What do you think?
Rate this book
Hannah
Hannah meets Philip Turner when she is only fourteen. He is twenty-one. Philip is very much attracted to the young girl with the blonde hair and shapely figure, and Hannah quickly becomes infatuated with him.
Hannah believes Philip is in love with her, and so, when he promises to look after her, and give her the future she deserves, she has no reason not to believe him.
They marry when Hannah is sixteen and pregnant with their first child.
Hannah soon realises that Philip has deceived her, and that he is not the man she believed him to be. She finds herself trapped inside a marriage, where she is regularly beaten and abused.
Seven and a half years later, Hannah realises things will never get any better, and that she needs to escape, in an attempt to save herself, her children, and her sanity.
But there is the real danger that, if she leaves, Philip might carry out his threat: to hunt her down and kill her, if she were to ever leave him.
Hannah believes Philip is in love with her, and so, when he promises to look after her, and give her the future she deserves, she has no reason not to believe him.
They marry when Hannah is sixteen and pregnant with their first child.
Hannah soon realises that Philip has deceived her, and that he is not the man she believed him to be. She finds herself trapped inside a marriage, where she is regularly beaten and abused.
Seven and a half years later, Hannah realises things will never get any better, and that she needs to escape, in an attempt to save herself, her children, and her sanity.
But there is the real danger that, if she leaves, Philip might carry out his threat: to hunt her down and kill her, if she were to ever leave him.
264 pages, Paperback
Published August 26, 2021
2 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 22, 2022
A powerful read - goodness and love battling to bud and grow in a bleak and abusive environment. It is no wonder that spring is Hannah’s favourite season - a young woman trying to enjoy the spring of her own adulthood.
I had high hopes for Hannah and no hope for Phillip - I was not disappointed with either.
This is a story as much about bad parenting, as it is about strong, loving parenting.
I love the narrator’s voice - this is an author who speaks from the heart and I guess with some experience.
A great read.
I had high hopes for Hannah and no hope for Phillip - I was not disappointed with either.
This is a story as much about bad parenting, as it is about strong, loving parenting.
I love the narrator’s voice - this is an author who speaks from the heart and I guess with some experience.
A great read.
August 13, 2022
A traumatic tale with the ring of reality about it, concerning how easy it is to get into an abusive marriage and how difficult to get out. Hannah suffers abuse of the worst kind, both physical and mental, yet is trauma-bonded to her abuser—which will make it difficult to start again, should she manage to escape. Set well back into the 20th century though Hannah’s story is, we still see far too much of this over a fifth of the way into the 21st. A wince-worthy read which, like the abusive husband, doesn’t pull any punches.
May 15, 2022
This book had me hooked right from page one and I thoroughly enjoyed it although it is a sad and moving tale about a young girl who marries an abusive man. An inspirational and compelling story which I recommend.
February 17, 2025
Raw Tearjerker
Told over a 20 year period from the 1970s to the 1990s this starts off with a 14 year old Hannah meeting Philip. At 21 he’s a great deal older but doesn’t quell the love they have for each other. Or what Hannah thinks is love. But then just before she is 16 she becomes pregnant and two of them are forced to marry. Soon after the wedding though Philip switches into a controlling, abusive husband and for the next few years Hannah’s live is a nightmare of terrible abuse at the hands of the twisted man, despite producing three more children for him. Her own mental health is put on the line but then one day Philip crosses the line and Hannah finally leaves him. But will she recover from what he did to her and find happiness again. This is a true tearjerker of a book. There is not enough or good enough words to describe the hell that described for Hannah in this book. So to say I enjoyed reading it is a weird thing to say. But it was a book that made me keep flicking the pages until the very end as it kept me emotionally invested in Hannah’s plight. So yes I did enjoy it in that way.
Told over a 20 year period from the 1970s to the 1990s this starts off with a 14 year old Hannah meeting Philip. At 21 he’s a great deal older but doesn’t quell the love they have for each other. Or what Hannah thinks is love. But then just before she is 16 she becomes pregnant and two of them are forced to marry. Soon after the wedding though Philip switches into a controlling, abusive husband and for the next few years Hannah’s live is a nightmare of terrible abuse at the hands of the twisted man, despite producing three more children for him. Her own mental health is put on the line but then one day Philip crosses the line and Hannah finally leaves him. But will she recover from what he did to her and find happiness again. This is a true tearjerker of a book. There is not enough or good enough words to describe the hell that described for Hannah in this book. So to say I enjoyed reading it is a weird thing to say. But it was a book that made me keep flicking the pages until the very end as it kept me emotionally invested in Hannah’s plight. So yes I did enjoy it in that way.
July 9, 2023
Book Review
Basic Details:
Book Title: Hannah
Subtitle:
Author: Beverley Latimer
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Part of a series? No
Order in series:
Best read after earlier books in series?
Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
Overall score:
I scored this book 5/5
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Short Summary of the book:
A young girl meets a slightly older young man. After wooing her and making her feel loved and wanted, she falls for him. Little does she know that an unexpected pregnancy leads to a life of hurt. Hannah soon finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage. Will she find a way to safety, self-worth and love?
What I liked about the book:
The book is well-written.
What I didn’t like about the book:
I enjoyed the entire book.
My favourite bits in the book:
I enjoyed the entire book.
My least favourite bits in the book:
The book was enjoyable in its entirety.
Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?
This is the second book I’ve read by this author. I understand she has written a few other books, too.
What books could this be compared to and why?
This is a contemporary romance.
Recommendation:
In summary, I would recommend this book to the following readers:
Children No
Young Adult Possibly
Adult Yes
If you like your books filled with love, life events and challenges, this book may be the book for you.
I look forward to reading more by this author.
Book Description by Author:
Hannah meets Philip Turner when she is only fourteen. He is twenty-one. Philip is very much attracted to the young girl with the blonde hair and shapely figure, and Hannah quickly becomes infatuated with him.
Hannah believes Philip is in love with her, and so, when he promises to look after her, and give her the future she deserves, she has no reason not to believe him.
They marry when Hannah is sixteen and pregnant with their first child.
Hannah soon realises that Philip has deceived her, and that he is not the man she believed him to be. She finds herself trapped inside a marriage, where she is regularly beaten and abused.
Seven and a half years later, Hannah realises things will never get any better, and that she needs to escape, in an attempt to save herself, her children, and her sanity.
But there is the real danger that, if she leaves, Philip might carry out his threat: to hunt her down and kill her, if she were to ever leave him.
About the Author:
Basic Details:
Book Title: Hannah
Subtitle:
Author: Beverley Latimer
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Part of a series? No
Order in series:
Best read after earlier books in series?
Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
Overall score:
I scored this book 5/5
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Short Summary of the book:
A young girl meets a slightly older young man. After wooing her and making her feel loved and wanted, she falls for him. Little does she know that an unexpected pregnancy leads to a life of hurt. Hannah soon finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage. Will she find a way to safety, self-worth and love?
What I liked about the book:
The book is well-written.
What I didn’t like about the book:
I enjoyed the entire book.
My favourite bits in the book:
I enjoyed the entire book.
My least favourite bits in the book:
The book was enjoyable in its entirety.
Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?
This is the second book I’ve read by this author. I understand she has written a few other books, too.
What books could this be compared to and why?
This is a contemporary romance.
Recommendation:
In summary, I would recommend this book to the following readers:
Children No
Young Adult Possibly
Adult Yes
If you like your books filled with love, life events and challenges, this book may be the book for you.
I look forward to reading more by this author.
Book Description by Author:
Hannah meets Philip Turner when she is only fourteen. He is twenty-one. Philip is very much attracted to the young girl with the blonde hair and shapely figure, and Hannah quickly becomes infatuated with him.
Hannah believes Philip is in love with her, and so, when he promises to look after her, and give her the future she deserves, she has no reason not to believe him.
They marry when Hannah is sixteen and pregnant with their first child.
Hannah soon realises that Philip has deceived her, and that he is not the man she believed him to be. She finds herself trapped inside a marriage, where she is regularly beaten and abused.
Seven and a half years later, Hannah realises things will never get any better, and that she needs to escape, in an attempt to save herself, her children, and her sanity.
But there is the real danger that, if she leaves, Philip might carry out his threat: to hunt her down and kill her, if she were to ever leave him.
About the Author:
June 2, 2023
Despite the subject matter of domestic violence this is a powerful and emotional story of Hannah a 14 year old who thinks her new found love Philip, is in love with her.
How does Hannah meet Philip?
Why does she believe that Philip loves her?
Hannah’s life begins to unravel from love, to a life of abuse.
What becomes of Hannah’s life?
Who does she have for support?
Hannah decides she must leave Philip but this leaves her in turmoil.
What does Hannah do?
Where does this leave her?
A well written book which is also about love, relationships friendships and support.
How does Hannah meet Philip?
Why does she believe that Philip loves her?
Hannah’s life begins to unravel from love, to a life of abuse.
What becomes of Hannah’s life?
Who does she have for support?
Hannah decides she must leave Philip but this leaves her in turmoil.
What does Hannah do?
Where does this leave her?
A well written book which is also about love, relationships friendships and support.
June 13, 2023
Beverley Latimer’s, Hannah, brings awareness to domestic abuse. To help rid the stigma that surrounds this dreadful social disorder, which is still all too prevalent today, Hannah’s story needs to reach a broad audience. Awareness and education may be the only way to fight violence. Thank you, Beverley, for having the courage to write this painfully acute, deeply sad, riveting, and engaging tale. I highly recommend it. Well done. Very well done, Beverley Latimer. –Marlene Cheng--author
November 21, 2023
Hannah by Beverley Latimer is the story of a lovely young woman who was groomed by an older man when she was fourteen. She became pregnant by him and was forced to marry him when she was sixteen.
You would need a heart of stone not to be moved by this book. Hannah suffered years of terrible abuse from her husband – a nasty piece of work if ever there was one. She endured mental abuse, beatings and even rape. And, of course, this was in the 1970’s/80’s when marital rape was not a crime in the UK. Thankfully the law has changed now, but it took a long time for this to be done.
With four young children, and an abusive husband, it’s no wonder Hannah suffered a mental breakdown. This evil man was destroying her – body and soul. She recovered enough to escape his clutches and began a new life with her children, away from him.
Everyone should read this book. It is raw and powerful, and a story that needs to be told.
You would need a heart of stone not to be moved by this book. Hannah suffered years of terrible abuse from her husband – a nasty piece of work if ever there was one. She endured mental abuse, beatings and even rape. And, of course, this was in the 1970’s/80’s when marital rape was not a crime in the UK. Thankfully the law has changed now, but it took a long time for this to be done.
With four young children, and an abusive husband, it’s no wonder Hannah suffered a mental breakdown. This evil man was destroying her – body and soul. She recovered enough to escape his clutches and began a new life with her children, away from him.
Everyone should read this book. It is raw and powerful, and a story that needs to be told.
August 1, 2023
I'm not sure that it's the book for me. But for once, I mean that as a compliment (4.5 stars)
For most products, reviews are geared towards a particular customer base. There’s little point, for example, in asking me to review a new perfume. You can tell me that that there are millions of different fragrances available and that the prices vary by hundreds of pounds, but I’ll tell you that they all smell girly and cost money that would be better spent on beer or wine.
At the other end of the scale, all of us need to eat, and certainly most of us enjoy good food. Which means that anyone can review a restaurant. And yet everyone’s tastes are different, which is probably why the best Indian restaurant in my local area – in my opinion – has been rated either “poor” or “terrible” by 11% of its reviewers on Tripadvisor.
With books, of course, it’s somewhere in between the two. Anyone who enjoys reading can review any book. But, equally, our unique preferences and indeed perceptions come in. As my fellow reviewer Chloe Jordan put it, “no two of us ever read the same book”.
None of these is really the perfect parallel to my thoughts on Hannah by Beverley Latimer. But – unsurprisingly, I suppose – it’s the latter that comes closest. I was gifted this book by the author herself, who was also brave enough to admit that it’s based on her own experiences. Through the characters of Hannah and Philip, we are told the sadly all too common story. A teenage girl is seduced by an older man, and in her inexperience and naivety, confuses gratitude and infatuation with love. By the time she realises that she has lost control in a relationship that has turned abusive, violent and toxic, the easy route to escape is long gone. But the victim is still in danger if she – or perhaps he – stays in that relationship. And so are their children.
Beverley also sets the book in the 1970s, and manages to clearly and poignantly show how far we have come in the UK with regard to our attitudes to domestic abuse, but also how slowly some key changes are being made. As a simple and powerful example, UK law used to say that a married man couldn’t commit rape against his wife. This didn’t explicitly change until – are you sitting down for this? – 2003.
It’s difficult for me to make any critical comments about this book, for two reasons. First because if it’s the case that it recounts part of the author’s own life, and if she feels more comfortable expressing it through fiction than as an autobiography, then who am I to argue? And secondly, because its key point is, in a way, also its only real problem. It reads like an autobiography. For the most part, the writing is simple and factual, rather than emotional, and the narrative is chronological, rather than switching between ‘present’ and ‘past’ timelines as so many psychological novels are apt to do.
But it’s marketed as fiction. Which means I’m going to be cold-hearted for a second and say that, judged as such, it seemed to me to be lacking something. I felt that, in some way, it needed a bit more power.
I was reminded of two other fiction books that I had previously read, which tackled broadly the same subject. The first was The Lies We Hide by S E Lynes, which is unfortunate for any other author. Because it’s so beautifully written, and so psychologically and emotionally powerful that it reduced me to tears within the first 50 pages. That’s tough for anyone to match, especially if they happen to have lived through it themselves.
But I was also reminded of a teenage fiction book called Telling The Sea by Pauline Fisk, which too tells the story of a family fleeing a violent partner and stepfather. But that book is remarkable for a passage that it includes, in which the eldest child suddenly feels an overwhelming desire to hit her mother in order to provoke a response. And is immediately horrified at herself for thinking it. Surely, ordinary people can’t be made to feel that way? You have to be evil … don’t you? I read that book as a teenager and was moved so much that I can still remember it now.
But we don’t get that with Hannah. We get a simple portrayal of Hannah herself as a sweet and innocent victim, and Philip as a morally weak and despicable man. I’m not suggesting that this is unrealistic, and I hasten to add that I’m not trying to argue any form of domestic abuse as being excusable. Dare I say though that without some form of extra dimension, the book does feel a little bit simplistic.
I suspect, however, that in the same way as if I were to try and write a review of foundation cream, my personal opinions are all but irrelevant. Because, as a man who has thankfully never been affected by domestic abuse, I’m probably not the most suitable reader of this book. I think though that it could just be the perfect read for you if you, or anyone you know is, or has been in an abusive relationship. It tells you that, however hard the thought of escape may seem, it is possible. It shows you that if you do decide to believe your partner’s promises that things will change and to give them one more chance, you’re not alone. And it doesn’t make you weak or stupid. And it allows you to think that your chance of future happiness really is out there somewhere.
My conclusion, then, is a simple message to Beverley Latimer. Thank you for sharing your story in this way. You deserve to be happy and proud of yourself. And if your book has helped just one person to get out of a similar situation, please ignore my critique. Because it has absolutely done its job.
My thanks to the author for the gifted copy of this book, which I have reviewed voluntarily and honestly. I will post my review on my blog at www.mycosybooknook.wordpress.com, Amazon and my social media pages.
For most products, reviews are geared towards a particular customer base. There’s little point, for example, in asking me to review a new perfume. You can tell me that that there are millions of different fragrances available and that the prices vary by hundreds of pounds, but I’ll tell you that they all smell girly and cost money that would be better spent on beer or wine.
At the other end of the scale, all of us need to eat, and certainly most of us enjoy good food. Which means that anyone can review a restaurant. And yet everyone’s tastes are different, which is probably why the best Indian restaurant in my local area – in my opinion – has been rated either “poor” or “terrible” by 11% of its reviewers on Tripadvisor.
With books, of course, it’s somewhere in between the two. Anyone who enjoys reading can review any book. But, equally, our unique preferences and indeed perceptions come in. As my fellow reviewer Chloe Jordan put it, “no two of us ever read the same book”.
None of these is really the perfect parallel to my thoughts on Hannah by Beverley Latimer. But – unsurprisingly, I suppose – it’s the latter that comes closest. I was gifted this book by the author herself, who was also brave enough to admit that it’s based on her own experiences. Through the characters of Hannah and Philip, we are told the sadly all too common story. A teenage girl is seduced by an older man, and in her inexperience and naivety, confuses gratitude and infatuation with love. By the time she realises that she has lost control in a relationship that has turned abusive, violent and toxic, the easy route to escape is long gone. But the victim is still in danger if she – or perhaps he – stays in that relationship. And so are their children.
Beverley also sets the book in the 1970s, and manages to clearly and poignantly show how far we have come in the UK with regard to our attitudes to domestic abuse, but also how slowly some key changes are being made. As a simple and powerful example, UK law used to say that a married man couldn’t commit rape against his wife. This didn’t explicitly change until – are you sitting down for this? – 2003.
It’s difficult for me to make any critical comments about this book, for two reasons. First because if it’s the case that it recounts part of the author’s own life, and if she feels more comfortable expressing it through fiction than as an autobiography, then who am I to argue? And secondly, because its key point is, in a way, also its only real problem. It reads like an autobiography. For the most part, the writing is simple and factual, rather than emotional, and the narrative is chronological, rather than switching between ‘present’ and ‘past’ timelines as so many psychological novels are apt to do.
But it’s marketed as fiction. Which means I’m going to be cold-hearted for a second and say that, judged as such, it seemed to me to be lacking something. I felt that, in some way, it needed a bit more power.
I was reminded of two other fiction books that I had previously read, which tackled broadly the same subject. The first was The Lies We Hide by S E Lynes, which is unfortunate for any other author. Because it’s so beautifully written, and so psychologically and emotionally powerful that it reduced me to tears within the first 50 pages. That’s tough for anyone to match, especially if they happen to have lived through it themselves.
But I was also reminded of a teenage fiction book called Telling The Sea by Pauline Fisk, which too tells the story of a family fleeing a violent partner and stepfather. But that book is remarkable for a passage that it includes, in which the eldest child suddenly feels an overwhelming desire to hit her mother in order to provoke a response. And is immediately horrified at herself for thinking it. Surely, ordinary people can’t be made to feel that way? You have to be evil … don’t you? I read that book as a teenager and was moved so much that I can still remember it now.
But we don’t get that with Hannah. We get a simple portrayal of Hannah herself as a sweet and innocent victim, and Philip as a morally weak and despicable man. I’m not suggesting that this is unrealistic, and I hasten to add that I’m not trying to argue any form of domestic abuse as being excusable. Dare I say though that without some form of extra dimension, the book does feel a little bit simplistic.
I suspect, however, that in the same way as if I were to try and write a review of foundation cream, my personal opinions are all but irrelevant. Because, as a man who has thankfully never been affected by domestic abuse, I’m probably not the most suitable reader of this book. I think though that it could just be the perfect read for you if you, or anyone you know is, or has been in an abusive relationship. It tells you that, however hard the thought of escape may seem, it is possible. It shows you that if you do decide to believe your partner’s promises that things will change and to give them one more chance, you’re not alone. And it doesn’t make you weak or stupid. And it allows you to think that your chance of future happiness really is out there somewhere.
My conclusion, then, is a simple message to Beverley Latimer. Thank you for sharing your story in this way. You deserve to be happy and proud of yourself. And if your book has helped just one person to get out of a similar situation, please ignore my critique. Because it has absolutely done its job.
My thanks to the author for the gifted copy of this book, which I have reviewed voluntarily and honestly. I will post my review on my blog at www.mycosybooknook.wordpress.com, Amazon and my social media pages.
May 25, 2023
What an emotional and heartfelt story of Hannah.
Domestic violence is still a taboo subject that people don't want to talk about.
If there is one thing that Beverley Latimer has achieved in writing this book is that there is help out there regardless if it's from official channels or from friends.
Never fear that you are alone in domestic violence whether you are male or female there is always a way out.
When Hannah met Phillip at the tender age of fourteen and him being an adult of twenty one, she fell for him instantly. He showered her with words of affection that she never had at home.
After much cohesion Phillip convinced Hannah to have sex with him, even though she wasn't ready to do so.
So at the young age of fifteen Hannah becomes pregnant and her father told Phillip that he has to marry her as soon as she turns sixteen.
Their son Harrison is born prematurely and Hannah only has the help from her in-laws to help because Phillip really doesn't care. Within a year Ethan is born and again prematurely, Hannah embraces motherhood and loves her two boys.
But Phillip keeps losing control and repeatedly beats Hannah.
When Phillip gets a job in Germany things start to settle down as he isn't home very often but when Hannah becomes pregnant again with Sophie, Phillip isn't best pleased.
As the story unfolds you will see Hannah repeatedly abused by Phillip throughout their marriage and trys to leave with the help of her friends. After finding out that Phillip had an affair.
But she goes back to Phillip when he states that he will kill himself if her and the children don't return home.
After only a few months of Phillip behaving himself Hannah discovers that he is having another affair and goes to confront him at his local pub.
Back home things come to head when Phillip comes back extremely drunk and takes things to far and Hannah suffers a mental breakdown.
Her In-Laws play a vital role in her recovery but it takes Hannah nearly two years to recover.
All the while Phillip is doing his upmost to pretend the breakdown had nothing to do with him.
Hannah becomes pregnant again with baby Liam
Once on her feet again and with Phillip losing yet another job due to his drinking he not only becomes violent towards her but hits their toddler Shopie. With Liam only a few weeks old she leaves with nothing except her children.
As the years progress and the children grow, Hannah has found her much needed freedom and when she meets Johnathan through friends can she define her past and actually fall in love?
A wonderful novel that had me crying but also had me routinely encouraging Hannah to stand her ground and not to give in.
Domestic violence is still a taboo subject that people don't want to talk about.
If there is one thing that Beverley Latimer has achieved in writing this book is that there is help out there regardless if it's from official channels or from friends.
Never fear that you are alone in domestic violence whether you are male or female there is always a way out.
When Hannah met Phillip at the tender age of fourteen and him being an adult of twenty one, she fell for him instantly. He showered her with words of affection that she never had at home.
After much cohesion Phillip convinced Hannah to have sex with him, even though she wasn't ready to do so.
So at the young age of fifteen Hannah becomes pregnant and her father told Phillip that he has to marry her as soon as she turns sixteen.
Their son Harrison is born prematurely and Hannah only has the help from her in-laws to help because Phillip really doesn't care. Within a year Ethan is born and again prematurely, Hannah embraces motherhood and loves her two boys.
But Phillip keeps losing control and repeatedly beats Hannah.
When Phillip gets a job in Germany things start to settle down as he isn't home very often but when Hannah becomes pregnant again with Sophie, Phillip isn't best pleased.
As the story unfolds you will see Hannah repeatedly abused by Phillip throughout their marriage and trys to leave with the help of her friends. After finding out that Phillip had an affair.
But she goes back to Phillip when he states that he will kill himself if her and the children don't return home.
After only a few months of Phillip behaving himself Hannah discovers that he is having another affair and goes to confront him at his local pub.
Back home things come to head when Phillip comes back extremely drunk and takes things to far and Hannah suffers a mental breakdown.
Her In-Laws play a vital role in her recovery but it takes Hannah nearly two years to recover.
All the while Phillip is doing his upmost to pretend the breakdown had nothing to do with him.
Hannah becomes pregnant again with baby Liam
Once on her feet again and with Phillip losing yet another job due to his drinking he not only becomes violent towards her but hits their toddler Shopie. With Liam only a few weeks old she leaves with nothing except her children.
As the years progress and the children grow, Hannah has found her much needed freedom and when she meets Johnathan through friends can she define her past and actually fall in love?
A wonderful novel that had me crying but also had me routinely encouraging Hannah to stand her ground and not to give in.
November 24, 2025
Moving and heartfelt
This is an intense read; absorbing and authentic. From the moment the teenage Hannah meets the predatory older man, Phil, her unhappy home situation makes the events that follow seem inevitable. Already a victim of parental neglect, she’s easy prey for the narcissistic Phil. One can only look on in horror as, through naivety and a lack of guidance from those who should have protected her, she misses all the red flags and her life goes from bad to worse as her youth is stolen. When Hannah, still just a child, falls pregnant, her parents encourage Phil to marry her instead of reporting him to the police. One wonders if she might have been spared the years of shocking abuse that followed if they’d intervened then. This is a story of failure on the part of the adults in Hannah’s life, including the immature, selfish, and craven brute who made her life hell. However, it’s also a story of one woman’s courage and resilience as, with the help of loyal friends, Hannah at last breaks free and makes a stable new life for herself and her four children before unexpectedly finding love with a genuinely good man. Harrowing, disturbing, but ultimately uplifting, this book should be required reading for all ‘at risk’ teens and young women.
This is an intense read; absorbing and authentic. From the moment the teenage Hannah meets the predatory older man, Phil, her unhappy home situation makes the events that follow seem inevitable. Already a victim of parental neglect, she’s easy prey for the narcissistic Phil. One can only look on in horror as, through naivety and a lack of guidance from those who should have protected her, she misses all the red flags and her life goes from bad to worse as her youth is stolen. When Hannah, still just a child, falls pregnant, her parents encourage Phil to marry her instead of reporting him to the police. One wonders if she might have been spared the years of shocking abuse that followed if they’d intervened then. This is a story of failure on the part of the adults in Hannah’s life, including the immature, selfish, and craven brute who made her life hell. However, it’s also a story of one woman’s courage and resilience as, with the help of loyal friends, Hannah at last breaks free and makes a stable new life for herself and her four children before unexpectedly finding love with a genuinely good man. Harrowing, disturbing, but ultimately uplifting, this book should be required reading for all ‘at risk’ teens and young women.
September 12, 2023
It’s obvious that the writer of this book experienced some, if not all, of the harrowing experiences described in this story. Every teenager should read it as it serves as a stark warning to those who think they are in love with an older man.
I was swept along, turning the pages as quickly as I could as Hannah’s story was so riveting and well-written. No, I didn’t miss the editing flaws, but I could forgive them as an author’s first venture into writing. As first books go, this one was very readable and the flow was perfect. I would have loved to have given this book 5 stars and certainly would if there had been no punctuation errors. For a debut book, it shows great promise of the later books Beverley Latimer wrote. I have read some of her other work and thoroughly enjoyed all she has written. I would readily recommend all her work, including this one. The author should feel proud of herself for how far she has come on her journey as a woman and an author.
I was swept along, turning the pages as quickly as I could as Hannah’s story was so riveting and well-written. No, I didn’t miss the editing flaws, but I could forgive them as an author’s first venture into writing. As first books go, this one was very readable and the flow was perfect. I would have loved to have given this book 5 stars and certainly would if there had been no punctuation errors. For a debut book, it shows great promise of the later books Beverley Latimer wrote. I have read some of her other work and thoroughly enjoyed all she has written. I would readily recommend all her work, including this one. The author should feel proud of herself for how far she has come on her journey as a woman and an author.
October 2, 2022
What a read. Monsters are real, they exist, and they do not live in the shadows but come home from the pub and do terrible things to their wives. A shocking and horrifying tale of a young and vulnerable woman’s abuse at the hands of her own husband. Does she finally find the love and happiness she has been denied for so many years? I suggest you read this compelling novel to find out.
December 12, 2021
A brilliant story of A girl to womanhood the trials she faced to become her own person
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews