The Problem with Forever

The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Age: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars

Brittany Thinks: Jennifer L. Armentrout typically writes sci-fi or paranormal romance and I’ve always enjoyed her grasp of plot arc and character development. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on “The Problem with Forever” even though I knew it was a change for her in terms of content. I was not disappointed.



The Problem with Forever is the story of Mallory, a young girl from a troubled past who is about to start her senior year of high school. When we meet Mallory, she’s already done a ton of work to recover from the trauma that she experienced as a young girl, but she still has a long way to go. On her first day of school, she runs into the boy who served as her protector – Rider - when they were both very young and the reunion tears their lives apart. I can’t really tell you more about the plot without mega spoilers, but whoa. I would liken it to a tamer Colleen Hoover or a more contemporary Sarah Dessen novel. 



I absolutely loved reading this book. I think Armentrout handled a sensitive subject with so much grace and understanding. I loved the emotional journey of both Mallory and Rider. I was riveted from the first page and read it from cover to cover in one day. One of my coworkers said she found the book to be a bit slow and I think that’s a fair assessment. It’s not the most action packed read out there and might not be your cup of tea if character development doesn’t keep you interested, but that wasn’t a problem for me. I love a story about growth, learning, and struggling and “The Problem with Forever” was one of the better examples that I’ve come across. I really came to care about Mallory, Rider, and all of their friends and the relationship between Mallory and Rider was just so dang cute! “The Problem with Forever” is a great read to curl up with on a sunny warm day and lose yourself. I have a feeling that you’ll love Jennifer’s worlds as much as I do.