As I did before, let me clear a few things up ;
- It is originally a Wattpad MEGA BOOK but was published.
- It is a lot more ADULT and mature than some other books on here, I don't recommend anyone under the age of 16 read it.
- It is an adult romance so it does have some raunchy parts, but I wouldn't classify it as Erotica, which is what some bookstores have.
- These were originally 1D fanfics ( I would have hated that) but before publication, were extended and altered to be their own stories. I didn't even find out that Hardin was originally Harry, until book 2 and honestly didn't affect it one bit because they are amazing stories.
These books are amazingly real and deal with issues most writers don't try and tackle, for a first time writer. This is a kick-ass series that I would recommend every woman to read.
Book 3 - 'After we Fell' 4 out of 5 'Just as Tessa makes the biggest decision of her life, everything changes. Revelations about first her family, and then Hardin’s, throw everything they knew before in doubt and makes their hard-won future together more difficult to claim. Tessa’s life begins to come unglued. Nothing is what she thought it was. Not her friends. Not her family. The one person she should be able to rely on, Hardin, is furious when he discovers the massive secret she’s been keeping. And rather than being understanding, he turns to sabotage. Tessa knows Hardin loves her and will do anything to protect her, but there’s a difference between loving someone and being able to have them in your life. This cycle of jealousy, unpredictable anger, and forgiveness is exhausting. She’s never felt so intensely for anyone, so exhilarated by someone’s kiss—but is the irrepressible heat between her and Hardin worth all the drama? Love used to be enough to hold them together. But if Tessa follows her heart now, will it be…the end?' |
Just like book 2, this does follow a pattern;
- Happy and together
- Massive, left-winged information
- Fight
- Get back together
However I felt as if this book dealt with a lot more serious issues and we were seeing things a lot more about Hardin and Tessa's upbringing. Their pasts became a lot more intertwined with their present issues and it was almost a epiphany as they became much more multi-dimensional characters with depth and secrets that became fascinating and amazing to read about. It turned into a real-life relationship, and not some silly college romance.
I also really loved how past characters and events kept coming into play in this book, as a reader you could see how the current events were manipulated and changed by past events and choices and it made the book so much more intellectually riveting because you realised the depth and extent to which some of these events had repercussions.
I really loved in this book that Hardin and Tessa learnt to stand on their own two feet and deal with their own demons instead of leaning on one another. It is a very characteristic part of their relationship, but by the readers engaging in their own trauma and watching them guide themselves through their troubles allowed such a deeper sense into them as characters and how certain events truly affected them.
This book also expanded on a lot of secondary characters that didn't truly have any limelight in the first two books and watched them grow as individuals instead of simple aids to the main characters. I loved the progression we saw in Molly and Zed and how their storylines were further explained. We learn a lot more about Hardin's past and family, especially his mother as they travel to England to witness her wedding (where things blow up.....I mean BLOW UP)
All in all, despite the length of this book, I thoroughly enjoyed every part of it and how it really reflected them as characters in the first two books and mirrored their changes, making it although a progressive storyline, there were unexpected twists and turns along the way that had me picking my jaw up from the floor.
Book 4 - 'After Ever Happy' 5 out of 5 'It’s never been all rainbows and sunshine for Tessa and Hardin, but each new challenge they’ve faced has only made their passionate bond stronger and stronger. But when a revelation about the past shakes Hardin’s inpenetrable façade to the core—and then Tessa suffers a tragedy—will they stick together again, or be torn apart? As the shocking truth about each of their families emerges, it’s clear the two lovers are not so different from each other. Tessa is no longer the sweet, simple, good girl she was when she met Hardin—any more than he is the cruel, moody boy she fell so hard for. Tessa understands all the troubling emotions brewing beneath Hardin’s exterior, and she knows she’s the only one who can calm him when he erupts. He needs her. But the more layers of his past come to light, the darker he grows, and the harder he pushes Tessa—and everyone else in his life—away. Tessa’s not sure if she really can save him—not without sacrificing herself. She refuses to go down without a fight. But who is she fighting for—Hardin or herself? ' |
This book deals with some pretty strong adult themes, and difficulties that can be experienced in a relationship. But mostly it deals with the issue of taking help from the people around us, which Hardin simply can't do in this book, it's the final straw that broke the camel's back and he finally sees himself as too good for Tessa. Throughout this book, there are quite prolonged periods of time with them not being together in the sight of things, even months apart. However, the maturity expressed in Hardin and Tessa and the people around them is really monumental as you feel you have almost watched their progression from silly teenager into young adult and all the bumps in between.
This book strongly explores the difficulties of the characters as individuals rather than in a relationship, through this we can see the troubles they've truly been facing and actually understand the reasoning behind some of their really stupid and idiotic decisions. We finally see Tessa break in this book due to a completely unforseen death that shakes her right to the core, and brings out different sides to the characters from her pre-Hardin life.
This book brings an epic conclusion and finale to every character we've been introduced to and allows them to show their progression, especially characters like; Zed, Molly, Luke and Tessa's father. The epilogue and final few chapters really bring a beautiful conclusion to Tessa and Hardin's story and as readers we can reflect on all they've been through and what they deserve at the end.
Well done Miss Todd :)
Hayley xx