Review Detail

What I Loved:
Even days after finishing IF YOU FIND ME, I find it difficult to figure out how exactly I feel about this novel. It's at once challenging and heartbreaking and an important story for anyone to read.

There are many elements that give this story its heart, but I always find myself gravitating back to the relationship between Carey and her little sister Janessa. Every page, every action both sisters take just reinforces the strength of their bond. These sisters have protected each other and saved each other in so many ways. Their bond is profound and beautiful and simply put, true love.

Then there's Carey's own journey as she navigates an unfamiliar world, struggling to find her place in a new family she doesn't know and a school she doesn't understand. My heart ached for her as she put her sister's needs before her own, even when they're finally safe and protected. Her arc is a powerful one, one where she finally faces a terrible truth and never loses her strength.

Serious issues are dealt with in this novel: kidnapping, rape, abuse, and drugs. I felt that the way the author dealt with these issues was both realistic and insightful.

What Left Me Wanting More:
The one relationship that didn't ring true to me was between Carey and her childhood friend, Ryan. I felt that it jumped too quickly into romantic territory after all the years they spent apart and considering everything that Carey's been through. I felt that their affection for each other was very real, but I needed more time for the relationship to develop (which I'm sure it would have given time after the novel ends).

The Final Verdict:
IF YOU FIND ME is an aching, haunting story about the finding a way to heal and the saving, unbreakable power of love.