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Ν 'αγαπάς και ν' αγαπιέσαι
Ένα κοινωνικό µμυθιστόρημα που εκτυλίσσεται σε ένα ψαροχώρι όπου ζει ανέμελη η Μέριν. Όταν βιώνει απρόσμενα τον εξευτελισμό και την κατακραυγή του κόσμου αναγκάζεται να εγκαταλείψει το σπίτι της.
Έξι χρόνια αργότερα η Μέριν ζει πλέον τη δικιά της ζωή έχοντας αφήσει πίσω της το παρελθόν. Συμβαίνει όμως ένα τραγικό γεγονός και αναγκάζεται να επιστρέψει πάλι στο ψαροχώρι που είχε ορκιστεί να µην ξαναπατήσει.
Επιστρέφοντας, η Μέριν αρχίζει να συνειδητοποιεί τι έχει χάσει όλα αυτά τα χρόνια. Καθώς αρχίζει να θυμάται το άτομο που ήταν, αναγκάζεται να κάνει επιλογές για το µμέλλον της και να αμφισβητήσει το παρελθόν. Τι θέλει από τη ζωή της; Ποιος είναι σημαντικός για αυτήν; Ποιος φταίει για όλα όσα πήγαν στραβά; Και µμπορεί να τους συγχωρήσει, να αφήσει παλιές πληγές να επουλωθούν και τελικά να γίνει ξανά ο αληθινός εαυτός της;
Έξι χρόνια αργότερα η Μέριν ζει πλέον τη δικιά της ζωή έχοντας αφήσει πίσω της το παρελθόν. Συμβαίνει όμως ένα τραγικό γεγονός και αναγκάζεται να επιστρέψει πάλι στο ψαροχώρι που είχε ορκιστεί να µην ξαναπατήσει.
Επιστρέφοντας, η Μέριν αρχίζει να συνειδητοποιεί τι έχει χάσει όλα αυτά τα χρόνια. Καθώς αρχίζει να θυμάται το άτομο που ήταν, αναγκάζεται να κάνει επιλογές για το µμέλλον της και να αμφισβητήσει το παρελθόν. Τι θέλει από τη ζωή της; Ποιος είναι σημαντικός για αυτήν; Ποιος φταίει για όλα όσα πήγαν στραβά; Και µμπορεί να τους συγχωρήσει, να αφήσει παλιές πληγές να επουλωθούν και τελικά να γίνει ξανά ο αληθινός εαυτός της;
514 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2021
3092 people are currently reading
4734 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Prowse
83 books1,941 followersPrevious Book: 'Swimming to Lundy', published th August 2024'.
Latest Book: 'This One Life', published 7th January 2025.
Next Book: 'Ever After' published 7th August 2025.
Amanda Prowse is an International Bestselling author whose thirty-two novels, two non-fiction titles and ten novellas have been published in dozens of languages around the world. Published by Lake Union, Amanda is the most prolific writer of bestselling contemporary fiction in the UK today; her titles also consistently score the highest online review approval ratings across several genres. Her books, including the chart topping No.1 titles 'What Have I Done?', 'Perfect Daughter', 'My Husband's Wife', 'The Girl in the Corner' and ‘The Things I Know’ have sold millions of copies across the globe.
A popular TV and radio personality, Amanda has appeared on numerous shows where her views on family and social issues strike a chord with viewers. She also makes countless guest appearances on BBC national and independent Radio stations including LBC, Times Radio and Talk FM, where she is well known for her insightful observations and her infectious humour. Described by the Daily Mail as ‘The queen of family drama’ Amanda’s novel, 'A Mother's Story' won the coveted Sainsbury's eBook of the year Award and she has had two books selected as World Book Night titles, 'Perfect Daughter' in 2016 and 'The Boy Between' in 2022.
Amanda is a huge supporter of libraries and having become a proud ambassador for The Reading Agency, works tirelessly to promote reading, especially in disadvantaged areas. Amanda's ambition is to create stories that keep people from turning the bedside lamp off at night, great characters that ensure you take every step with them and tales that fill your head so you can't possibly read another book until the memory fades...
Praise for Amanda Prowse:
'A powerful and emotional work of fiction' - Piers Morgan
'Deeply moving and emotional, Amanda Prowse handles her explosive subjects with delicate skill' - Daily Mail
'Uplifting and positive, but you will still need a box of tissues' - Hello!
'A gut-wrenching and absolutely brilliant read' - The Irish Sun
'You'll fall in love with this...' - Cosmopolitan
'Deeply moving and eye opening. Powerful and emotional drama that packs a real punch.' - Heat
'Magical' - Now magazine
Latest Book: 'This One Life', published 7th January 2025.
Next Book: 'Ever After' published 7th August 2025.
Amanda Prowse is an International Bestselling author whose thirty-two novels, two non-fiction titles and ten novellas have been published in dozens of languages around the world. Published by Lake Union, Amanda is the most prolific writer of bestselling contemporary fiction in the UK today; her titles also consistently score the highest online review approval ratings across several genres. Her books, including the chart topping No.1 titles 'What Have I Done?', 'Perfect Daughter', 'My Husband's Wife', 'The Girl in the Corner' and ‘The Things I Know’ have sold millions of copies across the globe.
A popular TV and radio personality, Amanda has appeared on numerous shows where her views on family and social issues strike a chord with viewers. She also makes countless guest appearances on BBC national and independent Radio stations including LBC, Times Radio and Talk FM, where she is well known for her insightful observations and her infectious humour. Described by the Daily Mail as ‘The queen of family drama’ Amanda’s novel, 'A Mother's Story' won the coveted Sainsbury's eBook of the year Award and she has had two books selected as World Book Night titles, 'Perfect Daughter' in 2016 and 'The Boy Between' in 2022.
Amanda is a huge supporter of libraries and having become a proud ambassador for The Reading Agency, works tirelessly to promote reading, especially in disadvantaged areas. Amanda's ambition is to create stories that keep people from turning the bedside lamp off at night, great characters that ensure you take every step with them and tales that fill your head so you can't possibly read another book until the memory fades...
Praise for Amanda Prowse:
'A powerful and emotional work of fiction' - Piers Morgan
'Deeply moving and emotional, Amanda Prowse handles her explosive subjects with delicate skill' - Daily Mail
'Uplifting and positive, but you will still need a box of tissues' - Hello!
'A gut-wrenching and absolutely brilliant read' - The Irish Sun
'You'll fall in love with this...' - Cosmopolitan
'Deeply moving and eye opening. Powerful and emotional drama that packs a real punch.' - Heat
'Magical' - Now magazine
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 421 reviews
February 14, 2022
Oh, how I am loving Amanda Prowse’s books! Her contemporary stories have just the right amount of drama and emotion. I just love them!
About the book: “In this life-affirming tale from bestselling author Amanda Prowse, one woman built a new life to escape her humiliation. Now, can she put the shame behind her and finally find happiness?”
To Love and Be Loved is Merrin’s story. She is young and in love; that is until she is humiliated and runs away from her small town. Six long years later, a tragedy happens, and Merrin has to return home. Once she’s back, she realizes she missed home and now she has more questions than answers about what happened six years before.
What an emotional journey for Merrin and her family. I’m happy with how things wrapped up for her, and it’s another heartwarming story by Amanda Prowse.
I received a gifted copy. Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreadercom and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
About the book: “In this life-affirming tale from bestselling author Amanda Prowse, one woman built a new life to escape her humiliation. Now, can she put the shame behind her and finally find happiness?”
To Love and Be Loved is Merrin’s story. She is young and in love; that is until she is humiliated and runs away from her small town. Six long years later, a tragedy happens, and Merrin has to return home. Once she’s back, she realizes she missed home and now she has more questions than answers about what happened six years before.
What an emotional journey for Merrin and her family. I’m happy with how things wrapped up for her, and it’s another heartwarming story by Amanda Prowse.
I received a gifted copy. Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreadercom and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
December 2, 2021
Amanda Prowse is my go-to author when I need romance, complicated emotions, intense yet subtle drama, and a keen understanding of human relationships. To Love and Be Loved is her latest release due out in January 2022, but I received an early copy through NetGalley. I've read at least ten of her books thus far, and there are at least another ten from the last decade that I must still get to. Trust me, I will... I already purchased three and plan to read one a month until I'm fully caught up by the end of 2022.
Merry is from a small coastal town in England. She lives with her sister, two parents, and grandmother. She and Digby, late teens/early twenties, are madly in love. He proposes, and when the wedding day arrives, something unexpected happens. Years later, Merry has left her hometown and started fresh in a bigger city. Her career grows, and she meets someone new, but it's not the same. She misses her family and friends, yet they also weigh her down, as does the stigma of what happened on her almost-wedding day. How can a beautiful, kind, generous, and wonderful young woman ever recover?
This is not a suspense or quick-moving novel. Prowse alternates a bit of time periods, stopping right when you really want to know what's about to happen, tho. It builds your interest without giving you scary palpitations... because you will love Merry and her view on life. She comes out of a tragedy with a positive mindset, despite the pain. And she accepts all the drama thrown at her, finding a way to heal. We can all learn from her. Of course, she makes mistakes too. But this is where Prowse excels; she builds truly realistic characters and dangles them out there for you to connect with. I might not live in England, be a jilted lover, come from a poor background, or have wandered out all on my own, but I identify with how Merry feels.
I liked how the ending doesn't wrap things up, instead offering opportunities to consider. I enjoyed the drama within a set of relatives, where there is anger and love, sadness and happiness, reality and unforced exaggeration - things that exist in every family. I wouldn't start with this novel, if you haven't read Prowse before... but definitely slot this one in somewhere early on. It's a fantastic character study, and I definitely see it as 4.5 stars.
Merry is from a small coastal town in England. She lives with her sister, two parents, and grandmother. She and Digby, late teens/early twenties, are madly in love. He proposes, and when the wedding day arrives, something unexpected happens. Years later, Merry has left her hometown and started fresh in a bigger city. Her career grows, and she meets someone new, but it's not the same. She misses her family and friends, yet they also weigh her down, as does the stigma of what happened on her almost-wedding day. How can a beautiful, kind, generous, and wonderful young woman ever recover?
This is not a suspense or quick-moving novel. Prowse alternates a bit of time periods, stopping right when you really want to know what's about to happen, tho. It builds your interest without giving you scary palpitations... because you will love Merry and her view on life. She comes out of a tragedy with a positive mindset, despite the pain. And she accepts all the drama thrown at her, finding a way to heal. We can all learn from her. Of course, she makes mistakes too. But this is where Prowse excels; she builds truly realistic characters and dangles them out there for you to connect with. I might not live in England, be a jilted lover, come from a poor background, or have wandered out all on my own, but I identify with how Merry feels.
I liked how the ending doesn't wrap things up, instead offering opportunities to consider. I enjoyed the drama within a set of relatives, where there is anger and love, sadness and happiness, reality and unforced exaggeration - things that exist in every family. I wouldn't start with this novel, if you haven't read Prowse before... but definitely slot this one in somewhere early on. It's a fantastic character study, and I definitely see it as 4.5 stars.
January 18, 2022
EXCERPT: Breathing long and slow, Merrin closed her eyes briefly, feeling instantly better, calmed. This was the perfect spot with the widest view and she could spend hours here, staring at the waves. Her dad once told her that they were the heads of white, foaming horses, cantering up to the break and crashing, before making a sharp turn and petering to nothing on their return. It was now impossible for her to see them in any other way. Looking out over the purple bruise of sky where clouds hung low over the ocean, she offered up a silent prayer.
Please don't rain! Not on my wedding day . . .
ABOUT 'TO LOVE AND BE LOVED': Young and desperately in love, Merrin had the whole world ahead of her. But just as her new life was about to start, the ground beneath her feet was cruelly swept away. Devastated by the humiliation, she ran far away from the beloved fishing village she had always called home to lick her wounds and escape her gossiping friends and neighbours.
It hasn’t been easy, but six years later Merrin has forged a new life for herself far from the sea, burying the impulsive girl she once was. But when tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to return to the village she swore she’d never set foot in again.
Reluctantly back in the arms of her community, Merrin begins to realise what she’s been missing out on all these years. As she begins to remember the person she used to be, she is forced to make choices about her future, and to question the past. What does she want from her life? Who is important to her? Who is to blame for everything that went wrong? And can she forgive them, let old wounds heal and finally be her true self again?
MY THOUGHTS: As with all of Amanda Prowse's books, To Love and Be Loved is a very emotional read. I had shredded a great number of tissues before I was a quarter of the way through! If only the worst Merrin had to worry about on her wedding day was the weather . . .
We follow Merrin's life journey as her future is ripped apart and she flees her home to try and make a life elsewhere. But, as we all know, the problem with running away is that we take along the problems that are in our hearts and our heads. And at some point, we just have to turn around and deal with them.
Don't expect a fast paced book, you won't get it. To Love and Be Loved is a meandering and often sad read as Merrin spends a lot of time treading water, surviving rather than living.
The sadness and grief is, at times, overwhelming. But it is also punctuated with some beautiful moments in Prowse's trademark style.
Prowse has created a very close knit family in the Kellows. Ben and Heather are still very much in love after their many years of marriage and I enjoyed the easiness of their relationship. Merrin is the younger of their two daughters and a very different personality than her older sister Ruby, who is more prickly and brash, Merrin more dreamy and soft. And I loved their friend Bella, whose role in life seems to be a buffer between the sisters.
Initially, I loved this book, and I still do, but with some reservations. It is intense, emotionally. But, in places it is just too much. Was there ever a family as perfect as the Kellows? I would like to hope so, but probably not. And the ending is very sudden, and for me was, considering Merrin's past, far too fast and unlikely.
Yet, despite all this, I finished with a smile on my face and am eagerly awaiting Prowse's next.
⭐⭐⭐.8
#ToLoveandBeLoved #NetGalley
I: @mrsamandaprowse @amazonpublishing
T: @MrsAmandaProwse @AmazonPub
#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #romance
THE AUTHOR: Amanda Prowse was a management consultant for ten years before realising that she was born to write. Amanda lives in the West Country with her husband and their two teenage sons.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing, via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of To Love and Be Loved by Amanda Prowse for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Please don't rain! Not on my wedding day . . .
ABOUT 'TO LOVE AND BE LOVED': Young and desperately in love, Merrin had the whole world ahead of her. But just as her new life was about to start, the ground beneath her feet was cruelly swept away. Devastated by the humiliation, she ran far away from the beloved fishing village she had always called home to lick her wounds and escape her gossiping friends and neighbours.
It hasn’t been easy, but six years later Merrin has forged a new life for herself far from the sea, burying the impulsive girl she once was. But when tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to return to the village she swore she’d never set foot in again.
Reluctantly back in the arms of her community, Merrin begins to realise what she’s been missing out on all these years. As she begins to remember the person she used to be, she is forced to make choices about her future, and to question the past. What does she want from her life? Who is important to her? Who is to blame for everything that went wrong? And can she forgive them, let old wounds heal and finally be her true self again?
MY THOUGHTS: As with all of Amanda Prowse's books, To Love and Be Loved is a very emotional read. I had shredded a great number of tissues before I was a quarter of the way through! If only the worst Merrin had to worry about on her wedding day was the weather . . .
We follow Merrin's life journey as her future is ripped apart and she flees her home to try and make a life elsewhere. But, as we all know, the problem with running away is that we take along the problems that are in our hearts and our heads. And at some point, we just have to turn around and deal with them.
Don't expect a fast paced book, you won't get it. To Love and Be Loved is a meandering and often sad read as Merrin spends a lot of time treading water, surviving rather than living.
The sadness and grief is, at times, overwhelming. But it is also punctuated with some beautiful moments in Prowse's trademark style.
Prowse has created a very close knit family in the Kellows. Ben and Heather are still very much in love after their many years of marriage and I enjoyed the easiness of their relationship. Merrin is the younger of their two daughters and a very different personality than her older sister Ruby, who is more prickly and brash, Merrin more dreamy and soft. And I loved their friend Bella, whose role in life seems to be a buffer between the sisters.
Initially, I loved this book, and I still do, but with some reservations. It is intense, emotionally. But, in places it is just too much. Was there ever a family as perfect as the Kellows? I would like to hope so, but probably not. And the ending is very sudden, and for me was, considering Merrin's past, far too fast and unlikely.
Yet, despite all this, I finished with a smile on my face and am eagerly awaiting Prowse's next.
⭐⭐⭐.8
#ToLoveandBeLoved #NetGalley
I: @mrsamandaprowse @amazonpublishing
T: @MrsAmandaProwse @AmazonPub
#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #romance
THE AUTHOR: Amanda Prowse was a management consultant for ten years before realising that she was born to write. Amanda lives in the West Country with her husband and their two teenage sons.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing, via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of To Love and Be Loved by Amanda Prowse for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
December 7, 2021
3 Stars
One-Liner: Some great side characters, but not enough.
*Minority Opinion*
Merrin was in love and excited to marry her beau, Digby. She could see her entire future with her family and Digby in Port Charles, Cornwall. It was her home, after all. But the day of the wedding leaves her shattered and vulnerable. Merrin leaves her home in the fishing village to rebuild her life.
Six years have passed, and Merrin has a life of her own away from home. She doesn’t want to go back but has no choice when a tragedy strikes. Merrin realizes what she missed by leaving her community and dear ones and changing into someone she isn’t. Back home, Merrin has to decide who she is and what she wants from life. What does her future hold? Is she willing to move on and be truly happy?
I’ve had some of the author’s previous books on my TBR list for a while. When this one showed up in the Read Now section on NetGalley, I decided to go ahead and give it a shot.
Plus Points:
• Ruby (Merrin’s older sister) and Bella (Merrin’s bestie) are two fab characters in the book. Merrin’s mother was just as good.
• The tension between Ruby and Merrin is a highlight of the book.
• Women have a larger role to play (as expected) throughout. They are the decision-makers.
• Beautiful descriptions of Cornwall. Something different from the city/ small town descriptions I usually read.
Not-so Plus Points:
• The narration is too slow. I understand slow beginnings, but this one is slow from start to finish. At no point did I want to read fast to know what happened next. The story went its own sweet way.
• Despite Ruby being painted as the insecure sister, Merrin seemed self-absorbed in many scenes. It was about her most of the time. Even when I understood what she went through, I couldn’t continue feeling sad for her for the rest of the book.
• Multiple POVs (in the limited third person) but none for Ruby. I wanted to know her more. She seemed more real and vulnerable than many others.
• No clear indication for time leaps. We won’t know that a few months/ years have passed until we read the first 2-4 paragraphs in a chapter. Makes it a little hard to track the timeline.
• The happy ending was good, but bringing a new love interest in the last chapter somehow didn’t work for me. Given what Merrin repeats in the book, it felt surreal.
• Some weird adverbs (I forgot to note them but I remember wondering why they had to be used).
To sum up, To Love and Be Loved has its merits but hasn’t been a noteworthy read for me. Pick it up if you want something slow and sedate with bursts of emotions sprinkled throughout.
Thank you, NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#ToLoveandBeLoved #NetGalley
One-Liner: Some great side characters, but not enough.
*Minority Opinion*
Merrin was in love and excited to marry her beau, Digby. She could see her entire future with her family and Digby in Port Charles, Cornwall. It was her home, after all. But the day of the wedding leaves her shattered and vulnerable. Merrin leaves her home in the fishing village to rebuild her life.
Six years have passed, and Merrin has a life of her own away from home. She doesn’t want to go back but has no choice when a tragedy strikes. Merrin realizes what she missed by leaving her community and dear ones and changing into someone she isn’t. Back home, Merrin has to decide who she is and what she wants from life. What does her future hold? Is she willing to move on and be truly happy?
I’ve had some of the author’s previous books on my TBR list for a while. When this one showed up in the Read Now section on NetGalley, I decided to go ahead and give it a shot.
Plus Points:
• Ruby (Merrin’s older sister) and Bella (Merrin’s bestie) are two fab characters in the book. Merrin’s mother was just as good.
• The tension between Ruby and Merrin is a highlight of the book.
• Women have a larger role to play (as expected) throughout. They are the decision-makers.
• Beautiful descriptions of Cornwall. Something different from the city/ small town descriptions I usually read.
Not-so Plus Points:
• The narration is too slow. I understand slow beginnings, but this one is slow from start to finish. At no point did I want to read fast to know what happened next. The story went its own sweet way.
• Despite Ruby being painted as the insecure sister, Merrin seemed self-absorbed in many scenes. It was about her most of the time. Even when I understood what she went through, I couldn’t continue feeling sad for her for the rest of the book.
• Multiple POVs (in the limited third person) but none for Ruby. I wanted to know her more. She seemed more real and vulnerable than many others.
• No clear indication for time leaps. We won’t know that a few months/ years have passed until we read the first 2-4 paragraphs in a chapter. Makes it a little hard to track the timeline.
• The happy ending was good, but bringing a new love interest in the last chapter somehow didn’t work for me. Given what Merrin repeats in the book, it felt surreal.
• Some weird adverbs (I forgot to note them but I remember wondering why they had to be used).
To sum up, To Love and Be Loved has its merits but hasn’t been a noteworthy read for me. Pick it up if you want something slow and sedate with bursts of emotions sprinkled throughout.
Thank you, NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#ToLoveandBeLoved #NetGalley
February 22, 2022
I received a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Lovebookstours.
To Love and Be Loved is the new, must-read, emotional drama by the amazing Amanda Prowse.
I love all of Amanda's books, and she is an author, I auto-buy. I jumped at the chance to read and review this book, and I was not disappointed!
Amanda always reaches into your heart with her writings, and this story about Merrin (Merry) was so emotional.
Merry is engaged to Digby and lives in a small town by the sea. She comes from a hard-working family and her fiance, Digby, is from a wealthy, privileged one. Merry is left heartbroken and devastated on her wedding day, and Merrin leaves to start her life a fresh somewhere new, away from the wagging tongues of a small community. Merrin meets someone else, but her heart is just not as invested. When tragedy strikes, Merrin returns to her hometown. She has to find a way of forgiving, accepting, and moving forward.
I loved this heartbreaking, heartwarming, and beautifully written book and found Merrin to be such a strong, relatable, and inspirational character. I enjoyed the ending and felt it left the door open for the possibility of (fingers crossed) a second novel....
To Love and Be Loved is the new, must-read, emotional drama by the amazing Amanda Prowse.
I love all of Amanda's books, and she is an author, I auto-buy. I jumped at the chance to read and review this book, and I was not disappointed!
Amanda always reaches into your heart with her writings, and this story about Merrin (Merry) was so emotional.
Merry is engaged to Digby and lives in a small town by the sea. She comes from a hard-working family and her fiance, Digby, is from a wealthy, privileged one. Merry is left heartbroken and devastated on her wedding day, and Merrin leaves to start her life a fresh somewhere new, away from the wagging tongues of a small community. Merrin meets someone else, but her heart is just not as invested. When tragedy strikes, Merrin returns to her hometown. She has to find a way of forgiving, accepting, and moving forward.
I loved this heartbreaking, heartwarming, and beautifully written book and found Merrin to be such a strong, relatable, and inspirational character. I enjoyed the ending and felt it left the door open for the possibility of (fingers crossed) a second novel....
January 3, 2022
I love Amanda Prowse’s books and this one is no exception.
Merrin is left devastated when one day, her whole world crumbles around her. Her family are there for her but she just wants to get away from the fishing village where she grew up.
Merrin finds a job in a hotel a few hours away and tries to recover from her heartache.
She meets Miguel and he is clearly besotted with her, but Merrin doesn’t feel completely the same. She cares for him but it isn’t love.
Merrin’s friends and family back home are lovely and even when she is away, she speaks to them regularly. Her relationship with her sister is fiery at times but with the guidance of their mum, they normally sort it out.
I will let you find out how and where Merrin ends up, as it’s a journey for you to follow her on.
A lovely heartwarming book that I highly recommend.
Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Merrin is left devastated when one day, her whole world crumbles around her. Her family are there for her but she just wants to get away from the fishing village where she grew up.
Merrin finds a job in a hotel a few hours away and tries to recover from her heartache.
She meets Miguel and he is clearly besotted with her, but Merrin doesn’t feel completely the same. She cares for him but it isn’t love.
Merrin’s friends and family back home are lovely and even when she is away, she speaks to them regularly. Her relationship with her sister is fiery at times but with the guidance of their mum, they normally sort it out.
I will let you find out how and where Merrin ends up, as it’s a journey for you to follow her on.
A lovely heartwarming book that I highly recommend.
Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
December 12, 2021
Mending Your Heart
This is a remarkable story of family love and of a small town. Scandals, rumors and a wedding that didn't happen. It is about forgiveness and letting go, about learning to live and love after your heat has been broken and you have been humiliated and devastated by one that you loved and trusted with all your heart. It is a story of returning home to a family and a town that loves you as much as you love it.
When Merrin is left at the altar waiting for the groom that never shows she is completely heartbroken. She moves away and starts a new life far from her family and the lovely seaside village she grew up in and loved with all her heart. It is only the death of her beloved father that brings her home.
Once home she realized this is where she belongs and decides to stay. However along the way she must mend her heart as she once again rebuilds her life and regains her confidence. Only when she confronts those that hurt her so badly and forgives them can she find peace.
I really loved this story of love and hope amongst heartbreaking events. It is truly a wonderful story and I know you will enjoy it as much as I did. I recommend this book.
Thanks to Amanda Prowse for writing a great story, Lake Union Publishing and Amazon Publishing U.K. for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me.
This is a remarkable story of family love and of a small town. Scandals, rumors and a wedding that didn't happen. It is about forgiveness and letting go, about learning to live and love after your heat has been broken and you have been humiliated and devastated by one that you loved and trusted with all your heart. It is a story of returning home to a family and a town that loves you as much as you love it.
When Merrin is left at the altar waiting for the groom that never shows she is completely heartbroken. She moves away and starts a new life far from her family and the lovely seaside village she grew up in and loved with all her heart. It is only the death of her beloved father that brings her home.
Once home she realized this is where she belongs and decides to stay. However along the way she must mend her heart as she once again rebuilds her life and regains her confidence. Only when she confronts those that hurt her so badly and forgives them can she find peace.
I really loved this story of love and hope amongst heartbreaking events. It is truly a wonderful story and I know you will enjoy it as much as I did. I recommend this book.
Thanks to Amanda Prowse for writing a great story, Lake Union Publishing and Amazon Publishing U.K. for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me.
December 27, 2021
The greatest shame is if you didn't let yourself love and be loved.
Merrin Kellow is young and vibrant. Merrin is marrying her person. The one that completes her. The one that makes her happy. The one that she loves, she is looking forward to marrying Digby Mortimer. Their families have a long history in their costal town town in Cornwall. She is the daughter of fisherman and Digby lives in the big house. In their community everyone knows everyone and it is the wedding of the year until it becomes something different. It changes everything for Merrin that she leaves the town she loves, the people she loves to rebuild all that she has lost.
I loved this story and the relationships behind it. It is not only a story of a lost love but of sisterhood, friendship, and families. Merrin lost something that she could not get back. The intangible thing of acceptance is a powerful. It gives us courage and security and without it we are lost. The narration of Merin's love, pain and rebuilding is powerful. She is confronted by her loss in different ways thru her relationships. The protection we find in our relationships and the shame we have when for whatever reason, we have caused harm. I loved the candor of these relationships, the easy way and the difficult times of facing the what are relationships are made of.
With any great love story involving any of our relationships is redemption. Something made new from loss, pain, and misunderstanding. It was a complete package.
A special thank you to Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
Merrin Kellow is young and vibrant. Merrin is marrying her person. The one that completes her. The one that makes her happy. The one that she loves, she is looking forward to marrying Digby Mortimer. Their families have a long history in their costal town town in Cornwall. She is the daughter of fisherman and Digby lives in the big house. In their community everyone knows everyone and it is the wedding of the year until it becomes something different. It changes everything for Merrin that she leaves the town she loves, the people she loves to rebuild all that she has lost.
I loved this story and the relationships behind it. It is not only a story of a lost love but of sisterhood, friendship, and families. Merrin lost something that she could not get back. The intangible thing of acceptance is a powerful. It gives us courage and security and without it we are lost. The narration of Merin's love, pain and rebuilding is powerful. She is confronted by her loss in different ways thru her relationships. The protection we find in our relationships and the shame we have when for whatever reason, we have caused harm. I loved the candor of these relationships, the easy way and the difficult times of facing the what are relationships are made of.
With any great love story involving any of our relationships is redemption. Something made new from loss, pain, and misunderstanding. It was a complete package.
A special thank you to Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
February 25, 2024
The story is about Merrin, who is let down by love and her feelings. She feels that she has to leave her home village in Cornwall. It's her story of how she builds herself up and learns to forgive both herself and others. It's gentle telling us slow moving, but all the better for it. Family love, relationships, friendships, sibling rivalry, and finding yourself after disappointment are key themes. A lovely read
January 16, 2022
This is a wonderful love story about Merrin and Digby and I was cheering for Merrin all the way!! This latest book by Amanda Prowse was one of her best yet! You’ll need Kleenex! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.
February 18, 2022
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in a book tour by Love Book Tours. With thanks to them and the author, this gift has not impacted my review.
Merrin is about to marry the love of her life. At 19 years old all she wants is to marry Digby Mortimer, Port Charles' richest heir, have kids, and live her life in her beloved home town in Cornwall. Digby loves her, this she is sure of. Everything is perfect. The dress is on. The flowers are out. The church is full. But then, there's no Digby. When he rings to say he isn't coming, Merrin is left embarrassed and destroyed. Unable to face becoming the talk of the town, she runs to a city further up the M25 and throws herself into her life far from the sea and Port Charles and does her best to stifle the fun loving and spontaneous girl she once was, avoiding going home at any cost. She has successes, such as her new job and being promoted, and failures, but her heart is never truly in her new life. When tragedy strikes and she has to go home to bury her father, Merrin is faced with the difficult choice of moving back to the place she loves or staying in her city life away from all the embarrassment that befell her 6 years previous.
Jarvis looked out to sea. "I think...I think you can love more than one person, and I think you can love different people in different ways. Love can be fickle, your heart and your mind can play tricks," -he tapped his temple as his mouth lifted in a wry smile, "and then, one day, you realise that the thing you've been waiting for, searching for, has been right under your nose all the time and it can make you feel a bit stupid that you'd spent the longest time looking in the wrong place."
This book was a little outside of my comfort zone. I don't really do romance, but again, I'm not sure I can class this book as a romance either. Sure it has a wedding in it, the whole story is centred around Merrin's marriage not happening, and her later relationship with Miguel, but then again, I don't feel like the romance was ever the main factor of the story. I feel like this story circled a lot around Merrin's darkening sense of self. At the start, she's a pretty simple character. Happy, settled, and looking forward to a simple future of being a wife and a mother, but by the time the book ends, she's almost too independent, which I understand is because of Digby. I didn't like how she treated Miguel a lot of the time, when the man was clearly head over heels for her, she decided to keep him on a string, which was a little toxic in my opinion, but it added complexity to her character which is always a positive.
I liked the author's writing style, the story wasn't super fast paced, quite a gradual build up to where it ended, but easy to follow and enough to keep me entertained. I will say I found it hard to picture this story taking place over 6 years. If it wasn't for the casual mentions of how long it had been since Merrin and Digby's non-wedding and other characters having children, I probably would've thought this book took place over a year or two. Sure characters changed and some died, but they never felt more mature or more worldly.
Overall, this was a nice read. Simple, easy to follow and fairly enjoyable.
Merrin is about to marry the love of her life. At 19 years old all she wants is to marry Digby Mortimer, Port Charles' richest heir, have kids, and live her life in her beloved home town in Cornwall. Digby loves her, this she is sure of. Everything is perfect. The dress is on. The flowers are out. The church is full. But then, there's no Digby. When he rings to say he isn't coming, Merrin is left embarrassed and destroyed. Unable to face becoming the talk of the town, she runs to a city further up the M25 and throws herself into her life far from the sea and Port Charles and does her best to stifle the fun loving and spontaneous girl she once was, avoiding going home at any cost. She has successes, such as her new job and being promoted, and failures, but her heart is never truly in her new life. When tragedy strikes and she has to go home to bury her father, Merrin is faced with the difficult choice of moving back to the place she loves or staying in her city life away from all the embarrassment that befell her 6 years previous.
Jarvis looked out to sea. "I think...I think you can love more than one person, and I think you can love different people in different ways. Love can be fickle, your heart and your mind can play tricks," -he tapped his temple as his mouth lifted in a wry smile, "and then, one day, you realise that the thing you've been waiting for, searching for, has been right under your nose all the time and it can make you feel a bit stupid that you'd spent the longest time looking in the wrong place."
This book was a little outside of my comfort zone. I don't really do romance, but again, I'm not sure I can class this book as a romance either. Sure it has a wedding in it, the whole story is centred around Merrin's marriage not happening, and her later relationship with Miguel, but then again, I don't feel like the romance was ever the main factor of the story. I feel like this story circled a lot around Merrin's darkening sense of self. At the start, she's a pretty simple character. Happy, settled, and looking forward to a simple future of being a wife and a mother, but by the time the book ends, she's almost too independent, which I understand is because of Digby. I didn't like how she treated Miguel a lot of the time, when the man was clearly head over heels for her, she decided to keep him on a string, which was a little toxic in my opinion, but it added complexity to her character which is always a positive.
I liked the author's writing style, the story wasn't super fast paced, quite a gradual build up to where it ended, but easy to follow and enough to keep me entertained. I will say I found it hard to picture this story taking place over 6 years. If it wasn't for the casual mentions of how long it had been since Merrin and Digby's non-wedding and other characters having children, I probably would've thought this book took place over a year or two. Sure characters changed and some died, but they never felt more mature or more worldly.
Overall, this was a nice read. Simple, easy to follow and fairly enjoyable.
December 1, 2023
My first Amanda Prowse.
Read to satisfy an ATY prompt: 31. A book found by inputting a favorite author on https://www.literature-map.com
The heroine is Merrin Kellow. She lives in a small fishing village in Cornwall England. She suffers horrible humiliation there and runs from the town gossip to work at a resort 3 hours away.
She has an older sister Ruby, who is very outspoken and accuses Merrin of selfishness for not staying. Merrin also has a good friend, Bella, who misses Merrin, but is a little more understanding.
Merrin's parents, Ben and Heather, are deeply devoted to each other.
My favorite quote, written by Ben to Heather:
"I love you beyond words, beyond life and I always will. Thank you for loving me. It is surely the greatest gift you can bestow upon one another: to love and be loved."
I found the book a little over the top in terms of sadness and coincidences. But like I tell everyone who complains about such things- it IS fiction; the author can do anything she wants.
4 stars
Read to satisfy an ATY prompt: 31. A book found by inputting a favorite author on https://www.literature-map.com
The heroine is Merrin Kellow. She lives in a small fishing village in Cornwall England. She suffers horrible humiliation there and runs from the town gossip to work at a resort 3 hours away.
She has an older sister Ruby, who is very outspoken and accuses Merrin of selfishness for not staying. Merrin also has a good friend, Bella, who misses Merrin, but is a little more understanding.
Merrin's parents, Ben and Heather, are deeply devoted to each other.
My favorite quote, written by Ben to Heather:
"I love you beyond words, beyond life and I always will. Thank you for loving me. It is surely the greatest gift you can bestow upon one another: to love and be loved."
I found the book a little over the top in terms of sadness and coincidences. But like I tell everyone who complains about such things- it IS fiction; the author can do anything she wants.
4 stars
January 1, 2022
Amanda Prowse has done it again! Another thoroughly believable story, with very believable characters, against a gorgeous backdrop. You feel as though you could travel down to Cornwall and find this gorgeous fishing village, and walk through the cobbled streets meeting the wonderful characters who populate this incredible novel. Merrin is so wonderful, and so vibrant and believable you want to meet her and join the close knit group of friends.
Merrin was madly in love, with her whole life mapped out with the man she adored, much to the envy of her older sister Ruby. However when he leaves her standing at the alter in her beautiful dress, and runs off, live in her gorgeous fishing village will never be the same. She can't cope with being the girl that everyone gossips about, so she leaves her beloved village and goes to work, and live, in a hotel several hours away. Her parents and Ruby are devastated, as is her best friend, although they do understand why she had to leave and make a life for herself elsewhere.
When Merrin has to return to the village for the wedding of her beloved sister, she takes the very handsome Miguel with her, and tried to put the ghosts of the past behind her.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Merrin was madly in love, with her whole life mapped out with the man she adored, much to the envy of her older sister Ruby. However when he leaves her standing at the alter in her beautiful dress, and runs off, live in her gorgeous fishing village will never be the same. She can't cope with being the girl that everyone gossips about, so she leaves her beloved village and goes to work, and live, in a hotel several hours away. Her parents and Ruby are devastated, as is her best friend, although they do understand why she had to leave and make a life for herself elsewhere.
When Merrin has to return to the village for the wedding of her beloved sister, she takes the very handsome Miguel with her, and tried to put the ghosts of the past behind her.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
February 20, 2022
Another amazing and heart warming novel from one of my favourite authors!!
Young and desperately in love, Merrin had the whole world ahead of her. But just as her new life was about to start, the ground beneath her feet was cruelly swept away. Devastated by the humiliation, she ran far away from the beloved fishing village she had always called home to lick her wounds and escape her gossiping friends and neighbours.
It hasn’t been easy, but six years later Merrin has forged a new life for herself. But when tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to return to the village she swore she’d never set foot in again. And she is forced to relook at the questions that she has been avoiding for all those years.
Will Merrin get the answers for : what does she want from her life? Who is important to her? Who is to blame for everything that went wrong? And can she forgive them, let old wounds heal and finally be her true self again?
I loved the plot right from the first page. I felt connected with Merrin, and I loved her character. Her emotions and relationships with her family are so real. And through her, the author has been able to highlight the journey and emotions a person goes through after being humiliated. The struggle of being able to let go of the hurt, finding hope through forgiveness as well as being able to discover a new you!
Thank You NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC!!
Young and desperately in love, Merrin had the whole world ahead of her. But just as her new life was about to start, the ground beneath her feet was cruelly swept away. Devastated by the humiliation, she ran far away from the beloved fishing village she had always called home to lick her wounds and escape her gossiping friends and neighbours.
It hasn’t been easy, but six years later Merrin has forged a new life for herself. But when tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to return to the village she swore she’d never set foot in again. And she is forced to relook at the questions that she has been avoiding for all those years.
Will Merrin get the answers for : what does she want from her life? Who is important to her? Who is to blame for everything that went wrong? And can she forgive them, let old wounds heal and finally be her true self again?
I loved the plot right from the first page. I felt connected with Merrin, and I loved her character. Her emotions and relationships with her family are so real. And through her, the author has been able to highlight the journey and emotions a person goes through after being humiliated. The struggle of being able to let go of the hurt, finding hope through forgiveness as well as being able to discover a new you!
Thank You NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC!!
January 2, 2022
Prowess packs a lot into the small fishing hamlet of Port Charles. The Kellow family has been staples of the village and much change awaits them. With Sorrow, joy, mixed in with lots of gossip and busybodies, the story has much to offer. I really felt bad for Jarvis in the first few chapters, but he found his footing. My favorite character was Bella. A woman after my own heart, munching on a bacon sandwich on her friend’s wedding day. Prose always delivers a cast of quirky characters, including the raucous bunch in this latest. Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing.
November 14, 2021
Oh, Amanda Prowse, you've done it again!
I was hooked on the story of Merrin from the moment I started reading. She was born and has lived in the same Cornish Fishing village of Port Charles, her whole life, and intends to spend the rest of it, there, too.
On the cusp of beginning the next chapter of her life, Merrin is convinced her life is headed in exactly the right direction.
Until the one thing she never expected to happen, happens. Filled with humiliation, Merrin flees her beloved hometown to forget her sorrows, but with a huge sense of regret at leaving her family behind.
Nothing can convince her to come back, not even the death of her grandma... Nothing, until her sister gets married.
Where do I start? Merrin is a beautiful character, full of hope, romance and life. It broke my heart to read how she crumbled, along with all her dreams, on that fateful day.
And feeling that she was never going to find anything close to the love she had felt at the time, the story grows, showing how she hardens her heart to feelings too intense, pushing away so many people who love her, romantically, and otherwise.
However, life does move in mysterious ways, and despite losses, she finds her perfect ending.
I loved Merrin's best friend, Bella, a lot. What I wouldn't give to have a Bella by my side!
A consuming read which I finished in a day.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was hooked on the story of Merrin from the moment I started reading. She was born and has lived in the same Cornish Fishing village of Port Charles, her whole life, and intends to spend the rest of it, there, too.
On the cusp of beginning the next chapter of her life, Merrin is convinced her life is headed in exactly the right direction.
Until the one thing she never expected to happen, happens. Filled with humiliation, Merrin flees her beloved hometown to forget her sorrows, but with a huge sense of regret at leaving her family behind.
Nothing can convince her to come back, not even the death of her grandma... Nothing, until her sister gets married.
Where do I start? Merrin is a beautiful character, full of hope, romance and life. It broke my heart to read how she crumbled, along with all her dreams, on that fateful day.
And feeling that she was never going to find anything close to the love she had felt at the time, the story grows, showing how she hardens her heart to feelings too intense, pushing away so many people who love her, romantically, and otherwise.
However, life does move in mysterious ways, and despite losses, she finds her perfect ending.
I loved Merrin's best friend, Bella, a lot. What I wouldn't give to have a Bella by my side!
A consuming read which I finished in a day.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 10, 2023
Merrin found true love, lost it. This book drudged on and on. Merrin has a terrible thing occur to her which causes her to leave town. The book spends a horrible amount of time in her brain. The loss, the humiliation, memories of what she lost. Honestly I wanted to reach in the book and smack her so we could get on with story. It was slow reading due to lack of interest on my part. Over and over and over we read her same thoughts. Not much action but there is a change of scenery which is also described in an overboard way.
July 12, 2022
Amanda Prowse always amazes me with her ability to bring out the feelings. Not just the romantic feelings, but the love of family, friends, and nature. This book really hit me with how feelings may trick us, and some may be the real thing, and others may not. Who is to know the difference other than looking back and evaluating once all is said and done. This was a great story about love, family, denial, running away, and so much more. I would definitely recommend it.
December 27, 2021
Merrin lives in the beautiful fishing village of Port Charles in Cornwall, it's her happy place, filled with childhood memories and where she intends to stay for life, that is until she is faced with the worst humiliation possible, she flees the village and the comfort of her family, to escape the gossiping that every small village is known for.
Six years later, having set up a new life in Thornbury, Bristol she is faced with a family tragedy and has to return to her childhood home, it's not going to be easy, but she has no choice. Once she's back there with her family, she begins to question the life she once had, can she forget the past and return to the place she's always loved and misses immeasurably, only Merrin can make that decision but will she follow her head or her heart...?
To Love and Be Loved is the latest creation by the hugely talented Amanda Prowse, this author could write a shopping list and it would be a best seller! She creates her characters in such a way that you immediately feel you know them personally, almost like being part of the family, they are completely authentic, from the first page of every book I've read by her I've been totally invested in the story and this one is no exception. Merrin's story is one that I'm sure every girl who has ever been in love dreads and my heart broke for her many times during this book, it's a tale of love, loss, grief, sibling rivalry and fractured loyalty and I encountered so many different emotions whilst reading it. Amanda writes from the heart, about subjects that will resonate with every one of her readers in one way or another throughout their lives, and I recommend you read at least one of her books, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
I'd like to thank Amazon Publishing UK, Netgalley and the author for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.
Six years later, having set up a new life in Thornbury, Bristol she is faced with a family tragedy and has to return to her childhood home, it's not going to be easy, but she has no choice. Once she's back there with her family, she begins to question the life she once had, can she forget the past and return to the place she's always loved and misses immeasurably, only Merrin can make that decision but will she follow her head or her heart...?
To Love and Be Loved is the latest creation by the hugely talented Amanda Prowse, this author could write a shopping list and it would be a best seller! She creates her characters in such a way that you immediately feel you know them personally, almost like being part of the family, they are completely authentic, from the first page of every book I've read by her I've been totally invested in the story and this one is no exception. Merrin's story is one that I'm sure every girl who has ever been in love dreads and my heart broke for her many times during this book, it's a tale of love, loss, grief, sibling rivalry and fractured loyalty and I encountered so many different emotions whilst reading it. Amanda writes from the heart, about subjects that will resonate with every one of her readers in one way or another throughout their lives, and I recommend you read at least one of her books, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
I'd like to thank Amazon Publishing UK, Netgalley and the author for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.
January 1, 2022
Amanda Prowse has done it again! Another thoroughly believable story, with very believable characters, against a gorgeous backdrop. You feel as though you could travel down to Cornwall and find this gorgeous fishing village, and walk through the cobbled streets meeting the wonderful characters who populate this incredible novel. Merrin is so wonderful, and so vibrant and believable you want to meet her and join the close knit group of friends.
Merrin was madly in love, with her whole life mapped out with the man she adored, much to the envy of her older sister Ruby. However when he leaves her standing at the alter in her beautiful dress, and runs off, live in her gorgeous fishing village will never be the same. She can't cope with being the girl that everyone gossips about, so she leaves her beloved village and goes to work, and live, in a hotel several hours away. Her parents and Ruby are devastated, as is her best friend, although they do understand why she had to leave and make a life for herself elsewhere.
When Merrin has to return to the village for the wedding of her beloved sister, she takes the very handsome Miguel with her, and tried to put the ghosts of the past behind her.
Merrin was madly in love, with her whole life mapped out with the man she adored, much to the envy of her older sister Ruby. However when he leaves her standing at the alter in her beautiful dress, and runs off, live in her gorgeous fishing village will never be the same. She can't cope with being the girl that everyone gossips about, so she leaves her beloved village and goes to work, and live, in a hotel several hours away. Her parents and Ruby are devastated, as is her best friend, although they do understand why she had to leave and make a life for herself elsewhere.
When Merrin has to return to the village for the wedding of her beloved sister, she takes the very handsome Miguel with her, and tried to put the ghosts of the past behind her.
November 21, 2023
I have read a couple of Amanda Prowse's books but not for awhile, that is not going to change. I read this book as part of my 12 Friends, 12 Books and I remember why I read the other books. Amanda Prowse's writing is heartfelt, descriptive and relatable. To Love and Be Loved is Merrin's story. Born and raised in a small coastal town in England, she's devastated when she is left at the alter. She became a story, the girl left at the alter and everyone in the village pitied her. She couldn't live like that, so she moved away to start a new life. She missed her family, her village and her life as much as her parents missed her. It took 6 years before she was able to return, and only then when her dear father had died.
I loved this story. It is not a romance, which many identify it as, it is the story of a woman who has to find herself. She has to learn to live with what happened to her, and forgive those who were involved in that situation. She finds a man she thinks she loves, but it is not what she is looking for. There is some angst involving her sister and they have to come together to get beyond those feelings of anger, hurt and blame. This is more women's fiction to me. Amanda Prowse does a great job with the ending of this story. It isn't all wrapped up in a bow, but realistic and with the door open to let the reader imagine what happens next for Merrin. Thanks for the recommendation Misty, I certainly concur that this is one I will now recommend to others.
I loved this story. It is not a romance, which many identify it as, it is the story of a woman who has to find herself. She has to learn to live with what happened to her, and forgive those who were involved in that situation. She finds a man she thinks she loves, but it is not what she is looking for. There is some angst involving her sister and they have to come together to get beyond those feelings of anger, hurt and blame. This is more women's fiction to me. Amanda Prowse does a great job with the ending of this story. It isn't all wrapped up in a bow, but realistic and with the door open to let the reader imagine what happens next for Merrin. Thanks for the recommendation Misty, I certainly concur that this is one I will now recommend to others.
February 3, 2022
I love a good romance. You get just that with Prowse books. You have to read this one to find out if happiness is found. The best characters and the story line that you won't soon forget.
A 4 star read, I recommend.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.
A 4 star read, I recommend.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.
January 26, 2022
4.5 🌟
Sometimes an author plops you down in an idyllic setting and surrounds you with a great cast of characters and it just feels right. In 𝐓𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 there isn’t a lot of action or steamy scenes, but once you meet Merrin and the Kellow family, you won’t want to leave the seaside village of Port Charles.
Merrin believed she had found her happily-ever-after in Digby, that is, until he abandoned her on their wedding day.
Not able to face the humiliation, Merrin takes a job away from her beloved home and family. Merrin knows she is hurting her parents, sister, and best friend being away, but she just needs time to heal. Years go by, and Merrin meets Miguel, a perfectly kind and handsome man, but Merrin’s still not ready or able to love or be loved. It takes the loss of someone very dear to Merrin, to make her open up to love once again.
I loved this family, and Bella, Merrin’s best friend, is one of my favorite characters - a peacekeeper, yet she tells it like it is. This story has humor, heartbreak, warmth, and a family secret too.
Thank you to @suzyapprovedbooktours and @MrsAmandaProwse
Sometimes an author plops you down in an idyllic setting and surrounds you with a great cast of characters and it just feels right. In 𝐓𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 there isn’t a lot of action or steamy scenes, but once you meet Merrin and the Kellow family, you won’t want to leave the seaside village of Port Charles.
Merrin believed she had found her happily-ever-after in Digby, that is, until he abandoned her on their wedding day.
Not able to face the humiliation, Merrin takes a job away from her beloved home and family. Merrin knows she is hurting her parents, sister, and best friend being away, but she just needs time to heal. Years go by, and Merrin meets Miguel, a perfectly kind and handsome man, but Merrin’s still not ready or able to love or be loved. It takes the loss of someone very dear to Merrin, to make her open up to love once again.
I loved this family, and Bella, Merrin’s best friend, is one of my favorite characters - a peacekeeper, yet she tells it like it is. This story has humor, heartbreak, warmth, and a family secret too.
Thank you to @suzyapprovedbooktours and @MrsAmandaProwse
January 13, 2022
Merine lives in a small fishing village, Port Charles, Cornwall, and she is to marry Digby the love of her life.
But the day of the wedding something happens that leaves her broken and vulnerable.
Six years have passed since she left her home to start fresh and she has to go back when a tragedy strikes. Once she is back home, she realizes what she has missed and how she is her real self now that she is home again.
The story alternates between time periods and keeps you guessing what is going to happen next.
I liked the story and the relationships, and I enjoyed Merine’s narration, and how she endured the pain and rebuilt her life.
To love and to be loved is a story of love and loss that is beautifully described by the author.
But the day of the wedding something happens that leaves her broken and vulnerable.
Six years have passed since she left her home to start fresh and she has to go back when a tragedy strikes. Once she is back home, she realizes what she has missed and how she is her real self now that she is home again.
The story alternates between time periods and keeps you guessing what is going to happen next.
I liked the story and the relationships, and I enjoyed Merine’s narration, and how she endured the pain and rebuilt her life.
To love and to be loved is a story of love and loss that is beautifully described by the author.
January 26, 2022
Merrin led a simple, quiet life that made her very happy. She needed nothing more than to be near her family, to walk barefoot in the grass and to have the sea breeze tousle her long hair.
Falling in love with Digby and being reciprocated was the most beautiful thing that had happened to her so far. Their worlds were very different but they understood each other perfectly. With him, Merrin could be herself without fear of being judged, she felt free, loved and respected for who she was.
His marriage proposal took her by surprise. She didn't doubt his feelings, but she didn't understand what was the hurry. They were fine as they were, and they were so young. But she was so in love that the thought of all the time they could spend together once they were married tipped the scales.
And then came what would be one of the most important moments of her life: the wedding day. She would remember every detail, no matter how insignificant. Moments that would forever mark her life, but for very different reasons than she thought.
To Love and Be Loved is a beautiful story of love and friendship. It tells us about the importance of forgiveness and its healing power. But it also tells us how important it is that we love ourselves without reservation in order to be able to love others.
In principle, the plot is simple, the subject matter is nothing new, but it is so well written that it gives the feeling of reading something completely new. This is one of those stories whose reading leaves us with very beautiful and unforgettable emotional moments.
This is one of the few times I don't have a favorite character because they all have something different to bring to the novel. They are varied, complex and unique in their characterization.
I had a hard time empathizing with Merrin, not because I didn't understand her, but on the contrary. She has a cheerful, sweet and even a little wild character. She has a great capacity to forgive and give second chances to others. But she is incapable of forgiving or loving herself. She is a complex and unpredictable character who leaves us unforgettable moments of reading.
To Love and Be Loved is a very special book, full of unique details that make all the difference and make this author a must read.
Falling in love with Digby and being reciprocated was the most beautiful thing that had happened to her so far. Their worlds were very different but they understood each other perfectly. With him, Merrin could be herself without fear of being judged, she felt free, loved and respected for who she was.
His marriage proposal took her by surprise. She didn't doubt his feelings, but she didn't understand what was the hurry. They were fine as they were, and they were so young. But she was so in love that the thought of all the time they could spend together once they were married tipped the scales.
And then came what would be one of the most important moments of her life: the wedding day. She would remember every detail, no matter how insignificant. Moments that would forever mark her life, but for very different reasons than she thought.
To Love and Be Loved is a beautiful story of love and friendship. It tells us about the importance of forgiveness and its healing power. But it also tells us how important it is that we love ourselves without reservation in order to be able to love others.
In principle, the plot is simple, the subject matter is nothing new, but it is so well written that it gives the feeling of reading something completely new. This is one of those stories whose reading leaves us with very beautiful and unforgettable emotional moments.
This is one of the few times I don't have a favorite character because they all have something different to bring to the novel. They are varied, complex and unique in their characterization.
I had a hard time empathizing with Merrin, not because I didn't understand her, but on the contrary. She has a cheerful, sweet and even a little wild character. She has a great capacity to forgive and give second chances to others. But she is incapable of forgiving or loving herself. She is a complex and unpredictable character who leaves us unforgettable moments of reading.
To Love and Be Loved is a very special book, full of unique details that make all the difference and make this author a must read.
December 29, 2021
I knew I would and I did! Love it that is! My goto author when I want a good contemporary read; this one was a lovely family drama set in the fishing village of Port Charles, Cornwall and Thornbury, a market town Nr. Bristol. In the interest of full disclosure I actually live in Thornbury so I was glued to the book. The descriptions by Amanda Prowse are so good you can see the places she is describing and the characters come to life on the pages. I particularly loved Merrin’s family. Proper salt of the earth people for whom family and loyalty means more than anything.
Briefly, Merrin has spent all her life in Port Charles. When she meets the man of her dreams she has her future planned until it is cruelty taken away from her. To escape the gossips she leaves and goes to work in a hotel in Thornbury. But she is still struggling to put the man she loved behind her. Years later, she returns to Cornwall for a funeral and her happiness at being back home makes her question her life choices.
It’s not a short book but it finished all too quickly for me. I wanted more. The full gamut of emotions are on display here love and hate, truth and deception, trust and mistrust, laughter and tears, life and death. I’m not a weeper when it comes to books but I’ll admit to a tiny tear at one point in this one. It was just a lovely read. If you like a good family saga then this is definitely one for you ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Briefly, Merrin has spent all her life in Port Charles. When she meets the man of her dreams she has her future planned until it is cruelty taken away from her. To escape the gossips she leaves and goes to work in a hotel in Thornbury. But she is still struggling to put the man she loved behind her. Years later, she returns to Cornwall for a funeral and her happiness at being back home makes her question her life choices.
It’s not a short book but it finished all too quickly for me. I wanted more. The full gamut of emotions are on display here love and hate, truth and deception, trust and mistrust, laughter and tears, life and death. I’m not a weeper when it comes to books but I’ll admit to a tiny tear at one point in this one. It was just a lovely read. If you like a good family saga then this is definitely one for you ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 15, 2022
I enjoyed this book right from the start. I loved the setting in the small Cornish village where in a tight knit community everyone knows each other, which is good in some ways but not in others.
I felt connected with Merrin and her family and her friends who are an important part of her life and could feel the love that they had for
each other and laughed and also at times cried with them. I felt sad that Merrin spent so long away from home but it took coming home to find some of the answers she was looking for and the courage and strength to move on.
This was the first book I’ve read by this author but it won’t be the last I’m sure.
February 1, 2022
Thank you, Lake Union Publishing and Amazon Publishing UK, for the advance reading copy.
This is my second book by the author which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I took my own sweet time because I wasn't ready to let go of the characters and their memories too soon.
I find the writing really good as I did when I first pick up her other book The Day She Came Back.
I find the character of Merrin quite daring and brave as opposed to what other characters feel about her when the story started.
I find the character development so well done. This is one of those stories that would make the reader think about their lives and make them want to leave the toxic things, including toxic people and relationship, out of their lives and start living again amidst heartbreak and fears.
The ending made me feel so many things. I would have thought there were other ways Merrin could have ended in better but do I know more? I don't think so.
Totally recommending this book for the strong female leads readers.
This is my second book by the author which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I took my own sweet time because I wasn't ready to let go of the characters and their memories too soon.
I find the writing really good as I did when I first pick up her other book The Day She Came Back.
I find the character of Merrin quite daring and brave as opposed to what other characters feel about her when the story started.
I find the character development so well done. This is one of those stories that would make the reader think about their lives and make them want to leave the toxic things, including toxic people and relationship, out of their lives and start living again amidst heartbreak and fears.
The ending made me feel so many things. I would have thought there were other ways Merrin could have ended in better but do I know more? I don't think so.
Totally recommending this book for the strong female leads readers.
January 14, 2022
Amanda Prowse’s books have seen me through life changes, job changes, trials and tribulations. This was a comforting read during the turn of the year with lots of changes going on and it was so nice to have a familiar writing style at the end of a long day to get lost in.
This is a family drama set against the beautiful backdrop of Cornwall (Port Charles) and Thornbury, near Bristol. Amanda uses careful research and her own knowledge to create stunning realistic settings that will make you want to explore them. She creates characters that you are compelled to love (and sometimes hate!) and brings unique and refreshing storylines into their lives to create the contemporary domestic dramas that we’ve all become quite hooked upon.
There are bittersweet moments, incredible emotional chapters and scenes, and just the right amount of humour injected in at various points to balance this book into the well known style that we have come to know and love from Amanda.
This is a family drama set against the beautiful backdrop of Cornwall (Port Charles) and Thornbury, near Bristol. Amanda uses careful research and her own knowledge to create stunning realistic settings that will make you want to explore them. She creates characters that you are compelled to love (and sometimes hate!) and brings unique and refreshing storylines into their lives to create the contemporary domestic dramas that we’ve all become quite hooked upon.
There are bittersweet moments, incredible emotional chapters and scenes, and just the right amount of humour injected in at various points to balance this book into the well known style that we have come to know and love from Amanda.
November 16, 2021
Amanda Prowse is one of my favourite authors and I always can't wait to start one of her books, as they are always a treat.
This one was no exception. I was immediately drawn into the story of Merrin. I loved her character and felt heartbroken for her. I loved the family relationships in the story - Merrin and her sister remind me of my relationship with my sister. As with most of Amanda's books, tissues were needed. I could clearly picture the Cornish location and this makes me want a Cornish holiday again soon.
I couldn't put this down and finished it over the weekend. I can't recommend this and all of Amanda's other books highly enough. Perfect for a cosy afternoon on the sofa with a cuppa and cake.
Fabulous - I can't wait for the next one!
This one was no exception. I was immediately drawn into the story of Merrin. I loved her character and felt heartbroken for her. I loved the family relationships in the story - Merrin and her sister remind me of my relationship with my sister. As with most of Amanda's books, tissues were needed. I could clearly picture the Cornish location and this makes me want a Cornish holiday again soon.
I couldn't put this down and finished it over the weekend. I can't recommend this and all of Amanda's other books highly enough. Perfect for a cosy afternoon on the sofa with a cuppa and cake.
Fabulous - I can't wait for the next one!
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