The Ever After

By: Sarah Pekkanen

Narrated by: Joy Osmanski

Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's Summary

In this intricate and enthralling domestic drama, perfect for fans of Big Little Lies and The Affair, the internationally best-selling author of the “gossipy page-turner” (Glamour) The Perfect Neighbors goes deep into a marriage in crisis, peeling back layers of secrets to discover where the relationship veered off course - and whether it is worth saving.

Josie and Frank Moore are happy...at least Josie thinks they are. As parents of two young girls in the Chicago suburbs, their days can be both busy and monotonous, and sometimes Josie wonders how she became a harried fortysomething mother rather than the driven career woman she once was. But Frank is a phenomenal father, he’s handsome and charismatic, and he still looks at his wife like she’s the beautiful woman he married more than a decade ago. Josie isn’t just happy - she’s lucky. 

Until one Saturday morning when Josie borrows her husband’s phone to make a quick call - and sees nine words that shatter her world. Now Josie feels as if she is standing at the edge of a sharp precipice. As she looks back at pivotal moments in the relationship she believed would last forever, she is also plunging ahead, surprising everyone (especially herself) with how far she will go to uncover the extent of her husband’s devastating secret. 

With her “conversational writing style and a knack for making readers care about her characters” (The Washington Post), best-selling author Sarah Pekkanen paints a vivid, kaleidoscopic portrait of a marriage before and during a crisis - and of a woman who fears that the biggest secret of all may be the one she’s hiding from herself.

©2018 Sarah Pekkanen (P)2018 Simon & Schuster Audio

Snooze....

I had to quit after the first few chapters. So boring and topic has been done a thousand times over. Disappointed cause I have enjoyed author in the past. Skip this one.

Not a very good story line

Don’t waste your time. The boon climaxes within the first chapter, and is stagnant throughout. I checked out several times while listening. The ending was disappointing. There’s not much to this but a boring plot.

Slow, tedious and uninspired story of a marital crisis

I usually enjoy reading about the difficulties arising in long-term marriages. However, I was not impressed by the book. The characters are not very interesting. Josie, the wife, seems to overreact to a simple flirtation (no sex). She whines about her inability to forget the deception. Frank goes at great lengths to fix the problem but seems lame. The flashbacks to earlier stages of the relationship are useless.

Not worth the credit

The whole book talks about an affair which is ok- it’s the story. But it’s boring, childlike writing. Immature. I’ve read other books by this author that were 100x better. Narrator was great- story was just lacking

It was just okay......

kinda disappointing, nothing to dramatic happened. I was excited to read another book by this author, as I LOVED The Wife Between Us, so I was kind of let down with this...maybe its because I couldn't relate much to the characters or the plotlines

it was sorta dry

I liked it but it was slow to build up to nothing. i thought it would be more action

Touched a nerve

As a 40-something mother of two I can see how a marriage breaks down in this way and found the story to be realistic and thought provoking. My husband and I often watch separate TV's at night because we have different interests and life as parents of small children is absolutely chaotic. There is nothing exciting or especially interesting about this story other than it rang very true for me personally (minus the cheating) and I enjoyed listening to it.

tremendously boring!

I definitely struggled to finish. the narrator was okay, she fit the character of the book. although I sympathized with the main character's situation, she was the most boring irritating person I've ever read about. and the way the characters dealt with their spouses the women especially, they spoke to them as they were children, and honestly I don't even understand how they had husbands that long.
basically oh, the book was about her playing Detective, analyst and the judge. and I did not like her at all. it was long, tedious and drawn-out, to the point that I just wanted to end the book. I will be returning this one, and I shall scratch this particular author off my list. but, if you are easily entertained and enjoy Suburban drama, then this is for you. good luck.

Dark book

The book is about a couple trying to move forward after an adultery. It is dark and sad but it makes you think about the relations in your life and learn from other’s mistake. It was a good listen.

Was not impressed with this book

I Love the author and a lot of her books, but this one bits the dust. I enjoyed the narrators voice, she did a great job.