If He Had Been With Me

 





I recently listened to the audiobook If He Had Been With Me, a story about Autumn, who is starting her first year of high school. She’s in a very close friend group known as the “weird” kids around school. This book goes through her years in high school and focuses on her relationships, challenges, and growth. 


One thing that stood out to me was how much this book reminded me of The Summer I Turned Pretty. Autumn’s mother is best friends with Aunt Angelina (who isn’t her biological aunt), who is the mother of Finn, Autumn’s childhood best friend. Just like Belly and Conrad/Jeremiah, Autumn and Finn grew up like family. Autumn and Finn also have absent fathers, just like Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah. Although the two protagonists in the story drifted apart sometime in 7th grade, to keep in line with “social order” (Finny is popular, Autumn is weird), they obviously continue to care deeply about each other. 


Despite these interesting parallels, I didn’t really like this book. The storyline felt okay, and the characters didn’t have a positive impression on me. I especially disliked Jamie, Autumn’s boyfriend. He’s pushy and controlling and often encouraging Autumn to do things that she doesn’t want to do, or that are dangerous. Autumn is also a pretty frustrating character to read about. She’s oblivious to Jamie’s toxicity and thinks he’s the love of her life. 


The book talks about several meaningful topics, including friendships, relationships, depression, and grief. The pacing is slow and reflective, which is great for getting an insight on Autumn’s thoughts, but it makes the story feel draggy.

Overall, I rate this book a 6/10. It talks about important themes and has some emotional depth, but the storyline and the characters didn’t really work for me. 


-Lauren


Comments

  1. Alex CaesarDecember 7, 2025 at 11:33 AM

    Sounds like this book might be a little dry. Well done blog post.

    ReplyDelete

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