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With Hindsight
Meeting at university, it seemed as though they had the world at their feet when Daniel and Annabel fell in love. Both ambitious and ready to take on the world neither was prepared for the way they were torn apart by forces greater than themselves.
Years later, they bump into each other and realise the flame of love has not been totally extinguished. Now a successful, rising politician, Daniel breaks away from a loveless marriage and pursues Annabel once more, desperate to prove himself to her.
Finally, permitting herself to allow him back into her heart, Annabel embraces Daniel’s love and looks forward to finding her true love at last. However, the rocky path of their lives once more threatens to destroy them both as someone else’s plans backfire and they struggle to remain strong together.
Years later, they bump into each other and realise the flame of love has not been totally extinguished. Now a successful, rising politician, Daniel breaks away from a loveless marriage and pursues Annabel once more, desperate to prove himself to her.
Finally, permitting herself to allow him back into her heart, Annabel embraces Daniel’s love and looks forward to finding her true love at last. However, the rocky path of their lives once more threatens to destroy them both as someone else’s plans backfire and they struggle to remain strong together.
ebook
First published January 1, 2013
About the author
Sonya C. Dodd
24 books46 followersSonya C. Dodd was born in Norfolk, England and still lives there today with her two sons: Hugo and Branwell.
Although Sonya has been writing for a number of years, she only recently began to publish her writing.
Sonya writes in a number of genres including: romance, supernatural and thriller. Sonya has also written a number of short stories.
Although Sonya has been writing for a number of years, she only recently began to publish her writing.
Sonya writes in a number of genres including: romance, supernatural and thriller. Sonya has also written a number of short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 17, 2013
I cannot believe how much actually happens in this book!
It's a fast paced story about Annabel and Daniel and how their lives continued with and without each other. I wasn't too sure I'd like it, but I quickly learned that I couldn't put it down.
Annabel was sweet and loving and I couldn't help put yell at Daniel for her. It is obviously how much she cares for him, and well he only seemed to care about his career and what his family thought. Deep down I wanted to root for him, but so many times I wanted to throw something at him.
Their persistence at ignoring the raging fire between them every time they encountered each other throughout the years was both admirable and heartbreaking. I found myself unable to put it down because I simply had to know if they would ever end up together…and there's no way I'm spoiling that for anyone else. You have to read it to find out.
Their story was a captivating rollercoaster of a read. And I loved every minute of it!
My Favorite Part: Rash decisions and spontaneous road trips!
It's a fast paced story about Annabel and Daniel and how their lives continued with and without each other. I wasn't too sure I'd like it, but I quickly learned that I couldn't put it down.
Annabel was sweet and loving and I couldn't help put yell at Daniel for her. It is obviously how much she cares for him, and well he only seemed to care about his career and what his family thought. Deep down I wanted to root for him, but so many times I wanted to throw something at him.
Their persistence at ignoring the raging fire between them every time they encountered each other throughout the years was both admirable and heartbreaking. I found myself unable to put it down because I simply had to know if they would ever end up together…and there's no way I'm spoiling that for anyone else. You have to read it to find out.
Their story was a captivating rollercoaster of a read. And I loved every minute of it!
My Favorite Part: Rash decisions and spontaneous road trips!
September 6, 2013
As I read “With Hindsight” by Sonya Dodd, the journey of her protagonist, a young woman named Annabel, reminded me of these lyrics by Bering Strait, “And you know that you've been gone, a little bit too long when going home, feels like moving on.” As Annabel boards the plane to go visit her native England after an eight-year-long successful journalism career in New York, she probably feels exactly the same way. And, of course, her trip is not defined just by business interests. Her main concern is the possibility of meeting Daniel, a man she used to love those long eight years ago. And just like the song says, Annabel wants to move on with her life, find her own love and life independent of Daniel, and she hopes that this journey back home after a long absence will enable her to move on.
From the very first pages of this novel, the characters are portrayed in an interesting and engaging way. And neither is what they appear at first sight. When Annabel meets Daniel for the first time, he comes across as wealthy and powerful, but that power is deceptive. His life is ruled by his family, his social status, and the wealth that he has to maintain by making decisions based on his parents’ will, not his own. Annabel comes from a much more modest background, but she is strong and indene pent. Almost immediately, the two are drawn to each other, in what becomes a passionate yet complicated relationship.
The story is interesting and well-written, complete with descriptions of romantic settings, heartfelt emotions, love, and heartbreak. The alternating viewpoints, Daniel’s and Annabel’s, used throughout the story, give in an extra layer of depth and psychological meaning. A fun and engaging read!
From the very first pages of this novel, the characters are portrayed in an interesting and engaging way. And neither is what they appear at first sight. When Annabel meets Daniel for the first time, he comes across as wealthy and powerful, but that power is deceptive. His life is ruled by his family, his social status, and the wealth that he has to maintain by making decisions based on his parents’ will, not his own. Annabel comes from a much more modest background, but she is strong and indene pent. Almost immediately, the two are drawn to each other, in what becomes a passionate yet complicated relationship.
The story is interesting and well-written, complete with descriptions of romantic settings, heartfelt emotions, love, and heartbreak. The alternating viewpoints, Daniel’s and Annabel’s, used throughout the story, give in an extra layer of depth and psychological meaning. A fun and engaging read!
September 12, 2013
Romance, love, emotional turmoil
With Hindsight by Sonya C. Dodd
I was given a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
With Hindsight is a moving tale about Annabel and her love for Daniel, which turns out to be filled with complications.
The author weaves the words of the book in a way to capture the reader's attention from start to finish.
It is nicely written and full of the necessary elements to draw a reader inside.
Romance, love, emotional turmoil, twists and deep though makes this a very enjoyable read.
A wonderful 5*****
With Hindsight by Sonya C. Dodd
I was given a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
With Hindsight is a moving tale about Annabel and her love for Daniel, which turns out to be filled with complications.
The author weaves the words of the book in a way to capture the reader's attention from start to finish.
It is nicely written and full of the necessary elements to draw a reader inside.
Romance, love, emotional turmoil, twists and deep though makes this a very enjoyable read.
A wonderful 5*****
October 12, 2013
With Hindsight, by Sonya Dodd, is a story about Annabel and Daniel, who meet in college. With a fine hand, Ms. Dodd weaves a love story, including elements of family dynamics and parents' expectations, politics, and journeys of time and distance.
Ms. Dodd is a master storyteller. Her imagination and writing style remind me of Danielle Steele. Allow her to pull you into her world of With Hindsight. You'll be glad you did.
Ms. Dodd is a master storyteller. Her imagination and writing style remind me of Danielle Steele. Allow her to pull you into her world of With Hindsight. You'll be glad you did.
September 26, 2013
My first thoughts as I started reading this were that With Hindsight was a modern take on Pride and Prejudice. I don't deny it bears some similarities in the beginning, but rest assured that this story is more like the films Love Actually or Notting Hill.
It's a lovely, sweet story - though it's not all sunshine and roses. I guess in a way, both Daniel and Annabel were their own worst enemies, with their personal insecurities in the opening scene causing trouble for both of them throughout the story. Of course, it wasn't all navel-gazing - there were exterior threats to their relationship, too.
Not usually a big fan of romance, this book is definitely the kind of romance I like - without the clichéd tingling and exploration of what the heroine is feeling every moment her love interest is near or touches her, the attraction between Daniel and Annabel is still clear throughout the book.
If the story has a flaw, I'd say it's that I don't particularly like both the main characters as people. Annabel seems to switch from confident and independent to utterly lost and back again at precisely the wrong times, whilst Daniel could be really considerate one minute and an absolute prick the next. Admittedly, as the story progressed, I found I felt sorry for them both being such awkward people and feared that they'd never reach a happy outcome. No, I won't spoil the ending for you - I'll only say that it was well-constructed.
This is the second of Dodd's books I've read and definitely the better of the two - I'm inclined to seek out a few more in the near future.
It's a lovely, sweet story - though it's not all sunshine and roses. I guess in a way, both Daniel and Annabel were their own worst enemies, with their personal insecurities in the opening scene causing trouble for both of them throughout the story. Of course, it wasn't all navel-gazing - there were exterior threats to their relationship, too.
Not usually a big fan of romance, this book is definitely the kind of romance I like - without the clichéd tingling and exploration of what the heroine is feeling every moment her love interest is near or touches her, the attraction between Daniel and Annabel is still clear throughout the book.
If the story has a flaw, I'd say it's that I don't particularly like both the main characters as people. Annabel seems to switch from confident and independent to utterly lost and back again at precisely the wrong times, whilst Daniel could be really considerate one minute and an absolute prick the next. Admittedly, as the story progressed, I found I felt sorry for them both being such awkward people and feared that they'd never reach a happy outcome. No, I won't spoil the ending for you - I'll only say that it was well-constructed.
This is the second of Dodd's books I've read and definitely the better of the two - I'm inclined to seek out a few more in the near future.
September 29, 2013
Now, THIS is my kind of romance novel. This book was perfectly paced for me. Descriptions relative to where the characters were and what they were doing were not overdone, and the love scenes were not mired down in graphic detail. Everything flowed perfectly for me, so much so, I read it completely through in one sitting!
Daniel and Annabel's situation was believable to me, and the actions they took considering the positions they were in were spot on. Annabel is bright and driven, and I admired her for the decisions she made, even though her heart told her otherwise at times. Daniel, on the other hand, was not one that got much sympathy from me. True, in the beginning, he was certainly the guy every young woman would want falling for them. Attentive, very considerate, and the way he made a couple of her dreams come true, was touching to say the least. But, he could afford to, and I wanted to wring his neck for knowing full well that he had to eventually break her heart.
Daniel goes through a long period of misery, however- self-imposed, if you ask me- so I'd say he got his due, and I somewhat forgave him. I'm not so sure I would have trusted my heart to him again, if I had been Annabel, but, you know what they say about love...I liked the ending, as well, and I think the last few pages of the book really showed how much they had both grown.
Simply put, I loved this story, and I think the author did a superb job handling all aspects of it. I'll certainly be reading more from her.
Daniel and Annabel's situation was believable to me, and the actions they took considering the positions they were in were spot on. Annabel is bright and driven, and I admired her for the decisions she made, even though her heart told her otherwise at times. Daniel, on the other hand, was not one that got much sympathy from me. True, in the beginning, he was certainly the guy every young woman would want falling for them. Attentive, very considerate, and the way he made a couple of her dreams come true, was touching to say the least. But, he could afford to, and I wanted to wring his neck for knowing full well that he had to eventually break her heart.
Daniel goes through a long period of misery, however- self-imposed, if you ask me- so I'd say he got his due, and I somewhat forgave him. I'm not so sure I would have trusted my heart to him again, if I had been Annabel, but, you know what they say about love...I liked the ending, as well, and I think the last few pages of the book really showed how much they had both grown.
Simply put, I loved this story, and I think the author did a superb job handling all aspects of it. I'll certainly be reading more from her.
October 10, 2013
This review is written by Nic's wife.
This one didn't really resonate with me. There were some places where the writing was very tight, but it was undermined by the rushed pacing of the opening and middle. There were aspects of Daniel's personality that didn't feel fleshed out past what was necessary as a plot point, and chunks of their earliest courtship- which should grab you and make you believe in that couple- were summed up as "they talked like old friends." It was pretty cleanly presented, but I found myself distracted by a few errors: broken quotation marks, passive voice, confusing use of pronouns. Not that there were a lot, just that there was enough of that to weigh the writing down in places. It probably won't distract you as much; I've been swamped in editing and beta reading for months, and I'm not sure that part of the brain ever turns off now. I know this is really splitting hairs- but it bugged me that when Annabel is talking to an American character, that character still uses British lingo.
It's a sweet romance story, though, and if you're in the mood for star-crossed but normal lovers, you'll enjoy it, despite its flaws.
December 29, 2014
Free book for honest review. juliesbookreview.blogspot.com
This is a beautiful live story about Daniel and Annabel who meet at a university and fall headlong into love. They aren't together very long and unstoppable forces tear them apart. As they go on with their lives and both of their careers rising, its quite a few years before they see each other at an event and realize that their love for each other is still there. Due to past circumstances and heartbreak Annabel turns away from Daniel. They go back to their lives, Annabel continues to do her work, while Daniel hors through his divorce, but he still seeks the approval and live of Annabel.
I absolutely love this book! It started off very slow but drew me in quick. This is how all love stories should be! The only thing I had trouble with is the characters being sure and independent one minute and looking for approval the next.
Overall I give it 4.5 stars!
(But only because of the abrupt ending...i wanted it to continue on!!!)
Bridgette
This is a beautiful live story about Daniel and Annabel who meet at a university and fall headlong into love. They aren't together very long and unstoppable forces tear them apart. As they go on with their lives and both of their careers rising, its quite a few years before they see each other at an event and realize that their love for each other is still there. Due to past circumstances and heartbreak Annabel turns away from Daniel. They go back to their lives, Annabel continues to do her work, while Daniel hors through his divorce, but he still seeks the approval and live of Annabel.
I absolutely love this book! It started off very slow but drew me in quick. This is how all love stories should be! The only thing I had trouble with is the characters being sure and independent one minute and looking for approval the next.
Overall I give it 4.5 stars!
(But only because of the abrupt ending...i wanted it to continue on!!!)
Bridgette
September 29, 2013
With Hindsight is the type of love story that will give you that nice escape we all crave from reading. Honestly, I could feel the characters' happiness as well as their sadness. The two main characters went through so many obstacles throughout their lives.
I've always been a sucker for a good love story, especially the kind that tests their love as years pass by. For me, their first goodbye was a tear jerker. And I could completely relate to all of the emotions they both were going through.
I loved how strong Annabel was. I like strong female characters. She was focused and not the type that would keep feeling sorry for herself.
I also enjoyed watching Daniel mature. Even though his love was always very strong for her, he just didn't know how to stand up for her. As the years passed, he realized he let go of the one thing that mattered the most.
The author does a fantastic job at telling this story- a story where their love is put through the test of time.
I've always been a sucker for a good love story, especially the kind that tests their love as years pass by. For me, their first goodbye was a tear jerker. And I could completely relate to all of the emotions they both were going through.
I loved how strong Annabel was. I like strong female characters. She was focused and not the type that would keep feeling sorry for herself.
I also enjoyed watching Daniel mature. Even though his love was always very strong for her, he just didn't know how to stand up for her. As the years passed, he realized he let go of the one thing that mattered the most.
The author does a fantastic job at telling this story- a story where their love is put through the test of time.
October 4, 2013
Gosh I loved this novel. It was easily as intriguing and captivating as a good Katie Fforde. I honestly didn't mean to read it in one go, but actually couldn't help myself. The two main characters seem to hit and miss continually throughout the plot with well timed disasters and miscommunications that were both plausible and suitably frustrating for the reader. Some of the scenarios made me want to shout and bang their heads together. A great ending is imperative for a novel of this genre and it was in serious doubt, not happening as expected but fantastic because of that.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and actually feel exhausted, like I have read non stop for about 5 hours - which is probably because I have!
I thoroughly enjoyed it and actually feel exhausted, like I have read non stop for about 5 hours - which is probably because I have!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews