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evelynnnn33333's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Grief, Sexual content, and Death
lisavandonselaar's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Car accident
Minor: Sexual content
abicaro17's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
God. If I could recommend this to anyone I ever knew, it would literally never be enough. If I thought The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was good I was FLOORED by this book. The exploration on loss and grief centered around women and connection through tragedy. I wish I could reread this for the first time again. Chapter 60 on was just waterworks and sobbing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Body horror, Car accident, Cursing, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Sexual content
amanda_reads13's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Elsie and Ben have a whirlwind romance. After 6 months together, they elope. Sadly, 9 days after their wedding, Ben is in a tragic accident.
This book is not my favourite TJR book, but it is incredibly emotional and heartbreaking. We jump between two timelines as the story interweaves Ben and Elsies love story with Elsie and Susan's (Ben's mom) journey to healing. I thought that this structure was incredibly impactful.
I didn't really connect to Elsie or Ben. I felt like their backstory, though cute, was pretty cheesy and at times Elsie was pretty immature. The scene at the Burger King before the wedding made me cringe. Elsie was acting like a total brat.
In the present, I appreciated how sensitivity this topic was approached. I think that Ana was my favourite character. She was there to support Elsie through everything, even when Elsie treated her like garbage. I liked that Susan and Elsie made such a strong connection and helped each other through the healing process.
I really liked the ending. I actually thought it was quite perfect.
Tropes: Instalove, life after loss, found family
This book is not my favourite TJR book, but it is incredibly emotional and heartbreaking. We jump between two timelines as the story interweaves Ben and Elsies love story with Elsie and Susan's (Ben's mom) journey to healing. I thought that this structure was incredibly impactful.
I didn't really connect to Elsie or Ben. I felt like their backstory, though cute, was pretty cheesy and at times Elsie was pretty immature. The scene at the Burger King before the wedding made me cringe. Elsie was acting like a total brat.
In the present, I appreciated how sensitivity this topic was approached. I think that Ana was my favourite character. She was there to support Elsie through everything, even when Elsie treated her like garbage. I liked that Susan and Elsie made such a strong connection and helped each other through the healing process.
I really liked the ending. I actually thought it was quite perfect.
Tropes: Instalove, life after loss, found family
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Car accident, Abandonment, Death, and Grief
melissaslibraryy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
God, this book had me sobbing from beginning to end yet I never wanted the story to finish. The story of loss and mourning while trying to move on with your life had me in shambles bc I could never imagine the pain of losing the person you love, so permanently after finally getting your HEA. TJR has such a way with words and this has been proven in her other novels time and time again, so I can’t wait to read her other works (especially since I need to knock down my tbr) and have my heart broken and repaired all over again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Grief, and Death
Minor: Sexual content
kelly_e's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Title: Forever, Interrupted
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: July 9, 2013
T H R E E • W O R D S
Touching • Authentic • Distinctive
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Elsie and Ben are average twenty-somethings, but this is not your average love story. It begins bright and promising: the newlywed couple is head over heels in love, having eloped six months after they met. But it all shatters in an instant; Ben out riding his bike, is hit by a truck—and dies on impact.
Elsie hears the sirens outside her apartment, but by the time she gets downstairs, his body has already been taken to the hospital. When she arrives, Elsie is greeted by an unexpected visitor—her mother-in-law, Susan, whom she has never met and who doesn’t even know she exists.
Both are seared with grief; Susan is still mourning the death of her own husband several years earlier, and the loss of her only son is almost too much to bear. The two women immediately sour on one another, fighting over what to do with Ben’s belongings and how to fulfill his wishes. But as time goes by, Susan and Elsie both realize that despite the terrible accident that brought them together, they are now the only family they have left.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Having read, and loved, several of Taylor Jenkins Reid's newer releases in 2022, I immediately knew I wanted to tackle her entire backlist. Forever, Interrupted (her debut) was the backlist title that piqued my interest the most given Elsie and I's shared experience of having a partner die suddenly. For that reason, I knew this book would likely destroy me emotionally, and of course, it did.
In this novel, TJR approaches love in such an unconventional manner, while also exploring grief and healing with gentleness and subtlety. Done seamlessly, the dual timelines help guide the story at the perfect pace. The characters are real, and I came to love them as the flawed humans they are. And I can certainly vouch to the fact that the evolution of Elsie and Susan's relationship felt like an accurate representation of the messiness that is grief. The bonds one forms when going through the most awful of situations can come from the most unlikely of places. It is no secret that the people you expect to show up are often the ones who disappear, and the people who show up can be the least expected.
One small thing I also loved was the fact Elsie was a librarian. This simple little tidbit brought the book even closer to my heart given my own love of books and libraries. They say sometimes books come into your life at the right time, and I think this was a beautiful reminder of that for me.
Despite this being an incredibly emotional book on a personal level for me, the writing itself lacked the emotional depth and rawness I've come to expect from TJR. Of course, it's important to keep in mind this is her debut novel, and she her craft has likely evolved since.
A genuine portrayal of love in all its forms, Forever, Interrupted really gets to the heart of human relationships. While ultimately a tragic story, the message of happiness coming in all kinds of different shapes and sizes breathes an air of hope. This is a story I will never forget, and a reminder that the people who come into our lives, end up shaping our journeys no matter the length of time their physically present.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• TJR devotees
• anyone looking for atypical romance
• readers who enjoyed Come Away With Me
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"'Listen to me; it means nothing. You think that some ten minutes you spent with ben in a room defines what you meant to each other? It doesn't. You define that. What you feel defines that. You loved him. He loved you. You believed in each other. That is what you lost. It doesn't matter whether it's labelled a husband or a boyfriend. You lost the person you love. You lost the future you thought you had.'"
"Love is love is love. When you lose it, it feels like the shittiest disaster in the world. Just like dog shit."
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: July 9, 2013
T H R E E • W O R D S
Touching • Authentic • Distinctive
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Elsie and Ben are average twenty-somethings, but this is not your average love story. It begins bright and promising: the newlywed couple is head over heels in love, having eloped six months after they met. But it all shatters in an instant; Ben out riding his bike, is hit by a truck—and dies on impact.
Elsie hears the sirens outside her apartment, but by the time she gets downstairs, his body has already been taken to the hospital. When she arrives, Elsie is greeted by an unexpected visitor—her mother-in-law, Susan, whom she has never met and who doesn’t even know she exists.
Both are seared with grief; Susan is still mourning the death of her own husband several years earlier, and the loss of her only son is almost too much to bear. The two women immediately sour on one another, fighting over what to do with Ben’s belongings and how to fulfill his wishes. But as time goes by, Susan and Elsie both realize that despite the terrible accident that brought them together, they are now the only family they have left.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Having read, and loved, several of Taylor Jenkins Reid's newer releases in 2022, I immediately knew I wanted to tackle her entire backlist. Forever, Interrupted (her debut) was the backlist title that piqued my interest the most given Elsie and I's shared experience of having a partner die suddenly. For that reason, I knew this book would likely destroy me emotionally, and of course, it did.
In this novel, TJR approaches love in such an unconventional manner, while also exploring grief and healing with gentleness and subtlety. Done seamlessly, the dual timelines help guide the story at the perfect pace. The characters are real, and I came to love them as the flawed humans they are. And I can certainly vouch to the fact that the evolution of Elsie and Susan's relationship felt like an accurate representation of the messiness that is grief. The bonds one forms when going through the most awful of situations can come from the most unlikely of places. It is no secret that the people you expect to show up are often the ones who disappear, and the people who show up can be the least expected.
One small thing I also loved was the fact Elsie was a librarian. This simple little tidbit brought the book even closer to my heart given my own love of books and libraries. They say sometimes books come into your life at the right time, and I think this was a beautiful reminder of that for me.
Despite this being an incredibly emotional book on a personal level for me, the writing itself lacked the emotional depth and rawness I've come to expect from TJR. Of course, it's important to keep in mind this is her debut novel, and she her craft has likely evolved since.
A genuine portrayal of love in all its forms, Forever, Interrupted really gets to the heart of human relationships. While ultimately a tragic story, the message of happiness coming in all kinds of different shapes and sizes breathes an air of hope. This is a story I will never forget, and a reminder that the people who come into our lives, end up shaping our journeys no matter the length of time their physically present.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• TJR devotees
• anyone looking for atypical romance
• readers who enjoyed Come Away With Me
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"'Listen to me; it means nothing. You think that some ten minutes you spent with ben in a room defines what you meant to each other? It doesn't. You define that. What you feel defines that. You loved him. He loved you. You believed in each other. That is what you lost. It doesn't matter whether it's labelled a husband or a boyfriend. You lost the person you love. You lost the future you thought you had.'"
"Love is love is love. When you lose it, it feels like the shittiest disaster in the world. Just like dog shit."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Death of parent, Cursing, and Car accident
Minor: Medical content, Vomit, and Sexual content
death of partnerjem_carstairs's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I knew this would be sad.
But I wasn’t prepared for how relentlessly depressing it was.
I mean that in the best way possible.
But I wasn’t prepared for how relentlessly depressing it was.
I mean that in the best way possible.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death, and Grief
Minor: Sexual content
val_theburrowofstories's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content and Vomit
Grief is a HUGE deal in this book for the characters, and I don't think this is an spoiler because is in the description of the book, but the male main character dies, so that leaves his wife and his mother trying to figure out their life after that. So if you're a wife or a mother, I would see if this could be a trigger.mollywill's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
Moderate: Car accident and Sexual content
Minor: Vomit
jfield351's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
3.5
I can definitely see how TJR’s writing style has evolved after this book. It was still a good book but not as amazing as all of her other books. It was a bit hard to read because it was sooo sad :( But it was very good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Car accident
Minor: Sexual content and Pregnancy