nevaeh_rose1205 's review for:

If Only I Had Told Her by Laura Nowlin

4.5

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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If Only I Had Told Her is a companion novel that doesn’t rewrite the tragedy of If He Had Been With Me — it deepens it. Told through James’s POV, we see the aftermath of loss and the haunting regret of everything left unsaid.

This isn’t about finding closure — it’s about surviving grief, guilt, and the weight of “what if.” James’ voice is full of longing, memory, and vulnerability as he replays his relationship with Finny and the moments that destroyed him.

Laura Nowlin writes heartbreak like it’s poetry — devastating, honest, and unforgettable.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Grief

Minor: Cursing, Mental illness, Alcohol

Yes: This novel is heavier and more introspective than If He Had Been With Me. It shows James haunted by the death of Finny and his complicated, unspoken love. Through journals, letters, and heartbreak, we see how deeply silence can wound, and how guilt can break a person down before they find a way to stand up again. This book will wreck you — and somehow still leave you grateful for the wreckage.