If Not You by Ellen O'Clover
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: Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for an ARC of this book, out on September 15th!
From her beginnings in the copywriting industry, Mattie French's biggest rival has been Campbell Porter. And at every turn, he seems to be the one who wins out - who gets the job, wins the prize, and taunts her at every turn. Now, Mattie's agency is competition with Campbell's team for the same luxury resort account and she will have to spend four weeks trying to beat him for the job.
THIS BOOK. I really enjoyed The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O'Clover so was desperate to read this book by her next. I have to say all in all, I prefer this one! Only because the last book was so heavy with so much grief. Not that this book wasn't without its depth, but the yearning and angst in this story really won me over.
I will admit that this book took a while to reel me in. A good chunk of the beginning of this book is spent on Mattie and Campbell's jobs and their copywriting rivalry. However, after reading the whole book, I do think this was necessary to set the stage - we get a sense of their history together, the depth of Mattie's animosity, but also see how very important her job is to Mattie. She is passionate about copyediting. What a nightmare for her to have to spend four weeks on location with her most hated rival!
So many books play lip service to the enemies to lovers trope but this book is the definition of it to me. Mattie has so much resentment and frustration towards Campbell. I love how we see how much of a shift in perspective and understanding she has to undergo to realize she has misunderstood him and misread the situation all along. Mattie was absolutely vibrating with frustration towards him for the first part of this book. The girl is MEAN to him! Little does she know that he is just here for any sort of interaction or attention from her. This is an example of a book where I am SO GLAD it was NOT dual perspective. Knowing what Campbell was thinking would have taken away from the slow burn/quiet reveal of his steadfast interest in her.
Ellen O'Clover does such an excellent job of writing the physicality of her characters. I'm thinking specifically of their body language. These two are SO aware at all times of each other - the shift in their stance, the tick of their jaw, the eye contact. They are so hyper aware of everything about the other and it helped build the tension SO much.
Also, can I just give a round of applause to the author for making Campbell 5'11"? Look, we all love a tall man, but they can't ALL be over six feet. I actually deeply loved that Campbell and Mattie are the exact same height and can look each other squarely in the eye. They are rivals, they are equals, they come together ultimately on a level playing field and I am so here for it.
I also loved the various settings in this book. The two live in Chicago but spend two weeks in Aspen and two in Bodega Bay, California. And we also get a visit to Campbell's family home in North Carolina. I loved the vibes of the different settings and how I could visualize them in the backdrop of this love story.
This does have several open-door scenes, but they were well done and ultimately cut to black after things really got going and so still felt spicy and revealing and yet not too explicit. I don't know if that makes sense...but they just didn't venture into vulgar level of detail and still felt HOT. So there's that.
I also really appreciate that this is not just a story about romantic love!! I loved the connection between Mattie and her roommate/best friend/adoptive sister Ava. Their relationship is going through a massive change as Ava prepares to get married and move out and the two are also confronting that they have different life goals. I loved this relationship and how they support and show up for each other. Meanwhile, I loved Campbell's family in North Carolina and the way they are figuring out navigating his father's memory loss. We also see Mattie really growing in her confidence, which is very wavering and unsure at the beginning of this book.
My favorite scene in this book (although there are many) is when Mattie makes a grand gesture to show up for Campbell. The moment when he looks up and spies her across the room while wearing that tuxedo!!!!! I had to literally set my kindle down for a moment I was so overcome by it. Would make a stunning scene in a movie, I'm just throwing that out there.
I loved this so much, truly. I do feel like I need to knock off a half star for how slow a start this was and my concern that it will lead to some readers DNF'ing this, which is a tragedy!! But other than the slow start, this is a full five stars from me.
Favorite quotes:
"'I've been waiting on you,' he tells me. There's something in his voice as he says it, like he doesn't mean only this, or only that night."
"Because,' he says against my ear, 'I always want you looking at me.'"
"How the spread of Campbell's hand over my lower back felt like something sliding into place."
"There hasn't been a time since I've known you exist that I haven't wanted you, Mattie."
"He makes me feel known, and wanted. He makes me feel like life holds more than I imagined. A little bit like I'm on fire."
"I feel so cherished it's disorienting."
"'Mattie,' Campbell says, 'I want to kiss you so badly I could eat your entire face.'"
"The way he beams anytime I admit to feeling something for him that isn't opposition."
"At this point, Mattie, for me? It's you or nothing."
"Me and you's a good story, Mattie. Best one I know."
Stars: 5
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