After Eden by Helen Douglas is a YA novel that grabs you, sucks you in and has you so engrossed you do not want to look up from the pages.
If love is in the stars, then it will find you, when you least expect it...
The mysterious Ryan appears in Eden’s life suddenly - as if from nowhere. He’s gorgeous, irresistible, but of all the girls vying for his attention, it’s only Eden he seems interested in. Where has this beautiful boy come from, and why has he chosen her? But each time she discovers something new about Ryan, Eden edges closer to danger. What will happen when she works out the whole truth?
A truth which will make her fall for him even harder...
When I first received After Eden and read the above synopsis I remember shrugging my shoulders with the thoughts of “Yep, another YA love story.” I had good intentions of getting to it as soon as possible but as my pile of review books grew After Eden sunk further to the bottom. The cover grabbed me. The colour and layout of the spine called me but the synopsis had not grabbed me enough in the first instance to make me want to open it and read instantly.
The cover eventually won. The mysterious young lady standing in the moonlight looking seductive and powerful finally stared me down long enough. Her force pulled me and on a weekend I had set aside for reading she was the first to get a look in. What was I thinking leaving this book for this long? I was hooked within the first few chapters and, surviving on only coffee and leaving the kids to fend for themselves for the day, I read and read. There was no way I had time to eat or answer kids questions as this would mean looking up from the pages. After Eden was finished well before the day was over. I was left spellbound and could not start another book until After Eden had truly left me.
After Eden by Helen Douglas is one of those YA novels that left me feeling empty and wanting more. I was ecstatic when I turned the last page to find there was a sequel. “Where is it? I want it now!” I cried, reminding myself of a spoilt little kid demanding from their mum. For hours after completing After Eden my mind was reeling with the plot, characters and the thoughts of time travel, how it would change our lives and what it would mean to our now and our future.
After Eden by Helen Douglas is more than just a teenage love story, it is a journey. A journey into the now, the future and the past. Helen Douglas has created characters that sit well within the plot and are easily related to in the here and now. She has nicely weaved love with mystery, action, power and intrigue. After Eden has all that makes a great YA novel plus more.
To think I nearly missed out!
Learn more about Helen Douglas
review: Jennifer Douglas
