It Couldn’t Be You by Rebecca Jo Jackson

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Available for purchase August 1, 2023

Emma is comfortable. She has a steady boyfriend, a lifelong best friend, and a reporting job in her hometown. But there’s something always in the background— her best friend’s brother, Gabe. When Emma’s boyfriend proposes to her on Christmas, everything turns upside down. The pressure of the moment, followed by her firing from the local newspaper, makes her realize that it may be time to start chasing down her childhood dreams. And it also makes her realize that she may not be able to keep avoiding her feelings for Gabe, no matter how much she worries that it will change her dynamic with his family. Will Emma finally realize everything she wants, or will fear of change stop her from living her life?

I would rate It Couldn’t Be You by Rebecca Jo Jackson 5 out of 5 stars. I am OBSESSED with the relationship between Emma and Gabe. It is a slow burn (the type of slow burn that has you freaking out when their knees touch under the table), and the interactions between the two of them are so cute. The character development of Emma is also amazing. Though it is sometimes annoying how scared of change she can be, the story is written so that we get to experience all of her growth firsthand. The friendship between Katie and Emma was also beautiful, and it was really cool to read a book that focused just as much on the best friends as the boyfriends.

If you are looking for a new slow burn, forbidden lover book this summer, you need to read It Couldn’t Be You. It has everything- the childhood crushes, the flirty text messages, the histories of desire, the spontaneous trip together, and more. It was such a cute romance book that also managed to depict the internal struggles that come with the changes of growing up. If mostly chaste but still heartwarmingly cute romance stories are your thing, you need to go get a copy of It Couldn’t Be You right now.