Book Review : Read Between the Lines by Belinda Williams



Read Between the Lines by Belinda Williams
Series : Freshwater #1
Genre : Contemporary Romance
Publication Date : March 30th, 2020
Are some secrets too good to keep?

Kat Chalmers is a high achiever. As the co-host of a leading current affairs program, she’s earned nationwide acclaim for her interview skills. And now she plans to use those skills to find out more about her mysterious neighbour, Matt Goodridge.

Matt works long hours as an obstetrician and doesn’t like talking about his past. He’s also intrigued by his famous neighbour, although getting to know her is difficult when she prefers to be the one asking the questions.

But Kat can’t seem to stay away. Matt’s like no one she’s ever met and she finds herself letting her guard down. Meanwhile, Matt is discovering that the woman behind the carefully crafted television persona is entirely different to who he thought she was.

When Matt learns Kat has secrets of her own to hide, he begins to wonder if some secrets are too good to keep . . . even if it means risking your heart and your professional reputation.

A fresh new series set in beachside Sydney featuring high-achieving women and men who aren’t afraid to be challenged, from the author of the City Love books. 

I have read and loved The Hollywood Hearts series by Belinda Williams, so when I learned that she was coming out with a new series I was really excited!
Read Between the Lines follows the story of Kat Chalmers, a famous current affairs program host and Matt Goodridge, an obstetrician. They meet each other on the balconies of their beachside apartments and strike up a slow friendship that evolves into something deeper! But, both Kat and Matt have been through a lot in their pasts and are reluctant to share their deepest secrets. As they find themselves spending more time with each other, will they be able to hold onto the relationship that slowly develops between them or will their pasts catch up?

The book gets off to a good start with Kat and Matt meeting each other and slowly becoming friends. I loved the interactions between them and the smooth development of their relationship. Though Matt appears a little mysterious in the beginning, Kat is the one who is more closed off. Matt is quite patient and he knew how to give Kat space without overwhelming her. As the relationship between them got deeper, I was still disappointed that Kat's trust issues were holding her back so much. This book has a huge focus on mental health and I loved how the author handled all these issues.

But what caused me to get irritated at one point was Kat's reactions to Matt's actions. She was definitely a great help to Matt when he dealt with his demons, but he deserves an award for his patience too! I understand why she felt betrayed by Matt's actions but her reaction to that was a little extreme. 

On the other hand, I loved the cast of supporting characters! They made for great additions to the story and I'm really excited to read Jess and Ant's story next!
I'd definitely urge you to give this one a chance if you're looking for a cute contemporary romance read with realistic characters!

*I was provided with an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Belinda Williams is a marketing copywriter who allowed an addiction to romance to get the better of her. She writes contemporary romance including romantic comedy and romantic suspense featuring good guys. She’s occasionally tempted by bad boys, but prefers to write strong women characters and men with big hearts. Her other addictions include music and cars. She’s a music lover who sings lead vocals in a covers band and her eclectic taste forms the foundation for many of her writing ideas. She also has a healthy appreciation for fast cars and would not so secretly love a Lamborghini. For now she settles for her son’s Hot Wheels collection. When she’s not obsessing over word count, she can be found counting laps at her local swimming pool or taking on yet another renovation project in her Sydney home, where she lives with her husband and son.

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