If Only

About this book

Have you ever woken up in the middle of life to discover you are a stranger to yourself? This is the question haunting Seif, the hero of the novel If Only, when he finds himself trapped between the walls of his perfect life weighed down with responsibilities. At a turning point, Seif decides to leave behind the clamor of Cairo and the falsehood of stability, boarding a train whose destination he does not know, searching for that version of himself he lost fourteen years ago. Writer Mariam Samuel takes us on an emotional journey extending between the din of the capital and the stillness of Alexandria's shores, where the waves of memories crash against the promises of the future. If Only is not merely an escape story; it is a courageous confrontation with the battle of mind and heart, and a journey to explore those scars left by fathers' decisions and the bitterness of old letdowns. Through passing encounters on station platforms and inspiring tales in old cafes, Seif begins to repair his scattered self, realizing that failure is but a new beginning, and that happiness lies not in reaching the final station but in understanding the details of the journey itself. This novel is an invitation to all who think dreams have become far away, and to all who live in an inner emptiness despite the crowded roads. It is a warm human text that touches the soul, whispering in the reader's ear that returning to beginnings may sometimes be the only way to move forward. Will Seif manage to find his lost balance? Or will what died inside him never ignite again?