Review - 'After I Do' by Taylor Jenkins Reid

"I don't want to go home tonight and work hard at being nice to somebody."

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I didn't like this book at all. What's the point of reading a love story where neither character even cares enough to try to be nice to the other?

Married life has taken a toll on Lauren and Ryan. Over the years, they've slowly drifted apart and become resentful of each other, so they've agreed to take a year apart to examine themselves and figure out if they still want to stay together.

On the surface, this sounds exactly like the sort of story I'd enjoy. Instead, my eyes rolled so hard and I almost chucked my book at the wall.

In order for a love story to work for me, I have to be able to find some likable qualities in the characters, or be able to relate to them in some way, or at least want to cheer them on in their quest for love. But that didn't happen here. The two main characters were both annoying and selfish, with seemingly no redeeming qualities to speak of.

Lauren, in particular, is so mean and dismissive towards her husband that it made me cringe. She treats him like a doormat, and then is shocked that he doesn't love her anymore. Huh, imagine that! During their separation, instead of working on herself and learning to become a more supportive and caring spouse, she only obsesses about whether he is sleeping with anyone else and stalks him.

Ryan isn't any better. At one point, he confesses that he is filled with rage and wants to punch the wall any time she says she wants to eat falafel or pho. He thinks ethnic food is pretentious and he hates that she likes it. In fact, all he wants to eat is burgers and pizza. Yep, these two idiots deserve each other.

Then we hit the last 10% of the book, and suddenly, everything is resolved. They love each other again! They realize they have to keep trying! Don't give up! Wow, it's like being smacked in the face with a happily-ever-after that came out of nowhere. Where was the development of the plot and the characters? Instead, the book just drops us at the very end and calls it good.

What a huge disappointment this was, especially from such a beloved author. I adore Taylor Jenkins Reid's most recent books, and have been wanting to go back and try her earlier works. And maybe that's where I went wrong. Authors naturally grow and mature, so to have expected that her books from years ago contained just as much insight and nuance as her current works is probably too high of a bar to meet, even for TJR.

Readaroo Rating: 1 star