Friday, June 29, 2018

Always and Forever, Lara Jean


                Hello happy readers!  I am excited for the weekend, mostly because I'm off and don't have to work.  I also no longer have to worry about mowing or vacuuming which were on my to-do list because my chiropractor said don't do it and I have to listen to his orders.  Which means he wants me to rest and relax so I hope to get some reading/listening down and that is always a win!  Last weekend was very fruitful as I was able to finish up two audiobooks.  One of which is the final book in a series I have read this year, Always and Forever, Lara Jean (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #3) by Jenny Han.  I reviewed the previous books here:  To All the Boys I've Loved Before  and P.S. I Still Love You. 

Rating:  5 Stars

                We left off Lara Jean and things are good.  She is in her senior year with everything going great from school, prom, trips, her father finally found someone who makes him happy again, and oh yeah her boyfriend Peter is amazing.  She has plans to go to her dream college which is close enough she'll be home on weekends never going far from the family.  She has everything planned out.  Until the unexpected happens and the girl who doesn't like change has to rethink her future plans that cause her head and her heart to go in different directions. 

                So Lara Jean and Peter found their way back to one another and now they are stronger than ever.  Peter is so amazing.  Seriously I had my doubts at one point but he gets Lara Jean in a way others don't.  He can tell when she needs an out or just needs some support.  He knows how much her family means to her and works to be there for them too and to me that just makes him for me.  They are so normal and sweet.  High school sweet hearts who have so much going for them and wanting to make it work but as life starts to pull them in different directions they have to work harder to keep to their plans.  So many couples in high school face the option of doing long distance or ending things and it felt so normal to have this struggle. 

                The struggle of course is only compounded by their own unique circumstances.  Lara Jean never saw herself leaving home.  She loved her family and wants to continue to be super close with them and be there for her youngest sisters firsts as she grows up.  I loved that the idea of going to a college further away was a struggle but not just over a boy.  While love can make it a tough decision it had more going for it.  She has her family to think about and her own levels of comfort.  She would be somewhere completely new all alone and that can be scary for anyone.  Lara Jean is a lover for sure but she has much more going for her and considers everything.

                The in and out of the sisters and how they are dealing as life continues on with Margo coming to visit and seeing all that has changed.  Family dynamics change as new people come and go from our lives.  I think this was a beautifully rounded story about the every changing moments of our lives and the choices we make giving the risks, struggles, and rewards of it all.  It was so full of love, heart break, friendship, excitement, and growth.  Lara Jean and Peter have come a long way.  He has really been a catalyst for her to grow into the woman she was meant to become.  Seeing the world through her eyes was so much fun and experiencing all the huge senior moments with her was icing on the cake!

                This was a wonderful heartfelt series I just adore.  I was so happy I could listen to all of them pretty quickly without waiting.  I was happy to connect with Lara Jean and her crazy passionate life!  I am even more thrilled that I finished them before the movie comes out as I keep seeing trailers for it pop up on all my social media!  Now I can sit back and enjoy in a different format!

                Until next time…

2 comments:

  1. I also loved this book! I go to the college Lara Jean eventually decides to go, and it has a special place in my heart now. I'm also looking forward to the movie! The trailer looks amazing though, and I hope it lives up to it. Maybe it's because I haven't read the books in a while, but isn't the hot tub scene in the second book? I heard that the scene is in the movie, so I'm a tad worried they are going to try and fit too much into just one movie.

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    1. I know I am kind of nervous as well but I am hoping for the best. Yes that scene is in the movie I saw it in the trailer but as soon as you asked I no longer can remember if it was in book 1 or 2 lol. I know I listened to them back to back so they felt like one book. I want to say it was book 1 but I may have to re-skim to verify before watching!

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