It Had to Be Him by Adib Khorram (Sept 2, 2025) Thank you, @readforever and @hachetteaudio, for the gifted print and audio copies! #hachetteaudioinfluencer #foreverpartner
Ramin Yazdani expected to be engaged by now – not publicly dumped, Legally Blonde style, by his boyfriend. To mend his broken heart, he books himself an Italian vacation full of food, wine, and handsome distractions. What he doesn’t expect is to run into Noah Bartlett, the quiet boy who he had a huge crush on in high school.
Now 20 years later, Noah is now divorced, devoted to co-parenting his son with his ex-wife, and struggling to prioritize his own happiness. When his ex convinces him to join her and their son on a family getaway to Italy, the last person he anticipates finding there is Ramin. Old sparks turn into undeniable attraction, and amid breathtaking Italian backdrops and unforgettable food and wine, the two men begin a romance that feels both inevitable and fragile. But can something born in a holiday bubble survive the return to real life?
Billed as Heartstopper meets Eat, Pray, Love, this story more than delivers. It’s a tender, funny, and deeply romantic exploration of love, self-discovery, and timing. I adored the “second chance at a first chance” dynamic, and the way Ramin and Noah’s relationship blended sweetness, vulnerability, and heat. Make no mistake: when the spice hits, it really hits. Together, they are a couple readers will root for and fall in love with.
🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: (11h 59m) Corvin King and Vikas Adam are both marvelous in this dual narration performance. They just embodied Ramin and Noah so completely in my mind.
Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
🎧 Audio performance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🔥 Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Book Smart Kate 