Review: The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Received: Bought
Publication Date: May 17th, 2016
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Point of View: 1st Person & Feminine
Recommended Age: 14+
Pacing: Very slow
Genres &  Themes: Young Adult, High School, Romance, Contemporary, Family, Abuse, Child Neglect, Long-term Effect

BLURB:

For some people, silence is a weapon. For Mallory “Mouse” Dodge, it’s a shield. Growing up, she 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 with loving adoptive parents, Mallory must face a new milestone—spending her senior year at public high school. But of all the terrifying and exhilarating scenarios she’s imagined, there’s one she never dreamed of—that she’d run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn’t seen since childhood, on her very first day.

I was only three chapters in when I had this strong feeling that I would never forget this story.

And now that I finished it, I can confirm that this is one of the twenty most memorable love stories I have read.

It took me close to twelve hours to finish this book, but I don’t regret any minute I spent reading this emotional story. Maybe I could have read two novels in that amount of time, but The Problem with Forever touched my heart so deeply I’m sure I’ll be rereading it again in a couple of years.

It’s magnificent. The love story, although wonderful and dream-worthy, is not even the best thing about this book.

Mallory is the star. Her characterization is outstanding and her character development admirable. The entire story is extremely well-written and convincing, but Mallory – also known as ”Mouse” – will make any reader feel for her.

I couldn’t stop thinking about her. It’s not even some type of girl crush. She’s the type of character so beautiful we’re afraid to expose them to the world, because we don’t want them to be tainted. We want to conserve them as pure as they initially are.

I didn’t want to stop reading this book, because I didn’t want to leave Mallory. She has so much to deal with I felt like by keeping on reading, I was somehow there for her. She actually unconsciously makes the readers feel like their presence alone can help her.

It’s incredible. I rarely feel this way about characters.

When we first start reading this book, we may think that there will be insta-love or insta-lust, but the author steers clear of those. Mallory and Rider have a connection because they grew up together and have been there for one another for a long period of time. But now, as they’re facing each other four years after being separated, they want to reconnect, to relearn everything about one another.

It’s so sweet. Since it deals with long-term effects of child neglect and abuse, interested readers have to imagine there will be drama. And tears. And harrowing scenes.

But in the end, when I turned the last page and I looked back at my reading time, I couldn’t help but realize how fascinated by the story I was.

It’s not perfect, but it’s perfectly imperfect.

Youtube | Twitter | Instagram | Google+ | Goodreads | Bloglovin’