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I couldn‘t have imagined that I‘d find a connection with these characters, given the synopsis of this story, but I did. For me, it was wrapped up in the grief that Elsie and Susan felt after Ben‘s death (not a spoiler!). A deep, immersive, all-encompassing grief that slowly peeled away like the layers of an onion. It‘s such a beautiful exploration of finding yourself again after losing everything.

This was only my second TJR but I‘ve already…

Getting the year started off right with a #roll100 read. Not TJR‘s best, can def see how she has matured as an author, but a sad, quick, enjoyable read.

4.5⭐
•I'm certain this won't be for everyone, but I was fully absorbed by this woman and her mother-in-law's struggle with their loss. Her portrayal of the five stages of grief is spot-on, and it really connected me to the story.
•The narration by Julia Whelan was undeniably perfect.

Essentially a story about two women, their grief, and their growing relationship ❤️

January 20, 2024 I finished!!! 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

January 15, 2024 Happy mid-January! I am not a fan of wet rainy weather, but I am a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid and reading inside on a rainy day! A book + rain pattering on the windows = bliss 🤣 In summary, I am close to finishing the book... ooooo lala

January 7, 2024 On Part II of Forever, Interrupted. If you have been looking for a book written by Taylor Jenkins Reid that is romance but also very sad, this is one those books. Part I was super sad but ended in a happy ending... basically Elise Porter becomes a widow and Ben passes away. She feels like she has completely lost her husband but still has connections with his mom. Elise shares her vulnerability with Ben whom she loved dearly.

January 4, 2024 Happy Fourth day of January. I still can't believe that we made it to 2024 and that it has been four days already. Anyway, Reid wrote this book in 2013 and I am now reading it. I would say that this is her first book AND I am late to reading her first book. Why? IDK So far I am about 35 pages in and Elsie Ross and her friend Ana have been friends. She orders pizza while her friend Ana goes out with Jim. Elsie meets Ben 👀

January 2, 2024 My next TBR ✌🏻

Stunning.
This was so well written and truly heart-wrenching in parts. A beautiful book about love, loss, grief, and healing.
I loved the friendships Elsie had with Ana and Mr. Callahan.
Warning - you will cry!

Beautiful

This got me! Just sitting in my VRBO rental crying. Honestly, I love a book that makes me feel something. This book had me feeling multiple emotions.

I lovvvve TJR so sure I will enjoy this one, although not sure anything can compare to Malibu Rising or Evelyn Hugo. This one made me cry, emotional read but with an uplifting end.

Elsie and Ben: a meant-to-be couple who loved each other for a few months before eloping in Vegas. Tragedy interrupted their new life just 9 days later…when a door closes, a window opens somewhere else; when Elsie‘s journey places her into the orbit of an important friend she was destined to know💔❤️

#Pantone2023 @Clwojick
#20in4Readathon Day 2 @Andrew65

I enjoyed this book but the ending was just too abrupt

This was a soft pick for me and possibly the least favourite of Taylor Jenkins Reid‘s books, possibly this was affected by the theme and my mood! This covers the sudden death of Elsie‘s husband following just a few days of marriage and the journey she goes on to try to recover from this devastating event.

My fourth book finished for #AuthorAMonth for February, @Soubhiville

Hoping to fit in at least one more #AuthorAMonth book before the end of the month, by starting the tagged book. @Soubhiville

#20in4

Fantastic! A gut punch sort of a book, the kind that breaks your heart and then puts it back together. So good! I really need to read her whole backlist. #authoramonth #BookspinBingo #20in4 #Readathon @Soubhiville @TheAromaofBooks @Andrew65

My last read for February‘s #authoramonth. While this was not my favorite of her books I did like this story about two people getting to know each other while each grieving the same person. Elsie is the daughter in law Susan didn‘t know she had and they find that each other are the only person who can come close to understanding how they are feeling . Their grief is palpable but the rest of the emotional entanglement was less interesting to me.

Well, it‘s 3:18am and I just finished this. Before I read it I read a lot of reviews that said you can tell it was one of her earlier books. To be honest, I loved Evelyn Hugo, but I loved this one too. Yes, it is definitely not Evelyn Hugo, but it was charming and sad and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Plus I actually completed a book for #authoramonth and there is still lots of February left!

February‘s pick for #AuthorAMonth. I‘ve already read a few other Taylor Jenkins Reid books so I thought I‘d give her debut a try this month. In the spirit of positive thinking, I‘ll say that this shows she has grown as a writer. Moving on.

Well, this books makes you want to love on your SO and not ever let them go. This is a book about grief. Most of the characters were not very likable, but in a way that is what grief does. This is a good book and you really feel the emotions everyone was going through.

Another winner by Jenkins Reid. ❤ She has such an understanding of humanity - that's probably why she is so good at writing such real characters. Forever, Interrupted is a story of grief - the different ways people go through it, the difficulty of surviving it, and the complexity of trying to "move on" in a meaningful way.

This was a nice story about how to first survive and then live again after losing love. My only complaint is about Ben's cheesy dialogue.

I‘ve owned this book for several years but it sat unread because it was fun having a TBR TJR on my shelves. In my anxiousness for her new book I went in. Elsie‘s inner monologue was an interesting look at TJR‘s character development over 10 years. I think I‘d sympathize with Elsie‘s perspective more if TJR developed her with the writing talents she has now. On its own It‘s a light pick, but I enjoyed reading it as a body of work.

I appreciated that this book was about someone‘s journey through grief after losing a spouse unexpectedly (like me). It wasn‘t about her moving on, it wasn‘t about her finding new love. It was a personal journey. It was navigating life as a young woman without her spouse who were both just beginning to plan their life together. A lot of it felt super spot on. If you‘re grieving and in an ok place to read this book, I highly recommend it.

I LOVE TJR and was sucked in immediately. Trying to measure or quantify grief is impossible, everybody experiences it differently. While full of grieving, this was a cute story with plenty of depth. Book #72 in 2021

Not like TJR's current writing style but definitely still very emotional and thought provoking. Granted this was written well before these two comparison books but felt like a mix between the backstory from The Last Goodbye (Fiona Lucas) and From Scratch (Tembi Locke). Told from a modern day and six month through more recent flashbacks, readers are all in for a whirlwind romance that ends as quickly as it begins.

Well, this is a tough one. This book was really good, but my eyes basically leaked the entire time I read it. Similar to P.S. I Love You, this book features a whirlwind romance and intense heartbreak. I couldn‘t help but fall in love with the characters and empathize with the feelings of loss. No mistaking it, this is a sad book, but it‘s a worthwhile read. Read comment…

A quick read that will hurt you in the beginning, but add hope a little at a time. The writing isn't the same caliber that you will receive from Reid's newer works, but is still very good. Elsie's emotional journey was raw & well done with some extremely poignant moments. Susan is a great character who gave a wonderful long-term picture of grief. Her view of love & loss hit me hard. My gut still hurts from this one's punch...& I don't mind. Solid.

I love my Book Beau waterproof sleeve that I purchased for my Kindle Paperwhite!! It's so pretty and durable!!😍 #bookbeau #kindlepaperwhite #booksleeves #kindlereads

No matter how strong you are, no matter how smart you are or tough you can be, the world will find a way to break you. And when it does, the only thing you can do is hold on.

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That is what true love is. True love is saying to someone “Forget about us. We will be okay,” when it might not even be true, when the last thing you want is to be forgotten.

~Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid

"No matter how strong you are, no matter how smart you are or tough you can be, the world will find a way to break you. And when it does, the only thing you can do is hold on."

Taylor Jenkins Reid, Forever, Interrupted

After two weeks I finally finished this gigantic paint by number, while listening to the tagged audiobook. The lighting is horrible since it‘s already getting dark out, but I‘m super happy with how it turned out! Next up is either a diamond painting or my Christmas paint by number ♥️

6.75/50 hours for #NovelNovember @Andrew65

This beautiful, heartbreaking love story is one where you walk away convinced that it is better to have loved and lost, even if it was short-lived.

The side characters are wonderful & purposeful and add dimension in a way that's not common in romance. But Reid doesn't write romances; she writes our true hearts for all to see--the reality we may be too blinded or too heartbroken to understand until it's printed on the page in front of us.

Well, no. The idea sounded promising and I here and there found insightful and profound passages in it – mostly in the form of things Susan said.

But the love story❓ No, thank you. Too sweet, too cheesy – and sorry, Elsie should better have grown up. There might be nice women of her kind on earth but, sorry, I don‘t wanna hear about them.
Plus: Her absence from her job doesn‘t have consequences⁉️ Plot hole❓

A book I will soon have forgotten.

Uuuuuuuuh‼️😖

I hope that the future flashbacks telling Elsie‘s and Ben‘s love story aren‘t described as cheesy as their first date is. 🙄 It was okay until he decided to throw his weight around from the moment it was clear that ice cream shop will be closed when they get there.

Until now (minute 50) I definitely like the present plotline better than that in the past …

Top left:
What I wanted to read.

Bottom right:
What I actually _am_ “reading” (🎧📖). 😊

After only a few minutes I was already sceptical because Elsie seemed too girlish to me in wanting those cereals.

But then the scenes on that site of the accident and in the hospital seem authentic to me. I can relate because I think I‘d be the same. So, it‘s hooked I was and on I listen. 😄

Yesterday I saw I have a screenshot of that lingering in my photos. Maybe months ago I wanted to keep this in the back of my head. Well, it kind of worked, didn‘t it❓ Even though it‘s pure coincidence that it‘s available a few hours after I finished Boyle‘s “The harder they come”.

I‘m consuming lots of light stuff recently but feel I should turn to more serious books again.

But reading‘s a hobby, so I shouldn‘t put pressure on it, should I❓

Oh no 🤦‍♀️ Susan you are killing me too! The smell of library books is the best 📚📖🥰

I read three books which led me to tears this month. All three were picks. #tearjerker #ReadWithMrBook

Sweet and heartbreaking read through grief. Elsie meets Ben. Its love at first sight. Elsie marries Ben quickly. Ben dies 9 days after they elope. Alternating chapters between their short but intense love affair and Elsie's struggle to cope with Ben's death. It was sad but sweet and hopeful.

I have now officially read all of TJR‘s books. This one was a roller coaster of emotions to get through and I might need to watch I Love Lucy to cheer myself up. 😪 Still, definitely worth reading. I started it this morning and have been useless all day until I finished it. 4⭐️

I love Jenkins Reid‘s books. She is just a great storyteller. Elsie meets Ben and then the story follows. Tragedy occurs but Elsie works through it. Quick read. If you have recently lost someone this may be hard to read OR maybe it will help.

Omg....such a great story.

Ok I'm done. Second book of 2019 and I am heartbroken. I cried and cried! Damn Fruity Pebbles! You will forever make my chest tighten!
#2/52

Is anyone reading or has anyone read this? I'm about 80 pages from being done and I'm going to need a brain dump. My heart can't handle this!