Doing a little double post with 2 books from one of my favorite Authors, Taylor Jenkins Reid.
Although these are a bit older, they are still great reads!
Forever, Interrupted follows our main character Elsie as she navigates the world of loss. Her new husband is tragically killed in an accident, which leaves her life upside-down. The novel alternates between the past and present which turns out to be a lovely way to learn how their love story unfolds woven in with the story of the present day. Elsie never met her Mother-In-Law, so the story follows their relationship. I have to admit, I was waiting for a bit of a twist or for the Mother-In-Law to betray her, but this isn’t that kind of novel. Well written and beautifully touching on the different layers of grief, this novel is proof that “there’s more than one way to find a happy ending.”
I love quotes and there were many beautiful quotes woven into this novel: “Things happen in your life that you cant possibly imagine. But time goes on and time changes you and the times change and the next thing you know, you’re smack in the middle of a life you never saw coming.”
After I do take a different direction and follows two characters as they decide to take a one year trial separation after being together for ten years. Similarly written as the above novel, the story alternates between present day and the past story of the couple falling in love. Although the idea of spending one full year apart from your Husband and not speaking to each other at all for that year seems far fetched to me, it comes through genuine and realistic on the pages of this book. There are no villains in this story, it examines what it’s like to grow together in life and also to grow apart. It’s part coming of age, part relationship, and part heartbreak. I loved the side story of Lauren’s family as they also navigated relationship and life changes. Her Grandmother is such a beautiful character.
Again, this book had some amazing heartfelt quotes that I just wanted to rip off the pages and save forever. Here are a few:
“Isn’t it nice…once you’ve outgrown the ideas of what life should be and you just enjoy what it is?”
“The sun rises the next day after mothers lose their babies, after men lose their wives, after countries lose wars. The sun will rise no matter what pain we encounter. No matter how much we believe the world to be over, the sun will rise. So you can’t go around assessing love by whether or not the sun rises.”
