Another other amazing read from Amanda Prowse. You just know you’re going to get a deep family drama with community and love at the heart of everything.

“I believed you, I thought we were on the same page, but turns out we weren’t even reading the same book.” – Amanda Prowse (To Love and Be Loved)

I think this line sums up this novel in one sentence, and I love it. Merrin is about to start a new life, it is almost every little girls dream to get married and feel like a princess for one day but that quickly goes from dream to nightmare for her and now she is left to pick up all of the shattered little pieces of what someone else did.

Starting life anew Merrin knows she has to leave Port Charles, this story then follows her struggle to pick herself back up and get on with her life. But life seems to always have a different idea in mind, and that day seems to haunt every aspect of her life whether it is her allowing it or not. As she struggles to find herself and where she belongs, home always seems to be beckoning her back and after some unfortunate events long past truths come to light and Merrin in a way now understands herself and home.

I really enjoyed this novel, Amanda has a different way of writing that is lyrical, emotional and yet there’s an underlying lesson to be learned. Thank you to the author for the free book, and Suzy Approved Book Tours for an invite to another of Amanda’s tours.

I only came across Amanda's books through this tour and can say I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more of them. It was easy enough to keep up with the characters in this book and Amanda's writing style made it easy for me to keep reading without any problems. (being dyslexic I sometimes struggle with some books and this is one book I didn't struggle with)

Amanda Prowse is a master at writing stories that will touch your heart! Just when Merrin thought she had her whole wonderful life ahead of her, her world fell apart. Hurt and devastated, she leaves the only home & town she's ever known to start over. Merrin spends the next 6 years rebuilding her life with a successful career and new friends. But rebuilding isn't really living and everything comes crashing down on Valentine's Day. Merrin rushes back home to be with her family but can Merrin and her sister find a way back to one another again? Can they offer comfort to one another? And can Merrin come full circle & have the courage to really begin living again? A story of family, friends, forgiveness, & strength, set in a charming Cornwall village. I was literally sobbing, and then smiling through my tears at the end!

To love and be loved is another smashing book from Amanda Prowse. I don’t think she can write a bad book!
Anyway this is set beautifully in a Cornish village with Merrin so excited for her wedding day. Heartbreakingly she is jilted at the alter and instantly her life changes. It’s great to see how she evolves. I loved Merrin along with her sister Ruby and best friend Bella - they were all so much fun together. A great read - get ready to laugh and cry

Perfect book to curl up with. Love, betrayal, anger, family, friends, and escape are some of the topics this book explores. A great story about growing up and finding oneself.

Amanda Prowse books are always winners for me so I was excited to read her newest book that came out on 1/11/22.

I really liked this book because it was not your typical romance read. After the first three chapters, I had in my mind exactly how I thought the plot of this one would play out. I predicted incorrectly and I loved the way Amanda made this plot unpredictable for me.

I also enjoyed the characters in this book. These felt like authentic people with real problems. I also loved the concept of strength from family but also realistic family dynamics like sibling rivalry.

I enjoyed the fact that there were multiple view points telling the story but that the main character, Merrin was the predominant narrator.

This was an easy afternoon read that I would recommend for all those that like your happily ever after mixed with a nice dose of drama.

About the Book

Merrin has wanted nothing more in life than to get married and raise a family in Port Charles near her parents, grandmother, sister, Ruby, and best friend, Belle.

In a blink of an eye, what she thought was a dream come true becomes an uncomfortable situation for Merrin and she chooses to leave the family and town she loves.

Merrin establishes a manageable life with a good job and loving boyfriend three hours away from Port Charles.

Six years after leaving Port Charles, a pivotal event happens that brings Merrin back. Will she be able to find that sense of home she once felt?

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 book is absolutely fabulous. I have never cried so much at a book ever. I really loved the familial relationships throughout this book so much it's definitely something I think a lot of people can relate to.

This tells the story of Merrin who grows up in rural Cornwall and gets jilted at the alter and the relationships of her family when she moves to Bristol in order to save face in her hometown and the journey back to the place and people she loves.

The opening pages of this story set the scene for Merrin’s humiliation. Filled with love and hope, surrounded by her family and closest friends, it was devastating to read on, knowing that her joy was to be short lived. Amanda Prowse beautifully conveyed the feeling of utter desperation that Merrin would have felt and, as a reader, I could completely understand her need to flee from the place and people that she loved.
As she begins to start a new life, safely away from her memories and from the wagging tongues of villagers, she soon blossoms, and her healing starts. Pushing her heartache to the back of her mind, she soon forges new friendships and finds herself excelling in her new home. I particularly enjoyed reading this part of the story, seeing Merrin’s strength come to the fore. Her transformation was gently interpreted, as her ability to consider exploring a new relationship was hinted at. Coming face to face with the cause of her devastation was a pivotal moment, and I just knew that her recovery was almost complete.
Of course, I underestimated how Amanda Prowse takes her characters on a journey, and it was too soon to assume that Merrin could begin to heal, and all would be well. A new heartbreak brings her home to her family and the village that she has turned her back on. As she starts to find her strength amongst those that she knows and loves, she must discover a peace that is achingly missing from her life.
As I hate spoilers, I have been careful to stick within the guidelines of the synopsis. I can assure you that this is a story that will stay with you, long after you have reached the final pages. It is a challenge, for me, to pick out a favourite character. Each one is so perfectly developed that narrowing them down to a single one is mostly impossible. That said, I developed a soft spot for Miguel, the devoted and loving chef who wanted nothing but happiness for Merrin. I also adored the relationship between Merrin, her sister Ruby and best friend, Bella. They shared and love for each other with a healthy helping of loathing when one of them made a mistake. No matter how disappointed they were in each other, their love was instinctive and stubbornly fierce.
I thoroughly recommend this beautiful book, but also suggest that you keep a box of hankies nearby. Enjoy some cathartic crying, it’s good for us all.

To Love and and Loved is the story of Merrin (love that name!), who has to learn to live and love again after a heartbreaking event. Afraid to embrace life too fully, Merrin flees the small town on the coast that she has always called home, only to find out that the space she thinks she needs might not be the answer to her troubles.

Merrin is a terrific main character, but the rest of the side characters are equally wonderful! I loved the sister relationship between Merrin and Ruby, and their best friend Bella was hilarious.

I adore reading books set in England and this one had a truly gorgeous Cornish coast setting that was described so well. I felt like I was visiting the small town in person, and also Cornwall is definitely on my bucket list now!

The dialogue was fantastic! Thank you to Amanda Prowse for introducing me to some really fun new-to-me words! I've been laughing over "tuppence" ever since I read the book. 😆

This is a great women's fiction book that I enjoyed and I highly recommend!

To Love and Be Loved tells the story of Merrin. Young and in love, Merrin had the whole world ahead of her. But just as her life was about the start, things go devastatingly wrong. Humiliated, Merrin runs far away from her hometown, a beloved fishing village, to escape her gossiping friends and neighbours. Six years later Merrin has no choice but to return to the village she swore she’d never set foot in again. Back home, Merrin begins to realise what she’s been missing out on all these years. She remembers the person she used to be and is forced to make choices about her future by facing the past.

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.

There were times where I felt like I knew how the story would end and I’m glad I was mistaken because at times I find predictability disappointing. I loved the ending of this one! I highly recommend. A huge thank you to @amazonpublishing for gifting me a copy of this book to read.

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 for a spot on tour and a gifted ebook.

This beautiful book gave me all the feels! I quickly fell in love with the Kellow family - - such a sweet family and their close special bond really touched my heart. The writing is so wonderfully descriptive that I could picture the luscious scenery, the charming town of Cornwall and Kellow Cottages. I always enjoy a story about second chances and this one was exceptional.

𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭.

A fantastic setting, a small town, a scandal, second chances and beautifully writen. Even though it started a little slow I was fully engaged since the first chapters and by the end it left me with a warm feeling, a lovely story about second chances.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours Lake Union Authors and NetGalley for this gifted copy.

To Love and Be Loved by Amanda Prowse released January 11, 2022.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦: 𝘈𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘛𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘢, 𝘌𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

Perfect slowly evolving story, which I read on a full scale of emotions (from sentimental to laughing) and I am very happy that even the main heroine Merrin and her supportive family had life challenges, but the end was positive.
After reading, I thought I wouldn't find a better title for this book - it perfectly reflects what was told 👍
Many thanks to Netgalley and Amanda Prowse for the opportunity to read this book 💞

Another great book by Amanda which had me totally enthralled from the beginning and I would totally recommend this to all my friends.

A very worthy five stars.

I am reading this as part of a blog tour and my review date for the tour is Wednesday 2nd March so my review will be posted after that date

Merrin grew up in the small fishing village of Port Charles, and then on her wedding day life as she knows it is shattered. She flees from the comfort of her family to escape small town gossips. After six years Merrin has to return home and come to terms with things left unfinished in the past. The storyline does move between different time periods which isn't always one of my favorite things in a book. I would recommend this book to others.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

I have loved every book I have read by Amanda Prowse. She writes with so much passion that I can't help becoming a part of her stories. She is my go-to author when it comes to contemporary fiction, family drama, and emotional portrayal. When I saw that this wonderful author had written To Love and Be Loved I just had to read her book. Wow, she did not disappoint!
Merrin loves her fantastic life, surrounded by her family. She’s about to marry her true love, Digby but on her wedding day events do not go as planned. Heartbroken, Merrin moves away from her beloved family to make a new life for herself, returning only when circumstances require it.
Set in the fishing village of Port Charles, a small coastal place in Cornwall, England and told through alternating time periods, this is another brilliant novel that I can relate to and it is also deeply moving. It is a beautifully written story and I enjoyed the drama of a group of relatives - there is anger, happiness love, and sadness by the bucketload. The storyline is gripping and the characters are extremely credible, likeable and so well-drawn by Amanda Prowse. To Love and Be Loved certainly ranks very highly with me and I recommend it to fans and new readers alike. I know that books like this one make my reading days quite perfect.

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