Mad About You

I'm a Mhairi McFarlane fangirl. I've only read 3 of her books (I really need to get through that backlog) but even in just the first few pages, her writing brings me joy. The humor, the heart, the depth of characters, they just work for me. Just like her other books, once I started reading Mad About You, I just couldn't put it down.

I think Mhairi McFarlane is really fantastic at handling deep emotions. One of the many reasons why her books are easy to connect with and why they feel special. The depth and delicacy with which emotional abuse and gaslighting is handled in this book is really superb. Throughout most of the book Harriet grapples with aspects of her past, her grief of losing her mom, and the terrible exes that took away her confidence.

The romance takes a bit more of a back seat in this book but I still loved Cal, the love interest, and all the deep conversations they have together about themselves, their families and their past. I loved watching their love slowly develop. One thing that slightly annoyed me here was that Harriet made so many snap judgments about Cal and kept keeping him at a distance because of these, even though at the same time, she was coming to realize that her judgement when it comes to reading people wasn't always accurate. Despite this, they were really so cute together, that I was reading the ending with a big silly grin on my face, melting into a puddle. I enjoyed their romance so much, I just really wish there was a lot more of it :D

There were some terrific women friendships in this book (and one bad one). So many great moments of women supporting women and really making a difference in each others' lives.

Overall, just another amazing Mhairi McFarlane book that is superbly written in both form and content.

Overall rating: 4.2⭐

3.5 rounded down.

I forgot how much I loved Mhairi's writing style and characters. This book had a much heavier subject matter than most of the other books I've read from her, but her writing style made it easier to get through.

I enjoyed the FMC and MMC and thought the female friendships were well done.

It was actually difficult for me to finish it, and I can't even pinpoint why. Maybe I just didn't connect with Harriet, or Cal, or even the ‘perfect man' who was anything but. Maybe I had high expectations because I had loved some of her books before.

Loved this!

Blissfully cerebral! I might actually reread this one just to experience the excellent writing one more time.

Free audiobook on Hoopla.

Check TW before reading. 

This was a different kind of story for me and it kept me wanting more the entire time. I expected more romance, but it was the opposite, which I liked. This story is more about the main character facing something she thought she was over, taking a huge risk, and coming out better on the other side. 

This is the first book I've read by the author and I will be adding her to my auto list! 

I received the ARC from NetGalley.

• British Lit
  - Friends to Lovers
  - Close Proximity
  - Toxic Relationships/Emotional Abuse
  
  • RATING: 4/5 ⭐️

I love Mhairi McFarlane but this one wasn't my favorite. Mad About You seemed to glorify revenge and Scott felt like a quintessentially evil character. The relationship between Harriet and Cal was also instalove even though they didn't get together until the very end.

CW: emotional abuse, gaslighting, negging3.5 stars. Once again, Mhairi McFarlane's latest novel is being mistakenly marketed by her publisher as a light-hearted enemies-to-lovers romance, rather than what it really is: a frequently angsty story about personal growth and recovery. The love story is just the icing on the cupcake. I didn't find Mad About You as engaging as McFarlane's 2021 release [b:Just Last Night 54870201 Just Last Night Mhairi McFarlane https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1606106948l/54870201.SY75.jpg 78642686], but she remains one of my few auto-read authors.Harriet is a successful wedding photographer whose most recent gig was abruptly curtailed when the groom called it off just as the bride was arriving at the church. Despite her profession, Harriet isn't a big fan of marriage, so her boyfriend Jon's very public proposal has the unintended result of Harriet breaking up with him. Wanting to move on as quickly as possible, Harriet accepts new lodgings, sight unseen. Her new home turns out to be lovely, but its owner is none other than the runaway groom who broke his fiancé's heart. Harriet is horrified to learn that she is living with such a heartless cad, but Cal Clarke seems to be a nice, funny and handsome guy. He even helps Harriet rid herself of the exasperating Jon. But then she encounters another former boyfriend, and is far more traumatized by the memories of that toxic relationship. Can Harriet finally heal from the wounds that Scott inflicted, and is there a way to stop the same thing from happening again to another woman? The novel's primary theme is the danger of judging others too quickly. Initially, Harriet thought Scott was the perfect boyfriend, but he turned out to be a nightmare. Cal did the unforgivable by jilting his bride on their wedding day, but once Harriet learns the full story she realizes there were justifiable reasons for his behavior. A lot of the fallout from Harriet's vendetta against Scott happens on social media, where people make scathing statements without knowing anything about the facts. Harriet gets help from her two BFFs and two new friends she meets in a surprising way. The “sisterhood is powerful” theme pretty much overshadows the romance, which feels a bit like an afterthought. It mostly consists of Cal being supportive of Harriet while she gradually stops jumping to the worst conclusions about him, followed by an 11th hour shag and a Medium Sized Misunderstanding that is quickly cleared up.Although the book has a serious tone, McFarlane never fails to throw in a few zingers, such as this description of the best man at the doomed wedding: The best man looked at her with an expression of taut desperation. He was coated in a pastry glaze of sweat, like he'd been brushed with an egg wash and would form a solid crust at 180 degrees...he looked as if he were having an anesthesia-free foot amputation aboard a haunted boat in a storm.. ARC gratefully received from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I'm kind of sorry I read this in June, because if McFarlane continues to release books on the same timetable I won't be treated to a new one for more than a year. And that's a long time to wait for new material from an author whose layered work evinces so many different feelings.