Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty CayouetteMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
Spoiler warning: this review contains mild plot details.
I received an advanced physical copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you to the author for this opportunity.
I recently finished Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty Cayouette, and it was a slow burn with a unique premise. The story followed two ex-friends turned podcast co-hosts, pulled back into each other’s orbit through a professional project neither could really escape—cue all the forced proximity tension and unresolved feelings. There was a definite “friends to lovers to enemies to lovers” arc, with added complexity from the fact that one of the leads, Finn, is the son of a famous actress, which brought some interesting layers to his character.
The book is written from a dual point of view and moves between past and present timelines, which helps build context for how the characters ended up so emotionally tangled. This structure works well to gradually reveal their shared history, but at times, the timeline shifts made the emotional pacing feel slightly uneven.
The podcast they host together is relationship-focused, with guest interviews and dating advice segments woven throughout. Here’s the kicker: both Maeve and Finn give advice to others about relationships and communication, yet they struggle to practice what they preach when it comes to their own feelings. They can’t seem to communicate openly with each other, despite being experts on the subject. This was especially frustrating considering the contrast between their professional personas on air and their emotional immaturity behind the scenes.
What became increasingly frustrating was how little either of them was able to express their true feelings. In a book titled Tell Me How You Really Feel, that emotional avoidance felt a little ironic—especially with Maeve being a therapist and the two of them co-hosting a podcast all about relationships. After a night of intimacy, Maeve ghosted Finn for a month. Then Finn—rather than waiting to have a real conversation—called her during a date to ask if he could move on. She told him to go for it… and then got upset about it. Meanwhile, Finn spent the time in between kissing random women and acting more like a moody teen than someone ready for a relationship. They both made poor choices, and at times I wasn’t sure why they still wanted to be with each other.
At one point, a forced kiss on a stadium kiss cam offers what should’ve been a clear opportunity to break the act and finally talk things through—but instead, Maeve walks off and leaves it hanging. It’s a turning point in the story, but like many moments between them, it leads to more avoidance rather than clarity.
I’m not a fan of the miscommunication trope, and this book certainly leans into it. There are plenty of moments where Finn and Maeve could have had an honest conversation but instead chose to avoid or misunderstand each other, which, for me, detracted from their development and delayed any real progress in their relationship.
Another major theme in the book is anxiety—both characters, but especially Maeve, experience panic attacks, and their struggles with mental health are portrayed with honesty and care. While this adds emotional depth, it also highlights just how much is going on beneath the surface that neither of them is openly addressing.
Their chemistry is there, but it’s buried under a lot of mixed signals, emotional immaturity, and a lack of communication. The second half of the book does offer more resolution, but it’s not always an easy journey to watch unfold and I very nearly DNF’d this book.
These are my personal thoughts on the book, and I fully acknowledge that not everyone will agree with my take. Everyone brings their own perspective to a story, and what didn’t work for me might resonate with someone else in a different way.
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