The Press
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If Only is People Magazine’s Teen Pick of the Week!
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'If Only' explores an adopted child's sense of a kaleidoscope of possibilities ...
“ ‘If Only’ tackles big questions that women face at all ages. Am I the best me possible? What makes a woman a mother, if not biology? How do I know when a decision is right or wrong, if I can’t predict what the outcome will be? ”
“ ‘If Only’ is a work of heart, labored over and full of finesse. Take time to process it.”
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…a poignant yet never overdrawn exploration of the way key decisions can shape our lives… Gilmore brings special yet subtle artistry to her interwoven story, weaving motifs and even seemingly extraneous people through the different iterations to keep each version connected with the others. While this will speak particularly to readers with direct connections to adoption, it will also engage those who appreciate a compelling and well-drafted story, especially if they have ever wondered “if only” about their own lives.
— BCCB (starred Review)
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"In her first YA novel, adult author Gilmore (The Mothers) movingly expresses a teen's changing perspective, highlighting a series of turning points during a few months of Lizzie's 16th year...Reading this dramatic romance is both a painful and mesmerizing experience."
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“ If Only enchants through its blend of mystic grandeur, and the messy anguish and joy of human connections, those inborn and those chosen.”
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“…Gilmore injects freshness into her narrative…Distinctly poetic in quality, Gilmore’s prose and dialogue flows easily and naturally..Gilmore explores different aspects of adoption deftly and with empathy.”
— Booklist
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"Gilmore’s gritty multigenerational tale not only seeks to ask adoption’s toughest questions, but dares to offer no easy answers: Not to be missed. "
— Kirkus Reviews (starred)