Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
As a reader though, you end up wishing for a romance that is much more carefree and open, and which spells into action. It isn’t sufficient to just read their thoughts about love and how they feel about each other, the reader in me craved more. That being said, the kind of love that you witness in Mad About You feels genuine and warm, and uplifting, if not deeply passionate. It really felt like the actual positive romance was thrown in there just so the publisher could market it as romance (given it is the most profitable and best-selling fiction genre). I would classify this as a contemporary fiction or start a new category called 'stressy n depressy' reads. I honestly don't mind when books are 'mis-categorized' because the author doesn't have control over those decisions and I don't mind when romcom books are more com than rom, but the com wasn't poppin enough for me to say I really enjoyed this read. If you like rom-ish com books, I'd go with Lindsay Kelk. Although her plots are sometimes a bit slow getting started, you always feel she’s given you just enough, never too much and never too little. You always come away feeling you Have regained a sense of what is important in life.
Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane | Goodreads
And she does it because she believes women should help other women. One of the themes of this novel is the importance and power of female friendship and advocacy. Harriet Hatley is the most in-demand wedding photographer in town, but she doesn’t believe in romance, loathes the idea of marriage, and thinks chocolate fountains are an abomination. Which is why, when her long-time partner proposes, she panics. Suddenly Harriet is single… and living down the hall from her ex. She needs a new apartment, like, yesterday. Harriet is such a fantastic protagonist and is so layered and dynamic. She’s smart and funny and a loyal friend, but she is also burdened by her past. Harriet goes on a tremendously emotional journey throughout the book as she learns to be vulnerable, love herself, and let others love her. She also has to deal with things that happened to her in the past, especially when someone from her past resurfaces. I think her character and the situations she finds herself in are very relatable and realistic, and I was so invested in her story and hoping for her to find happiness. McFarlane’s books always make me feel a ton of feels. Sometimes laugh-out-loud funny and other times a bit heat-breaking, Mad About You is a well-crafted and nuanced piece of contemporary fiction. The characters are relatable and compelling, and the themes are poignant. It’s pretty safe to say that I will enjoy most anything McFarlane writes at this point!Also, this is more of a minor quibble, but having read all of her 8 books to date now, there is rather a tried and tested formula to a lot of her characters, in that many of her heroines and heroes and secondary characters even, feel as if they are all moulded from the same essential template, with very minor adjustments. I suppose if something works, why change it, but perhaps it would be refreshing to try something a little different. I will say that I did really enjoy the dynamic between Cal and Sam, and this healthy male friendship was something McFarlane has not portrayed before. Gorgeously romantic, as well as a story about friendship and grief and loss; I never wanted it to end' Beth O'Leary, #1 bestselling author of The Flatshare Summary: When Harriet Harley ends up single and homeless following a breakup with her new fiancé, she moves in with Cal Clarke, a stranger dealing with his own pre-wedding breakup. When Harriet’s ex-boyfriend makes a stunning accusation, Harriet is forced to confront her past as she figures out what she wants for the future.
Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane - Publishers Weekly Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane - Publishers Weekly
This is edgiest, most angsty, triggering, intense Mhairi McFarlene book I’ve ever had! The smart writing, the genuine, real and connectable characters made me drawn into this thought provoking story with powerful messages! Mhairi consistently writes flawless romantic comedies and Mad About You is no exception' HOLLY BOURNE And, meanwhile, we had some good laughs, some self-discovery, and a slow-burn awakening of something delicious, all in true McFarlane style, as the MC slogs through the mire to earn herself a lovely ending (or beginning, depending on perspective).She is a survivor of abusive raltionship. With Miss McFarlane talented writing, the story speaks for itself. The twist and turn keeping me on my edge. I loving it. There’s not a whole lot I can say different here to how I’ve reviewed McFarlane’s previous books, to be honest. Yes, it’s a different book, with a different story, but it’s also Mhairi McFarlane, with her signature beats. There’s the humour, the romance, the friendship, and the balance of the narrative as it treads along heavier topics—all of it ties together into a book which, although it might not be my outright favourite of McFarlane’s, is up there among them.
Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane | Goodreads Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane | Goodreads
If I leave another woman to suffer Scott Dyer because I’m frightened of intervening, then nothing has really changed. If I don’t do it, Lorna, then I’m still scared of him. That’s just a fact.’ Man, that still makes it sound like a huge downer and it really isn't. I liked Harriet and her insights. She's observant and wry without being cynical or judgmental and that's a lovely balance. I felt for her struggles with her exes and trying to find a healthy balance in her relationships (not just romantic, but with friends, roommates, and clients, too). On the slightly negative side, I did feel that for me personally too much time was devoted to the exes here, particularly as there is not just Scott, but Jon too, not to mention we have Cal's ex Kristina, the woman he jilted at the altar! As such it often feels like there is too much going on in the book and no breathing space. When it comes to Jon, I did actually like the portrayal of his character, and that it was not just him to blame for the failing of this relationship, but Harriet too, as whilst she may not have admitted it to herself at the time, she was in many ways using Jon as a safe bet after Scott. As such I thought both relationships made sense in terms of the context in which they were presented, however, it did mean that the present day evolving relationship with Cal didn't get as much air time, and given how much I liked the scenes that Cal and Harriet did have together, I just thought this a shame. Also whilst they totally worked as friends throughout most of the book, and whilst there was an undeniable spark between them, I did think the ending felt rushed and may be not quite convincing between them, simply because it hadn't been properly built up to. Well, I still enjoyed this book! Ms. McFarlane’s smart descriptions to make us see through the characters’ soul and her method to write true heartbreaking angsty stories made me love this book. It’s not my all time favorite work of hers but it is still a MUST READ!
Born in Scotland in 1972, Mhairi, whose name is pronounced as Vah-Ree, turned to writing fiction after a brief stint in journalism. Since, I had heard only good things about the author and her books, as could be expected, I was quite excited to read this one. And truly, the experience turned out to be a good one. In Harriet, we see a woman who has undergone a lot of emotional abuse and gaslighting. We see a woman who despite her hardships, finally finds the courage to stand up for herself. I finally got to read one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Did it live up to my expectations? Well, it may not have crossed the five-star threshold but I dove into this right after work and barely moved until I finished it, neglecting meals and more. So that definitely says a lot.
Mad About You | Mhairi McFarlane | Book Review - bookGeeks Mad About You | Mhairi McFarlane | Book Review - bookGeeks
NOTE TO PUBLISHER: Stop marketing this author’s books with misleading covers. It is not in the best interest of readers, who end up disgruntled with an unexpected genre. She has been in a steady 2-year-old relationship with her boyfriend but when he proposes marriage, she panics, eventually leading to a breakup. Now, not only Harriet is single but she also needs a place to live. if you haven't read this author before then you might be surprised by the "deeper" & "emotional" twist... McFarlane’s latest, her eighth novel Mad About You (HarperFiction), opens as wedding photographer Harriet turns down a proposal from her seemingly perfect boyfriend. She ends up in a house-share with Cal—the groom she saw running away from his own wedding. There is a glorious mean-guy-getting-his-comeuppance plotline, as well as sparks galore and lots of laughs, but at its heart, this novel is also exploring the fallout from an emotionally abusive relationship.
The writing was typical McFarlane, she tries to be breezy through some tough topics, but it doesn't work. Also there's a whole info dump told to readers via a letter that I loathed. It was such a cheap move to do and I think that it happened because at that point we were at around the 50 percent mark or more and we still didn't know what happened in Harriet's past besides it affected her still. MMs books are never really about the romance - they are always about the growth of the characters - but i definitely think this is the best romance MM has written. A plot that gets under your skin, and one scene in particular that will have women everywhere cheering out loud' LUCY DIAMOND
Related:
Great Deal 
New Comment