Mad about you A novel

Wedding photographer Harriet Hatley, 34, is contemplating breaking up with her boyfriend when he proposes--on holiday, in front of his family. She needs to move out quickly, so she takes a room in a house with handsome, charming Cal. But there's no danger of her falling for him--Cal left his bride at the altar at a wedding she covered, so clearly he's not a great guy. At another wedding, she runs into Scott, her abusive ex-boyfriend, who is now engaged. In an effort to warn his fiancée about Scott's true nature, Harriet writes her a letter. Scott turns around and writes a detailed Facebook post, accusing Harriet of all the abuse he perpetrated. But this brings another of Scott's ex-girlfriends out of the woodwork, and the women plot public revenge. Despite its heavy themes of coping with past abuse and loss, McFarlane's latest, following Just Last Night (2021), is a mostly lighthearted romp through friendship, love, and starting over. Readers of Marian Keyes will be drawn to this British charmer.

McFarlane (after If I Never Met You) delivers a well-developed work of women's fiction with a romantic endcap. Wedding planner Harriet Hatley is adrift. Her two closest friends are her only family, and her current relationship is more comfortable than passionate. When her boyfriend stages a public proposal despite Harriet's frequent avowals that she's not interested in marriage, it's a clear sign that their relationship's not working. She needs to move out and move on. She finds a flatmate in her polar opposite, the handsome and recently heartbroken Cal Clarke. What follows is the story of a woman reviewing her romantic history and learning that confronting her past is the best way to build a happy future. The romance that slowly emerges between Harriet and Cal takes a backseat to Harriet's personal growth. Still, McFarlane's dry wit and Briticism-laden prose will appeal to her many fans, and her heroine charms. Readers who don't mind the minimal focus on the love connection will be enchanted. (Aug.)