Book Review: After (After #1) by Anna Todd

After

After #1

By: Anna Todd

Published: October 21, 2014

Publisher: Gallery Books

Source: Publisher

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GR's Summary:

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, tattoos, and lip ring, 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?

After Series:

*Add this Series to Goodreads Here

*Read Ria's Review of After Here

My Thoughts:

I enjoy discovering new-to-me-authors and book series.  So when I got After by Anna Todd in the mail, I was intrigued to see that it had such a popular following on WattPad.  Not to mention that the book synopsis looked interesting.  My co-blogger, Ria, has read this book and enjoyed it as well; so I was very excited to give it a shot!

After was a very addictive read!  I didn't want to put it down for any reason.  However, this book is not for everyone.  It is a bit controversial, and readers tend to either love it or hate it!  After is about Theresa (Tessa), a freshman college student who is moving away from home for the first time, and rooming in a dorm.  She is a very studious, hardworking, and series student, with precise plans and goals for her future.  She has a solid boyfriend, who is a year younger than her, and plans on joining her at the same college next year.  

Tessa's life gets turned upside down when she meets Hardin, a sexy British bad boy who is use to getting his way.  Hardin is good friends with Steph, Tessa's new room mate.  As Tessa gets to know Steph, they start hanging out with the same group of friends.  Things begin to get complicated when Tessa and Hardin share a scorching mutual attraction, and begin a roller coaster "friendship" with one another.  They're either yelling at each other, or ready to tear each other's clothes off.  Tessa feels guilty because she has a boyfriend, yet she can't stay away from Hardin.  She is addicted to him.  Does Hardin have sincere feelings for Tessa, or is he just toying with her emotions?

After was filled with intense drama, major angst, plot twists, unpredictability, and searing chemistry between the main characters, Tessa and Hardin.  It was realistic of many young relationships.  Hardin has anger issues, due to a dysfunctional and traumatic past.  He struggled with his emotions, and whenever he was angry, he would lash out and say whatever he knew would hurt Tessa the most.  He was immature, had major mood swings, and was very insecure.  He also had an air of vulnerability, and could be really sweet at times.  Tessa and Hardin's relationship was very dysfunctional, and they were constantly engaging in a push-pull dynamic with one another.  It was very similar to many high school relationships that I have witnessed.

There was a lot of mystery surrounding Hardin and his past.   I wanted to figure out why he was the way that he was.  Tessa appeared to have the perfect boyfriend before she met Hardin.  Yet, their relationship lacked passion, and it bothered me that her boyfriend would tattle on her to her mother about things that Tessa confided in him about.  It seemed like they were together more out of comfort than anything else.  So, even though I don't agree with cheating, I can see why she was searching for more passion and adventure in her life.

Reading After is like watching your favorite Soap Opera unfold.  The high tension, drama, and plot twists keep your attention, and you become addicted, having to watch your show to see what will happen next.  You shout at the screen, "What are you doing?"  You want to slap a few characters, and talk some sense in to others.  Yet, you can't stop watching what is unfolding before your very eyes...  If you enjoy Soap Opera's, drama, unpredictability, lies, betrayal, passion, love, and scorching hot scenes, check this book out!  I'm off to begin book 2, and I can't wait to see what will happen next...

My Rating:

I give After, by Anna Todd, 4 Roller Coaster Ride Romance, Passion, Betrayal, and Love-Hate Filled Stars!!!

My Favorite Quotes:

"My feelings for Hardin are so confusing.  I hate him one minute and want to kiss him the next.  He makes me feel things that I never knew I could, and not just sexually.  He makes me laugh and cry, yell and scream, but most of all he makes me feel alive."

~Tessa

"You aren't my type, just the way that I am not yours.  But that's why we are good for each other--we are so different, yet we're the same.  You told me once that I bring out the worst in you.  Well, you bring out the best in me."

~Hardin

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About Anna Todd:

ANNA TODD is a first-time writer spending her days in the Austin area with her husband, with whom she beat half the statistics by getting married one month after graduating high school. Between her husband’s three deployments to Iraq, she worked odd jobs from a makeup counter to the IRS processing center. Anna was always an avid reader and boy band and romance lover, so now that she’s found a way to combine the three, she’s enjoying living a real-life dream come true. 

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