If I Stay
by Gayle Forman
Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?
Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.
- Spice
- 1/5
- Burn
- Slow
- Pages
- ~208
- Ending
- HFN
HFN means happy for now: together at the end, with their future left open.
How spicy is If I Stay?
If I Stay is a 1 out of 5 on our spice scale: sweet (kisses only). Kissing, longing looks, maybe a fade-to-black. Nothing on the page.
- Steam: Glimpses and kisses
- Burn: Slow burn
- Pairing: One man, one woman
- POV: First person, heroine's POV only
- Ending: Happy for now
Content warnings
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Show 2 content warnings
- Death of a loved one
- Suicide / suicidal ideation
Our editorial notes, which may be incomplete. If something is a hard limit for you, check the author's own content notes too.
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More by Gayle Forman
If I Stay: quick answers
How spicy is If I Stay?
If I Stay is a 1 out of 5 on our spice scale: sweet (kisses only). Kissing, longing looks, maybe a fade-to-black. Nothing on the page.
Is If I Stay a standalone?
No. If I Stay is book 1 of 2 in If I Stay. It is the place to start. The series is complete.
What tropes are in If I Stay?
If I Stay features rockstar / celebrity, hurt / comfort. It is a slow burn M/F romance that ends with a happy for now.
Does If I Stay have content warnings?
Our notes for If I Stay include: death of a loved one, suicide / suicidal ideation. This list may not be complete; check the author's own content notes if anything is a hard limit for you.
What should I read after If I Stay?
If you loved If I Stay, try Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen, Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen, Just Listen by Sarah Dessen. They share its rockstar / celebrity and hurt / comfort energy at a similar spice level.