Our future rarely turns out as planned—friends Elliott, Mel, and Luke certainly found that to be true. Now in their early twenties, they’re forced to submit to reality. Elliott is a blind author floundering as he takes his first steps of independence. Luke, his roommate and best friend, works as a proofreader of a local newspaper—a far cry from his dream of being an editor for an influential publishing firm. Held back by grief and guilt from past decisions, he has to learn to knock down the walls he’s built around him. His younger sister, Mel, struggles to carry the weight of living out the dreams she and her deceased best friend had whipped up years prior, while grappling with the affects a difficult childhood left on her. As the three of them navigate new experiences, relationships, and careers, they learn how to turn the page while not forgetting their past chapters.
Hannah Morgan lives in Maine, US. She lives and breathes books and writing, and can usually be found with a stack of novels within reach. She focuses on young adult and new adult fiction, especially about mental health, coming-of-age, clean romance, and happy endings (a must!).
She can be found on Instagram as @hannahmorganwrites.
I loved this book and the characters from page one, it makes you, smile, laugh, cry and even abit angry at times but it is so real. There are stories from multiple view points and each of them have their own struggles and they are so relatable. Cannot recommend this enough! 👌
This is a lovely, inclusive book with well developed characters and an engaging story. I loved how she handled the tough topics of abuse and trauma with respect and (I feel) accuracy. The characters went through a lot and had noticeable character development which is one of the most important pieces of a story for me. I fell in love with them, with their struggles and their lives, I hoped for the best for them and wanted to be there to see their stories play out. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I hope to see more from the author!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I met Hannah Morgan at a craft fair in Southern Maine where she was selling her books, and I absolutely loved it! It’s a different story than others out there while still being heartfelt and fun. I can’t wait for her next book as I will definitely be purchasing! Fantastic work for her first book!
I received the advance reader copy for free and I give this review voluntarily.
It follows Elliot, Mel, and Lucas who are trying to deal with so many griefs and desolation of their past.
Told in the first person point of view from all 3 characters. I can feel a strong connection between Elliot and myself I mean like his personality is related to mine in so many cases. I also adore Luke who I think is the real implication of a gentleman. Last and not least, Mel, A sister of Luke, I love her who can anyhow be patient, The Cute Melania who never gives up, and so talented girl. Regardless, "Everyone handles their grief differently."
I would say that this is a romance novel, but that is not the main theme, yet, it is focused on Family relationships and some mental illness topics. I couldn't help but sob, cry, grumble, and scream in the middle of the novel, this was so bitter, heart-taking, depressing, heartbreak, and touching.
A debut novel from the author Hannah Morgan, and I'm not gonna lie that this book is excellent and able to shatter my heart. I highly recommend this to anyone!
Honestly, I have kept plenty of quotes and they are all my favorite, but it is impossible to write them all down, so here are some: •I learned the hard way that not everything is as it seems.
•Each seemingly inconsequential action we take has an effect.
•Fake it 'til you make it. It's cliche, but true.
•Maybe our sincerity will be a strong enough reason to live. A hope for the future, to keep receiving this love. Can't that be enough?
•Getting angry about the past won't change anything.
•Our life isn't perfect. We have stresses that we deal with, and there will always be unexpected hurdles that pop up. As long as we keep turning pages in our lives, though, we will keep growing, changing, learning, and enduring.
Our Next Chapter is the perfect new adult contemporary novel. The story centers around 20 somethings Elliot, Mel, and Luke as they navigate life after loss, disability, careers, a little bit of romance, and more!
What I loved: * Relatable characters- these characters are so REAL. They aren't perfect, they aren't sure what their next step in life is, and they are so likable! * Representation for disability. Hannah handles the topic of blindness with respect, purpose and empathy. * The romance! It's no secret that I enjoy a good romance and this one is no exception! I generally end up reading borderline smutty books, but this romance is incredibly clean and pure and I loved it even more! * I couldn't put this book down! I was hooked from the first few chapters and couldn't stop until I finished the story and knew how it would end. I got completely lost in the story and am still thinking about it days later. * This is Hannah's debut novel but it does NOT read like it. I'm hoping this is the first of many Hannah Morgan books I have the pleasure of reading!
If you're looking for a new age book with a bit of romance and extremely likable characters, I can't recommend this more! You will laugh, smile, and maybe even cry.
TW: This book does mention blindness, suicide, eating disorders, emotional abuse by a parent, loss of a parent, etc. While these are heavy topics they are handled with empathy and respect, but do be aware as topics of this nature can be triggering!
Read this if you: Like happy endings with clean romance Enjoy new experiences, relationships, and careers Prefer contemporary romance Love to get lost in the story line
Meet the Author: Hannah Morgan focuses on young adult and new adult fiction, especially about mental health, coming-of-age, clean romance, and happy endings which are a must! She lives and breathes books and writing. She always has a stack of novels within reach.
Synopsis: The three main characters, Elliot, Luke, and Mel enter the world of adulthood with many obstacles to tackle along the way. Hannah Morgan’s debut novel, Our Next Chapter touches on building friendships, growing careers, and figuring out life as a young adult in general.
What I Liked: This book instantly grabbed me, causing me to fall in love with the characters and the story line. The characters were relatable in every way causing you to instantly fall in love with each of them for different reasons. Each character had their own set of flaws. I liked that Morgan was able to introduce us to many touchy topics without it feeling like it was to much or overbearing. The multiple POV’s made this story much more interesting.
What I Wasn’t Crazy About: This book was a bit long in length for my liking. With that being said, the amount of information obtained was great, never feeling drawn out or overdone. I would not let this deter me from recommending this to a friend.
Trigger Warnings: Suicide, Emotional abuse by a parent, Loss of a parent, Eating Disorders, Mental Health, Childhood Trauma.
Available Now! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you, @write_and_left00 and @katieandbreypa for providing me with a complimentary review copy. In no way has that influenced my voluntary review.
Book Review Our Next Chapter A Novel Written By Hannah Morgan Fiction - Drama Published 2022 583 Pages ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is very good. It is the author’s debut novel. I hope this book is the first of many for Hannah Morgan. The writing in this book is excellent. It is available on Amazon.
The story chronicles the lives of three young people in their twenties as they navigate through life. Each has personal struggles they are dealing with as they try to find their place in society. Elliott, Luke, and Mel are friends who are dealing with issues such as mental illness, disability, self doubt, body image, eating disorder, self esteem, and guilt. Because they each have their own personal struggles, the three friends are able to help each other overcome their issues.
I liked all three characters and loved how they grew and developed as the story progressed.
This book is long but well worth the read. Dealing with personal issues is not an easy fix. The author did not rush through the story.
Thank you to the author and Katie and Brey PA for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
“I want to be happy. Safe. Valuable. Kind. Loving and loved.”
“As long as we keep turning pages in our lives, though, we will keep growing, changing, learning, and enduring. That’s how we write our next chapter.”
Our Next Chapter, written by Hannah Morgan, is a new adult contemporary. This book went beyond my expectations. Morgan writes about death, mental health, separation, child-parent relationships, and disability.
First off, this story is beautifully written. The characters, situations, and wording all meld together and flow perfectly to tell us the stories of Elliott, Mel, and Luke.
Second, as a disabled person, I loved the representation in Our Next Chapter. Not only is one of the main characters legally blind (like me!), Morgan represents different types of blindness. It's not just the stereotypical sunglasses and cane kind of blind.
We have three main characters whom we get to watch grow into themselves and transform as people. Elliott, who starts out as the lonely blind guy, flourishes by getting his first job, living away from his mom, and gaining a best friend, as well as a girlfriend. Luke is a heartbroken aspiring editor who learns that circumstances aren't always someone's fault - that they're just circumstantial. Mel is trying to keep her friend's dream and spirit alive, but by the end of the story realizes it's just not her dream and she finds her own happiness.
Hannah Morgan addresses the many issues that her characters face with care and sensitivity, but not in a way that says, "Hey, these things are scary and too fragile to talk about." Despite these topics, there is a happy ending. It doesn't feel forced, it feels realistic. I highly recommend Our Next Chapter, and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I found this book on social media and was a bit hesitant to try it, as I usually don’t read long contemporary romances (and this book is super long). But I ended up loving it. It’s a keeper.
The story is unusual among the books I’ve read: it’s slice of life, without a true plot or any action, but the author doesn’t make the mistakes such stories usually have and ends it with a proper resolution. I wouldn’t say the writing is above-and-beyond — certain details were sometimes missing in narration, and it took a long while to build a mental image of the characters — but it flows easily, in a smooth, casual way that makes for easy reading. Lengthy, perhaps, but the slice of life aspect builds the same effect as intricate plot by leaving one unable to resist asking what happens next.
So much of this book resonates with me. From bullying of minorities to depression to image issues — it’s like someone wrote this book to have a conversation with *me.* Although I cannot say I agree with every message of this book, I think reading it (all the hours I spent bingeing it) were absolutely worth it. I won’t be forgetting Elliot, Mel, and Luke anytime soon.
Unfortunately I found the writing itself to be quite terrible. It's clunky and downright cringey more often than not. (Immediately the main character's blindness seems inconsistent, and when they first go to the bakery he says it's "suspicious" and that "something doesn't add up" when the menu behind the counter is written... big? I mean, come on.) It felt like the book was never sent through any professional proofreader at all. I wondered if it was just me, but have so far have had four other people agree with me after sharing the first 8 pages. It was just something I couldn't get past. It's hard giving bad reviews when the author seems perfectly nice, but I couldn't even make it through to the end. I wish her better success in her next piece.
This book is amazing! I have never been so moved by a book that I am not multi-books into a series for. I cried, laughed and loved along with Mel, Luke and Elliott.
There is not a single thing I would change about this novel! The characters were real and relatable. The issues in the story are ones that people are experiencing everyday! Getting to watch how the three of them are all there for one another and supportive in building each other up into the amazing individuals they are.
There is of course a little romance in the story but you could tell that was not the main message. The love of family and friends was just as important if not more so.
Thank you to @katieandbreypa and the author for a copy of this book.
I don’t really give out many five stars, but this is one of the best books I’ve read this year. I couldn’t put it down. The characters were dynamic and dimensional. There were a ton of very heavy issues that could have been handled poorly (disability, mental illness, death, and abuse…just to name a few), but the author included them in the story in an inclusive and understanding way. She tackled heavy subjects without them feeling like they were thrown in for the shock and awe. It has been a LONG time since I have read something that was this well written. Hannah Morgan is one to watch! What an amazing debut novel.
A beautifully written story about the inevitably of change, navigating your 20s, dealing with insecurities, grief, and navigating life with a disability. I loved this book so much! I found all the characters and their situations extremely relatable and was able to see a part of myself in each character. From Luke beating himself up and putting walls up to keep himself safe from further heartache, to Elliot fearing the unknown of the future, and to Mel struggling with unlearning old habits. I found myself crying more than one while reading overcome with all types if emotions. I could say more but then I'd be adding spoilers all in all this is a beautiful book that I highly highly recommend.
Hannah Morgan definitely knows how to hit the heartstrings. She created a wonderful book that includes real life people with real life problems. There are so many trials that these friends have to go through and they're trying to find their purpose and way in life and how to be independent and so they rely on each other. There is a lot that I related with in this book and I enjoy the wise wisdom Hannah Morgan gives us! Put Our Next Chapter by Hannah Morgan on your TBR or read it right away. Don't miss out on it!
Ok so, I received this book a while back as an ARC direct from the author in exchange for an honest review:
Honestly, this book was great. I loved the 3 alternating characters. Each brought something different to the story. I love love LOVED the element of disability not being overlooked and rather seen and ABILITY. This was such a feel good story. It was well written and I especially loved the last bit and how the idea of the "next chapter" really begins. I highly recommend this book! Thank you Ms. Morgan for this amazing journey!
Thank you, Hannah, for the gifted copy of your book!
This book is very well-written and drew me in immediately. It’s paced well to simultaneously build emotion, move the plot forward, and reveal the characters’ pasts. The characters struggle with disability, mental health, and trauma, but I enjoyed that these themes were covered while staying light; this allowed me to breathe and not feel too bogged down. Overall this is a wholesome novel about love, introspection, growth, and healing.
Life so rarely works out just the way we expect it to. This novels shows us the journey of three people whose lives didn’t pan out like they thought it would. And that’s what makes this sweet indie novel worth the read!
Each character is given equal amount of attention. Mel’s character is my favorite because she learns how to cope with grief, no matter how painful it is.
A beautifully written book about a blind author finding his independence, his best friend struggling with loss and family relationships and guilt over past decisions as well as his sister. It goes through their growth in life, learning and finding happiness. I couldn't put it down. Looking forward to reading more of her works.
I met Hannah Morgan at a Maine bakery open house where she was signing her books. She was such a nice person. I quickly purchased this book and was so pleased to support a Maine author. I loved this book. The characters were well developed and the plot interesting. It kept my interest and I didn’t want to put the book down. Great job Hannah. I will be purchasing more of your work.
This book has great characters and thoroughly enjoyed them - I could picture them as the author describes them. It was interesting to see how Elliott finds his way to Mel and how in the end they get through the tragedy in their lives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book was absolutely wonderful. There was a sense of humanity that isn’t often seen in books. Many times character development for those that have gone through trauma isn’t quite as fleshed out, and this was the absolute exception to that. There are brief mentions of suicide, many of blindness, anxiety, and so much more. I truly appreciated all the warnings for this as well. The characters were relatable in their struggles into adulthood, trying to figure everything out. Knowing that they were struggling but also figuring out life and how their friendships worked was a bit enchanting.
This book took me on an absolute emotional roller coaster as I got to build a literary relationship with each of the characters. I don’t feel like I have ever read a novel where I have related to ALL of the characters much like this one. Morgan has written in such an honest and relatable way, whilst discussing such serious issues, that had a massive impact on my own personal experiences. For this reason, I had to take a few mind breaks as the story created a heavy, emotional connection with me. However, as the story was so captivating and written so beautifully, I wanted to give the book justice and steam roll ahead to reach the end of this story.
In particular, as I have had a reoccurring theme with my posts on representation, this is another important and memorable example. Morgan perfectly describes to the reader, the experiences of Elliot, someone who is visually impaired and the challenges he faces on a daily basis. Morgan also highlights the relationships Elliot forms and how lovely it is he has that support network.
I also thoroughly enjoyed reading about Mel’s connection to baking and running her bakery as I am such a foodie.