What do you think?
Rate this book
Under the Weatherman
Not yet published
Expected 2 Jun 26My best friend ropes me into some pretty outlandish shenanigans, but tonight’s one for the record books. Up to her usual mischief, she dares me to hit up a random stranger at a bar—and tell him only lies.
I’d rather hide behind a book than flirt, but inventing a fictional narrative gives me the nerve to saunter up to a magazine-gorgeous blond and say, “Hey!”
When he turns his pretty green eyes on me, eyes framed by dark bookish glasses—my kryptonite—I panic.
“I was in your class with, uh—” I snap my fingers, hoping he’ll play along with some vague long-lost connection, out of politeness if nothing else.
At first, the sexy librarian only squints at me, then his camera-ready smile widens. “Lizzy Graham?”
Oh, my god. He’s not supposed to believe me. I want to bail, but a dare’s a dare.
As we catch up, I suspect Evan’s pranking me right back. I tell him I’m a zoologist who speaks Latin to pigs. He claims to be a TV weatherman from Indiana. Sure.
He’s funny and cute, and I wish I hadn’t promised to lie to him. I want him to know me. The real me. So when the bar closes, I come clean and, assuming we’re on the same page, invite him to my place.
When he doesn’t contact me for weeks afterwards, I feel like the dupe.
Just as I’m getting over the mortification, who should show up at my workplace as the new face of weather at six and eleven?
I might be frosty, but he’s even icier because somehow he’s only just discovered I’m not the person I said I was.
I’d rather hide behind a book than flirt, but inventing a fictional narrative gives me the nerve to saunter up to a magazine-gorgeous blond and say, “Hey!”
When he turns his pretty green eyes on me, eyes framed by dark bookish glasses—my kryptonite—I panic.
“I was in your class with, uh—” I snap my fingers, hoping he’ll play along with some vague long-lost connection, out of politeness if nothing else.
At first, the sexy librarian only squints at me, then his camera-ready smile widens. “Lizzy Graham?”
Oh, my god. He’s not supposed to believe me. I want to bail, but a dare’s a dare.
As we catch up, I suspect Evan’s pranking me right back. I tell him I’m a zoologist who speaks Latin to pigs. He claims to be a TV weatherman from Indiana. Sure.
He’s funny and cute, and I wish I hadn’t promised to lie to him. I want him to know me. The real me. So when the bar closes, I come clean and, assuming we’re on the same page, invite him to my place.
When he doesn’t contact me for weeks afterwards, I feel like the dupe.
Just as I’m getting over the mortification, who should show up at my workplace as the new face of weather at six and eleven?
I might be frosty, but he’s even icier because somehow he’s only just discovered I’m not the person I said I was.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 2, 2026
About the author
Mary Ann Marlowe
14 books372 followersMary Ann Marlowe is a romance junkie with wanderlust. She’s lived in twelve states and three countries, but she’s called the Charlottesville, Virginia area home for nearly twenty years. She’s held dozens of jobs from university-level French teacher to Wall Street computer programmer, got her black belt in karate, and beat Zelda Breath of the Wild. She loves to pull from her experiences when creating her fictional worlds. When she isn’t writing, she day jobs as a developer, hangs with her two amazing kids, and dreams of travel. She also writes under the name Lorelei Parker.
No AI used in the writing, editing, audio, or cover art of any of my books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
Review of advance copy
I’m genuinely still so conflicted on this book because there were parts of it that worked for me…and then parts that had me sitting there like ????? 😭
The setup was... interesting. A shy girl getting dared to walk up to a stranger at a bar and tell him nothing but lies? I will say I was intrigued. And I did love the weather reporter angle (I’m such a sucker for niche career romances for some reason). The banter between Elizabeth and Evan was probably the strongest part of the whole book for me too. They had this playful back-and-forth that kept me reading even when the story itself started frustrating me.
BUT HERE IS MY ISSUE.
Apparently Evan genuinely misunderstood what Elizabeth was confessing when she came clean but I’m still sitting here wondering HOW??? Because she literally tells him her real name and admits she lied about everything, and even reading the scene from his perspective later I was still like “bro are you deaf??” 😭 I truly thought I had skipped chapters the first time because when he later acts shocked about her not being the childhood girl, I was staring in confusion.
And honestly…Evan’s reaction to the lying at the beginning felt weird to me too 😭 Like this girl walks up to you, invents an entirely fake identity, and your response is basically “haha cute” and then immediately going home with her??? Sir??? (which to be fair he thought she was some childhood friend, but still you haven't seen her in forever and can barely remember her and you're going home with her?)
One win is I appreciated how much the story emphasized therapy and emotional healing (even if some of the execution didn’t fully land for me)
Unfortunately, the conflict just became REALLY repetitive after a while. It felt like every single issue circled back to Evan in some way, and eventually the drama started feeling more exhausting than emotional. And Elizabeth…girl 😭 I wanted to root for you more than I actually did. She came across pretty immature to me for a lot of the book, which made some of the emotional moments harder to fully buy into.
Overall, I don’t think this was a bad book. The writing was decent, the humor worked for me more often than not, and there was some chemistry and charm to keep me reading until the end. I just never fully connected with the emotional core because I was too distracted by the same conflicts repeating over and over again.
It just personally ended up being one of those “liked some parts, frustrated by more” reads for me.
things to know about the book ↓
🌦️ bar meet cute
🌦️ witty banter
🌦️ mistaken identity
🌦️ therapy/mental health rep
🌦️ instant attraction
🌦️ miscommunication conflict
🌦️ opposites attract
🌦️ dual POV
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
swearing: yes
Thank you BookSirens, Pen Pinery, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The setup was... interesting. A shy girl getting dared to walk up to a stranger at a bar and tell him nothing but lies? I will say I was intrigued. And I did love the weather reporter angle (I’m such a sucker for niche career romances for some reason). The banter between Elizabeth and Evan was probably the strongest part of the whole book for me too. They had this playful back-and-forth that kept me reading even when the story itself started frustrating me.
BUT HERE IS MY ISSUE.
Apparently Evan genuinely misunderstood what Elizabeth was confessing when she came clean but I’m still sitting here wondering HOW??? Because she literally tells him her real name and admits she lied about everything, and even reading the scene from his perspective later I was still like “bro are you deaf??” 😭 I truly thought I had skipped chapters the first time because when he later acts shocked about her not being the childhood girl, I was staring in confusion.
And honestly…Evan’s reaction to the lying at the beginning felt weird to me too 😭 Like this girl walks up to you, invents an entirely fake identity, and your response is basically “haha cute” and then immediately going home with her??? Sir??? (which to be fair he thought she was some childhood friend, but still you haven't seen her in forever and can barely remember her and you're going home with her?)
One win is I appreciated how much the story emphasized therapy and emotional healing (even if some of the execution didn’t fully land for me)
Unfortunately, the conflict just became REALLY repetitive after a while. It felt like every single issue circled back to Evan in some way, and eventually the drama started feeling more exhausting than emotional. And Elizabeth…girl 😭 I wanted to root for you more than I actually did. She came across pretty immature to me for a lot of the book, which made some of the emotional moments harder to fully buy into.
Overall, I don’t think this was a bad book. The writing was decent, the humor worked for me more often than not, and there was some chemistry and charm to keep me reading until the end. I just never fully connected with the emotional core because I was too distracted by the same conflicts repeating over and over again.
It just personally ended up being one of those “liked some parts, frustrated by more” reads for me.
things to know about the book ↓
🌦️ bar meet cute
🌦️ witty banter
🌦️ mistaken identity
🌦️ therapy/mental health rep
🌦️ instant attraction
🌦️ miscommunication conflict
🌦️ opposites attract
🌦️ dual POV
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
swearing: yes
Thank you BookSirens, Pen Pinery, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you Mary Ann Marlowe for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have read and enjoyed every one of Mary Ann Marlowe’s books and this one did not disappoint. Since I had previously read Holding Out for a Gyro I was looking forward to learning more about Elizabeth (FMC) and Evan’s (MMC) story from their point of view. I really enjoy the duel POV. What starts as something harmless with Elizabeth trying to help her best friend Chelsea complete items from “her list” turns into something much more meaningful. Because Elizabeth pretends to be someone else when she meets Evan it allows Elizabeth to really step out of her own shell and not worry about her own insecurities. Elizabeth quickly confesses to Evan when they start to have a real connection. This is where there was an interesting twist. Because of Evan’s past history and his own insecurities he doesn’t really understand what Elizabeth tells him and misinterprets her confession. When he actually realizes she wasn’t telling the truth it doesn’t go well, but fate has other plans. When they meet up again you can feel the tension between them and felt it every time they had a miscommunication. However, they do have a real connection and just need to not fight it so much. I loved how their friends see this connection and help them reconnect. As they get to know each other there is cute banter between them. I enjoyed the quirkiness that each had as well as the adorable weather related humor. The story goes a lot deeper as both main characters come into this with their own past traumas. They need to really understand their own trauma before they can move forward. However, as they start to recognize their own trauma they find ways to help each other. I especially loved their own “list” and how therapy helped to heal. This also explores the found family with their friends Bas and Chelsea. Mary Ann Marlow has a way of pulling you into her stories and making you feel like the characters are your friends that you are rooting for. Her stories are very relatable and have strong character development.
I loved this story and would definitely recommend it! Thank you so much for the opportunity to preview and review!
I loved this story and would definitely recommend it! Thank you so much for the opportunity to preview and review!
Review of advance copy
This book took my by surprise in the best way possible! There are so many books out lately with punny names that label themselves romantic comedies and then fall flat, but not this one!
This book was laugh out loud hilarious. Between the weather puns, terrible innuendos, literary jokes, and sometimes over-the-top nerdiness, it had me cracking up the whole way through. In addition to the humor, it was just all around delightful and weirdly wholesome.
I loved the general plot with Elizabeth and Chelsea's list, the lie that set everything in motion, the news station, and Elizabeth's job journey. For being a fairly short book, it packed a lot in and was super engaging, and there was never a dull moment. The massive amounts of social awkwardness and therapy made it the perfect millenial book. I also appreciated that Elizabeth's self growth journey was very relatable and well written.
I liked Elizabeth and Evan as a couple and really enojyed their whole journey. My biggest complaint with the story was Evan. I had a hard time relating to him which made it hard to understand his reactions, which often seemed over the top and not super believable. I think this was mostly because of my high school experience, which wasn't bad and didn't leave any lasting trauma, and that made it harder to understand how someone could continue to hold on to stuff that happened over a decade ago.
Over all, this book was SUCH a fun read and I am so grateful to the author and BookSirens for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. I now really want to read Chelsea and Bas's story, and will be checking out other books by Mary Ann Marlowe as well!
This book was laugh out loud hilarious. Between the weather puns, terrible innuendos, literary jokes, and sometimes over-the-top nerdiness, it had me cracking up the whole way through. In addition to the humor, it was just all around delightful and weirdly wholesome.
I loved the general plot with Elizabeth and Chelsea's list, the lie that set everything in motion, the news station, and Elizabeth's job journey. For being a fairly short book, it packed a lot in and was super engaging, and there was never a dull moment. The massive amounts of social awkwardness and therapy made it the perfect millenial book. I also appreciated that Elizabeth's self growth journey was very relatable and well written.
I liked Elizabeth and Evan as a couple and really enojyed their whole journey. My biggest complaint with the story was Evan. I had a hard time relating to him which made it hard to understand his reactions, which often seemed over the top and not super believable. I think this was mostly because of my high school experience, which wasn't bad and didn't leave any lasting trauma, and that made it harder to understand how someone could continue to hold on to stuff that happened over a decade ago.
Over all, this book was SUCH a fun read and I am so grateful to the author and BookSirens for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. I now really want to read Chelsea and Bas's story, and will be checking out other books by Mary Ann Marlowe as well!
Review of advance copy
ARC Review
Under the Weatherman by Mary Ann Marlowe
Elizabeth Wright is the kind of person who would happily spend her entire life buried in books rather than interacting with people. Her best friend creates a list of challenges to push them both out of their comfort zones, and one of the dares is to approach a stranger while pretending to be someone else. Elizabeth chooses Evan Spurlock, a man who immediately catches her attention. The two have an amazing night together, but Evan does not take her lie very well once the truth comes out.
Fate gives them a second chance when Evan moves into town. As they grow closer, Elizabeth discovers that Evan is carrying unresolved issues from his childhood, issues that keep affecting his relationships. The question is whether he can finally confront his past before he loses the best thing that has happened to him in a long time.
This is a cute romantic comedy with a simple yet engaging storyline that also touches on real-life issues. The characters feel realistic, and several of them are very likable. The romance has plenty of ups and downs, which makes the relationship feel more believable and keeps the story interesting throughout. I especially enjoyed their outings toward the end of the book and the idea of the new list.
My favorite character was Elizabeth because, despite her own struggles, she often seemed like the most mature and grounded person in the story. The ending was really sweet and left me with a smile.
If you enjoy rom-coms with relatable characters and emotional growth, this is definitely worth checking out.
Under the Weatherman by Mary Ann Marlowe
Elizabeth Wright is the kind of person who would happily spend her entire life buried in books rather than interacting with people. Her best friend creates a list of challenges to push them both out of their comfort zones, and one of the dares is to approach a stranger while pretending to be someone else. Elizabeth chooses Evan Spurlock, a man who immediately catches her attention. The two have an amazing night together, but Evan does not take her lie very well once the truth comes out.
Fate gives them a second chance when Evan moves into town. As they grow closer, Elizabeth discovers that Evan is carrying unresolved issues from his childhood, issues that keep affecting his relationships. The question is whether he can finally confront his past before he loses the best thing that has happened to him in a long time.
This is a cute romantic comedy with a simple yet engaging storyline that also touches on real-life issues. The characters feel realistic, and several of them are very likable. The romance has plenty of ups and downs, which makes the relationship feel more believable and keeps the story interesting throughout. I especially enjoyed their outings toward the end of the book and the idea of the new list.
My favorite character was Elizabeth because, despite her own struggles, she often seemed like the most mature and grounded person in the story. The ending was really sweet and left me with a smile.
If you enjoy rom-coms with relatable characters and emotional growth, this is definitely worth checking out.
Review of advance copy
I will start out by saying that I was given an ARC copy to read and am giving my own opinion.
I loved reading this story and enjoyed the time that I spent reading it! It was so sweet, funny, and had me feeling all the feels!
What starts as a simple misunderstanding quickly becomes something much bigger than either Elizabeth (the FMC) or Evan (the MMC) thought it would be, and, eventually, evolving into a beautiful relationship between the two. Evan and Elizabeth have a lot of trauma to work through, and one of my favorite parts of the story was being able to watch the two characters work through their respective traumas together. Not only did I absolutely love watching the characters evolve as people, but it made them feel so real and relatable, almost like they were about to walk off the page.
One of the more interesting things to read about was how Evan did not take his meet-cute with Elizabeth well at all. In his defense, Elizabeth originally pretended to be someone else, but she literally fesses up to it 5 minutes in and he misunderstood it. This made things really interesting, as it ends up bringing up some other trauma from his past to the surface.
Evan and Elizabeth have such a fantastic relationship, and it was so much fun watching the two of them fight their attractions for each other before finally giving in to it.
I absolutely loved this story and would recommend it!
Thank you so much to Mary Anne Marlowe and her team for letting me read the book! I loved it and appreciate the opportunity!
I loved reading this story and enjoyed the time that I spent reading it! It was so sweet, funny, and had me feeling all the feels!
What starts as a simple misunderstanding quickly becomes something much bigger than either Elizabeth (the FMC) or Evan (the MMC) thought it would be, and, eventually, evolving into a beautiful relationship between the two. Evan and Elizabeth have a lot of trauma to work through, and one of my favorite parts of the story was being able to watch the two characters work through their respective traumas together. Not only did I absolutely love watching the characters evolve as people, but it made them feel so real and relatable, almost like they were about to walk off the page.
One of the more interesting things to read about was how Evan did not take his meet-cute with Elizabeth well at all. In his defense, Elizabeth originally pretended to be someone else, but she literally fesses up to it 5 minutes in and he misunderstood it. This made things really interesting, as it ends up bringing up some other trauma from his past to the surface.
Evan and Elizabeth have such a fantastic relationship, and it was so much fun watching the two of them fight their attractions for each other before finally giving in to it.
I absolutely loved this story and would recommend it!
Thank you so much to Mary Anne Marlowe and her team for letting me read the book! I loved it and appreciate the opportunity!
May 8, 2026
Review of advance copy:
This was such a cute romance and an easy read overall. I wasn’t immediately pulled into the story because the beginning felt a little rushed, and I wish there had been more character development and plot buildup before Evan and Elizabeth met. I also would have loved more backstory surrounding Elizabeth and Chelsea’s list, and their relationship, since it played such a major role throughout the book.
At times, the relationship progression between Evan and Elizabeth felt a little unrealistic to me because so much happened between them in such a short amount of time. I also found some of Elizabeth’s chapters overly descriptive, and the transitions between scenes occasionally felt choppy, with certain chapters jumping around from one moment to another a bit too quickly.
That being said, once the story picked up, I absolutely loved the banter between Evan and Elizabeth and found myself laughing out loud so many times (I’ll definitely never watch a weather forecast the same way again)! While the conflict between them became somewhat repetitive at times, especially regarding Evan’s actions, I still thought the weatherman aspect added a unique charm to the story. Although there wasn’t anything particularly groundbreaking about the plot, it was still an enjoyable read.
Overall, this was my honest review of the ARC, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to read and review it!
This was such a cute romance and an easy read overall. I wasn’t immediately pulled into the story because the beginning felt a little rushed, and I wish there had been more character development and plot buildup before Evan and Elizabeth met. I also would have loved more backstory surrounding Elizabeth and Chelsea’s list, and their relationship, since it played such a major role throughout the book.
At times, the relationship progression between Evan and Elizabeth felt a little unrealistic to me because so much happened between them in such a short amount of time. I also found some of Elizabeth’s chapters overly descriptive, and the transitions between scenes occasionally felt choppy, with certain chapters jumping around from one moment to another a bit too quickly.
That being said, once the story picked up, I absolutely loved the banter between Evan and Elizabeth and found myself laughing out loud so many times (I’ll definitely never watch a weather forecast the same way again)! While the conflict between them became somewhat repetitive at times, especially regarding Evan’s actions, I still thought the weatherman aspect added a unique charm to the story. Although there wasn’t anything particularly groundbreaking about the plot, it was still an enjoyable read.
Overall, this was my honest review of the ARC, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to read and review it!
Review of advance copy
Under the Weatherman by Mary Ann Marlowe
This was my first book by Mary Ann Marlowe, and it definitely will not be my last.
If you love romance with mistaken identity, second chance vibes, found family, workplace tension, and plenty of emotional miscommunication, this one delivers. Depending on your perspective, you could call this mistaken identity romance or even a second chance romance in disguise.
Elizabeth meets Evan on a dare, and he quickly becomes the weather man of her dreams. The only problem? Evan believes she is an old friend from middle school and thinks they are reconnecting after all these years. What starts as a one night stand turns into something much more complicated when they end up working together at the same TV station.
This story is funny, messy, emotional, and full of heart. Beneath the romance, it also explores getting older, revisiting old trauma, and the importance of mental health and healing. There is so much tension between Elizabeth and Evan, but so much of it comes down to one thing, communication. Watching them try and fail to get on the same page made for such an entertaining ride.
The supporting characters were fantastic and honestly made me excited for the next book. The found family dynamic added so much warmth to the story, and the setting in Charlottesville gave it such a cozy atmosphere. As an added bonus, every chapter begins with a quote from Shakespeare, which makes this especially perfect for English majors and literary romance lovers.
There is also plenty of spice, strong chemistry, and that feeling of wanting to yell at the characters to just talk to each other already.
Tropes and BookTok themes:
Mistaken identity
Second chance vibes
One night stand
Workplace romance
Found family
Forced proximity
Miscommunication
Mental health representation
Healing from past trauma
Spicy romance
Bookish romance vibes
A fun, emotional, and slightly chaotic romance with memorable side characters and a love story that keeps you turning pages.
This was my first book by Mary Ann Marlowe, and it definitely will not be my last.
If you love romance with mistaken identity, second chance vibes, found family, workplace tension, and plenty of emotional miscommunication, this one delivers. Depending on your perspective, you could call this mistaken identity romance or even a second chance romance in disguise.
Elizabeth meets Evan on a dare, and he quickly becomes the weather man of her dreams. The only problem? Evan believes she is an old friend from middle school and thinks they are reconnecting after all these years. What starts as a one night stand turns into something much more complicated when they end up working together at the same TV station.
This story is funny, messy, emotional, and full of heart. Beneath the romance, it also explores getting older, revisiting old trauma, and the importance of mental health and healing. There is so much tension between Elizabeth and Evan, but so much of it comes down to one thing, communication. Watching them try and fail to get on the same page made for such an entertaining ride.
The supporting characters were fantastic and honestly made me excited for the next book. The found family dynamic added so much warmth to the story, and the setting in Charlottesville gave it such a cozy atmosphere. As an added bonus, every chapter begins with a quote from Shakespeare, which makes this especially perfect for English majors and literary romance lovers.
There is also plenty of spice, strong chemistry, and that feeling of wanting to yell at the characters to just talk to each other already.
Tropes and BookTok themes:
Mistaken identity
Second chance vibes
One night stand
Workplace romance
Found family
Forced proximity
Miscommunication
Mental health representation
Healing from past trauma
Spicy romance
Bookish romance vibes
A fun, emotional, and slightly chaotic romance with memorable side characters and a love story that keeps you turning pages.
Review of advance copy
~2.5 stars~
This book had a cute premise, and I liked the idea of a weatherman hero. The writing style was smooth and flowed well, and the banter between the characters was fun. However, some of the dialogue and inner thoughts of Elizabeth felt forced and like they were trying to seem overly intellectual when they didn't fit the scene or character development. Elizabeth wasn't snobbish in terms of career, but then she came across as a bit pretentious when it came to education/knowledge.
Furthermore, while Elizabeth had some humorous moments, it was hard to like her due to her incredible immaturity. Evan was definitely worse though. He was self-important, melodramatic, and judgmental. Although his character became slightly less insufferable toward the end of the novel, he was still a very disappointing hero. The conclusion was also not as satisfying as I had hoped. I wish there had been a longer look into the future to see more of the characters' happiness.
Overall, this book was written well but lacked relatable, enjoyable characters. I didn't hate it, but I wouldn't recommend it. *I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
This book had a cute premise, and I liked the idea of a weatherman hero. The writing style was smooth and flowed well, and the banter between the characters was fun. However, some of the dialogue and inner thoughts of Elizabeth felt forced and like they were trying to seem overly intellectual when they didn't fit the scene or character development. Elizabeth wasn't snobbish in terms of career, but then she came across as a bit pretentious when it came to education/knowledge.
Furthermore, while Elizabeth had some humorous moments, it was hard to like her due to her incredible immaturity. Evan was definitely worse though. He was self-important, melodramatic, and judgmental. Although his character became slightly less insufferable toward the end of the novel, he was still a very disappointing hero. The conclusion was also not as satisfying as I had hoped. I wish there had been a longer look into the future to see more of the characters' happiness.
Overall, this book was written well but lacked relatable, enjoyable characters. I didn't hate it, but I wouldn't recommend it. *I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
Review of advance copy
There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed, and then others that confused or seemed slow to me.
Let me start with what I enjoyed. I loved the set-up. The shy girl who needs a nudge to interact with people. The idea that people will fill a gap with the name of someone they knew rather than say 'I'm sorry, who are you?' I also thought the focus on therapy and self-reflection was great.
What confused me. I spent quite a few chapters thinking 'why does he still think this?' she told him. So much so that I went back and reread the chapter, still confused. When they went over things again, I was with the MFC, she told him. I get that it was a plot twist, but I just felt confused and a bit annoyed.
The pacing for me felt slow, but if you like slow burn finding trust, then this story is great for you. I found the 'issues' that Evan has a bit repetitive, and it didn't make me want to carry on reading. I made it to the end, and it has a nice story arc, but it just ended up being a book I wanted to finish rather than savour.
ARC provided via Pen Pinery
https://penpinery.com
Let me start with what I enjoyed. I loved the set-up. The shy girl who needs a nudge to interact with people. The idea that people will fill a gap with the name of someone they knew rather than say 'I'm sorry, who are you?' I also thought the focus on therapy and self-reflection was great.
What confused me. I spent quite a few chapters thinking 'why does he still think this?' she told him. So much so that I went back and reread the chapter, still confused. When they went over things again, I was with the MFC, she told him. I get that it was a plot twist, but I just felt confused and a bit annoyed.
The pacing for me felt slow, but if you like slow burn finding trust, then this story is great for you. I found the 'issues' that Evan has a bit repetitive, and it didn't make me want to carry on reading. I made it to the end, and it has a nice story arc, but it just ended up being a book I wanted to finish rather than savour.
ARC provided via Pen Pinery
https://penpinery.com
May 25, 2026
This book was cute & I liked the premise: a quirky, bookish girl (Elizabeth) gets dared to approach a cute guy (Evan; who we later find out is a meteorologist) and they hit it off. I love a good banter! Theirs was witty & fun!
However, the first few chapters sent me into a spiral of confusion over whether Elizabeth & Evan actually knew each other from high school. She comes clean during a walk, but Evan still acts like they are classmates?? I had to reread the chapter to ensure I didn’t miss something. Once I got past that, the characters started to PMO. At first I was rooting for Elizabeth (go get your man sis!) but the more I kept reading, I thought to myself, “No, girl. Run.” Evan’s constant whining, self-pity, and refusal to move on from being bullied over a decade ago made him a whiny man-child rather than a romantic lead. Like, dude, let it go and stop molding your entire personality around teenage trauma. Overall, the fun banter & decent ending made it 3 stars for me. But the constant back & forth, immaturity, petty high school baggage & how quickly their conflicts were resolved after so much drawn out angst made it hard to fully enjoy.
*thank you BookFunnel for ARC*
However, the first few chapters sent me into a spiral of confusion over whether Elizabeth & Evan actually knew each other from high school. She comes clean during a walk, but Evan still acts like they are classmates?? I had to reread the chapter to ensure I didn’t miss something. Once I got past that, the characters started to PMO. At first I was rooting for Elizabeth (go get your man sis!) but the more I kept reading, I thought to myself, “No, girl. Run.” Evan’s constant whining, self-pity, and refusal to move on from being bullied over a decade ago made him a whiny man-child rather than a romantic lead. Like, dude, let it go and stop molding your entire personality around teenage trauma. Overall, the fun banter & decent ending made it 3 stars for me. But the constant back & forth, immaturity, petty high school baggage & how quickly their conflicts were resolved after so much drawn out angst made it hard to fully enjoy.
*thank you BookFunnel for ARC*
Review of advance copy received from Author
Received as an ARC
Under the Weatherman is a technically well written book, but unfortunately the characters-especially Evan-lack the charm to make me care about them or their love story.
As much as I tried, I couldn’t like or even slightly relate to Evan. Him “being so attractive” and the trauma resulting from being objectified felt very forced- like a pale imitation of the average woman experience, but handled poorly. His third-act realization that his perspective might have been skewed wasn’t enough to redeem his earlier jealous off-putting behaviour in my opinion. Aside from his looks, there’s nothing particularly attractive about him as a character and he comes across as very self-centered.
Overall, the romantic tension and back-and-forth rely heavily on both characters’ half-baked trauma. Some readers might enjoy that, but it didn’t work for me. If you’re looking for something warm and fluttery, this isn’t it.
Under the Weatherman is a technically well written book, but unfortunately the characters-especially Evan-lack the charm to make me care about them or their love story.
As much as I tried, I couldn’t like or even slightly relate to Evan. Him “being so attractive” and the trauma resulting from being objectified felt very forced- like a pale imitation of the average woman experience, but handled poorly. His third-act realization that his perspective might have been skewed wasn’t enough to redeem his earlier jealous off-putting behaviour in my opinion. Aside from his looks, there’s nothing particularly attractive about him as a character and he comes across as very self-centered.
Overall, the romantic tension and back-and-forth rely heavily on both characters’ half-baked trauma. Some readers might enjoy that, but it didn’t work for me. If you’re looking for something warm and fluttery, this isn’t it.
May 15, 2026
Thank you to BookFunnel and author Mary Ann Marlowe for the advance reader copy of Under the Weatherman in exchange for an honest review.
There was a lot I liked about this story. The banter between Evan and Elizabeth was easily the strongest part of the book, and their chemistry kept me invested throughout. I especially loved the contrast between Elizabeth’s free spirit and Evan’s more traumatic past, and I enjoyed seeing how she helped him slowly work through and heal from it.
That said, while the premise of their meeting started off strong, I found myself getting pulled out of the story as the conflict kept circling back to the same issue. Evan’s misunderstanding was somewhat believable, but at times his reaction felt a little too extreme. Still, the emotional healing and character growth were handled well, which made it easy to stay connected to the story overall.
In the end, I enjoyed the book and appreciated the emotional depth at the heart of the romance.
There was a lot I liked about this story. The banter between Evan and Elizabeth was easily the strongest part of the book, and their chemistry kept me invested throughout. I especially loved the contrast between Elizabeth’s free spirit and Evan’s more traumatic past, and I enjoyed seeing how she helped him slowly work through and heal from it.
That said, while the premise of their meeting started off strong, I found myself getting pulled out of the story as the conflict kept circling back to the same issue. Evan’s misunderstanding was somewhat believable, but at times his reaction felt a little too extreme. Still, the emotional healing and character growth were handled well, which made it easy to stay connected to the story overall.
In the end, I enjoyed the book and appreciated the emotional depth at the heart of the romance.
Review of advance copy
Under the Weatherman by Mary Ann Marlowe was a solid contemporary romance with a good mix of emotional moments, personal growth, and relationship development. The story takes its time building the connection between Evan and Elizabeth, which made their relationship feel natural and believable.
Evan was a likable character with more depth beneath his public image, and I appreciated seeing his more vulnerable side throughout the story. Elizabeth was relatable and grounded, especially as she worked through both personal and professional challenges. Their dynamic felt supportive and realistic, which gave the romance a steady emotional foundation.
I also liked that the story balanced lighter moments with more emotional themes without becoming overly dramatic. Overall, this was an enjoyable read with strong character development and a relationship that felt genuine from beginning to end.
ARC Received from Pen Pinery
Evan was a likable character with more depth beneath his public image, and I appreciated seeing his more vulnerable side throughout the story. Elizabeth was relatable and grounded, especially as she worked through both personal and professional challenges. Their dynamic felt supportive and realistic, which gave the romance a steady emotional foundation.
I also liked that the story balanced lighter moments with more emotional themes without becoming overly dramatic. Overall, this was an enjoyable read with strong character development and a relationship that felt genuine from beginning to end.
ARC Received from Pen Pinery
Review of advance copy received from Author
Under the Weatherman is a cute and funny romance with lots of puns that is easy to enjoy from start to finish. What stands out most for me is the friendship between Elizabeth and Chelsea, which feels supportive, lively, and genuine; their bond adds warmth to the story and gives the romance an even stronger emotional foundation.
The book also does a nice job showing how important honesty and communication are in a relationship. The story makes it clear that real connection depends on being open, speaking honestly, and not letting misunderstandings build up. That balance between humor and heart is part of what makes the story so appealing.
Overall, this is a charming read with plenty of humor, a sweet friendship at its center, and a meaningful reminder that trust and communication matter just as much as attraction. And don't be afraid to chase your dreams!
The book also does a nice job showing how important honesty and communication are in a relationship. The story makes it clear that real connection depends on being open, speaking honestly, and not letting misunderstandings build up. That balance between humor and heart is part of what makes the story so appealing.
Overall, this is a charming read with plenty of humor, a sweet friendship at its center, and a meaningful reminder that trust and communication matter just as much as attraction. And don't be afraid to chase your dreams!
Review of advance copy
Under the Weatherman by Mary Ann Marlowe is a contemporary romance with slow-burn chemistry and emotional vulnerability. In this novel we meet our lovely FMC an author named Elizabeth who is roped into outlandish shenanigans by her best friend Chelsea. During one of these shenanigans, she is dared by said best friend to act as if she is someone else and ends up meeting a local meteorologist named Evan. I will admit there were times I felt disconnected from the book and found it hard to finish, but I pushed through just to get to the HEA at the end. Overall, Under the Weatherman is a tender, introspective romance that will attract readers who enjoy character driven stories!
I received an ARC copy from Pen Pinery and the author. Thank you so much for giving me a chance to read and voluntarily review this novel!
I received an ARC copy from Pen Pinery and the author. Thank you so much for giving me a chance to read and voluntarily review this novel!
Review of advance copy
2.5 ☆ ARC Review through BookSirens
Arf. I wish I liked this book more.
The writing is fluid and easy to read. I did love the lit' references and the " Madeleines de Proust" moment made me smile as a fan of classics.
While the premise of the story is cute , with a meet-not-so-cute, a weatherman MMC and a literature nerd/wanna be writer FMC I found that I still really did not like both the main characters and the second lead characters ( I ESPECIALLY despise Chelsea...). It's one of those couples that you know would NEVER work IRL. The constant running in circles between past traumas for Evan and Elizabeth, lack of trust and proper communication just made my interest in their love story drop significantly. :/
Unfortunately it will be a pass for me 😔
Arf. I wish I liked this book more.
The writing is fluid and easy to read. I did love the lit' references and the " Madeleines de Proust" moment made me smile as a fan of classics.
While the premise of the story is cute , with a meet-not-so-cute, a weatherman MMC and a literature nerd/wanna be writer FMC I found that I still really did not like both the main characters and the second lead characters ( I ESPECIALLY despise Chelsea...). It's one of those couples that you know would NEVER work IRL. The constant running in circles between past traumas for Evan and Elizabeth, lack of trust and proper communication just made my interest in their love story drop significantly. :/
Unfortunately it will be a pass for me 😔
April 17, 2026
At first I loved the maturity of the MMC, Evan, and how in touch with his feelings he was. I also loved the therapy representation in this story. However as the book went along, it was SO back and forth with the drama. It was way too long of a story and could have been edited down by a ton. I feel like it had good bones, a solid plot, likable characters, witty and playful banter but it was all over the place. I would recommend this story to someone looking for a good time, but it wasn’t my favorite.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy
I was completely excited about receiving an ARC copy of this book.
I loved the "meet cute" and the overall social interactions between most of the characters.
It was well written and it was a fairly easy read. I am not generally a fan of the miscommunication trope which is part of the story from the beginning. I also felt that there were times where the story spent more time 'telling me' versus 'showing me'.
While having a lot background into individual's thoughts can help provide context, I found that I was rushing through those parts to get to the more 'action scenes.'
I loved the "meet cute" and the overall social interactions between most of the characters.
It was well written and it was a fairly easy read. I am not generally a fan of the miscommunication trope which is part of the story from the beginning. I also felt that there were times where the story spent more time 'telling me' versus 'showing me'.
While having a lot background into individual's thoughts can help provide context, I found that I was rushing through those parts to get to the more 'action scenes.'
May 17, 2026
This book was definitely a whirlwind. There was a lot of back and forth and moments where I wanted to throw my kindle across the room but the ending made it all worth it.
I appreciated the anxiety representation as well as the side message that it’s okay to set boundaries for yourself!
Book was written in duo perspective to really allow you to see the whole story!
Once Evan got his head out of his ass I started to enjoy the read.
I appreciated the anxiety representation as well as the side message that it’s okay to set boundaries for yourself!
Book was written in duo perspective to really allow you to see the whole story!
Once Evan got his head out of his ass I started to enjoy the read.
May 27, 2026
Elizabeth and Evan's road to happiness is an interesting one. Elizabeth is roped into doing something outlandish when she connects with Evan and needless to say it jumpstarts their relationship. It is filled with sweet moments and lots of banter and antics that had me connecting with the characters.
I am volunteering to leave a review for an ARC of this book.
I am volunteering to leave a review for an ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book has fun banter and a fun read overall. I enjoyed the cast of characters and their relationships, although at times the plot seemed to stall out or repeat itself. I found the MMC to be the least relatable character, I found him frustrating and just when I thought maybe he’d “grown” we were back to square one.
Overall, it was a quick and fun read.
Overall, it was a quick and fun read.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I absolutely loved this book! It was a cozy fun read!
Mary Ann Marlowe pulled me in and kept me on my toes. I loved Elizabeth and Evan and reading their story unfold was the best!!!
Tropes:
Miscommunication
Second chance
Mistaken identity
Mary Ann Marlowe pulled me in and kept me on my toes. I loved Elizabeth and Evan and reading their story unfold was the best!!!
Tropes:
Miscommunication
Second chance
Mistaken identity
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you for the ARC! It was a fun read.
Review of advance copy
I really wanted to like this book. I loved the idea of it but nothing happened.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Oh my gosh, I absolutely loved this story. I couldn't put it down. It's so good. Y'all are gonna love it. Happy reading.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews