Macy, the protagonist of 'The Truth About Forever', is a high school student struggling to cope with the sudden death of her father. She finds herself in a controlled and perfect life until her boyfriend suggests taking a break for the summer, leading Macy to take a job with a chaotic catering company where she meets new friends who help her rediscover herself. Through the story, Macy learns to deal with her grief, navigate her relationships, and embrace imperfection, all while finding love and acceptance in unexpected places.

The plot of 'The Truth About Forever' revolves around Macy's journey of self-discovery and growth as she navigates the challenges of loss, relationships, and personal identity. The writing style is described as relatable, engaging, and endearing, with readers praising the book for its ability to address heavy topics such as grief and self-identity in a heartfelt and relatable manner.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed, with Macy exemplifying a relatable teen dealing with grief, and Wes representing support and understanding.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is relatable and emotive, effectively portraying the main character's inner struggles and growth.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot follows Macy, a girl dealing with her father's death, who pretends everything is fine while navigating a summer filled with new experiences after taking a job at a catering company.

Setting:

The setting is a small town, primarily at a library and a catering business, enhancing the contrast between Macy's structured life and the vibrant chaos of her new connections.

Pacing:

The pacing starts slow but builds up as Macy engages more with her new friends and confronts her personal challenges.

By the time we’d covered that, then finished the main list— stopping to cover two other sub-headings, TOILETRIES and MIS-CELLANEOUS—JASONSEEMED pretty much convinced he had everything. Which did not, ...

Notes:

The main character, Macy, struggles with her father's death and the pressure to be perfect.

Macy's family dynamics are affected by her father's passing; her mother is a workaholic and her sister has moved away.

Macy's boyfriend, Jason, represents the 'perfect' life she tries to maintain, but he is emotionally distant.

The novel introduces the Wish catering crew, who help Macy find joy and friendship.

Wes, a key character, understands grief and helps Macy open up emotionally.

The game 'Truth' that Macy and Wes play serves as a metaphor for honesty in their relationship.

Macy learns that it’s okay to let go of her need for perfection and embrace her true feelings and herself.

The book touches on themes of grief, love, friendship, and the complexity of family relationships.

Macy’s journey is one of self-discovery as she navigates life after loss while finding new relationships.

The novel is noted for its relatable characters and the way it addresses real-life issues teens face.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of grief, death of a parent, and emotional distress.

Has Romance?

Yes, the book contains a significant romantic storyline involving the protagonist, Macy, and Wes.

From The Publisher:

From the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Once and for All

Expect the unexpected.

Macy's got her whole summer carefully planned.

But her plans didn't include a job at Wish Catering. And they certainly didn't include 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

Sarah Dessen is the winner of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her contributions to YA literature, as well as the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award.

Books by Sarah Dessen:

That Summer

Someone Like You

Keeping the Moon

Dreamland

This Lullaby

The Truth About Forever

Just Listen

Lock and Key

Along for the Ride

What Happened to Goodbye

The Moon and More

Saint Anything

Once and for All

Ratings (20)

Incredible (1)
Loved It (7)
Liked It (7)
It Was OK (5)

Reader Stats (47):

Read It (23)
Currently Reading (1)
Want To Read (14)
Not Interested (9)

What can you read after
The Truth About Forever?

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About the Author:

Sarah Dessen is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen novels for teens, which have received numerous awards and rave reviews, and have sold millions of copies worldwide. She is the recipient of the 2017 Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association. …

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