BOOKED EVERY NIGHT

Every once in a while, a book comes along that affects you—and I don’t mean affects you in a way that makes you hot under the collar. Nope, once in a blue moon, every reader will “experience” a book that will not only rock them to their core, but it will make them question everything; their career, their goals, their relationship . . . their life, even.

 

When “After I Do” was recommended to me by a friend, I didn’t hesitate to pick it up; despite the price. I’ll admit that I did feel a little guilty. After all, I am supposed to be cutting back on my Amazon spending. But as soon as I started to read, all thoughts of price left my head, and I became immersed in this captivating story.

 

Lauren Cooper is married. Not happily married. Just married. Having been in a relationship with Ryan for eleven years, and married for six of those, she finds herself being irritated by everything he does, or doesn’t do.

 

It wasn’t always like this though. Through Lauren’s eyes we see how the couple meets, and I just adored the way the author did this. It was an introduction that was fitting for a couple of their age, yet it was totally heartwarming. Lauren shows us how she fell head over heels for Ryan, and their relationship develops from college romance to cohabitation, from fur-child owners to newlyweds.

 

Unfortunately for this couple, the discontent that has developed over the course of eleven years swings both ways, and after a series of drawn out arguments coupled with periods of brutal honesty, they decide to take a yearlong break from their marriage. This break is designed to make each of them think about whether or not they remain committed to making their marriage work, or whether their relationship has simply run its course. Ryan moves out, Lauren remaining in their home along with their dog, Thumper. When Ryan moves out he leaves Lauren a note, telling her not to contact him. He needs space to figure out what he needs to do, and she has to give that to him.

 

Over the ensuing days, weeks, months, we follow Lauren on her journey of self-discovery, and watch her navigate through life as a single woman. We are introduced to a well-written and realistic supporting cast; namely Lauren’s family and best friend. These characters weave into the main storyline seamlessly—supporting the story and providing additional threads to the tale. I was delighted to find that these plotlines and characters, while entertaining and engaging, did not attempt to overrule the main story, as happens with so many titles these days.

 

One day, when she misses him too much, Lauren logs in to Ryan’s email account. Although his inbox is empty, she finds emails in his draft folder . . . all addressed to her.

 

It’s difficult to write much more, purely because I feel that this is a story that needs to be experienced through fresh eyes. I would not wish for my feelings and reflections to influence anyone else’s reading of this wonderful story. The one thing I will say is that I believe this book is a must read for anyone in a marriage or long-term relationship. At many points I found myself questioning how what Lauren and Ryan were experiencing related to my own marriage, and wondering how I might respond should I find myself in a similar situation. This story stripped back the layers of what constitutes a marriage, and does it in such a raw and emotive way that you can’t help but full invest yourself in Lauren and Ryan’s relationship.

 

There were times during this book when I cried. There were big wet splashes on my kindle that prevented me from reading any further. As the time approached midnight, I lay in bed next to my husband, my shoulders shaking with the effort of controlling so many conflicting emotions, without waking him. Anyone who follows my personal Goodreads account will have seen the many updates from me as I read, detailing the varying stages of grief, shock, and elation that I experienced while reading. At one point I even threatened to shut my kindle in the freezer because I couldn’t bear to read any further, yet was unable to stop myself from continuing along Lauren’s journey with her.

 

When I reached 88%, I nearly stopped. That’s right, I very nearly put down my kindle and walked away from the story altogether. NOT because it was terrible, but because it was just so right. In truth, the realisation that the story was ending was devastating. In 12% I would have to withdraw from Lauren’s world and move on; that there would have to be a life after “After I Do” was over. And that was hard. It was hard because I have never (not even with “Fault in Our Stars”) experienced an emotional connection with a book like I did with this one. The book hangover that has ensued has left me feeling bereft, and completely and utterly sorry for whatever book I attempt to pick up next because I know, I just know, that it won’t be as good.

 

One of the reasons I know when I book has got to me is when I can’t stop telling people about it. And yet . . . I also don’t really want anyone to read it. I almost want to keep it as my secret. To squirrel this author away from the world. Kathy Bates alarm bells are ringing all around me right now, and they are totally justified. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a true talent. The writing flows effortlessly, the characters are cohesive and genuine, the storyline real, raw, and oh-so right.

 

This book is one of a kind. In fact, I couldn’t even attempt to put it into a folder in my kindle library because it stands alone in its greatness.

 

One thing is for sure: in years to come, this is a title that I will return to over and over. It sweeps you away, all the while educating you with solid life lessons. It’s almost like a non-judgmental self-help book, albeit with fictional characters, and I have no doubt that its well-worn cover, with dog-eared pages and cracked spine, will have pride of place on my bedside table for the rest of my days.