If I Lie by Corrine Jackson

Summary:
A powerful debut novel about the gray space between truth and perception.

Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.

Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise. (from GoodReads)

Review:
When I started If I Lie, I had no idea what the secret was that Quinn had to keep. To me, that was going to make or break the book. If the secret wasn't a good one, an important one, then the book would be pointless. Because Quinn puts everything on the line to protect Carey: her friends, her reputation, even her family. Thank goodness for my curiosity the secret was revealed pretty soon into If I Lie and it was perfect. It made total sense and then everything just fell into place after that.

If I Lie is not a happy book by any means. Quinn is definitely a tragic character. She has to keep a secret that's eating her away and takes all the insults and harrassment that comes from being branded a "cheater." Even though she is innocent, she cares enough for Carey that she remains silent even as her entire town taunts her. I could not imagine a stronger character than Quinn because I don't know if I would be able to endure what she goes through. She is also punished not only for her actions, but the actions of her mother, who cheated on her husband, Quinn's Marine father.

But throughout If I Lie, the feeling of hope resonates. Quinn befriends an elderly veteran at the VA hospital, and their relationship is so sweet. George is such a great guy and it's lovely that he understands Quinn even though he's heard all the rumors about her. Reading the story, bit and pieces of Quinn's life and her relationship with Carey are revealed so you get even more of an understanding of what she's gone through.

Even though If I Lie is a very deep and serious book about the military, it was still a riveting read. I read it in about a day because I could not put it down! If you're looking for something thought-provoking, definitely check out If I Lie.

Rating: 10 out of 10!
Release Date: August 28, 2012
FTC: read on Pulse It

2012/Simon Pulse/276 pages.