You Belong with Me

A Novel

By: Mhairi McFarlane

Narrated by: Olivia Vinall

Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

"The whole time I'm reading a Mhairi McFarlane novel, I feel like a fist is squeezing my heart… she is so ridiculously talented."–Emily Henry

International bestseller Mhairi McFarlane delivers a charming, hilarious, and heartfelt new novel about a woman adjusting to life in the spotlight when she begins a relationship with a famous actor, in this highly anticipated follow-up to Who's That Girl.

She found The One. But when everyone wants him, can she keep him?

Edie found true love. And on Christmas day, he’s knocking at her door.

Elliot Owen is handsome, charming and basically Hollywood royalty. And, he insists, madly in love with Edie Thompson: an ordinary citizen with tomato soup stains on her coat. It’s going to be complicated. Edie will have to learn how to live in the limelight, but they’re just too good together not to try.

Edie discovers it’s not easy when the press is the third person in your relationship, or when stories start leaking that force you to mistrust the motives of those around you. It’s tricky when you’re separated by an ocean and gorgeous co-stars and charismatic new colleagues are closer by. It’s harder still when your past is raked up by envious people determined to destroy your present.

Edie already knows how it feels to be infamous, now she’s going to find out what it’s like to be famous.

Are she and Elliot a fairytale, or a cautionary fable about getting what you wish for?

©2024 Mhairi McFarlane (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Edie Thompson 2.0

I could list on one hand the number of books that have provoked a physical reaction & yet without giving anything away, there is a particular point in this story in which I literally had to take a seat, overcome with genuine emotion. The fact that this phenomenon occurred whilst listening to a romance novel only speaks to the brilliance that is Mhairi McFarlane.

The best!

8 years between Who’s that Girl and this sequel, and Mhairi has become even wittier and more articulate. God, I love her Uber-British, unbelievably insightful writing! Great narrator too.

Mhairi McFarlane does it again!

Everything she writes is gold. I laughed, I cried, I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Can't wait for the next book.

Witty , clever, romantic and emotional at times

This author is climbing the charts in my reading journey. She skillfully combines romance, comedy, emotions in her witty way of storytelling .

Satisfying five star read

As usual this author never disappoints. I was so pleased reading the continuing story of Edie and Elliot! Loved every minute of it!

MhF is amazing again

I count down to Mhairi book release days and they never disappoint. There are always moments where I’m floored by how well she’s captured an exact feeling or situation that I’ve experienced and she has put into words with this perfect clarity that is so satisfying. And the banter, especially between these to MCs is exquisite. I could do with an ongoing series with these two just, like, going to the grocery store.

consistently brilliant

this author writes the characters so well that I found myself so emotionally invested in these guys. there were some times where I didn't want to keep reading because I was genuinely worried about the outcome of their relationship. it was almost like these guys were my friends.

it's so refreshing to read about a relationship where the couples aren't immature or emotionally stunted. but I could see them as real people who have real insecurities. McFarlane has a gift for conveying emotional complexities in ways that are easily understandable. I honestly can't wait for the next one.

the narrator was pretty good too, I found that I had to slow her down to 0.9x speed because there were nuances I missed if I was multitasking while listening. but she brought the book to life very nicely.

Romance with depth of relationship

Such insight on the human condition while also delving into the world of fame and social media. The connection between EO and Edie is remarkable and really comes through. Just beautiful.

Wow!

This author never disappoints, always makes me laugh and cry and the characters always have so much depth. I really appreciated that she returned to the couple and showed the very real difficulties of long distance relationships and figuring out how to make a relationship work.

Good not great

I didn’t realize "You Belong with Me" was a sequel to "Who’s That Girl", but luckily, Mhairi McFarlane did a great job giving enough backstory that I didn’t feel lost. However, even with this seamless integration, something about the book felt a bit lacking for me.

The story of Edie dating a Hollywood actor is definitely fun, but it felt more like we were just following their everyday lives rather than experiencing a full-fledged romance with a clear plot. There’s a lot of real-life messiness in their relationship—dealing with the media, long-distance struggles, and the pressures of fame—but at times, it felt like the book needed a little more momentum.

I appreciated the exploration of how fame impacts relationships, and the humor throughout kept things enjoyable. However, some of Edie’s reactions to certain situations, like how she dealt with the media, felt a bit too dramatic for me. The ending also came across as a bit abrupt, and I would have loved to see more of their happily ever after instead of just a quick wrap-up.

That said, McFarlane’s wit and relatable characters make the book a good read overall. I would imagine that if you loved Edie and Elliot in "Who’s That Girl", you’ll probably enjoy revisiting them here, but it left me wanting a bit more conflict and emotional depth and a stronger ending.