After

by Barbara Ehrentreu

“After” is a story about the struggles Lauren Walstein, a fifteen-year-old girl, has to go through when her father suddenly has a heart attack and undergoes bypass surgery. In one phone call her life changes completely. Lauren is a character with whom most teens will relate. Her best friend since kindergarten, Joey, is going out with her enemy and they have grown apart. Before the phone call all she thought about was getting a scholarship for softball, and the Mets. Suddenly she must deal with both her father’s illness and being in school. The demands on her from both ends complicate the story. In the middle of all this, she finds she is developing feelings for her best friend that are more than friendly. Is he feeling the same or is he just comforting her? In addition there is Joey’s mean girl friend Amber, who doesn’t appreciate Lauren being in the picture. Will Lauren’s father recover? How will Lauren cope with her new feelings for Joey?

176 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 24, 2014

Reviews

[Brenda Mohammed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although AFTER was written for young adults I enjoyed the story very much. I could have related to Teenager Lauren having to deal with the uncertainties of her father’s sudden serious illness and his convalescence at the hospital, as it brought back memories of my own experience with my father’s illness. The visits to the hospital were very trying times for young Lauren.

At that devastating period in her life, Lauren felt the need for a friend to comfort her. She turned to Joey who was a basketball player in her school team, and a close school friend with whom she grew up. Both Joey and Lauren were fans of the national baseball team Mets. However, Joey’s mean girlfriend did not make life easy for her. It was fun and games in the latter half of the book but I cannot give away the story.

This is the first book I have read by Author Barbara Ehrentreu and I must say she is another talented author waiting to be discovered.

I recommend AFTER to all.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Heartfelt Delight

Polished and professional, After brings enjoyable characters to life in an authentic voice. Ehrentreu’s exquisite imagery, such as milkweeds flowing like tears in the wind, captures the reality of experiencing empathy for a loved one within an age appropriate, accessible novel. The prose flows beautifully through all the real life realities of grief and change that befall the heroine, from compassion for her hospitalized father, to bonding with her Dad about the Mets, to glimpses of her deep feelings of friendship for her buddy Joey emerging into love. A believable coming of age story filled with all the heartache, joy and humour of friendship and love. You don’t have to be a young adult to appreciate Ehrentreu’s riveting depiction of those life-changing moments of hands first touching, the electricity of dates and parties and discovering the intensity of feeling for that person who seems to be designed just for you. Ehrentreu’s gifted insight into humanity shines through this compelling narrative. Don’t miss out!

[Karen]

AFTER BARBARA EHRENTREU

Lauren is a 15 year old girl with an average life and friends. Her best friend is Joey. When her dad has a serious heart attack her friends rally around her for support. Joey is there for her the most even though he has a girlfriend. Lauren starts to have extra feelings for Joey but doesn’t want to do much about it until her dad recovers.
After looks at the teenage angst where love and friendship are concerned. The book also deals with the fears a family goes through when one of their own is very ill. Full of emotion and heartache AFTER will make the reader hope for a happy ending and doesn’t disappoint for good story telling. I would definitely give this 5 stars.

[Joshua Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a lot going on in Barbara Ehrentreu’s After. Poor fifteen year old Lauren is slammed with a lot of difficult things at once. Her father has a heart attack only adding to the family strain of her brother’s illness. Additionally, Lauren must navigate those complicated teenage feelings of love towards her best friend Joey, who just so happens to be going out with her enemy. I couldn’t help but relate with Lauren on a lot of levels and Ehrentreu’s writing makes this complicated story a smooth and meaningful read worth your time if you’re in the mood for something heartfelt!

[Suzanne Montigny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Barbara Ehrentreu's If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor, and this one doesn't dissapoint. My favourite part was when Joey, the boy she likes... wait, I can't tell you...you have to read it and find out, but for sure you'll find yourself saying, "Ha. She deserved it!" Anyway, a great read.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some readers may find “After” to be a predictable teenage love story. However, the author does demonstrate a good portrayal of teenage emotions and family dynamics when faced with a life changing crisis.

Read full review in the 2015 March issue of InD’tale Magazine.