Despite having a great set of friends and boyfriend in Jamie, Autumn’s regret over the loss of her friendship with Finn is clearly apparent. In If He Had Been with Me, we see family, friendship, high school, and romance through Autumn's point of view.

When the impact occurs, she sails through the windshield and out into the night, improbably, miraculously, only suffering minor cuts on her arms and face. So, get ready to vibe because these books paired with Taylor Swift’s sound and lyricism have our hearts absolutely captivated. Gr 9 Up—Autumn Davis and Phineas Smith grew up together; their mothers are best friends and next-door neighbors.The main character likes reading and writing, and a few books and plays are mentioned, including The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Charlotte's Web, Domby and Son by Charles Dickens, Romeo and Juliet, and Wuthering Heights. Two characters struggle with depression; one is hospitalized with suicidal thoughts, another attempts suicide and survives -- both are treated with therapy and medication.

Definitely take a chance on this story - allow yourselves to be caught up in Autumn and Finn's lives and to root for two childhood best friends to fall in love.The story's sad ending is hinted at strongly not only in the first chapter but also throughout the story. Eventually, Autumn and Finny find their way back to each other and fall in love—only to be separated again by Finny’s death, which finally gives readers context to the foreshadowing in the prologue that lured them into the story. Autumn picks the college she wants to attend, deciding against becoming a teacher and embracing her creative writing dream. We watch as she begins to observe Finn from a distance and begins to wonder what if things had been oh so different if one event when they were 13 years old was only seen as the same through both their eyes.