You Between the Lines

By: Katie Naymon

Narrated by: Sarah Beth Goer

A former sorority girl starts a prestigious poetry MFA program only to discover that one of her classmates is her high school crush-turned-nemesis—​and he can't stop writing about her.

No one’s more surprised than Leigh when a prestigious MFA program in North Carolina accepts her. A former sorority girl, Leigh’s the first to admit she knows more about the lyrics of Taylor Swift than T.S. Eliot, and she’s never been able to shake the “all-style-no-substance” feedback her high school crush made in their poetry workshop. Leigh's insecurities become all too real when Will, that same high school crush-turned-nemesis, shows up at orientation. And now, he’s William, exactly the kind of writer Leigh hates, complete with his pretentious sweater vests and tattered Moleskine. Leigh’s determined to prove herself—and William—wrong by landing the program’s highly-coveted fellowship. But Will’s dead-set on proving himself too, and in a small cohort, they can't keep apart for long.

When Will submits an intimate poem (that's maybe, probably, definitely about Leigh) to workshop, they’re both forced to realize there’s more to the other than what’s on the page. And what’s between the lines may be even more interesting.

Critic reviews

"It's no surprise that a novel about poets would feature some of the best romance writing I've encountered in years. My grad school career repeatedly flashed before my eyes. I melted into this book. It's rare that a debut author becomes an instant auto-buy, but whatever Katie Naymon writes next, please inject it into my veins."—Kate Goldbeck, bestselling author of YOU, AGAIN

"You Between the Lines is almost indescribably good: fresh and smart and tender, with not just some of the most gorgeously crisp prose out there, but poetry I’d pin to every one of my Pinterest boards if I could. It’s the characters that make this an all-timer for me, though: Leigh is my soulmate and Will is the gold standard for book boyfriends. Katie Naymon has a forever fan in me."—Jessica Joyce, USA Today bestselling author of THE EX VOWS and YOU, WITH A VIEW

“Like the loveliest and most profound poems, You Between the Lines is instantly captivating and rich with depth. Naymon’s debut is an ode to writers and a literary love story both sweet and nuanced that will have you underlining every romantic detail.”—Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka, USA Today bestselling authors of THE ROUGHEST DRAFT

“YOU BETWEEN THE LINES marks the debut of a stunning new voice in romance. I was captivated by Katie Naymon’s tender, lyrical prose, and my heart ached–in the best way possible–through every page of Will and Leigh’s journey to embrace the messy vulnerability of both love and art. I eagerly await whatever Naymon does next!”—Ava Wilder, author of WILL THEY OR WON'T THEY

"Like the best poems, You Between the Lines is poignant, lyrical, and true. I thoroughly enjoyed Leigh and William and their rivalry, their pining, and their moody, crackling chemistry. The immersive, academic setting shines, as does Leigh's emotional growth and journey to be vulnerable in her art. An absolutely beautiful debut, and I can't wait to read what Katie Naymon writes next!"—Naina Kumar, USA Today bestselling author of SAY YOU'LL BE MINE

"In her impressive debut, Katie Naymon delivers everything I hoped for in an MFA romance about two poets—from the steady stream of astute psychological insights to the captivating sexual tension and emotional push-pull between Leigh and Will. this novel that centers a Taylor Swift-loving poet main character is itself a Swift banger in book form, one so catchy and fizzy it hijacks your bloodstream, but woven into its complex layers, there is also something so intimately true and human that it feels as if your own diary has been mined for material. This is exactly what I want from a romance.“—Melanie Sweeney, USA Today bestselling author of TAKE ME HOME

Loved everything!

Great character development and beautiful, descriptive writing. I never wanted to put it down. I highly recommend this book!

Angsty poetry writers

I almost didn't finish this book because the main character is so full of self-doubt. The final chapters wrap everything up in a neat bow with rapid self-revelation and growth.
As a counselor, I have to say that things rarely resolve so quickly. I also found that slowing down the narrator's voice helped it be less high-pitched.

Is this real life?

The weakness of this book is that it’s wayyy too realistic. The main character is a paradigmatic MFA student: upper middle class, good looking, self-absorbed, angsty. At age 26, her deepest source of suffering is that her 60 year old parents are getting divorced… lmao. Yes, really.

Anyways, the book is well written, the psychology of the characters rings true, and the MC’s are appropriately dense.

The author is talented, even if reading about Leigh and Will is a chore. The book would have been better if the conflict were grounded in something besides insecurity and delusion. That’s far too much like real life.

Thankful for the narrator

The female main character is slightly annoying with all her insecurities. I think that she could be relatable for many but the self sabotaging was really hard for me to digest. Overall, though I did enjoy it.

Healing

Love second chance romance stories! I’ve never related to a character more than Leigh. This story is a must read for anyone who is constantly taking it upon themselves to make sure others are happy. I laughed and cried, but I unexpectedly felt a sense of healing from Leigh’s (and even Will’s) growth. I wouldn’t even say this is the most “exciting” story, but I’d give it 6 stars if I could! It will stick with me forever.