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kkenna7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
To rate this book, or any of this series, with any amount of stars feels entirely wrong to me.
I read this as part of what I *thought* was going to be a fun "hate-read" where I'd get to roll through this series and poke fun at all the silly shenanigans that the fanic-y mid-2010s brought us. And I did hate it, but that is not at all what this series is. Book one is a silly little time, sure, you get in that mindset. You're giggling at the cringy dialogue and the unrealistic scenarios. But then, books two through four are gut-punch-after-gut-punch of traumatic events and toxic behaviors. There is no single second where you have a reprieve. Not to mention the completely useless "prequel" fifth book that just regurgitates the first book's events but in Hardin's POV even though the series is dual POV anyway. A complete waste of time
This series is a complete normalization of abusive behavior that is not ever even ONCE called out for what it is. Every single character, with the exception of Landon and Smith (a literal child), is completely abhorrent and irredeemable. There's not one moment in this series where the awful things that are happening on page happen for any reason other than shock value and plot movement. No one learns or grows, no one reaps what they sow, no one experiences any consequences. The only person experiencing consequences was me, seemingly, who was triggered, given literal nightmares, and then left IRL exhausted at the end of this awful awful series. Never again.
This woman should not nor should she ever have been successful. These books should not have ever existed. They should not have ever been as popular as they were. They definitely were not fun or guilty pleasure reads. And they certainly did not deserve to be made into movies (that just edited all of the traumatizing plot points out, anyway).
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol
subtlewriter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
lissareadsalot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Infidelity, and Rape
planetshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
It's After from Hardin’s perspective and time jumps to much later. We shirked past Noah learning about Tessa’s cheating, but I would've thought that meaningful to Hardin’s ego and Hessa’s relationship dynamic. The most confusing decisions Hardin made were never touched on.
I learned more about Hardin in After We Fell and Ever After Happy than in this book.
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Fatphobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
joleen2000's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism
lajjbuzz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug use, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
isabellav12345's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol
faizoo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.25
Moderate: Alcoholism, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Violence
streebela's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
thenovelbookshelf's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Then readings Hardin's pov, seemed to just be a re-wording of what was happening in After.
Before felt like it was re-fluffing everything that's already been told. I would rather have read this together as an afterward in After ever happy. A bit of a let down, but still a good read for the fans.
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship