If You’re Gone, by Brittany Goodwin

It’s almost Christmas time! And for me, school is out! Woo hoo! Hopefully there will be plenty of time to catch up on my TBR list, and to start off my Christmas break, here is a review for Brittany Goodwin’s If You’re Gone.

DISCLAIMER: I received a free signed copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I also received some swag. This will not affect my review in any way.

If You’re Gone tells the story of Lillian White, whose world collapses when her boyfriend Brad Lee vanishes the night of his graduation. She desperately searches for answers that might lead to Brad’s whereabouts, but she stumbles across secrets that change the way she looks at her boyfriend, whether he’s dead or alive. Lillian soon finds herself trapped between the past and the future; she’s not wanting to let go of Brad, but at what cost?

Rating: 10/10 stars

When I finished the last chapter of this book, I went wow. The only word that came out of my mouth at that time was only “wow.” This book is so stunning that it will stay with you for a long time. It captivated me from start to finish, captivated at the start and left satisfied at the end, especially that ending. The ending, without revealing any major spoilers, will shock you. It took me a while to process what was going on, and I never expected it. There’s so many twists and turns that you can’t really predict what will happen next!

You will find yourself walking in Lillian’s shoes as you read the story, which will convey her emotions so well you start feeling them, too. I felt as if I was the only one who actually understood her struggles, her misunderstandings. She was even relatable to me somewhat, and to others probably a lot. Although I don’t know how it feels for someone in your life to “disappear” (and not just in the context of being missing), I found out how it felt, and others will definitely know how Lillian feels. I truly saw her world crumbling apart, yet you felt conflicted whether she should move on or still search for Brad. I had the same outlook on the world as she did, and it was brilliant how the author conveyed it.

The impact of this story is so strong it is like a bullet to the chest. It will definitely get to you. If you don’t feel anything, you might want to get your heart checked (just kidding!). I’ve always wanted to find a quote that will stick with me for a really long time, and usually I don’t find one… but I finally did! I loved it so much that I even bookmarked that page with a handwritten note from Brittany Goodwin herself (which I really really appreciate!). It goes:

We don’t deserve to be hurt by the ones we love.

If you read it, you need to meditate upon it! Here is it again:

We don’t deserve to be hurt by the ones we love.

I know you might be tired of quotes, but it made me stop and think, and that is what a good book needs to have. A good book should make you stop and think. It should make you want to ruminate and ponder upon the text, which is trying to convey what the author is wanting to tell you. In this case, I can relate. It hurts so much when a loved one says something hurtful to me, and we’ve all felt that before. When you can actually relate to the book, whether it is a contemporary romantic mystery or a science fiction thriller, the reader’s attention piques and the reader himself or herself actually becomes one with the book. Brittany Goodwin fulfilled George R. R. Martin’s quote “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.” I got to live and ENJOY another one. (And sorry, I used another one!)

In my opinion, the only teensy problem I had with this book was that it was a little too short and fast. I think the action could have been slowed down a bit more and lengthen because at times it felt rushed. There could have been a bit more action, but overall it was amazing. I just wanted more (except that epilogue. I definitely agreed with the editors that it should have been taken out) because it was only 200 pages, but you know what they say, it was short but sweet.

If you are looking for a last minute Christmas gift, I suggest go grabbing a copy of If You’re Gone today! It will definitely be a wonderful book to kick off the New Year!

Recommendation: Go give it a go!