Reviews

After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid

jord37's review

emotional funny hopeful reflective 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? Yes

4.75

m1chelle777's review against another edition

emotional funny 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? Yes

5.0

jenhurst's review against another edition

4.0

Maybe because I haven’t read any other marriage in trouble romances aside from all your perfects by Colleen Hoover, but nonetheless I loved this. I liked the plot and having the main character discover herself and fall back in love with her husband in their time apart. I just really love TJR’s writing and how she can make you really care about the characters.

kellyggrimsley's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? Yes

3.75

mummybear_reads's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

tinysealoot's review against another edition

3.0

For 2014 this one was good!

sarahecamus's review against another edition

4.0

If I’m not one of them, if I’m my own person, my own version of a woman, in my own marriage, then I have to figure it out for myself

Meet Lauren and Ryan: college sweethearts and now married for 6 years. Reid takes you through their love story from the beginning. Meeting at 19 in their college dining hall, it was love at first sight. Ryan was a strapping young man who Lauren believed was took attractive for her, and Lauren completely oblivious to her own beauty. They date through college, then eventually move into their first apartment together. Eventually they get married, and Reid makes their love story sound picture perfect.

Until it isn’t.

Ryan and Lauren begin to resent each other; they make snarky comments to one another, they do things in spite of each other, and eventually, tension begins to rise and Lauren throws a glass vase at Ryan. It misses, but still. Both come to the agreement that their love isn’t genuine anymore and they need time apart. They both agree to take a year apart, Ryan moves out and Lauren keeps their dog. The story encapsulates Lauren’s struggle without Ryan, and Ryan’s struggle is depicted through his drafted emails that are addressed for Lauren. That is about as far as I can go without giving away any spoilers.

I must say, I am REALLY liking Taylor Jenkins Reid’s style of writing. Its beautifully narrated and so easy to read. I loved the plot of the trial separation. It’s unconventional to this day and age, where most people separate for their mandated year, and then they divorce. I really liked seeing the story from Lauren’s point of view and witnessing her emotional roller coaster, but also how she gains independence and trusts her own instincts. Although we aren’t shown Ryan’s perspective in a dual-narrative, I enjoyed Lauren’s sneaky behaviours in reading his drafted emails to see how he struggled with their separation. I also really liked reading about Lauren’s family dynamic and each siblings own story. It found it quite enjoyable and gave me a sense of the family that Lauren came from and how they’ve welcomed Ryan into their family. I didn’t find anything unrealistic. This was a very good read.

This book is covers topics that many of us go through. Is it right to stay in a loveless marriage? Do we struggle with co-dependency in this era? Does time heal all? I loved that all topics were explored, making this fiction chick-lit novel thought provoking.

So, if I loved this book so much, why 4/5 stars? The struggle I had with this book, was that I kept comparing it to her other title, [b:The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo|32620332|The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo|Taylor Jenkins Reid|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498169036s/32620332.jpg|46885151]and I realized how much more I loved Evelyn Hugo’s story. Above all, both novels are excellent reads.

keri_mccafferty's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

hotgirlsireads's review against another edition

3.0

it got a little too cheesy towards the end but it was sweet. 3.5

spatterson12's review against another edition

4.0

I feel like every TJR review I write is basically me gushing about how seamless her storytelling is. This review is no different. Once you’re in, you’re locked. You want to understand the main character and their relationship with everyone they encounter and you won’t want to put it down until the final page.

After I Do starts with a broken marriage. One afternoon getting frustrated after a baseball game about where they parked their car was the tip of the iceberg that led Lauren and Ryan to choose to spend a year apart with zero communication. They have spent 1/3 of their life together, so they agree to try 12 months apart to help them recognize what they want and consider how to improve this relationship going forward.

It also highlights that relationships and marriages aren’t a one-size-fits-all commitment. Lauren learns this by examining her grandparents relationship, as well as her mother’s marriage where her dad left before she turned five. She also starts to look at her brother and sister as individuals with life goals and needs different from her own.

In some ways, this reminds me of the original Parenthood movie from 1989. I can’t explain exactly how, but it does.

Two favorite quotes: “Just because you can live without someone, doesn’t mean you want to,” and “Isn’t it nice, once you’ve outgrown the idea of what life should be and you just enjoy what it is?”