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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Everything Brittany Cherry writes is pure gold. This story was so beautiful.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
relaxing
medium-paced
This was a great read! I really loved how the author brought Gabriel and Kierra back together. I was kind of hoping that Gabriel would get some of his memories back, but as I continued on reading their story, seeing him remember glimpses of their past, I fell in love with the way that the author wrote it. I also loved how Ava and Gabriel built their own relationship before knowing of Gabriel and Kierra's past. I can see this being a book that I'd re-read in the future, it hit everything in my book, from the relationship that they built outside of him not remembering their past, down to the protectiveness he had for BOTH of his girls🥲
➵ “I am in love with you, Kierra. Not the kind of friendship love. Not the we’ve-known-each-other-forever kind of love. But the kind of love where I want to kiss you more than anything else in the world. The kind of love where I dream about you and then wake up in my bed mad that you’re not there. The kind of love where I want to spend every day to come with you in my arms for the rest of forever.”
“Oh,” she whispered, her voice timid and low. “That kind of love.”
“Yeah. That kind of love.” ➵ my favorite memory from their past
⪼ “It makes sense that I loved you, because when I first saw you…I didn’t know you, but I could feel you.” ⪼ SWOONEDDDD 😭
➵ “I am in love with you, Kierra. Not the kind of friendship love. Not the we’ve-known-each-other-forever kind of love. But the kind of love where I want to kiss you more than anything else in the world. The kind of love where I dream about you and then wake up in my bed mad that you’re not there. The kind of love where I want to spend every day to come with you in my arms for the rest of forever.”
“Oh,” she whispered, her voice timid and low. “That kind of love.”
“Yeah. That kind of love.” ➵ my favorite memory from their past
⪼ “It makes sense that I loved you, because when I first saw you…I didn’t know you, but I could feel you.” ⪼ SWOONEDDDD 😭
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Car accident, Death of parent
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If You Stayed is an emotional rollercoaster that beautifully captures the raw heartbreak of losing love and the fragile, courageous journey of finding it again. Cherry writes about grief and healing with such honesty that I found myself wiping away tears, hating some characters and feeling every bit as torn as Gabriel and Kierra.
This isn’t just a story about being saved by someone else — it’s about finding the strength to save yourself and learning to open your heart again, even when it feels impossible. The way grief and love coexist on every page makes this story feel so raw, so messy, and so achingly beautiful.
This isn’t just a story about being saved by someone else — it’s about finding the strength to save yourself and learning to open your heart again, even when it feels impossible. The way grief and love coexist on every page makes this story feel so raw, so messy, and so achingly beautiful.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated