4.5 stars! Thank you to Simon Teen for the eARC in exchange for a review. ⁠

This was a beautiful and heartwarming story. We meet Raja and Deja, who are two young adults trying to find their own path in the overwhelming transition to adulthood. I was instantly drawn in to these characters and their lives. Deja has a huge role being a first generation college student, business owner, and a huge family girl. Raja is an artist who is struggling to pursue his dream of owning his own tattoo shop while trying to balance exceptions from his parent’s traditional expectations being the son of two first generation immigrants. This story was rooted in realistic challenges that kept me engrossed and cheering for these characters.

The romance is SO CUTE but it was so real at the same time. Their connection was quick and they hit it off instantly, but there was a lot of obstacles these two had to face. They had to fight for their love in the face of cultural and racial differences between Deja and Raja. Deja’s confidence and unshakeable beliefs met Raja’s strength to stand up for himself and others and created chemistry from their first interaction. This blossomed into a beautiful relationship and they learned to fight for, together, despite the odds.

LaDelle wrote a wonderful story that encompasses many different topics from sexism, racism, cultural differences, and privilege, but still contains amazing emotional depth, characters you will instantly love, and a romance to swoon for. This is an amazing summer read and I cannot wait to check out Ebony LaDelle’s other books. I loved this one!

This was a lovely story about two college-aged young people who happen to run into each other and stay on each other's minds. Only when they run into each other again a few months later do they realize the impact they'd had on each other and begin to explore their feelings. I enjoyed how their relationship started as very sincere friends who truly want only the best for each other. Even when their families are not supportive due to racism, each ultimately wants the other to do what's best for them and their family. That kind of level-headed love that isn't trying to burn down everything around it -- family be damned -- is a welcomed anomaly in how romance is often written.

As a LOVER of "Love Radio" this was most definitely a must read just because of the author and the way "Love Radio" made me feel. She did not disappoint in this beautiful "young love" romance. Coming from different cultural backgrounds as an adult falling in love is hard as a whole but finding love in young adulthood with multicultural backgrounds could be have easily been grounds for failure in the past, but the youth in this day and age are resilient and make ways to overcome. This story was beautifully written story.

Once again Ebony LaDelle wrote a story that made me feel a part of the plot while I also adored the MCs!

I love that Deja and Raja were able to gain personal insight and exposure to each other's culture during their journey of love. They were able to see the similarities and the contrasts which gave way into conversations. For me being one who believes in asking questions without judging others because it's not what you're used to, I adored the way Ebony LaDelle included this into their story! Lastly, by the end of the story, I truly shouted out "the title is correct, this could be forever and Ebony LaDelle has a forever reader in me".

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for a copy of this book via Netgalley. All opinions are my own. As a high school educator, I often turn to YA reads to recommend to my students and mentoring group. This book is at the top of the list. This book reads like a movie. I believe that it should be adapted into a Netflix show. I get multicultural Forever vibes from this novel. The ebb and flow of the relationship between the leads is just so pure, and has you reminiscing on your first love. The pressure to live up to the expectations that your family places on you is something that a lot of young people can today can relate to. Overall, just a fun, lighthearted read with the right comedic touch.

4.5 stars. What a cute YA story!

Alexa play Sunflower by Post Malone and Swae Lee

Deja and Raja were fun to read about, from their meet-cute (which was so adorable) to their happy ending.
As a first generation myself, Raja's story was so relatable to me. I felt his struggles with his family like they were my own. I enjoyed reading about Deja and her relationship with her many siblings and her parents, and how it paralleled with Raja's relationship with his sister and sister-cousins, and his parents.

I learned SO MUCH about Nepali culture, and the Bollywood-esque ending played like a movie scene in my mind (Netflix, cue Mismatched).
It was cute reading their young love story, and I'm glad the conflicts weren't super drawn out and had clear resolutions.

Didn't see why there was an epilogue when it was set only a semester after. Could have just been another chapter.

Overall, I love it when a black girl gets her love story!

Thank you net galley and Simon Teens for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was NOT ready for this book! Raja and Deja are now two lovers I will hold close in my heart when it comes to meet-cutes and book couples!

I’ve been feeling a lot like a hopeless romantic lately but This Could Be Forever left me with the feelings of more romcoms. Author LaDelle was very conscientious about the cultural differences that can impact an interracial romance and navigating these when you experience a first love.

I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to feel all squishy and bubbly with some hard feelings in between.

This Could Be Forever by Ebony LaDelle, 384 pages. Simon & Schuster, 2025. $20. CENTERING ME, lgbt
Language: R (129 swears, 7 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
Needing to see her future college campus before she can accept, Deja (17yo) goes to the University of Maryland over spring break. After she falls in love with the city and the campus, she celebrates her college decision with a tattoo—and feels the first sparks of love with her tattoo artist, Raja (18yo). They come from wildly different family cultures and expectations, but, if their love could be forever, then it’s worth every battle.
LaDelle’s characters are not only dealing with the pressures of staying home versus moving out and decisions about college majors that will impact their future dream careers, they also have to choose whether their relationship is worth clashing with their loved ones over traditions and biases. As readers watch these characters navigate all these difficult decisions, they will see examples of self care and reprioritizing activities, including letting some go until a later time, and the importance of support systems and honesty. Maybe the decisions readers are facing aren’t exactly the same, but we have all felt the chaos of having to make difficult choices now all at once, and Deja’s and Raja’s stories illustrate hope for a happy ending for each of us.
Deja and her family are Black, Raja and his family are Nepali, and there are characters whose families are from Sri Lanka and the Dominican Republic. A couple side characters are mentioned as being part of the LGBT community. The mature content rating is for alcohol use (including underage drinking), kissing, mild innuendo, and mentions of drugs, menstruation, and sex.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and Netgalley for this early ARC of This Could Be Forever! I loveeeee a good teenage love story - Raja and Deja are sooo swoon-worthy. I'm giving this a 3.75 rounded up to 4 :)

I wish I could've read this book as a teenager, because it literally gives light to some of the tougher parts of transitioning into college and leaving home for the first time. This story touches on racism, colorism, family expectations (and defying them), coming of age, and moving out. This story really felt like having a crush for the first time, and that made me so giddy and excited. Raja and Deja were so different yet, so alike, I loved them together and how much they made each other better.

I was really waiting for something really traumatic to happen, however, this is a trauma free Black-Brown (Nepalian) love story and we love to see it. There were some parts, where the dialogue felt a little forced, but nothing too bad! Also, I do feel like Deja was a little too trusting, but that's part of being sheltered and Southern I suppose. LOL.

One sentence summary - As Raja and Deja fall for one another the summer before their freshman year of college, they are forced to face their head-strong, culturally rich families who are stubborn in their values and their ideals of who Raja and Deja should be.

Would recommend this book to folks who love Young adult/College age love stories, people who enjoy realistic stories that touches on heavy topics, girlies who love Black-Brown (South Asian) love stories, people who love a sweet and swoony summer romance, and folks who like the following tropes: He falls first, FMC boss/influencer, friends to lovers, interracial romances, and meet cutes.

this was such a beautiful story about mixed relationships, racism, coming of age, and very diverse. i loved how authentic this story felt, i don't think i've ever read a more realistic dialogue than the ones in this book.

all the conversations felt so real and hilarious, also with serious topics and issues people still have when cultures clash.

will definetly be checking out more books from ebony after this!!!

IDK how to rate this book. I liked it but at the same time, I didn't. I don't think it was for me personally.

Anything Ebony LaDelle writes, I will read and I was not disappointed.
This could be forever was another one that really hit the heart! Love radio will always have my heart but this one comes in a close second. They way she writes really captures something in you and her stories are ones I wish I had in my youth. It flows so well and really shows the love of teenagers in such a way that brings you back to how I felt as a teen.

Please read this!!!

I loved Love Radio and couldn’t wait to read more by Ebony. I enjoyed this one so much! The characters are lovable and so charming, There’s some heavy themes covered which the author handled with care.

This was a fun light read. It was really cute with all the first love vibes It gave tons of feels and the writing was very scenic and descriptive so I felt like I was there on the pages. I am a fan of this author and read her first book love radio. I love how she inputs real issues i a fun way without being overly traumatic. Love the blending o cultures as well. This was slightly predictable but isn't that why we read these type of books. I highly recommend this one.

DNF -

This story dragged for me, no matter how many times I put it down and tried again it just wasn’t it… I loved the idea of this story, but it just fell flat. The modern language used didn’t help.

This was such a cutesy YA romance that still managed to pack a punch emotionally. Deja and Raja’s meet-cute had me grinning from ear to ear—it was the kind of moment that makes your heart flutter in the best way.

What really set this apart for me was how Ebony LaDelle wove in family pressures and cultural expectations without losing the joy and magic of first love. Deja’s flashbacks with her grandmother were especially tender and emotional, and Raja’s struggle with balancing his artistic dreams and his immigrant parents’ hopes added real depth.

Interracial and intercultural relationship dynamics were explored with care, and the story never felt preachy—just honest and real. This book balances butterflies and big themes so beautifully. Definitely one I’d recommend to readers who like their romance sweet *and* substantial.

Thank you Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the ARC. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

This Could Be Forever is a sweet young adult romance between Deja and Raja. This is a story of a Black girl and a brown boy in the summer before starting college finding love, each other, and the complexities that come with interracial romance where families from both sides hold specific expectations for who these kids will end up with. Deja is a dark skinned Black American girl who knows what she wants in life and has her natural skincare business and soon to be education in chemistry and soil science to prove it. Raja is a Nepali American boy who loves art and wants to open his own tattoo studio but whose family subscribes to their home country’s caste system, expectation of arranged marriage, and his becoming an engineer. Together, Deja and Raja find similarities in their humor, their healer grandparents and their stubborn fathers as they navigate the differences they face in cultures and gendered expectations— all while finding themselves and opening up to the potential of a future with each other.

This story is so sweet. It really had my giggling and kicking my feet. I adored the way Deja and Raja uplifted the other in support, encouragement, and genuine praise for the other’s passion. I was cheesing so hard throughout the entirety of this book.

One small detail that I really appreciated about this story is the acknowledgment of their finding each other at such a young age and the uncertainty of if they really are each other’s forever person yet holding onto the hope and feeling that they would certainly like to try and explore the potential of what they could be. Beautiful. Chef’s kiss. I’ve found that a lot of romance books have characters that are *sure* that they’ve found their forever in each other, but it was nice to read the reality of that unsureness and the hope that overrides and exceeds that within this young adult novel.

While I’m neither Nepali, nor of South Asian descent, as an Asian American, I found a lot of similarities between myself and Raja and his family and their expectations. And especially his sister! While my parents don’t expect me to marry a person of their choosing, I aggressively relate to the unbalanced expectations of being an Asian American girl in an immigrant Asian family with a brother who had far more freedom than me. So I love that Raja has her and their sister-cousins to put him in his place and that he’s open to learning about his privilege.

I’m not entirely sure why this book took me so long to finish because I thoroughly enjoyed reading and was internally screaming (positively) throughout much of it. But I did end up switching to the audiobook halfway through in order to finish the story, and the narrators also brought a certain life to these characters that only helped grow my love for them.

This Could Be Forever is an absolutely beautiful love story of finding similarities and relatability across cultures with different flavors of oppression, and I’m excited to read more from Ebony LaDelle. Thank you, Netgalley and Simon & Schuster’s Children’s Publishing, for the ARC!

A true YA book.

The depiction of young love, family, cultural identity and navigating a new environment makes this book perfect for the young adult audience. Addressing not racism but cultural stereotypes and the youth's willingness to confront it, was so beautifully written that you wanted to root for Deja and Raja immediately. Knowing the battles they may face but also how far they are willing to go (not for love but for what's right).

I love Ebony LaDell's writing and she doesn't hesitate to show young love in the light that we all know it as.

Consuming, confusing and captivating.

I love E. LaDelle previous book so much, so I was so excited to read this new release. In This Could be Forever, I really loved how it explores the complexities of interracial relationships and the cultural tensions that can come along with them. Raja and Deja both had struggles with navigating their identities and relationship, but I loved how they both showed maturity along the way. Raja’s struggle with his families expectations around arranged marriage vs. honoring his family’s traditions. Deja’s journey of self-discovery, seeing how she found strength in her individuality while dealing with the pressures of family and culture. I appreciated how LaDelle showed both thoughts on the subject and showed both family’s view point as well.

That said, I did feel like some moments could’ve been wrapped up faster, and it didn’t hit as hard emotionally as I expected it to. However, the overall pay off made for a sweet slow burn relationship to reflect on.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narration by Angel Pean and Vikas Adam was fantastic! The voice acting brought out the tension in both Raja and Deja which made the listening enjoyable even with the slower pace.

Overall, i did really enjoyed reading about their love story coupled with the culture and the choices we make for self vs our families.

When Ebony LaDelle announced that she wrote another book I immediately added it to my pre-order cart. I knew that I was going to buy it no matter what it was LOL If you know me, you know that Love Radio was my favorite book of 2022, so I knew I was going to read whatever it was that she came up with next. And let me just say, this one was just as amazing.

So the characters were absolutely my favorite part. I LOVED Deja. She was her own person but still the embodiment of her family, especially her grandmother. She seemed like the rock of her family. She had so much wisdom at such a young age. She was so relatable. I was the same way when I was that age. A definite old soul.

And then there was Raja. He was a smart brave soul. He may have been of a different culture than me, but I recognized the things he went through all the same. The way he went through all he went through, but still went above and beyond for his sister cousins AND Deja made me want to give him a hug, a round of applause, or something. He did things that adults still don’t know how to do. And he did not take no for an answer. I know this seems bare minimum, but again, a lot of adults wouldn’t do what he did.

I also liked the community they fostered when they all came together. Yeah Deja and Raja were the ones in the relationship. but the way the sister cousins and Deja’s family all came together to help them or even just to cook together, to laugh together, or to help Deja with her clothing. It was so special the way they looked out for each other in different ways. It was so special to see them find each other and fall in love the way they did and see the community and friends that rallied behind them. Even if some of them had to hide to do so.

As for the romance itself, hands down, one the cutest couples ever lol These kids were the cutest. I loved the way they took care of each other and made sure that other people took care of them too. They didn’t play about each other and that may seem like bare minimum, but these kids both had a lot to fight through and I recognize that it was a lot. Also, I have to admit, I was originally going write in my review that I was not a fan of the instalove, but after going to see her speak about her new book, I can honestly say I understood why she did what she did. She said that she was aware it was instalove, but it was because she knew with the rest of the story she was doing a lot, and trying to add on some kind of conflict here too might have been too too much. It made sense if she wanted the main conflict and main plot point to be their journey together.

There is so much going on in this book, from the community, to the romance, to the family dynamics. It was so much and it really made me feel bad that these kids were still trying to figure out who they were and they were going through these things. And let me just tell you, all of that made this book so damn good. I loved this so much, and I think you all will too. Go pick it up and let me know what you think too!