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If Not You
AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER!
Five years of history. Four weeks on the road. Two rival copywriters learning love is the hardest sell of all.
Mattie French has always known how to tell a good story. It’s why she stopped at nothing to land her dream career as a copywriter at a scrappy independent advertising agency. In fact, if it weren’t for one person, Mattie would probably be the most-talked-about rising star in town.
Campbell Porter is a senior copywriter at Chicago’s slickest agency. Absurdly talented, incredibly aware of it, and the bane of Mattie’s existence since they were interns together, Campbell is always just…there, with his golden-boy smirk and the familiar gaze that never fails to taunt her across a crowded room.
Mattie would love nothing more than to avoid Campbell forever. But when their agencies are pitted against each other to compete for a luxury resort account, it’s her chance to prove she can beat him—and earn the promotion she covets.
During the month of travel required for the pitch, Mattie and Campbell are thrown together as fierce competitors and, slowly, as unexpected witnesses to each other’s hidden wounds and softest parts. As their trip barrels toward its final pitch, Mattie is forced to confront the increasingly obvious the story she’s crafted for her and Campbell over the years might need a new ending.
Five years of history. Four weeks on the road. Two rival copywriters learning love is the hardest sell of all.
Mattie French has always known how to tell a good story. It’s why she stopped at nothing to land her dream career as a copywriter at a scrappy independent advertising agency. In fact, if it weren’t for one person, Mattie would probably be the most-talked-about rising star in town.
Campbell Porter is a senior copywriter at Chicago’s slickest agency. Absurdly talented, incredibly aware of it, and the bane of Mattie’s existence since they were interns together, Campbell is always just…there, with his golden-boy smirk and the familiar gaze that never fails to taunt her across a crowded room.
Mattie would love nothing more than to avoid Campbell forever. But when their agencies are pitted against each other to compete for a luxury resort account, it’s her chance to prove she can beat him—and earn the promotion she covets.
During the month of travel required for the pitch, Mattie and Campbell are thrown together as fierce competitors and, slowly, as unexpected witnesses to each other’s hidden wounds and softest parts. As their trip barrels toward its final pitch, Mattie is forced to confront the increasingly obvious the story she’s crafted for her and Campbell over the years might need a new ending.
396 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2026
About the author
Ellen O'Clover
5 books942 followersEllen O’Clover writes stories about love, identity, and belonging for both teens and adults.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,828 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3-3.5? O'Clover is a great fiction/romance writer but this didn't land for me. Hate to rivalry to love should feel earned but the romance here did not fully grab me. They were very mean to each other.. and while I love that kind of tension in my romantasy/fantasy books.. I don't enjoy seeing that in my contemporary romance books. I had a few other issues and will expand in my full review. Sorry everyone, school started, I'm swamped with work and kids schedules!
I'd still recommend it. Full review to follow!
What's it about, in short:
This is a story about two rival copywriters who become the banes of each other's existence. Want to avoid each other yet can't stop taunting one another.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author, Ellen O'Clover for an early ARC.
Publication date: September 15, 2026
I'd still recommend it. Full review to follow!
What's it about, in short:
This is a story about two rival copywriters who become the banes of each other's existence. Want to avoid each other yet can't stop taunting one another.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author, Ellen O'Clover for an early ARC.
Publication date: September 15, 2026
October 4, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ ah yes…my favourite variant of the enemies-to-lovers trope in contemporary romance (and the only one that should exist really), and that is the good ol’ fashioned rivals-to-lovers. professional or academic? a delicacy when done RIGHT. this one (of the professional variety) did so many things well and i enjoyed my time with it! honestly, this is almost a 4 star read for me (mainly because of how much i was feeling in the second half), but there was something about the first half that was a little difficult for me to get into (and for a very elusive reason…as in, i’m not sure why myself). all in all though, i liked this a lot!
mattie french and campbell porter were once (five years ago) competing in an internship program for a full-time position at an ad agency. since then, they’ve always been the thorn in each other’s side, even after one of them gets the gig over the other and the “loser” is left to look for a job elsewhere, lest they become the victor’s intern if they stayed. five years on and working at different firms, the two circle each other at industry gigs, award ceremonies for creatives, and networking events…never quite being able to escape one another. then, the two respective firms they work for now get invited on a month-long pitch for a big-catch prospective client. away from home, they are stuck together again…or maybe at last 🤭.
i’ll keep it simple and just note down the things i liked!
💌 the workplace aspect to this was really fun! the ad stuff reminded me of mad men, which was one of my favourite tv shows. i also liked that this was about writers but not the usual literary-or-romance-author schtick (for the most part). i do think that books about authors and book lovers as characters (and that being a focal point) are saturating contemporary romance (i felt this way already last year when i picked up yet another one and noted this down its review). this, however, delivered something a little bit different with the mcs being copywriters — and it was refreshing. yes, one wants to be an author but it didn’t overpower the copywriting aspect. i also liked that the month-long pitch thing moved us through a couple different settings, so that the book didn’t feel like we were stuck in one place. it made for some great forced proximity too.
💌 i loved that we got to see an actual rivalry at play through the work and the way they would verbally spar with one another. the disdain was real, especially on mattie’s part (since we only have her pov for thoughts and all), and i ate that up! some rivalry books do A LOT of telling instead of showing for this piece but this one didn’t, which i more than appreciated. i saw some discourse prior to reading about these two being too mean to each other which made me a little wary, but i had nothing to worry about because the bite in their dynamic was so enjoyable and most importantly for me: mutual! they both gave as good as they got and it was balanced, without ever becoming too disrespectful for my personal taste. of course, i knew campbell had feelings but he was still going toe-to-toe with my girl 🤭. i’m mindful though that i love this kind of thing naturally, so 🤭. it’s something you’d have to assess against your own preferences.
💌 i really liked both mcs!
mattie was a black cat that i enjoyed and felt as though she was well-fleshed out. i appreciated a lot about her personal arc, particularly her feelings about love, family, marriage, loneliness, and her fears, vulnerabilities and wants. sometimes the storyline with her best friend was losing me a bit, but overall i delighted in her character a lot. and YEEEES, we got a tall girl (like me). love that, and that she was always wearing black 🖤. the morticia jokes were cracking me up. all this to say, i found her relatable and perfectly imperfect.
campbell…yeeeeesh. no man named campbell porter and one with his brand of quirky style (at times) should have THIS much game (also, finding out his reason for some of the ridiculous things he would wear…nuuu 🥹). this man was suuuuuuch a YEARN-er. he was obsessed!!! best part? it was through ACTIONS and not just overtures in inner monologues, because this is a single pov book and we don’t have his at all. and it was stellar. i love a man who knows his place.
position in life and mattie’s orbit: down bad.
“oh, i remember everything about you, french.”
“we established last night that you’re in charge of me.”
“you can do anything you want to me.”
oh, he was absolutely pathetic in the best way 🤭. i loved how he handled mattie as their relationship evolved over the course of the book, and i found his personal arc with his family and career ambitions to be thoughtfully executed. he actually got a story and an emotional struggle, so the book had balance. he wasn’t just there to be an accessory for the fmc only.
💌 this being single pov was an excellent choice for this trope. it made campbell’s interactions with mattie deliver all the giggling i wanted it to because i didn’t have to be in his head to know he was utterly gone for her, even when they were at odds. a well-placed line, an expression or revealing behaviour hinting to his obsession viewed solely through her oblivious eyes was all i needed. when he does become more overtly expressive, it never felt heavy-handed and yet this man was on his metaphorical kneeeeeeees. the balance was in fact, correct 🙂↕️.
💌 kink: whenever there’s a rivalry and the mmc calls the fmc by her last name. yeah, this is getting a separate bullet because it’s that important to me. every time he called her french, i was swooning.
💌 the romance overall was actually pretty solid and their chemistry delivered. the sexier scenes in this also really did something for me, even though they didn’t rely on explicit terms or read like typical spice. they still delivered the details and sensory quality that made whenever they collided go right to my head, and campbell had a tasteful mouth 🫦. the emotional beats in the second half and towards the end stirred me too.
my only “issues” with the romance have to do with these things: for one, the pace. it was a leeetle uneven — not detrimentally so — but the switch up in the middle could have been drawn out a bit more. we lept to big feels a bit quicker than i would have liked and even though they’d known each other for so long, it still felt a little abrupt given their rivalry. i felt like the time period over which the big relationship changes happened was too short. there are books that probably do it over a similar timeframe (or less) and it hasn’t really been a problem for me, but unfortunately i felt it in this one. the other thing was that the third act was too formulaic, but i’m not tooooo mad at it.
truly, i don’t have other big cons for this outside of me not quite feeling 4-star magic. sometimes these things are driven more by gut than outright flaws, and i’m not one to look for ones after the fact that i didn’t feel along the way. my rating, despite all these things that worked for me, is mostly because i felt an inconsistent connection (between me and the book, not between the characters) in half one for a reason i cannot pin-point. maybe it’s just me being a bit slumpy after my last read. it felt like it was taking me an unusual-for-me amount of time to read from the top of a page to the bottom, or i needed to double back on some stuff more than normal — and it wasn’t because the writing was overly complicated or shaky either…i thought that it was pretty good and had a thoughtful quality to it. i just don’t know why. other than that, and not always being fully invested in some of the side hustles in the mcs’ personal arcs (specifically the mattie-ava thread), and a few of those little imperfections i noted about the romance, this was a dependable read and i’m glad i picked this up! this is a good 3.5, rather than an i’m disappointed and expected so much more one.
”okay,” he says. “okay, because that’s really my worst-case scenario.”
“me being with someone?”
“you being with someone who’s not me.” he’s suddenly so flushed: his throat, the crests of his cheekbones. “you—falling in love with someone who’s not me.” 🥹
mattie french and campbell porter were once (five years ago) competing in an internship program for a full-time position at an ad agency. since then, they’ve always been the thorn in each other’s side, even after one of them gets the gig over the other and the “loser” is left to look for a job elsewhere, lest they become the victor’s intern if they stayed. five years on and working at different firms, the two circle each other at industry gigs, award ceremonies for creatives, and networking events…never quite being able to escape one another. then, the two respective firms they work for now get invited on a month-long pitch for a big-catch prospective client. away from home, they are stuck together again…or maybe at last 🤭.
i’ll keep it simple and just note down the things i liked!
💌 the workplace aspect to this was really fun! the ad stuff reminded me of mad men, which was one of my favourite tv shows. i also liked that this was about writers but not the usual literary-or-romance-author schtick (for the most part). i do think that books about authors and book lovers as characters (and that being a focal point) are saturating contemporary romance (i felt this way already last year when i picked up yet another one and noted this down its review). this, however, delivered something a little bit different with the mcs being copywriters — and it was refreshing. yes, one wants to be an author but it didn’t overpower the copywriting aspect. i also liked that the month-long pitch thing moved us through a couple different settings, so that the book didn’t feel like we were stuck in one place. it made for some great forced proximity too.
💌 i loved that we got to see an actual rivalry at play through the work and the way they would verbally spar with one another. the disdain was real, especially on mattie’s part (since we only have her pov for thoughts and all), and i ate that up! some rivalry books do A LOT of telling instead of showing for this piece but this one didn’t, which i more than appreciated. i saw some discourse prior to reading about these two being too mean to each other which made me a little wary, but i had nothing to worry about because the bite in their dynamic was so enjoyable and most importantly for me: mutual! they both gave as good as they got and it was balanced, without ever becoming too disrespectful for my personal taste. of course, i knew campbell had feelings but he was still going toe-to-toe with my girl 🤭. i’m mindful though that i love this kind of thing naturally, so 🤭. it’s something you’d have to assess against your own preferences.
💌 i really liked both mcs!
mattie was a black cat that i enjoyed and felt as though she was well-fleshed out. i appreciated a lot about her personal arc, particularly her feelings about love, family, marriage, loneliness, and her fears, vulnerabilities and wants. sometimes the storyline with her best friend was losing me a bit, but overall i delighted in her character a lot. and YEEEES, we got a tall girl (like me). love that, and that she was always wearing black 🖤. the morticia jokes were cracking me up. all this to say, i found her relatable and perfectly imperfect.
campbell…yeeeeesh. no man named campbell porter and one with his brand of quirky style (at times) should have THIS much game (also, finding out his reason for some of the ridiculous things he would wear…nuuu 🥹). this man was suuuuuuch a YEARN-er. he was obsessed!!! best part? it was through ACTIONS and not just overtures in inner monologues, because this is a single pov book and we don’t have his at all. and it was stellar. i love a man who knows his place.
position in life and mattie’s orbit: down bad.
“oh, i remember everything about you, french.”
“we established last night that you’re in charge of me.”
“you can do anything you want to me.”
oh, he was absolutely pathetic in the best way 🤭. i loved how he handled mattie as their relationship evolved over the course of the book, and i found his personal arc with his family and career ambitions to be thoughtfully executed. he actually got a story and an emotional struggle, so the book had balance. he wasn’t just there to be an accessory for the fmc only.
💌 this being single pov was an excellent choice for this trope. it made campbell’s interactions with mattie deliver all the giggling i wanted it to because i didn’t have to be in his head to know he was utterly gone for her, even when they were at odds. a well-placed line, an expression or revealing behaviour hinting to his obsession viewed solely through her oblivious eyes was all i needed. when he does become more overtly expressive, it never felt heavy-handed and yet this man was on his metaphorical kneeeeeeees. the balance was in fact, correct 🙂↕️.
💌 kink: whenever there’s a rivalry and the mmc calls the fmc by her last name. yeah, this is getting a separate bullet because it’s that important to me. every time he called her french, i was swooning.
💌 the romance overall was actually pretty solid and their chemistry delivered. the sexier scenes in this also really did something for me, even though they didn’t rely on explicit terms or read like typical spice. they still delivered the details and sensory quality that made whenever they collided go right to my head, and campbell had a tasteful mouth 🫦. the emotional beats in the second half and towards the end stirred me too.
my only “issues” with the romance have to do with these things: for one, the pace. it was a leeetle uneven — not detrimentally so — but the switch up in the middle could have been drawn out a bit more. we lept to big feels a bit quicker than i would have liked and even though they’d known each other for so long, it still felt a little abrupt given their rivalry. i felt like the time period over which the big relationship changes happened was too short. there are books that probably do it over a similar timeframe (or less) and it hasn’t really been a problem for me, but unfortunately i felt it in this one. the other thing was that the third act was too formulaic, but i’m not tooooo mad at it.
truly, i don’t have other big cons for this outside of me not quite feeling 4-star magic. sometimes these things are driven more by gut than outright flaws, and i’m not one to look for ones after the fact that i didn’t feel along the way. my rating, despite all these things that worked for me, is mostly because i felt an inconsistent connection (between me and the book, not between the characters) in half one for a reason i cannot pin-point. maybe it’s just me being a bit slumpy after my last read. it felt like it was taking me an unusual-for-me amount of time to read from the top of a page to the bottom, or i needed to double back on some stuff more than normal — and it wasn’t because the writing was overly complicated or shaky either…i thought that it was pretty good and had a thoughtful quality to it. i just don’t know why. other than that, and not always being fully invested in some of the side hustles in the mcs’ personal arcs (specifically the mattie-ava thread), and a few of those little imperfections i noted about the romance, this was a dependable read and i’m glad i picked this up! this is a good 3.5, rather than an i’m disappointed and expected so much more one.
”okay,” he says. “okay, because that’s really my worst-case scenario.”
“me being with someone?”
“you being with someone who’s not me.” he’s suddenly so flushed: his throat, the crests of his cheekbones. “you—falling in love with someone who’s not me.” 🥹
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If Not You kept me hooked from start to finish! I don’t even like dual timelines, and yet I was eating this up. The writing was engaging, the dialogue was fun, and the chemistry was sizzling.
The tension and the pining were chef’s kiss. The romance made my heart melt, and I was so fully invested that I stayed up way too late finishing it. If you liked The Hating Game, you’ll probably love this too!
Tropes: Forced proximity | He falls first | Rivals to lovers
─ ✦ ────
✎ᝰ.┊ pre-read: I’m 25% into this and I’ve been so gripped I actually forgot to make an update! If the tension keeps escalating at this rate, I totally expect to be giggling and kicking my feet soon 🤭 This is so good!!
⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
The tension and the pining were chef’s kiss. The romance made my heart melt, and I was so fully invested that I stayed up way too late finishing it. If you liked The Hating Game, you’ll probably love this too!
Tropes: Forced proximity | He falls first | Rivals to lovers
─ ✦ ────
✎ᝰ.┊ pre-read: I’m 25% into this and I’ve been so gripped I actually forgot to make an update! If the tension keeps escalating at this rate, I totally expect to be giggling and kicking my feet soon 🤭 This is so good!!
⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
September 28, 2026
“Because that’s really my worst-case scenario.”
“𝓜𝓮 𝓫𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓮?”
“You being with someone who’s not me.”
“You falling in love with someone who’s not me.”
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
“ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴇᴀɴs ᴡᴀʀ” x ᴍᴀʀɪᴀɴᴀs ᴛʀᴇɴᴄʜ
0:15 ─♥────────── 3:24
╭➤ the premise
────────────────────────────╮
Mattie and Campbell have years of history and rivalry, plus one very inconvenient reason to spend weeks stuck together. They’re competing for the same account, so all that old tension gets dragged onto the road with them.
────────────────────────────╯
Okay so I’m ALWAYS a sucker for rivals to lovers. Especially when the girl genuinely can’t stand the guy while he’s been into her the whole time. I love when he gets under her skin because he thinks her frustration is cute. BUT CAMPBELL. 😭 Why did it feel like he had so little consideration for Mattie and everything she worked so hard for?? I can handle banter that’s sharp and tense, but there were moments where it crossed over into just mean. And honestly? Childish. I dragged myself through the beginning because I felt so disconnected from both of them 🤷🏼♀️
And then Mattie suddenly being okay with getting together with him had me like… girl. WHERE is your self-respect??? 😭 talk about whiplash 😭
I also struggled with the overall plot outside of the romance. I wasn’t invested in their work if I'm being honest, so I had to fight the urge to skim a lot of it. SIGHHHH. Dexter was also irritating and annoying imo 😭, and Mattie’s friendship with Ava made me mildly uncomfortable because it felt so codependent (that dynamic hit close to home because I’ve experienced a friendship that felt that deeply intertwined and only realized after it had torn apart how unhealthy & toxic it had become)
The dual timeline confused me at first, but once I understood how the flashbacks connected, I liked the way everything tied together. And the last 30%? MUCH better. The chemistry finally started giving me what I’d been waiting for. I also loved the realization that love isn’t more painful than it’s worth. It’s worth the risk.
Overall, I KNOW I’m very much in the minority here because I’ve seen so many people absolutely adore this book, and honestly, I really wanted to be one of them. 😭 I thoroughly enjoyed this author’s debut, so I think that made this one feel even more disappointing for me. I definitely wouldn’t tell people not to read it because I can clearly see what others loved about it. This just ended up being one of those books where I wasn't connected or drawn in. For me, it was cute after the 60% mark, but the beginning was a pretty solid MEH, and the rivals to lovers romance just didn’t deliver what I was hoping for. I have to just remind myself that at the end of the day, I won't like every book I pick up 😭 even if everyone else seemed to have a much more enjoyable time 😔
favorite quotes ↓
“Oh, I remember everything about you, French.”
“It’s just me.”
As if Campbell Porter has ever been just anything to me.
“You’re worth anything to me, Mattie. I’d rather be hurt by you than do anything else, ever, with anyone else.”
“Life isn’t weighted, sweetheart. It’s not more important to be happy when you’re old, or to have something good later on. We don’t know what’s going to happen. And we don’t get to decide. All we can choose is who we do it with.”
things to know about the book ↓
✒️ rivals → lovers
✒️ hate → love
✒️ forced proximity
✒️ black cat x golden retriever
✒️ dual timeline
✒️ he falls first
✒️ dual POV
swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 24, 25, 30
Thank you NetGalley, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕
september 28th- had this one for awhile 🫣 im a pretty big fan of rivals to lovers so im hoping it'll hit
“𝓜𝓮 𝓫𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓮?”
“You being with someone who’s not me.”
“You falling in love with someone who’s not me.”
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
“ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴇᴀɴs ᴡᴀʀ” x ᴍᴀʀɪᴀɴᴀs ᴛʀᴇɴᴄʜ
0:15 ─♥────────── 3:24
╭➤ the premise
────────────────────────────╮
Mattie and Campbell have years of history and rivalry, plus one very inconvenient reason to spend weeks stuck together. They’re competing for the same account, so all that old tension gets dragged onto the road with them.
────────────────────────────╯
Okay so I’m ALWAYS a sucker for rivals to lovers. Especially when the girl genuinely can’t stand the guy while he’s been into her the whole time. I love when he gets under her skin because he thinks her frustration is cute. BUT CAMPBELL. 😭 Why did it feel like he had so little consideration for Mattie and everything she worked so hard for?? I can handle banter that’s sharp and tense, but there were moments where it crossed over into just mean. And honestly? Childish. I dragged myself through the beginning because I felt so disconnected from both of them 🤷🏼♀️
And then Mattie suddenly being okay with getting together with him had me like… girl. WHERE is your self-respect??? 😭 talk about whiplash 😭
I also struggled with the overall plot outside of the romance. I wasn’t invested in their work if I'm being honest, so I had to fight the urge to skim a lot of it. SIGHHHH. Dexter was also irritating and annoying imo 😭, and Mattie’s friendship with Ava made me mildly uncomfortable because it felt so codependent (that dynamic hit close to home because I’ve experienced a friendship that felt that deeply intertwined and only realized after it had torn apart how unhealthy & toxic it had become)
The dual timeline confused me at first, but once I understood how the flashbacks connected, I liked the way everything tied together. And the last 30%? MUCH better. The chemistry finally started giving me what I’d been waiting for. I also loved the realization that love isn’t more painful than it’s worth. It’s worth the risk.
Overall, I KNOW I’m very much in the minority here because I’ve seen so many people absolutely adore this book, and honestly, I really wanted to be one of them. 😭 I thoroughly enjoyed this author’s debut, so I think that made this one feel even more disappointing for me. I definitely wouldn’t tell people not to read it because I can clearly see what others loved about it. This just ended up being one of those books where I wasn't connected or drawn in. For me, it was cute after the 60% mark, but the beginning was a pretty solid MEH, and the rivals to lovers romance just didn’t deliver what I was hoping for. I have to just remind myself that at the end of the day, I won't like every book I pick up 😭 even if everyone else seemed to have a much more enjoyable time 😔
favorite quotes ↓
“Oh, I remember everything about you, French.”
“It’s just me.”
As if Campbell Porter has ever been just anything to me.
“You’re worth anything to me, Mattie. I’d rather be hurt by you than do anything else, ever, with anyone else.”
“Life isn’t weighted, sweetheart. It’s not more important to be happy when you’re old, or to have something good later on. We don’t know what’s going to happen. And we don’t get to decide. All we can choose is who we do it with.”
things to know about the book ↓
✒️ rivals → lovers
✒️ hate → love
✒️ forced proximity
✒️ black cat x golden retriever
✒️ dual timeline
✒️ he falls first
✒️ dual POV
swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 24, 25, 30
Thank you NetGalley, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕
september 28th- had this one for awhile 🫣 im a pretty big fan of rivals to lovers so im hoping it'll hit
Want to Read
September 16, 2026been eyeing this for a while and I just saw that it was out yesterday.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5
Mattie is a talented writer and she lands her dream job as a copywriter. She would probably be the most successful in her field , but one person stands in her way. The self assured Campbell Porter with his manacing, yet irresistible smirk and persuasive writing abilities. He has the senior position at his big agency, while she is trying to punch through walls at her independent agency. They know each other from when they interned together. There isn’t one other person Mattie wouldn’t steer further away from.
A competition looms for a high end resort ad. This is Mattie’s opportunity to seize the spotlight. As fate would have it, Mattie and Campbell have to travel together as required to get the account. Sparks are bound to fly from the friction between these two. While that’s true, it’s not combative, but a meeting of destiny. The question is whether they recognize the undeniable chemistry.
The dual timelines were perfect to add a fuller background. The length was a bit long, but staying in the orbit of these two was worth it 💕
Enemies to lovers. This is a favorite trope when the slow, smoldering tension heats up and the guards come down. The title, If Not You, encapsulates the story in a meaningful way. Recommended for romance fans.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for an early copy.
Mattie is a talented writer and she lands her dream job as a copywriter. She would probably be the most successful in her field , but one person stands in her way. The self assured Campbell Porter with his manacing, yet irresistible smirk and persuasive writing abilities. He has the senior position at his big agency, while she is trying to punch through walls at her independent agency. They know each other from when they interned together. There isn’t one other person Mattie wouldn’t steer further away from.
A competition looms for a high end resort ad. This is Mattie’s opportunity to seize the spotlight. As fate would have it, Mattie and Campbell have to travel together as required to get the account. Sparks are bound to fly from the friction between these two. While that’s true, it’s not combative, but a meeting of destiny. The question is whether they recognize the undeniable chemistry.
The dual timelines were perfect to add a fuller background. The length was a bit long, but staying in the orbit of these two was worth it 💕
Enemies to lovers. This is a favorite trope when the slow, smoldering tension heats up and the guards come down. The title, If Not You, encapsulates the story in a meaningful way. Recommended for romance fans.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for an early copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
trust me i will be back to write a formal review but this has secured a permanent place in the zeitgeist of the very BEST rivals to lovers romances of all time
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Mattie and Campbell have always been competitors. First, as interns at the same Ad agency, where only one would get the coveted job and the other would end up working under the winner. (Awkward).
Both were up for the same acclaimed award in France. And the winner is…🏆
Mattie has always resented Campbell for easing his way through each battle and making it look so easy when she pours her heart and soul into each job.
Once again, their jobs place them in eachother’s orbits. Vying for the same lucrative contract. Going toe to toe in an immersive onsite presentation.
Will spending all this time together make Mattie see Campbell in a different light? Or are they destined to clash forever?
I have to admit, Mattie was a bit difficult to warm up to. She came off abrasive at times. But perhaps I would too in her situation.😂
This was an enemies to lovers trope. Not one I usually gravitate towards, but it was well done, and I found myself swooning to the charms of Campbell. (And gently nudging Mattie to do the same!)😉
Though it felt a bit long in places, the ending was worth the journey!💝
✍️ Ellen O’Clover
📄 400 pages
🗓️ Anticipated release date: September 15 2026
📈 4/5🌟🌟🌟🌟
👉 Romance, contemporary
Thank you to Berkley Publishing via NetGalley
Both were up for the same acclaimed award in France. And the winner is…🏆
Mattie has always resented Campbell for easing his way through each battle and making it look so easy when she pours her heart and soul into each job.
Once again, their jobs place them in eachother’s orbits. Vying for the same lucrative contract. Going toe to toe in an immersive onsite presentation.
Will spending all this time together make Mattie see Campbell in a different light? Or are they destined to clash forever?
I have to admit, Mattie was a bit difficult to warm up to. She came off abrasive at times. But perhaps I would too in her situation.😂
This was an enemies to lovers trope. Not one I usually gravitate towards, but it was well done, and I found myself swooning to the charms of Campbell. (And gently nudging Mattie to do the same!)😉
Though it felt a bit long in places, the ending was worth the journey!💝
✍️ Ellen O’Clover
📄 400 pages
🗓️ Anticipated release date: September 15 2026
📈 4/5🌟🌟🌟🌟
👉 Romance, contemporary
Thank you to Berkley Publishing via NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was so cute!!
I’ve been so excited for this one! I’ve read the heartbreak hotel by this author (and loved it), so I knew this one would be good too!
I loved both of the main characters so much and the romance between them was so wholesome! I would definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a cute romance read!! can’t wait to read more from this author now!
thank you to netgalley and berkley for this arc <3
I’ve been so excited for this one! I’ve read the heartbreak hotel by this author (and loved it), so I knew this one would be good too!
I loved both of the main characters so much and the romance between them was so wholesome! I would definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a cute romance read!! can’t wait to read more from this author now!
thank you to netgalley and berkley for this arc <3
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was one of those books where I could appreciate what the author was doing while also recognizing that, personally, I wasn't the right reader for it... (more below)
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★.25 out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest opinions. This book comes out September 15, 2026
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– FMC: Matilda “Matty” French (aka “baby”). 27-year-old woman married to her job (a job that doesn’t always love her back).
– MMC: Campbell Porter. Description
– Location: Chicago, IL; Colorado; California
– POV: Single first-person (some flashbacks)
– Spice: 3 open-door spicy scenes (somewhat explicit but also romantic)
– Tropes: rivals to lovers, hate to love, tall FMC, tall MMC, childless by choice, workplace misogyny, copywriter MCs, deadline/timeline to “friends with benefits”, forced proximity
– Representation: LGBTQIA+ minor side character
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
I think this is one of those books where my personal preferences had a huge impact on my reading experience. The writing was enjoyable, the overall vibes were good, and there were definitely things I appreciated. I especially loved the tenderness in the MMC’s relationship with his mother, and I found the FMC’s complicated feelings about her best friend entering a new stage of life very relatable.
Unfortunately, the central romance didn’t work for me. This is very much a hate-to-love/rivals-to-lovers story, and the characters are mean to each other. I know that dynamic works for a lot of romance readers, but it has the opposite effect on me. Because of my own experiences, volatile or disrespectful relationship dynamics are difficult for me to read, so I struggled to see their hostility as romantic banter. I don't need every romance to be soft, but I do need to believe the characters fundamentally respect one another.
I also had a hard time with the FMC’s lack of boundaries, both professionally and personally. Some of her relationships felt more codependent than healthy, and I often found myself frustrated by choices the story seemed to frame as romantic or admirable.
The workplace storyline was another miss for me. I appreciated the commentary on sexism and unequal opportunities, but I found the resolution unsatisfying, particularly when the MMC benefited from the FMC’s ideas and creativity.
Ultimately, the romance felt unearned to me. I never quite felt the transition from genuine hostility to romantic feelings, and some of the structural choices, particularly the abrupt shifts between flashbacks and the present, pulled me out of the story.
Would I Recommend?: This wasn't a book *for me*, but I can absolutely see it becoming someone else's favorite. If you love an especially antagonistic hate-to-love romance, sharp banter, and messy characters, you may have a very different experience. If you're sensitive to volatile or disrespectful romantic dynamics, though, I'd go in knowing that the “hate” is taken pretty seriously.
SHOUT OUT TO LINA. She and I got through this one together.
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven————✧———————Plot Driven
Fast Burn——————✧—————Slow Burn
Sweet—————✧——————Spicy
Light/Fluffy———✧————————Heavy/Emotional
•♥Consider following me on Instagram @kelseyreviewsbooks for more visual content and bookish discussions.♥•
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★.25 out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest opinions. This book comes out September 15, 2026
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– FMC: Matilda “Matty” French (aka “baby”). 27-year-old woman married to her job (a job that doesn’t always love her back).
– MMC: Campbell Porter. Description
– Location: Chicago, IL; Colorado; California
– POV: Single first-person (some flashbacks)
– Spice: 3 open-door spicy scenes (somewhat explicit but also romantic)
– Tropes: rivals to lovers, hate to love, tall FMC, tall MMC, childless by choice, workplace misogyny, copywriter MCs, deadline/timeline to “friends with benefits”, forced proximity
– Representation: LGBTQIA+ minor side character
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
I think this is one of those books where my personal preferences had a huge impact on my reading experience. The writing was enjoyable, the overall vibes were good, and there were definitely things I appreciated. I especially loved the tenderness in the MMC’s relationship with his mother, and I found the FMC’s complicated feelings about her best friend entering a new stage of life very relatable.
Unfortunately, the central romance didn’t work for me. This is very much a hate-to-love/rivals-to-lovers story, and the characters are mean to each other. I know that dynamic works for a lot of romance readers, but it has the opposite effect on me. Because of my own experiences, volatile or disrespectful relationship dynamics are difficult for me to read, so I struggled to see their hostility as romantic banter. I don't need every romance to be soft, but I do need to believe the characters fundamentally respect one another.
I also had a hard time with the FMC’s lack of boundaries, both professionally and personally. Some of her relationships felt more codependent than healthy, and I often found myself frustrated by choices the story seemed to frame as romantic or admirable.
The workplace storyline was another miss for me. I appreciated the commentary on sexism and unequal opportunities, but I found the resolution unsatisfying, particularly when the MMC benefited from the FMC’s ideas and creativity.
Ultimately, the romance felt unearned to me. I never quite felt the transition from genuine hostility to romantic feelings, and some of the structural choices, particularly the abrupt shifts between flashbacks and the present, pulled me out of the story.
Would I Recommend?: This wasn't a book *for me*, but I can absolutely see it becoming someone else's favorite. If you love an especially antagonistic hate-to-love romance, sharp banter, and messy characters, you may have a very different experience. If you're sensitive to volatile or disrespectful romantic dynamics, though, I'd go in knowing that the “hate” is taken pretty seriously.
SHOUT OUT TO LINA. She and I got through this one together.
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven————✧———————Plot Driven
Fast Burn——————✧—————Slow Burn
Sweet—————✧——————Spicy
Light/Fluffy———✧————————Heavy/Emotional
•♥Consider following me on Instagram @kelseyreviewsbooks for more visual content and bookish discussions.♥•
September 13, 2026
Slow to start but absolutely nailed the landing!
I didn’t love this one quite as much as The Heartbreak Hotel but I definitely still think it’s a great book and one I’d recommend! It took a while for me to get into the storyline and to get to the “romance” portion of the book but once they started really flirting I was locked in!
Whats to love…
- travel settings
- strong female friendships
- second chance romance
- rivals to lovers (workplace setting)
- slow burn
- single POV
- mostly single timeline with multiple flashback chapters
- They’re the same height! (5’ 11”)
- Tall FMC!
- he wears ridiculous clothes (iykyk)
- child-free by choice
What might not work for some…
- Single POV. This usually works fine for me, in fact I am a firm believer that it’s needed in certain books. That said, i found myself wanting more from him much sooner.
- Pacing was a bit slow to get rolling on the romance. It wasn’t until about 50% that I really felt I was reading a romance book. But once that hit, the book sucked me in and it really nailed the landing.
- multiple flashbacks. I think these were useful and helped establish backstory but if you’re like me and prefer to have a single timeline with less flashbacks this might not work for you.
4.25⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
I didn’t love this one quite as much as The Heartbreak Hotel but I definitely still think it’s a great book and one I’d recommend! It took a while for me to get into the storyline and to get to the “romance” portion of the book but once they started really flirting I was locked in!
Whats to love…
- travel settings
- strong female friendships
- second chance romance
- rivals to lovers (workplace setting)
- slow burn
- single POV
- mostly single timeline with multiple flashback chapters
- They’re the same height! (5’ 11”)
- Tall FMC!
- he wears ridiculous clothes (iykyk)
- child-free by choice
What might not work for some…
- Single POV. This usually works fine for me, in fact I am a firm believer that it’s needed in certain books. That said, i found myself wanting more from him much sooner.
- Pacing was a bit slow to get rolling on the romance. It wasn’t until about 50% that I really felt I was reading a romance book. But once that hit, the book sucked me in and it really nailed the landing.
- multiple flashbacks. I think these were useful and helped establish backstory but if you’re like me and prefer to have a single timeline with less flashbacks this might not work for you.
4.25⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
August 29, 2026
4.5 Rivals to Lovers Stars - now available
I love to read Colorado authors, and I really liked Ellen O’Clover’s first book, “The Heartbreak Hotel.” I was excited to get this new book and dig in. I rounded up for some tears, and because I kept wanting to get to this one to keep reading.
Mattie French has always wanted to be a writer, and she has worked like crazy to make it in the ad agency world. She lands an internship at the top agency in Chicago, which is where she meets Campbell Porter. Campbell is a Southern man and an outrageously good writer. Mattie and Campbell compete all summer long to win the one coveted spot. They tease each other and get under each other’s skin. At the end of the summer, Mattie vows to hate Campbell forever.
A few years later, Mattie and Campbell are up for an award in Cannes, but Campbell comes out on top again. Why can’t she ever best him? And how does he make it look so easy?
Now their rival firms are bidding on a luxury travel account that involves spending time at two resorts, one in Aspen and one in coastal California. Mattie can’t seem to keep away from Campbell. Is it possible that he’s changed? Why is she obsessed with him? Does he bring out the worst in her or challenge her to do her best?
In addition to the romance, there is a story about Mattie and her childhood best friend, who is now engaged. Mattie is scared to death of losing her. And Campbell has things going on in his life with his family.
These two had mad chemistry, and I rooted for them to get together, but should rivals get together? Is that professional? Could they both open up and be vulnerable after years of antagonism? And could Mattie finally best Campbell?
Can’t wait to read what Ellen O’Clover writes next!
My thanks to Berkley for the opportunity to read and honestly review this one.
I love to read Colorado authors, and I really liked Ellen O’Clover’s first book, “The Heartbreak Hotel.” I was excited to get this new book and dig in. I rounded up for some tears, and because I kept wanting to get to this one to keep reading.
Mattie French has always wanted to be a writer, and she has worked like crazy to make it in the ad agency world. She lands an internship at the top agency in Chicago, which is where she meets Campbell Porter. Campbell is a Southern man and an outrageously good writer. Mattie and Campbell compete all summer long to win the one coveted spot. They tease each other and get under each other’s skin. At the end of the summer, Mattie vows to hate Campbell forever.
A few years later, Mattie and Campbell are up for an award in Cannes, but Campbell comes out on top again. Why can’t she ever best him? And how does he make it look so easy?
Now their rival firms are bidding on a luxury travel account that involves spending time at two resorts, one in Aspen and one in coastal California. Mattie can’t seem to keep away from Campbell. Is it possible that he’s changed? Why is she obsessed with him? Does he bring out the worst in her or challenge her to do her best?
In addition to the romance, there is a story about Mattie and her childhood best friend, who is now engaged. Mattie is scared to death of losing her. And Campbell has things going on in his life with his family.
These two had mad chemistry, and I rooted for them to get together, but should rivals get together? Is that professional? Could they both open up and be vulnerable after years of antagonism? And could Mattie finally best Campbell?
Can’t wait to read what Ellen O’Clover writes next!
My thanks to Berkley for the opportunity to read and honestly review this one.
September 16, 2026
The story was awful but the writing was good.
September 20, 2026
Well, I was definitely pulled into this one. The banter and spicy scenes were tame for me. I usually don’t jump for enemies to lovers simply because I prefer flirty, charming, dark and sexy.
September 19, 2026
4.5 🌟
First Ellen O’Clover book and without a doubt it will not be my last. I loved everything she did with this story and these characters.
A book where you find yourself laughing out loud as the book progresses and falling for the complexities of these two characters. You really believe the level of rivalry that’s portrayed and as the book progresses it makes for such a HOT kind of tension 🥵
We go on such a journey with our female character in particular and I really enjoyed seeing her overcome certain emotional challenges.
A beautiful book that I couldn’t put down.
First Ellen O’Clover book and without a doubt it will not be my last. I loved everything she did with this story and these characters.
A book where you find yourself laughing out loud as the book progresses and falling for the complexities of these two characters. You really believe the level of rivalry that’s portrayed and as the book progresses it makes for such a HOT kind of tension 🥵
We go on such a journey with our female character in particular and I really enjoyed seeing her overcome certain emotional challenges.
A beautiful book that I couldn’t put down.
October 22, 2026
ABSOLUTE PERFECTION. do you ever read a book with such good spice and such a good mmc that you just know the author must be in a good ass relationship? because that was this 😭
I’ve never read a more perfect enemies to lovers in my life. this has all the typical enemies to lovers elements but they were done SO much better than 99% of other books. the mannnn in this book was everything. every time I read him saying “look at me” or “come here” I was SQUEALING. not to mention the “I hate you. no you don’t” scene 🙌🏻 he was every love language wrapped into one man. also as a girl who gets bad headaches, him massaging her head until it went away was very appreciated 🥹 I love that this wasn’t dual pov. the switch up of not being able to be in his head and only view his love for her through her was so nice.
this also touched on grief and family trauma SO WELL. I actually don’t think this book has a single flaw. read it if you haven’t 🫵🏻
I’ve never read a more perfect enemies to lovers in my life. this has all the typical enemies to lovers elements but they were done SO much better than 99% of other books. the mannnn in this book was everything. every time I read him saying “look at me” or “come here” I was SQUEALING. not to mention the “I hate you. no you don’t” scene 🙌🏻 he was every love language wrapped into one man. also as a girl who gets bad headaches, him massaging her head until it went away was very appreciated 🥹 I love that this wasn’t dual pov. the switch up of not being able to be in his head and only view his love for her through her was so nice.
this also touched on grief and family trauma SO WELL. I actually don’t think this book has a single flaw. read it if you haven’t 🫵🏻
September 21, 2026
Атмосфера та тропи класні. Кемпбелл Портер — зелений прапорець та солодка булка. Але героїні навіть дурка не допоможе. Вона не чує і не вміє розмовляти. ЗОВСІМ. А дурний розрив в 3 акті ледве не змусив викинути кіндл у вікно.
arc-tbr
March 18, 2026
September 19, 2026
thank you to the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.
guys this book DECIMATED me in the best way possible. i cried no less than five times, which i was not expecting (though maybe i should have because the heartbreak hotel got me good).
this book is the epitome of how blurred the line can be between desire and hatred, between envy and lust, between rivals and partners. poor mattie, not understanding that what she was feeling was yearning disguised as disgust.
the tension!!!!! holy FUCK it was palpable. the banter between mattie & campbell was so witty and i loved the way they challenged each other at work/off time/everywhere in between. although it was a bit of a slow start, the build up was absolutely worth it. their first kiss scene had me enraptured and literally glued to the pages.
the way that mattie was written was, dare i say, horrifically real - it was like looking into a mirror. feeling attack-y, on the defense, needing to prove yourself, carrying guilt… mattie is me and i am mattie. also the fraught mother daughter relationship?? yikes! so well done but so painful.
i also loved campbell so, so much. the way HE was yearning had me blushing and giggling and kicking my feet. his character was so endearing to me and i love how easily he saw through mattie and her whirring mind.
this was just genuinely so good and tender and heartfelt but also HOT!!! their chemistry was perfect hehe
guys this book DECIMATED me in the best way possible. i cried no less than five times, which i was not expecting (though maybe i should have because the heartbreak hotel got me good).
this book is the epitome of how blurred the line can be between desire and hatred, between envy and lust, between rivals and partners. poor mattie, not understanding that what she was feeling was yearning disguised as disgust.
the tension!!!!! holy FUCK it was palpable. the banter between mattie & campbell was so witty and i loved the way they challenged each other at work/off time/everywhere in between. although it was a bit of a slow start, the build up was absolutely worth it. their first kiss scene had me enraptured and literally glued to the pages.
the way that mattie was written was, dare i say, horrifically real - it was like looking into a mirror. feeling attack-y, on the defense, needing to prove yourself, carrying guilt… mattie is me and i am mattie. also the fraught mother daughter relationship?? yikes! so well done but so painful.
i also loved campbell so, so much. the way HE was yearning had me blushing and giggling and kicking my feet. his character was so endearing to me and i love how easily he saw through mattie and her whirring mind.
this was just genuinely so good and tender and heartfelt but also HOT!!! their chemistry was perfect hehe
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
rating: 4.5 ★
mattie and campbell have always been competing with one another. it all started when they wound up interning together at an ad agency fresh out of college, both determined to be hired for the one permanent position that was available. from there, the rest is history. there was no interaction that wasnt rife with passive agression and a determination to be the best. it isn't until both of their ad agencies are put up for the same account that they're put in a situation where they can't escape one another, or avoid the fact that there is a thin line between love and hate.
i absolutely loved heartbreak hotel but after if not you, ellen o'clover has become one of my favorite romance authors. something about the way she crafts her stories and her characters journeys feels so authentic.
the way o'clover writes her books is so engaging, the banter and chemistry between her characters is never lacking and suddenly you're so invested you don't want to put the book down.
her characters always have so much depth, mattie and campbell are no different. they both have actual personalities and heart wrenching back stories that make you just want to give both of them big hugs.
i will absolutely be picking up a hard copy of this book and am dying to see what she publishes next.
𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ⋆˚࿔
𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯 𝘰'𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. ✨️
mattie and campbell have always been competing with one another. it all started when they wound up interning together at an ad agency fresh out of college, both determined to be hired for the one permanent position that was available. from there, the rest is history. there was no interaction that wasnt rife with passive agression and a determination to be the best. it isn't until both of their ad agencies are put up for the same account that they're put in a situation where they can't escape one another, or avoid the fact that there is a thin line between love and hate.
i absolutely loved heartbreak hotel but after if not you, ellen o'clover has become one of my favorite romance authors. something about the way she crafts her stories and her characters journeys feels so authentic.
the way o'clover writes her books is so engaging, the banter and chemistry between her characters is never lacking and suddenly you're so invested you don't want to put the book down.
her characters always have so much depth, mattie and campbell are no different. they both have actual personalities and heart wrenching back stories that make you just want to give both of them big hugs.
i will absolutely be picking up a hard copy of this book and am dying to see what she publishes next.
𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ⋆˚࿔
𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯 𝘰'𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. ✨️
Review of advance copy received from Book of the Month
This was awful. I feel fooled by reviews again. Where was the romance? I got halfway through and all this book was giving was talk about work. I felt like I should be getting paid by the imaginary company for how much discussion of work was happening. And it was so repetitive.
Once again Book of the Month failed me. I will probably not be renewing with them beyond the 6 months that was given to me, because I am too picky. Once you have read as many books as I have, your tolerance for books that aren’t that good is so much lower, because you have read too many masterpieces at that point. The selection so far on Book of the Month has failed me. Ugh.
I would not recommend this personally, but so many others reviewed it well so take that with a grain of salt.
Once again Book of the Month failed me. I will probably not be renewing with them beyond the 6 months that was given to me, because I am too picky. Once you have read as many books as I have, your tolerance for books that aren’t that good is so much lower, because you have read too many masterpieces at that point. The selection so far on Book of the Month has failed me. Ugh.
I would not recommend this personally, but so many others reviewed it well so take that with a grain of salt.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.25 / 5 Stars
I absolutely loved “The Heartbreak Hotel” and it was a five star read for me, so I was so excited to read this book. Sadly, I had some issues with the first half but I thought the second half was quintessential Ellen O’Clover magic.
Let’s start with the first third. This part of the book was really tough for me. Rivals to lovers is one of my favorite tropes because at its heart, the rivals respect each other so any bickering is still based on a foundation of respect. I did not feel that respect here. From Mattie’s POV, it very much felt like Campbell did not respect her (and sometimes even did things that put her down unknowingly with tinges of unintentional misogyny - even if it was unintentional or maybe Mattie misread him, the impact was the same ). Their back and forth with each other was mean, unprofessional, and deeply childish. It was really hard for me to get through this section and if I hadn’t enjoyed Ellen’s other book, I might have DNF’ed.
Then, they make a truce and within a few chapters are hooking up. I understood why Campbell was into it, but how Mattie could flip her switch so quickly was really baffling to me. I felt like I had whiplash.
The last 40% was why I love Ellen’s work. The chemistry between them was palpable. It was crackling and fizzy and gave me butterflies. The yearning and pining was off the charts and so yummy. The third act conflict made sense to me and I bought into it (though I wish Campbell had done some things differently). There were also some really beautiful moments including one with Campbell and his mom and some of the ways that Ellen described feelings of self-worth that I really enjoyed.
I thought Ellen also did a great job of showing how Maddie’s relationship with her parents shaped her but I did not enjoy her friendship with Ava (they felt codependent) and her friendship with Dexter (he was pretty miserable).
I will continue to read all of Ellen’s books and I have preordered my copy because I just love Ellen a lot, but if you have thin skin like me or are sensitive to meanness, you may not enjoy the first half of the book. It is up to you to decide if it is worth it for the second half.
My rating is based on my score of the first 35% (2 stars), next 25% (3 stars) and last 40% (4.5 stars).
Many thank you to Kelsey for the buddy read!
You will probably like this book if you like:
⭐ Rivals to lovers
⭐ Workplace romances
⭐ Black cat x golden retriever
⭐ “It’s always been you”
⭐ Complicated family dynamics
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: September 15, 2026
⋆ ೀ ⋆ Follow me on Instagram @book.recs.by.lina for book recommendations and general fun times ⋆ ೀ ⋆
I absolutely loved “The Heartbreak Hotel” and it was a five star read for me, so I was so excited to read this book. Sadly, I had some issues with the first half but I thought the second half was quintessential Ellen O’Clover magic.
Let’s start with the first third. This part of the book was really tough for me. Rivals to lovers is one of my favorite tropes because at its heart, the rivals respect each other so any bickering is still based on a foundation of respect. I did not feel that respect here. From Mattie’s POV, it very much felt like Campbell did not respect her (and sometimes even did things that put her down unknowingly with tinges of unintentional misogyny - even if it was unintentional or maybe Mattie misread him, the impact was the same ). Their back and forth with each other was mean, unprofessional, and deeply childish. It was really hard for me to get through this section and if I hadn’t enjoyed Ellen’s other book, I might have DNF’ed.
Then, they make a truce and within a few chapters are hooking up. I understood why Campbell was into it, but how Mattie could flip her switch so quickly was really baffling to me. I felt like I had whiplash.
The last 40% was why I love Ellen’s work. The chemistry between them was palpable. It was crackling and fizzy and gave me butterflies. The yearning and pining was off the charts and so yummy. The third act conflict made sense to me and I bought into it (though I wish Campbell had done some things differently). There were also some really beautiful moments including one with Campbell and his mom and some of the ways that Ellen described feelings of self-worth that I really enjoyed.
I thought Ellen also did a great job of showing how Maddie’s relationship with her parents shaped her but I did not enjoy her friendship with Ava (they felt codependent) and her friendship with Dexter (he was pretty miserable).
I will continue to read all of Ellen’s books and I have preordered my copy because I just love Ellen a lot, but if you have thin skin like me or are sensitive to meanness, you may not enjoy the first half of the book. It is up to you to decide if it is worth it for the second half.
My rating is based on my score of the first 35% (2 stars), next 25% (3 stars) and last 40% (4.5 stars).
Many thank you to Kelsey for the buddy read!
You will probably like this book if you like:
⭐ Rivals to lovers
⭐ Workplace romances
⭐ Black cat x golden retriever
⭐ “It’s always been you”
⭐ Complicated family dynamics
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: September 15, 2026
⋆ ೀ ⋆ Follow me on Instagram @book.recs.by.lina for book recommendations and general fun times ⋆ ೀ ⋆
July 29, 2026
if not you, then who?
idk, but not me.
୨ৎ DNF 50%, good lord get me out of here. this fmc is blatantly rude and noncommunicative, and the connecton between her and the male love interest is lackluster at best. I can't take one more second of her going on about how much she hates him and how she doesn't believe in love or relationships.
this is not the author I came to love in the heartbreak hotel.
thank you Berkley for the ebook arc but sadly this one was not for me
source:: netgalley ebook
idk, but not me.
୨ৎ DNF 50%, good lord get me out of here. this fmc is blatantly rude and noncommunicative, and the connecton between her and the male love interest is lackluster at best. I can't take one more second of her going on about how much she hates him and how she doesn't believe in love or relationships.
this is not the author I came to love in the heartbreak hotel.
thank you Berkley for the ebook arc but sadly this one was not for me
source:: netgalley ebook
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
5 ⭐ ♾️
When I received the ARC earlier this year and I was so excited I read it right away but didn’t get the chance to write a review. So I did a re-read recently and I must say I loved this book even more. This book was a masterful take on the rivals to lovers trope! I read Heartbreak Hotel last year and I loved it so much but this book might be my favourite book by Ellen O’Clover!
Mattie and Campbell are copywriters working for competing advertising agencies. Their rivalry started when they were interns and now they have to present a month long pitch as they travel to different locations to win a new business.
The entire story is told in Mattie’s POV and when I was reading the earlier chapters I was worried she wouldn’t come across as likeable to other readers. However, that is why she felt so real to me. You need to understand her relationship with her parents and her upbringing to comprehend why she became so consumed with this rivalry with Campbell. She was a workaholic and achieving success became her main focus.
I loved how we got to know the real Campbell as the book went on. He was kind and I Ioved his golden retriever energy. Considering the years of animosity between them, I was surprised by how quickly they grew intimate.
To me this book was about embracing the uncertainty in life. We all have our own time line of what we want to accomplish and it’s ok to not have everything figured out. Also, you shouldn’t let the fear of heartbreak keep you from finding love.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
When I received the ARC earlier this year and I was so excited I read it right away but didn’t get the chance to write a review. So I did a re-read recently and I must say I loved this book even more. This book was a masterful take on the rivals to lovers trope! I read Heartbreak Hotel last year and I loved it so much but this book might be my favourite book by Ellen O’Clover!
Mattie and Campbell are copywriters working for competing advertising agencies. Their rivalry started when they were interns and now they have to present a month long pitch as they travel to different locations to win a new business.
The entire story is told in Mattie’s POV and when I was reading the earlier chapters I was worried she wouldn’t come across as likeable to other readers. However, that is why she felt so real to me. You need to understand her relationship with her parents and her upbringing to comprehend why she became so consumed with this rivalry with Campbell. She was a workaholic and achieving success became her main focus.
I loved how we got to know the real Campbell as the book went on. He was kind and I Ioved his golden retriever energy. Considering the years of animosity between them, I was surprised by how quickly they grew intimate.
To me this book was about embracing the uncertainty in life. We all have our own time line of what we want to accomplish and it’s ok to not have everything figured out. Also, you shouldn’t let the fear of heartbreak keep you from finding love.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
Want to Read
April 9, 2026pre-read notes:
Thank you so much Berkley for the ARC of this book, I can't wait to dive into this! Look at that gorgeous cover as well! 🥰
🗓️ Expected publication: September 15, 2026
Thank you so much Berkley for the ARC of this book, I can't wait to dive into this! Look at that gorgeous cover as well! 🥰
🗓️ Expected publication: September 15, 2026
September 23, 2026
There was something about this book (that I cannot pinpoint) that did not work for me unfortunately
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ellen O'Clover, I'll follow you from the mountains to the city, back to the mountains, over to the coast, and then back to the city. I'll follow you anywhere.
Mattie and Campbell, you are both strivers, and I mean that in the best possible way I could mean it. You're brave enough to try, desperate enough to lose out on your dreams and then try again, willing to tear open your lives to make something right again when your first instinct was to make it wrong. I love you; I am you. I love that in the end, you love each other for all of it.
And like, just on a line level alone????? Ellen's writing is tea. Her placement of "baby" a gift from above. The atmosphere she built, transportive. I want inside. These pages, her brain, Campbell's weird but endearing shirts, Wicksteed hotels. I think the bottom line is that Ellen is so back?
Mattie and Campbell, you are both strivers, and I mean that in the best possible way I could mean it. You're brave enough to try, desperate enough to lose out on your dreams and then try again, willing to tear open your lives to make something right again when your first instinct was to make it wrong. I love you; I am you. I love that in the end, you love each other for all of it.
And like, just on a line level alone????? Ellen's writing is tea. Her placement of "baby" a gift from above. The atmosphere she built, transportive. I want inside. These pages, her brain, Campbell's weird but endearing shirts, Wicksteed hotels. I think the bottom line is that Ellen is so back?
Currently Reading
March 16, 2026Just saw the new cover on IG! 😍 I loved The Heartbreak Hotel so much! Can’t wait to read this!
November 6, 2026
If you are looking for a generic and forgettable romance novel with thin character development, a boring plot, an enemies-to-lovers trope minus the chemistry and minus the fun banter, look no further. This is that. As a bonus, you will get some sidekick characters who bring some codependent and uninteresting half-hour-long chapters of drama to read about.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3⭐️
There was nothing wrong with this- I think it was perfectly fine. But I just never really connected to the story or the main characters? It just never manged to make me care- about the plot or Mattie and Campbell.
I'm all for a enemies to lovers but I think the rivalry went on a little too long here? Felt like Mattie never really stopped having that inner competition with Campbell. And I loved how independent and career oriented Mattie was but she always just seemed so obsessed with Campbell's success instead of her own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"There hasn't been a time since I've known you exist that I haven't wanted you, Mattie."
There was nothing wrong with this- I think it was perfectly fine. But I just never really connected to the story or the main characters? It just never manged to make me care- about the plot or Mattie and Campbell.
I'm all for a enemies to lovers but I think the rivalry went on a little too long here? Felt like Mattie never really stopped having that inner competition with Campbell. And I loved how independent and career oriented Mattie was but she always just seemed so obsessed with Campbell's success instead of her own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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