If You Leave Me

Love, friendship, choices, war, family……

Haemi and Kyunghwan, childhood friends and their families, flee to a refugee camp after the communist army invaded their homes. At night, the two teens meet and spend time together. Neither know at the time where their choices will take them in life. Kyunghwan wants to finish his education hoping for a better life before giving voice to his feelings. His older cousin, Jisoo, has his eyes on Haemi and hopes to marry her before joining the fight. Haemi has a very big and life altering decision to make. A decision that will change the course of lives for generations to come. What a choice to make!

This is a BIG book that is full of longing, love, the effects of one single choice, security, and the impact of war. This book is told through the POV’s of several characters. Each POV is distinct, dynamic and adds to this family saga. I felt for the characters and their struggles and choices. I wanted to give some of them a hug, pull others aside, and felt for all of them.

This book was not only well written, thought provoking, and well thought out, it is also moving. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions, the atmosphere, the longing, and the characters in this book. Plus, this book is a debut! Wow! I look forward to reading more of this author in the future.

Gripping, well written, moving and thought provoking.

Thank you to William Morrow and goodreads who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.