Olivia Caridi

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If Not You

by Ellen O'Clover (Goodreads Author)

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Olivia Caridi said: " 4⭐️

If Not You was my first Ellen O'Clover book, and I was immediately impressed by her writing. There's something so effortless about it that kept me turning the pages, and she has such a talent for creating fun, immersive settings and emotional char 4⭐️

If Not You was my first Ellen O'Clover book, and I was immediately impressed by her writing. There's something so effortless about it that kept me turning the pages, and she has such a talent for creating fun, immersive settings and emotional character moments. The workplace rivals-to-lovers premise was right up my alley, and once this story found its footing, I was completely invested.

That said, the first 25% of this book was a bit of a struggle for me. It felt repetitive, and I found Mattie really hard to connect with. Girl... we get it, you hate Campbell. 😭 It felt like every interaction circled back to how much she disliked him, and I couldn't believe how outwardly rude she was to this man. At a certain point I just wanted her to stop letting him live rent-free in her head.

I also found Mattie surprisingly immature at times. What especially didn't quite work for me was that she's supposed to be a professional copywriter, yet she struggled so much to communicate with the people in her life. It felt a little hard to believe that someone whose career revolves around choosing the right words could be that bad at expressing herself.

Thankfully, she really grew on me as the story progressed. I loved watching her slowly learn to let people in, communicate more honestly, and confront the things she'd been avoiding. Her character growth ended up being one of my favorite parts of the book.

And Campbell? Oh... Campbell is HOT. He was the perfect balance to Mattie's chaos - steady, patient, and completely gone for her. Once the story got moving, I could absolutely feel the chemistry between them, and I was fully invested in their relationship.

The setting, the concept, the workplace rivals-to-lovers dynamic, and all the tension were so much fun. Once the romance really started building, I couldn't put it down.

Overall, while the slower beginning and Mattie's initial characterization held it back from being a five-star read for me, Ellen O'Clover's writing really impressed me, and I'll definitely be picking up more of her books.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, Ellen O'Clover, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. ...more "

Aug 02, 2026 08:43AM · see review