If You Leave is an intimate, emotionally nuanced narrative about the compromises women make—for love, family, and themselves. Hutton’s strength lies in crafting genuine, multi‑layered characters and exploring how a single act of abandonment reverberates across decades. While the pacing is reflective and the secondary plotlines may leave you wanting more detail, the novel’s quiet emotional power, lyrical prose, and moral complexity will resonate with fans of character‑driven historical fiction.

‘If You Leave’ by Margaret Hutton is beautifully written. This engrossing novel flows smoothly like a river on a Spring day. Its rhythm is quiet and comforting.

It tackles friendship, art, love, motherhood, complex human relationships, raw honesty, and at times shame in a most graceful manner.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the e-ARC of this captivating read.

This is actually a very unique story that starts against the backdrop of the second world war and spans to about thirty years afterwards. It tells the story of two friends who actually had a falling out over a situation but after some time away from each other they realized that their old friendship was actually the strongest bond that they had. I for one enjoyed reading this story because it was different from other books that I had read in the past. Margaret Hutton did such an amazing job at crafting the story. I will have to look into read more books of hers in the future..

3.75 rounded off to 4 stars!

"if you leave" is quiet, emotional, and kinda haunting in the best way. it’s one of those books that doesn’t scream at you, it just slowly sinks into your chest and stays there.

the story explores love, loss, and the hard parts of moving on. the writing is soft but powerful, and the emotions feel real, like the kind of pain you don’t always talk about but definitely feel. margaret hutton has this gentle way of writing that makes even the saddest parts feel beautiful. it’s not a fast-paced book, but it doesn’t need to be. it’s more about the characters and the little moments that change everything. perfect if you're in the mood for something reflective and bittersweet.

this one’s for when you're feeling a little quiet yourself, or just need a good cry and some healing after! ^__^