If he had been with me
Easy read
Heartbreaking
Tragic

If he had been with me

Laura Nowlin2023
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.
Sign up to use

Reviews

Photo of taci
taci@anastacia_vitoria
3 stars
Mar 21, 2025

I don’t know. I kept thinking there would be more emotion the next chapter and nothing really happened

Photo of drewbee🐝🍯✨
drewbee🐝🍯✨@bumblebee3
2 stars
Mar 5, 2025

Felt it was a bit repetitive throughout her hs years. But it wasn’t too bad of a read

Photo of Keila Rico
Keila Rico @keilaa
2.5 stars
Feb 18, 2025

way too overhyped. easy read though

Photo of Farzana
Farzana @farzana_k
2 stars
Oct 19, 2024

It felt like I was reading a bunch of journal entries but most of them had no correlation to each other. Like yes there was a story line but for me personally it felt like there was no order of events (the events didn’t add up chronologically) The plot was just not plotting enough for me. Towards the end of the book it did get a bit better until the very end

Photo of ً
ً@fairytale
4 stars
Sep 24, 2024

I loved the book but was so disappointed with the ending. It felt so abrupt for some reason. And the fact that they almost had it but all of the sudden, he.. dude.. it was truly gut wrenching. I knew it was coming but, i kinda hoped they would get more time together.. i wanted to see them as a couple. It absolutely felt so extremely incomplete, i wish the author could’ve done so much more LIKE there’s no way that will happen after “THEY” finally happened.

Also, i just love when the fmc is a bookworm.

This review contains a spoiler
Photo of surtified™
surtified™@heartrender081
3 stars
Aug 29, 2024

To be fair, I did just skim read this book whilst reading, and I also read it online, so it probably made me not enjoy it as much. It's a whatever book, didn't really feel sad, or feel anything while reading. Meh.

Photo of Zoey Novak
Zoey Novak@zlnovak
3.5 stars
Aug 3, 2024

Slow burn tragic romance of friends to lovers

+2
Photo of ava<3
ava<3@ava0827
3 stars
Jun 24, 2024

The story line of this book was good and the ending was so heartbreaking. But overall this book was so hard for me to get into, I almost considered DNFing it, glad i didn’t bc the ending made up for it.

Photo of Camron Swartzendruber
Camron Swartzendruber@cam_ra
2 stars
May 21, 2024

Too spicy and the ending was a tad confusing. Very well written and good emotional character building.

Photo of Nena
Nena@gingrraven
3 stars
Apr 17, 2024

That ending made the struggle in the beginning worth it.

Photo of Ashley Bray
Ashley Bray@ashleybray
3.5 stars
Mar 30, 2024

Pretty quick ending, the end of the book happens in ten pages.

This review contains a spoiler
+1
Photo of Marisol Rodriguez
Marisol Rodriguez@sol_mari
5 stars
Mar 19, 2024

It was cute and it made me very emotional at the end.

This review contains a spoiler
Photo of Kayla Lee
Kayla Lee @klee
4.5 stars
Feb 26, 2024

Love love love this book!!

+2
Photo of clerm
clerm@clammyhands28
1 star
Feb 14, 2024

WA FUCK SRSLY THIS BOOK RLY DAMN CUI FUCK U BOOKTOK

+2
Photo of Edna Aviles
Edna Aviles@avilese07
5 stars
Feb 9, 2024

This is in my top 5 books I’ve read. It’s the only book that’s made me cry. I can’t wait to read Fin’s perspective

+7
Photo of Bailey Dunn
Bailey Dunn@baidunn
2 stars
Feb 2, 2024

Ugh I really wanted to love this book because I found the elements of growing up going to high school trying to navigate dating and love so relatable. However, the ending was so unsettling to me. It was supposed to be a heart wrencher but I found myself saying “this is so stupid” repeatedly.

Photo of Benjamin Zhuo
Benjamin Zhuo@reficule
4 stars
Jan 8, 2024

Knew it was coming but still cried. Easy to read.

+3
Photo of Katie Roberts
Katie Roberts@katie05
5 stars
Jan 7, 2024

omg, this book has destroyed me 😫 I loved every minute of it. Justice for finny

This review contains a spoiler
+9
Photo of Josie
Josie @josiegrossie
3 stars
Dec 31, 2023

Honestly this book was really disappointing. People overhyped it a ton. It was really boring until you were like 280 pages which should not be the case for a book. Also extremely rushed at the end. I just didn’t really like it. There are plenty of better, far more heartbreaking books out there.

+3
Photo of Valentina Moreno Escobar
Valentina Moreno Escobar@veemorenooo
2 stars
Dec 30, 2023

Very predictable yet heartbreaking. I still cried but I definitely saw it coming. Self love is stopping before the last few chapters!!

+4
Photo of Razen Ouled Khlaf
Razen Ouled Khlaf@razenx
4.5 stars
Dec 22, 2023

I’m crying my heart out while typing this.. I don’t even know what to say.

When I was halfway through this book I kept repeating this sentence over and over again: “This book is overrated.”

It felt like I was walking through a tunnel with no end. But that was because I’m not used to reading books like this. This book.. it was something else. It was until I read the last sentence that everything made sense. The way of writing, the wait.. everything.

Like the writer repeatedly said: “Just because something seems impossible doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.”

+4
Photo of Alexis simmons
Alexis simmons @alexismae0423
5 stars
Dec 12, 2023

Great book overall with a sad ending though

+2
Photo of Paulina
Paulina @pauliinaiisabel
3.5 stars
Dec 12, 2023

i have a love hate relationship with this book. there isn’t much plot but as I kept reading I stoped caring. the ending destroyed me, life isn’t fair

Photo of Amanda Matthews
Amanda Matthews@manderzzcty
3.5 stars
Oct 22, 2023

In the first few pages I was like “ughhh, why do I want to read about these people when I know it’s going to end tragically” I hate that fault in our stars type bs. But this book really had some interesting themes of what it means to love someone and how love comes in so many different forms. It definitely hurt me!

+3

Highlights

Photo of Daisy Barker
Daisy Barker@queendas19

I thought that when you were in love, it would always be right there, staring you in the face, reminding you every moment that you love this person. It seems that it isn’t always like that. Sometimes I know that I love Jamie, but I don’t feel it, and I wonder what it would be like to be with someone else.

Page 39
Photo of Daisy Barker
Daisy Barker@queendas19

Stay. I whisper to him. Stay in the car. Stay in this moment. But, if course, he never does

Page 3
Photo of surtified™
surtified™@heartrender081

Finny suddenly pushes his way closer to me. “Are you dizzy?” he asks. “Blurred vision? Seeing spots?” I shake my head to all. “Can you follow my finger?” He drags his index finger back and forth in front of my face. I tear my eyes from his to obey his request. He nods. “Okay,” he says, “and you’re not confused? You know who everybody is?”

HEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHE

Photo of surtified™
surtified™@heartrender081

“We were sledding. Jamie hit me—” I say. “What?” Finny says. He doesn’t shout it. He doesn’t need to. His narrowed eyes are enough to make me stumble over my words.

HEHEHEHEHEHEHHE

Photo of surtified™
surtified™@heartrender081

People forget September is actually a summer month.

Page 12

huh since when

Photo of surtified™
surtified™@heartrender081

If he had been with me, everything would have been different.

Page 9
Photo of Lindsey Barnett
Lindsey Barnett@lindseybarnett

But I'm used to being able to call him. Im used to telling him that l'm angry or sad or whatever." I swallow and take a breath. "It's like I need him to help me get over him."

Page 307
This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Lindsey Barnett
Lindsey Barnett@lindseybarnett

I hate him for not truly knowing me deep down inside, and at the end of our dates, I cling to his coat and beg him to never leave me.

Page 192
Photo of roro :)
roro :)@randombooktalker

He couldn’t be about to kiss me.

AAAAAAAAAAH ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Sarahi Alvarez
Sarahi Alvarez@sarahi_alv

“Also, I'm going to have to serve you your food tonight, or my mom is going to think I'm mistreating you."

Nice to see this is the expection of most Hispanic moms take care of your man!!! Serve him a plate 😂

Photo of Sarahi Alvarez
Sarahi Alvarez@sarahi_alv

She shook her head. Jacob. Have you ever heard the saying that if you're with someone who doesn't speak your language, you'll spend a lifetime having to translate your soul? Amy never spoke your language. Thar's all. Nothing wrong with either of you, just two different people. That's how I can tell Brianas different. She understands you, even when you don't say anything at all."

Photo of Sarahi Alvarez
Sarahi Alvarez@sarahi_alv

"Un hombre que puede mantener viva una planta tiene la pacien- cia de aguantar tus mierdas. It means A man who can keep a plant alive has the patience to put up with your shit. e"Ta

Photo of Sarahi Alvarez
Sarahi Alvarez@sarahi_alv

Imagine being the woman he picked to join him here. Having a gentale man like this one choose you to be a part of his private, in- sular world. To be as special as each thing he carefully surrounded himself with. How lucky that woman would be.

Photo of Sarahi Alvarez
Sarahi Alvarez@sarahi_alv

And I love him. For all of my memory, I have loved him; I do not even notice it anymore. I feel what I have always felt when I look at him, and I have never before asked myself what it is exactly. I love him in a way I cannot define, as if my love were an organ within my body that I could not live without yet could not pick out of an anatomy book.

Photo of Alesha Clifford
Alesha Clifford@aleshadclifford

"Autumn, why are you wearing a Jimmy Carter campaign shirt?" she asks.

"I dunno," I say. "Why is your son wearing green socks?"

Page 44
Photo of Alesha Clifford
Alesha Clifford@aleshadclifford

If he had been with me, everything would have been different.

Page 2

Wow. Just wow.

Photo of Alesha Clifford
Alesha Clifford@aleshadclifford

I wasn't with Finny on that August night, but my imagination has burned the scene in my mind so that it feels like a memory.

Page 1

Omg that opening line. How does one come up with opening lines that are this good cause I need to know ASAP.