If You Must Know is an insightful story about family, trust, perceptions, being true to oneself, finding self-confidence, and so much more delivered in a book that was hard to put aside for even a little while. The story focuses on the relationship between two sisters and their mother in the wake of their father’s death and the betrayal by the husband of the older sister, Amanda, now six months pregnant. People pleaser Amanda was the mother’s favorite. The less uptight younger sister, Erin had a special relationship with her father. Each sister secretly envied what they perceived the other had but communication between them had never been easy. Now the family is caught up in a situation that demands communication and commitment. I was impressed that all the introspection at no time became angst. This reader despises angsty reads, so two thumbs up for Ms. Beck! This book is women’s fiction at its best. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

I just finished this book at 2:30 am. If You Must Know was an awesome read, I could not put it down from the start to the very end. This book was full of excitement, suspense, sibling struggles and love and loss. New found love, strong family ties. I too have an older sister and could relate to what it is like to compete for the attention of a parent trying to be the favorite child. In the end we are all loved very much by our parents and siblings.