To Love and Be Loved

Product Information

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. When Ben dies the grief is overwhelming. There is no light, no laughter as the family shares memories. There are just copious amounts of tears. And the ending is very sudden, and for me was, considering Merrin's past, far too fast and unlikely. I struggled to take a liking to the centre character Merry she can across as very self centred and self absorbed who was more worried about what others thought about her than anything else. The characters around her including her parents, sister Ruby and friends Jarv and Bella and their relationships were fantastically written and definitely added to the unfolding story and kept me reading till the end. 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.

This is such a beautiful story! This is my second book written by Prowse and I love how she writes genuine stories with well-developed characters. This one explored many themes of family, friendship, love and happiness. It was bittersweet; at times heart wrenching but also filled with so much love and hope. Until now. It's been six years, and she did start a new chapter of her life after all - one far away from the sleepy seaside village of her past away from her family and friends, away from the reminders of everything bad that had happened to her. She has a stable job, she hasn't gotten her heart broken in years, and things are fine. But when she receives tragic news, she has to finally return to the place she once knew as home and face it once more time. 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. 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. 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. (view spoiler) And the ending is very sudden, and for me was, considering Merrin's past, far too fast and unlikely.

A Note From the Publisher

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.

It takes a wedding and a devastating loss before Merrin finally faces her fears and can move on with her life. 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?Deeply moving and emotional, Amanda Prowse handles her explosive subjects with delicate skill' - Daily Mail