I really like this author, but am not a big fan or love traingle, especially when it involves sisters. The book was good, but not my normal read

I've read this author's books before and enjoyed them, so I decided to give this one a try. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as her other books, but it's due to a personal preference. I didn't get the impression from the blurb that this would involve a love triangle, and maybe that wasn't the intention, but that's definitely how it came across to me. And I hate love triangles. So that whole aspect really soured my enjoyment of this story. If you don't mind love triangles, you may enjoy this book, but if, like me, they make you cringe, look elsewhere.

Three and a half stars.

Hannah and Becca Walters have lived practically next door to Jase Beckford their entire lives. His father was abusive and ever since their father brought him beaten to their house when he was 14 years old he has been a part of the family. Hannah and Becca are fraternal twins. Due to a misunderstanding about that night Becca and Jase have always felt that the other disliked them whilst being half in love with each other (not sure even I understood that sentence!) whilst Hannah and Jase have been best friends, but never lovers, in a slightly dysfunctional way.

When Jase walks into the Walters' kitchen one morning and sees Becca, half-dressed, leaning into the fridge all his old lustful thoughts come to the fore, but Becca is in a long-term relationship and is expecting an engagement ring for Christmas. Instead, it is Hannah who gets engaged to her musician on-again, off-again boyfriend.

Can Jase and Becca uncover the misunderstandings from the past? Is their chemistry the start of a relationship or are they destined to be a one-night stand? What about Becca's boyfriend?

I enjoyed this. Although it can definitely be read as a stand-alone (as I did) I did feel that I was missing some backstory. It was short, only 144 pages, and I felt it could have done with being longer to fully develop the story.

I am also intrigued to read Hannah's story - gonna look out for it next.

First time reading this author and I absolutely loved it. It’s funny, sweet, romantic and just plain good. Sort of friends to lovers story. I teared up a little bit and got slightly hot during the sex scenes.
Becca is a teacher and has a fraternal twin sister Hannah. She has a boyfriend for two years and comes home ahead of him for Christmas. Jase is their next door neighbor and Becca has loved him forever. The only problem, her sister Hannah and Jase are best friends. They’ve never had sex but they are each other’s “ go to “ person. Becca is quiet and reserved while Hannah is outgoing and needs all the attention. When Jase and Becca kiss after Hannah announces her engagement, she feels guilty and goes back home to tell her boyfriend. But he tells her something that shocks her and they break up.
Becca decides to give single life a try until she comes back home after Valentines day. She hadn’t talked to Jase since Christmas and she realizes how bad she missed him and hopes he feels the same. I can’t wait to read about Hannah even though she was a little witch at first.

* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for Netgalley *

I do like Nicole McLaughlin’s writing and was hoping that ‘Should’ve been you’ could recreate the sort of feels I got with ‘Maybe I Do’.

What a mess this turned out to be.

Let’s start with the unrequited love (or crush) that Becca had on Jase for many years. But he was the boy who never noticed her because he and her twin sister Hannah had always seemed to be on the edge of something more. And though they’d never gotten there, Becca had since moved away and on with her life, to get to get out of their way, and to escape the pain of feeling something for someone who doesn’t reciprocate.

I do root for the underdog, so the character who nurses a secret crush, and tries to do something about it instead of pining for decades without moving on gets my sympathy and vote. But what I found out to my horror however, was a love triangle of sorts where everyone seemed unsure of what they felt and ended up instead playing each other, whether intentionally or not.

Jase/Hannah/Becca were never too sure about where the boundaries between friends and lovers lie and as a consequence, I couldn’t be sure myself if the Jase/Becca were the main pairing here or relegated to secondary characters in their own story, given how much Jase/Hannah seemed to take centre stage in the first half of the book. Throw in Becca’s own jealous ex and things get doubly more complicated and convoluted, particularly when Jase finally decided that he wanted Becca after clarity finally struck…at a somewhat bad time in their lives.

Jase and Becca did eventually get their act together, though their rushed HEA, after all the drama (some of it bordered on cheating, perhaps, depending on your definition of it), didn’t seem as though it’d come convincingly. It’d felt too conveniently like Jase jumping from one sister to the other and I couldn’t quite believe that he and Becca had actually sufficiently worked out their years of angst, misunderstandings and their own confused desires before they jumped into bed and declared all was well with the world. For all that McLaughlin had laid out for us, their colossally knotted issues would have taken more than just the whole Christmas period to untangle.

Sadly, ‘Should’ve been You’ turned out to be more of a disappointment because it fell flatter than I expected. There’s no denying that it is a cute story with everything nicely wrapped up in a bow-tie kind of end, more so because it’s a holiday book where you see the snowflakes and feel the holiday cheer. But looking past the glitter, I simply couldn't feel that kind of book-satisfaction and the couple-love despite their happy ending.

I loved it. He grew up in n unsafe home where his dad was not a good man or father. He is carried into her home by her dad n is taken care of by her family for a few days. He was always close to her sister but he always loved her. They see each other again after years. They have this serious connection n they are awesome together. Her father is dating someone else n is moving on with his life. I loved the two in this book

I believe this is my first book my Nicole McLaughlin and I read this book in one sitting one night and enjoyed it a lot.

The book is about two (twin)-sisters (Hannah and Becca) and their neighbor boy Jase. They spent their childhood together after Jase had a hard time at home and somehow Jase and Hannah became best friends while Becca stays on the side line with a huge crush on Jase. Everyone expects Jase and Hannah to become a couple, but they never cross that line. And when Hannah gets engaged something from the past comes to light which changes the dynamic between Jase and Becca.

This author can write and she pulls you in. I liked Becca and Jase but never warmed to Hannah. I did think the book was over way too fast. There was some drama, emotional drama, but it was solved rather quickly. It is great for a romantic read near the fireplace. Gave me a Hallmark movie feeling. Well done.

I requested and received an ARC via Netgalley and this is my honest review.

This story was a nice blend of romance and realism! I found the characters engaging and decently rounded out-Hannah was overly confident to hide her insecurities, Becca turned standoffish to hide hers, and Jase liked being needed, even when it wasn’t in the healthiest capacity for him. They had issues I could easily relate to and I liked how approachable it made them. And the romance between Jase and Becca had all those moments anyone has experienced at some point or another! You know, those awkward glances, first kisses, and those sweet tummy curls, to the supernova, holy smokes hotter than heck sex (which can totally be construed as fact or fiction...depending on how a person looks at things, lol!!

At any rate, I loved Jase and Becca’s story! The story was good, the romance was awesome, and the characters were a joy to read-even the terrible musician, but I digress. This is the first time I’ve read McLaughlin and I am going to have to check out her backlist. She nailed everything I love about a good romance and those kinds of authors typically end up on my auto buy list, which makes it a win/win for me as a reader!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Should've Been You by Nicole McLaughlin is a realistic story. I can actually see these characters as if I were watching them in real life. Their personalities are likable, their banters are funny, and their chemistry is heating up the pages. Old crushes and secrets are revealed. These lead up to an interesting plot and amazing scenes. I couldn't get enough of Jase and Becca. Even Becca's dad was lovable! Happiness might be closer than either main protagonist originally thought.


This, was my first Nicole McLaughlin book and I loved it. The writing sparked my interest immediately. This writer, knew how and where to draw my attention. The humor, romance, and heat was in full volume in this title. I couldn't stop reading it. I laughed so hard, and I rooted for the characters. The story was a second chance at finding love...a love that was there deep down but somehow hid itself between the characters. Overall, I recommend this stunning read to all.

How did he know Hannah wasn't lying?

He sounds whipped.

Seriously? Yeah, that guy's a real prize. Not.

Red Lobster? Geez, no wonder Brian is so cold.

Who deliberately drives around during a snowstorm?!

It would be kind of weird for me if all my boyfriend talked about was his dead wife, but whatever.

This story had two elements I usually don't go for.
1. I don't like sisters/twins having an interest in the same guy
2. Love triangles

So why did I read it well because I LOVE this authors writing. I have read all her previous books and I also love this series. In fact we have seen Jace in the 2 previous books. Despite my misgiving I did enjoy this book. It also seemed shorter than the other books in the series.

This is the story of two sisters, twins Hannah and Becca and they grew up with Jace. Hannah is Jace's bestie and all his friends think they should be together. Becca is her sister that has secretly had a thing for Jace but she always thought he did not like her.

Things change when Becca comes home for the holidays and her and Jace kiss and that upsets her because she has a boyfriend she is expecting to propose. Well I am not spoiling anything else... But I did enjoy this story. I felt it tied things up a little too glossily and fast and the book easily could have been expanded but I also really enjoyed the story.