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    The Truth About Forever
    The Truth About Forever
    The Truth About Forever
    Audiobook11 hours

    The Truth About Forever

    Written by Sarah Dessen

    Narrated by Rebecca Soler

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    From the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of The Rest of the Story comes a powerful novel about loss, love, and moving on.

    Nothing is going as planned for Macy this summer.
     
    Not the job at Wish Catering, and definitely not Wes.
     
    But Macy soon discovers that the things you expect least are sometimes the things you need most.
     
    “Dessen gracefully balances comedy with tragedy and introduces a complex heroine worth getting to know.” —Publishers Weekly

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateMay 5, 2020
    ISBN9780062991393
    The Truth About Forever
    Author

    Sarah Dessen

    Sarah Dessen is the number one New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen novels for teens, which have received numerous awards and rave reviews. Her books have been published in over thirty countries and have sold millions of copies worldwide. She currently lives in North Carolina with her family.

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    Reviews for The Truth About Forever

    4/5

    1,484 ratings89 reviews

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    • 5/5
      So this was my first audiobook, a random one, didn't even read the description of it and glad I picked it. I listened to it without breaks I just couldn't stop it was that good. It's my first book that I read by this author(and plan to read some more )and I absolutely adored it and warmed my heart ?.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Good story line and cute dynastic between main characters. Would recommend
    • 5/5
      Good easy read. Reminded me of the old after school specials I used to
      watch as a kid.
    • 5/5
      This was such a great feel-good read! Sarah Dessen has left a lasting impression on me ever since I first discovered her when I was in middle school about 15 years ago. This is a fantastic novel.
    • 5/5
      Excellent story and narrator. I remember reading this when I was a teenager and now as a 35 year old it is special in different ways. Such a good story.
    • 5/5
      My second time reading this one, ten years later and I still enjoyed it very much.Following the unexpected death of her father, Macy’s lived a very regimented life, abiding by what her boyfriend and her mother want, spending much of her time at home studying, but with her boyfriend out of the picture, a fortuitous encounter with a catering crew at one of her mom’s business parties brings the possibility of some much needed change for Macy. The catering scenes were fantastically fun, such an entertaining mix of characters and chaos. I liked the romance. It’s kind of subtle, not that the attraction and the developing feelings aren’t apparent, they are, but there’s a definite emphasis on a friendship building between the two more so than a ton of overtly romantic moments (though there are some of those later on). Those readers who aren’t so fond of romance, might be okay with this one. The interactions between Macy, her mom and her sister, the tension, the different ways each is coping (or not coping) with her grief, and the place each occupies in the family were for me the times when The Truth About Forever as at its most emotionally engaging. I would have happily traded the library job and ex boyfriend drama for a bit more exploration of those family dynamics, but really that’s the closest I get to having a complaint about this book.
    • 4/5
      Macy is struggling with guilt after father passes away and is trying to compensate by being as perfect as she can. One way she does that is by dating Jason, the “perfect” guy: a straight-A student who works at the library in his free time and is spending his summer at brain camp. When Macy sends him an email while he’s off at camp with some form of the phrase I love you, Jason responds by telling her she isn’t focused enough on her work and says they should take a break from the relationship for the duration of the summer.Macy’s then left on her own to try and survive the summer, and this leads to a job at Wish Catering, where we meet her friends Kristy, Wes, Monica, and Bert. These four help Macy begin to find herself again and re-learn her definition of happiness. Kristy is quirky and outgoing and quickly becomes the friend that Macy has needed, way more than the perfect (and emotionless) Jason. Kristy’s sister Monica is known for her one-word responses and lack of emotion but plays a role in her own way. Bert is eccentric, buying a used, junk ambulance as his form of transportation and believing that the world could come to an end at any time. Even Delia, Macy’s boss, plays a role in Macy’s growth, giving her a safe space and advice that really hits home when it’s needed.Wes is kind and artistic, and it quickly becomes obvious that he and Macy could be more than friends. One of the things that I love the most about this relationship is that it is built on trust (quite literally) and their shared experiences from each having lost a parent. Whenever they end up alone, Macy and Wes play a game called “Truth,” where they get to ask the other a question that has to be answered truthfully or they lose if the other answers. This foundation of honesty and trust between them not only makes for some great scenes between the two of them but also sets a good example for readers. Wes is the kind of guy that almost every girl would love to have in real life.
    • 1/5
      I really connected with the beginning of this story as I lost my father as a teen (teenish-20). However; the rest of the story was slow and I could not get into it. DNF
    • 4/5
       My first Dessen novel, well written and definitely a great vacation read. A girl in high school deals with her father's unexpected death by striving for perfection. Her life takes a turn when her boyfriend heads off to "geek camp" for the summer and she takes a job with a chaotic catering company. My one complaint is that a few things didn't quite come together in the end. It felt rushed and there were some unexplained pieces that left me wanting closure.
    • 3/5
      I used to devour Sarah Dessen novels as a teen, and now as an adult I am starting to see some issues with them. It makes me really want to re-read the books I read as a kid and see if I notice anything different. Although, I must say, that I read Saint Anything as an adult and that was still great. Okay... back on track.

      This novel is mostly about grief and love, and I would say right up until the end those do not co-exist. Macy is the child of a mother who wants nothing but the best for her children and the girlfriend of a boy who wants nothing short of perfection. I doubt I was even to the end of the first chapter when I said, aloud to myself, "if this character [Jason] never comes back for the rest of the novel it won't matter. I was right; he didn't matter.

      The nice thing about the novel was that everything and everybody were intertwined, and it wasn't entirely planned. There were some details that didn't need to come together, but they did, and I think they were still realistic. The part that I had a really difficult time with was that the details that should have brought the characters together really didn't do their job. For example, there was a lot of secondary build up to Macy's last gift from her father, and when that gift was finally opened she just had it. However, the symbolism of that would have been so much more powerful to a girl her age, even to her sister and her mother had she chosen to share it, but instead she was just okay. I find it hard, if not impossible, to believe that a sixteen/seventeen year old girl would be that devoid of emotion, particularly the way her character was written.

      I really enjoyed the pace of the story. I felt like everything happened so fast, which was good because like so many of her other novels, the entire book takes place over the span of one summer. In fact, this one is less than the entire summer. The characters and events moved at a pace that was true to that. The process of healing had begun years earlier, so even this was believable. I loved the higher level concepts of the circle of life, angels, trash to treasure, etc., but I think that would have been completely lost on me at a younger age.

      The final piece I would like to get into is the idea about love and grief not co-exisiting. The only time these co-exist is when they are both absent. It doesn't make sense to me, although I understand that grief can leave a hole in your heart, love fills holes that you didn't know you had. Therefore, although your mind might try to tell you that you have to make a choice between the two, reality would trump that. In fact, I felt like logical thought was the only way any of the characters moved forward in the book, which also contradicts much of the dialogue which focused on just letting things happen and letting the course of time dominate.

      I wouldn't not recommend this book, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it either. Every character is predictable. Every outcome is predictable. It's just the hows that change. If you want that, then by all means go right ahead and read the book. If not, just go forth to another Dessen book that comes across as more carefully planned and real.
    • 5/5
      this is my favourite sarah dessen book.
    • 3/5
      a good book if bored and need something to read.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book. I believe that the character, Macy is like most teens. Trying to be perfect for their parents. I love the point in the book where she finds herself and finally understands that she doesn't have to be perfect.
    • 5/5
      This book is absolutely adorable and inspirational!
    • 4/5
      From a scale of 1-5 I would rate this story a 4. This story is about a girl named Macy during her summer break and is facing lots of drama with her mom, new job, ex boyfriend, and new friends. She talks about how shes changed since the beginning of the summer till the end and how she can be herself and not have to be so precised and perfect about everything. I did enjoy the journey she goes through to try to figure who she really is and the drama that happens with her relationships. It was very intriguing and enjoyable to read.
    • 5/5
      Sarah Dessen fans will love this book and its my personal favorite after just listen of course but this is a very good book like I said a must read by Sarahs fans
    • 5/5
      Huge fan and this story got me hooked on her as a writer. Her characters are real and relatable. Macy is the main character and is dealing with loss and learning being perfect isn't nearly as important as"living". 5 stars I've read this story a couple times just because.
    • 4/5
      I've found that I've enjoyed her books that I have read, and this is no exception. This is a good book about learning how to deal with grief and moving on with life.
    • 5/5
      I read this in about 2011, maybe early 2012..these last couple years have gone by so fast I can't remember..Lol..but I believe it was 2011

      I thought I had added it to my list, but I guess not..

      I do remember really loving this book. I've tried to get to her other ones but couldn't get into at the time so I decided to wait until I wanted a contemporary read.

      But I did love all of the characters, the story, well, I just loved the whole thing and just flew through it! :-)
    • 3/5
      The Truth about Forever is an average book that I have read. Its not the best and but its also far from the worst. This book is about a teenage girl named Macy. Her life is complicated but she keeps it inside and hides behind her true self. New friends and new experiences changes how Macy goes about everything and there's drama to follow that. While I was reading this book there was only a few times I got excited or anxious for a part. It defiantly wasn't a nail bitter kind of book. It was just average and just a book to read. I wouldn't recommend this book to someone who loves action and crazy drama. This is more romance. It was very slow and only picked up a few times. This defiantly wasn't the best book that Sarah Dessen wrote but its good. Even though I didn't like some of the parts in the book, there was some good parts. Sarah Dessen did a good job of telling mini stories in the story and that kept it interesting. Also I liked the characters in the story and how she made there personalities so big and funny. Even though this wasn't the best book I have read its still at least 3 stars out of five.
    • 5/5
      My first Dessen and I have since read the rest. I love this book! Wes is the best character, he's just so sweet. This is one of my favourite books ever, the characters are very strong, even the secondary characters. The story is very realistic and well imagined at the same time.
    • 5/5
      I read this in about 2011, maybe early 2012..these last couple years have gone by so fast I can't remember..Lol..but I believe it was 2011

      I thought I had added it to my list, but I guess not..

      I do remember really loving this book. I've tried to get to her other ones but couldn't get into at the time so I decided to wait until I wanted a contemporary read.

      But I did love all of the characters, the story, well, I just loved the whole thing and just flew through it! :-)
    • 5/5
      I read this in about 2011, maybe early 2012..these last couple years have gone by so fast I can't remember..Lol..but I believe it was 2011

      I thought I had added it to my list, but I guess not..

      I do remember really loving this book. I've tried to get to her other ones but couldn't get into at the time so I decided to wait until I wanted a contemporary read.

      But I did love all of the characters, the story, well, I just loved the whole thing and just flew through it! :-)
    • 4/5
      This was extremely sweet and endearing. I'm giving it three stars, but a very strong three stars. Macy, our high school protagonist, has created a very success-driven, controlled life for herself after her father passed away, but then takes a job with a wacky catering company where her coworkers are a very fun cast of zany teens. That sounds a little dismissive, they are are a zany cast, but it works in this novel in a cute way.I liked it a lot as a romance, and I liked that while it wasn't overly long, it was substantial. You really believed that Macy has genuinely gotten to know her new friends so that the ways they impact her life and her worldview seem legit and understandable.
    • 3/5
      This is my second Dessen novel in less than a week, and I must say - they are quite addictive. I have always enjoyed reading stories about teenage girls experiencing the same sort of insecurities that I recall all too well from my youth. This one follows a relatively different approach from the earlier one I read, "Someone like you" whilst following the similar themes of mother/daughter relationships, romantic relationships, personal growth and emotional development. It introduces an element of chaos into the steady, reliable life of 17 year old Macy, and teaches her more than a few lessons about how life should really be lived. I enjoyed the storyline, the touch of humour (and chaos) and love the way Dessen creates characters that are just so well fleshed out they could almost become your best friend.

      I have some more lined up to read. Technically speaking, it's research for work (I work in a bookstore and due to reasons beyond my control, we currently have a large quantity of Desson's books to sell). But I think I'm taking it above and beyond. And enjoying every minute of it.
    • 4/5
      Listened to the Recorded Books audio edition narrated by Stina Nielsen.By the end, I was solidly emotionally invested in the characters, but there were some niggling problems with the library being the biggest. Also a two-hour delivery time for Delia's baby seemed really fast to me.Good so far, although this is the strangest library I've ever heard described, where three teenagers staff the "info desk" which appears to actually be the reference desk. Last time I read this was before I was working in a library so I don't remember it striking me as being so odd.Previously read, but don't recall exactly when.
    • 4/5
      Macy's goal in life is perfection; striving for it is the only thing that makes her life after the death of her father make any sense. But when her boyfriend goes away to Brain Camp for the summer and Macy accidentally falls into a job with a local catering company she meets an entirely different group of people who help her view perfection and the future in a whole different way.The Truth About Forever is the Dessen novel that I have heard raves about from so many people and sadly, it fell a bit short of the hype for me. Not to say that it isn't a great novel. Macy is an interesting character and her perspective on the grieving process is a compelling one. Also, the supporting cast of characters are all sparkling. The reflections on the concept of forever throughout the novel are also quite profound and the final paragraph really is amazing. However, there was one nitpicky thing that drove me increasingly crazy: what library only has three high school students working the information desk for an entire summer? I think the novel may also have fallen short as my last YA read was also a novel about a teen girl grieving the loss of her father. Definitely a great Dessen but not quite as amazing as I was hoping for.
    • 5/5
      Sixteen-year-old Macy is determined to be perfect--it's the only way she can control her life after her father suddenly dies. When she meets Wes and the rest of the crew from Wish catering, however, she finds that the best things in life lie in their imperfection. I love love love this novel; "The Truth About Forever" is easily my favorite teen book and Sarah Dessen is one author that, in my opinion, continues to write one fantastic book after another.
    • 3/5
      I read the reviews where people just seemed to gush over this one. It didn't give me the same impression, but was an easy read all the way around. Highly predictable on all counts - perhaps that's what makes it likeable?

      The story revolves around Macy (just love her name), who is dealing with the death of her father, her mother that won't get close to her anymore or talk about grief, and her perfect boyfriend who heads off to brain camp for the summer. Thank goodness, Macy finds a job with the catering folks at Wish. They provide a sense of chaos in an otherwise routine and highly boring world.

      It just didn't grab me. Not horrible, but not great either. A solid 3.
    • 4/5
      A warm and engaging book. I enjoyed it a lot, found the characters believable for the most part and the plot kept me turning pages. It all tied up a little too neatly, the bad guys were too perfectly bad, but it hardly mattered due to the strength of the main characters.