A review by bookgoonie
If I Tell by Janet Gurtler

3.0

Did you read that preview? Jaz catches her mother’s boyfriend making out with her best friend. The crisis is kind of the backdrop for our characters to operate around. This book is more about Jaz’s sense of self.

She is half black-half white. Eventhough her grandfather has raised her in a very nurturing way. She is still plagued with not belonging in her small town. Jaz ostrasizes herself from those around her, granted with some help of the local mean girl. Built some big time walls. Her mom’s boyfriend, Simon, helped her to have pride in her black self. And that is why she is so hurt, when she witnesses his drunken act.

Jackson, new-to-town-out-of-juvie-hot-mysterious-bad-boy, sees the beauty that Jasmine is and sets out to get to know her. You’ll witness a very slow and sweet budding romance. Until Jaz jumps to conclusions, throwing up her old walls and lashes out in the most horrible way. But getting through some of the family crisises swirling around her and time, she grows. She faces the fact that sometimes she is guilty of the acts she has suffered from others. Labels.