If I Believed: A Tale of Death and Rebirth

by Scarlette Joël

Willow is a 17 year old that has never had a mother but has always been one. She is the product of the foster system, and has become content with remaining so until the day she ultimately enters adulthood. It's a regular day at high school for Willow when she makes eye-contact with the wrong person, and life takes another wrong turn. But suddenly, when she's only a mere 38 weeks away from being free from her system life, Willow is adopted into a family that is a bit old-fashioned, all pun-intended. Now she must become part of a lifestyle that is nothing like she is used to, with people that have seen the world evolve. But nothing comes without it's commitments. It might be time for Willow to make a deal with the dead.

406 pages, Paperback

Published September 9, 2019

Reviews

[mor :D · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Many years ago, I stumbled across this book under a slightly different name on a FanFiction website. I was intrigued, so I started reading it, and as the chapters went on I got increasingly more enthralled with the story and its characters. I don’t know what happened, but I stopped reading and in some ways, I forgot the story existed.
A couple months ago, something sparked my subconscious and I remembered the story of Willow and Zachariah. So I pulled up the good old fashioned website to actually finish the book, but lo and behold, almost all the chapters were missing, replaced by a message that the book was published. I found the physical copy and made a mental note to purchase it at my next pay check. Well, that mental note failed me and I forgot all about it. Until recently. I finally got around to purchasing it (with mixed feelings, because although I loved it when I was a much younger version of me, knowing I owned a piece of FanFiction sparked a certain level of shame in me).
I finished this book in absolute record breaking time. The same way the story gripped me all those years ago, I found myself equally as invested into the dynamic between the two protagonists and the story that was unfolding around them. I was caught in a chokehold by If I Believed, and I was happily content to remain there until the book finished. In fact, now that it has, I would be more than happy to read another 400 page instalment of their bickering and perseverance and, ultimately, their love.
I loved this book. It may not have been perfect, in fact it was far from it, but I loved it. Was there spelling errors, and at times the general language felt far from as sophisticated as other books? Yes. But all that does little to take away my enjoyment. I sat down to read and before I knew it I have breezed through over 150 pages and I had no desire to slow down. Everything about this was magical in a way that books are supposed to make you feel. I loved the plot, I loved the slow development of the romance that truly reflected the development of the individual characters. I loved the supporting characters and how they had personalities of their own that not only carried throughout the story, but added to it. There was emotion and levity, but also fluff and weightlessness.
I am so glad that through a string of events, I managed to get my hands on the finished work. I am even more happy that it found me at the time that it has, because I think some part of me needed the message that Zachariah himself had to come to terms with. Live your life for the present and the future. The past never leaves us, but as people, we change given time. We can’t live in the past forever because we are afraid of history reparations itself.
Thank you, Joël for giving readers the chance to love your work. Your dedication may have meant for us, but the thanks is ours to give, for the story that has left such an impact on us.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many stories use either the typical characters or try too hard to divert from the norms. This story, however, has a relatable, realistic main character with no cliché, effortless, unattainable beauty. Both main characters admit their faults in the latter half, demonstrating good character development. The writing style is enjoyable for a relaxed, effortless read, however, there are many spelling/grammar issues which take away from the reading experience. This is a shame as a printed books involve effort, could have been proof-read before publishing. Nice to get both sides of the story, you gain empathy for both characters so do not end up resenting their romance. I love the idea of Brain to give deeper insight into Zach’s personality & backstory – admirable internal conflicts. Joël should stick to the rule of three for repetition – too much becomes overwhelming and bores the reader. The overwhelming can be used for hyperbole but becomes ineffective at this when used too frequently as it does in this book. The “loosely based on Beauty and the Beast” comes into play with the library scene. Clever to have reference to an already well-loved character, evocative of positive emotions to relate to Willow. I love that we get to see where the girls from the foster home ended up – they were so pivotal in the beginning; it would have been a waste if they were forgotten. The final scene with Brain reminds me of Drop Dead Fred – another well-loved character reference in good taste. Overall a lovely read, would be far more enjoyable without the spelling issues but even with them, this is already my third read so I can say I would happily read again.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing book. It gave me chills and had be bawling my eyes out!