International bestseller Mhairi McFarlane delivers a witty, clever, emotional new novel about a woman whose life unravels spectacularly after her screenwriter boyfriend uses their relationship as inspiration for his new television show. When Roisin and Joe join their friends for a weekend at a country house, it's a triple celebration--a birthday, an engagement, and the launch of Joe's shiny new TV show. But as the weekend unfolds, tensions come to light in the group and Roisin begins to question her own relationship. And as they watch the first episode of Joe's drama, she realizes that the private things she told him--which should have stayed between them--are right there on the screen. With her friend group in chaos and her messy love life on display for the whole world to see, Roisin returns home to avoid the unwanted attention and help run her family's pub. But drama still follows, in the form of her dysfunctional family and the looming question: what other parts of her now-ex's show are inspired by real events? Lies? Infidelity? Every week, as a new episode airs, she wonders what other secrets will be revealed. Yet the most unexpected twist of all is an old friend, who is suddenly there for Roisin in ways she never knew she needed...
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3.5 stars. This felt like a mix of contemporary fiction and romance. On the one hand it's a story of a woman who realizes the man she's been with for ten years is manipulative and gaslighty. You get to see how she navigates exiting that relationship while preserving her friendships. On the other hand, I guess roisin is finding love too? But not in a super high stakes believable way. I could've easily had her NOT fall in love with the guy she ends up with, and that's why it's not a romance.
She doesn't have a hole in the heart that's filled by the Matt dude.
Anyway, because it's a "MIX", it does neither very well. But, good writing/prose nevertheless.