[PRE-ORDER] If Not You by Ellen O'Clover

Release Date: 9/15/2026

rivals-to-lovers • workplace romance • forced proximity • he falls first • second chance at love

Five years of history. Four weeks on the road. Two rival copywriters discovering that sometimes the person you most want to beat is the person you can never quite stop thinking about. If Not You is an angsty, yearning contemporary romance filled with sharp chemistry, emotional vulnerability, and a love story that refuses to stay neatly in the past.

The Vibe

Mattie French has worked hard to make a name for herself as a copywriter at a scrappy independent advertising agency. Ambitious and determined, she's finally within reach of the career milestone she's been chasing. There's just one problem: Campbell Porter.

Campbell is a talented senior copywriter at a rival agency, and he's been Mattie's professional nemesis since their internship days. Their competitive history is filled with banter, frustration, and a tension neither of them seems particularly good at ignoring.

When their agencies compete for the same luxury resort account, Mattie and Campbell are forced to spend four weeks traveling together for the pitch. What begins as a battle between professional rivals gradually gives them the chance to see the softer, more complicated sides of each other.

With aching yearning, sizzling chemistry, career ambition, and a romance built around the question of whether an old story can be rewritten, If Not You is perfect for readers who love emotionally rich rivals-to-lovers romances with plenty of tension and heart.

Tropes & Tags

• Contemporary romance
• Workplace romance
• Rivals-to-lovers
• Forced proximity
• He falls first
• Professional rivals
• Travel romance
• Slow-burn tension
• Yearning
• Banter
• Career-driven characters
• Emotional romance
• Dual timeline

Please note: This is a pre-order item and will not be available for pickup or shipment until the official release date. You’ll receive a notification as soon as your order is ready.