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What If I Go?
Grace Negrescu is a Romanian teenager dreaming of UK streets paved with gold. Zul Mohammad is the savvy bad-boy from Birmingham who saw her coming. At first, she craves independence. Then money. Then love. What she gets is a rough deal. While she figures out what she actually needs in an unfamiliar city, she spirals towards abuse. Amidst a cocktail of toxic sweeteners, her instinct is never to give up but a new friend recommends that she run. Only her diary knows everything. What if she goes? Bewildered, she considers the tortuous case presented by Detective Inspector Stretton. By dropping superstitions, she could believe in a worker at the Centre called Joe, telling her about deserving justice. Hopefully, she can reclaim her identity and switch to the right path... Until Grace discovers how to trust again, what are the chances? Despite these complications, all she needs is faith. A cautionary tale for older teens, parents-anyone who's questioned how innocent students from good families are so easily sucked into the sleazy underworld.
253 pages, Paperback
Published January 31, 2017
3 people want to read
About the author
Polly White
4 books2 followersPolly White is a Partner in Whitestone Partners, Inc. Before joining Whitestone, Polly led her own consulting firm, Pro HR Services, for eight years which provided human resources, workforce and professional development expertise to companies ranging in size from small businesses to Fortune 10 organizations. Before launching her consulting career, Polly managed the human resources departments of three mid-sized companies in Richmond where she made significant improvements to overall workforce performance by modifying the companies’ HR systems and developing both employees and their management. Polly received her Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree from Averett University where she won the prestigious Mary C. Fugate award as the valedictorian of her class. She went on to complete her MA degree in Adult Education and Human Resource Development from The George Washington University.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 6, 2017
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
This is a book that everyone should read. Part of me wanted to say that every girl should read it, every Christian should read it, every college student should read it, every parent should read it… but the truth is that there is a lesson for everyone in this book and its tragic, painful, and raw with emotion.
What If I Go? Is a roller coaster coming-of-age novel about a young woman named Grace. Kind, innocent Grace only wants to pursue her education and her dreams in the UK—but she wouldn’t mind finding love along the way. Fortunately for her, she does find it in a seductive young man named Zul. Unfortunately … Zul is the last person she should surrender her heart to.
In this painfully honest story, audiences watch Grace’s life spiral out of control as she makes one bad decision after another. Innocence is tainted, light becomes darkness, trust is betrayed, and hope destroyed as our protagonist fights a string of battles and loses—repeatedly. Sex, drugs, alcohol, and abuse are just a few of the problems Grace finds herself tangled up in. The sad part of this story is that things never really get better for Grace. She is a completely lost cause and we are forced to sit and watch and hope that she can somehow make it out of her circumstances. Even more painful… this is not an uncommon tale.
The very depressing truth is that Grace is not a special case. How many young adults venture off expecting to find love and success and are instead handed a plate of worms? I believe there is a little bit of Grace in all of us—a gentle light hoping for more, trusting a little too much, believing in every smile we see. Sometimes we allow ourselves to get hurt by being too nice. I’m not sure if that makes us or the world sad but it’s the truth.
My heart goes out to our protagonist and especially to our wonderful author for bringing this story to light in its painful, raw truth. This book was written incredibly well with a gifted hand. I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to read and review it.
I would recommend this book to mature readers and those who enjoy coming-of-age tales.
This is a book that everyone should read. Part of me wanted to say that every girl should read it, every Christian should read it, every college student should read it, every parent should read it… but the truth is that there is a lesson for everyone in this book and its tragic, painful, and raw with emotion.
What If I Go? Is a roller coaster coming-of-age novel about a young woman named Grace. Kind, innocent Grace only wants to pursue her education and her dreams in the UK—but she wouldn’t mind finding love along the way. Fortunately for her, she does find it in a seductive young man named Zul. Unfortunately … Zul is the last person she should surrender her heart to.
In this painfully honest story, audiences watch Grace’s life spiral out of control as she makes one bad decision after another. Innocence is tainted, light becomes darkness, trust is betrayed, and hope destroyed as our protagonist fights a string of battles and loses—repeatedly. Sex, drugs, alcohol, and abuse are just a few of the problems Grace finds herself tangled up in. The sad part of this story is that things never really get better for Grace. She is a completely lost cause and we are forced to sit and watch and hope that she can somehow make it out of her circumstances. Even more painful… this is not an uncommon tale.
The very depressing truth is that Grace is not a special case. How many young adults venture off expecting to find love and success and are instead handed a plate of worms? I believe there is a little bit of Grace in all of us—a gentle light hoping for more, trusting a little too much, believing in every smile we see. Sometimes we allow ourselves to get hurt by being too nice. I’m not sure if that makes us or the world sad but it’s the truth.
My heart goes out to our protagonist and especially to our wonderful author for bringing this story to light in its painful, raw truth. This book was written incredibly well with a gifted hand. I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to read and review it.
I would recommend this book to mature readers and those who enjoy coming-of-age tales.
February 19, 2017
What If I Go by Polly J White is a coming of age story of a Bucharest teenager sent to the UK for a better education, a better chance at work, basically for a better life. From the moment Grace sets foot on Birmingham ground, her life takes a turn for the worse and, really, doesn’t get any better. Author Polly J White has weaved a very real story of innocence destroyed which draws the reader into Grace’s dystopian reality.
Wonderfully written from the point of view of a down trodden teenager, who – really – never gives up on a better life, even after her best friend turns her back on her, and her one and only love shatters her, body and soul. This story is not for the faint hearted, but for lovers of fiction that is so close to real life that you know this betrayal of innocence and trust really is happening, right now.
Polly J White has captured the angst of youth, along with the ruin of young virtue, and the total annihilation of faith perfectly. Be prepared for an emotional read, and to live a life of child exploitation through the eyes of an author who you would swear had lived through it.
What If I Go is a very real read which I enjoyed immensely.
Wonderfully written from the point of view of a down trodden teenager, who – really – never gives up on a better life, even after her best friend turns her back on her, and her one and only love shatters her, body and soul. This story is not for the faint hearted, but for lovers of fiction that is so close to real life that you know this betrayal of innocence and trust really is happening, right now.
Polly J White has captured the angst of youth, along with the ruin of young virtue, and the total annihilation of faith perfectly. Be prepared for an emotional read, and to live a life of child exploitation through the eyes of an author who you would swear had lived through it.
What If I Go is a very real read which I enjoyed immensely.
March 9, 2017
Polly White has crafted an exceptional story that takes the reader on a journey on the loss of innocence as the protagonist falls into a world of violent UK gangs, drugs and degradation. Grace, the protagonist, is a teenager from Romania who arrives in England looking for a better life, education & love. She puts her trust & love in Zul, a gang member who lures her into his seedy world; what starts as sexual favours becomes far, far worse . Used and abused Grace is trapped. She has one ally, her diary that eventually becomes her saviour. Polly White has tackled the sensitive and emotive subject of child sexual exploitation that hooks the reader from the outset as Grace is left alone to face a grilling from border control. A good read and highly recommend.
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April 25, 2017This is my debut New Adult suspense novel. Thanks for considering the empowering read for students and their families.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews