What If by A.J. Pine
Title: What If
Author: A.J. Pine
Series: If Only #2 (Companion)
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Sometimes it takes letting go of the past to find out who you want to be.
During his semester abroad, Griffin Reed almost gave his heart to a girl who loved someone else. Lesson learned. Now he’s home, where following in his father’s footsteps may not be what he wants, but it’s what his parents expect. It might be taking the easy road, but he doesn’t see a way out.
Something that could have killed Maggie Kendall took away the person she used to be instead. Her condition makes her dependent on sticky notes, photos, and medication just to get through each day. The last thing she needs is a distraction—or someone new to disappoint.
What they refuse to see is they are perfect for each other. Maggie makes Griffin want to be a better man, and he makes her believe a future is possible. But these two have to find a way to share the secrets ripping them apart, if they’re ever going to have a chance at happiness.
Giselle’s Review:
Oh my gosh! That ending is everything. Talk about a perfect end scene! AJ Pine, not only did you outdo yourself with that ending but this book just – gah – gave me all the feels. The Gilmore Girl references, the latte drawings and coffee shop scenes, polaroids, UNO!, polaroids of sexy boys reading –What If had pretty much everything I love in…well, life!
What If is the first novel I have read by AJ Pine and as weird as it sounds I am actually kind of glad/sad I read What If before If Only because I don’t think my love for pretty much everything in this book can be topped, but at the same time it is guaranteed that I will pick up anything else by AJ Pine.
I loved this novel. I loved the writing. I loved the CHARACTERS. Oh man, Griffin and Maggie, I ship you guys so hard! The connection you two share is just amazing and yes I realize I’m talking to fictional characters but I’m so okay with that.
Anyways, AJ Pine has completely swept me away with this novel that includes references to pretty much everything I love – hello, GILMORE GIRLS and new Jess/Griffin to fawn over! 😉
So if you were contemplating whether to buy this book or not before, my advice is to hell yes do it, immediately. And if you weren’t contemplating to buy it before now…do it. Now. You won’t regret it. <3 <3
Silvana’s Review:
How can you love a book so much you wish it didn’t have an ending and just be a super long book with lots of adventures and fluffy love and sexy times? This book was it. “IT” meaning the best book 2014 put in my hands. WHAT IF is everything I wanted and more. It was such so deep and had a story to tell. It wasn’t just to tell Griffin’s story because it’s a second book in a series. No. Griffin’s story needed to be told. To know his story was like a complete circle for me. I just needed him after reading IF ONLY.
There’s nothing I hated about this book, nothing I said “god get it over with” “this is taking too long” “I want to skip these chapter” HELL. NO. AJ Pine told us something spectacular. I don’t know if it’s only me that feels this way about this book, because I have waited so long and the excited grew and grew every passing month. And I WAS A BIT SCARED. I was wondering WHAT IF (lol) IT ISN’T WHAT I THINK IT IS. WHAT IF GRIFFIN’S STORY ISN’T SO INTERESTING. I am slapping myself right now because of those thoughts. AJ Pine: All the things you’ve ever wanted? I will give them to you. I just want to say thanks, Amy. Thanks for writing his story because it was pretty perfect, amazing perfect, all the kinds of perfects in the world.
Maggie and Griffin were two characters that I fell in love before I even read this book. I was not-patiently waiting for them to come to my life. I wanted to meet them since forever ago. And suddenly one night I opened WHAT IF and read it. I finished today and can’t believe I have cried so much while reading this book. It’s unbelievable I swear. It’s not a sad book, don’t worry. It’s just me being sentimental and emotional 10000x. It’s the words that made me feel this way, it’s the story that made me into a crying mess, it’s the characters, the beginning and the end. It’s everything in this book that makes me feel. Because it does make you feel. A LOT.
And [cough] I wouldn’t mind if you decide to make a Nat novel. You knoooooow. Gosh Amy what can I even say to you. You are incredible and your words are frigging amazing and you are one of my favorite authors that I wish one day I will meet so I can shake you and tell you how much your books have changed me. Thank you. Thank you.
AJ Pine writes stories to break readers’ hearts, but don’t worry—she’ll mend them with a happily ever after. As an English teacher and a librarian, AJ has always surrounded herself with books. All her favorites have one big commonality–romance. Naturally, her books have the same. When she’s not writing, she’s of course reading. Then there’s online shopping (everything from groceries to shoes) and, of course, a tiny bit of TV where she nourishes her undying love of vampires, from Eric Northman to the Salvatore brothers. And in the midst of all of this, you’ll also find her hanging with her family in the Chicago burbs.
AJ’s debut New Adult novel, IF ONLY, is out now with Entangled’s Embrace line. The companion novel, WHAT IF, releases December 8th. Next year look for her new duo of New Adult books, ONE NIGHT and ONE LIFE with Penguin/Intermix.