Reviews with content warning for Abandonment - If He Had Been with Me

This book really takes you on a journey. You’re sucker punched right from the beginning with heartbreak and then whisked away into an angsty coming of age love story that strives to make you forget what you read in that very first chapter.

As you read the book, the fact of what happens lingers in the back of your mind as you fall in love with the characters. Whilst it’s very mundane and simply written, there’s a certain maturity to the story that keeps readers of all ages hooked on the story. It’s more than just the story of a teenage girl going through the motions of high school

The ending, it retells the first chapter but it doesn’t stop where you believed it does and my gosh, the feeling I felt reading those last few pages is a feeling I don’t think I’ll ever feel again. All the air was sucked from my lungs and my tears just kept flowing. I was quite literally frozen in shock an heartbreak. If you need a good cry, this book will give you that.

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ksett267's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I read this really easy and it was easy to keep up with. The end is a lot to take in but the book over all I loved. Definitely recommend for ages about 16-21 since it is a highschool romance.

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greatexpectations77's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This was a solid read. It did a little too much hinting-to-the-end for me. Like I did read the beginning, friend. I know that we're headed somewhere traumatic, so I don't need a trillion reminders. But I did like that it captured the absolute messiness of high school and emotions and families. Felt a bit like it trailed off after the climax - like the end wasn't as strong. May read this author again.

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cass_booktok's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

"Finny?", "OH Autumn" my mother says, the smallest chapter in the book and it sent me in hysterics. My heart is shattered at the thought of losing your one true love within hours of declaring your love for them. I still have a lump in my throat.

The book was overall a very sweet and nostalgic read, made me think of the way I used to be as a kid, I was very much like Autumn when I was younger, i felt like her and I was exactly like her, standing out without trying to stand out. I felt embarrassed for her with her wearing a tiara and I remembered that, that is exactly what I did, which is probably why I felt this way, she found herself in Finny and my heart just shattered at the end!!!

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