Summary of If He Had Been with Me

If He Had Been with Me, by Laura Nowlin, is a story of young love, friendship, and loss. It centers around 17-year-old Finn Walsh and his complex relationship with his best friend, Layken, whose life is disrupted when her family must abruptly move to a new town. Despite the distance between them, their friendship remains strong and a romance begins to blossom. However, their relationship is thrown into turmoil when Layken’s brother dies in a tragic car accident and Layken’s world is upended. As the story progresses, Layken and Finn must navigate through heartache, sorrow, and guilt to find a way to be together and heal.