After

The After Series, Book 1

By: Anna Todd

Narrated by: Elizabeth Louise, Hero Fiennes Tiffin

Length: 16 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's Summary

Now with new exclusive material!

Now a major motion picture! 

Experience the internet's most talked-about book from Anna Todd, the writer Cosmopolitan called “the biggest literary phenomenon of her generation” — now with new exclusive material! 

There was the time before Tessa met Hardin, and then there’s everything after.... Life will never be the same. #Hessa 

Tessa is a good girl with a sweet, reliable boyfriend back home. She’s got direction, ambition, and a mother who’s intent on keeping her that way. But she’s barely moved into her freshman dorm when she runs into Hardin. With his tousled brown hair, cocky British accent, and tattoos, Hardin is cute and different from what she’s used to. But he’s also rude — to the point of cruelty, even. For all his attitude, Tessa should hate Hardin. And she does — until she finds herself alone with him in his room. Something about his dark mood grabs her, and when they kiss, it ignites within her a passion she’s never known before. He'll call her beautiful, then insist he isn’t the one for her and disappear again and again. 

Despite the reckless way he treats her, Tessa is compelled to dig deeper and find the real Hardin beneath all his lies. He pushes her away again and again, yet every time she pushes back, he only pulls her in deeper. Tessa already has the perfect boyfriend. So why is she trying so hard to overcome her own hurt pride and Hardin's prejudice about nice girls like her? Unless...could this be love?

©2019 Anna Todd (P)2019 Simon & Schuster

abuse

this is not a love story. this is about a young girl who gets sucked in by an abusive boyfriend. he is controlling, manipulative and verbally abusive. he isolates her from her friends and family, gets angry if a guy talks to her, and even has her put her phone on speaker to listen to her calls.

parents should have their young daughters read this book to open a conversation on why this behavior is not romantic and how even though this is not physical abuse it is still very much abuse.

this poor girl thinks his temper and controlling tendencies are signs for how much he "loves" her. my hear breaks for the FMC, and I hope but doubt this series will end with her walking away.

Complete waste of time and money.

Absolutely awful. I forced myself to listen to half the book telling myself it'd get better but it just kept getting worse and worse. There's no interesting plotline, the characters are boring and cliche, and the author keeps reusing the same scenario over and over again. Tessa is in an abusive relationship with this "bad boy" who she keeps expecting will change. Then one of them cheats on the other, they have a big fight and say they never want to see each other again, and then in the next chapter they act like nothing happened. I've never read 50 Shades of Grey but I can assure you this book is even worse than that one. Don't waste your money on this piece of trash.

The movie is way better.

I listened to this book after watching the movie. The movie was waaaaay better. However, the thing that worries me most about this book is how it romanticizes a horribly abusive relationship. It’s sad because stuff like this is teaching young girls that it is okay to be treated the way Hardin treats Tessa. There should be a warning label on this book. Hardin and Tessa’s relationship is in no way “cute” or “romantic.” It is abuse.

Repetitive

We've all had bad relationships but other than steamy make up sex i kept wanting to stop the cycle of gas lighting and emotional abuse. i get to rapt in stories to suffer the next in the series.

amazing!

In the chapter 100, the voice of Hero fits SOOO good:), I really can't wait to see the movie!!!!

Hit close to home

Being a survivor of a toxic/abusive relationship this story hit close to home and made me want to yell at Tessa to run and hide. The dialogue was cheesy but the situations were so very real and most almost mirrored my past. I hope when people read this story it makes them realize why it’s so hard sometimes for people to leave a toxic relationship. When it’s bad it’s so so bad but when it’s good it’s so so good. Would had been 5 stars if it wasn’t for the cringy dialogue.

I. Can’t. Even.

And you shouldn’t either. I’m a big fan of a good YA novel, but this nonsense is less YA novel escapism and more “Best Ways to Convince Yourself To Stay in an Abusive Relationship.” Y’all. It’s awful. The reader sounded like she was talented, but I honestly wonder how many times she needed to take a break during recording to gag. There was ZERO character development. Hardin was an idiot— I don’t care if he had a mysterious British accent. I’ll end this review here as I am heading to the ophthalmologist soon— I’m afraid I sprained my eyeballs from rolling them so many times trying to listen to this drivel.

Lackluster...why did I listen to this book?

The story was very reminiscent of Fifty Shades of Gray with way less exciting sex scenes. Writing was sub par and there was too much repetition in Tessa and Harding’s interactions. There were 99 chapters in this book and it could have easily been told in 30. Elizabeth was not the most exciting reader and made the words of the books sound even less convincing. The last chapter was the most intriguing because Hero was a wonderful reader! The reader makes the biggest difference even when the book was poorly written.

Juvenile

I totally understand all the rage from teens and young adults about this love story. My maturity as an older, sexually experienced woman, this novel is extremely unrealistic from a sexual POV. I actually finished this book because I was curious as to what Hardin’s secret was. The storyline is ok, but definitely could have been better put together. Sorry, no woman as inexperienced as Tess can actually orgasm that soon into a sexual relationship. As for Hardin, his sexual releases are on point (mere minutes) for his age. The writing was no Pulitzer winner but I’ll give this novel 3 stars. Anna Todd is clearly a new author but has excellent potential. I’ll go ahead and skip the next in the series, and look into more of her novels later in her career.

Really unremarkable

I was very disappointed in this book. It was performed well, but the story itself is really just awful and uninteresting.

A real page turner!!

Amazing book, couldn't stop listening to it, downloaded the next 2 books in the series immediately!!

For very young girls

I watched the movie and quite liked it, but the book has nothing to do with it. Apart from name, maybe. In the book, Harden is probably the worst asshole I've ever come across in a book. In the movie, he changes right after he meets her. Whereas in the book he keeps being a jerk. I guess it may appeal to very young and naive girls who believe that staying in a relationship with an asshole is going to change him. Nope, not in real life, ever. I'm sorry there are still books that support this idea and put this crap into girls' minds.

“I tried to hold back the tears in my eye”

That line was used far to many time! Started to annoy me !

But I loved the story ! Book to hear I come

Did not enjoy

I didn’t enjoy the story, but for some reason I couldn’t stop listening. I think it’s because by the time I was half way through I had already committed to 8 hours of listening!
I was expecting a twist or for something to happen but nothing does…
At certain points, you think a story line is incoming but it cuts to a cringe sex scene instead.
Positive note- the actor who read Tess’ part was great.

couldn't turn it off

I love this, Tessa does get a little annoying in parts. But great overall, Elizabeth reads it really well.

Love!! Hate!!

ok so I watched the movie and was confused about the events so decided to read the book. I think the book is addictive however it's not that great but then it is that great 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️... has me hooked and about to buy the next book.

BEST BOOK SERIES.

I have listened to all 5 books on repeat for almost a year now. I've heard all the books atleast 6 times already. the story line is amazing. Obviously its very sexy and moreish. I love how Anna conveyed that Hardin isn't just some asshole that mistreats Tessa, Anna wrote these books in a way that we can see Hardins journey in working through his issues and even though he can be awful to Tessa we know why. He is broken and only she can fix it. I love these books so bloody much.

Typical story with toxic traits

Seems like any typical 90's teenage romance story but with some serious toxic traits in the characters. It was ok

One of my favourites

OMG I loved listening to After can’t wait to listen to After we Collided next.

EXTREMELY EXPLICIT

It was about how you'd expect, the writing isn't the best quality, it's all set in the present tense, it's clearly FanFiction in book form.
That being said, if you want a hot NA romance this is for you.