If He Had Been With Me. Despite the beautiful cover, I was disappointed with this story. It fell short of the levels promised by the hype surrounding it and what could have been a soulful story of love, passion and loss, came across a little too forced and unrealistic.

Throughout the story I was distracted by why  two childhood friends, as close as Finn & Autumn, fell so far apart despite the close family connections. This was never fully explored in the book and the reasons given were unconvincing at best. Without understanding this rift the conclusion, which should have ignited strong emotional feelings in the reader, fell flat.

Recommended age: 14+

Title:  If He Had Been With Me
Author: Laura Nowlin
Publication Date: 1 April 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: Purchased

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I wasn’t with Finn on that August night. But I should’ve been. It was raining, of course. And he and Sylvie were arguing as he drove down the slick road. No one ever says what they were arguing about. Other people think it’s not important. They do not know there is another story. The story that lurks between the facts. What they do not know—the cause of the argument—is crucial.

So let me tell you…       

— Extract from Goodreads.com