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The Foreseeable Future

Emily Adrian (Goodreads Author)

3.48 · Rating details · 283 ratings · 49 reviews

Audrey's life has been planned out for her since she was born, and now she's supposed to attend Whedon College in the fall, where both of her parents work. But Audrey has a different plan in mind: She's not going to attend college at all. She's going to earn some money and move to Seattle, the city she's loved since she was a child. And the best way to earn that money is b ...more

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Hardcover, 380 pages

Published May 8th 2018 by Dial Books

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Average rating 3.48 ·

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· 283 ratings · 49 reviews

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Dec 16, 2017 H added it

Publisher: what are we thinking for 2018? Female empowerment, books centered around strong female characters?

Publisher: I know!

BLURB: “Does she follow the path she set out for herself, even when it means leaving behind Seth and the cast of quirky patients she's come to care for? Or does she embrace a future with Seth--at least for the foreseeable future--at the cost of abandoning her dreams?”

*let’s hear it for the boy plays* ...more

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Apr 07, 2018 Isabel rated it really liked it

Shelves: lgbtq, books-read-in-2018, arcs, ya

sjjsjs that was good. also the amount of diversity in this book was astounding thank you

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Nov 25, 2020 Susan Bazzett-Griffith rated it liked it

Shelves: great-fiction-and-not-great-fiction, ya-kid-stuff-i-love

I believe this book would fall into the "new adult" fiction label- the protagonist is a mediocre student black sheep in a family of college professors who is about to finish high school, decides to forge her own path to employment, and falls in love. The storyline is kind of banal, but its a sweet modern romance/coming of age story that's actually modern enough for today's teens to like it. Three stars. ...more

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Jul 31, 2018 Kate rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2018

***I work at a bookstore and received an arc from the publisher, my opinions are my own***

I loved Audrey. I loved how impulsive and contrary she could be (I too can be very contrary). I liked that she was smart and capable, but unsure of whether college was the right move for her.

Her romance with Seth was sweet, and they did seem to fit well, despite both of them having to deal with family issues.

The small beach town setting was perfect, but it was the nursing home and Tamora who stole the sho ***I work at a bookstore and received an arc from the publisher, my opinions are my own***

I loved Audrey. I loved how impulsive and contrary she could be (I too can be very contrary). I liked that she was smart and capable, but unsure of whether college was the right move for her.

Her romance with Seth was sweet, and they did seem to fit well, despite both of them having to deal with family issues.

The small beach town setting was perfect, but it was the nursing home and Tamora who stole the show- at least for me.

Possibly some spoilers ahead:

So Audrey is the daughter of two college professors, and it's assumed that she'll go to college, but Audrey doesn't even like school and had no clear career path she wants to pursue. She knows she's interested in moving to Seattle, but she's basically just drifting.

She goes to the local nursing home in hopes of securing a summer job there, only to be intrigued with the idea of becoming a cna (certified nursing assistant). She starts attending night classes while she's finishing high school, and for once she really seems to excel at learning because she's interested in it. Of course, Seth, a local boy she's known, but not really known, her whole life also works on the janitorial staff.

Then Audrey saves the life of a popular classmate (who happens to be one of Seth's exes) and a video of the event goes viral. Audrey isn't quite sure what to do with her newfound fame, but that isn't the only thing she's dealing with, as her family may or may not be falling apart, she's definitely falling for Seth, and she's considering not going to college at all.

My favorite storyline was definitely Tamora and Jackson Moon. Other than being a bookseller, I'm also a nurse assistant for a private home health company and found the nursing home setting to be pretty accurate. Unlike Audrey, who has lots of residents to care for, I get to work one on one with a client, sometimes for years. At one point I was kind of hoping that Audrey and Tamora would kind of ride off in the sunset, but I'm happy with the way both their storylines played out.

I loved a lot of the side characters- Sara and Elliot, Jake, Jackson Moon and Audrey's mom and dad, were fascinating, I just wanted more.

I'm grateful that Emily Adrian walked into my bookstore one weekend and mentioned her book, it's exactly the book I want to share with my reluctant reader niece who is also unsure of whether or not to attend college (right now she's setting her sights on becoming a flight attendant). There's not enough contemporary YA books out there that explore the idea of NOT going to college, despite the fact that there are lots of kids that can't afford it, aren't interested in it, or simply have no idea what they want to do. And while Audrey is unsure, she has friends and family members who do know what they want to study and are excited to attend college. It was lovely to see a character given some non-traditional choices.

...more

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Jun 18, 2018 Ema rated it liked it

So this is a YA book, and I think if I were more YA and less A (going by the idea that YAs are not actually young As but are instead Ts, teens) I might have enjoyed it more. I LOVED THAT THE MAIN CHARACTER wasn't following the typical graduate-high-school-must-go-to-college path!!! So much. It's not for everyone, and that needs to be recognised. But I didn't see enough of her relationship with Seth developing, or really why it developed, to believe some of the later parts, and I felt like the en ...more

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Jun 09, 2018 Vikki VanSickle rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, summer-reading, poignant-coming-of-age-story

Emily Adrian's prose is cool, clear, refreshing and a little bit salty- just like the book's ocean setting. This is a Summer-It-All-Changed story at it's best, with new romance, family drama, a touch of stardom and adulthood on the horizon. The characters are well-drawn and feel familiar. Fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti and Nina LaCour will love Emily's work. ...more

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Sep 21, 2018 Jeninne rated it did not like it

I like to think of the book like this:

Girl has dream.
Girl has ambition and drive.
Girly meets boy.
Girl gives up everything for boy.

The end.

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Oct 16, 2020 Steff Fox marked it as lost-interest

| Read on Reader Fox |

I don't think this book takes a strong anti-college stance, but the fact that it goes in this direction bothers me. I imagine there is more of a focus on the romance than the main character's clear distaste for going to college. Even so, I have no interest in reading something that promotes, even mildly, those kinds of ideas. Sure, there are people out there who didn't go to college who do well for themselves and don't hurt society with their ignorance.

Unfortunately, ...more

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Sep 14, 2018 Ashley Jolly Vater rated it liked it

3.5/5

Well that was cute. Not something that was unforgettable, but I don't really have anything bad to say about it either. I love that it wasn't perfect and that everyone had problems. Ending was definitely interesting and I enjoyed it. I would have liked some sort of epilogue though.

Favorite quote: "I suspected I would love him, whoever he turned out to be." That embodies unconditional love. ...more

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Jun 23, 2019 ☺Trish rated it really liked it

The Foreseeable Future by Emily Adrian is an enjoyable and entertaining "coming-of-age" story about Audrey Nelson who is definitely feeling conflicted about her plans for life after high school. Very realistic, including all of the "dysfunctional family" dramas, the "college is not for everyone" point of view, and the way impulsive and contrary Audrey approaches her dilemma.
A solid 3 1/2 star book elevated to 4 stars for the simple fact that I would be truly interested in reading a sequel about ...more

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Aug 19, 2018 Kimberly rated it really liked it

Barely a 4 star but the ending felt a tad rushed and I was a little surprised by a decision made at the end that was def rushed and didn’t quite feel like it made sense.

I loved both Audrey and Seth. I’d love a future book featuring Cameron and Elliot.

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Jul 18, 2018 Jessica added it

Shelves: realism, ya-fiction

I liked this quite a lot. I'd recommend to fellow Sarah Dessen fans... and I REALLY do not throw Sarah Dessen-readalikes around lightly!!

...more

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Apr 30, 2018 Dawn O. | Left Coast Reader rated it it was amazing

Shelves: publisher-arc, 2018-reads

*Book provided by publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Seth and Audrey are the quintessential swoon-worthy contemporary couple in THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. I absolutely adored them – think first love, excitement, and a future that is wide open.

The daughter of two established academics, Audrey’s parents assume she will attend local Whedon College and follow in their footsteps studying liberal arts. After spending an unimpressive 24 hours previewing college life which mostly includes partying, ...more

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Aug 09, 2019 illumi rated it did not like it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This YA contemporary is about a girl named Audrey Nelson who is due to start her first semester at Whedon College in the fall, a place both her parents work. But as her high school senior year is coming to a close, Audrey has doubts about college being the right next step. She feels different within her family of scholars and wanting to set herself apart, applies for a job as a CNA at the retirement home where she works with her soon-to-be-boyfriend Seth O’Malley.
Audrey “saves” the life of a fo ...more

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May 27, 2018 Wendy rated it liked it

"Sparks flew up from the flames and died in the sand.
Right now, I needed to explain myself to Seth."

I have a constant hankering for feel-good contemporary romances, so when I was introduced to Emily Adrian's The Foreseeable Future by Penguin Random House of Canada, I felt like it could potentially be the right read to get me out of a reading slump. The Foreseeable Future follows the story of Audrey, a teen who's always had her life planned out for her. Growing up and not being given the freedom "Sparks flew up from the flames and died in the sand.
Right now, I needed to explain myself to Seth."

I have a constant hankering for feel-good contemporary romances, so when I was introduced to Emily Adrian's The Foreseeable Future by Penguin Random House of Canada, I felt like it could potentially be the right read to get me out of a reading slump. The Foreseeable Future follows the story of Audrey, a teen who's always had her life planned out for her. Growing up and not being given the freedom to make her own decisions has been tough, and when it becomes time to attend her choice college, she refuses. In a desperate attempt to regain her own freedom, Audrey takes it upon herself to work tirelessly and earn money to move to Seattle, a city that she's always admired dearly. Sadly, her parents aren't so enthused by her plans, and it isn't until she meets Seth that she begins to feel conflicted with her decision to claim a new chapter for herself and move away.

"Are you aware that you've gone viral??"
I followed the link to my best friend's message.
The view count had tripled.

First and foremost, I loved the idea behind The Foreseeable Future. The premise beckoned me to read it and devour it instantaneously. I loved that Audrey, a character who had been denied the choice to influence her own life, was finally grabbing life by the reins and forcing it to go down the path she desired most. However, with that said, I found myself having a very difficult time getting to know Audrey. I was left with an overwhelming feeling that there could have been far more to Audrey than this desire to be free. And although I understand that it's the core to Audrey's journey of self growth and exploring what the world has to offer, I still felt that it was impossible for me to get a true sense of who she was. There was no depth to her. Additionally, my overall feelings towards Seth went hand in hand with how I felt for Audrey. I didn't find him quite as likable as I had hoped, but was relieved to have found that Seth was a well-written and interesting character.

The Foreseeable Future by Emily Adrian, as a whole, was a refreshing book. It posed a tale that I felt many younger readers have encountered or will someday encounter themselves, and gave new perspective on tackling that desperate question of whether or not to make that one big change that could change your life forever. And although I hadn't quite felt like Audrey and Seth were identifiable characters, I did love their dialogue and journey together. The core story behind Emily Adrian's latest, in regards to coming to grips with reality, discovering what we want for ourselves in the future, and even living in the "now" is what truly won me over with The Foreseeable Future.
...more

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Oct 28, 2018 Kate rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction, young-adult, romantic

Summary:

Audrey Nelson is a confused high school senior living in a small rural town on the coast of California. Much to the shock of her professeur parents, she is not going to college at all. She has dreams of saving enough money to move to Seattle. When she starts to work at her local nursing center to earn money, a romance blossoms with Seth O’Malley. They really start to hit it off, and Audrey starts to love her job and new boyfriend when Seattle comes knocking. Things get complicated when A Summary:

Audrey Nelson is a confused high school senior living in a small rural town on the coast of California. Much to the shock of her professeur parents, she is not going to college at all. She has dreams of saving enough money to move to Seattle. When she starts to work at her local nursing center to earn money, a romance blossoms with Seth O’Malley. They really start to hit it off, and Audrey starts to love her job and new boyfriend when Seattle comes knocking. Things get complicated when Audrey goes viral by performing CPR on Seth’s ex. So does she escape her hometown life and take the job of her dreams? Or does she stay in town and live with the love of her life?

What I thought of the book:

It is a pretty average book, no writing elements that really wowed me. I like the way the author described the feelings and emotions Audrey felt because it made me feel like I felt those emotions with her. One strange thing that I have picked up about the book, is that the main character refers to her mother as “Iris” and to her father as “Dad”, yet they have the same relationship to Audrey. Iris isn’t less close to the main character as Dad is. This might be used to further separate her from the family? I thought that was a bit unusual. Not to mention, her family is very against Audrey being a nurse and I never really understood why. On another note, it is interesting seeing a different side of the spectrum for a viral video. With this novel, it brings the readers into the world of what it’s like to become temporarily famous, have MANY MANY comments written online about you, and how to deal with it. The book moves at a good pace, but I feel that is has some unneeded scenes and the author could’ve done a better job at making the storyline more interesting. Audrey always changes her mind and is spontaneous in her decisions and Emily Adrian does a good job at letting the reader feel the emotions with Audrey as she continues through the the few months depicted in the book.

Why I rated it the way I did:

I recommend this book to others because it explains the roller-coaster that becoming an adult is. From falling in love to getting a job to learning how to live on your own. In the beginning I thought this would be like any other sappy cliche teen romance novels, but I was wrong. Apart from being a little bit uneventful, I think Emily Adrian did an amazing job at bringing the reader with the characters through the plot. Again, it wasn’t an amazing read because there was nothing in the book that really changed my life or wowed me. It wasn’t a horrible read either because it still was a bit unconventional. All in all, I recommend this book.
...more

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Apr 30, 2018 Ryley (Ryley Reads) rated it liked it

Shelves: received-for-review, standalone, young-adult-fiction, contemporary-fiction, romance, summer, lgbt, world-travel, read-in-2018

I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this book but it seemed like a fun summer read so I was excited to see where it would go - and I am quite pleased with it!

Thanks so much to Penguin Random House for sending me an ARC of this book for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.

The story follows Audrey, a teen who is struggling to find her path after high school. Her parents want her to go to the college where they are professors but she is looking for something a little les I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this book but it seemed like a fun summer read so I was excited to see where it would go - and I am quite pleased with it!

Thanks so much to Penguin Random House for sending me an ARC of this book for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.

The story follows Audrey, a teen who is struggling to find her path after high school. Her parents want her to go to the college where they are professors but she is looking for something a little less academic. When she enrols in night school to become a Certified Nurse Assistant at the local nursing home, Audrey doesn't realize she could be changing her whole future. At a beach party, one of her mutual friends, Cameron has a heart attack and Audrey performs CPR, saving her life. She becomes a viral sensation and soon sets her sights on a career in nursing, much to her parents' dismay. But when she gets the chance to move to her dream city of Seattle, the only thing holding her back is Seth, the boy she's fallen in love with.

This was the second book I've read by Adrian and I think I definitely liked this one better. I had an easier time connecting with Audrey than I did the characters of the other book and genuinely think that Adrian has grown as an author since her debut novel. The book was well written, I found that I was reading it quite quickly and finished it in two sittings. The storyline itself was quite original and I really liked the introduction of some new elements to the novel, not just the usual tropes of YA.

I found Audrey's dilemma really intriguing and the reasoning behind it was also interesting. Much of this book focuses on Audrey's need to get out of the small town she is trapped in and when she gets the opportunity to leave, she wavers. I understand that she doesn't want to leave Seth, but she also doesn't want to stay where she is. I'm sure this is a regular issue that many people have but I don't know that I've seen it like this at a YA level before. In the end, they end up going with the obvious decision, but there were many instances along the way where this caused friction between the couple.

There is also some family drama to add to the story which helped ground the story and relate the reader to the characters, especially Audrey. For the most part, I enjoyed this aspect, but there were times when the family dynamic was a bit excessive.

Overall, I think there were some other parts of the book that didn't wow me as much as I wanted to, but for the most part, I enjoyed the uniqueness of the story. ...more

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Jul 27, 2018 Charmaine rated it really liked it

That was gooooood. I can't imagine wanting that small-scale, townie life that gets kinda glorified in this book, but I think that's the point of reading. We aren't all international globetrotters or cosmopolitan urbanites. I got a window into different world, but also got to contrast that with something familiar to me (Whedon, sprung free in Italy!, the cocoon of academia, and big-city-dreams).

You can see Audrey crash, burn, and flounder for a long time. It makes me pity her, and I struggle to ...more

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Mar 24, 2020 Miriam rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, young-adult, romance, women-s-fiction, about-life, ohio-author

Did you know what you wanted to do when you graduated high school? Did your parents influence your decisions? The answers to these questions are probably no and yes, respectively, so it won't be a surprise that that's what this book is about.

Audrey Nelson, the child of two professors in a small town, is going through her first life crisis. She doesn't want to go to college at home, but in Seattle. She takes a job in a nursing home right out of High School where she meets Seth O'Malley, who work ...more

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Jul 12, 2018 Mikayla Tewksbury rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed this story!

The Foreseeable Future focuses on Audrey, a recent high school grad who's spending the summer following her senior year attempting to determine her future path. A spontaneous decision leads her to the night shift at an assisted living facility, working alongside swoon-worthy Seth. Will she be swayed by the boy who's caught her eye, or will she take the risk and follow her dreams--whatever those may be?

I thought this book was a great summer read. It was super light, re ...more

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Mar 12, 2018 Teresa rated it liked it

****3.5 Stars****
Audrey isn't sure what she wants in life...but she is pretty sure that college isn't for her and rather than do that she wants to move to Seattle and begin this new chapter. Her parents are less than thrilled, both are professors, and throw in an unexpected romance with easy going, charming boy and pretty soon Audrey isn't sure what she wants.
This book wasn't what I was expecting...but in a good way. I felt that some of the book dragged on in certain spots but overall it was a ...more

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Jun 24, 2018 Kristen rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult

A young woman takes matters into her own hands for the first time in her life, and while doing so, she saves the life of a classmate. This act - while a matter of instinct - causes ripples that shake up her whole world in a way she couldn't have anticipated. Meanwhile, her relationships with a young man who has never been someone she has noticed before has her re-thinking what she wants and deserves out of life. Audrey is both an utterly likable character and at times hard to stomach - as is her ...more

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Nov 04, 2018 Lauren Rochford rated it it was amazing

I picked up The Foreseeable Future after putting down a different book that was such a snooze-fest I couldn't deal (no I will not name names!), and I'm so glad I did. This is a fun coming-of-age story with a bit of romance, and it's an unusual story, too. It was refreshing to meet a protagonist who isn't crazy about books, who isn't sure about college, who frankly seems like an actual teenager.

Of course I loved the romance (a dreamy beach cowboy, are you kidding me) but even more so, I loooved ...more

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Jun 10, 2018 Rachelle rated it liked it

The Foreseeable Future... a typical coming of age story peppered with romantic interests and struggling friendship elements focused on social media. A high school senior, Audrey, attempts to determine what to do with her future, continue working as a CNA at the local Senior Living Facility, and continue education to be a RN, or follow her professor parents' dream for her at the local prestigious college, tuition free. A boyfriend and advice from seasoned residents complicates the issue. ...more

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Jun 18, 2018 michele rated it liked it

Shelves: book-tangible

An easy read. Great for any upper level high school students wondering what comes next. I loved how the main girl was indecisive about continuing her education and it showed that even though that was a gray area for her, she didn't let it stop her from progressing. She wasn't my favourite character, but I did enjoy the story enough to give it my average rating of 3 stars. ...more

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Jul 31, 2018 Robin rated it it was ok

Entertainingly written with a great concept: child of college professors wants something other than an academic life. Sets out to carve her own niche. Awful teen relationship tale that seems to encourage young people to make long-term life decisions together simply because they're in the same place. Also, yucky overly emotionally/intellectually controlling boyfriend. Eeew. ...more

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Feb 04, 2019 Carissa rated it really liked it

It took me almost a month to read this book but that’s because I’ve been so busy!! I really liked the story a lot. The characters. The growth. The scenery. I do think it was lacking depth, especially with how it ended abruptly and with so many open ended questions. But nonetheless it was entertaining and a good read!!

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Oct 27, 2019 Book Eater rated it liked it

This book was rough for me. The main character has no self esteem and no real plan for life. She was kind of boring. One event happens in the beginning and the whole book just goes back to the same moment with little progression of the story and little if any character growth. Was a quick read, may be Ok as a movie. Fun fact: The books title is mentioned on page 110.

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Apr 08, 2018 Kristy rated it liked it

Virtually nothing happened and no one had a personality. If you're looking for a book about nothing this is the perfect book for you.

The main character, Audrey, was miserable. She was incredibly unlikeable, flighty, and naive.

At least it was a quick, easy, read. ...more

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Aug 02, 2018 Jacqueline rated it really liked it

I really liked this teen novel. Easy to read, relevant and interesting. It was a coming of age of sorts and I liked how the character decides to strike out on her own and follow a different path without leaving people behind.

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