If You Were Mine is the third book in Carrie Ann Ryan’s Cage Family series. It brings two incredibly popular tropes together: best friend’s sibling and age gap. This emotionally charged romance follows the complicated journey of grief, healing, and finding love.
Title: If You Were Mine
Author(s): Carrie Ann Ryan
Series: The Cage Family #3
Also in this series: The Forever Rule, An Unexpected Everything, One Quick Obsession
on October 27, 2025
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Source: Author
Format: eArc
Purchase: Amazon|Audible
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The last words I said to my best friend were “I trust you”. Then the world went dark, and I nearly lost everything.While my best friend’s little sister lost even more.I promised him that I’d take care of her—but if he knew my current thoughts when it came to Harper, he’d have never trusted me.She’s too young for me. Too bright to my shadows. And too tempting.Now I’m stuck in our small town, and I can’t escape her. I’d rather hide in my cabin, restoring what was one lost. Only Harper won’t let me.I’ve already held onto more secrets than my family knows. I don’t know if I can keep what I feel about her secret too.She sees beyond my scars and anger, and I know she hides her own just as tightly.When one kiss changes everything, there’s no going back—even if it shatters everything in our wake. **If You Were Mine is an age gap, best friend’s little sister, tortured hero, small town romance featuring Dorian and Harper. Each book can be read as a complete standalone. An HEA is guaranteed!**
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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Meet Dorian Cage and Harper Wellesly. Dorian and Harper’s brother were best friends from childhood, inseparable and bonded like family. Harper quietly fell in love with Dorian, but he never saw her as anything more than his best friend’s little sister. Everything changes when tragedy strikes. Dorian loses the person who meant the most to him, and Harper is left completely alone after losing the only family she had left.
One year after the devastating tragedy that changed everything for Dorian and Harper, Dorian is still grappling with the emotional and physical scars of the loss, while Harper bears the weight of the emotional ones. Both are lost in their grief, but amid the pain, they find an unexpected solace in each other’s arms.
What began as a forbidden attraction turns into something far more profound. As they lean on each other to heal, their connection deepens beyond the bounds of friendship and family, proving that sometimes, love can bloom in the most unlikely of circumstances.
Dorian and Harper’s chemistry is undeniable, and it’s impossible not to feel pulled into their story. Even with the guilt weighing heavily on him, Dorian simply cannot stay away from Harper. That emotional conflict makes their connection feel raw and real.
Harper’s backstory truly broke my heart. The loss of her brother feels even more devastating when you understand everything she has already endured. What stayed with me most, though, is her strength. Despite the pain, the grief, and the setbacks, Harper continues to stand tall, making her journey both inspiring and deeply moving.
Once again, Ryan delivered a story that captivated me from beginning to end. From the first page, I found myself fully immersed, eager to see how each moment would unfold. She has a remarkable ability to create relatable, emotionally rich characters whose journeys feel authentic and compelling. Their struggles, growth and connections kept me deeply invested, and by the end, their story left me wanting more.
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About Carrie Ann Ryan
Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, paranormal, and young adult romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Wilder Brothers, Promise Me, and Elements of Five series, which have sold millions of books worldwide. She’s the winner of a RT Book of the Year and a Prism Award in her genres. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over one hundred novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not losing herself in her emotional and action-packed worlds, she’s reading as much as she can while wrangling her clowder of cats who have more followers than she does.
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Lovely review. The characters and storyline sound well done.
Two of my favorite tropes. I think I would really like this one. 😀
That sounds like a food one. I hope you had a nice Christmas.