i wanted to shake her & say GET IT TOGETHER, but every time i took a step back… I realized.. she is me. & Will?? I could talk about him for hours. He cooks for her, drops everything for her, & writes poetry ABOUT HER? This is exactly why I love a good single POV romance—the hints that he’s been pining for years are so obvious to everyone except her, and it made my heart ache in the best way. For lovers of academic rivals-to-lovers, unresolved tension, and books that feel like a Taylor Swift song (or maybe the whole dang album).
I am SHOCKED this is a debut novel because this is the kind of story that reminds you why you fell in love with reading in the first place. I can’t wait to see what Katie Naymon does next.
Leigh was such a relatable main character, there were times i wanted to shake her & say GET IT TOGETHER, but every time i took a step back… I realized.. she is me. & Will?? I could talk about him for hours. He cooks for her, drops everything for her, & writes poetry ABOUT HER? This is exactly why I love a good single POV romance—the hints that he’s been pining for years are so obvious to everyone except her, and it made my heart ache in the best way. For lovers of academic rivals-to-lovers, unresolved tension, and books that feel like a Taylor Swift song (or maybe the whole dang album).
I am SHOCKED this is a debut novel because this is the kind of story that reminds you why you fell in love with reading in the first place. I can’t wait to see what Katie Naymon does next.
January 27, 2025
4.25 stars!! thank you to NetGalley & Forever Publishing for the arc!
You Between the Lines was a beautiful introduction to Katie Naymon’s writing! I couldn’t help but get invested in Leigh and Will’s story. I truly enjoyed them, the story, the writing, and everything in between!
The depth to both Leigh and Will’s characters was so well-done. I adored the amount of mental health representation, ranging from depression to anxiety, to self-esteem issues, and more. I found both Leigh & Will to be very relatable, even frustratingly so because I felt as if I was getting called out at times. I think a lot of readers will be able to feel seen in the way Will describes his struggles with depression and how Leigh feels like she needs to shape herself to those around her. Both of their stories made my heart hurt for them in different ways, and truly made me want to give both of them a big hug. Will and Leigh both carry their own flaws, but they also carry personalities filled with humor, kindness, care, and undying wit.
Speaking of wit, I loved Leigh & Will’s dynamic so much! The one-sided rivals to lovers that they existed in made for so much banter, tension, chemistry. It allowed for the romantic, intimate moments between these two to shine and made me giddy! Seeing these two experience growth in their own way, break down each other’s walls, and get their chance together after so many years was truly special!!! I adored these two so much, even when I wanted to grab them by the shoulders and shake them.
As a whole, I really enjoyed this story, and being immersed in the world of MFAs was so fun. The side characters added so much to the story, I loved the friendships that were created and the scenes where the entire group were together.
There were moments in the story where the miscommunication/lack of communication between Leigh and Will was a bit frustrating. However, the issues that appeared on that front make so much sense for both of their characters and make it feel genuine!
I would definitely recommend this one, especially if you love a book where there are two writers, lots of hidden feelings, one-sided rivals to lovers, and mental health rep!!!
You Between the Lines was a beautiful introduction to Katie Naymon’s writing! I couldn’t help but get invested in Leigh and Will’s story. I truly enjoyed them, the story, the writing, and everything in between!
The depth to both Leigh and Will’s characters was so well-done. I adored the amount of mental health representation, ranging from depression to anxiety, to self-esteem issues, and more. I found both Leigh & Will to be very relatable, even frustratingly so because I felt as if I was getting called out at times. I think a lot of readers will be able to feel seen in the way Will describes his struggles with depression and how Leigh feels like she needs to shape herself to those around her. Both of their stories made my heart hurt for them in different ways, and truly made me want to give both of them a big hug. Will and Leigh both carry their own flaws, but they also carry personalities filled with humor, kindness, care, and undying wit.
Speaking of wit, I loved Leigh & Will’s dynamic so much! The one-sided rivals to lovers that they existed in made for so much banter, tension, chemistry. It allowed for the romantic, intimate moments between these two to shine and made me giddy! Seeing these two experience growth in their own way, break down each other’s walls, and get their chance together after so many years was truly special!!! I adored these two so much, even when I wanted to grab them by the shoulders and shake them.
As a whole, I really enjoyed this story, and being immersed in the world of MFAs was so fun. The side characters added so much to the story, I loved the friendships that were created and the scenes where the entire group were together.
There were moments in the story where the miscommunication/lack of communication between Leigh and Will was a bit frustrating. However, the issues that appeared on that front make so much sense for both of their characters and make it feel genuine!
I would definitely recommend this one, especially if you love a book where there are two writers, lots of hidden feelings, one-sided rivals to lovers, and mental health rep!!!
January 29, 2025
When Leigh is accepted into a prestigious MFA program in North Carolina, she has no idea her nemesis and high school crush William has also been accepted. Now, she’s vying for a coveted fellowship, dealing with insecurities around her poetry writing and her parent’s impending divorce, and is confronted with both old and new feelings for Will while also working with him.
I am a bit of an outlier here. I wanted to love this book so much, after all it felt practically made for me. Cute cover? Check. Emotional rom-com with mental health rep? Check. MFA studies in Poetry? Check, check, check. And while it started out strong, by the mid-way mark I began to disengage. The characters, particularly the FMC Leigh, seemed very immature and as a result, there was quite a bit of miscommunication. The relationship (and spicy moments) between Will and Leigh felt forced, and the plot began to drag more and more as time went on. This is not a bad book by any means, but in the end, it ended up not being for me.
🎧 Narrator Sarah Beth Goer did a great job narrating, and while I did not necessarily love the story, she did a terrific job of bringing it to life. If you are an audiobook reader, and have been eyeing this one, I would suggest checking it out on audio.
Read if you like:
▪️MFA centered stories
▪️poetry
▪️student competitions
▪️crush to enemies to lovers
▪️forced proximity
▪️mental health rep
▪️North Carolina setting
📆 Pub: Feb 18, 2025
Thank you Forever Pub and Hachette Audio for the gifted copies.
I am a bit of an outlier here. I wanted to love this book so much, after all it felt practically made for me. Cute cover? Check. Emotional rom-com with mental health rep? Check. MFA studies in Poetry? Check, check, check. And while it started out strong, by the mid-way mark I began to disengage. The characters, particularly the FMC Leigh, seemed very immature and as a result, there was quite a bit of miscommunication. The relationship (and spicy moments) between Will and Leigh felt forced, and the plot began to drag more and more as time went on. This is not a bad book by any means, but in the end, it ended up not being for me.
🎧 Narrator Sarah Beth Goer did a great job narrating, and while I did not necessarily love the story, she did a terrific job of bringing it to life. If you are an audiobook reader, and have been eyeing this one, I would suggest checking it out on audio.
Read if you like:
▪️MFA centered stories
▪️poetry
▪️student competitions
▪️crush to enemies to lovers
▪️forced proximity
▪️mental health rep
▪️North Carolina setting
📆 Pub: Feb 18, 2025
Thank you Forever Pub and Hachette Audio for the gifted copies.
February 9, 2025
Leigh is in her late 20s who leaves behind her soul-sucking copywriting job after being accepted into a prestigious MFA program in North Carolina. Only thing is, her crush turned rival from high school is also in her class and vying for the same fellowship position.
This didn’t work for me as I didn’t like Leigh as a character.
She was so self-absorbed - from her parents’ broken marriage and divorce to putting herself at the centre of any issue she and Will has without asking or considering him.
She is also ‘not like other girls’ and she thinks that’s why she’s never picked for opportunities.
I actually had to check she was in her late 20s because she acts so immature.
He can’t write a single poem where I don’t exist. In his stanzas, his lines, his words.
Finally, there were way too many references and hits on “straight, white male” authors.
Perhaps this didn’t hit as hard as it felt eerily similar to Not in My Book by Katie Holt.
Arc gifted by Hatchette Audio.
Bookstagram
This didn’t work for me as I didn’t like Leigh as a character.
She was so self-absorbed - from her parents’ broken marriage and divorce to putting herself at the centre of any issue she and Will has without asking or considering him.
She is also ‘not like other girls’ and she thinks that’s why she’s never picked for opportunities.
I actually had to check she was in her late 20s because she acts so immature.
He can’t write a single poem where I don’t exist. In his stanzas, his lines, his words.
Finally, there were way too many references and hits on “straight, white male” authors.
Perhaps this didn’t hit as hard as it felt eerily similar to Not in My Book by Katie Holt.
Arc gifted by Hatchette Audio.
Bookstagram
June 27, 2025
I truly enjoyed the writing, and hope to read more from the author in the future.
The romance was super angsty and delicious but at the same time I wanted to scream at the two main characters to communicate better 🥲
The romance was super angsty and delicious but at the same time I wanted to scream at the two main characters to communicate better 🥲
March 1, 2025
You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon
Contemporary romance. New adult. Enemies to lovers troupe. High angst.
Leigh Simon is shocked when she’s accepted in a prestigious poetry program in North Carolina. She wanted it badly but didn’t believe she had a chance. Now that she’s in the program, she’ll do whatever she needs to in learning, growing and maybe even winning a fellowship. Leigh is floored when she finds that William Langford is in the same program. She won’t have a chance against him in poetry or a relationship relaunch. Can she step up her game and hold her own with her poetry and her love life?
🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook. The narration was performed by Sarah Beth Goer who was able to create specific voices for Leigh and William, as well as emotional spikes. The audiobook narrator is able to keep the reader’s attention using the dialog as conversation, banter and arguments between the characters. I did increase the speed to 1.5 which more closely matches my reading and conversation speed.
I’d recommend the audio in this instance for the lively new adult situations.
Ultimately a good romance in the end but to be honest if a couple breaks up more than once in a book, I tend to distance myself from them so I don’t get hurt. This couple, over the years had a yo-yo relationship that was too much on and off for me to keep being invested. Too much angst for me.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Hachette Audio.
Contemporary romance. New adult. Enemies to lovers troupe. High angst.
Leigh Simon is shocked when she’s accepted in a prestigious poetry program in North Carolina. She wanted it badly but didn’t believe she had a chance. Now that she’s in the program, she’ll do whatever she needs to in learning, growing and maybe even winning a fellowship. Leigh is floored when she finds that William Langford is in the same program. She won’t have a chance against him in poetry or a relationship relaunch. Can she step up her game and hold her own with her poetry and her love life?
🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook. The narration was performed by Sarah Beth Goer who was able to create specific voices for Leigh and William, as well as emotional spikes. The audiobook narrator is able to keep the reader’s attention using the dialog as conversation, banter and arguments between the characters. I did increase the speed to 1.5 which more closely matches my reading and conversation speed.
I’d recommend the audio in this instance for the lively new adult situations.
Ultimately a good romance in the end but to be honest if a couple breaks up more than once in a book, I tend to distance myself from them so I don’t get hurt. This couple, over the years had a yo-yo relationship that was too much on and off for me to keep being invested. Too much angst for me.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Hachette Audio.
February 22, 2025
when you’re romancing between poem critiques✨
somehow this called me out so violently while also healing my inner people pleasing tendencies
Bookstagram | Blog
somehow this called me out so violently while also healing my inner people pleasing tendencies
Bookstagram | Blog
February 5, 2025
A really intriguing and interesting setting- a prestigious MFA poetry workshop and our heroine Leigh is surprised that her high school crush Will is also included. Her parents have separated and his father has passed, each of them dealing with their changing families and grief. They are also somewhat rivals in that Leigh's favorite poet is going to award a fellowship at the end of the first year. She still has feeling for him but thinks she is out of his league. Leigh would rather write poetry about pop culture references in a clever way than to get feedback on anything super personal.
I loved this book and *most* of its tropes, Leigh was insecure and a bit whiny. Absolutely loved the minor characters of the others in the MfA program. Hearing the dialogue of criticism from the other writers in the workshop was tough, this kind of environment can be kind of brutal to those of us that are sensitive to criticism. The conflict was mostly Leigh not feeling good enough. The book was pretty personal, and I would say it was a really special bonus that we were able to read wonderful poetry. The author does have an MFA in poetry. And I can say that I have read her truly wonderful poetry that she cleverly hid inside of a romcom. After 1600 book reviews, none of them have been for poetry, but about a third are romances. Well played. five stars to the poetry, four stars to the audiobook and the rest of the story.
While I didn't love the Leigh voice, I loved the other voices and the conclusion. The narrator overall was well paced and engaging.
I loved this book and *most* of its tropes, Leigh was insecure and a bit whiny. Absolutely loved the minor characters of the others in the MfA program. Hearing the dialogue of criticism from the other writers in the workshop was tough, this kind of environment can be kind of brutal to those of us that are sensitive to criticism. The conflict was mostly Leigh not feeling good enough. The book was pretty personal, and I would say it was a really special bonus that we were able to read wonderful poetry. The author does have an MFA in poetry. And I can say that I have read her truly wonderful poetry that she cleverly hid inside of a romcom. After 1600 book reviews, none of them have been for poetry, but about a third are romances. Well played. five stars to the poetry, four stars to the audiobook and the rest of the story.
While I didn't love the Leigh voice, I loved the other voices and the conclusion. The narrator overall was well paced and engaging.
July 27, 2025
You Between the Lines is cute. Really cute. I thought I was not be able to enjoy it with all of those poetry. In fact, I enjoyed it very much.
My first read by Miss Naymon and it was rrally pleasent.
4 stars
My first read by Miss Naymon and it was rrally pleasent.
4 stars
February 1, 2025
Ok first off, this cover is soooo cute! I was sent a copy of this from the publisher and that’s what put it on my radar, so I had to jump into You Between the Lines immediately.
So maybe I thought I was more into poetry than I am? 😅 This book does center around the poetry writing program that the heroine and hero are in, so if poetry/constructive writing criticism settings are your jam…then check out this book.
Leigh is a former sorority girl (this is very much her entire personality) who is starting a prestigious poetry MFA program and one of her fellow grad students is Will, her high school crush-turned-nemesis. Basically, Will and Leigh were in a high school creative writing class together and he gave her constructive criticism (which was part of the class) and she couldn’t handle it and immediately shut him down/felt like he hated her. Now it’s years later and they’re in this college program together. She is constantly saying she doesn’t fit in with the writing group because “she’s a former sorority girl” and she kinda just makes generalized stereotypes about poets and how she wouldn’t fit in. She likes to write poetry, but she doesn’t like critiques on her poetry or even talking about other people’s so it all just felt odd of her wanting to be in the program. The couple could have saved the book for me, but I just didn’t connect to them that much either sadly. A lot of back and forth with them and the poetry parts were just fine for me overall. Super cutesy cover though!
I received an ALC from the publisher, all thoughts in this review are my own.
So maybe I thought I was more into poetry than I am? 😅 This book does center around the poetry writing program that the heroine and hero are in, so if poetry/constructive writing criticism settings are your jam…then check out this book.
Leigh is a former sorority girl (this is very much her entire personality) who is starting a prestigious poetry MFA program and one of her fellow grad students is Will, her high school crush-turned-nemesis. Basically, Will and Leigh were in a high school creative writing class together and he gave her constructive criticism (which was part of the class) and she couldn’t handle it and immediately shut him down/felt like he hated her. Now it’s years later and they’re in this college program together. She is constantly saying she doesn’t fit in with the writing group because “she’s a former sorority girl” and she kinda just makes generalized stereotypes about poets and how she wouldn’t fit in. She likes to write poetry, but she doesn’t like critiques on her poetry or even talking about other people’s so it all just felt odd of her wanting to be in the program. The couple could have saved the book for me, but I just didn’t connect to them that much either sadly. A lot of back and forth with them and the poetry parts were just fine for me overall. Super cutesy cover though!
I received an ALC from the publisher, all thoughts in this review are my own.
September 25, 2024
The debut novel is a powerful and emotional and heart-wrenching read, yet beautifully written. Kate Naymon writing in truly fantastic, leaving me in awe that this is her first book. The way in which she crafts her characters is done so beautifully, adding depth to the story in a way that enhances the overall experience.
This book follows two characters Leigh and Will who were once ‘rivals ‘ in highschool but years later they met each other at a MFA program. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about both of them , as their characters were incredibly relatable. Both were dealing with personal challenges , making the progression of their relationship understandable and natural. At times you might question Leigh’s actions and notice how she tends to self sabotage in certain situations . However the more you read the book , you gain a better understanding of her behavior and the reasons behind it . Will is simply just perfect. Honestly he is now included in my favorite book boyfriend category.
The only issue I had with this book was the time jump; at times , it felt unrealistic, especially with how quick the “months” went by . Nevertheless this was a very fantastic read and I highly recommend it . I can’t wait to read more from her in the future!!
Thank you Netgalley and Forever publishing for the Arc . The Arc was provided in exchange for my honest review.
This book follows two characters Leigh and Will who were once ‘rivals ‘ in highschool but years later they met each other at a MFA program. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about both of them , as their characters were incredibly relatable. Both were dealing with personal challenges , making the progression of their relationship understandable and natural. At times you might question Leigh’s actions and notice how she tends to self sabotage in certain situations . However the more you read the book , you gain a better understanding of her behavior and the reasons behind it . Will is simply just perfect. Honestly he is now included in my favorite book boyfriend category.
The only issue I had with this book was the time jump; at times , it felt unrealistic, especially with how quick the “months” went by . Nevertheless this was a very fantastic read and I highly recommend it . I can’t wait to read more from her in the future!!
Thank you Netgalley and Forever publishing for the Arc . The Arc was provided in exchange for my honest review.
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