ARC Review If Not You by Ellen O’Clover – Readaholic Book Reviews

If Not You by Ellen O’Clover

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Heat Level: 🔥

Release Date: September 15, 2026

Publisher: Berkley Romance

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

SYNOPSIS

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.

REVIEW

What to expect in If Not You:
-dual timelines
-second chance romance
-work rivals
-forced proximity

Mattie French is good at her job as a copywriter, she loves what she does and wants to keep moving up the ladder at her current job. The biggest thorn in Mattie’s side is Campbell Porter – her rival and nemesis. Campbell and Mattie interned at the same job 5 years ago and he’s been on the straight path to success garnering all the awards that seem just out of reach for Mattie. When their agencies are pitted against each other for a luxury resort account they find themselves in each others company A LOT. Will they continue to be adversaries, or find a middle ground and a way to get over their dislike of one another.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started If Not You, but the fact that it was a second chance romance with a dual timeline immediately sucked me in. I am a huge fan of angsty second chance romances and this book delivered. I immediately fell in love with the banter between Mattie and Campbell. Their relationship while fraught with tension in the current timeline had that kind of banter that kept a grin on my face. I loved Campbell’s character so much! He was funny and charming and maybe a bit of an asshole at first – but we get to understand why.

I also really enjoyed the relationship between Mattie and her best friend. It isn’t always easy when your friends are going in different directions than you. You feel like you’re all alone and everyone is moving on without you. I felt sympathy for Mattie, but also enjoyed how close-knit their relationship was.

I do feel like sometimes the past and present timelines weren’t always as cohesive as I wanted them to be. The jumps were a bit disorienting at certain points of the book, but definitely added to the overall storyline of the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed If Not You – a solid 4 stars!