If He Had Been with Me

The book offers a coming-of-age story centred around the childhood friends Finn and Autumn, who become estranged as they age and navigate middle and high school. Initially drawn to the book by the promise of a romance tinged with tragedy, I found myself instead immersed in Autumn’s journey of growing up, which sometimes felt tedious. While there were instances of significant events, the development of Autumn's relationship with Finn was lacking, lacking the depth and interaction I had hoped for. Throughout much of the story, Autumn focused on her friends and boyfriend, James, rather than delving into her past connection with Finn, which was disappointing. When Autumn eventually recognises her feelings for Finn, it seems rushed and underdeveloped due to their limited interactions in the years leading up to that moment. However, the book's last few chapters truly delivered intense, swoon-worthy moments that were both heartwarming and heartbreaking. These final sections made the journey worthwhile, satisfying me despite my earlier criticisms. While I likely won’t re-read the book, I recommend it to fans of coming-of-age narratives and those who enjoy a gradual build-up to romance. Just be aware that it may not deliver that swoon-worthy experience from beginning to

I felt it drug on and on and I almost had my first DNF. Towards the end I couldn't put it down. Not sure how I felt about the end but It was good. Trigger warnings fore suicide would have been appreciated.

I was a bit disappointed as I feel I just couldn’t get past the book being a teenager vibe. It felt rather predictable and just a tad boring.

Cute book, it def sucks you in but be prepared for heartbreak!! All the feels for sure!

Great starter as a beginner reader this is the book that got me into reading more this year and I love it I cried so much