I didn’t hate this book. Most of it I enjoyed well enough. But I had some issues with it that were relatively substantial.

The majority of my issues, admittedly, had to do with the very last chapter and the extremely sudden way the book wrapped, with a time jump that is sort of alluded to in the text but not called out in any kind of explicit way. At the end of the penultimate chapter the twins have decisions to make, and the book shows them making absolutely none of them. Even in the last chapter, what has actually happened is really only shown in very broad strokes. We can somewhat assume but do not 100% know where they live.

1. The title is dumb. No one ever says this or anything close to this at any point. It does not make sense to the plot, really. I hate it.

2. Loose ends. Some loose ends make sense to leave.
But there are some things that are sort of devastating, like the loss of the twins’ mutual best friend, that I didn’t think should just be left flapping in the wind forever.

3. Their names. The book makes a point of repeatedly telling the boys both that they basically do not have real identities, names, citizenships, etc. in the last chapter, they just keep referring to them as the same first names as before and have not told us anything about how they are (spoiler) still in the UK even though the UK, to borrow a phrase, hates them.

4. My biggest issue. Did they just… not get to see their parents at all, even for a visit at secure location while the dad was recuperating? And they just…
don’t get to see them again? What the actual f though? I thought that was a weird choice, to not have the reader never meet these people that the book is essentially about.

Lastly, I do get that the author is trying to set up the next book at the end, but babe, I am not fully convinced that I liked the way you closed this one out. So yeah, hold your horses, I am just not ready to jump back in yet, though I did really appreciate the opportunity to read the ARC and really enjoyed the local Scots (Maggs, Aisha, and Jamie), and well as the intrepid Padma.

Characters were likeable. An initially confusing and slow paced read, with an overall repetitive vibe. However was enjoyable.

If We Tell You is action packed from the very first page, the reader is thrown into the world of runaway protagonists Lewis and Cameron as they try to stay alive.

This is a YA thriller, which will hit its target audience perfectly. While reading you do forget how young the protagonists are, and when their age is mentioned it feels like a slap, that they are enduring all of this stress and trauma. Yet on the other hand it is enjoyable watching them in London and Edinburgh for the first time, experiencing the people, culture and beauty of the cities.

If We Tell You is easy to read, fast paced and exciting. Targeted to the younger bracket of the YA audience, it is easy to follow and to process what isn't said.

This book was a great read! The story had a great pace and the characters were well developed. It was very easy to get sucked into the story and in just a few sittings, I was done reading the book!

If We Tell You - Nicola Dahlin

All it took was one moment during a family barbeque for Cameron and Lewis’s lives to change.

After killing two uninvited guests, their parents take off in a haste, leaving them with many unanswered questions, and very little instruction.
The twins follow the little bit of instruction they have which leads them to a small hotel in Edinburgh, one that their parents previously had a connection to. To be inconspicuous, they pretend there's only one of them, one of them staying hidden at all times.
As the truth starts to come out piece by piece, the twins learn of their parents' dark past that forced them to change their identities and to start over.
When the twins begin to feel like someone is on to them, they are driven to the finish line to find their parents and the whole truth before someone else catches them first.
It’s been a few months since I finished this book, and I found I was easily able to remember the details and how the story played out. For me, that's a win. That means the book was worth remembering. I didn’t know what to expect and felt as though I may have picked up a YA book, but the story had enough dark twists and turns that it kept me turning the pages. This one came out in October, and if you happen to see it on the shelves, I think it’s definitely worth grabbing yourself a copy and diving in. 4 stars out of 5 on this one!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Loved it! Such a good read. I feel like YA books can be a hit or miss for the most part. This one was definitely a hit and enjoyable.

While I did like the story for the most part, I do think I didn't have a great connection with the twins and so I didn't find myself as invested as I would have liked. Also, I didn't like that I could only access this story through the app and not my kindle. (Not the authors fault, just stating)

This was actually quite good. It is YA in the sense that the characters are twin 15 year olds, so it is told through their viewpoint. The plot itself is pretty intriguing. Perhaps it's a bit easy to deduce what is ultimately happening, but that takes nothing away from the story. It was fun and interesting to watch this unfold and refreshing to see a viewpoint/characters I wouldn't normally read. I think teens would absolutely love this book, and this old fart did too!!

While the idea of this book sounded like a lot of fun, it just didn't do it for me. I think some of my students may like it, so I didn't give it a single star, but that's the only reason why I gave it two. I didn't care much about the characters and the story just kind of flopped for me. Hard to finish.

So I get what this book was trying to do but it just didn’t work. The story doesn’t allow you to fully connect with the twins before you are thrust into the story. While I am a fan of fast paced stories there needs to be a connection established with the characters so that you care about their journey. That’s what I struggled with for the most part. I never cared about the characters so it just felt like they were going through motions. They didn’t seem to discover answers but instead had them told by other characters. I just lost interest after a while. So, while it was an intriguing premise the actual execution of the story was lacking. 2.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

Borrowed a physical copy from the library after having problems accessing the ebook. This was an interesting read. Enjoyed the characters. Sometimes I found the different situations and the way handled was too extreme. However, it didn't stop my enjoyment of the book. Looking forward to the next book by Nicola.

#NETGALLEY
#IFWETELLYOU
#NICOLADAHLIN

This book starts with a bang and from that moment, you're drawn in by the mysterious lives of Cameron and Lewis and their parents. Cameron and Lewis have been living a normal life in Canada but their world is turned upside down when men with guns invade their summer BBQ. Their parents given them a big containing passports and tell them to get to the airport. But when they arrive there, not only are their parents absent, but the passports aren't even in their names. Who are Cameron and Lewis really and who are their parents. But most importantly, why are people after them. Cameron and Lewis escape to Scotland and try to uncover the clues to where there parents are now and what has triggered these events.
I really enjoyed this story and I feel like the ending was setting things up for a sequel, which is exciting and I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for it. I love mysteries and this book is full of them. I think it will grip readers who also enjoy trying to solve a puzzle. Some of the content is a bit mature so this is probably better for a secondary library rather than a primary one. It's great fun.

This was definitely a suspenseful read. There a plenty of twists and turns that keep me reading way past my bedtime. Reading from two perspectives was a great experience. It felt like I was reading a great action film. This story definitely needs a sequel, I would love to see how these characters grow.

My only criticism is that there were a few moments when I had to stop to figure out who was speaking so there was some confusion there

If we tell you was a very interesting story.
Twin brothers are forced to run away and fend for themselves while uncovering the truth about their parents. While they do people are also trying to hunt the boys down, can they discover the truth before it’s too late?
I did enjoy this story however it did take a very long time for things to start unravelling. It was a slow build up but I thoroughly enjoyed how things worked out in the end! And the characters were very lovable and interesting. Thanks to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the arc!

If We Tell You is about twin siblings Cameron and Lewis Larsen. The book was quite good, I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

The character moments are where this book really shines. Cameron and Lewis were different enough to not get them mixed up, while still feeling like they were raised by the same people. Their interactions with others felt realistic. The descriptions of locations and doing small things like making tea or peeling potatoes were immersive. I think this authors strengths lie in these more intimate moments and I wish this had leaned harder into the cozy mystery vibe and kept things lower stakes. I don’t think we needed things like MI6, riots, the mafia, Interpol, or people getting tied up and PG-13 tortured. There can be some peril, sure, but it didn’t need to be at this level. I also feel like while the plot wrapped up, we didn’t get enough character moments at the end. I think anyone could’ve come up with this plot but not everyone could make the characters feel so fleshed out and I hope this author uses that to their advantage in future books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book felt like a lot more of telling than showing. Honestly, I would've really liked to have read about where they were all at the party when all hel broke loose. However, we start right after that. This whole book for me can be summed up with one word: fine. It was fine. It always seemed to be missing a spark for me that would've elevated this novel. Perhaps the showing. For half of the book, there's pretty much just the brothers and moms friend and then more people keep getting added to the mix. I wasn't a big fan of the "why." The mob? Right. The mob would've done way better at getting these two kids. And the ending was very disappointing. After all of this, after everything, we don't get reunited with our parents? Like I said, the book is fine albeit disappointing.

This book was really hard to get into and while I realize it is a YA book it just wasn’t doing it for me. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review it but it was a DNF for me.

<i>digital arc was provided by Netgalley and Kids Can Press</i>

If We Tell You starts with a gripping premise: twins Cameron and Lewis unraveling their parents' dark secrets after a shocking incident at a barbecue. However, as the story unfolds, it loses steam. While one twin is quite allright, the other consistently makes frustrating choices, making it hard to connect with either of them.

The plot takes unexpected turns that feel more confusing than thrilling, leaving me disengaged by the end. What began as a promising mystery ultimately fell flat, leaving me wishing for more depth and tension. If you’re after a captivating read, you might want to look elsewhere.

ARC Review!!!

Cameron and Lewis Larsen are identical twins living normal, suburban lives … until their mom and dad kill two uninvited guests at a neighborhood barbecue and then disappear. Both boys are left with cryptic instructions from their parents that leads them to Edinburgh. They soon come to realize that twins are easily noticeable and become one person and alternate spots.
As more clues become available, the twins feel like they cannot trust anyone, not even their parents.

This was such a fun read! So trill seeking, right from the beginning. It was a bit confusing trying to figure out what the beginning was but it was so good! The author did such a good job of making everyone untrustworthy and making everyone feel sketchy. The plot flowed nicely and it played out well. A quick read!