Picture credit: Amazon.in
‘I am a moth to his flame, and he never hesitates to burn me.’
-Anna Todd
Love is a subjective concept, each person has a different idea of love. Everyone has a different way of loving the other person and just because they don’t love you the way you want doesn’t mean they don’t love you with everything they have.
Introduction
Name of the book - After ever happy
Author - Anna Todd
Genre - Adult romance
Language - Original: English (Translated into- Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese and Chinese)
Synopsis - No Spoiler Alert!
Does love also have a limit? Does it also come with an expiry date? Is loving someone so exhausting and excruciating that there’s nothing left of you? With these questions this one gets profusely overwhelming. With everything lost there is only so much to save. Yet, you fight till your last breath and as they say, it’s not over till it’s over.
Hardin, the male protagonist of the story, immensely loves Tessa, our female protagonist. However, what Hardin doesn’t understand is that in his hope to love her and protect her from his evil demons he has pushed her down the rabbit hole.
The last time we checked there were some mortifying revelations about Hardin’s past, shattering him to the core. Unable to digest all the gory details he in his drunken rage asked Tessa to leave. But the question that remained was; What will Tessa do?
As we course through the story we witness that Tessa with a wounded heart leaves Hardin after he abruptly left her with her belongings and a flight ticket at her doorstep. Hoping to start afresh she makes a decision to move to New York with Landon. Unbeknownst about the catastrophe awaiting her back home.
What has happened so devastating that a cheerful, loving and hopeful Tessa goes into a deep shock, a complete state of numbness. A lively beautiful girl turns lifeless. Hearing about the same Hardin comes running back to her girl from the dead (pun intended).
Hardin is in for a shock when he observes her innocent lovely girl in pain. She refrains from meeting him, and does not even look at him. Hardin being Hardin pushes her to the level that she at least comes back to life. However, that’s not enough.
This time she has lost all hope in him, she has nothing left to offer, not even love. Will Hardin be able to bring her back? Or is this the end to our incredible Hessa?
About the Author
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| Picture Credit: informatiocradle |
Anna Renee Todd was born March 20, 1989. She is an American author and screenwriter. Best known for her After series which she started publishing on social media platform on watt-pad making it a huge success across the world. Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster published its print edition of the series in 2014.
Anna announced in 2020 about the book being adapted into a movie and would soon go into production. As of now both after we fell and after ever happy have been shot and will release soon.
I came across Anna through the After series and instantly fell in love with her writing style. The way she used several quotes and stories to define her characters and plot is superb. I was impressed by the fact that a simple watt-pad fan fiction turned into a bestseller and now a successful movie. She comes about as a smart, intelligent and beautiful person.
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About the book
It’s a treat to read the remarkable story of two entirely opposite people who are similarly broken from the inside. Ever since their first glance they were drawn to each other and after that they never stopped.
But the interesting part about the series is that even though it profoundly focuses on the love life of Hardin and Tessa and no other background story, unlike the other series. It still manages to hold your interest. With each passing book or a chapter for that matter you are intrigued to read more.
The beauty of all the novels in the series is that it not only focuses on the hot erotic side of the characters but also glorifies their emotional aspects. A person like Hardin, an absolute bad boy who is indifferent to any emotion but anger and who functions on sadism.
He out of all the people couldn't have been expected to crave love and affection so much so that he transforms entirely for Tessa. Just to show her that there is still hope.
Tessa on the other hand is a good girl, a systematic, driven and an organised person unbeknownst to the outside world. She was the least expected to fall for the worst guy you could ask for, yet she brought out the best in him.
The book delves into the aspects of the relationships which are generally never shown in any other story. Every other romantic tale showcases the same-old falling in love and a happily ever after. However, After and the series gives us a reality check about love and the challenges it tags along.
It teaches us the importance of companionship and how very important it is to put in efforts for each other and to risk giving yourself to the other person while at the same time preserving your dignity.
My Favourite Scenes from After Ever Happy
I personally loved this one out of all the four. And hence I had to share my personal favourite parts of the book.
1. There is a scene where Tessa finds Hardin in a frat house in London in a disturbing state. He has a girl wrapped around his shoulder in his shirt. Tessa, even though devastated, asks him to leave with her warning to never come back after this. Hardin being Hardin refuses, leaving Tessa no choice but to leave and never come back. This scene defines Tessa’s departure from Hardin’s life.
2. The duo indulges in a heart-breaking conversation at Tessa’s house.Hardin’s grovelling act to give him a chance while Tessa refuses, not out of anger or revenge but because she ceases to feel any emotion. As Hardin has a breakdown Tessa gets restless. The whole scene is about how the roles have reversed.
3. Halfway in the story Tessa breaks it to Hardin about moving to New York, a scene the readers were waiting for. His reaction is spot on, as he is enraged but also confused. He couldn't understand why she was running away from him. I loved this conversation between them.
4. At Hardin’s graduation day there is a brief reunion of the duo. Hardin who is yearning to meet Tessa finds her sneaking out of the ceremony but catches her in time. The scene speaks more than words could ever express.
5. In New York, in the restaurant where Tessa is a waitress, she has two special customers who are Landon and Hardin. Hardin is visiting New York with some work and also to see her. The meeting yet again is brief but exciting for the duo after months which has never happened before.
6. Later the same night when Tessa is leaving for home with Robert who’s her colleague, she finds Hardin waiting for her. Hardin though jealous remains cool.This scene has my heart, the way he is concerned about her walking home late is endearing. They walk home together. The scene is so beautiful that it can be read numerous times.
7. Towards the end after sometime when it’s Landon’s wedding with Hardin as his best man, where he’s all nervous about the whole thing and Hardin too gives him a hard time teasing him, but at the same time helps him. It's a lovely scene between two friends who find solace in each other. Hardin is an entirely different man, his demeanor is commendable.
8. There is another scene in the wedding where Hardin and Tessa walk the aisle together as bridesmaids and best man. This whole scene is a treat to read. The way they talk to each other is euphoric.
My ratings for the book - 4 on 5
Get your copy from Amazon - After Ever Happy
Written By - Shivani Singh
Edited By - Sakshi Singh
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