In this domestic drama from Sarah Pekkanen, Josie Moore is stunned when she borrows her husband's phone and finds an incriminating text indicating that he's having an affair. Josie is understandably shocked and heartbroken. The rest of the novel focuses on Josie trying to come to terms with her husband's indiscretion by trying to figure out his secrets and analyzing their past.

Pekkanen very successfully portrays the frantic thoughts of a woman struggling to come to terms with her husband's infidelity and all that surrounds it. At times I became frustrated with Josie because I wanted her to move on and "get over it," rather than dwell in her misery and seek evidence in order to support it. But I think the author's goal was to show how someone can become "stuck" in one's own head in this situation and, in this, it hit the mark. I also wish that there had been a little bit more suspense built into the plot, but overall, I did find this to be a quick, enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing a complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Ever After is Josie's story. Josie and Frank have been married for eleven years and have two young daughters. Josie's life explodes when she discovers Frank is having an affair. Pekkanen skillfully creates a mood of tension while Josie makes decisions that will impact the rest of her life. Frank is remorseful and begs Josi for another chance. He claims the affair was never consummated. What can Josie believe? This novel is unique because it examines infidelity from several angles. Pekkanen proves that there is often more to a situation then meets the eye.

I've probably said this before, but I want to say it again for those of you new to this blog: Sarah Pekkanen had me at The Opposite of Me (2010) and hasn't let go since. The Ever After is her latest domestic drama. While it has a different feel from her previous novels (perhaps the cover contributes to this in a way), it's every bit as good!

Josie is instantly a sympathetic character and I found myself feeling the way she felt each time a new aspect of the secret was revealed. I could easily relate to her in regards to the stresses (and joys) of motherhood. The dialogue and emotions were genuine throughout. Even though Frank deeply hurt her, it's easy to feel bad for him too. I found myself hoping that things would get resolved between them. I think because Frank reminded me of my husband in a lot of ways (aside from the secret).

The only thing that didn't work as well for me was that a sense of place wasn't established. I know that it took place in the Chicago suburbs, but given that I grew up in that area, nothing really stood out to me as being unique. Perhaps if they had gone to Portillo's or Lou Malnati's for dinner? In any case, the story might as well have taken place in the DC suburbs, like in most of Sarah's previous novels.

Overall, it was a great story with a well-defined arc. I sometimes forgot I was reading a book, as I became so absorbed. Off to check my husband's phone now... Just kidding!

Suggestions for the big screen:
Josie: Marley Shelton
Frank: Ed Helms
Karin: Kathryn Hahn
Amanda: Bonnie Somerville
Dana: Leslie Bibb
Sonya: Mary Lynn Rajskub
Mike: Dermot Mulroney

This book turned out to be more interesting than entertaining. I don't mean for that to be a negative thing. The characters were well-written and the story very raw and emotional and authentic.

Back and forth. Trying to find out if the main character will forgive her husband’s secrecy and short affair or if she will tell him it is over is the only reason I was sticking through the whole book. I was able to get through the book quickly because it is well written and the characters seem very relatable. There are a few aha moments when the characters experience therapy and when the main character discusses what she is experiencing with her close friends who have also been in different stages of their marriages. This book is not a light hopeful story, as a reader I felt the emotions of the frustration that the characters felt being in a disconnected marriage and then trying to decide what to do after an affair crashes through their family. It would’nt be on the top of my favorite summer reads but it is a good read if you need a quick yet emotional story about a modern marriage and family experiencing the trauma of an affair.

I was really excited to get my hands on this, but I am sad to say, the story really did not hold my attention. It felt dreary and drawn out and not very gripping. I also did not connect to the characters. I don't like to give negative feedback, but this just wasn't for me, though I was expecting it would be.

While this book will be classified as women's fiction, it should really be read by every man considering an affair. So raw it hurts to read, The Ever After takes Pekkanen's work to a more emotional level. As gripping as a thriller, the book emphasizes that sometimes the people supposed to be closest to us are the ones we don't know at all.

Josie Moore’s entire world came crashing down one morning in front of a Starbuck’s. A text message meant for her husband calls into question everything she once held as true – her marriage, her family and even her place in the universe.

After Frank admits to the affair, she has to know just how far he had gone to cover it up. What she finds is completely unexpected. She discovers how strong she really is and that sometimes love is worth another chance.

“He was so good at saying the right thing, at making Josie feel as if they were connected. At ending a sensitive conversation on a positive note.
But when everything erupted, she also began to reevaluate what she’d once considered a strength in Frank. When he cut short conversations with a line that he must have known would satisfy her, was he doing it because he was sharing his actual feelings, or was he dodging true intimacy?
It made Josie wonder whether she’d ever truly known Frank’s deepest vulnerabilities, his most secret thoughts. If she had married a man who had always been, in some ways, a stranger to her.”

The Ever After is an inside look at the modern marriage. It’s about how two people can get lost in modern life and forget the real reason why they started on their journey.

I found it to be profoundly real and honest. Sarah’s characters shine with an uncommon combination of strength and sensitivity and it left me feeling hopeful even in the wake of devastation. Because it’s the kind of heartbreak that could be closer to us than we ever really know…

I have read all of Sarah P.'s books and am grateful to have been approved to receive an ARC of this book. I liked this book, but not as much as her others. I believe it was a very realistic look at what can happen in a long marriage. People get busy and forget to work on their marriages, and boom... something happens. I felt for Josie and liked that she wasn't impulsive iiln her decisions.

This books starts with a bang and that bang is Josie finds out that her husband is having an affair! For the rest of the book Sarah Pekkanen takes the reader on a journey of Josie wants to do next. Sarah Pekkanen writes Josie so intimately, I could see what she was feeling and her inner turmoil

I picked up this book after a quick glance at the blurb and the knowledge that it was from Sarah Pekkanen, the author of The Perfect Neighbors , a book which I loved two years ago.

The book has an intriguing premise about a marriage in crisis. Since it deals with a marriage unraveling and imploding, I expected lots of emotion and issues raised as Josie peeled away the layers of her husband's deceit. But as Josie unearths his secrets, the focus is on her obsession with his lies and not much happens with the information she finds, leaving readers with many overly wordy passages that didn't seem to have direction. I wanted more from the story, some kind of twist, some momentum and energy but after the first couple of chapters it's clear that this will be a quiet read about a broken marriage filled with distrust ... and that's about it.

This is a domestic drama that focuses on a broken marriage and readers who connect with the issues raised may enjoy the book more than I did. While I enjoyed reading how the author came up with the concept for this book, overall this book wasn't my cuppa tea.

Disclaimer: This Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

A compelling page turner for fans of domestic drama. Right away Pekkanen plunges us into Josie's world and the startling discovery she makes when she borrows her husband's phone. The author does a great job at pacing and at making these characters seem realistic. I've read other novels by her and I think this is my new favorite. It's not terribly moving or memorable, but it does the trick when you're looking for a fun story -- and the depths of raw emotion might pleasantly surprise you. All in all, a very satisfying read.

This was the first book I have read by Sarah Pekkanen and I really enjoyed her conversational writing style and her observations of contemporary life.  I could really relate to Josie - not only in the way she felt but in the things she did, like stop for lattes at Starbucks and buy a cheap elliptical machine.  I found myself smiling at the similarities between what Josie and Frank did and what my husband and I do, how we fight, what we do together.  

Frank cheats on Josie and she finds out.  This causes her to examine their marriage to decide if it is worth saving.  This book shows that things are not always black and white, people make mistakes and we can't necessarily say, "I would never..." because there are a lot of variables in every situation, such as what a great father Frank is - he comes up with living room dinners cooked in the fireplace and silly songs to sing to the kids - and how much Frank really does love Josie - he cares that her feet are cold, he wants to be there to help her with the kids.

In the end this story was about falling in love AGAIN with the person you are married to.  This book made me think about my own marriage, my husband and the things I love about him and I started to feel a level of appreciation for him and our marriage that I have not felt in a while.

This was such a raw and compelling read, gripped me right from the very beginning. I found the main character to be incredibly strong and easy to relate to. Loved this read and the writing!

I really enjoyed this look into a family dealing with adultery. I could really empathize with Josie the main character and I found myself not being able to put the book down just to follow where this story was going. Including marriage counseling and therapy made it feel realistic and I liked that touch.
I want that thank Netgalley and Atria books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 dramatic stars to The Ever After! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Sarah Pekkanen is back with the domestic drama, The Ever After. Inspired by a conversation Pekkanen overheard in a coffee shop, The Ever After has the ring of truth throughout, almost as if it is a journalistic study into one woman’s deeply personal experience with a wayward spouse.

Josie and Frank Moore appear to have it all. A Siena van with two adorable young daughters, living life in the Chicago suburbs.

Frank is a devoted, loving father and husband and the envy of Josie’s friends, until one day, Josie borrows his phone and an email pops up. From another woman. There is no denying it. Frank is cheating.

From the start, Frank minimizes the relationship. It was just emails. Then, when pushed harder, only kissing. But Josie will not stop until she uncovers what really happened between her husband and his mistress.

Sarah Pekkanen’s books have a human quality that endears me to them. Josie’s relatable story really could be anyone’s. As Pekkanen points out in her letter to the reader, one in three marriages experience cheating. We all probably know someone affected if we have not been directly impacted ourselves.

I longed for Josie to have a happy ending. She is a strong character, a strong woman, a strong mom, and I was captivated by her story that was brilliantly, dramatically, and sensitively told.

Thank you to Sarah Pekkanen, Atria Books, and Netgalley for the ARC. The Ever After will be published on June 5, 2018.

This book starts out getting right to the chase. Josie finds out while sitting in a Starbucks parking lot that her husband is having an affair. The rest of the book traces her journey through deciding if/how she will proceed. While I wouldn't say the story was predictable, there were certainly some indicators early on toward her final decision. I felt her inner thoughts and actions seemed realistic, given the circumstances, and sympathized with the protagonist. I did feel as though I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and didn't quite get the resolution I was hoping for. It was a good book that was worth reading, but not one of my top reads so far this summer.

Woman finds strange message on husband's phone, does a little digging, finds out husband is having an affair...wait, what's that? This doesn't sound like a fun summer read? What I enjoyed about The Ever After, and what makes it worth reading, is that Pekkanen does an excellent job of weaving a story around an all-too-familiar tale; each character involved is forced to do some tough self-examination. This one turns out to be a very thoughtful and quick-reading novel, from a talented author, without the heft that will derail your sunshine time.

The Ever After by Sarah Pekkanen
Review by Leah DeCesare

I read a lot. A LOT. My favorite way to dive into a book is to know nothing about it. I pick books because I know the author or someone has recommended the book to me, I never read the back cover. I love letting the author take me for an unknown journey without having any upfront knowledge beyond the title. In reading THE EVER AFTER, I knew nothing but had the prior bias from reading THE WIFE BETWEEN US. It’s a physiological thriller which Sarah Pekkanen co-wrote with Greer Hendricks. So I was expecting that genre with its suspense and surprises.

I laughed at myself as I closed the book because I had really been cleverly finding clues and anticipating a twist that never came. I thoroughly enjoyed the book as a tender portrait of real-life, human relationships, specifically within a marriage and all the related repercussions to a family. Pekkanen dives deep into the agony and conflicting emotions of Josie when she discovers her husband has strayed.

Being of an age when many friends and acquaintances are divorcing, the topic feels sadly relevant. Pekkanen masterfully brings the reader into Josie’s heart where we feel her conflict, her embarrassment, her confusion. We are privy to her doubts and worries in a way that goes beyond superficial, sweeping emotional description. Pekkanen dissects this relationship through the wife’s perspective, and I could feel her inability to trust throughout. Perhaps my expectation that this was a thriller with a twist up ahead played into that mistrust, but I imagine it’s not at all dissimilar in a real life scenario. When a spouse breeches trust by going outside of the marriage, how would one not be suspicious and continue looking for clues of other infidelities? Clues to understand more, to find meaning? It actually felt brilliant to me in the end. Josie’s life felt like a suspense story—what didn’t she know? What more would she discover? What lurked in pockets, emails, or phone calls?

There are some loving and sweet moments as this couple learns to reconnect and rediscover why they fell in love in the first place. In the pursuit of figuring out how, and if, to reconcile, Frank, Josie’s husband, gives a beautiful and unexpected answer: “What if we could make it better?” And that’s the core of the lesson for the reader to me: Challenge yourself to go make your own relationships and marriage better. Even if you’re in a good space, you can still make it better. I love that concept in life—to strive every day to be a kinder, better person than yesterday. That applies to our character and inner work, to our relationship with ourselves, but also, critically, to our relationships with those around us.

Pekkanen reminds us not to take our loved ones for granted. Go be inspired by THE EVER AFTER!

Sarah Pekkanen asks several questions in this book, but perhaps the most important is this: how do you decide if you have a relationship worth saving?

The central relationship is the marriage of Frank and Josie. After she discovers an email on his cellphone that clues her into Frank's secret, she has to decide if what they share together is something she values enough to overcome what he did. Sarah Pekkanen gives you Josie's perspective, taking you back and forth throughout her relationship with Frank, letting you see how and why they came together and the state of their marriage at the time she uncovers his secret.

Other relationships are at play here, too. Friendships. Parents and children. Coworkers. Pekkanen examines those parts and mechanics as well, showing you how those parts are at play in a marriage, too. You are not isolated as spouses. You operate within many spheres, and the overlapping core of that Venn-Diagram is the two of you. Your couplehood. When the spheres shift--when there is a betrayal or a deception--that space where the spheres interlock evolves, sometimes even dissolves.

Josie sets out to understand what her husband did. She prioritizes the "what" over the "why" in the beginning, but eventually, she understands that the "why" determines their future far more than the "what." And finding out that "why" cannot be accomplished on someone's Facebook page or searching through texts and emails, not fully or completely, anyway. Understanding the "why" comes with conversation and dialogue. It comes with listening.

To achieve an ever after, you have to decide, first, if you want it. And then you need to accept the "why" and figure out what you're going to do about it. Sometimes the ever after, though, comes with a time limit.

I loved this book. I loved the questions Sarah Pekkanen asks and the way she makes me think about marriage and commitment. I didn't always like Josie, and I didn't always like Frank, but that's something that made me love this book even more. You don't need to always think the best of characters. You do, however, need to invest in them, and Sarah Pekkanen invests you in her characters like few authors do.