Carole Geithner’s coming-of-age novel shines a realistic light on bereavement in adolescents. This is a moving and sometimes humorous story that has helped open difficult conversations in families, at schools, and among friends, about the often-avoided yet universal experience of loss.
“I love IF ONLY, and I love Corinna. The voice is so authentic, the details of friendships and family life so convincing, and the experiences of loss and grief and confusion and consolation so painfully true, that I sometimes forgot that I wasn’t, in fact, reading the actual journal of a suffering and touching teenage girl trying her valiant best to come to some sort of terms with her mother’s death…a wonderful book.”
– Judith Viorst, author of Necessary Losses and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
“To anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one, every step of Corinna’s journey from grieving to healing will feel familiar and true. As a mother, I wanted to hold her hand through the sleepless nights, painful reminders, unfulfilled plans, special occasions and unanswered questions. Words don’t always work when someone is grieving, but this lovely story of a young woman getting through the death of her mother ‘tiny bit by tiny bit’ will be a godsend to teenagers and adults alike.”
– Maria Shriver, journalist and author of What’s Heaven?, Ten Things I Wish I’d Known—Before I Went Out into the Real World, What’s Wrong with Timmy?, What’s Happening to Grandpa?, And One More Thing Before You Go…, and Just Who Will You Be?
“IF ONLY is one of the very few books for this age group that speaks to the very specific experience of mother loss and its aftermath from a child narrator’s point of view. So many YA novels include mother loss as part of a character’s back story, but very few address it as motivation for the story itself. Geithner captures the inner thoughts and struggles of a motherless daughter with rare insight and sensitivity. I’ve recommended it to countless teen readers over the years.”
– Hope Edelman, author of Motherless Daughters and The AfterGrief
“Carole Geithner sensitively captures the journey of grief in her portrayal of the experiences of her thirteen-year-old heroine Corinna Burdette after the death of her Mom in If Only. Adolescents will find understanding and empathy as they deal with their own losses and those of friends. Adults will be reminded of the struggles of a bereaved adolescent feeling different yet desperately trying to fit in her world. If Only is destined to be a classic timeless story about loss, grief, and hope.”
– Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, Senior Consultant, The Hospice Foundation of America, Author
An interview with Carole about IF ONLY on BookGirl.tv