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A review by thefox22
Afterward by Jennifer Mathieu
4.0
*Physical ARC kindly provided by Macmillan*
This was a wonderful book. I’m especially happy with how therapy-positive this book was, and how Jennifer Mathieu showed Ethan’s PTSD and healing process. Most of the book was focused on that, and how Caroline was connected to it. Because when they start to become friends, and perhaps something more, the kidnapping is there between them. But the author treated their relationship, and Ethan’s trauma, with such care and respect. And I loved the two of them so much, even when I wanted Caroline to do better. While it was her little brother who had been kidnapped, she was still feeling the effects of that tragedy, especially when it doesn’t seem like they’ll be able to help Dylan. But she is sometimes a little selfish, and she doesn’t try as hard as she could. And Ethan gets caught up in her, starts to feel something more. But he’s still trying to heal and come to terms with everything that had happened to him, and it’s hard for him. The two of them have a long ways to go, and though the book doesn’t wrap everything up perfectly, it felt realistic and the story was handled so well. And I so appreciated the way that Jennifer wrote Ethan’s character and the therapy sessions. This is an important read; one that made me cry so hard but also filled me with hope and light. It was a story of a tragedy, yes, but it was also a story of healing and forgiveness and compassion. Just WONDERFUL.
This was a wonderful book. I’m especially happy with how therapy-positive this book was, and how Jennifer Mathieu showed Ethan’s PTSD and healing process. Most of the book was focused on that, and how Caroline was connected to it. Because when they start to become friends, and perhaps something more, the kidnapping is there between them. But the author treated their relationship, and Ethan’s trauma, with such care and respect. And I loved the two of them so much, even when I wanted Caroline to do better. While it was her little brother who had been kidnapped, she was still feeling the effects of that tragedy, especially when it doesn’t seem like they’ll be able to help Dylan. But she is sometimes a little selfish, and she doesn’t try as hard as she could. And Ethan gets caught up in her, starts to feel something more. But he’s still trying to heal and come to terms with everything that had happened to him, and it’s hard for him. The two of them have a long ways to go, and though the book doesn’t wrap everything up perfectly, it felt realistic and the story was handled so well. And I so appreciated the way that Jennifer wrote Ethan’s character and the therapy sessions. This is an important read; one that made me cry so hard but also filled me with hope and light. It was a story of a tragedy, yes, but it was also a story of healing and forgiveness and compassion. Just WONDERFUL.