My Name is Anton by Catherine Ryan Hyde tells the story of a young man as he goes through different phases of his life from 1965 to 2020. Readers are introduced to Anton just as he turns eighteen years old. He is at a difficult point of his life having lost loved ones in a short span of time. Anton also lost his hand and is adjusting to life as an amputee. It is at this point when he meets Edith, a woman in an abused marriage. The two develop an unlikely friendship which ends up shaping their entire lives.

This is a character driven story with a lot of focus being on carefully crafting out the characters. The author did a fantastic job especially with Anton’s character. My heart broke for the young man who had lost so much and still had to learn to adjust to the reality that life and loss go hand in hand. I admired his courage and determination to make hard choices. Readers get to know Edith through Anton. It was interesting to see how Anton’s decisions also shaped Edith’s character and life’s views. There are a number of other characters who stood out to me including Uncle Gregor, Grandma Marion and Jenny.

Being used to plot-driven stories, the story moved slowly and the pacing was a bit off kilter for me. I kept waiting for something to happen, like a twist or something but this wasn’t that kind of story. With time, I became comfortable with the pace and the easy flow of the narrative. Immersing myself in Anton’s world, I soon got lost in the narrative.

This is a story about selfless love. Yes, it would be wrong to just say that it is a love story because the ‘selfless’ bit of it is a major part of the narrative. Other themes such as loss, grief, family, adoption, domestic violence, mental health also come into play. It might seem like there is too much going on but the story spans over 55 years and the themes are perfectly interwoven into Anton’s life story without being overwhelming. This is a story about doing the right thing even if it hurts. It is not a perfect story, despite the MC almost being flawless, but it is memorable.

This is a sweet story, filled with immense emotions. This covers loses in several different forms and love in several different forms.!The end comes to a conclusion in a bittersweet but effective way that feels completely appropriate to the story.

I ABSOLUTELY loved this book!!! I just always enjoy those hear-felt stories!!! And the story with the varying characters and some you really fall in love with.. This story left me feeling sad but at the same time, joyful. Because in dark times, you can always see the light!!!

New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde returns with a hopeful novel of sacrifice, two lost souls, and enduring love.
I love the way Hyde gives me "all the feels" in every one of her books. She writes a relatable and emotional story of love through some sadness, yet triumphant and beautiful. I will continue to read every one of her books!

My Name is Anton was a quick read. I enjoyed this book from the beginning. It begins with Anton, who wants to be called Anthony, learning that his parents will be away for Christmas and he will be home alone for the holiday after having survived a tragic year in which he lost his grandfather, his brother, and his hand. His parent give him the gift of a telescope before they leave on their trip. While setting up attempting to view the stars through his new telescope on the first night that he is home alone, he witnesses domestic violence in an apartment across the street from where he lives. He makes it his duty to find out who the woman was and to protect from further abuse.

Anton struggles with himself and with relationships throughout the book. I found myself really wanting to know what would happen to Anton. The book begins with him at the age of 18 and the reader gets to experience his personal growth throughout his adulthood. Just like other books I have read by Catherine Ryan Hyde, the reader gets to know the character well throughout the book. Her characters are always well developed and yet the books are quick reads. There is not a lot of action in the book but it is still very entertaining and I recommend this book.

Have you ever read a book that just fills your heart so full you think it’ll burst wide open? I have had this book on my TBR for some time and decided to pick it up, and now I’m wishing I would have read it sooner. I loved the main character and his innocent yet noble moral compass that directs the story and ultimately shapes the entire book. The story flowed effortlessly and was full of love, some tense chapters, at times brutal truth, but in the end it was like a warm cup of tea for your soul.
Anton is in no condition to be left alone especially over the holidays. His brother just died and he is suffering both physically and emotionally. For Christmas his parents got him the telescope he wanted but what he sees isn’t the moon or stars, but a woman in the building across the street that appears to be in danger. Anton frantically tries to tell the police what he’s seen but when they leave empty handed he decides he must look into it himself. At the age of eighteen he has been through more than most will in a lifetime but he has also learned the true meaning of love. His extended family has stepped in to help him heal and come to terms with the losses he has had to endure. His grandmother will give him the best advice and become one of his biggest advocates.
Sometimes you need to put others people’s needs before your own even though it doesn’t feel right, because keeping someone to make yourself happy is selfish. Anton’s grandmother has taught him this hard lesson and at such a young age and being new to love he doesn’t quit understand it all. What he hopes is that if you love someone and set them free they will come back to you. It will take more than a decade but Anton will find everything he’s ever wanted and more

Catherine Ryan Hyde infuses her novels with her unique voice and preeminent storytelling prowess. Her tales, told in a straight-forward, no nonsense but distinct style, focus on relationships and the myriad ways in which life events change people and their relationships. In her writing, Hyde says she repeatedly returns to one question: “What is our responsibility to each other?” She is “fascinated by people who help not because they have to but because they can.” At the center of her latest novel, My Name is Anton, stands a young man who feels a responsibility to a woman he has never known and risks his own well-being in order to help her when he inadvertently realizes that she is in danger.

Anton is just eighteen years old and has endured an unspeakable tragedy -- the death of his older brother and only sibling, Greg, just a year earlier. Anton was also catastrophically injured. Since losing his right hand, Anton has been struggling to overcome the inevitable depression that descended upon him and learn to function with just one hand. Before departing on December 10, his parents presented him with the Christmas present he wanted: a telescope and tripod. And then they callously left him "entirely alone. For weeks. For the first time in his life."

With his telescope set up on the balcony of his family's thirteenth floor apartment, Anton realizes that the telescope is pointing downward at the apartment building across the street. Just as he realizes that he is looking through someone else's window and into their apartment, he sees a woman scrambling as though trying to get away from someone. Then a male hand comes into view, and Anton watches as the hand grabs the woman by her hair and yanks her out of his sight. "I have to do something," Anton says aloud to himself. The police dispatcher is no help because Anton does not know the address of the building across the street, so he sets off to find the address and the number of the apartment in which he saw the woman being abused. Anton has no way of knowing that his life will never be the same. When Edith opens the door, Anton makes up a ridiculous story about taking a door-to-door survey. There is discoloration below Edith's left eye.

The next day, Anton sees Edith leave her apartment building and follows her to the coffee shop down the street. When she recognizes him, Edith strikes up a conversation and she is shocked to learn that Anton was looking for her when he knocked on her apartment door. Reminding Anton that they are total strangers, she is taken aback when Anton asks her, "How well do I need to know a person before I'm allowed to prefer that nothing terrible happens to them?"

So begins a friendship like none either of them has ever known before. Anton convinces Edith that she must leave her husband, and shelters her in his family apartment. The two gradually realize that they have much in common, despite their age difference. Anton opens up to Edith about what happened to Greg and what his life has been like since that horrible day. As the days pass, Edith realizes that Anton is falling in love with her and she also cares deeply for him. But she is 33 years old and convinced that Anton is a gentle, kind young man who is experiencing deep feelings for a woman for the first time. But the two of them cannot share a future. Edith needs to leave in order to start a new life for herself, away from her violent husband who will hurt Anton if he believes that Anton knows her whereabouts. So she insists that Anton must not know where she goes when she departs. As they say good-bye, they believe they will never see each other again.

Or will they?

The story continues 15 years later. In 1980, Anton is the same age Edith was when the two of them met and spent those precious days together, and living with a girlfriend in California. But to say more about the plot would be to spoil the pure joy of reading My Name is Anton and discovering what ultimately happens to Anton and Edith.

Hyde has again created characters who are endearing, empathetic, and heart-breakingly believable. Anton is close to his grandmother, Marion, an opinionated, wise widow who recognizes in Anton the traits that his own mother is unable to see or appreciate. Likewise, his great-uncle Gregor provides Anton the support and understanding that his parents are incapable of giving him. Unlike his parents, they really see Anton and recognize how much pain he is in. Just as Anton recognized that his brother was suffering, even though his parents could not.

Through his interactions with those supporting characters, Hyde compassionately reveals Anton's feelings, values . . . and anger. Anton is a very angry young man . . . for very good reasons. Hyde credibly chronicles how Anton matures, learns to stand up for himself, and comes to understand the value of erecting strong boundaries in order to shield himself from further pain and maintain the equilibrium he works so hard to establish. In her typical fashion, Hyde makes no effort to conceal the compassion and affection she feels for her characters, which makes it impossible for readers not to find a place in their own hearts for them. Anton and Edith are fundamentally good people who face obstacles that could easily prove insurmountable for less principled, determined, and strong people.

Hyde explores the tragic repercussions that befall a dysfunctional family, as well as societal ideas about coupling norms during the time period. Prejudice against a woman involved with a man younger than her was open and, indeed, acceptable.

At its core, My Name is Anton is a thoughtful, beautiful romance. A story about two people who are surprised to find each other, but recognize that they have been given a rare gift, and are wise enough to cherish it. It's the story of a man who has the strength and character to love a woman selflessly and unconditionally, and a woman who recognizes how lucky she is to find such a man. It;s the kind of hopeful, emotionally rewarding story that might just make the most cynical reader believe in the power of love . . . again.

My Name is Anton by Catherine Ryan Hyde is an historical fiction book that explores a variety of themes. The characters are well-developed and the writing is beautiful. This story is written in classic Catherine Ryan Hyde style with a huge focus on characters and societal issues.

Anton is a protagonist that has had a harsh childhood, yet seems to have figured his way through life by following the advice of those who care about him. He is a flawed, yet relatable and interesting character. As the story progresses from 1965 to 2000, we see Anton transform from a teenager into an adult. He has such a strong moral compass that seems to guide him through many tough realities of life.

❀ NOVEL TOUCHES ON MANY THEMES

As can be found in any novel written by Catherine Ryan Hyde, the characters must deal with many hardships. This novel touches on quite a few themes, but the main theme that pulses throughout the story is understanding what love is. The societal issues that are dealt with in the novel include domestic abuse, disability, suicide, and grief. These are hard-hitting issues that are examined with great care by the author.

❀ A BOOK THAT DIGS DEEP

My Name is Anton by Catherine Ryan Hyde is a novel that fans of the author’s previous works will appreciate. It is a book that digs deep and will give the reader lots to digest.

This is the first book I have read by this author, and it certainly won't be the last.
A perfectly plotted novel full of warmth that pulls you in right away. I really liked the fact that the story is very much character driven, and not only that, but they are also flawed which makes them instantly more relatable and human. Many issues are approached in this novel, with a storyline that keeps the reader intrigued until the very end, A truly enjoyable read.

I love Catherine Ryan Hyde’s books. Read many but stopped for awhile cause they were getting a little too predictable for me. After about a 6 month break I got this book in advance from Netgalley. I really loved it. Nothing real exciting happens, but her character development is so good you feel like you know and understand them. You become part of the story. Her books always make you feel like you’ve learned how to be a better person. Thanks for opportunity to read for an honest review.

My Name is Anton, by Catherine Ryan Hyde, is a story of love, coming of age, sacrifice, and acceptance, and more. Hyde has become one of my favorite go-to authors. She masterfully creates characters that are so complex and authentic that it is hard to imagine that they do not really live and breathe somewhere. Her writing is straight-forward in the sense that she lets her characters and plot pull you in, bring you to tears, and gladden your heart. This novel, like others by the same author, is laser-focused on relationships between characters that are so nuanced and real, you will miss them before you finish the last page. For me, it was a definitely a 5-star read!

Every book by Catherine Ryan Hyde that I have read has been well worth the investment of time. Hyde is a prolific writer, and you often can find older books on sale. Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. It was my pleasure!

My Name is Anton by Catherine Ryan Hyde is a gripping story of friendship and love. It's also a story of abuse, trauma, and resiliency. Both things can be true.

Anton is 18-years-old when he sees neighbor Edith being abused by her husband. Dealing with his own feelings of grief and abandonment, he feels called to help her. While he doesn't anticipate falling in love with her, he does. He also knows, having learned a lesson from his grandmother, that sometimes you have to let go of the things you love. When they meet again by chance 15 years later, what remains to be seen is if love can grow between them.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by Catherine Ryan Hyde, and if this is anything to go by, it certainly won’t be my last.

This book follows the story of Anton, starting when he is 18 years old, recovering from a traumatic injury, dealing with the loss of his brother. Emotionally, and physically, abandoned by his parents, who are struggling with their own grief, he finds himself alone, until he meets Edith, a woman in need of friendship, compassion and saving.

As the story unfolds we see Anton struggle with the pain of first love, start to understand what it takes to be a man, and then dealing with the emotional scars caused by his accident. The book takes us from 1965 up to the present day, focusing on key moments in his relationships, all of which add wonderful character development.
This is a beautiful romance – a look at the development of love, companionship and support. The idea of selfless love, letting go for the greater good, runs throughout and opens up some very thought-provoking situations. This would be a wonderful novel for a book club to discuss.

I really did enjoy this book; however, there were elements I felt the author stood on the brink, and didn’t allow herself to go deeper. Parts felt a little rushed, or skimmed over, where I wanted a bit more commitment. That’s the only reason I can’t quite give it a 5 – but it’s so very very close. 4.5 stars, if I was allowed to offer a half!

A great book about family and relationships, and how sometimes it takes time to get what you deserve. A great emotional storyline and some very strong characters.
Although I have read Catherine Ryan Hyde books before I think this is one of her best.

What a beautiful love story.

Anton is a young man of 18 who has just gone through the worst year of his life, when he meets Edith. Edith is 15 years older, married and a victim of domestic abuse. When she needs a safe place to stay, he offers her to stay with him; they spend 10 days becoming the best of friends. Anton falls deeply in love but for their safety, Edith must escape, and it's for the best for Anton to not know where she is going. Anton lets Edith go because his grandmother shares her wisdom that real unconditional love means doing what's best for someone, even if it doesn't involve you. But what will happen when their paths cross again many years later?

This is a stunning book about family, love and hardship. Despite so many traumas in his life, Anton is a better person for them. He is so strong, unselfish and loving to everyone around him, whether they are deserving or not. He takes his hardships and uses them to better himself, instead of wallowing or becoming jaded.

The love story aspect is so incredible as well. Anton's love is the definition of unconditional love. He always makes the right decisions, even if they're not the easy ones. We start the book with Anton who is young and a bit naive at 18, and follow his journey into his senior years and he is amazing throughout.

I recommend this book to everyone! It is not a romance, nor historical fiction but a book about life, overcoming obstacles and loving unconditionally. I think we could all learn something from Anton.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the eGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Catherine Ryan Hyde never fails to deliver a solid story that is rich in wisdom. My Name is Anton is no exception.

Anton is a young man who has already experienced so much tragedy and loss when he has an unexpected encounter with a woman who is in an unhealthy marriage.

This is a story of selfless love on so many different levels. It is a story about true love. It is a story about loss and about birth.

I am always amazed that this author is able to repeatedly and consistently produce such wonderful books. She is one author that I will always read everything she writes without even knowing anything about the book.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

This book is an enjoyable read that tackles many issues in a graceful way. This love story spans decades and has a colorful cast of characters. Anton’s extended family was quite delightful, while on the flip side his parents were quite infuriating.

Catherine Ryan Hyde is a new author to me and I look forward to seeking out her backlist!

This lovely book is another example of why Catherine Ryan Hyde is an automatic read for me. Not long ago I told someone that she doesn't write romances. And while I wouldn't classify this book as a romance, it is most definitely a love story. Anton is convinced he has met the love of his life at 18. He's physically and emotionally damaged as a result of a tragic accident that's rocked his family; she's 15 years older than Anton and trying to escape her abusive husband. He provides shelter for her while she formulates her plan to get away. For her safety, and his, she insists that he let her go after spending a couple of (platonic) weeks with her. But he never forgets her, and after years of therapy and recovery - what would happen were they to meet again? This story is like life itself - it's sweet and horrifying, heartbreaking and uplifting, and hopeful. It's what Hyde does so well, and it's why I love her books. I combined reading and (mostly) listening to this one - reading it was wonderful, and it was also an excellent audio version, very well narrated.
Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

When Anton Addison-Rice's parents book a flight to South America, he finds himself alone just before the Christmas holidays, though his gran and uncle are around. He recently lost his beloved grandad whom he adored and his brother, Greg died in an accident from which Anton lost his right hand. He has suffered emotionally, ever since. When he spots Edith, his neighbour in a bit of bother with her abusive husband he feels that he should try to help her. As their friendship grows, eighteen-year-old Anton falls in love and then fearing for Anton and her own safety, thirty-three-year-old Edith decides to flee, leaving Anton behind.

My Name is Anton is about deep personal relationships developing, surviving and flourishing in the real world. There is overcoming of adversity and the relentless determination of the protagonist to do the right thing. Anton has a great relationship with his Grandma Marion and Uncle Gregor and I really enjoyed their supportive family dynamic. The second half of the novel is the return of Edith in Anton’s life. With mostly realistic characters, though Anton comes across as a little bit too good to be true at times, this is a slow-burn read. I was invested in the compulsive story and as the suspense built I was keen to keep on turning the pages. Both Anton and Edith are well fleshed out by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Sad in parts and full of hope in others the author dabbles in a wide range of topics - disability, suicide, mental illness, alcoholism, and domestic abuse, to name some - and weaves them all together seamlessly in a compelling narrative.

A powerful, deeply heartfelt story of great personal strength, love, moral dilemmas, loss, and grief. Well worth a look.😁

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Catherine Ryan Hyde's books always have a theme and a message and they are delivered so beautifully, it is impossible to miss her books! I have read many books by her and I am left amazed every single time. Even though a lot of the themes focus on loss, life, unconditional love, memories, relationships, bonds and so many more, each book is different from the other.

My Name is Anton is the story of a seventeen year old boy named Anton, who is trying to figure out his identity as well as reconcile the death of his grandfather, his brother and the partial loss of his right hand. Anton is both physically and mentally wounded and in the midst of the emotional conflicts, he happens upon Edith. Edith is in an abusive marriage and after one incident is witnessed by Anton, by chance, he makes it his mission to help her get away!

This book is a romance novel, which in itself is a different book for the author. It talks of unconditional love that lets go, the kind of love where a person learns to be unselfish and sacrifice all for the safety and happiness of the other person. Anton let's Edith go one time and as fate brings them back many years later, it remains to be seen whether such love endures and how it affects people.

I love the characters of Grand-uncle Gregor and Grandma Marion. They bring light into Anton's life and support him when he needed it the most with compassion and understanding. The circumstances behind the death of Anton's brother are extremely sad and the author touches upon Mental Health and discusses it in a very delicate manner. The fact that it is important to acknowledge and deal with is brought out in a subtle yet straight forward manner through the experiences of the characters.

Overall this story starts of a little slowly, first focusing on the growing friendship between Anton and Edith and later focusing on how Anton learns to cope with life, his disability and grows into a more confident individual all things considered. The reader is in for an emotional rollercoaster that will make you sad at times, empathize with the characters and finally laugh with them as they find the light and joy! 

I highly recommend this book just as I do with all of the books by the author!