If You Were Here by Alice Peterson is an emotional and inspiring book about living life to the fullest.

Unfortunately I had to purchase a new Kindle device and could no longer access this book. I will come back and review if I read this in the future.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

Very emotional book, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It pulls you in to their life's and makes you want to read til the end. Highly recommend

Having personal experience of Huntingdon’s Disease (HD) this moving story was told beautifully and I could really relate to the difficult decision to get tested or not tested for this genetic disease and how that decision affects not only you, but those around you too.

If you could find out what diseases you were likely to get would you do it? Modernisation and deeper knowledge of genetics mean it is possible for anyone to find out which illnesses they may be more susceptible to but what if you knew that you had a 50/50 chance of carrying an incurable disease that your mother and grandfather had died from at a young age?

This is the decision that Flo is facing. Ready to start a new life in America with her fiancée, her grandmother, Peggy, reveals a secret that turns her world upside down. As some friends fall by the wayside and new connections are made Flo must decide if living with the knowledge that she has the disease is preferable to enjoying each day and waiting to see what fate has in store.

As diaries written by Flo’s mother and Peggy’s daughter are found we learn how life can be unpredictable yet each day is a blessing. As Peggy finds new hobbies and friends, Flo learns that sometimes our oldest friends and the familiar are what we need.

What an absolutely beautiful and compelling story. I was hooked from the first page. It is a book based on difficult decisions and it is expertly delivered. I truly fell for the characters.

Perfect read, would highly recommend

Just brilliant! I have read a couple of books by Alice Peterson but this one has got to be my favourite so far. I was captured from the first page of this heart breaking story which had me wondering what I would do if I ever found myself in similar circumstances. This book is a must read.

This is the first.novel of Alice Peterson's that I have read and I really enjoyed it. The characters of Peggy and Flo are well drawn and Beth comes alive through her diaries. The dilemma of genetic testing is something we will experience more and more in the future as science advances and this was dealt with sensitively yet realistically. Flo discovers what real love is during the span of the novel and we see her grow into a much more mature and well-rounded person. A near warming tale and, as a latecomer to running, I cou.d identify with that experience.. I'll read other novels by this writer.

A superb book that I absolutely loved, it is a story about love and loss and it pulls you straight in and grabs your heart strings.

Flo has successfully picked up the pieces after the tragic loss of her mother Beth and has no idea that there is bombshell that Peggy needs to drop but has no idea where to start without tearing her only remaining family apart.

This book draws great awareness to the many genetic conditions that Doctors are still working hard to find answers too and how although there are tests available they don't always contain all of the answers.

I loved this book, it tugged hard at my heart strings and made me laugh and cry alongside Flo. A book that once you pick it up you won't want to put it back down!

well this book sucked me right in and then spat me out again just a bundle of emotions. When they say that a book give you all the feels, this must be the book they're talking about because it is emotional and joyful and heart wrenching all at the same time.



I love the fact that this novel is told from 2 different generations. We have the grandmother and the granddaughter and whilst they are of course strongly connected through Beth, Peggy's daughter and Flo's mother, they lead very different lives. They do have a certain amount of fear in common through. It was wonderful to hear both their sides of the story and also to watch both of them grow in different ways over the course of the book.



There are diary entries from Beth built into the storyline. I loved reading these as they really did move the story forwards and also provide some tension and some key cliffhangers as the novel progressed. Beth gives us clues as to what is currently going on in both Flo's and Peggy's lives and it was wonderful. I love any story that includes diary entries.



I really enjoyed the setting of this book as well because I am very familiar with that part of London and could imagine the characters going about their lives there. An Honourable mention goes to the secondary characters in this book also. I loved getting to know James, Maddie and Ricky. They really grounded our main characters and I loved their own back stories and families just as much as Peggy and Flo's.



I really recommend this book. I didn't actually end up shedding tears over this one although it was intense but it was wholly uplifting and encouraged me to live life to the fullest that's for sure!

Just wow, I knew Alice Peterson was a fabulous writer, but this may just be my new favourite book from her, although A Song For Tomorrow is still one of my favourites.

This is certainly a thought provoking and emotional book - there were tears pricking my eyes at various points of this. If I was in Flo's situation I honestly don't know what I would do.

It's a fascinating look a one specific genetic condition, that doesn't have huge amounts of awareness, and raises all manner of questions. I think this would definitely be a great book club read.

We take in three generations of the Andrew's family, Granny Peggy and grand daughter, Flo, and we learn about Beth's life through her diaries,.

The diaries are in some respects the best bit of the book, you get a first hand look into what life as a person with the condition is like, and we also see how it affected her father.

But then again seeing the range of thoughts and emotions of Flo as she comes to terms with the information she has never been given before is also amazing, as is seeing how she reacts. The final section of the book I had a massive lump in my throat the whole time - it is just that well written.

And granny Peg, what a character she is, I loved seeing her world expand and her friendship with her new neighbour was a lovely one to see develop.

There is so much packed into this amazing story, I read the majority of it in a long stint in the garden, not overly noticing that it was getting cooler around me. It is gripping, it makes you think, it makes you feel - its just a complete story that is wonderful.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,

I've read several of Alice Petersens works to date. This one while good, doesn't ring as true or seem as believable as her earlier works. Three stars I'm afraid. I enjoyed the narrative of Peggy and Beth but really struggled with Flo particularly the storyline with Theo.

"If You Were Here", another life - affirming story by Alice Peterson, introduces us to three generations of women. Peggy lost her husband to Huntington's Disease, after years of caring for him and watching him deteriorate, both mentally and physically. Her daughter Beth, who we hear from through her diary entries after learning that she's dead, following a road accident 5 years ago, was aware that her chances of inheriting the disease was fifty - fifty and who has done the test but kept it in secret, and who has been left in turmoil, not being able to decide if/when to tell about it her own daughter. And Flo, twenty seven years old, loving her life, setting to move to America following her new fiancé there. However, her life is shattered after discovering that her granddad and mother had Huntington's Disease, and what consequences could this information have for her: she could also be a carrier and must decide whether to take the test telling her her fate. Flo is about to learn, not only about her family, but who her real friends are and, most importantly, about herself and her limits.

Let me tell you right at the beginning - it was a beautiful, realistic story that had me hooked from the first page - I couldn't put it down, to be honest, and was cursing life getting in the way, as I didn't want to leave the characters' world for a single second, and you'll also not want to put the book away.

The story is told from three perspectives, from Flo, her grandmother Peggy and through Beth's diary entries, and I loved each of the voices, so strong and so distinctive. Alice Peterson's heroines are always inspiring, and Flo is not an exception. It was heart - breaking to see the battle the two women, Peggy and Beth, had to endure, wanting to protect their beloved Flo, never finding the right time to tell her the truth, filled with mixed feelings and emotions. They were all so brave and strong, had their ups and downs, made wrong decisions and they simply felt so down to earth realistic, as well as the background characters. Each of them experiences the disease in another way but all of them are affected, and the author gives us a wide and deep glimpse into it. The feelings and emotions jump out of the pages, you laugh with the characters and you cry with them, I've kept everything crossed for them all and simply lived their lives together with them. Great part of this book focuses on heartbreak and guilt of not telling the truth, but you never judge the characters for it, you simply start to understand them and their choices, as the author gives them their own point of view. I loved how much the characters in this book supported each other - boy, you need such a group of friends and family in your life even when life doesn't challenge you!

It was again a book that made me think, and there were many moments when I found myself wondering, but especially one scene made me so pensive, when the first research study led to the possibility of real HD treatments in December 2017. Flo and Beth, sobbing on the phone with joy, their friends sharing the news - it actually gave me goose bumps. For me it was such a normal day, I've probably haven't even apprehended the news, and for people like our characters, and for real people all over the world, it is life changing information, giving hope. Here I am, sitting and enjoying my good health with exception of few bumps perhaps, not appreciating it enough, and here they are, crying from joy. I've been constantly asking myself what would I do if I were in the characters' shoes, what decisions would I made, and I still am not sure. I was always thinking that I would like to know what future is going to bring me but now, after reading the book, I am really not certain. Actually, I am torn. Would I change the way I am if I knew I have some genetic disorder? Or would it make me back away from life? It really isn't an easy decision to make!


I totally loved the way the author has chosen to tell about all the pros and cons of being tested to find out if you have Huntington's. She isn't judging but she allows us a deep glance into all the possibilities, describing how many feelings and emotions are involved in it, how, in fact, hard and difficult decision it is. It so much depends on the person itself, while many live their lives without the need to know, there are others who simply must find out what fate has in store for them. Also, how much this decisions affects family and friends - written with so much understanding, gentleness and heart.

The writing is, as always, beautiful but not too sentimental, and I loved it. It is also full of humour and the way the author balances it with the more poignant moments is absolutely perfect. It's written with compassion and sensitivity, right from the heart and the amount of research that went into this book is clear, and I love the fact that Alice Peterson has again found a case to raise awareness of. She writes with such warmth and love, care and empathy and the novel, even though touching about serious issues, feels chatty and uplifting, even when she tells things how they really are, not sparing us any details about the facts and reality of HD.

"If You Were Here" was full of hope. It's this kind of novel that make you look at the world differently again, start to appreciate all the little things again. The telling is so rich and vivid, oozing in feelings and emotions of courage, faith and strength, also showing the great importance of having the right network of people around you to help you get through the most difficult times. I loved every single moment of it and will be highly recommending right and left!

DO NOT – I repeat – DO NOT read “If You Were Here” in public. People will ask you why you’re crying and you won’t know what to say.

“If You Were Here” by Alice Peterson is an emotional story about Huntington’s Disease, a disease that affects your brain & movements and it gets worse as it progresses, without any cure for it yet.

Peggy has lost her husband to this disease, and now her daughter as well. But what she needs to do now is tell her granddaughter Flo that the disease is hereditary and she might be at risk.

Flo is about to get married and move to the US, but the news change everything. How do you even deal with such news, right? How do you process it? Through Flo’s character, you can clearly see her confusion and struggle to accept the fact – something that is so common for a human to do. Her fiance is not ready for the risk and will probably never will. The only support Flo has is her roommate James, his sister and her grandma Peggy. Flo needs to make the hardest decision of her life: does she take the test or not? Is she at risk of getting the disease too? What if she is tested negative? But, what if she is tested positive? Or would she just rather not know and live every day experiencing as much as she can? With her mother’s diaries helping her on this journey, she finds hope and strength she never knew she had before.

I loved Flo’s character. Despite the whole world turning upside down, she picked herself up and was always thinking on the positive side. Sure, there were ups and downs, but damn, that persistence was incredible.

”If You Were Here” is such a sad, but positive and powerful story about what we can do with our lives, and how we should live every day of our lives like it’s our last. Because – that is the truth: you don’t know whether you’ll wake up in the morning. You don’t know whether you’ll be going through troubles until it happens. You don’t have a map of your life, and that’s completely okay. Try to achieve as much as you can today, because you never know what tomorrow may bring.
Please pick this book up. It’s powerful, it’s incredible, it’s sad and it’s motivational. But above everything else, this book is bloody real!

Thank you to the teams at Netgalley and Simon & Schuster UK for providing me with an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.

If you could look into the future to find out how your life would pan out, would you do it? Honestly, I don’t think I could even answer that. Life is full of surprises, however if you knew what lie ahead of you, would you feel more confident about dealing with the negative things if you had warning?

Flo is faced with that very decision. Should she take a medical test to find out whether she is likely to succumb to the very illness that took her parents away from her? Before reading Alice Peterson’s latest novel, I had heard of Huntington’s disease but I didn’t quite know how devastating it could be. Just like many illnesses, it isn’t a one size fits all as many sufferers react differently to the symptoms and challenges they face.

Told as a dual narrative, ‘If You Were Here’ tells the story of Peggy and her granddaughter, Flo. Peggy finds out something which could like a fuse under her granddaughters life and, instead of biting the bullet and being honest with her, Peggy keeps that information to herself because she doesn’t want to hurt someone she loves dearly.

I could see where Peggy was coming from to an extent, however I could also see where Flo was coming from because it wasn’t up to Peggy to withhold that vital information about Flo’s health, from Flo herself.

The family dynamics and secretive notions, are very emotional and intense. It was incredibly difficult to form a solid opinion on the characters actions, having not endured what they have, yet finding a way to be empathetic is such an important mindset to have whilst reading this.

Alice Peterson writes stories about characters who are dealing with things that no-one hardly ever talks about. If the subject is likely to be seen as taboo, Alice Peterson is straight in there, bringing her characters personalities to life with such dignity, courage, poise and realism.

Getting to know Peggy and Flo was an absolute joy, however I was undeniably bereft when their story ended. I have a feeling that their emotional journey will stay with me for a long while to come, and I cannot wait to read another beautiful, uplifting novel from an author who knows, and understands, the power of empathy and emotion when it comes to hurdles involving illnesses.

This is an incredible story, a look at life with chronic and life debilitating illness. You are very quickly drawn into the lives of the characters and emotionally invested.I love seeing things from many peoples points of view and this is what we are given throughout.

This is such a poignant novel, it really moved me - was very emotionally connected to this story and it shows how important it is to appreciate what you have while you have it and how you should live life to the max.
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I think it is beautifully written - sensitive, compassionate and caring. You can't help but love the characters whilst on this emotional rollercoaster.

Highly recommended.

I have read many of Alice Peterson’s books, and I’ve loved them all, albeit they are so different.
This is a story of a family affected by Huntington’s Disease, and it follows Flo on her voyage of discovery regarding genetic testing.
It’s a great book, which I devoured in a couple of sittings, I didn’t want to put it down. The characters are likeable and the story is relatable. A really good read.

🅿🆁🅴🅿🅰🆁🅴 🆈🅾🆄🆁🆂🅴🅻🅵 🅵🅾🆁 🅵🅴🅴🅻🅸🅽🅶🆂

When I say prepare yourself I am not joking, I was a mess reading this one!

This is a story about a lovely family, we have Granddad Tim, Granny Peggy, Mummy Beth, and Baby Flo.

Flo (Florence) is all grown up now, and she's had to grow up pretty fast, her mother died when she was relatively young, and she was brought up by her Granny, they have a really close bond, and they love each other fiercely.

Peggy's husband Tim died when Flo was young so she didn't really know him that well, she can only remember things like laughing at him when his legs would go all wobbly when he was playing golf.

Beth (Flo's mother) died in a tragic accident, and so Peggy is really all of the family Flo has, apart from her friends that she has had since school, one of which she lives with.

5 years later and Flo is in love with a wonderful man and is ready to say goodbye and pack her backs to go and live with him in New York, except Peggy hasn't told Flo everything.

While searching through her things, Peggy discovers that Beth had done the one thing she had asked her not to do, and that was to go and get tested.

You see, Tim had, and died from a genetic condition, and there was a 50/50 chance of Beth inheriting it from him, Peggy didn't want her to know, she wanted her to just go out and live her life, but Beth obviously found out the result behind her back and never told her.

Peggy has kept this secret from Flo, but because there is also a 50/50 chance of her having it too, Peggy is torn between telling her the truth, or leaving things as they are.

A very touching, poignant story that will pull at your heartstrings and probably play a tune on them too.

It is filled with love, friendships and What If's.

If a test could decide your future, would you take it?

**Many thanks to Simon and Schuster, Netgalley, and the Author for my copy of this book**

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
A very good read and one I can highly recommend to others.
I could not put this down.
Thoroughly enjoyable with an amazing cast of characters that you cannot help but engage with.

Wow - what an incredible amount this book packed in and how cleverly did it explore the issues raised.
How do you tell someone that there is a 50/50 chance they could develop a serious, and teminal illness? There can be no good time to share news like this and of course the longer you put it off the harder the telling becomes.

So many deep and difficult topics were covered in this astonishing novel and all in such a way that you didn't feel preached at, or that it was a book with an agenda to push.
I did cry more than once reading the book.