Endless Love by Scott Spencer, first published in 1979, is a psychological drama that delves into teenage love’s obsessive and destructive nature. Spencer, an American novelist known for exploring intense human emotions and relationships, crafts a story centered around David Axelrod, a young man whose all-consuming love for Jade Butterfield leads to tragic and life-altering events. The novel examines themes such as The Destructive Nature of Love, Dysfunctional Family Dynamics, and The Construct of Mental Health Conditions. Endless Love was critically acclaimed and nominated for a National Book Award. It was adapted into a film in 1981 starring Brooke Shields and Martin Hewitt, and the 2014 remake stars Alex Pettyfer and Gabriella Wilde.

This guide references the 2010 Ecco e-book edition.

Content Warning: The source material and this guide feature depictions of stalking, mental health conditions, substance misuse, sexual assault, arson, and imprisonment, as well as references to incest and suicide. In addition, the source text uses offensive racist language.

Plot Summary

The narrator and protagonist, David Axelrod, recounts the events of Endless Love as if writing a letter to his ex-girlfriend, Jade Butterfield. The story begins with David recalling the fateful night when, at 17 years old, he set fire to the Butterfields’ home in a desperate attempt to rekindle his relationship with Jade after her father, Hugh, banned him from the house.

Driven by obsessive feelings for Jade, David walks to the Butterfields’ house, intending to make a grand gesture that he believes will win him back into the family’s good graces. He sets fire to some newspapers on the Butterfields’ porch, planning to stage a heroic rescue. The fire begins small, and David initially runs a few blocks away, intending to walk back slowly and fabricate a story that he stumbled upon the fire while out for a walk. However, when he returns, the fire has grown out of control, and the entire family remains trapped inside.

David manages to drag out Jade’s younger brother, Sammy. He then finds Jade, who reveals that the whole family is high on LSD and cannot see clearly. As they attempt to crawl out the back door, Jade’s mother, Ann, suddenly recalls that her eldest son, Keith, is still upstairs. David tries to save Keith but finds himself physically unable to do so. Ultimately, Hugh rescues both Keith and David.

At the hospital, David confesses to setting the fire, leading to a prolonged legal battle. The court eventually rules that David is “psychologically irresponsible,” sentencing him to a psychiatric hospital. David’s parents, Rose and Arthur, secure a place for him at a well-respected private hospital called Rockville. There, David spends his days writing long letters to Jade, which he never sends, and isolates himself from the world. Although his initial sentence is for only one year, it takes three years before David is deemed stable enough to return home.

Upon his release, David returns to his parents’ apartment but struggles to reintegrate into society. He becomes fixated on his letters to Jade, which were used as evidence in court but are now missing. One night, David steals Arthur’s keys and some money, breaking into his father’s office to retrieve the letters.

As David adjusts to his new life, he enrolls in college courses, takes a job with a clothing union, attends therapy twice a week, and meets with his parole officer weekly. Despite these efforts to lead a balanced life, David remains obsessed with finding the Butterfields. In his free time, he reads through phone books in the library, searching for any contact information that might lead him back to them. David’s home life is also fraught as Rose and Arthur’s relationship is deteriorating. Although Arthur once loved Rose deeply, years of her withholding love and affection have taken their toll, leading him to fall in love with someone else—an ailing African American court stenographer named Barbara Sherwood.

Eventually, David moves into his own apartment while Arthur moves in with Barbara, with David’s blessing. Free from his parents’ observation, David calls the numbers he found in the library. He first contacts Ann, leading to an exchange of letters between them. However, when David attempts to reach out to Keith, he meets a cold, antagonistic response, and a letter to Sammy goes unanswered.

Meanwhile, Hugh is determined to reopen the case against David, believing he was not adequately punished for his crimes. In defiance of his parole, David buys a ticket to New York City, where he meets Ann for dinner. She attempts to seduce him, though he has remained celibate since his last encounter with Jade. Embarrassed by David’s refusal, Ann goes to bed. Before she wakes, David copies Jade’s contact information from her address book.

As David wanders around New York City, Hugh and his new wife, Ingrid, spot him unexpectedly. In a reckless attempt to confront him, Hugh crosses a busy street and is struck by a car, dying on impact. When the police arrive, David slips away from the scene. Later, David meets with Ann, who has received a call from Ingrid. To avoid suspicion, Ann has David pretend to be her boyfriend, “Tony.” After Ingrid leaves, David returns to find Ann devastated by the news of Hugh’s death.

A few days later, Ann asks David to join the family in mourning. While Ann and Sammy are cordial toward him, Keith remains openly hostile. He accuses David of trying to kill him in the fire and attempts to start a physical altercation. David, realizing the futility of the situation, leaves the house. As he is about to leave, he encounters Jade, and the two share a heartfelt hug. Later, Jade visits David in his hotel room, where they talk about their past and eventually have sex. They rekindle their relationship, and David accompanies Jade back to Stoughton, Vermont, where she attends college. David integrates himself into Jade’s life, building relationships with her friends and finding work.

When Jade visits her family on the anniversary of the fire, David decides to call home for the first time since his departure. His conversation with Rose and Arthur is tense. Shortly after hanging up, Rose calls back, informing David that Arthur has had a heart attack. David immediately returns to Chicago to visit his father in the hospital. However, when Rose reveals that David’s parole officer has called the house, David panics and decides to leave the hospital. In a moment of desperation, he grabs Rose hard enough to hurt her before fleeing.

In Stoughton, David finds himself locked out of Jade’s apartment. Jade, having learned about David’s involvement in Hugh’s death, is no longer willing to continue their relationship. David tries to break into the apartment, but Jade threatens to harm herself if he does not leave. That night, David sleeps in the dog kennel outside, only to be arrested the following morning after Jade calls the police.

David spends three months in prison before being transferred back to Rockville, where he remains for five years. Initially, David appears to be progressing in his treatment, but after learning that Jade has married someone else, he falls back into destructive behavior patterns. Rockville decides that David is too disruptive to their therapeutic community and transfers him to a state hospital called Fox Run, where the staff uses drugs and violence to subdue the patients.

Arthur passes away, and David is eventually discharged from the program. He finds it difficult to reintegrate into society. Despite knowing that he will never see Jade again, David remains consumed by thoughts of her, unable to move on from the past that continues to haunt him.