Author:  Taylor Jenkins Reid                           
Publisher:  Washington Square Press
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Source:  BookSparks

Goodreads:  From the author of Forever, Interrupted—hailed by Sarah Jio as “moving, gorgeous, and at times heart-wrenching”—comes a breathtaking new novel about modern marriage, the depth of family ties, and the year that one remarkable heroine spends exploring both.

When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes.

Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to question: When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tied together, what do you value? What are you willing to fight for?

This is a love story about what happens when the love fades. It’s about staying in love, seizing love, forsaking love, and committing to love with everything you’ve got. And above all, After I Do is the story of a couple caught up in an old game—and searching for a new road to happily ever after.

Ope’s Opinion:  This book starts out with a quick look at where Lauren and Ryan’s marriage is at the moment.  Then you go back in time.  It is a very cute, traditional courtship. Then the story brings you to the present to see how Lauren and Ryan think they need the time apart from each other.

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing  flows and her story is very easy to follow.  Each character has different situations going on, but it does not seem overwhelming.  Since each one has flaws and difficulties, it is easy to relate to them and root for the best for each one.

There is a lot of marriage advice given in this book.  It is interesting to hear all the different characters perspective of marriage, romance and love.  It will make you reevaluate what you think is important in your relationship.

I don’t usually quote a part of a book, but this one will stick with me for a long time –   when Lauren’s grandmother says, ” Just because you can live without someone doesn’t mean you want to. ”

** Side note – I am not sure why the author felt the need to insert the “f” word into odd places in the book.  It did not add any emotion to the book.

Rating: Five Chairs – This book is so good it will be passed on and on and on….