If I Had You [Mass Market Paperback]

Deborah Bedford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2005

From bestselling author Deborah Bedford comes the moving tale of an estranged mother and daughter, and the child who forces their old conflicts back into the light.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Award-winning author Deborah Bedford's novels have been published in fifteen different countries and a dozen different languages. She and her husband, Jack, live in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with their two children. When she isn't writing, Deborah loves kayaking on the Snake River, hiking in the mountains with her dogs, and hanging out around a bonfire with people she loves. She began her career as a romance writer but now writes women's fiction that stirs readers' hearts and points them toward hope in God. Look for other inspirational stories by Deborah, including A Rose by the Door, A Morning Like This, When You Believe, and Remember Me. You can reach her by visiting her Web site, www.deborahbedfordbooks.com.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: FaithWords (June 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446616354
• ISBN-13: 978-0446616355
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.9 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,107,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good book, February 18, 2005

By 

lor369 - See all my reviews

This review is from: If I Had You (Paperback)

This book is about Tess, the wayward daughter who shows up at her parents pregnant. Nora does not seem to be at all
accepting towards her daughter. Tess takes off after having her baby, leaving her (Tansy) for her parents to raise. It
turns out that Nora doesn't disapprove of her daughter. She is suffering from her own trauma of having an abortion many
years ago.

I thought this was a very good book overall. I loved the reconciliation theme towards the end with Tess, and admire Tess for her decision to chose life for her unborn baby. I liked the character of Ben and how he seemed to be there for Tess.

At times, some of the dialog seemed a little stilted. The only other thing that I didn't like was that nobody seemed to like
Tess. Nora didn't seem to like Tess, Creede was annoyed with Tess, Creede's father was disapproving of Tess, and the church
ladies were disapproving of Tess. Yeah, Ben stood up for her, but it seemed that everyone was too hard on her. It would
have been nice to see someone reaching out to Tess, to help her go in the right direction but in a loving manner.

The book also mentioned something about Nora discovering the truth about herself and her abortion. I didn't really seem to
grasp what that truth was. Was it guilt? Was she disapproving of Tess because of the guilt over her own abortion? This
part seemed rushed towards the end.

Bedford interwove her own abortion experience into the book, so she knows what a woman who has had an abortion goes through.

Overall, I enjoyed the book.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Bedford's best yet..., August 27, 2004

By 

Deborah Raney - See all my reviews

This review is from: If I Had You (Hardcover)

...and that's saying a lot! What a compelling, beautifully written story! If Deborah Bedford's storyline hadn't grabbed me by the throat, her writing style would have. Some of the breathtaking images she paints with words, simply beg to be put on film. And the intricate relationships between her characters are so true-to-life and touching, you won't be able to put this book down. It made me want to buy everything she's ever written.