by
At 15, Lauren Riley promised herself that she would not mess up her life and would stay away from drugs and sex. But two years later, her boyfriend Brandon is pressuring her to forget that promise. Both her parents are lost to her through long-time drug addiction, but through her writing, Lauren tries to deal with her problems and discovers a deeper strength. Based on the reality of everyday high school life, and critiqued by high school students as it was written to ensure its authenticity, this book accurately portrays and confronts the issues of drugs, race, sex, first love, and finding self-expression.
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ISBN: 978-1-929777-00-6
Paperback
224 pages
Grade level: 7-10
Reading level: 4.6
Interest level: 7-12
AR: 9.0 IL: UG BL: 4.6
If You Loved Me has also been translated into Chinese (not available through New Wind Publishing).
Booklist wrote:This book was amazing. I didn't start off with the whole series, I just picked the book of the shelf and it looked great. I loved the whole story line and I loved what she was going through. I never imagined that the book would put such a big twist to it at the end. When I read the end of the book I felt like I knew Lauren. She was going through a part that I went through and I knew exactly what she felt like. All in all this book was probably the best book I've ever read!! — Lindsey H.
i read this book my freshmen year and i truly loved it, i was going through a situation like this and it really helped me see it through a different perspective. — Lucy
Before I read If You Loved Me I had never bothered to check out a book at a library, but now I can’t stop reading. Thank you for changing the way I lived my life. —Maria, Bell Gardens High School
When I began reading my favorite book of all time, If You Loved Me, I was constantly reading it. I read it so much that I finished it fairly quickly and I’m not the best reader. That must mean something!. . .I love to read your books just to calm me down. I also enjoy your books because I can relate to what the character is going through. . .Knowing I’m not the only person going through a hard life, reading helps me connect and get through it.
—B.D.When I was in middle school (I'm 22 now), I remember reading “If You Love Me...”. That book, YOUR book, is the only novel that brings me back to the time when I fell in love with stories. The way your words flowed, how Lauren and Tyler came off the page, and how your grabbed my attention like a heart-attack. Also, Lauren is interracial like me, which I loved! I couldn’t find books like that as a kid. — A.R.
Having been born drug addicted, to an addict mother, 17-year-old Lauren is determined not to repeat her mother's mistakes. She has promised herself to say no to drugs and sex, but is finding the latter a challenge, as she faces increasing pressure from her longtime boyfriend, Tyler. The resentment she still harbors for her deceased mother and the reappearance of her long-absent father further complicate her life and negatively affect her schoolwork and relationships. Lauren's journey to self-discovery and self-love is filled with pitfalls and also surprising rewards. The seventh title in the series is characteristically informative and insightful, exploring difficult teen issues with honesty and a multifaceted perspective. Reynolds' treatment of youth and their challenges, from sexual abstinence to mixed-race parentage, is compassionate, never condescending; the dialogue, situations, emotions, and behavior of the well-defined teen characters ring true. An engaging, thought-provoking read, recommended for reluctant readers.
