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The Problem with Forever

Jennifer L. Armentrout (Goodreads Author)

4.01 · Rating details · 38,320 ratings · 5,146 reviews

A story about friendship, survival, and finding your voice.

Growing up, Mallory Dodge learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it's been four years since her nightmare ended, she's beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime. Now, after years of homeschooling, Mallory must face a new milestone—spending her senio ...more

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Hardcover, 474 pages

Published May 17th 2016 by Harlequin Teen

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YA Novels of 2016

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The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

2016 YA Contemporary

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Average rating 4.01 ·

Rating details

· 38,320 ratings · 5,146 reviews

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Mar 02, 2016 Wendy Higgins added it

Shelves: young-adult, favorites, contemporary

Don't even bother trying to guard your heart as you start this book, because Jen is going to take sandpaper to that measly wall you've built, and you'll be laid bare. Raw. Vulnerable. Going back and forth between crying and swooning.
Heartbreaking, heart wrenching, heart warming, heart everything.
As a person who has suffered from anxiety since childhood, I can tell you that Mallory's reactions and the seemingly-small things that garner her anxieties, are RIGHT ON. Like, achingly realistic. I was ...more

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Feb 17, 2015 Laura added it

Shelves: romance, jlarmentrout-books, ebooks-i-own, ya, awful-heroine, ugh, buddy-read, contemporary, dnf, too-much-of-an-asshole

DNF @ %75

Alright, this is a no more, please, no more kind of situation.

It was page 60 and I was already all about putting the book down for good but since I’m a loyal Jennifer L. Armentrout fan, I continued reading the story… and I regret that decision.

I’ve spent a few days deciding if I wanted to push myself and finish the book because I’m only like 100 pages left, but at this point I really don’t care.

I found myself skipping through the chapters and maybe I’m the one who outgrew YA and I’m d ...more

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May 14, 2016 Aestas Book Blog rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites

::: FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED :::

"I know you might not believe it, but I'm going to keep you safe forever..."

This was a gorgeous high school romance that brought me right back to the intensity of falling in love for the first time. I've loved Jennifer Armentrout's writing ever since I read Wait For You back in 2013 and when I heard about this new book, I just couldn't resist diving it. I feel like there's something particularly special about childhood friends-to-lovers stories -- I lo ...more

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Nov 21, 2017 jessica rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favourites

‘forever was my heartbeat and it was the hope tomorrow held. forever was knowing moments of weakness didnt equate to an eternity of them. forever was knowing that i was strong.’

this book is filled to the brim with life lessons but, if anything, this story is the epitome of what it means to love and be loved. and its that second part, how to accept love, that i think is the most important.

the connection and history between mallory and rider is so, so special. there were multiple times whilst ...more

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Jan 12, 2016 Ayesha rated it it was ok

Shelves: contemporary, young-adult, 2016

☠ Well, This is awkward. X__x

“My name is Mallory...Dodge.” I drew in a deep breath, speaking to no one. “And I like...I like reading. And I don’t like...I don’t like who I am.”

☠ Pffft you got that one thing right, Mickey mouse. I don't ....ahh.....don't like you....either. I'm sorrry....but....after a thousand ellipses....you mooning over.....what's his name.....Jake or Josh or Ryder....I'm not sure....algorithms look...more..........appealing....to me now. I'd have considered this a minor d ...more

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May 27, 2016 Natalie Monroe rated it it was ok

Shelves: boooring, cheesy-cheesy-cheesy, dragged-on-too-much, sugar-spice-n-everything-nice, hate-the-characters-hate-the-book, not-worth-the-hype, copycat, mental-illness, typical, not-as-good-as-i-expected

2.5 stars

"I couldn't put my finger on the exact moment I'd become a different Mallory. Maybe because it wasn't just a moment but more of a combination of hundreds, even thousands of them.

[...]

And it was knowing that I could still be...still be afraid of everything, but not letting that fear stop me from living."

I sighed as I stared at my laptop screen.

Do I really want to do this? I thought, tousling my hair sexily because I am a bookworm and bookworms are secretly hot as fuck once they ditc ...more

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Jul 29, 2016 C.G. Drews rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, contemporary, read-2016

(UGH I'M SO MAD my review deleted before it could upload and it was a freakishly great review too.)

Excuse me but THIS BOOK JUST BROKE MY HEART IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY. I loved it, I so so loved it. It just had aaall the right things, like delicious food, tons of diversity, adorable tragic damaged cinnamon roll characters, and a bit of bleeding (ALL THE GOOD BOOKS HAVE A BIT O' BLOOD) and did I mention I'm feeling all the things??? BECAUSE I AM. This book definitely won me over omg.

Wow...just wo ...more

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Jul 14, 2016 ⊱ Poppy ⊰ rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Those who want to find their voice.

Shelves: 2016, cover-porn, friends-to-lover, 2016-release, reviewed, hyped-books, romance, new-adult

“Forever was something we all took for granted, but the problem with forever was that it really didn't exist.”

I picked The Problem with Forever with quite an expectations. Jennifer L. Armentrout was one of my fav authors. I've read almost every book of her. But yet this book was .. just not for me. If you have read the reviews of this book, you must've noticed everyone saying that this book is not our usual fun and quirky JLA read. Well I agree with them, this book really was an exc ...more

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May 20, 2016 Rachel Reads Ravenously rated it liked it

Shelves: hardcover, young-adult, 3-stars-aint-the-devil

3 stars

This book............ it had the right idea, but the execution just wasn't quite right. JLA is one of my all time favorite authors, many of you know that because I've been screaming about her books since I discovered them. I enjoyed this book, and I love the concept of it. I just didn't like the execution of it.

This is the story of Mallory, a foster kid who doesn't speak much because of PTSD and conditioning from her previous foster home. Four years later and a nice couple have taken he ...more

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May 10, 2016 Chelsea ❤Peril Please❤ rated it liked it

Recommended to Chelsea ❤Peril Please❤ by: Jen ♥Star-Crossed Book Blog♥

Shelves: my-favorite-covers, in-the-minority-on-this-one, skim-tastic, unforgettable-male-leads, buddy-read

I don't know what to say. I really really don't. JLA was my absolute favorite author for two years....two years...and now I feel like she's an acquaintance that used to be a best friend from High School-We pass each other in a store and do that awkward hi/hello/ass-out-hug that plagues us when we realize we no longer have anything in common with our dear old friend. I mean, I knew JLA wasn't for me anymore, I knew that. But I had thought I remembered her writing being more...fluid?? I don't know ...more

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Jul 13, 2017 Sophie rated it really liked it

The only contemporary romance I have ever been able to finish.
Honestly, so not surprised.... I mean, is it even possible for me to dislike something written by JLA? I keep waiting for it to happen, but uh NOPE. Def not possible.

Check out my full review here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1gCf...

xoxoxo ...more

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Apr 08, 2019 ❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books rated it it was amazing

I'd hit such a book funk, I can't count the amount of books I tried getting into to get me over it, and none held my attention..UNTIL this book..

What an amazing book!! This was so realistic, I could see it all unfolding as I was reading, I connected to the characters whole heartedly, the storyline flowed perfectly, not rushed, easy to get into, but so damn hard to put down, once I’d started that very first chapter I was beyond hooked.
If this throws me into another book funk then I’m going to be ...more

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Apr 07, 2016 TheCrazyWorldOfABookLover rated it did not like it

Shelves: no-just-no

So….

This is the author everyone seems to rave about, huh? I have so many book friends who love this author and love her other books. But in all honesty, I don’t see the appeal. I found nothing extraordinary about her writing and nothing made it stand out to me. Maybe it’s me. Or maybe this isn’t her best work; maybe this specific book doesn’t reflect her writing abilities. I think (and am HOPING) it’s the latter.

What didn’t work? What I found incredibly annoying was first and foremost the ac ...more

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Apr 28, 2016 ambsreads rated it it was ok

Shelves: contemporary, young-adult, not-for-me, romance, new-adult

What is 'The Problem with Forever'?
The fact it felt like forever for me to finish this book.

“Words were not the enemy or the monster under my bed, but they held such power over me. They were like the ghost of a loved one, forever haunting me."

The Problem With Forever wasn't a bad book at all, but it wasn't good. Well, that's a lie. It was good for the first 40% - I can say that from the fact I had a smile on my face and couldn't put it down once I started reading it last night until my eyes ...more

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Apr 28, 2015 Lala BooksandLala rated it it was ok

Shelves: contemporary

Ugh.
My video review can be found here: https://youtu.be/dNqFBAfp1bQ ...more

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Mar 09, 2016 Eliza rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, i-pictured-it, net-galley, sweetheart, im-a-survivor, may-2016

    Emotional. Hopeful. Inspiring.

Growing up in foster care, neglect and abuse are no strangers so Mallory Dodge and Rider Stark. As Six year olds, they were each other’s solaces in a world where they were failed by the adults around them. Years later freedom comes as a result of a particularly harrowing night, but with it, a separation and end to the home they found in one another.

It’s not until four years later, as seniors in high school that they re-enter each other lives. There are s ...more

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Dec 17, 2017 Aj the Ravenous Reader rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, physically-owned-books, unexpectedly-good, five-stars, auto-buy-authors, emotionally-intense, young-adult

    “Forever wasn’t pain and grief. 
Forever wasn’t a problem. 
Forever was my heartbeat and it was the hope tomorrow 
held. 
Forever was the glistening silver lining of every 
dark cloud, no matter how heavy and thick it was. 
Forever was knowing weakness didn’t equate 
to an eternity of them”

    “Forever wasn’t pain and grief. 
Forever wasn’t a problem. 
Forever was my heartbeat and it was the hope tomorrow 
held. 
Forever was the glistening silver lining of every 
dark cloud, no matter how heavy and thick it was. 
Forever was knowing weakness didn’t equate 
to an eternity of them”

Life taught me that sometimes you have to protect your heart from beautiful things because when they break or shatter or when I finally look at them up close and find an irreparable damage, it breaks my heart. This is how I felt about reading The Problem with Forever. I was very cautious that even though I wanted to embrace the characters close to my heart, be involved with their story and feel their emotions, my instincts told me not to get too attached because for some reason, I knew it was going to be tragic.

I was wrong though.

And honestly, even if I tried to control my emotions and even if the book did end tragically (which it didn’t, just partly because (view spoiler)), I would have still fallen in love with the story and the characters because how could I not? I wanted to protect little Mallory and Rider from everything they went through.

Reading their story made me want to change my career to being a social worker if only it were possible. My heart ached for the only kind of life they knew as children so thank goodness for second chances, for kind strangers who foster and adopt children and love them like their own.
The Problem with Forever has been at the top of my wish list since it was published. For some reason, I felt very drawn to that cover and to that title so I did everything I could to find my copy and I’m very glad it didn’t disappoint.

But as significant as the story is, know that this book is basically a romance novel between a girl and a boy whose past has forever marked them in both good ways and bad so it’s a bit angsty, cheesy, sometimes corny but really adorable and inspiring. Both Mallory and Rider but Mallory especially are admirable characters and their story is one that I would cherish and probably read over and over, possibly forever. ;)

Here’s the perfect song for the book.

...more

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May 22, 2016 Rebecca Woodward rated it it was amazing

Shelves: finished

5 Stars!!

Excellent writing, This is my first read from this Author for this genre. I not only fell in love with the cover and the blurb but the storyline is well written. With so many Young Adult coming of age books out I have to say this one is my top five. So many ways I thought the author was going to take us and boom she does something I didn't expect. The heartbreaking scene left me is tears. I know that our children services protection is so overwhelmed that when we read about the lives th ...more

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May 25, 2016 ~♡AB♡~ rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, 3-and-a-half-stars-it-was-good, super-angsty, second-chance-love

★★★ 3.5 Stars ★★★

The Problem with Forever is a story that touches on the lives of two high school seniors who are both products of the foster care system, and who share a bond that is deep and unbreakable.

Mallory Dodge is one of the lucky ones, and after a horrific childhood where the only person who showed her any love was her foster brother, she is now living with caring and understanding adoptive parents. It's been four years since she was ripped away from the boy who used to protect her from ...more

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Sep 06, 2015 Jen ♥Star-Crossed Book Blog♥ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: dont-cry, young-adult, favorites, hot-hot-hot, romance-friends-to-lovers, arcs, go-away-sweaty-palms, love-makes-my-heart-happy, favorite-heroines, giggleworthy

The Problem With Forever was an emotionally haunting and beautiful story. Reading the prologue alone, I knew that I was stepping into a book that would forever be ingrained in my heart. Not only because this was a first for me, since I cried from the prologue. To think about children suffering through that type of physical and emotional abuse hurts me to the core. But that wasn't the only reason why this story will stay with me forever. Mallory and Rider enraptured me with their feelings. I beca The Problem With Forever was an emotionally haunting and beautiful story. Reading the prologue alone, I knew that I was stepping into a book that would forever be ingrained in my heart. Not only because this was a first for me, since I cried from the prologue. To think about children suffering through that type of physical and emotional abuse hurts me to the core. But that wasn't the only reason why this story will stay with me forever. Mallory and Rider enraptured me with their feelings. I became obsessed with The Problem With Forever as we transitioned to High School in the first chapter, and that obsession never once wavered.

Words were not the enemy or the monster under my bed, but they held such power over me. They were like the ghost of a loved one, forever haunting me.

Mallory Dodge was unlike any other character I have met. She was timid, she was overwhelmed by noise, and she had been trained not to make a sound. While she was a foster child, she spent her youth learning that sounds and noises brought attention to herself. And with attention came physical and emotional abuse. And while I have never once felt nervous, overwhelmed or panicky about the thought of speaking to others, Mallory made me feel terrified right along with her. My palms were sweaty and my stomach was tossing and turning with nervousness. Mallory made me feel every single thing she did! Yet as the story unfolded, we got to see Mallory push herself out of her comfort zone again and again. I loved how we got to watch Mallory grow and find strength within herself. She was an amazing woman!

“Do you recognize me?” His voice was still barely above a whisper.
His eyes continued to hold mine, and I spoke what turned out to be the easiest word I’d ever said in my life.
“Yes.”

But what Mallory could never had predicted was running into Rider Stark on her first day going back to public school. Rider was a foster child who had grown up in the same house as Mallory. They had been together from the age of 3, until they were separated at 13. Although four years had passed since they last saw each other, it's hard to forget that they were each others world. Especially for Mallory. Not only was Rider her best friend, but he was her protector too. He took beatings that she was meant to take. He sacrificed himself to protect Mallory and keep her safe at all costs. Until they were ripped apart.

My heart exploded as those strong arms pulled me against his chest. There was a moment where I froze, and then my arms swept around his neck. I held on, squeezing my eyes shut as I inhaled the clean scent and the lingering trace of aftershave. This was him . His hugs were different now, stronger and tighter. He lifted me clear off my feet, one arm around my waist, the other hand buried deep in my hair, and my breasts were mushed against his surprisingly hard chest.
Whoa.

Rider was breathtaking. Not only because of what he did in the past for Mallory, but those actions continued through to present day. Rider stepped back into Mallory's life and became her protector all over again. He would do the sweetest things like ditch a class so that way Mallory would have someone to sit and eat lunch with. Just wait till you see everything he did for Mallory, he was such a good guy! But some aspects of their relationship did change over time. Sexual tension was strumming between them and it was sigh and toe curling worthy. Rider literally gave me chills with his words and mannerisms towards Mallory. So yeah, I became a little obsessed with him lol. Rider was charming, sexy, sweet, loyal, dedicated and the intensity of how much he still cared for Mallory lifted off of the pages. It was impossible not to fall for him.

I pulled myself out of the memory, but there were so many of him coming to my rescue for some reason or another until he couldn’t, until the promise of forever had been shattered, and everything… everything had fallen apart.

I loved how it felt like I knew Mallory and Rider inside out, especially with the flashbacks to their younger years. Whether it was just a short moment or a longer memory, we got to watch their friendship unfold. And we also got to truly understand all of the horrors that they lived with. It was easy to grasp that they only had each other to rely on. And how their past helped form them into the person that they would become.

His lashes lowered and the lopsided grin appeared. “I always knew you’d be beautiful one day.”
My breath hitched as I sat straighter. What was left of the pizza , just the crust, was totally forgotten . My ears had to be smoking crack or something.
A flush swept across his cheeks as one side of his lips kicked up. “I just never thought I’d get to see how beautiful you’d become.”

The Problem With Forever also contained moments with Mallory's best friend who I absolutely adored! It was refreshing to see a strong female friendship, and I can't wait for Ainsley's book! And I was happy to see that Mallory's adoptive parents played an active role in some very important moments in Mallory's life. But when I closed that last page, I was struck by how extremely grateful I am for my life. I was reminded of all of the positives that constantly surround me, no matter how little or big they are. And I'm so glad that message, whether intentional or not, sunk it's claws into me. So of course I loved every single moment in The Problem With Forever, and I hope you will too.

*ARC kindly provided by Harlequin TEEN via Inkslinger PR in exchange for an honest review*

For more of my reviews, please visit:

...more

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Oct 23, 2017 Lara (Bookish_turtle) rated it really liked it

Shelves: realistic-fiction, young-adult, read-in-2017, 4-star, super-cutesy-contemporaries, so-close-to-5-stars-but-just-not, i-will-go-down-with-this-ship

This is a story that's going to stick with me for a long time. It was such a beautiful contemporary! My heart was completely shattered from all the feels, but it was totally worth it.

Mallory was a wonderful protagonist. Rider was incredible. Ainsley was the best and I wish all YA novels had a character like her. It was brilliantly cute and adorable, yet also realistic and dealt with some serious issues. It was upfront and honest, but a beautiful read. I would highly recommend. ...more

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May 22, 2016 Jasmine rated it liked it

Recommends it for: Anyone who likes to have a light yet meaningful read

Shelves: just-fine, never-read-it-again, disappointed, happy-ending, ebooks-ibooks, skimming-through, abusive-domestic-violence, realism

Life was like doing this speech. It wasn't necessarily about the end result, but more about trying.

This book is so not the typical Jennifer L. Armentrout style. The Problem with Forever is a story about lessons of life, love, family, and reflection on our society nowadays. I know this may sound very serious and stone-cold cruel, but that's the way it is. We all need to accept and endure it.

The story mainly focuses on Mallory (Mouse), a quiet girl who is deemed as a mute in school because of her post-traumatic childhood experience, and Rider, a seemingly open-minded, extroverted guy who actually bears some unspeakable scars on his stained soul. They are both orphans and adopted by the same family when they're little but under the mask of kindness, they fall victim to domestic violence. Rider protects Mallory at all costs and she learns not to make a noise whenever her adopted father gets mad after drinking.

Rider had said nothing lasted forever, but some things, some scars, ran too deep to ever fade away.

Therefore, she gets used to stay quiet no matter where she is, no matter what she does. It becomes a part of her life and her voice seems like a stranger to her. She loses her confidence, and she can't seem to enjoy the rest of life because the shadow dwelling in her heart is too dark to get away. Thus, when she meets Rider by chance in school, he's the only key to her closed mind. And teaches her how to live her life.

"It's just that I think sometimes you miss what's going on around you, because you're so worried about what others are thinking about you and your choices."

Rider has his own problem as well. He seems like a happy-go-lucky at first, but he's one of the troublemakers (or at least he used to be). There's no denying that there are more or less some problematic teenagers/youngsters around the world; they become drug dealers, trade their lives for contraband, and bargain with demons or the Death. These people never stop existing and I think it's time we faced the reality.

In that moment, I knew I couldn't hold what he used to do against him. Rider...Jayden...so many other people were a product of their environment. Some got out. Others didn't.

I hate to say this, but the biggest disappointment is that the story is too predictable. The plot is simple and the inspiration behind all these is easy to grasp, however, this book doesn't make me wow. It doesn't surprise me at all. For example, it's not that hard to guess from the minute Mallory and Rider meet, their relationship is going to develop into something more than friends. I mean, she's apparently drawn to him and he finds her grow maturely and attractive. Also, both of them are adolescents so overloaded hormones drive them toward each other like two inseparable magnets.

"Understand what?" I whispered. Rider's gaze held mine again. "She understands that if I have to pick between you two, it's not going to be her."

Yikes, cliche alert! This book reminds me of Until Friday Night, which is one of the top disappointing books of mine this year, because of the similar plots. (Quiet girl with broken guy, blah blah blah...)

The only thing interests me is probably the idea of "forever" in the story. I keep looking for signs of forever since the title of the book mentions it but not until the very end of the entire book did I finally get the metaphor. Real life isn't a fantasy, and sometimes even fantasies aren't necessarily fantasies, either. Just like forever, what is forever? Have you thought about the meaning of forever before? It's not just a time period, nor is it some dimensional measurement. This book lets us know that there are actually two kinds of forever. And what lies in between.

The good kind. The bad kind. I'd learned early on that the good kind of forever was, well, it was a lie. That kind of forever literally and figuratively ended in flames, because no matter how tightly you tried to hold on, that kind of forever slipped between the fingers.
The bad kind of forever lingered like a shadow or ghost. No matter what. It stayed, always in the background.

All in all, I may not enjoy the book as much as I do for JLA's other works, I'll still recommend this to those who like to read something light and yet with in-depth meanings between the lines.

...more

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May 03, 2016 Amanda rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2016

Thank you to Harlequin (UK) Limited & Jennifer L. Armentrout for my copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Anyone who knows me knows I absolutely adore Jennifer L. Armentrout, she is one of my favourite authors so much so that I still haven't read the last book in The Lux Series because I'm not ready to let go of Katy & Daemon, but for some reason I just couldn't click with this book it kills me to say it!

After an unfortunate upbringing through the care system, Mallory has spent years Thank you to Harlequin (UK) Limited & Jennifer L. Armentrout for my copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Anyone who knows me knows I absolutely adore Jennifer L. Armentrout, she is one of my favourite authors so much so that I still haven't read the last book in The Lux Series because I'm not ready to let go of Katy & Daemon, but for some reason I just couldn't click with this book it kills me to say it!

After an unfortunate upbringing through the care system, Mallory has spent years in therapy trying to get over it. So when she finally gets ready to get herself back to mainstream school after years of homeschooling she never imagines she will run into Rider the only person who loved, protected and understood her growing up. Not only is this a shock to Mallory it also takes Rider by surprise, after and accident that caused both them to be separated he never thought he would get to see his precious mouse again. After four years down the line and both of them in better places is life really what it seems?

To be honest, most of the first half of the book didn't captivate me I was getting bored willing for it to give me something that would catch me but it never happened, I wanted it to so bad believe me but sadly it was not meant to be. Getting into the second half of the book I started to like our characters but I never really felt much of a connection like I would have hoped.

After reading so much of Mallory not speaking I wanted to scream please for the love of god say something anything and it did start to grate on me, I do like her and the way you see her grow and flourish into a women is lovely, but for me, it was the other characters who made it. Rider had my heart out on a line from the beginning I just wanted to wrap him up in my arms and never let him go, it actually breaks my heart to think that there are stories like this happening and it made admire him even more and it made me take a complete dislike to Carl.

So I had a few favourites, obviously Rider but I loved Mallory's best friend Ainsley she was always so upbeat and supportive no matter what was going on and I love that there was Hector who's dirty mouth had me giggling about him and Ainsley it was hilarious. Then there was Jayden, he holds a special place in my heart, I love outgoing cheeky chaps who are witty and full of self-confidence they always make me laugh and are my favourite characters in any Armentrout's books.

The book really touches on some of the horrible things kids can go through in the system that actually cuts deep if you really think about it and I think Jennifer touched on them pretty well. I did enjoy the end of the book and I was rooting for everyone as the story was coming to a close and I still have loads of questions, will Mal go to prom?! PLEASE, I HAVE TO KNOW!

So one last thing that always gets me with Jennifer's books, I love how she is devoted to safe sex but still makes you feel completely and utterly legless swooning over each private moment... safe sex is important kids remember this!

Check out my blog www.amandaminnockx.tumblr.com thanks :)

"I know you deserve better, but I want to be better. I want to be that for you." His voice dropped low as he stopped in front of me. "That's why I'm going to ask what I'm about to."
The fluttering was deep in my chest and in my stomach. I felt breathless as I stared into his eyes. "Ask me what?"
A muscle flickered along his jaw as his chest rose sharply. "Can I kiss you?" ...more

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Apr 25, 2016 Sarah Elizabeth rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss, love-triangle, r2r-read, read-2016, as, read-with-abbie, abuse, contemporary, young-adult, death

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Harlequin (UK) Limited and NetGalley.)

“He had been the sole reason I survived the house we’d grown up in.”

This was a YA contemporary romance about two teenagers raised in the foster system.

Mallory was an okay character and she was really lucky to end up with the parents she ended up with. She’d obviously had a pretty rough childhood, and I could see why she tried to keep quiet most of the ti ...more

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May 13, 2016 TJ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, audiobook

THE REVIEW

Why this book?

Jen (in her Unicorn Bubble)’s review made me want to read it

What I thought

This book will always be in my heart. Mallory and Rider were two characters who were emotionally abused who lost eachother and found one another years later. I listened to the audiobook so listening to Mallory try to talk was hard for me, it was heartbreaking. No girl should be conditioned not to make noise. I loved how Rider was always there for her when they were younger and when the see eachother ...more

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Jul 21, 2016 *TANYA* rated it really liked it

I wanted to step in for Mallory so many times and speak up for her, clear things up, right the wrongs. And I LOVED Ryder!! He was classic!! I picked this book because I was drawn to the cover and the the title, I'm so glad I did!! Fantastic book!! ...more

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Jan 15, 2015 Beth Hudspeth rated it it was ok

Shelves: cant-wait-2016, book-reviews, 2016-reads, young-adult

Reviewed by: Hello Beautiful Book Blog

Wonderful message with compelling characters, however the overall flow of the story, the inner monologues and the slow plot-line held me back from loving it overall.

I have read all of Armentrout’s books and I will say this is something totally different than her other books. I am proud of her for stepping more out of her box and writing about something meaningful. I love JLA, I like all of her books, but this one just wasn’t for me. I think this is just ...more

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May 11, 2016 Vilma rated it it was amazing

Jennifer L. Armentrout tackles big issues with a moving story about friendship, love, courage and overcoming the kind of past that scars beneath the surface. With The Problem With Forever, she’s taken her singular style of storytelling to places she’s not yet explored while still delivering a sizzling romance with off-the-charts chemistry. Tender moments accentuate the tragic underpinning from which the protagonists’ lives have been built from—a past riddled with abuse, days paralyzed by fear, a ...more

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May 27, 2016 Megan✦❋Steamy Reads Blog❋✦ rated it really liked it

Shelves: emotional, high_school_college_love, messed-up, ya-romance, abuse

****4 Stars****

description

“Some secrets go too deep for words.”

Before I had even started this book I knew it would be an unforgettable story. I had a preconceived idea that this was going to be heartbreaking, but it was a story of perseverance through adversity and the ability to rise up and succeed with the challenges that life throws at you. Jennifer L Armentrout seriously bought her A game with a story that deals with some tough emotional issues.

Mallory (Mouse) and Rider grew up together in a f ...more

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Apr 22, 2016 Angie - Angie's Dreamy Reads rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I have to say that this is my favorite Jennifer Armentrout book to date and that's saying something because she has a lot of books. A LOT. But the feels in this were out of this world.

EVERY SINGLE PAGE WAS OVERFLOWING WITH EMOTION.

Rider and Mallory completely owned me. From start to finish they ruined me in the very best way. I don't think I've ever rooted for two characters as hard as I did them. They were so easy to love, so real and relatable. My heart ached for what they've been throug ...more

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Clean Romance Boo...: Sara \| Macy book discussion	9	23	Aug 10, 2020 01:57PM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. A YA book about a girl who can't speak. [s]	7	755	Jul 07, 2020 01:36AM
Challenge Corner: The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L Arementrout->restarting December 20th, 2019	12	18	Dec 02, 2019 12:00PM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Girl gets adopted and after years of emotional work goes to highschool for the first time and is reunited with boy from her childhood	2	17	Mar 24, 2019 08:57PM
Book Review/Share Circle/ What other books would play with my heart strings?	1	6	Aug 27, 2018 06:37PM
YA Buddy Readers'...: The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout - Restarting February 5th 2018	50	132	Feb 07, 2018 09:27AM

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About Jennifer L. Armentrout

Jennifer L. Armentrout

68,712 followers

Hey Guys! Please note: I don't send out ARCs for review. If you're interested in reviewing a book of mine before release date, please contact the appropriate publisher. I also do NOT check my Goodreads email.

To email me, please use the below addy.
jenniferlarmentrout@live.com

# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Charles Town, West Virginia. All the rumors yo Hey Guys! Please note: I don't send out ARCs for review. If you're interested in reviewing a book of mine before release date, please contact the appropriate publisher. I also do NOT check my Goodreads email.

To email me, please use the below addy.
jenniferlarmentrout@live.com

# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Charles Town, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more. ...more