Preview

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Before

By: Anna Todd
Narrated by: Shane East, Jason Carpenter, Grace Grant
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.49

Buy for $19.49

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Book five of the After series - Anna Todd's Wattpad fanfiction that racked up one billion views online and captivated romance fans across the globe! As told by Hardin and other characters, Before will explore the hero's life before he met Tessa, reveal what happens after After, give you new insights on their turbulent romance - and revel in the awesome power of true love. #HESSA

©2015 Anna Todd. All rights reserved. (P)2015 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Featured Article: Listen Before You Watch—The Biggest Page-to-Screen Adaptations in Fall/Winter 2022


It’s not just crunchy leaves and cozy vibes that autumn brings. This fall and winter, television and movie fans also have a lot to look forward to, with major page-to-screen adaptations slated from streaming and theatrical releases. So, as your next listen, consider tuning in to the original works that have inspired what are sure to be our new book-to-movie and book-to-television obsessions.

What listeners say about Before

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,310
  • 4 Stars
    222
  • 3 Stars
    80
  • 2 Stars
    25
  • 1 Stars
    15
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,193
  • 4 Stars
    165
  • 3 Stars
    55
  • 2 Stars
    12
  • 1 Stars
    5
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,134
  • 4 Stars
    173
  • 3 Stars
    73
  • 2 Stars
    25
  • 1 Stars
    17

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

loved it..

I have read the entire After series, & always felt it needed more... for the story must go on! as they say lol. this gave it that much needed closure from Hardin's perspective....
thank you ❤️

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love! Love! Love!

A great book to close out the series and all the other character's stories! A must read!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best book of the series.

It really gave you a whole new perspective of hardins life before and after Tessa.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome

Loved ! Enjoyed getting to know the individual characters stories a little better and see things from Hardin's point of view

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

New POV’s

With the previous 4 books we’ve all fallen in love with #HESSA’s unlikely love story. But the good girl falling for the bad boy is so hackneyed and cliché that the reader is left wondering, ‘How many times can I read this same trope?’. And again, the only reason it works is that our star-crossed lovers both are especially good looking and have exceptional and sustained passion and prowess in bed.
H revels in T’s virginal purity in the most nauseating and hypocritical way, being the scumbag that he’s always been; taciturn, sarcastic and degrading everyone in his path of emotional destruction. It’s pretty hard to have any sympathy for him until we hear his back story in his own words.
And that’s what redeems the whole novel.
For the most part, their story has been largely told from either Tessa’s or a neutral POV. Now it’s time for Hardin to explain himself. His sadistic and cold indifference. His violent outbursts. His choice of company or lack thereof.
We want to believe he and his band of brooding, menacing companions are the way they are because of some terrifyingly bad breaks in life. And although this is to a good extent explored, lots of people have had it pretty damn tough and don’t resort to bullying and raging against everybody and everything all the time. But, there is still a lot to like in this author’s tale. The dialogue is realistic and the narrative flows so well that one can almost forgive all the recycled themes.
Particularly rewarding is hearing first person from many of the auxiliary characters as well: Christian Vance, Landon and Smith. Even Zed has his say. (Wishing Zed could have had a larger part!)
My greatest disappointments were the double standard perpetuated for males vs. females (eye roll); The repetition of the ludicrous fallacy of simultaneous organisms (pull-ease! just stop already with this unreasonable expectation! Men feel like failures if this doesn’t occur and women feel obligated to fake-fake-fake! How many times do the sex therapists have to explain this? Can’t believe this gaping flaw is penned by a female. Sheesh.); The idea that college is one big party with so little studying and cramming and late nights involved. If it was such a cinch everyone would do it; Later one has to suspend disbelief when H and T are living in separate cities for what 2 years(?) and maintaining exclusivity. (Serious side-eye here.)
Other cringe worthy details are fairly minor, such as the propensity for Tessa to overdecorate and the oversized neon painting of their children In Their Bedroom (Hell No!)
And OMG, Hardin allowing Disney sheets on his child’s bed or anything Disney in his house at all?! (Unlikely and not at all in keeping with his distain for anything pop-culture. BTW, I happen to agree with him 1,000% on this).
Lastly, I’m not seeing Hardin as the ‘Man-Bun’ type. Long hair, OK……but an updo? I say Nope! Updon’t.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great book

my favorite in the series but I love them all. Anna is a wonderful writer.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Sigh…..

I want their love story I know it had rough moments but that’s what made the other moments so beautiful and erotic I only wish (not to ruin it but the ending was her planning her own)
But that is not who they are and this makes them so special.
What a fantastic series Geeze it ties with 50 Shades just in a different way one more relatable maybe?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

BB

Absolutely adored this series. This was a wonderful addition to finish it off. I just loved it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Good End

Good Read. Voice doesn't match Hardin. Thats the only negative. Appreciate that the author incorporates all supporting characters story line. Its a great bonus.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

awesomely satisfied

was very happy to see Hardin's perspective of everything that happened. I had a few questions and they were answered. I'm happy the way things turned out for them it was a great read/listen. I'm happy it turned out to be a beautiful disaster turned love rules all type of books. I didnt care for the back track to the first book but I kind of get it. but it was like reading the "after" all over again in alot of ways. this was a awesome series and I'm happy I read/listened to all of them. it only took 4 days for 5 books 😉

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!