Jenny Han answers our questions to ALWAYS AND FOREVER, LARA JEAN the last book in the All the Boys I’ve Loved trilogy in a recent Q&A!
Jenny Han author of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy, spills all the beans to the last book in the trilogy, Always and Forever, Lara Jean. She talks about wanting to put a full story to the main character Lara Jean.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is about a girl who writes letters to all the guys she had a crushes on, but never sends. However, they are mysteriously sent out one day and all she can do is face the consequences. Lara Jean, the main character discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.
Check out what Han has to say about the last book, Always and Forever, Lara Jean in a Q&A with Publishers Weekly.
How long did it take to write Always and Forever, Lara Jean in comparison to the first two books?
It took a year. To All the Boys, I’d been working on off and on for years—I think I first had the idea maybe five or six years ago, and I would work on it in between the Burn for Burn trilogy I co-wrote with Siobhan Vivian. I had the least amount of time to work on P.S. I Still Love You, because it was a sequel and it came out a year after the first book
You did not originally plan for Lara Jean’s story to span three books; in fact, the third book was a happy surprise for many readers. Why did you decide to write a third installment? Are you certain this is the end to her story?
I did only intend to write two books. I’ve always thought of the first two books as two halves of a heart, but, when I was starting my next book, I kept thinking about Lara Jean and what would happen next. There were things that couldn’t fit in P.S. I Still Love You that could be explored in a third book.
Ultimately, I want readers to feel satisfied with the trilogy as a whole. I think of Always and Forever, Lara Jean as dessert. I want it to be enjoyable.
How does it feel to be leaving Lara Jean behind after telling her story for so many years?
This time around, it doesn’t feel too sad, because I thought I was saying good bye two years ago. This just feels like a bonus.
In the previous books, the central romantic relationship between Lara Jean and Peter was primarily challenged by other potential partners. In this third book, things have shifted. Can you speak about this shift?
In many ways, I think Lara Jean and Peter face a bigger challenge in Always and Forever, Lara Jean. When two people love each other but are challenged by life and circumstances, rather than other people, that’s a harder pill to swallow. Every choice leads you somewhere, but it might not be where you truly want to be if the decision is based on someone else. It could lead to regrets and what ifs, but that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t still have valuable experiences.
Did you conduct any research while writing Always and Forever, Lara Jean?
Yes. I wanted Lara Jean and Peter’s transition to college to feel very realistic. I visited the University of Virginia campus and spoke to a lacrosse player to better understand Peter’s experience. It doesn’t feel realistic when every character goes to Harvard or Brown, especially when there are often so many excellent state schools to consider. I wanted to be truthful to that experience.
Check out the full interview here.
Always and Forever, Lara Jean arrives in stores May 2nd, but you can pre-order the book