This Could Be Forever

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and Ebony’s writing is impeccable in my opinion. “Love Radio” was an exceptional read, and “This Could Be Forever” will undoubtedly hold a cherished place in my heart. The exploration of diverse cultures and the intricacies of cross-cultural dating are topics that are often overlooked in contemporary society.

I wish I had stories like this to read when I was in my youth and growing up. Love LaDelle’s characters, their stories, their development and arcs.

This one had me in my feels. It was such a sweet and touching YA romance, coming of age love story. A family oriented and culture driven narrative that I thoroughly enjoyed. I like the thoughtful way the author tackled the mmc's culture and interracial relationships. I learned SO MUCH about Nepali culture. The way the two main characters navigated their family dynamics Deja a first generation college student moving away from home and Raja dealing with the pressures of his immigrant families expectations felt so real. These two brought out the best in each other. This book had me smiling and giggling. I was rooting for all of these characters not just Deja and Raja. Ebony LaDelle is an auto read author for me. This book was just a nice warm hug. Would have loved an epilogue IJS! Thank you to Simon Teens and NetGalley for the eARC.

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.

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 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.

What a stinking cute book!This Could Be Forever feels like having a crush on someone for the first time in a way that is all-encompassing and sweet, I ate it up!This also has the forbidden romance aspect due to the cultural and racial differences between Deja and Raja. Ebony LaDelle did a wonderful job depicting South Asian/Nepal culture and explaining things such as caste—which is very much present here in America, but America is first and foremost a nation divided by race. When you live in a country where everyone around you is just about the same racially but all of you have been differently impacted by imperialism, things like caste play a larger part—and when you move to America, the American dynamics of race and belonging also factor and result in a person of color but participating in antiBlack racism while they also juggle their concerns about social caste, education background, etc. This was written in a way that is extremely digestible for its young adult audience, so I recommend this to parents looking to teach their children about this topic; especially if their teens date interracially.Deja's connection to her Southern Black roots, grandmother, siblings, and parents were wonderful. She was so sure of herself and self-contained in a way that so few young girls dare to be, and I enjoyed her POV so much. Raja was funny, charming, kind of a goober, and I loved how he came into his own not only as a man but as a son as the story went on. This book actually depicts young adults becoming adults in the eyes of their parents for the first time in a brilliant way. The narration was wonderful, it really breathed every character to life.I loved this down! YA romance is doing its biggest this year!5 ⭐️s

Relatable, refreshing, and lovely! It’s like what you wish your first love story would be! I appreciate and enjoyed the author’s storytelling and writing style, and I learned so much about another culture. The characters were very emotionally intelligent for their age so I do wish they were a little older.

Beautifully written story that I hope opens readers minds and hearts to accepting people regardless of their race. Great book for young adults to senior citizens. Raja & Deja’s chemistry gave such mature innocence. I loved it! I listened to the audiobook version and the narrators were excellent!

I love the fact that Raja and Deja want to understand each other by coming from two different cultures and two different background. It’s a beautiful story about two young people who love each other but had to go through by having their family understand that what Deja and Raja have is real and it will never go away.