Amazing! I love this beautiful story of love and growing. I finished it in one sitting and I will always recommend.

gorgeous romance with fun ideas. insta love is normally a neutral to dislike for me, but here it definitely worked. 4.5 stars, tysm for the arc.

I read So This Could Be Forever by Ebony LaDelle, a YA romance that follows Deja Martin, a Black freshman at the University of Maryland who dreams of studying cosmetic chemistry, and Raja Sharma, a Nepali American artist who wants to open a tattoo shop. They meet during a summer campus visit and instantly click, and once Deja starts school early for classes and an internship, their relationship really starts. But things get more complicated when they have to navigate their families and cultural differences.

There were a lot of things I really liked about this book. Deja and Raja were both so sweet and thoughtful with each other—like when Raja took Deja to see the cherry blossoms, or when she learned how to cook food from his culture. They felt more emotionally mature than a lot of older couples in books. They had real conversations, genuinely tried to understand each other, and showed they were capable of having a grounded, healthy relationship.

I also appreciated that most of the conflict came from external factors—their families and cultural expectations—rather than the usual miscommunication or stubborn drama between the main characters. It was such a refreshing change of pace. The story also had some really good discussions about generational differences and how younger people are trying to unlearn some of the harmful patterns passed down to them. I liked seeing both family dynamics—it added so much to the story.

And the main characters themselves? I really liked them. They had such interesting goals and dreams, and even when they got together, they didn’t lose themselves. They still knew who they were individually, which I loved.

That said, there were a few things that didn’t totally work for me. Some of the characters’ reactions felt unearned—like laughing or being overly impressed by stuff that wasn’t that funny or impressive. The writing also had moments where it felt a bit cringy or unnatural. And honestly, things moved really fast between Deja and Raja. They met once, had a single date, didn’t talk for months, then jumped straight into planning to meet each other’s families and talk about the future. I’m just not a big fan of insta-love, even in teen romances.

Also, I don’t know if it was the digital format I read, but there were a few scenes that didn’t transition clearly—it felt like something was missing or out of order, which threw me off.

Overall, this was a good read. I gave it a 3.5. It wasn’t totally my thing, but I appreciated the conversations it brought up about cultural expectations and breaking generational cycles. And at its heart, it was a really sweet romance between two people from different backgrounds who made it work because they chose to.

Thank you to Simon Teen for this digital ARC!

Maybe I don't dislike "instalove" as much as I thought I did because I personally LOVED every moment of this book. Deja and Raja was so cute. The connection was quick yes, but that's bound to happen on a college campus close-ish proximity! It was adorable and I had fun seeing them get to know each other and embrace each others cultures.

Deja and Raja face the common challenge that come with dating outside of your race and culture. They both face similar obstacles when it came to their families judgement, specifically with their stubborn fathers. I loved seeing both of their growth through their journey together. Raja especially made me proud. His methods weren't always perfect, but I loved seeing him stand up for Deja and himself. I feel like Deja brought out a different confidence in him that he didn't have before. Deja was such a confident girl in general the moment we start the book. She was a real go-getter with her dreams and aspirations and it seems that it definitely inspired and influenced Raja.

I also really loved seeing the complexities of family shown in this book. Family was very important to both of them, but they challenged the norms. Never disrespectful, to me! They had so much love and respect for their families, but they had to remind them that they are not under their control and things are changing! I like that. I was glad to seem both characters call out their family members' ignorance and biases when it came to each other. The families can mean no harm, but they still need to be corrected.

“As we're opening the earth, I think of Queen. The night sky always makes me think of her. […] As a young child I never understood where her poise came from, but my grandmother sowed it in me, and as we gardened and compared stories, my confidence budded like each new leaf budding from the soil — rich with nutrients, armed with courage, and ready to withstand any harshness that came my way.”

This may have been my first book by Ebony LaDelle but, holy cannoli, it will not be my last! I absolutely loved this sweet, dual POV love story about finding your perfect match right at a crossroads in your life. Our heroine is a brilliant young woman poised at the edge of adulthood. Our hero is a talented young man daring to forge his own path in life. Can honesty and vulnerability bond two people together? How do you stay true to yourself and the goals you’ve set for yourself while also pursuing an unexpected spark? And do we always have to lose something to gain something else? Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC — be on the lookout for this one in May!

Insta love is becoming my thing I guess, because I ate this up. I absolutely loved Raja. Even though both cultures clashed briefly and the parents were extremely set in the old days, this was a great story of family, love and living for you.

The meet cute was so adorable! I love this book so much. It was so cute. The banter was everything. The connection? You could feel it through the pages!

I was really excited about this book and intrigued by the premise. I generally love YA romances and find them very charming. But I have to be honest and say I DNFed this book at 30%.

I’m not a huge fan of the insta-love trope and this is really what their meet-cute boils down to. Also, I found the conversations they had on their whirlwind weekend they met to be overly simplistic. The writing style felt pretty juvenile. Additionally, I felt their characters were really boiled down to stereotypes.

I wanted to stick it out, but at 30% I still did not really care for them or the storyline so I needed to step away. I’m bummed, but hopeful this will work for readers who enjoy insta-love and who are looking for a YA interracial love story.

Unfortunately had to DNF this book at 20% ;-;
I am not a fan of insta-love and didn’t know that this book would be centered around that. I also didn’t particularly enjoy the writing style and how juvenile it read-even with the book being YA it felt middle grade. I absolutely think people are going to love this book, it just wasn’t for me.

Cute romance, good characters and an enjoyable read.

🧴🌿 Deja was such a motivated character, her dreams and ambitions were so inspiring. Her love for using natural products and wanting to make it into a business is was so nice.

🎨💉Raja was so wholesome. He had to deal with a lot of family issues not wanting to disappoint them but also wanting to be his own person, following through with his love of art and tattooing.

I really liked how the characters mixed well with the plot of the story. It was cute getting to see their motivations and passions develop more and become clear to them. The level of respect they had towards one another was also really nice to read. The family dynamics were different but they both had a supportive sibling to help them along the way of their life.

Plot: 5/10
Pace: 7/10
Ending: 7/10
Characters: 4/10
Enjoyability: 6/10
Writing Style: 5/10
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character: Raja

Favorite Quote: ❝ He planned a perfect evening, all to make me feel comfortable about things out of his control. I think I’m ready to be his something more. ❞

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for an ARC of Ebony LaDelle’s This Could Be Forever.

In this YA novel, LaDelle did a wonderful job depicting how two eighteen-year-olds, just leaving the nest, are learning to navigate both the world and their families.

Deja, an African American woman from a large family, has big plans to be the first in her family to go to college so she can study chemistry to further her natural skin care line she started while in high school. She ends up leaving her North Carolina farm to go to the University of Maryland to start classes early.

Raja, a Nepali man, wants to go to school to study art so he can open his own tattoo parlor one day. His parents expect him to be in an arranged marriage and they want him to study engineering.

Raja and Deja meet and start dating over the summer but have to deal with a lot of racism and classism from their own families just to be together.

Not personally being a POC, I can’t say that I understand what either of these characters are going through. Having an almost 17 year old, I can see how they think they know best and how I think I know better. As a parent it is hard to let go. So while I know I was supposed to be rooting for Deja and Raja getting to be together and their families to accepting their wishes, and I did, I also understood why their parents were concerned for reasons that Deja and Raja didn’t understand.

I really enjoyed this book.

#EbonyLaDelle #ThisCouldBeForever #NetGalley #Simon&SchusterBooksforYoungReaders #ARC #YA #Romance #ContemporaryRomance #ContemporaryFiction #Fiction #RealisticFiction #YARomance #CollegeRomance #College #Family #FirstLove #POC #April #2025

Ebony LaDelle's This Could Be Forever is a beautifully crafted romance that explores themes of vulnerability, hope, and the transformative power of love. The novel centers around two vividly drawn characters whose paths cross during a pivotal time in their lives. LaDelle skillfully portrays the intricacies of relationships, making their connection feel both authentic and deeply moving. With richly descriptive prose, LaDelle immerses readers in the characters' world, balancing moments of joy and heartbreak. Fans of contemporary romance will appreciate the relatable dynamics, emotional depth, and the uplifting journey toward self-discovery.

Quick and cute read that can serve as a palate cleanser between genres.

Read if you like interacial couples and the challenges they face, insta "hand shaking, butterflies in the stomach" crush, quirky moments

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

After reading Love Radio by this author i knew this book would be an automatic read for me. I love when authors are able to make YA novels realistic, meaningful, and engaging. This book was no different. I enjoyed the complex relationships of the main characters as they had graduated from high school and are both on a journey to find purpose beyond the expectations of their families. I appreciated the representation and culture backgrounds from both sides. If you are looking for a good palette cleanser with a hint of YA romance this is the book for you.

Rating: 3.75 ⭐️
Thank you netgalley for this e-arc
Release date May 20, 2025

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon Teen Publishing for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts, but I am DNF-ing this book at at 17%.

The premise of the story sounded very promising and I absolutely adored Ebony LaDelle's "Love Radio", so my expectations were fairly high for "This Could Be Forever." The writing in the beginning was a little weaker and I'm not the biggest fan of the instalove trope, but I was tentatively willing to stick it out to see where LaDelle took the plot. But unfortunately, the characterization of both Raja and Deja fell so flat, that the previous problems just felt even more magnified.

The dialogue between the characters felt so rushed, that their characters felt constantly boiled down to stereotypes; Raja as a South Asian man who struggles with overly strict parents who want him to be in STEM while also desiring an arranged marriage in the proper caste for him, and then Deja as the first Black girl in her family to go to college, going to a PWI institution. Neither of their stories contained any depth, seeming to abide by a strange rigidity that felt rehashed from the countless other stories that so closely mirror this one. Their conversations felt glazed over, which meant the build-up of their relationship felt so rushed. Their first date spanned only one single chapter, and because the author relies so heavily upon the insta-love trope, the foundation of their relationship is flimsy at best.

The entire meet-cute scene with Raja and Deja were littered with horrendous inaccuracies, ranging from the lack of consent/liability forms signed by Deja (OR Diamond), the lack of Raja's teacher being present while he was tattooing a client as an apprentice, the complete lack of detailed aftercare instructions after the appointment, the way in which Raja changed ink colors without rinsing or changing his tattoo needle, the way that Raja neglected to shave the hairs off Deja's arm prior to tattooing, the blase attitude with which Deja trusted Raja to tattoo her despite never having seen any pictural evidence of his past work or pictures of how his work heals; I could go on further, but the blatant lack of research into this scene does not give me hope that the later scenes in the story are written any better. Overall, this story was a disappointment on many levels, but I will still hold out hope that Ebony LaDelle's next book will be a return to the excellence that was "Love Radio".

Loved Deja and Raja’s love story. Deja is about to start her freshman year of college and is part of a summer program. She meets Raja in a tattoo parlor where he works and pretty much have an instant connection. Their love was so sweet but both of them were aware of their cultural differences. Raja’s parents expected him to marry someone they chose and also the career they chose. I was so happy to see Raja not capitulate and stand up for himself and Deja. It was sweet how he wanted her to understand his culture and be part of it. Deja had some wonderful confidence and she didn’t cower even when Raja’s parents weren’t friendly.

Raja also gets a chance to meet Deja’s family and he was so eager to please. It was funny reading about his various experiences with her family.

Most importantly, Raja and Deja loved and cared about each other. Even though there were cultural differences, the reader will believe Raja and Deja can make it. Great book!

💜 Country Girl/City Guy
💜 Tattoo artist
💜 Budding Skincare Mogul
💜 Exploration of Nepali and Black cultural norms and caste
💜 Breaking traditions
💜 The only thing spicy is the food

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book follows a couple who fall for one another in their first year of college. Each is navigating being away from home and thinking about what they want their lives to be. Neither was searching for love but you can't fight chemistry. A lot of our story is centered around breaking down cultural norms and learning how to be the partner the other needs. There is not any explicit content, so this would be appropriate for younger readers.

This Could Be Forever is such a great read! I love how Ebony LaDelle brings two cultures together—showing the differences, yes—but also shining a light on the similarities. The connection between the FMC and MMC was definitely love at first sight, and it was so sweet watching them grow together. Their chemistry felt so real, and the way their relationship grew had me hooked. I highly recommend this book if you're into romance with heart, culture, and connection. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from Ebony in the future!

I’ll talk more about this read in my March Read Wrap—@iamerikarenee on Instagram!

Thank you NetGalley and Simon Teen for the ARC! This was a 4 star read for me I enjoyed reading. I've never read a book dealing with interracial relationships and culture differences. This story was such a cute read and made me think about different cultures in a different more respectful light light. Would definitely recommend.