If I Had You

If I Had You is a gentle book written by Deborah Bedford. I needed a break from the mysteries and violent stories on the regular library book shelf. This book fit my need perfectly.

This story is about a relationship between a mother and daughter. The daughter, Tess, is a rebellious and troubled teenager. She runs away as a young teen and returns a few years later pregnant. Should Tess have an abortion, give the baby up for adoption, or keep it? Should she accept the help of her parents? Can the mother-daughter relationship be saved?

A lot of gentle books have a religious slant or point of view. This book is no different, but I didn't find it heavy handed. There are several quotations of scripture, but it is from the characters who are struggling with the life changes that come from Tess coming home. Some of the characters attend church weekly. Despite all that none of the characters sermonize the reader. There is nothing worse than reading a novel and feeling like you are being lectured. This book does not do this. Overall, I thought it was well written.

Book Rating: 3 Stars