After I Do

A Novel

By: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo comes an all-new audio production read by Julia Whelan, including a bonus conversation with Julia Whelan and Taylor Jenkins Reid, recorded exclusively for this edition.

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.

Critic reviews

"Julia Whelan narrates the story of a couple who are struggling with a rough patch in their marriage. Lauren and Ryan met at 19, and married at 24. Now 29, they are struggling to remember why — or even if — they still love each other, so they decide to take a year-long break. Whelan perfectly captures the arc of their relationship, which moves from awkward college flirting to the caustic sniping of a marital fight over something truly stupid. Her skill at narrating the everyday is both a strength and a flaw: For some this performance might be too uncomfortably like their own lives laid bare, while for others it could be deeply cathartic. Whelan also gives depth and personality to secondary characters, who are generally underdeveloped in the text."

Relatable and a roller coaster of emotions

I found the characters to be very relatable. This book put life in perspective and felt real. Love, family, work, friends- some parts felt a bit slow, but I was choked up because there are parts that are so real.

real life emotions

this was second audio book choice. I was hooked from the start. loves all the characters and tge narrator is great.

Reality

I was so invested in this book. Taylor is a brilliant writer and it is easy to understand the characters in her books.

Voyeuristic and insightful

I felt connected to the characters, relating to the thoughts and emotions, frustrations, and joys of having been married for years. the characters made choices that surprised me and yet I felt carried along by their journey. the author helps us get into the head of each person in the marriage, and then see it all from a whole Nother vantage point. Beautifully written. Exquisitely read.

Married a while? Read this book

This book is really great. While I would never agree to this in my own marriage, the lessons really spoke to me. I laughed a lot knowing my marriage isn’t the only one creating some of these hilarious, but also infuriating, feelings. Really great read.