Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Krawczyk
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Dramatic teen romance starts with tragedy, ends with hope.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In IF ONLY SHE HAD TOLD ME, Autumn and Phineas (Finny) are neighbors who were born a week apart. Their mothers are best friends, and the families are close. Although the Autumn and Finny grew apart in middle and high school for a variety of reasons, they become close again after graduation. Tragedy strikes, however, and various characters as well as their families and friends are left to pick up the pieces. Autumn, Phineas, and Phineas's best friend, Jack, tell the teens' stories in alternating viewpoints. Will the teen's move through their grief and find hope? Author's content warning at the beginning of the book mentions death, depression, suicide, and pregnancy.
Is It Any Good?
This will be a satisfying read for fans of If He Had Been With Me. In If Only I Had Told Her, readers will see the events of the first book from other viewpoints and also learn more about the aftermath of Finny's tragic accident and Autumn's suicide attempt and pregnancy. This book offers a more balanced view of the difficulties of a teen pregnancy, from both Angie's and Autumn's perspectives. The first section, narrated by Finny, drags a bit and is very repetitive. The middle section, narrated by Jack, is the strongest of the three as it offers a different perspective and more development of some of the characters. The third section, narrated by Autumn, shows her recovery and pregnancy. This is heavy material and the author packs a lot of different types of trauma in one book. At times, it feels like the book is trying to do too much. Still, it ends on a hopeful note, which helps alleviate the heaviness a bit.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about consent in If Only I Had Told Her. When Phineas and Autumn become intimate, he makes sure that Autumn wants to continue even though he doesn't have a condom. Why is consent important in sexual relationships? What do you think about their decision to have sex without birth control?
Two characters in the book are or will be teen mothers. Some of the challenges of teen parenthood are discussed. What issues does Angie struggle with and what is Autumn worried about? Do you know any teen mothers?
Sylvie and Autumn come to terms with each other, although distantly, in the aftermath of Phineas's death. We learn this through Jack's communication with both of the girls. In what ways do they show humility and forgiveness in their thoughts toward each other?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Contemporary Fiction
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School )
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Humility
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Sourcebooks Fire
- Publication date : February 6, 2024
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 416
- Available on : Paperback, Apple Books, Kindle, App
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate