Graduating college, entering adulthood. The best of times, the worst of times. For anyone who has lived through the transition from student to professional, you know it is a difficult, confusing and exciting time.

Julia and Evan met and fell in love as freshman at Yale. In their storybook college experience, they seem like the perfect couple – him a hockey player from a small town in Canada, her a beautiful blonde from a wealthy family in Massachusetts. However, their relationship begins to unravel when they are faced with the question every college senior dreads: What do you plan to do after graduation?

After graduation, the couple ends up moving in together into a small one bedroom in NYC. Evan emphatically starts working at a hedge fund right before the 2008 crash, while a less certain Julia ends up working at a family friend’s foundation.

I related to the insecurities and confusion Evan and Julia face as they begin the next chapter of their lives – starting new jobs and attempting to make it in the concrete jungle. This book brought back memories from my 22-23 year old self, trying to figure out the real world. Julia and Evan are faced with two options: grow together or grow apart, stay in the comfort of a familiar, safe relationship or take a risk on the unknown. The novel lets you in on their struggle. I particularly enjoyed that it was told from both of their perspectives, giving insight into the two sides of their story.

The Futures is a universal read – it is something a guy or girl of any age can enjoy. Pasquale originally read this book and liked it enough to recommend it to me. It is a timeless story of young love and young adulthood, one I think is worth picking up for your next read!

Pasquale’s Take:

Reading this book was like taking a trip down memory lane. It brought me back to 2011 when I learned how to juggle: a new job, a new life in NYC and an evolving relationship.

For four years, Evan and Julia lived in the same bubble at Yale – same friends, same classes, for all intents and purposes, same life. Despite living in closer proximity in NYC, they were forced to become individuals again. Each took on new journeys and responsibilities without the other. 

I especially related to Evan’s work-life balance (or lack thereof). Starting a career on Wall Street comes with a set of archaic, unwritten rules – “first in, last out”, never say “no”, no vacation the first year. You are conditioned to fall in line and not make any waves.  

While Evan and Julia made some glaring mistakes along the way, the duel-perspective prose allows the reader to find some justification in their actions. Overall, I believe this is a great coming of age novel about entering new stages of life, its challenges and opportunities.

Verdict: Read it!
Length: 320 pages
When: You want a story about the trials and tribulations of young love.
Where: Cuddled up in bed or by the pool.
Favorite Quotes: “Young love goes stale and slackens. You change, and you shed what you no longer need. It’s just part of growing up.”
Also Try: Soulmates by Jessica Grose (for a story with a different ending)

Buy The Futures HERE

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