mahlikatebook's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
leahisdudish's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
2.5
the first tjr to not make me cry (which is weird considering it is a book about grief). didnt feel like a tjr book, was v repetitive and didnt have her usual pizazz
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident
Moderate: Death and Grief
avery_hutchinson's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was wonderful, but also the textbook definition of bittersweet. I loved it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death
hollymileham's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
omg this book has destroyed me, do not read this if you are emotionally fragile you will break but it is so stunning, its especially impactful bc of the past/present pov meaning that as you see elsie fall in love with ben you also see her grieve him and it was so beatifully done (i excepted nothing less)
the relationship between elsie and susan is such a notable part of this book and the way it all worked together to deal with grief and love is so special to me, i cried a lot
in other news i am finally up to date with tjr books and now idk what to do with myself
the relationship between elsie and susan is such a notable part of this book and the way it all worked together to deal with grief and love is so special to me, i cried a lot
in other news i am finally up to date with tjr books and now idk what to do with myself
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
lenaschrn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death
snowwhitehatesapples's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Review can also be found at Snow White Hates Apples.
I completely loved the two TJR books I’ve read ( Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo ) and wanted to give her debut novel a try, but sadly, Forever, Interrupted is not for me.
I was lured in by the first page when I read it and was certainly prepared for my heart to be stomped on by all the angst. However, as I read on, my interest waned because the execution of the story is just too poorly done.
To start, the writing is incredibly juvenile. It’s all chunks of tell, tell, tell which were a chore to go through, and the emotions in the narrative were so exaggerated and repetitive that it actually took away the impact. Furthermore, the switches between past and present felt disjointed. While I appreciate knowing how Elsie and Ben got together and all that, it was still draining to go continuously back and forth between joy and grief, grief and joy.
Appreciation of knowing the how aside, everything else about Elsie and Ben’s romance is an eye-roll fest. The insta-love was cringey, cliché and nauseatingly cheesy. I do actually read romances, and enjoy a good one in between all the other books I read, but this book was just too much at all the wrong places. I also couldn’t stand Elsie and Ben. The situations (including some of the side characters involved) they went through were often ridiculous, convenient and pointless. Plus, many of their actions and thoughts were so illogical that I can’t even label their illogicality as part of being human-like characters.
Anyway, I skipped a lot of the huge non-dialogue chunks in the story just so I could maintain my sanity while satisfying my desire to know what happened next. The final few chapters were nice, but ultimately, meh since I had expected things to end that way.
Everything considered, it’s clear that TJR has improved tremendously since her debut book. I don’t think I’ll be giving her other older books a try, but I definitely look forward to her newer releases.
I completely loved the two TJR books I’ve read ( Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo ) and wanted to give her debut novel a try, but sadly, Forever, Interrupted is not for me.
I was lured in by the first page when I read it and was certainly prepared for my heart to be stomped on by all the angst. However, as I read on, my interest waned because the execution of the story is just too poorly done.
To start, the writing is incredibly juvenile. It’s all chunks of tell, tell, tell which were a chore to go through, and the emotions in the narrative were so exaggerated and repetitive that it actually took away the impact. Furthermore, the switches between past and present felt disjointed. While I appreciate knowing how Elsie and Ben got together and all that, it was still draining to go continuously back and forth between joy and grief, grief and joy.
Appreciation of knowing the how aside, everything else about Elsie and Ben’s romance is an eye-roll fest. The insta-love was cringey, cliché and nauseatingly cheesy. I do actually read romances, and enjoy a good one in between all the other books I read, but this book was just too much at all the wrong places. I also couldn’t stand Elsie and Ben. The situations (including some of the side characters involved) they went through were often ridiculous, convenient and pointless. Plus, many of their actions and thoughts were so illogical that I can’t even label their illogicality as part of being human-like characters.
Anyway, I skipped a lot of the huge non-dialogue chunks in the story just so I could maintain my sanity while satisfying my desire to know what happened next. The final few chapters were nice, but ultimately, meh since I had expected things to end that way.
Everything considered, it’s clear that TJR has improved tremendously since her debut book. I don’t think I’ll be giving her other older books a try, but I definitely look forward to her newer releases.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Death, and Grief
Minor: Toxic friendship and Car accident
igetcarriedaway's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
megmccreery's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I can only handle so much grief and toxic romance. At this point, I'm just thinking TJR's backlog sucks, and there's no way she's the same author that wrote the Mick Riva-verse. It feels like TJR is problematic with her internalized misogyny written into her heroines and the weak love interest men she keeps giving voices to. The two of her backlogged books I've read are about toxic relationships which is worrisome. This book specifically reminded me of a Nicholas Sparks book in a bad way. In a way that felt like it was a man trying to write a woman.
Elsie and Ben themselves were a cringey couple. Ben was a coward and never told his mom about the woman he wanted to marry, and Elsie was toxic for encouraging him to not tell her at the moment it really counted all because she was worried her world was going to collapse. She pretty much used Ben just so she wouldn't be alone anymore. She also was just generally crazy and a sucky human. In my head, neither of them are cute, and they feel like they would be self-proclaimed moderates. If I were Susan, I would hate Elsie and not give her any money.
Also, Ben deserves no rights for asking Elsie to get rid of some of her "dumb books" from HER BOOKSHELF. However, she also yelled at him for his ex calling him after knowing him for like one month, so I guess crazy loves crazy.
Elsie and Ben themselves were a cringey couple. Ben was a coward and never told his mom about the woman he wanted to marry, and Elsie was toxic for encouraging him to not tell her at the moment it really counted all because she was worried her world was going to collapse. She pretty much used Ben just so she wouldn't be alone anymore. She also was just generally crazy and a sucky human. In my head, neither of them are cute, and they feel like they would be self-proclaimed moderates. If I were Susan, I would hate Elsie and not give her any money.
Also, Ben deserves no rights for asking Elsie to get rid of some of her "dumb books" from HER BOOKSHELF. However, she also yelled at him for his ex calling him after knowing him for like one month, so I guess crazy loves crazy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
kellybobelly96's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
It took me a long time to read this book, mostly because TJR does such a painfully good job of putting you into the heart of the main character. I loved the way that TJR took such a sad beginning and melted it into an ending where it felt hopeful, yet still justifiably melancholy. TJR did a beautiful job balancing grief with hope and as always - made the characters so vivid that they feel like someone you actually know. I recommend all TJR books, but please be prepared to deal with some heavy grief themes in this novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
bealittlebrave's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Child death and Death
Minor: Cancer and Death of parent