What do you think?
Rate this book
Between the Lines
One night of passion between a Hollywood heartthrob and an aspiring screenwriter was all it was meant to be… Now a media scandal could be the making or breaking of them.
Jonathan’s done playing the token diversity character. Despite being the son of an award-winning director and a screen sensation, he has struggled to find his own identity in his craft. He only felt normal that amazing night with the mystery girl who had no idea who he really was. No acting required.
Tessa prefers to live behind the scenes, perfect for a screenwriter. With her final year of university looming, her dream of getting into the National Film and Television School for her postgraduate degree may actually be within her reach. One problem – aside from her talent, she’s a nobody and a drunken one-night stand with a guy who turned out to be an A-list celebrity is hardly a claim to fame.
However, when Jonathan needs to reinvent his image after a disastrous interview goes viral - his former fling could be his one chance to take control of the narrative. Tessa is the perfect good girl for the media to fall in love with and Jonathan’s industry connections will give her the advantage she needs. As the pair agree to stage a fake romance to further their careers, the lines blur between reality and playing pretend.
When genuine feelings develop between them, the media attention puts a further strain on their fledgling romance. What’s more, both Tessa and Jonathan have secrets of their own that could shatter their newfound happiness forever.
Jonathan’s done playing the token diversity character. Despite being the son of an award-winning director and a screen sensation, he has struggled to find his own identity in his craft. He only felt normal that amazing night with the mystery girl who had no idea who he really was. No acting required.
Tessa prefers to live behind the scenes, perfect for a screenwriter. With her final year of university looming, her dream of getting into the National Film and Television School for her postgraduate degree may actually be within her reach. One problem – aside from her talent, she’s a nobody and a drunken one-night stand with a guy who turned out to be an A-list celebrity is hardly a claim to fame.
However, when Jonathan needs to reinvent his image after a disastrous interview goes viral - his former fling could be his one chance to take control of the narrative. Tessa is the perfect good girl for the media to fall in love with and Jonathan’s industry connections will give her the advantage she needs. As the pair agree to stage a fake romance to further their careers, the lines blur between reality and playing pretend.
When genuine feelings develop between them, the media attention puts a further strain on their fledgling romance. What’s more, both Tessa and Jonathan have secrets of their own that could shatter their newfound happiness forever.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 14, 2023
3 people are currently reading
795 people want to read
About the author
T.J. Ryan
10 books8 followersT.J. Ryan is a Hertfordshire-based Author, Screenwriter, Director, Playwright and Film Reviewer. Having graduated with a First Class in Scriptwriting and later studied at the National Film and Television School, he has written several scripts for stage and screen since 2013.
T.J. Ryan is naturally drawn to writing diverse and complex casts of characters while tackling complicated subject matters with integrity and honesty. His debut novel Between the Lines was written during the COVID-19 pandemic, and he is currently writing the rest of the series with Unscripted, Rewritten and Fade In. Outside the Between series, he has penned Higher Education: a Short Story and is working on an LGBTQ+ retelling of Romeo & Juliet and a modern-day gothic romance inspired by the works of V.C. Andrews and Emerald Fennell.
For his script work, his directorial debut short film (Womanhood) premiered at the Watford Film Festival and was nominated for Best Ensemble Cast at the Prodigy Film Festival in 2019. One of his feature scripts was a semi-finalist at the SWN Screenplay Competition in 2020.
T.J. Ryan is naturally drawn to writing diverse and complex casts of characters while tackling complicated subject matters with integrity and honesty. His debut novel Between the Lines was written during the COVID-19 pandemic, and he is currently writing the rest of the series with Unscripted, Rewritten and Fade In. Outside the Between series, he has penned Higher Education: a Short Story and is working on an LGBTQ+ retelling of Romeo & Juliet and a modern-day gothic romance inspired by the works of V.C. Andrews and Emerald Fennell.
For his script work, his directorial debut short film (Womanhood) premiered at the Watford Film Festival and was nominated for Best Ensemble Cast at the Prodigy Film Festival in 2019. One of his feature scripts was a semi-finalist at the SWN Screenplay Competition in 2020.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 5, 2023
I love multiple POV books and the characters chapters flowed well when going from one POV to the other. I didn’t feel like I was just thrown into the story nor was there too much background information at the beginning either. I really fell in love with Tessa and Jonathan. I cannot wait for the sequel!
April 19, 2023
Slow burn romance ✅
Representation ✅
Smut✅
Plot line ✅
Dramatics ✅
Shock ending ✅
I NEED BOOK 2 and I NEED it now! - OMG the ending - it can't end like that , I need more! I need to know what happens next!
Urgh the mother is a bitch like a raging self centred bitch - brilliant writing by the author to stir up strong emotions like that!
The slow burn had me dying 🙃 the sexual tension between the two main protagonist had me literally begging for it to happen. Touches here and there, subtle moments, kisses and the bam it happened and they were interrupted I was like NOOOO!!! Then I had to wait again! But worth the wait - smut 🔥🔥
I love how the author normalised representation in this book and the social and political points the main characters bring up just because of their race, up bringing or their sexuality.
This was such a great read! I really couldn't but I down. I read it one sitting!
Representation ✅
Smut✅
Plot line ✅
Dramatics ✅
Shock ending ✅
I NEED BOOK 2 and I NEED it now! - OMG the ending - it can't end like that , I need more! I need to know what happens next!
Urgh the mother is a bitch like a raging self centred bitch - brilliant writing by the author to stir up strong emotions like that!
The slow burn had me dying 🙃 the sexual tension between the two main protagonist had me literally begging for it to happen. Touches here and there, subtle moments, kisses and the bam it happened and they were interrupted I was like NOOOO!!! Then I had to wait again! But worth the wait - smut 🔥🔥
I love how the author normalised representation in this book and the social and political points the main characters bring up just because of their race, up bringing or their sexuality.
This was such a great read! I really couldn't but I down. I read it one sitting!
April 30, 2023
Whoa! This surprised me so much. I devoured this book in two evenings, I could have read it in one but you know kids and life got in the way 😂
Jonathan and Tessa had such a complicated beginning to their 'relationship' and it can only get easier, surely?! 🤷I flew through this, I couldn't wait to see how things would progress and how it would all work out.
That ending though?! Nooo I need more, I can't wait for the next book now so I can find out how everything pans out for Tessa and Jonathan. Is there any coming back from this? Or is life in the limelight too much?!
Jonathan and Tessa had such a complicated beginning to their 'relationship' and it can only get easier, surely?! 🤷I flew through this, I couldn't wait to see how things would progress and how it would all work out.
That ending though?! Nooo I need more, I can't wait for the next book now so I can find out how everything pans out for Tessa and Jonathan. Is there any coming back from this? Or is life in the limelight too much?!
January 28, 2023
Thanks to Ted for the gifted proof of his book in return for an honest review.
I will admit that I have known the author Ted for well over a decade, but he knows me well enough, and I have too much respect for him as a writer, to give him a false review. Everything I write here will be an honest account of my own opinion on the book, and is not a reflection based off of an acquaintance.
Whilst I was happy to read it and offer my views, I wasn’t expecting to be enamoured with it, as it’s not normally my favourite genre. However, it really surprised me. I knew he could write, what with his experience of scriptwriting and whatnot, but I wasn’t expecting it to be this good.
The two main characters are absolutely gorgeous. I really loved Tessa, she’s initially unassuming, a bit timid, a bit wanting to stay in the background. She’s trusting but damaged, passionate and loving. She more than holds her own as one half of our protagonist couple.
And I did love Jonathan. At first you might think him as the big A-List alpha male main star kind of man, but he’s got so much more than that. Handsome and talented and famous, yes, but he’s caring and sensitive an id like one of him in my life please.
The secondary characters are just as great. You have Mia, Jonathan’s agent, who is strong and feisty and protective, and his mother Ophelia, who is dark and dirt and wicked. There’s lots of other characters that I won’t go into detail here, but who excellently play their part in moving Tessa and Jonathan’s story along. There isn’t a wasted character in it.
I liked how he dealt with representation. It could be said that people who do not fit the ‘norm’ (white, slim, cis-gender, able-bodied, straight) are only being cast in movies or TV shows in order to tick a box. But that’s nearly always never the case. I know it is sometimes, but people are normally cast because they’re the best person to hire, rather than for their sexuality, their skin colour, their physical ability etc. Ted hasn’t rammed the representation angle down our throats in order to tick a box, he’s genuinely added it when it’s needed, and you really start to feel for this black actor whose skin colour is often a reason for his casting, and when he starts to stand up for himself, he’s instantly seen as the bad guy.
I almost forgot that this had been written by a peer. Not that I didn’t expect it to be good, but it feels so well accomplished, and it’s just so bizarre to be in the position of knowing the author and seeing them through this medium.
There was the odd typo which most people probably won’t even notice, but because I’m as penikity as I am, I see it. But to be honest, there are typos in the most meticulously proofread books out there so it’s not the end of the world, but I had to mention it in order to give a full honest review, as it was something I noticed during my read.
It flows so naturally, it has natural dialogue, great character creation and development, a fun plot. And it’s only book one in a planned series, so it’s going to be an exciting journey.
It’s so fun and juicy and riveting, I could definitely see it as a TV series. It’s full of drama, love, lust, anger, secrets, a little bit of everything and it just makes for a fabulous read to lose yourself in. I finished it in one day as I just had to know what would happen next.
I will admit that I have known the author Ted for well over a decade, but he knows me well enough, and I have too much respect for him as a writer, to give him a false review. Everything I write here will be an honest account of my own opinion on the book, and is not a reflection based off of an acquaintance.
Whilst I was happy to read it and offer my views, I wasn’t expecting to be enamoured with it, as it’s not normally my favourite genre. However, it really surprised me. I knew he could write, what with his experience of scriptwriting and whatnot, but I wasn’t expecting it to be this good.
The two main characters are absolutely gorgeous. I really loved Tessa, she’s initially unassuming, a bit timid, a bit wanting to stay in the background. She’s trusting but damaged, passionate and loving. She more than holds her own as one half of our protagonist couple.
And I did love Jonathan. At first you might think him as the big A-List alpha male main star kind of man, but he’s got so much more than that. Handsome and talented and famous, yes, but he’s caring and sensitive an id like one of him in my life please.
The secondary characters are just as great. You have Mia, Jonathan’s agent, who is strong and feisty and protective, and his mother Ophelia, who is dark and dirt and wicked. There’s lots of other characters that I won’t go into detail here, but who excellently play their part in moving Tessa and Jonathan’s story along. There isn’t a wasted character in it.
I liked how he dealt with representation. It could be said that people who do not fit the ‘norm’ (white, slim, cis-gender, able-bodied, straight) are only being cast in movies or TV shows in order to tick a box. But that’s nearly always never the case. I know it is sometimes, but people are normally cast because they’re the best person to hire, rather than for their sexuality, their skin colour, their physical ability etc. Ted hasn’t rammed the representation angle down our throats in order to tick a box, he’s genuinely added it when it’s needed, and you really start to feel for this black actor whose skin colour is often a reason for his casting, and when he starts to stand up for himself, he’s instantly seen as the bad guy.
I almost forgot that this had been written by a peer. Not that I didn’t expect it to be good, but it feels so well accomplished, and it’s just so bizarre to be in the position of knowing the author and seeing them through this medium.
There was the odd typo which most people probably won’t even notice, but because I’m as penikity as I am, I see it. But to be honest, there are typos in the most meticulously proofread books out there so it’s not the end of the world, but I had to mention it in order to give a full honest review, as it was something I noticed during my read.
It flows so naturally, it has natural dialogue, great character creation and development, a fun plot. And it’s only book one in a planned series, so it’s going to be an exciting journey.
It’s so fun and juicy and riveting, I could definitely see it as a TV series. It’s full of drama, love, lust, anger, secrets, a little bit of everything and it just makes for a fabulous read to lose yourself in. I finished it in one day as I just had to know what would happen next.
April 18, 2023
Jonathan has an interview that goes viral and an image he needs to reinvent. A career he wants to improve on,tired of being the token diversity character. Tess is happy in the background and in her final year of uni looming. She wants nothing more than to get into the National Film and Television School for her Post Graduate degree.
It's decided that Tess the girl next door is the perfect solution to change the narrative.
It's told by Tess and Jonathan alternating the chapters
Although it sounds like your typical fake dating trope, this story has a lot more substance to both the story and the characters, even the secondary characters, some are real doozies and will definitely have you shouting at the pages! It's a modern day romance with lots of F-bombs (just in case you are not a fan) written in a way that is natural and believable.
The author promises more so let's hope so.
It's decided that Tess the girl next door is the perfect solution to change the narrative.
It's told by Tess and Jonathan alternating the chapters
Although it sounds like your typical fake dating trope, this story has a lot more substance to both the story and the characters, even the secondary characters, some are real doozies and will definitely have you shouting at the pages! It's a modern day romance with lots of F-bombs (just in case you are not a fan) written in a way that is natural and believable.
The author promises more so let's hope so.
April 23, 2023
•𝔹𝕖𝕥𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕃𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕤
•𝕋𝕁 ℝ𝕪𝕒𝕟
Thanks to @booklore_book_tours for my place on this tour & apologies (again!) for my late review.
Jonathan & Tessa have a night of passion with Tessa having no idea who Jonathan is.
Fast forward a few days & Jonathan causes a media storm that needs fixing fast.....Tessa could be the perfect fix.
A fake relationship for the cameras to straighten out Jonathan's image has advantages for them both but what happens when feelings become involved?!
This was a great enjoyable read that I devoured. I liked both the main characters & despised those who needed to be despised!
I'm intrigued to see what happens next? @tjryanwrites don't leave us in suspense!!
A solid 3🌟 read!
What's your favourite trope??
#betweenthelines #booklorebooktours #fakerelationshiptrope #tjryan
•𝕋𝕁 ℝ𝕪𝕒𝕟
Thanks to @booklore_book_tours for my place on this tour & apologies (again!) for my late review.
Jonathan & Tessa have a night of passion with Tessa having no idea who Jonathan is.
Fast forward a few days & Jonathan causes a media storm that needs fixing fast.....Tessa could be the perfect fix.
A fake relationship for the cameras to straighten out Jonathan's image has advantages for them both but what happens when feelings become involved?!
This was a great enjoyable read that I devoured. I liked both the main characters & despised those who needed to be despised!
I'm intrigued to see what happens next? @tjryanwrites don't leave us in suspense!!
A solid 3🌟 read!
What's your favourite trope??
#betweenthelines #booklorebooktours #fakerelationshiptrope #tjryan
April 1, 2023
This is a very enjoyable romance read but it’s way more than that, it’s important. The main characters struggles being bi-racial, how paparazzi and the media cross the line, etc. There was depth to it which made it a moving read as well as enjoying the blossoming romance. I really enjoyed the fact it was dual POV which was written well and I liked that it was fast paced. Tessa feels like a character I know, she’s so strong and kind and I think that she’s quite relatable which I enjoy seeing in books. My only criticism of this book is that there’s too many pop culture references for my liking, but that’s a personal preference. I am very grateful to have been sent this book and given the opportunity to read it.
April 23, 2023
Ok I'm a sucker for this type of book and really this one has everything you need in a juicy romance with depth, not afraid to confront and showcase race, culture and not to mention a fake dating trope. The topics covered made for a brilliant and engaging read.
I liked the characters and recognised their quirks and the back up characters were a delightful inclusion. I feel these types always bring a strong story to the top and this one was on point as they say.
I liked the premise of this one too, it's different from many of the usual high school romance settings of a fake dating trope or a please the parents trope. In this, Jonathan is an actor who's sick of struggling and needs a boost after a viral video gives him the kind of attention he really doesn't want. Tessa is a screenwriter who needs perhaps a leg up to get herself established in a dog eat dog world. They come to an agreement to be seen together would do both of their images good so agree to fake date, however nothing is ever that simple.
A wee cliffhanger means we are left wanting more and waiting not so patiently for book 2!
I liked the characters and recognised their quirks and the back up characters were a delightful inclusion. I feel these types always bring a strong story to the top and this one was on point as they say.
I liked the premise of this one too, it's different from many of the usual high school romance settings of a fake dating trope or a please the parents trope. In this, Jonathan is an actor who's sick of struggling and needs a boost after a viral video gives him the kind of attention he really doesn't want. Tessa is a screenwriter who needs perhaps a leg up to get herself established in a dog eat dog world. They come to an agreement to be seen together would do both of their images good so agree to fake date, however nothing is ever that simple.
A wee cliffhanger means we are left wanting more and waiting not so patiently for book 2!
April 2, 2023
Wow! I loved this book very, very much! I'm gonna need part 2...asap, please 😅
May 13, 2023
I loved it! if I had the luxury of being able to sit down with no interruptions. I would have devoured it in one sitting.
Between the Lines has all of the essential ingredients needed for an easy read, rollercoaster journey, all the feels romance story.
Although some may say that the "fake dating trope" has been done a thousand times over. T.J.'s plotline wasn't run of the mill predictable, and the characters of Tessa and Jonathon, were so well developed and written. So much so, that you can't help but get totally wrapped up in the raw emotion, slow burn, sexual, physical and emotional tension that fizzes between them and their story throughout.
Pair this with diverse representation, drama galore, love to hate characters and a cliffhanger ending that leaves you turning the last few pages seeking, "just one more chapter". You have a book that sucks you in, treats you to a few unadulterated hours of escapism. Then spits you out the other side. Eager to climb straight back in, desperate to find out what happens next.
I am really looking forward to book 2!
Between the Lines has all of the essential ingredients needed for an easy read, rollercoaster journey, all the feels romance story.
Although some may say that the "fake dating trope" has been done a thousand times over. T.J.'s plotline wasn't run of the mill predictable, and the characters of Tessa and Jonathon, were so well developed and written. So much so, that you can't help but get totally wrapped up in the raw emotion, slow burn, sexual, physical and emotional tension that fizzes between them and their story throughout.
Pair this with diverse representation, drama galore, love to hate characters and a cliffhanger ending that leaves you turning the last few pages seeking, "just one more chapter". You have a book that sucks you in, treats you to a few unadulterated hours of escapism. Then spits you out the other side. Eager to climb straight back in, desperate to find out what happens next.
I am really looking forward to book 2!
November 22, 2023
I'm surprised to hear this is a debut! The writing is of high quality, and the author possesses a subtle ability to keep the reader engaged and turning the page. The relationship is natural and believable. I found myself rooting for the characters the whole time. There's a touch of spice that I thought was well done. I truly believed in the world created, and reading about Jonathan felt like delving into the life of a real celebrity, gaining insight into what this lifestyle might look like. It was very well executed, and I'm looking forward to the next installment.
July 22, 2023
This made a quick and easy poolside read. Tessa and Jonathan make a nice couple ... the sex is hot ... the family dynamics for both define dysfunctional ... the ending leaves one wanting more.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews