The After series is a young-adult fiction collection that follows Tessa Young, a recent high school graduate, as she begins her new college life.
Not only does she methodically organize her life, but so does her overachieving mother. But when Tessa meets complicated rebel Hardin Scott, her entire existence changes.
The narrative became incredibly famous after around 80 chapters on Wattpad, a platform where individuals can publish their stories for free.
It had already had over a billion reads on Wattpad by 2014, but then it was picked up by a real-life book publisher, adapted into a film, and the rest is history.
The After series include five books, each of which has been or will be adapted into a film.
1. After
This is the first book in the After series, which was published as a physical paperback in 2014 after being uploaded to Wattpad in 2013.
Tessa, a nice girl, meets bad-boy Hardin when she moves into her freshman dorm in this book. Hardin is cute and different from what she’s used to, with his disheveled brown hair, cheeky British accent, and tattoos.
Tessa is forced to delve deeper and uncover the real Hardin underlying all his falsehoods, despite his reckless treatment of her.
He pushes her away repeatedly, but each time she pushes back, he drags her in deeper.
Tessa already has the ideal guy, and despite Hardin’s attitude, Tessa should despise him. It is not until she is left alone with him in his bedroom that this hate turns into lust.
For some reason, his gloomy mood draws her in, and she feels a passion when they kiss that she’s never felt before.
He’ll say that she is beautiful and amazing, then swear he’s not the one for her and disappear.
2. After We Collided
After We Collided is the second novel in the After series, and it was released in paperback on November 25, 2015.
The novel was turned into a film, which was released in theaters on October 23, 2020, and was a box office triumph.
Tessa and Hardin’s love may have had a dramatic start, but in this novel, a shocking revelation about Hardin’s enigmatic history threatens their romance more than before.
Tessa is divided between clinging to Hardin’s intense connection and stepping away from his failed promises.
Hardin realizes he made a mistake; thus, he may have to adjust his ways for the sake of the one he loves.
Tessa is not too sure if she can take another broken promise.
She put everything on wait for Hardin: friends, school, her mother, and a relationship with a man who genuinely cared for her, and now, maybe, a promising new profession. She needs to go on with her life.
It’s worth noting that, unlike its predecessor, After, After We Collided alternates chapters between Hardin and Tessa’s perspectives.
3. After We Fell
The third book in the series is titled After we Fell. It was published in late 2014, and in 2021, a movie based on it was released.
Everything changes as Tessa makes the most important choice of her life.
Everything they thought they knew previously was called into question by revelations about her family and then Hardin’s, which made staking a claim to their hard-won future together more challenging.
Tessa’s life starts to fall apart. Nothing is what she anticipated including her family and friends.
Hardin, the one person she should be able to rely on, is enraged when he learns the important truth she has been hiding. And instead of showing compassion, he resorts to sabotage.
Tessa is aware that Hardin cares deeply for her and will stop at nothing to keep her safe, but there is a distinction between loving someone and being able to be around them.
It is draining to go through this cycle of resentment, erratic rage, and forgiveness.
Love used to be enough to hold them together, but will this be the test that love cannot overcome?
4. After Ever Happy
After Ever Happy is the fourth novel in the After series, first published in paper in 2015 and subsequently made into a film in 2022.
When Hardin finds his family’s terrible truth, he is thrown into a hole of sorrow from which he cannot recover.
Tessa is tired of attempting to save Hardin only to discover that Hardin is the only one who can accomplish it.
Tessa finally advises that they take a break from each other, much to Hardin’s chagrin.
Hardin is enraged by the suggestion, but they finally split ways and spend time determining what they genuinely want in life.
When they meet paths again in the future, they will have the option to renew their love or make the same old mistakes.
Is desire enough to sustain their relationship? Is Tessa and Hardin’s story over?
5. Before
Before is the fifth novel in the After series and a prelude to After. On December 8, 2015, it was released in print.
Before provides a new image of Tessa and Hardin’s relationship by giving voice to people who were present throughout the important moments portrayed in the original After novels, including Hardin.
This narrative of their connection before, during, and after it occurred adds a new perspective to Hardin and Tessa’s overall relationship.
Other After Material
If the After book series is still not enough material for you, then you can get your hands on some other relevant works by Anna Todd.
Landon Series
As well as the After series, Anna Todd wrote a duology with Landon Gibson (Tessa’s best friend) as the narrator as we follow his story.
Published in 2016, the first entry in the Landon series is called Nothing More and covers Landon Gibson’s experience of sharing a very small apartment with Tessa in Brooklyn and the dramatic ups and downs of life with your best friend as you both try to find your feet and navigate relationships and careers.
The second book in the Landon series is called Nothing Less and was published in 2016.
In this book, Landon learns that he can no longer be the pushover and allow people to walk all over him including his ex-girlfriend who treats him like an emotional punching bag.
Graphic Novels
Anna Todd has also started a graphic novel series which will have five volumes and are based on the novels of the same names.
The illustrations are done by Pablo Andres and offers 12 pages of behind-the-scenes content and more information on the characters.
Summary
It is easy to say that the relationship between Tessa and Hardin is full of twists and turns and ups and downs and it is all packaged into five books.
After, After We Collided, After We Fell, and After Ever After have also been adapted into motion pictures starring Josephine Langford as Tessa Young and Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Hardin Scott.
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