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If It's Not You: A Stepbrother Romance
The easiest way to get someone’s attention is to stop wanting it.
Rahel was five when she met eight-year-old Janosh, and fourteen when she realized she loved him as more than a stepbrother—talk about a poisoned apple.
After three bittersweet years of secrets and aching closeness, Rahel decides she’s had enough. Aided by her two best friends, liquid courage, and a set of lovingly drawn penises, she makes a plan: stop revolving around him. Finish school with the kind of kick-ass grades that will get her into medicine, find a job that keeps her out of the house when he’s visiting, and hopefully, eventually, fall for someone real.
There’s only one problem: Janosh’s utter reluctance to allow for any kind of distance between them.
This slow-burn romance is an emotional rollercoaster that swoops high and dips low—a fun ride featuring snappy dialogue, mutual pining, and true love with a touch of the forbidden.
Rahel was five when she met eight-year-old Janosh, and fourteen when she realized she loved him as more than a stepbrother—talk about a poisoned apple.
After three bittersweet years of secrets and aching closeness, Rahel decides she’s had enough. Aided by her two best friends, liquid courage, and a set of lovingly drawn penises, she makes a plan: stop revolving around him. Finish school with the kind of kick-ass grades that will get her into medicine, find a job that keeps her out of the house when he’s visiting, and hopefully, eventually, fall for someone real.
There’s only one problem: Janosh’s utter reluctance to allow for any kind of distance between them.
This slow-burn romance is an emotional rollercoaster that swoops high and dips low—a fun ride featuring snappy dialogue, mutual pining, and true love with a touch of the forbidden.
221 pages, Paperback
Published May 17, 2021
5 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Zarah Bentley
3 books14 followersZarah Bentley struggles on a daily basis with the burden of adulthood.
As a little kid, she would sit on the couch, flipping through books she couldn't decipher at the time. Learning to read only heightened her love of books. Once in a while, she desperately wants to read a story she can't find, and writing it herself seems like the next best thing.
(Also writing M/M romance as Zarah Detand.)
As a little kid, she would sit on the couch, flipping through books she couldn't decipher at the time. Learning to read only heightened her love of books. Once in a while, she desperately wants to read a story she can't find, and writing it herself seems like the next best thing.
(Also writing M/M romance as Zarah Detand.)
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 6, 2021
5 it's-totally-you stars
I really loved reading this book! I felt like the whole book was a big deep breath that I kind of held until the happy ending, interspersed with quite a few smiles at the texts and the banter between Rahel and Janosh and among Rahel and her friends.
I adored all the relationships in the book - the thick as thieves friendship among Rahel, Yannick, and Luisa (and I liked the window into the life of a German high school crew of friends!); the close family relationship among Rahel, Janosh, Georg, and Anja that had its own rhythm and humor that you could tell was long-established; and of course the relationship between Rahel and Janosh that is layered from memories of how they interacted when they were younger along with their present-day interactions that both reflect back to those earlier times but also slowly build up something new. There is the forbidden element to the story of their step-sibling relationship, but it's not treated in a salacious way like a lot of other more trope-y books often treat it. Which is a good thing!
I love how the third person present tense narration is done here. It's not so common and the few times I've read other fiction written in that way, it hasn't always worked (for me). But with Zarah's writing, it adds to the feeling and to the sense of immediacy of the story.
There are some books that are both really well-written and also have such a comforting feel to the story line and characters that I know I will come back and reread them (possibly multiple times). This book goes into that category for me.
Highly recommended for fans of slow-burn and/or friends to lovers romance!
An Advance Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved reading this book! I felt like the whole book was a big deep breath that I kind of held until the happy ending, interspersed with quite a few smiles at the texts and the banter between Rahel and Janosh and among Rahel and her friends.
I adored all the relationships in the book - the thick as thieves friendship among Rahel, Yannick, and Luisa (and I liked the window into the life of a German high school crew of friends!); the close family relationship among Rahel, Janosh, Georg, and Anja that had its own rhythm and humor that you could tell was long-established; and of course the relationship between Rahel and Janosh that is layered from memories of how they interacted when they were younger along with their present-day interactions that both reflect back to those earlier times but also slowly build up something new. There is the forbidden element to the story of their step-sibling relationship, but it's not treated in a salacious way like a lot of other more trope-y books often treat it. Which is a good thing!
I love how the third person present tense narration is done here. It's not so common and the few times I've read other fiction written in that way, it hasn't always worked (for me). But with Zarah's writing, it adds to the feeling and to the sense of immediacy of the story.
There are some books that are both really well-written and also have such a comforting feel to the story line and characters that I know I will come back and reread them (possibly multiple times). This book goes into that category for me.
Highly recommended for fans of slow-burn and/or friends to lovers romance!
An Advance Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
May 6, 2025
*The ARC copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange of an honest review*
Rahel was in love with her stepbrother, Janosh for years. They had a really close relationship. When she learned that he was gonna be leaving to study in abroad, she decided to do something about her unrequited love and try to move on with the help of her best friends, Yannick and Luisa. She was avoiding to spend time with Janosh as much as she could. Started going out with another guy. But Janosh took it upon himself to spend time with her. Then one day, Janosh and Rahel kissed which led them to avoid each other again as Janosh said it was a mistake. Rahel admitted her feelings to him which made him realized his own feelings. They finally reconciled after some push from here and there.
It was hard at first to get into this book. The names were really weird. And the conversations were so boring. The ending was meh. I wasn't really satisfied with it. All the main characters did, was avoid each other throughout the most parts of the book. By the way, I have two copies of this book. One from NetGalley and the other one from the author. NetGalley version contains an epilogue but the other one doesn't. I have no idea if there's any other differences or not. Anyway, it was an okay read for me. But nothing in this book actually was special enough to remember or something.😬
Rahel was in love with her stepbrother, Janosh for years. They had a really close relationship. When she learned that he was gonna be leaving to study in abroad, she decided to do something about her unrequited love and try to move on with the help of her best friends, Yannick and Luisa. She was avoiding to spend time with Janosh as much as she could. Started going out with another guy. But Janosh took it upon himself to spend time with her. Then one day, Janosh and Rahel kissed which led them to avoid each other again as Janosh said it was a mistake. Rahel admitted her feelings to him which made him realized his own feelings. They finally reconciled after some push from here and there.
It was hard at first to get into this book. The names were really weird. And the conversations were so boring. The ending was meh. I wasn't really satisfied with it. All the main characters did, was avoid each other throughout the most parts of the book. By the way, I have two copies of this book. One from NetGalley and the other one from the author. NetGalley version contains an epilogue but the other one doesn't. I have no idea if there's any other differences or not. Anyway, it was an okay read for me. But nothing in this book actually was special enough to remember or something.😬
May 24, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and Zarah Bentley for the opportunity to read If It's Not You in exchange for an honest review.
Rahel was only five when her step-father and step-brother entered her life. It wasn't until she was fourteen that she realized that she was in love with Janosh, but one cannot be with their step-brother because society deems it inappropriate or taboo. But they are step-siblings, not blood related. Would it really be so bad?
For years, Rahel planned to follow Janosh to a school only a few hours away by train. she wants to go to medical school, and the choice was strategic in more than one way. When Rahel learns Janosh might be moving out of the country to study abroad with his girlfriend, she is devastated and heart-broken because not only does that go against their plan, but Janosh would be far out of reach in another country with another girl.
Giving him the cold shoulder, Rahel tried to push aside her feelings for her step-brother and dates someone else for a while, but a first love is hard to shake off.
This book is listed as young adult, but based on the current age of Rahel (eighteen) and Janosh) twenty-one) and the premise of events that take place, I would consider this more along the lines of new adult genre instead. The talk of college and planning the near (and far) future is a driving force for the plot. There are also some slightly more detailed intimate scenes that would be worded a bit differently when being delivered to a young adult audience. I love the idea of a "forbidden" romance, and it is very clear from the start that Janosh loves his sister too, but the crawl to get to the romance was just very, very slow in a bit of a frustrating way.
Either way, I thought this novel was, overall, well-written and easy to read. I didn't really care mush about Rahel as a character, but found Janosh to be more interesting. Perhaps it is because most of the novel (with the exception of two intermission chapters) is told in a third person limited perspective from Rahel, so Janosh is then shrouded in a bit more of a mysterious air. I would recommend this for older teens and those looking for a slow burn romance with a relatively satisfying conclusion.
Rahel was only five when her step-father and step-brother entered her life. It wasn't until she was fourteen that she realized that she was in love with Janosh, but one cannot be with their step-brother because society deems it inappropriate or taboo. But they are step-siblings, not blood related. Would it really be so bad?
For years, Rahel planned to follow Janosh to a school only a few hours away by train. she wants to go to medical school, and the choice was strategic in more than one way. When Rahel learns Janosh might be moving out of the country to study abroad with his girlfriend, she is devastated and heart-broken because not only does that go against their plan, but Janosh would be far out of reach in another country with another girl.
Giving him the cold shoulder, Rahel tried to push aside her feelings for her step-brother and dates someone else for a while, but a first love is hard to shake off.
This book is listed as young adult, but based on the current age of Rahel (eighteen) and Janosh) twenty-one) and the premise of events that take place, I would consider this more along the lines of new adult genre instead. The talk of college and planning the near (and far) future is a driving force for the plot. There are also some slightly more detailed intimate scenes that would be worded a bit differently when being delivered to a young adult audience. I love the idea of a "forbidden" romance, and it is very clear from the start that Janosh loves his sister too, but the crawl to get to the romance was just very, very slow in a bit of a frustrating way.
Either way, I thought this novel was, overall, well-written and easy to read. I didn't really care mush about Rahel as a character, but found Janosh to be more interesting. Perhaps it is because most of the novel (with the exception of two intermission chapters) is told in a third person limited perspective from Rahel, so Janosh is then shrouded in a bit more of a mysterious air. I would recommend this for older teens and those looking for a slow burn romance with a relatively satisfying conclusion.
May 15, 2021
Slow burn step-siblings romance
Rahel has been in love with Janosh since she was 14. Too bad he's her step-brother and therefore off-limits ... but the heart wants what the heart wants. Just before her 18th birthday, her two best friends talk her into forgetting about Janosh and being at his beck'n call. So Rahel takes steps to distance herself from Janosh and get on with her life. But Janosh just won't let her go.
This is a very slow burn romance ... in fact, too slow. I found myself skimming the pages ... then the ending seemed rushed. Although I liked the characters, I just didn't love them.
I received an early copy courtesy of BooksGoSocial through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
Rahel has been in love with Janosh since she was 14. Too bad he's her step-brother and therefore off-limits ... but the heart wants what the heart wants. Just before her 18th birthday, her two best friends talk her into forgetting about Janosh and being at his beck'n call. So Rahel takes steps to distance herself from Janosh and get on with her life. But Janosh just won't let her go.
This is a very slow burn romance ... in fact, too slow. I found myself skimming the pages ... then the ending seemed rushed. Although I liked the characters, I just didn't love them.
I received an early copy courtesy of BooksGoSocial through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
May 15, 2021
Thank you NetGalley, author Zarah Bentley, and publisher for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4 stars
This book is about Rahel who has spent the last 4 years being in love with her stepbrother, Janosh. After he moves away to attend university and has plans to study abroad, Rahel decides it is time to move on and find someone new to date and fall in love with. How hard can it be? Harder than she thought, as he moves back to their house for the next few months and is convinced to fix their relationship. But can she confront him with her real feelings or does he just have brotherly intensions towards Rahel?
This book had all the feels of a taboo forbidden romance. For a lot of the book, the reader is subjected to Rahel's internal monologue about how much she loves Janosh as more than her older stepbrother and how his actions towards make it harder for her to move on to someone else. The slow burn/unrequited love on Rahel's side was full of angst. I found the progress of their relationship to be realistic and reasonable considering they lived 13 years as siblings. The secondary characters were also great especially Yannick. He was very supportive of Rahel throughout the story. The story was not overly complex nor was there much character development nor growth outside of the progress of the relationship between Rahel and Janosh.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those who ever found themselves having feelings for someone that was not altogether right for them.
4 stars
This book is about Rahel who has spent the last 4 years being in love with her stepbrother, Janosh. After he moves away to attend university and has plans to study abroad, Rahel decides it is time to move on and find someone new to date and fall in love with. How hard can it be? Harder than she thought, as he moves back to their house for the next few months and is convinced to fix their relationship. But can she confront him with her real feelings or does he just have brotherly intensions towards Rahel?
This book had all the feels of a taboo forbidden romance. For a lot of the book, the reader is subjected to Rahel's internal monologue about how much she loves Janosh as more than her older stepbrother and how his actions towards make it harder for her to move on to someone else. The slow burn/unrequited love on Rahel's side was full of angst. I found the progress of their relationship to be realistic and reasonable considering they lived 13 years as siblings. The secondary characters were also great especially Yannick. He was very supportive of Rahel throughout the story. The story was not overly complex nor was there much character development nor growth outside of the progress of the relationship between Rahel and Janosh.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those who ever found themselves having feelings for someone that was not altogether right for them.
June 26, 2021
*I received this book free from the author.*
Rahel realized at a young age that her feelings for her step brother were more than that of a sister, but she knew better than to ever act upon them. Instead she stood by idolizing him as he dated and then went off to college, but when he talked about moving abroad with this girlfriend Rahel realized that she needed to let go of the love she had for him so that she could move on. And her friends were all to eager to help!
Janosh cared for Rahel more than anyone cared for their sister, but he never saw it for what it was until one drunken night when he kissed her. He played it off as something he barely remembered and that shouldn't have happened instead of manning up and admitting what he wanted.
After many friend interventions Janosh realizes what he should have known all along. He loved her. Always would. All he needed was to see if she still loved him after he broke her heart.
If It's Not You is about navigating the awkwardness of falling for a step sibling, finally coming out to their parents, and the closeness of having best friends that truly know you better than you know yourself sometimes.
I have to say that I really wanted to like this book. The story line was there, but the first half is incredibly slow. And for me (this might sound extremely awful but...) the character's names kept interfering with the flow of my reading. I actually started giving the nicknames to make it an easier read. But if stuff like that doesn't bother you it is really a good book.
Rahel realized at a young age that her feelings for her step brother were more than that of a sister, but she knew better than to ever act upon them. Instead she stood by idolizing him as he dated and then went off to college, but when he talked about moving abroad with this girlfriend Rahel realized that she needed to let go of the love she had for him so that she could move on. And her friends were all to eager to help!
Janosh cared for Rahel more than anyone cared for their sister, but he never saw it for what it was until one drunken night when he kissed her. He played it off as something he barely remembered and that shouldn't have happened instead of manning up and admitting what he wanted.
After many friend interventions Janosh realizes what he should have known all along. He loved her. Always would. All he needed was to see if she still loved him after he broke her heart.
If It's Not You is about navigating the awkwardness of falling for a step sibling, finally coming out to their parents, and the closeness of having best friends that truly know you better than you know yourself sometimes.
I have to say that I really wanted to like this book. The story line was there, but the first half is incredibly slow. And for me (this might sound extremely awful but...) the character's names kept interfering with the flow of my reading. I actually started giving the nicknames to make it an easier read. But if stuff like that doesn't bother you it is really a good book.
April 24, 2021
Rahel who has spent the last 4 years being in love with her stepbrother , decides it's time to move forward. His away at the university and has plans to study abroad, so how hard can it be? More than she thought, as he moves back to their house for the next few months and he is convinced to fix their relationship..
A slow-burn, friends to lovers/unrequited love story with great secondary characters (can Yannick have his story, could be fun), that leaves you with a smile on the face.
PS: I could live without the epilogue though, maybe it would be better set in 5 or maybe 10 years, I found it a bit awkward.
I received an ARC from the author for an honest review..
A slow-burn, friends to lovers/unrequited love story with great secondary characters (can Yannick have his story, could be fun), that leaves you with a smile on the face.
PS: I could live without the epilogue though, maybe it would be better set in 5 or maybe 10 years, I found it a bit awkward.
I received an ARC from the author for an honest review..
April 24, 2021
Rahel who has spent the last 4 years being in love with her stepbrother , decides it's time to move forward. His away at the university and has plans to study abroad, so how hard can it be? More than she thought, as he moves back to their house for the next few months and he is convinced to fix their relationship..
A slow-burn, friends to lovers/unrequited love story with great secondary characters (can Yannick have his story, could be fun), that leaves you with a smile on the face.
PS: I could live without the epilogue though, maybe it would be better set in 5 or maybe 10 years, I found it a bit awkward.
I received an ARC from the author for an honest review..
A slow-burn, friends to lovers/unrequited love story with great secondary characters (can Yannick have his story, could be fun), that leaves you with a smile on the face.
PS: I could live without the epilogue though, maybe it would be better set in 5 or maybe 10 years, I found it a bit awkward.
I received an ARC from the author for an honest review..
April 16, 2021
I received this for free via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'll be honest.
Stepsibling romance stories are definitely not my thing.
I found a lot of moments in the story feeling forced. I did like some of the characters, Yannick was my favorite.
And the ending with their parents being accepting was... Weird? Like obviously they're not related or anything by blood but they're still family, and it feels unrealistic to me that they'd just be okay with it.
Also feel bad for vivaan lol.
I'll be honest.
Stepsibling romance stories are definitely not my thing.
I found a lot of moments in the story feeling forced. I did like some of the characters, Yannick was my favorite.
And the ending with their parents being accepting was... Weird? Like obviously they're not related or anything by blood but they're still family, and it feels unrealistic to me that they'd just be okay with it.
Also feel bad for vivaan lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2021
I received this arc in exchange for an honest review.
If it's not you is a young adult novel addressing love, different kinds of love and different kinds of relationships.
Rahel is in love with Janosh who is her stepbrother since 13 years and Zarah Bentley writes nuanced and descriptively about Rahels conflicted feelings towards Janosh and the many different ways she tries to deal with her feelings. Rahel has two lovely friends covering her back and they are definitely contributing to the story by being funny and lively.
Zarah Bentley has an intimate relationship with words and nuances. She has a way of describing small, but important details, that makes you more and more invested with her characters and their perceptions through her books. Her gentle exploration of love and physical attraction sucks you in until you are just as invested as any of her chatracters and you cant help but lingering in her stories long after they are finished.
I believe that anyone who’s ever been young and in love can relate to this love story even if they didn’t fall in love with their step sibling, and I really recommend this and any other book by Zarah Bentley’s. If this is your first book by this author, you are in for many all-nighters since you will want to read all of her bokks right away!
If it's not you is a young adult novel addressing love, different kinds of love and different kinds of relationships.
Rahel is in love with Janosh who is her stepbrother since 13 years and Zarah Bentley writes nuanced and descriptively about Rahels conflicted feelings towards Janosh and the many different ways she tries to deal with her feelings. Rahel has two lovely friends covering her back and they are definitely contributing to the story by being funny and lively.
Zarah Bentley has an intimate relationship with words and nuances. She has a way of describing small, but important details, that makes you more and more invested with her characters and their perceptions through her books. Her gentle exploration of love and physical attraction sucks you in until you are just as invested as any of her chatracters and you cant help but lingering in her stories long after they are finished.
I believe that anyone who’s ever been young and in love can relate to this love story even if they didn’t fall in love with their step sibling, and I really recommend this and any other book by Zarah Bentley’s. If this is your first book by this author, you are in for many all-nighters since you will want to read all of her bokks right away!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews