Before (5) (The After Series) Paperback – December 8, 2015

i love these series will always recommend

I had a hard time putting it down.It was very in depth with emotions.The book forsure will keep you reading and not wanting to put it down.

Love this one so much because now I understand Hardin so much better will read again.

Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but the films are definitely better. While I consider myself a writer, I am by no means an expert, but I could easily see the books being condensed down into three novels; maybe even two. I read the entire series in four days, but there were honestly some instances where chapters - some of which were not even chapters, but merely one or two pages - could have been merged with other chapters in order to make the book less...convoluted.That being said, the story itself is...intriguing. Frustrating, hectic, chaotic, and even a little frightening. The level of obsession with which Hardin Scott views Tessa Young and vice versa might (and should) make any sane person run for the hills - fast. But, then this story hasn't really claimed to be anywhere near sane, has it.I can't say I'll read the series itself again anytime soon - at least, not without a therapist present in the room with me - but I am looking forward to the last two movies. Perhaps another unpopular opinion, with some, but the studio did a great service to the films by casting Hero as Hardin. I may be biased, since I first came across Hero as young Voldemort and enjoyed his small performance immensely, but I really do not see anyone else bringing that level of violence, chaos and also emotional nuance to such a damaged, but still worthy of love, character.Both Hero and Josephine sell this series. No matter how many casting changes, or changes in location, or however many setbacks this series may witness, as long as those two remain on board, the sh*tstorm that is Hessa's inevitable journey towards their future won't be so bad.

I gave the series a 4 ( at this time) because I consider it incomplete, and after reading five books I'm frustrated by that.

This book was strictly from Hardin's POV. Anna done such a great job showing his pain, his strength and his passion for Tessa. He is so full of Anger for the life his has lived and now that he found Tessa he wants to be so much more. This book was much more emotional for me, not that the others weren't but Hardin was broken more so than Tessa. Yes she was abandoned by her Father at 10 but Hardin was without a Father because he left and without a mother because she worked all the time. I think he was always a gentlemen when he needed to be, but when his rudeness came out he showed it with no problem and no remorse.I watched the "After" movie with my daughter and thought that is was such a wonderful story. I then read all the books and of course "Before" being the last book. Like I said, "Before" was my favorite. Reading all the others were like riding a roller coaster with Hardin and Tessa! I found myself being a cheerleader for Hardin, seeing his journey thought their relationship was the final strings to make a neat bow to end this LOVE story. I hope that Anna Todd will continue to write such powerful books, showing love and honesty.

Was hooked the minute I started reading this book (same goes for the others from this series). Couldn’t put my Kindle down until I finished them all

I am a huge After and Anna Todd fan. This book is an extension in the series and is in the point of view of the leading male character, Hardin, as well as a few of the other supporting characters in the story. You could read this book on its own without reading the previous four books, but to get the full affect and fully understand why Before is, well, Before, you should read the rest of the series first. I actually loved reading this book because it gave new material, and new insight to why certain things occurred. But also touched on some of my favorite scenes from the first book that I could read over and over. Sure, it does skip around some, but the point of the Before was not just to rewrite After in Hardin's point of view. It was to allow a new prospective into important parts of the plot and maybe further explanation as to why characters are the way they are. If every series had something like this I would love it. There are always characters you wish you knew more about, and more things you wish you knew about the main characters as well. This book provides all of it. I was very, very, pleased.