Although it features a cast of hot, wealthy people cavorting in and around New York City, Life After Yes is much more than your typical "chick lit" offering. For one, it isn't a fairy tale. In fact, Aidan Donnelley Rowley begins her story where many in the genre end: her protagonist Quinn has already "gotten" her Prince Charming (via his romantic proposal in Paris) and the rest of the story unfolds as a sort of Reality Ever After. In Quinn, Rowley offers us a wholly realistic protagonist whose life - although full of the trappings of happiness - is accessorized with grief, fear, and struggles with identity. Quinn tries to cope with her issues through the anesthetics of alcohol and workaholism and makes a series of bad choices on her way to figuring out what she really wants out of life and love.

What further sets this novel apart is Rowley's writing. From her facility with dialogue to her lyrical descriptions of the city, her prose is a pleasure to read throughout. She knows her subject matter well and captures pitch-perfectly the mood and anxieties of a group of New Yorkers in the wake of September 11th.

At once entertaining and thought-provoking, Life After Yes marks the promising arrival of a smart and witty new voice in contemporary fiction. I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated this book and look forward to reading more from Rowley. 3 s Jennifer1,428 53

From My Blog...[return][return][return]Deeply philosophical, sharp and witty, without a doubt Aidan Donnelley Rowley's book, Life After Yes, will be one of my top picks for the year. Reading Life After Yes is similar to spending time listening to your best friend, the one with all the wit, yet never realising they are witty, telling their story. I personally have a friend this and I adore listening his stories so for me, Rowley's writing feels familiar and her characters quickly become friends. The main character, Prudence Quinn O'Malley is going through a series of major life changes. Her father was killed in one of the towers during 9/11, a few months later she is whisked off to Paris and becomes engaged, all the while trying to navigate the world of being a relatively new attorney. As Quinn thinks of her life she has disturbing dreams of her ex-boyfriend Phelps, her current Fiancé Sage McIntyre and Victor, her personal trainer. Quinn is a flawed and uncertain, making her endearing to the reader, along with her quick wit and unpretentious behavior, she is a delightful character. Rowley writes a masterfully crafted novel, with flashbacks, personal character revelations, and descriptive imagery. Throughout the novel it is quite clear Rowley wants to share her love of Manhattan with the reader. Quinn's two best friends Avery and Kayla are complete opposites and together comprise both sides of Quinn. The subject matter is at times rather deep, philosophical, and uncertain, yet Rowley uses her characters' sharp wits to keep the story from becoming too heavy or depressing. Life After Yes is a novel that the reader will fall into and not want to end. Past, present and the fear of the unknown future are all intricately woven into this wonderful book. I highly recommend Life After Yes to any reader, and strongly advise book discussion groups to chose this novel.fiction2 s Mequel31 2

Really? If this isn't chick-lit, what is? Light, superficial, selfish, party girls...who cares if they're smart; they're idiots. Does no one have an issues with the UN-committed who claim to be committed? Hated this book and it's characters. 2 s Jennifer134 47

Do you ever feel a book comes into your life at a time when you really need it? It's some force in the world told me that I needed to read Aidan Donnelley Rowley's book, Life After Yes, at this point in my life. The main character, Prudence (aka Quinn) recently lost her father in the 9/11 terrorist attacks and has now found herself newly engaged to her man, Sage (interesting name, btw!). I felt so deeply connected to Quinn's story; I could feel her ups and downs as she tries to figure out who she is in her life and if her life is going where she wants it to. I related so intensely to this book and to Quinn's character - her confusion, her insecurity, her relationships with her friends and family.

The Setting: The book takes place in the year follow the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It was incredibly moving to read a fictional story about this time and about a character who lost her father in the attacks. It added an additional element to the story that really struck me.

The Characters: I loved Quinn. She's unsure, insecure, and unhappy in her life. Her journey is one of hope and one that I connected to. I felt Quinn was a friend and that she was sitting right next to me telling me the story. She is full of flaws, but that is what makes her so interesting. Her fiancee, Sage, is the stereotypical great guy who I found myself rooting for through the book. You can tell that he really loves Quinn, flaws and all, and their love story felt very true and real. There are also other characters who show up in the story: Quinn's friends Kayla and Avery, her brother, Michael, her mother, Sage's mother, Quinn's personal trainer, and Quinn's ex-boyfriend. All of them add depth to the story and make it very real.

The Plot: Quinn is struggling with life after she accepts a marriage proposal from her boyfriend, Sage. She has a crazy dream that makes her start questioning her choices. She reminisces about her past with her ex-boyfriend, who also happens to pop back into her life during this confusing time. The plot basically revolves around Quinn finding her way through life post-9/11, and post-engagement. I was able to relate very well with her and I imagine that many other women will be able to as well. Who hasn't had confusing moments of: Am I doing the right thing? What is life all about?

To sum up: This book is very easy to read and the author writes very well. The story moves quickly and I was able to read it in about a day. I can't rave enough about this book and I encourage you to go and find your own copy asap!! I am eagerly anticipating more from this author in the future!!

Jennifer
http://www.crazy-for-books.com1 cara137 8

i went back and forth on this book. there were parts that i LOVED, and parts where i thought about shelving it. though quinn and i are very different, i came to really adore her. she's flawed, yet lovely. i particularly enjoyed her relationships with the other women in her life...especially her mom and future mother-in-law. the letter that her mother-in-law writes to her at her bridal shower...beauty. loved it.

"We get older, we can't help that, but we don't ever have to stop laughing." -mom
"Why can't we be both? We humans are so hungry for labels, for order. We are so quick to categorize, to box things up." -mom
"I think forgiveness is underrated. There's nothing wrong with forgiveness. It's basically noticing and accepting that other people make mistakes, just we do." -sage
"K, I think the forty weeks is supposed to be the easy part. After that things get tough. After that, youa re going to have a mini version of yourself to keep alive." -quinn
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review1 BirdBuddy56 14

I read this book years before I met my fiancé and I really d it a lot back then. Remembering it now, I think of how awful Quinn was to her fiancé for no no real reason. Dealing with loss and having a rough time are not an excuse to betray the people who matter to you and make bad choices while knowing that they are bad choices. I would be scared of women who think Quinn is relatable, she's a BPD witch for a lot of the book.1 Jen12

I had been looking forward to reading this book from the moment I had heard about it, and it's didn't disappoint.
I was able to relate to each character. The book brought drama, tears, smiles and laughter. This book has so many touching moments it's hard not to fall in love with it! I loved Quinn's struggles with the past, present, and future. Definitely a must read! read-in-20111 Melissa52 4

I wanted to read this book, even though the description didn't grab me, because I really enjoyed one of her subsequent books, "The Ramblers." I cannot say I feel the same for this one. The protagonist is self-absorbed, selfish and terribly dull. Also, if I never read the word "prudent" again, it will be too son. I'd venture to say it's in here 100 times. I'm shocked there were any other books after this one. Wow. Kennedy329 20

Not sure about this one. I d some things about it and didn't others. Not sure if I would read more from the author or not. They style was ok but I did not particularly the main character. Bookedwithfrancis700 1 follower

This was a book I had on my bookshelf that has been waiting to be read for a couple years. It was good and I enjoyed it but I probably wont read it again. It was a pretty quick read. Sent to my donation pile so someone else can enjoy it. Reading2Nite 14 2

Good book with a lot of topics to mull over about life, death, relationships, finding your other half, the role of technology and 9/11. Jodi Schulz824 13

This book was about nothing and nothing happened. It took me forever to read it and I tried to read it twice.hated-it Yvann S309 16

Summary: Prudence Quinn O'Malley, the protagonist of Life After Yes, is whisked off to Paris by her boyfriend for a romantic weekend and a proposal. Back in her New York lawyer life with a sparkly diamond on her hand, she has doubts about her future, her fiancé and herself. Her father, recently killed in the September 11 attacks, is very present in her memory and she desperately wishes for his wisdom as she navigates that rocky period between the giving of one ring and the giving of a second.

Full disclosure: Aidan Donnelley Rowley is the author of the Ivy League Insecurities blog, which I read daily without fail. Thus the fact that I "know" her a fraction and have some measure of interaction with her, compared to all those anonymous authors out there, may colour my review slightly; although I have tried not to let it. I would definitely recommend the blog!

Quinn is of course ex-Ivy League, a lawyer, slim, beautiful, fashionable, with a good salary and an investment banker partner. So far, so standard. But Quinn is not a black-and-white protagonist, she definitely has her flaws: her drinking verges on the alcoholic, she's clearly not yet over her long-term boyfriend whom she dumped not all that long ago in order to take up with her now fiancé, and she fails quite a few moral tests during the course of the book. I savoured this very realistic character - not the perfect athletic superwoman so many authors choose, and not the ditzy airhead (see Bridget Jones, Confessions of a Shopaholic...). I wanted to believe better of her on several occasions, and it's not often you feel let down by the heroine. (Although Jane Eyre and I are going to have words one day about her running off into the wilderness without any money and leaving her belonging on the coach. Because that was all pretty stupid and not really worthy of Jane). Quinn's grief is crippling and real, and this (as many of the reviewers pointed out on the cover) gives depth and texture to what could otherwise be passed off as chick-lit fluff.

I loved Quinn's mother - wise, feisty, suffering her grief in private, but clearly a woman who knows how to have her fun, and knows her daughter very well. Sage didn't convince me - he seemed pretty dull. What did Quinn see in him? His mother is terrible, truly awful, but there is a beautiful moment towards the end which does eventually endear her to the reader. His father, Quinn's, is absent, although for very different reasons, and I think Rowley didn't particularly want Sage's father to contend with the strength of the void left by Quinn's father's death. I struggled with most of the minor characters - Kayla was too extreme, Avery too pale - I didn't really understand why Quinn would be friends with them. Quinn's brother Michael was very interesting and I was sorry not to see more of him in the plot.

Rowley has chosen a particularly unusual period of life about which to write - I am far more used to "getting the guy" being the resolution of the story. We follow Quinn from near-commitment to actual commitment and it permits us to live her doubts, her fears - all those emotions that brides-to-be are supposed to suffer through, but silently.

All in all, a very enjoyable read, most commendable as a debut, and I hope to read plenty more of Rowley's writing (not just on her blog!) B.419

I was given an ARC of this novel by the publisher, Avon, an imprint of Harper Collins.

Life After Yes chronicles the emotions that overwhelm Prudence Quinn O’Malley, a 27 year-old Manhattan attorney, after she accepts her boyfriend Sage’s marriage proposal. Her anxieties about what her “yes” will mean for the rest of her life are played out amidst her struggle to reconcile the loss of her father a year earlier in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Along the way we meet her friends, one of whom is a fellow lawyer with a brash exterior that hides massive insecurities, and the other, an eternal optimist pursuing her own conventional dreams of happily ever after. Her friends play to the dueling aspects of Quinn’s personality that, all truth be told, are most ly present in us all: the prudent, careful nature that can keep us tied to jobs we don’t or partners who are not all what we had hoped for, and the competing inclination to take a risk and move into unfamiliar territory that can allow us to find happiness in unexpected ways. Rounding out the cast of characters are Quinn’s wisecracking personal trainer, old flames, assorted partners and associates at Quinn’s firm, and members of both their families, including the image of Quinn’s father that the reader gains from her recollections. As the novel progresses, the reader is introduced to the world of big firm lawyering with all its warts and the genteel South that is Sage’s home, and made aware (if he or she was not already) of the peculiar pull that the world of technology has on this generation, as personified by the ubiquitous blackberry.

I have to admit that when I received this book I was afraid that I might not be able to relate to Quinn and her “issues” given that I am technically old enough to be her mother, although my daughter is only beginning college. While I have no doubt that those of Quinn’s generation and younger will find much to identify with in Ms. Rowley‘s sharp and well-written dialogue, I was a little skeptical for myself. Much to my pleasant surprise, however, I enjoyed Life After Yes, in large part due to Ms. Rowley’s insightful depictions of the emotions experienced by Quinn’s mother and future mother-in-law at the prospect of the impending marriage. Without revealing too much of the story, there is a passage toward the end of the novel in which Quinn’s future mother-in-law opens up in a way that will powerfully resonate with any mother out there who has experienced on some level letting go of her child. As well, Quinn’s inability at times to decipher what is right for her is not limited to her generation, as I daresay that there are few among us who have not felt at one time or another that we may be on the wrong road. Finally, I appreciated that Ms. Rowley remained true to her characters by resisting the escape of a happily ever after ending.

If you’re looking for a summer read that is above and beyond the type of books that show up on “best beach read” lists, I would try Life After Yes.



read-in-2010 Jael467 6

After years together, he surprises you with a romantic getaway!! What are his intentions? Could this be the moment? Yes it is!! While in Paris he melts your heart with a romantic proposal!! You scream out "Yes!!" You're living in the moment. You are filled with euphoria!! Now what do you do? That's question haunting Prudence "Quinn" O'Malley in Life After Yes by Aidan Donnelley Rowley.

Quinn is a young, modern Manhattan attorney struggling in the aftermath of the death of her father on Sept. 11. We never meet her father, but he plays a pivotal role throughout the book. She seems to have it all. A fiance, her own apartment and what a lot of us long for -- NO STUDENT LOAN DEBT. After that romantic Paris proposal from her fiance Sage McIntyre, Quinn has a rather strange dream. A dream that she will constantly analyze. The dream takes place in a courtroom with white handcuffs, three grooms, including a former boyfriend, her deceased father, her mother and brother Michael, Britney Spears and Nietzsche. Is this dream an omen? Is happiness attainable for Quinn when her mind is full of doubts?

Is Sage the one? Or was it her former boyfriend Phelps? Perhaps Quinn is taking it too seriously her friend Kayla said, "All of a sudden you're a believer? You think psychic powers are tingled during REM?" Quinn finds many ways to drown out her thoughts and grief, mostly with alcohol. Alcohol is the one vice Sage wishes Quinn could give up. No chance of that happening as long as he continues to be a 'Mama's Boy.' As a lawyer she is constantly analyzing everything, making Quinn question if that's the way she will be forever. Alcohol isn't Quinn's only crutch, there is also a flirtation with another man, a betrayal and ...... bacon! Yes bacon cooked by Sage seems to cure all ills.

Quinn's love of bacon is one of the many moments of levity in the book. A little salty snack to forget the day's troubles. What's wrong with that? Her friend Kayla, also a lawyer, never met a drink she didn't . One minute Kayla is the life of the party and the next she is passed out drunk. From the subject matter, one might think that Life After Yes is just another chick lit novel. I don't think it is. Not everyone can relate to Quinn's character. Right off the bat I can tell she is in a different tax bracket than most people, including me. But Rowley has created a character that is very relatable. Quinn, everyone in life, is flawed. She doubts her decisions, and then wonders if it was a mistake. Quinn also wonders if she even has the right to be happy. Does she deserve Sage? All questions that we ask in our own lives.

Rating: Superb

Notes: I received a copy of Life After Yes from the publisher at the request of the author's publicist. To learn more about Aidan Donnelley Rowley visit her blog: http://www.ivyleagueinsecurities.com/ Peyton92 16

Actually a 3.5, but the writing was too lovely to just give it 3.

I have to say, this book is COMPLETELY outside my usual genres; I'm a follower of the author's blog, and mostly picked it up in support of her. In general, I find this genre (dramatic contemporary fiction) to have a much more pessimistic view of reality than I am generally willing to take (I'm a realist with optimistic leanings, and PMS aside, I don't to focus on the negative).

I love her writing style. There are passages when Quinn philosophizes that are beautiful and touching. The descriptions are just incredible at times. I am insanely curious to see how Rowley grows as a writer.

I had a very hard time connecting with the character. I completely don't understand the work-hard-party-hard lifestyle, but if Quinn isn't at work, then she's halfway through her second bottle of some wine or another (at what point does that become alcoholism?). The swearing gets to me (I was kind of shocked at how easily and often the f-word is dropped, just because Rowley doesn't swear). There is a raw—bordering-on-raunchiness that I general try to avoid in my reading. There are definitely moments where I feel her pain—for instance, her terror when her building gets evacuated during a bomb threat (Quinn lost her father 6 months prior in the 9-11 attacks) is palpable and at that point I did ache for her, and her recounting of the first anniversary of the 9-11 attacks certainly reminded me of walking into my English class that morning. But Quinn's life is so completely antithetical to mine that I really don't understand her, and I have a hard time liking her. She grew on me as the book continued, but I was at times repulsed by her actions. I think, though, this is more my problem (or the genre's, rather) than the character's or the author's.

Very often after reading Rowley's words, both in the novel and on her blog, I am left feeling incredibly inadequate and very shallow. I wish that I could have the philosophical mental conversations that this woman constantly seems to have with herself, and I appreciated the opportunity to ponder deeply for a moment with Quinn. Really, Rowley's way with words is amazing.

I'm not sure I'll keep the novel now that I've finished. I'll probably read her next, but I doubt I'll buy it. Overall, I still prefer the lighthearted, rose-colored glasses view of people, recognizing that everyone makes mistakes but not dwelling on them, rather than the nitty-gritty of what those mistakes are and how forgivable or not I would find them in the moment.own Meg450 99

Every now and then, a novel Aidan Donnelley Rowley’s Life After Yes finds its way into my life, and it’s moments when I’m reading a book this — where I feel my own face is reflected back at me — that I experience what I can only call literary magic.

Maybe it’s that Quinn is a mere two years older than me, grappling with mortality and love and “prudence,” with safety. Maybe it’s that the book is set and firmly ensconced in New York City — and I started it on the train ride back from a long weekend there. Maybe it’s that, as I was reading last night, I had my own “Sage” napping next to me with one arm firmly around my back. And I felt happy. And safe.

Whatever it was, I’ll say this loud and proud: Life After Yes spoke to me. Shouted at me, really, in a way that I haven’t experienced with a novel in a long, long time. For all her moral issues, uncertainties, flaws, contradictions and need for direction, Quinn — or Prudence, as some know her — felt a real person. Human. Blood. She felt me.

I sped through this novel in record time, unwilling to put it down, and found myself dog-earing passage after passage about happiness, love, moving forward. Rowley’s prose was deft and poignant, always striking the perfect balance between telling and showing. Nothing is worse than a book that’s all thought and no action, a story where I’m told to care about the characters simply because it’s easier for the author.

This wasn’t that book.

What could have become a sad, maudlin tale — especially given Quinn’s emotional vulernability — became, instead, a story of perseverance, of unexpected moments of joy, of choosing happiness instead of just waiting for it to wash over you. Life After Yes also served as a big “screw you!” to conventional ideas about what our lives “should” be — filled with prudence, balance, careful thinking — and not being afraid to take the giant leaps. Those are the ones that matter.

Do I sound silly, over-the-top and way too excited about this book? Probably. But that’s just because I feel silly, over-the-top and excited just thinking about it. It’s rare to find a novel that seems to stretch its thin, cool fingers into the cockles of your heart and pull out every little thought and doubt you have in there, but Aidan Donnelley Rowley did that. For me.

Fans of women’s fiction, family dynamics, contemporary fiction, just plain good books — pick this one up. I think she’ll do that for you, too.favorites read-in-2010 sent-for-review ...more Michelle2,151 270 Read

There are some books that are important because of what they have to say. There are others that are important because of how they make one feel. While it would be easy to classify Life After Yes as a book that is meant to teach readers a bit about life and becoming an adult, the true import of it lies in its emotional pull. For, it is the type of book that is easily forgotten a day or two after finishing it but it is the emotions felt while reading it that are the only thing to linger. Readers may not be able to discuss specifics months, weeks, or even days after, but they can discuss how the book made them feel. Confusion, blissful happiness, concern, dread, anxiety, hope, love, fear, sorrow – it is all there as Quinn undergoes a massive transformation from a selfish, superficial girl into someone mature enough to move on to the next stage of adulthood.

It may be a forgettable plot, but there are some redeeming qualities to Life After Yes, not including the powerful emotional connections one feels towards Quinn. Life After Yes is remarkably well-written with a depth to it that is as welcome as it is unexpected. The philosophical discussions about becoming a grown-up are brilliant as well as eye-opening, regardless of the age of the reader. The devastation and lasting trauma from September 11th are also pitch-perfect. Quinn’s trauma will dredge up memories and the strong emotions everyone felt on that fatal day. Most importantly, Quinn is so alive. She is vibrant, massively flawed, and very real. Love her or hate her, she is a force of nature.

Life After Yes has all of the hallmarks of a cute, flippant, coming-of-age romance and does teeter on that edge several times. However, Ms. Rowley’s brilliant characterizations and stellar writing save the novel from becoming too clichéd and create something more serious and philosophical than any romance story ever is. The details behind Quinn’s journey are not as important as the impressions and emotions one gets from following her on her journey and even those are not nearly as important as the lessons one learns and can adapt for one’s own life. Colleen Turner437 111

Life After Yes is smart, literary chic-lit with all the right components: witty, imperfect characters, a dynamic backdrop and emotions that run the gammit. Anyone who reads this will find some of themselves in between the pages, whether that is good or bad. You cannot help but love the characters with all their flaws because they are all of us, living and surviving as best they can.

Prudence Quinn O'Malley is a smart, slightly self-absorbed Upper Westsider who works as a lawyer and drinks for a hobby. The night after her man, Sage, proposes in Paris with a flashy ring picked out by his mother, Quinn has a dream that shakes her already brittle confidence. She worries about whether Sage is the person she wants to spend the rest of her life with or if it is even realistic to think you can have only one man in your life. As she contemplates her mama's boy fiance her ex, who she still hasn't figured out why she left, steps back into the light.

Quinn swirls around these issues in the pampered Upper West side of Manhatten shortly after the September 11th that changed all of America. This even more for Quinn since her father, the one man she seems to have no qualms about, died at the top of one of the twin towers that fell. She is afraid, confused and angry at times as she barrels towards her future. Can the flashes of happiness she has with Sage be enough to sustain her for her life? Or is the secret to that hiding in her past?

I could not help but love Quinn. Even when she was being spoiled, touchy, self-centered and overbearing I still wanted to see the best in her. I wanted to giggle with her when she was able to laugh, scold her when she was being irrational with her sometimes too patient man and slap her silly when she made choices I found beyond bad choice. She made me laugh and she made me cry. I found so much of myself in her insecurities and didn't want to leave her behind. Quinn is a character that will stay with me. She embodies the inner struggle we all have when we try, or are forced, to grow up. Don't make the mistake of passing this one up. You will not be dissapointed. Katie538

[Book: Life After Yes] is a novel full of deeply philosophical anologies and life lessons. Although its cover and summary scream "Chick Lit", the subplots dig much deeper to make the reader analyze not just the main character, but themselves.

[Author: Aidan Donnelley Rowley] does a beautiful and seamless job of interweaving profound moments into creating a wonderful plot line. The main character, Quinn, whose first name is truly Prudence, finds herself post 9/11 trying to understand the untimely and immediately loss of her father. Around the same time, she becomes engaged to Sage, in which she struggles with the thought of marriage due to the irrationality of the end of life due to 9/11 while Sage still struggles to vocalize his younger brother's unfortunate death a decade earlier. Throughout this journey to find herself again and determine if marriage is the route for her, the them of "prudence" plays repetitively throughout the book.

At one point, Rowley quotes Plato in describing love and marriage. Love was anologized as a beautiful stalk of corn and comes by us by opportunity; not wanting to be plucked in case there is a more beautiful stalk nearby. Marriage was then descirbed as picking out a suitable tree as a compromise. As Plato never picked out his stalk of corn, he at least wanted to come back with a tree.

However, learning to deal with death is an important pyschological endeavor. Sage's family was ripped apart by the death of Henry, his little brother. His family learned to never discuss the event and became distant to each other. Quinn used this lesson to interweave her father's character into her life and grew strong enough to discuss him at length.

Finally, Quinn quoted that their is a big difference between not being a bad person and being a good person. Everyone makes human errors at times and the heart needs to learn to forgive. There is no such thing as "the one", but there is an equivalent to being "the one", someone who is the match to an important symbol in your life such as "cheerios and blackberries".

This novel's subplots will continute to haunt and make the reader think far into the future. A must-read.yearof2011books Lydia LacebyAuthor 1 book62

Originally Reviewed at Novel Escapes

Rated 3.5 Star

Life After Yes is a smart read about love, family, grief and understanding that was well written, poignant and amusing at times. I appreciated some of the laugh out loud moments amidst the uncertainty and grief Quinn was dealing with and thought her father's death in the 9/11 attacks was handled well and wasn't overly depressing. This novel held many insights into love and imperfect relationships, but unfortunately I just didn't find myself connecting with Quinn as much I would have d to.

I found Quinn was too preoccupied with the gym and partying, coming across insecure and whiny at times. Maybe my age is starting to show or I'm just looking for a happier read at the moment and the fact that she wasn't sure about the man she'd just agreed to marry didn't go over well for me. I did love that she explored her concerns and questions instead of simply ignoring them as so many make the mistake and do.

I got immersed in this novel from the first few pages, enjoying the voice and story, but some flashbacks threw me. When it moved forward again after a sequence of them, I wasn't as attached or as interested as before they began and I can't quite put my finger on whether it was the flashbacks themselves, what they contained, or that I just didn't love her character when returning to the story.

The supporting cast was well developed, however I did occasionally have a hard time telling the difference between her two closest friends. I thought the character of Quinn's future mother in law, was portrayed so vividly I could picture and understand her as well as her fiance, whose changes towards the end I found interesting.

In the end, I wasn't as enthralled by this novel as I would have d, but I'll definitely check out another by Donnelley Rowley! I did a little digging and found others were much more taken by Life After Yes than I was. Check out the by Write Meg and S Krishna's Books where they rave about this novel. Danielle Morgan2 1 follower

Let me start off by saying that I have been reading Aidan's blog, http://www.ivyleagueinsecurities.com/, for about a year. She has been bookmarked from day one and I anticipate her daily blog post's, well not daily, but M-F. I have always enjoyed her posts, but they are only a couple hundred words and the topics differ. I knew she had written a book and no matter what, I was going to read it, but these days it seems that anyone and everyone is a "blogger," so expecting the world from a virgin novelist was not something I anticipated.

Boy was I shocked!

I. LOVE. LIFE. AFTER. YES!!!

I will say it again...

I. LOVE. LIFE. AFTER. YES!!!

You will be captivated from the beginning. You go on such an amazing journey with the main character, Quinn. You feel you either know or know of each and every character, even the ones who are nameless. And you will find yourself rooting for the characters. You will be taken on an emotional roller coaster, that makes you question things in your own life. And at the end you will be satisfied, but sad it is over.

This is the kind of book that great movies are made from.

And I know it is being pigeon-holed as "chick lit," but don't let that tag fool you. Most "chick lit" books are so unbelievably unrealistic (IE: The Devil Wears Prada, the Shopaholic series, Bridget Jones Diary, etc...), that you can predict what will happen three chapters in and you can in no way relate to any characters. I said above, you can relate to the characters and all their situations in one way or another. It almost seems it could be and auto-biography. Although, if "chick lit" is your thing, I have no doubt in my mind that you will definitely enjoy this book.

I am so happy Aidan quit her job and wrote this book. She is a true writer with an amazing gift. I cannot wait for her second novel!!!

Caryne107 2

I would give this 3 stars had I not read "the ramblers" by this author. In comparison, this effort pales by a large margin to the author's more recent novel. I loved "the ramblers" SO much, and because of that, was even more sorely disappointed by this book. "Life after yes" centers around a young lawyer in New York awaiting her pending nuptials. And the choice of the word "centers" is deliberate in that this main character was very self-centered, self-serving and at the same time, self-unaware. I found myself so annoyed and confused by her choices, and ultimately by the picture she portrayed of her love life and especially her fiancé. The writing of the fiancé character made him seem so pathetic and self-unaware as well. Another theme in the book was "cliche" driven..the cliche of hard work in life, balancing love..marriage, kids etc and how those cliches are mundane, boring, fake. However, the writing itself was cliche..peppering words "infungible" and "prudent" multiple times throughout. As the main character's name is Prudent, the use of that word constantly really annoyed me. The author should have respected the intelligence and insight of the readers, and realized they'd be able to intuitively know a theme was "prudence" without using that word 20 times throughout the novel.

Again, I really enjoyed the author's writing in "the ramblers" and saw bits of that style throughout, but the entire second half of the story development just left me disappointed and almost enraged. I don't want to give away spoilers, but Prudence's choices and non-omissions to herself and her fiancé were despicable.

Another theme was loss..the loss of her father, the fiance's brother and ultimately, the loss of her first love? Maybe. The death of her father was a side story infiltrating at random when it could have been explored in a more delicate and thoughtful way. Romancing the Book4,420 220

Reviewed by Angie
Book provided by the publisher for review
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

I’ll be honest – I chose to read this book based solely on the Carrie Bradshaw-esque model wearing an absolutely exquisite wedding dress; the story was just a bonus.

All of the characters in this book are overachievers, overly well off, and overly cliched, but don’t let that deter you from this book – Ms. Rowley really knows how to suck you right in and make you stay up until all hours wondering if Quinn will ever just stop trying to rationalize life and just go with the flow!

I love how flawed Quinn was. And Kayla, the quintessential rich girl who was looking for love in all the wrong places and finds it in the least ly place.

Come to think of it, there were so many supporting characters that I wish we’d heard more from {or about}. I can only hope that in future novels that some of these characters will take center stage – especially Michael, Kayla, and Avery. Especially Avery – I want to know more about her and what happened with her fiance darn it!

But I digress. More than trying to deal with the fact that she was about to become someone’s wife, Quinn is still reeling from the death of her father who had unfortunately been in one of the Twin Towers having breakfast with his Banker when the…well, you know what happened. I enjoyed the tidbits of information about Quinn’s father, but I wanted to know more about him.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book. Flawed and imperfectly emotional to read, Ms. Rowley really nailed it on the head when she wrote this book.
chick-lit contemporary KP56

This book is a hug. I've been wanting to read it for a long time; I've got a hard copy waiting in my library back in Scotland but bought the e-book last week. So glad I did.

I finished this last night and couldn't get to sleep. I kept thinking about Quinn, the narrator, and how I slid back and forth from loving her to loathing her every few pages. She's a textbook flawed narrator, but she's not unreliable; indeed, I felt in safe hands throughout. Quinn's story is multifaceted, which Rowley handled very well; Quinn is getting over the loss of her father on 9/11, the reality of having a fiancé while still wondering what life would be with an ex, and adjusting to the reality of adulthood. It's a coming-of-age story for those who came-of-age a bit later than most.

The themes of this book weave together and form heartbreaking and delightful knots throughout. The atrocities of 9/11 are handled well, and although it's an obvious theme throughout it hums in the background rather than taking over the novel, as it could have done. The book is a love letter to New York, to the ups and downs of friendships, and the utter horror that results from the fear of adulthood, acceptance, taking responsibility, and losing the freedom of youth. It is also a gentle portrait of a broken family and, indeed, a broken woman. Rowley peppers in a few twists that are slightly predictable but nonetheless work.

I gave this four stars because this book is well-crafted and thoughtful, with characters and themes that resonate. Good read indeed.
Martha84 2

I started this book a little ambivalent. I thought it was going to be another Chick-lit/"Sex in the City" clone with New York girls perpetually dissatisfied with the mostly perfect lives.

Well, it was and it wasn't. Quinn/Prudence, our heroine is leads a somewhat "only in books" . Great job, perfect boyfriend, great New York apartment, and no money worries what so ever. So, what's she got to complain about, right?

First off, she lost her beloved father in 9/11. A plot device which could have been schmaltzy or just plain gimmicky. But instead is handled with care and restraint and really does work in this story. Second, she's not a "Oh, I can't wait to get married" kind of girl and a little panicked about whether or not she's happy about it. Finally, she's not sure she's over her first love, she's not sure her fiance hasn't just cheated on her with her best friend, she's not sure she loves her career, and she's really not sure what she thinks of her future Mother-in-law.

Now, I'm not usually a big fan of books where the girl has everything but she's "just not happy" (that part should be said in a whiny voice). But, this book works. Rowley makes her main character some one to whom you can relate and all the secondary characters are believable and endearing. I ended up stating you way to late to finish which is always the sign of a good book.

I know this book just came out yet, I'm still looking forward to see what Rowley does next. Elizabeth (Thoughts From an Evil Overlord)245 75

What happens the day after the wedding? Aidan Donnelley Rowley tries to answer that question in her debut novel,Life After Yes.
While everything around Quinn seems to be perfect, inside she is still struggling with the recent death of her father on September 11, 2001. As a New Yorker, she has been touched both as a daughter and an individual, and the impact of those events have left her questioning every decision she's ever made.
Quinn's an associate in a great law firm, starting to realize that this may not be the career for her. If this choice wasn't right, who's to say that her choice of dress, wedding menu, or even husband will be right? Throughout Quinn's story, the idea of prudence, the name given to her by her parents, follows Quinn in every decision she makes.With an atypical ending in which Quinn begins to realize that some endings blur into beginnings, readers are left to wonder exactly where Quinn will end up in both her career and personal life, but we know she learned to use prudence in her decision-making.arc never-finished women-s-fiction Laura de Leon1,170 31

I was fascinated by this hard working, hard drinking young woman, who was far more obsessed with looking good on her wedding day than she was with her groom.

Quinn's groom was a sweet mama's boy, but the book wasn't really about him. I had trouble keeping Quinn's friends straight, but the book wasn't about them either. All the supporting characters (her family, her coworkers, her personal trainer/therapist) were fun and worked well enough.

The odd thing about this book was that I kept thinking that a happy ending would consist of Quinn and Sage realizing that neither of them was ready to get married-- they both needed to grow up a little. You'd think that I'd hope that they'd do that growing up, because it seems they could make a nice couple down the road, but that wasn't what I was thinking.fiction review-copy Allison4 17

Witty, smart, and beautifully written, Life After Yes is a book that brings you back to a time in your life when you were struggling to define who you are. Quinn, the main character, takes you with her on her journey to discovering who she is, mistakes, flaws and all. You will cheer for her, yell at her, and in the end, hope that maybe things will turn out alright. That she'll find happiness, however fleeting and in the moment, in her life. In fact, I think that's what we are all searching for.

My favorite thing about this book is how real it is. This isn't a fairy-tale story where everything is wrapped up perfectly in the end and everyone is happy. This is story that is as close to real life as you can get. I applaud Aidan for such an honest and true ending. Meg - A Bookish Affair2,464 197

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