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    Forever, Interrupted: A Novel
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    Forever, Interrupted: A Novel
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    Forever, Interrupted: A Novel
    Ebook383 pages5 hours

    Forever, Interrupted: A Novel

    By Taylor Jenkins Reid

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    From the New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

    “​Touching and powerful...Reid masterfully grabs hold of the heartstrings and doesn't let go. A stunning first novel.”​ —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

    “Have you ever heard of supernovas? They shine brighter than anything else in the sky and then fade out really quickly, a short burst of extraordinary energy. I like to think you and Ben were like that . . . in that short time, you had more passion than some people have in a lifetime.”

    Elsie Porter is an average twentysomething and yet what happens to her is anything but ordinary. On a rainy New Year’s Day, she heads out to pick up a pizza for one. She isn’t expecting to see anyone else in the shop, much less the adorable and charming Ben Ross. Their chemistry is instant and electric. Ben cannot even wait twenty-four hours before asking to see her again. Within weeks, the two are head over heels in love. By May, they’ve eloped.

    Only nine days later, Ben is out riding his bike when he is hit by a truck and killed on impact. Elsie hears the sirens outside her apartment, but by the time she gets downstairs, he has already been whisked off to the emergency room. At the hospital, she must face Susan, the mother-in-law she has never met—and who doesn’t even know Elsie exists.

    Interweaving Elsie and Ben’s charmed romance with Elsie and Susan’s healing process, Forever, Interrupted will remind you that there’s more than one way to find a happy ending.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherWashington Square Press
    Release dateJul 9, 2013
    ISBN9781476712833
    Author

    Taylor Jenkins Reid

    Taylor Jenkins Reid is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels, including Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their daughter.

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    Reviews for Forever, Interrupted

    4/5

    215 ratings21 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      I read this because I enjoyed two other books written by the author. It took me a bit longer to get into this and I think, in part, because it was an audio book and I did not care for the voice. Also, it was immediately "dark", with the death of the protagonist's husband. The rest of the book takes place over a period of less than a year, shifting from the present (as a widow) and the past (the event). The love that this couple had for each other was instantaneous and complete and so the heartbreak caused by his death totally subsumes her. Who, what, when, where and how encompass the mechanics by which she learns to accept her fate and realize her worth, not just to herself but to others. It was a satisfying read.
    • 4/5
      Elsie Porter is a librarian, estranged from her birth family, content to have the excitement in her life come from her friend Ana's wildly unpredictable dating habits. It's a quiet life, and she's happy with that.

      Then on the first day of the new year, Elsie goes out to pick up a pizza for supper, and meets Ben Ross. They are instantly taken with each other, and exchange phone numbers. It's the start of a whirlwind courtship.

      Six months later, Ben is dead.

      In alternating chapters, we learn Elsie's story of their romance, and Elsie's story of Ben's sudden, pointless death in a traffic accident, and adjusting to his loss. Joy alternates with grief, and Elsie coming out of her shell to build a future with Ben alternates with her collapse into grief and her slow climb out of it.

      Ana has trouble adjusting to Elsie Ben, but she's a true friend, and is still there when Ben dies, to support her friend. But Elsie is extreme in her grief, and it's hard for Ana to bear up under the strain. Elsie needs more help than Ana can give.

      Help arrives, from a totally unexpected direction.

      This is a compelling and moving story, and I was especially drawn to the way Elsie is initially very isolated, and gradually becomes more confident, more connected to those around her, more aware of herself as someone with something positive to contribute. The new Elsie is someone better and stronger than the old Elsie, but the capacity was always there.

      Recommended.

      I received a free electronic galley from the publisher via NetGalley.
    • 5/5
      Amazingly sad book. Taylor Jenkins Reid gives you all the feels
    • 3/5
      It ended way to abruptly, the end just hits you in the middle
    • 5/5
      Love it! Was so moving and extremely hard to put down. Grab your tissues
    • 3/5
      Elsie Porter and Ben Ross are married nine days when he is killed in a tragic accident. Their romance and Elsie's healing are intertwined through the rest of the book. This is a good beach read although it certainly covers a lot of emotional ground. It's best if you can set aside some time to become immersed in the story, and keep turning the pages.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      I am a huge Taylor Jenkins Reid fan and am working on her back list. This was very different than I was expecting. It is about love and loss and the stages of grief. You get to see grief of a wife and also a mother. Overall, a very sad read
    • 5/5
      "My heart didn’t skip a beat. I had no idea he was “it”; it was “he.” He was the man I’d dreamed about as a child, wondering what my husband would look like. I was seeing this face I had wondered about my whole life and it was right here in front of me and I didn’t recognize it. All I thought was, He’ll probably get his pizza before I get mine."

      Elsie Porter and Ben Ross meet one night when they are both waiting to pick up a pizza. They both fall hard and fast. Within five months they’ve moved in together and eloped. However, their love story is brought to an abrupt end when Ben dies in a bicycle accident. At the hospital, Elsie meets the mother in law (Susan) who she’s never met, and who doesn’t even know she exists. The story of Elsie and Susan’s grieving process is interwoven with Elsie and Ben’s love story.

      Taylor Jenkins Reid is without a doubt one of my favorite authors. I only discovered her work late last year when I came across her novel “Maybe in Another Life.” I was hooked after that. “Forever, Interrupted” was the last of her novels for me to read, but ironically it was her first novel she published. Boy did it not disappoint. All of her novels have been phenomenal. As a first novel, the level of writing is just as exceptional as her most recent work.

      This book is a heartbreaker. I can’t exactly say I felt uplifted or even happy when the story ended. But I was satisfied. I was crying within the first couple of pages, and continued to do so throughout various parts of the book. I’m glad Elsie’s grieving process was interwoven with the love story. While it was bittersweet, it broke up the melancholy feeling of grief. Ben is charming, sweet, and so funny. There were times I laughed out loud, and I was grateful for that reprieve from the tears.

      "“Let’s do a little experiment,” Ben said. “What’s Anna Karenina about?”
      “It’s about a married aristocratic woman who falls in love with a count but she can’t —“
      “I am falling asleep just listening to you. Do you know what this book is about?” he asked me, grabbing the falcon-cover book from my hand. “This book is about a group of kids who are part human, part bird.” He said it plainly, as if the facts spoke for themselves. “This is a better book.”"

      I was angry at Ben for not telling his mother about Elsie. They discuss his reasons for not doing so, but I don’t know if they were good enough reasons in my opinion. Especially when things got more serious with Elsie. As someone who can relate with Ben and his hesitation to share his good news with his mother, I think he made a mistake. Elsie let her fear get in the way of what I think she knew was right.

      Of course I was devastated that Ben died, and there wasn’t some magical resurrection, or that it wasn’t just a bad dream. I like happily ever afters. But this book was unique. I love how Jenkins Reid is able to weave two stories so seamlessly together. Whether they are concurrent timelines in different universes, or weaving the past and present, she’s a master of it. All her books are on my to-read again list. And this one is right there alongside the others.

      “No matter how strong you are, no matter how smart you are or tough you can be, the world will find a way to break you. And when it does, the only thing you can do is hold on.”
    • 4/5
      Excellent representation of real grief.
    • 3/5
      Forever, Interrupted: A Novel is a very sad book. One can only read about death for so long but this is an entire book. Too much sad. A rating of three stars was given here because the story went no where.
    • 5/5
      Tara Sands is a wonderful reader and I had to laugh to pick up two CDs so close together in time, both read by Sands---happy listening. The story encompassed so many aspects of losing a partner and in that sense was quite educational as to all of the possibilities of what happens----nothing easy about any of it.
    • 4/5
      Forever, Interrupted is such a tragic and poignant yet refreshing read. The characters are so real and honest feeling. I love that Reid creates them with flaws and idiosyncrasies that show how imperfect people are in real life. She is easily one of my favorite contemporary authors.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      "I felt like butter in the microwave. I had no strength left to be cool or the type of dishonest you're supposed to be this early on."I just loved this quote the minute I read it. It is emblematic of their relationship; of what made their connection stand apart from other lovers they had each had before. The depth and strength of their bond is magnified by the speed and intensity of their courtship. Although it might seem like a fairytale romance, the author builds up to it in a way that makes it completely believable. She paints the picture of Ben and Elsie's romance and Elsie's subsequent grief beautifully. I was completely caught up in the story and read it from start to finish in one sitting- that's how much I enjoyed it! A roller-coaster of emotions: from the giddiness of a new romance, to laughter and sympathy for the idiotic, goofy things that happened to our beloved main character, to deep sadness and loss- this book has it all.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I don't think I'll ever look at fruity pebbles the same way again... Talk about an emotional, gripping story that is life changing, inspiring, and an absolute MUST READ. This one exceeded all of my expectations. My heart was shattered into tiny colorful pieces at the beginning and with each word after, it was slowly pieced together again.

      Forever, Interrupted is about a woman finding her one true love only to lose him six months later to a tragic accident. Don't worry though... This isn't one of those books that makes you love the main guy, kills him off, and then sends in a new Casanova to sweep the woman off her feet. No, this one was about the mourning process and how sometimes in order to move on you have to face the past head on. You will get a love story, but through flashbacks. The root of the story is that time doesn't signify feeling. In the briefest moment you can experience something that others never feel.

      I loved it... I absolutely loved it! The writing was superb. The story was intense and the characters were one of a kind. It made me thankful for my life and it made me hug my husband a little tighter. It is a story that every reader should experience!

      2 people found this helpful

    • 3/5
      I definitely had issues with this book and take full responsibility for not appreciating this story as much as some of the other early reviewers. l am just too old and too jaded to suspend the belief that had our hero not passed, this couple, like so many before them, would not have been crushed by realities and responsibilities within just a few short years. So, my curmudgeonly disbelief in the relationship spoiled the author's labors and intent. Boo me! The author shows promise in her writing of the capability to render originality and truth, so I have no doubt that she will find her audience, and the book will be well received by many!

      2 people found this helpful

    • 4/5
      When you are young and in love, you think that it will last forever. But there are so many ways that forever gets a lot shorter. And none is so sad as that of the early and unexpected death of a loved one. Taylor Jenkins Reid's novel, Forever, Interrupted, tackles that heartbreaking scenario and how one person moves on when there's still so much life to live without their love. Elsie and Ben have been married nine days when he heads out on his bike to pick up some cereal for Elsie. When he doesn't come home and she hears ambulance sirens, Elsie runs outside to discover that her new husband and soul mate has been hit by a truck and died instantly. At the hospital, as she starts to navigate the surreal situation, she discovers that Ben's mother Susan is still listed as his next of kin and she will have all the say in what happens with Ben's body and the funeral. As if this wasn't enough, Ben never told his mother about Elsie and Susan doesn't believe that they were married. And Elsie can't prove it because their marriage license hasn't even arrived in the mail yet. So instead of the two people who most loved Ben being able to come together and comfort each other in their grief, they are rivals at odds over what Ben wanted. The novel follows two plot lines alternating evenly between the two of them, one moving forward from Ben's death and one telling the story of Elsie and Ben's whirlwind romance. In the present, Elsie and Susan butt heads and have difficulty accepting each other or acknowledging the love that Ben had for each of them. Part of the trouble on Susan's part is not only that she is skeptical about the importance of Elsie in Ben's life but also the fact that she, like so many people in Elsie's life, minimizes Elsie's grief because she and Ben had only been married for such a brief time. In fact, they had only known each other for a handful of months before they got married. But what others don't appreciate is that Elsie and Ben's relationship and love affair was a completely real one, not just a fairy tale created after the fact. Ben was a sweet, romantic, thoughtful man and Elsie was totally head over heels, madly in love with him. The duration of their knowing each other had no bearing on the amount of pain Elsie feels at his loss. And after all, who can really quantify love on a timeline? This is a novel about learning to live again and to trust and appreciate those around you who also loved your love. It is a realistic, emotional, heart-wrenching read but has a surprisingly poignant amount of levity to keep it from overwhelming the reader with only intense sadness. The double stranded timeline works well here as a way to make Ben a fully rounded character and to explain why he never shared the fact of his intense and wonderful love for Elsie with his mother. Both Elsie and Susan handle their grief honestly even if very differently. And each must come to find a way to move forward and go on in the present even though they are shattered. Their gradual understanding of the depth of the other's love for Ben helps each of them grow and change. Reid has captured beautifully the range of emotions, the anger, the fear, and the wracking grief that often come in the wake of an early and unexpected death. The reader sympathizes with Elsie and comes to respect Susan's fortitude as she piles the loss of her only son on top of the loss of her husband only a couple of years prior. It is hard to keep dry-eyed when reading this but in the end it is true and hopeful and healing, if not more than a little bittersweet.
    • 4/5
      This is the story of a young couple who fall head over heals in love only to have the male partner meet an untimely death after six weeks of marriage. The book is more about what happens to the people left behind that have to come to terms with the death. It also shows that if you meet the love of your life whether for years and years or for just a short time it is a beast to overcome. The book is well conceived and written and done in a very sensitive and caring way. I did not find it predictable and was engaged until the final page. I had two minor problems with the book. First, for a couple this much in love they had some knock down drag out fights over some easily correctable issues Second, the young widow really needs the marriage certificate and is not proactive at all about getting it. I scratched my head on these. In total however, this is a nicely done book well worth reading.
    • 5/5
      Did you ever read the first sentence of a book and know right then and there that this was a 5 stars book? Well that happened with me and FOREVER INTERRUPTED. I felt connected to the characters immediately, I was part of their world from that first sentence and stayed connected through the whole book.This story is a sad/happy story. You know from the back cover that Elsie faces the death of her new husband, Ben, shortly after they are married. You are also told that she is to face her mother in law, who was never informed of her son's relationship with Elsie, let alone their marriage. What unfolds in this story is the stinging truth of loss and grief, so honestly portrayed that it breaks your heart and a love story that is so uplifting, powerful and unforgettable. This story is about loss, finding peace within life's harsh circumstances and loving with your heart each and every moment. This is an amazing debut novel from a writer who knows how to write characters that you are instantly attached to, with compelling and rich story line. I cannot say enough how much I enjoyed this book and like the front cover says "this is not your average love story". 5 stars!!!!
    • 4/5
      I received an advanced uncorrected digital galley of Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid from NetGalley.com in return for my honest review.Forever, Interrupted juxtaposed the emotions of ecstatic, excited, all-consuming love with the feelings of heart-shattering devastation and desolation due to tragic loss. Elsie Porter married her husband, Ben Ross, only ten days prior to his death, and dated him for only five months prior to their elopement. Yet, for the short time that they knew one another, their love was intense and extraordinarily passion-filled. When Ben is killed in a bicycling accident, Elsie's world fell apart, and she slowly recovered through the help of the mother-in-law that she had never met.Through alternating chapters between the present and the past, the reader learned how Elsie and Ben met and fell in love, but also how Elsie was coping after the love of her life was taken from her. There were parts of the book that were a little sappy and their love story did progress very quickly, but this reader, who normally would not find a love-at-first sight story believable, enjoyed the novel immensely. I especially liked the relationship that developed between Elsie and her mother-in-law Susan. Rarely is the mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship portrayed so positively, and I very much liked that after conquering some realistic hurdles, these two women were able to form a loving bond with one another. I also loved, loved, loved the friendship Elsie developed with George Callahan, the older gentleman from the library. Though Mr. Callahan only visited the pages of the book minimally, his impact was far-reaching. If I had any complaints about the work it would be that it was a little too long, and that sometimes profanity was used where it was unnecessary and took away some of the credibility of the characters. Perhaps this is the way twenty-somethings speak to each other today, but I found the use of the profanity a distraction rather than an enhancement to the story.Don't be deceived into thinking that this book is Chick-Lit. It is a very substantial story addressing significant issues, but it was an easy and quick read too. I recommend reading it.
    • 2/5
      My rating: 2 of 5 starsA copy of Forever, Interrupted was provided to me by Washington Square Press for review purposes.'When you love someone so much that you've stuck around through all the interesting things that have happened to them and you have nothing left to say, when you know the course of their day before they even tell you, when you lie next to them and hold their hand even though they haven't said one interesting thing in days, that's a love I want. It's the love I was on target for.'Elsie and Ben: madly in love and only recently married. Forever, Interrupted opens with a short view of their life together and how apparent their love is before that picture perfect view is shattered completely leaving Elsie all alone. Dealing with the aftermath proves even more difficult than normal as Elsie is stuck explaining herself to a family that never knew of her existence. The story switches between the present situation and mixes in the story of when Elsie and Ben first met. We're already aware that there is an end in sight to their relationship, but getting a look back at when they met and how they fell in love was heartbreaking yet necessary. Obviously I need to explain the reasoning for the fact that I'm (currently) the ONLY one to have rated this book any less than 3 stars. So here it is. Ben and Elsie's courtship was quick and extremely spontaneous. I suppose that even though I personally have never had a perfect first date I shouldn't assume that they don't exist. But their first date was EXTREMELY perfect. And a quite a bit insta-love-ish. I ended up being a bit forgiving of that when they were able to think logically, take a step back, and realize things might be moving too fast."I think you and I are just...Yes, we are moving quickly but we're moving at a pace that feels natural for both of us."They were logical about it and both had intense feelings for one another so it managed to work somewhat for me. It was obvious that they truly loved each other eventually but the way it began (and the thoughts of 'I-love-yous' after like TWO DAYS) was severely unrealistic for me (as was Ben because he acted like no man that I've ever met.) While I admit I'm a total Grinch and it takes a lot to get me to cry (I didn't cry, for the record) I still found this to be quite a grievous story. What really struck me hardest was Elsie's parents reaction (and several other people she encountered). They were immediately dismissive of his death since she knew him for only a few months and was married to him even shorter than that. They understood she's going through some pain of course, but they dismissed the fact that she could even consider herself a 'widow'. People can be so terribly dismissive and judgmental of others feelings and yet have no idea what you could possibly be going through. Even her best friend was like that:"...at some point someone needs to remind you that you lost something you only had for six months. Six months. And I'm not saying this isn't hard, but it's not like you're ninety and you lost your life partner here."It was heartbreaking to witness people's unwillingness to simply be there for someone without judgment.Forever, Interrupted is a story about grief and about learning to overcome it and reassemble the pieces of your shattered life. While I wasn't the hugest fan of this novel, the ending was partially redeeming and managed to paint a very accurate portrait of grief and its indelible effects on you.
    • 3/5
      Initially, I did not like this novel and was tempted to quit it because it felt like very conventional “chick lit”. The tragic death of Ben, the husband of the newlywed narrator, Elsie Ross, gets your attention, but the novel then digresses into a lot of the dating scenes, which were quite predictable and conventional. Elsie and Ben just seemed too cute and loving to be believable. I continued reading because the mother-in-law, Susan, and the friend, Ana, seemed interesting. Susan is understandably skeptical of the marriage because she was not told about it and is struggling with the recent death of her husband, which she has not yet come to terms with. Ana is a dedicated friend, but has her own relationship problems. The novel slowly redeemed itself for me as it developed into a meditation on grieving and remembering; death and survival. Mr. Callahan, an aged patron of the public library where Elsie works, serves a mentor role for her. He tells her that she will recover and her life will be filled with surprises. He tells her about his history of lost love after his time at war. Susan also becomes a mentor, but she has many of the same unresolved issues, so she is somewhat less effective in this role. Believing in the abrupt change of her attitude toward Elsie required some effort.Reid uses the scenes where Elsie remembers to reveal what really happened between them; why the marriage license never comes; and how Elsie begins to heal. The ending is clever and demonstrates that Elsie and Susan begin to heal and embrace life while still holding on to some memories. Although some of the dialogue at the end between the two women was a little too uplifting for my tastes. Although it has flaws, the novel deals with its themes well enough to be recommended.