Rating: 5/5 Bookworms
Short and Sweet Summary: After one fateful decision Lena is left reeling, wondering if she’s ever going to be able to move on or if she’s going to let the guilt swallow her whole.
Genre: YA Contemporary
My Review:
One night had irrevocably changed all of our lives. One choice had altered the course of what we all were supposed to become. What would I have done differently that night if I’d known there was no tomorrow? Everything. I would’ve done everything differently.
I loved this book with every fiber of my being. It was so relatable that it makes you take a step back and ask yourself: could that have been me? Would I have made that same choice? We are often so quick to judge others’ decisions when we can never really know what we would have done if we had been in the same situation. I laughed, I cried, I grieved, I felt it all while reading If There’s No Tomorrow and I can’t wait to share this book with you guys.
“You’re going to have to learn to live with the decisions you’ve made, accept them, learn from them, grow from them and become a better person because of them.”
This book tackles facing the consequences of a bad decision and learning and growing from that oftentimes difficult situation. I am a firm believer in facing whatever consequences that come my way from whatever questionable decision I’ve made, although thankfully my consequences have never been as dire as Lena’s. As young adults we have to face some growing pains and for some of us those pains will alter our lives forever as Lena discovered. I could easily relate to Lena because she is just your average teenager that happens to love reading and the History Channel. The decision she made that one fateful night is one many of us would choose and I felt for her because I don’t know what I would be feeling if I were in her shoes.
One of the things I’d learned was that when someone offered you a hand, you took it. And sometimes it was hard to see that offer or accept it, but life was easier when you did.”
Lena has a hard time reaching out for help, primarily because she feels as if it’s her burden to shoulder. She spends her days wallowing in guilt allowing it to create a rift between her and her loved ones. But one important lesson Lena learns is to reach out for help when you need it, whether it’s with a professional or friends and family, just having someone on your side that is willing to listen can make a world of a difference. I think that a lot of us can relate to this because no matter what the circumstances are asking for help isn’t easy, especially if we feel like we don’t deserve it.
I knew I couldn’t go back and start a new beginning. I couldn’t rewrite the middle. All I could do was change tomorrow, as long as I had one.
Throughout this book I personally really connected with these characters. Through their heartache and pain to their joys and triumphs, I experienced it all through them. I especially sympathized with Lena and her troubles with her father. Although the circumstances were a bit different I could definitely relate to the roller coaster of emotions she felt towards him. And when she started healing bit by bit, day by day I couldn’t help but shed a few tears because I could feel how difficult it was for her.
“Blame isn’t about making someone feel terrible about their actions, and it’s not about hurting the person’s feelings. Actions and inactions have consequences. If we did not accept responsibility or blame for them, then we’d be at risk of repeating those actions.”
I think many people will be able to connect with the characters because the situation that they’re in is one many of us have faced. This book is so important because it shows how one hesitation, one bad decision can impact your entire life. It’s so easy to say, ‘It sucks that it happened to them but no way is that ever happening to me,’ but the truth is that it can happen to anyone, even if you only do it once.
Lena Wise is always looking forward to tomorrow, especially at the start of her senior year. She’s ready to pack in as much friend time as possible, to finish college applications, and to maybe let her childhood best friend Sebastian know how she really feels about him. For Lena, the upcoming year is going to be epic–one of opportunities and chances.
Until one choice, one moment, destroys everything.
Now Lena isn’t looking forward to tomorrow. Not when friend time may never be the same. Not when college applications feel all but impossible. Not when Sebastian might never forgive her for what happened.
For what she let happen.
With the guilt growing each day, Lena knows that her only hope is to move on. But how can she move on when she and her friends’ entire existences have been redefined? How can she move on when tomorrow isn’t even guaranteed?
Buy IF THERE’S NO TOMORROW here (available September 5):
Amazon | iBooks | B&N | Kobo | Audible
Get to know Jennifer L. Armentrout:
# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout lives in West Virginia.
When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write. She shares her home with her husband, his K-9 partner named Diesel and her hyper Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent her time writing short stories. Therefore explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes Young Adult Contemporary, Urban Fantasy/Paranormal and Romance. She writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J.Lynn
Connect with Jennifer L. Armentrout:
Tales From A Bookworm 
Leave a comment