friend group drama
Roisin is looking forward to getting back together with the gang. There were six of them who worked together in a bookshop ten years ago—Gina, Meredith, Matt, Dev, Joe, and Roisin. Now they see each other when they can and keep up on their group chat, but now Dev is using some of his reality television money to rent a big country house for them all to get together for a weekend of celebrations. First, they’ll celebrate Dev’s engagement to Anita. Then it’s a belated celebration for Gina’s birthday. And lastly, Joe’s new television series is premiering, and the house’s screening room will be the perfect place to watch it.
Roisin finishes her day as a high school English teacher to the teasing barbs of teenagers before heading out with Gina and Meredith for their weekend. Although she and Joe have been together for ten years, she’s riding out with the girls, and he’s driving himself so he can leave early Sunday morning for a flight to L.A. The first television show he wrote has been doing well, and his second one is about to air. He is a hot commodity now in the entertainment world, and he’s taking advantage of that to take meetings and work on new projects.
As the weekend progresses, the old gang finds themselves falling into the old patterns. Gina’s feelings for Matt. Matt’s crazy dating exploits. Joe’s digs at Matt. And Dev’s ability to read the room and calm the masses. But Roisin finds herself standing back a little, watching Joe with a different perspective. She’d been feeling the distance grow between them for a while. She told herself it was just because he was working so much, but she was wondering if it was something more.
It wasn’t until the premier of his new show, Seen, that Roisin starts to question everything. The show is about a detective and sex addict who breaks the fourth wall and talks to the camera. The show starts off with the main character in a group of six friends, having dinner and drinks together. They leave the restaurant, but he goes back for the scarf he forgot. He finds it at their table, and ends up in the bathroom having an intimate encounter with their server. Roisin remembers the night exactly, when the six of them had gone out and Joe had forgotten his scarf, just like his character. He’d come back to their place and taken a shower immediately. At the time, Roisin hadn’t thought much about it, but now she can’t forget it.
After the show ends, Joe is congratulated by the group. The next morning, he heads to the States, after a conversation with Roisin that confuses her even more. He seemed to have an answer to all of her questions, a reason that should make sense. But they didn’t make sense. Roisin feels in her gut that something is wrong. She feels like he is lying to her. But is she willing to end a ten-year relationship over her suspicions?
And then, when her mom calls needing help at the pub where Roisin grew up, she heads back home to help her out. Joe is in L.A., school is out, and Roisin decides she can help her mother out some, serving drinks on busy Saturday nights. But she also calls Matt and asks for help chasing down whether Joe actually did sleep with a server that night they’d all gone out together. He agrees, but he also discovers a fondness for her family pub. He’d been given leave from his job and was finding himself at loose ends.
Over the next few weeks, as Roisin tries to sort out the truths from the lies, serves drinks at the pub, talks to her girlfriends, and hikes with Matt, she starts to get some clarity on what she wants. But she also realizes that the truths she finds out could potentially destroy their friend group. Will they be able to survive all the drama? Will Roisin?
Between Us is the newest novel from Mhairi McFarlane, known for her sparkling British rom coms. I showed up ready for the laughs and the loves, and that is not what I found. There is some romance, but the lighthearted banter has been replaced with breath-stopping truths, gutting secrets, and a depth of honesty and friendship that takes this book to an entirely new level.
Between Us is the journey of one woman through the half-truths and gaslighting she’s been subjected to at times of her life. Roisin is smart and courageous through this journey, facing the truths as they surface and finding ways to move forward. She stands up for herself, speaks her truths, and takes control of her future. I loved Roisin and how she put the pieces together. There may not be much comedy in this book, but there is a beautiful resolution which makes the sky seem bluer and the birds sing sweeter. Highly recommended!
Egalleys for Between Us were provided by Avon Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.
