What I took from “If He Had Been With Me” by Laura Nowlin is that it is a book that focuses on how the main character Autumn Rose Davis’s life changes throughout her high school years. You know the ending of the story from the very beginning and I think that is what kept me interested throughout the entire story.

Autumn has a small friend group that doesn’t really get along with another group of students, but in that group is her childhood best friend Finn. Her parents are still waiting for them to be together, but it just doesn’t work out that way when Finn and Autumn find people of their own. When Autumn starts to think that things could have been different, is when things start to get complicated.

When reading this book you will find that it is not just about romance, but how Autumn changes throughout all the events in her life relating to friends, family, and the people she loves most. The reason why I love this book is because it has the perfect setup, like short chapters, and everything was moving quickly enough to keep my interest the whole time. It is one of those books that when you read it you can imagine it happening in your head the entire duration of the story. The word choice Laura Nowlin used was something I really loved, like how Autumn described the people in her life and how they affected her.

The only thing I didn’t like about this story is when Autumn writes a story for someone in the story. I won’t spoil it, but it is supposed to set up their romance after a long wait, but it just wasn’t what I imagined it to be. For an amazing writer like Laura Nowlin, I wish there was more context or length for what was supposed to be the ending of their friendship, and the beginning of their love story.

Overall, I think this was a beautifully written book. From the emotions Nowlin gets her readers to feel, you can even get a sensation from the other important characters in the story. Laura Nowlin did a great job with this book and I am so excited to read the sequel coming out in 2024!