The groom, Digby decides not to show up for his wedding to Merrin, leaving her torn to pieces. Immediately she's humiliated and the gossip of the small Cornish Coastal fishing village her family has lived in for generations. In Amanda Prowse novel, TO LOVE AND BE LOVED (LakeUnionPublishing), Merrin takes a drastic step to leave behind her shame and hopefully find happiness.

Merrin creates a new life by putting a hundred plus miles between her and the family and small village she loves. She misses her family and the town, but the hurt is too raw, so she can't return. She gets a good job, starts healing and forgetting about what happened to her. Six years later, tragedy strikes at home and she's forced to return.

TO LOVE AND BE LOVED is all about finding one's true self. Merrin is forced to make choices about her future and to take a good look at her past. What does she want for her life? Who does she want in her life? Can she forgive the people guilty of turning her life upside down? Is it possible for her old wounds to completely heal?

Families are complicated and emotions are difficult to deal with. This story is all about family, self-discovery and forgiveness. To be honest, I needed a couple of tissues to get through this book. I'm sure readers will find it a treasure.

Amanda Prowse books never dissapoint and this is no different. Beautiful characters, beautiful take on family life, stunning scenery set by the language she uses and a heart to every story. Eagerly awaiting her next

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.

This is a book packed with emotion and heartbreak which had me captivated from the start. Amanda Prowse writes with so much depth and passion, that this was so much more than “just a love story”. Everything from the characters to the settings was so well written and painted a clear picture in my mind. I’ll even admit that I think I’m a little bit in love with The Kellow family.

The chapters are written in third person POV, with each focusing on a different character. This is one of my favourite writing styles as I feel it gives the reader multiple view points, which can often vary quite dramatically.

The story of Merrin is one that will stay with me – it had such a strong message of how our greatest fears are only what we think might happen and the importance of being able to overcome them to allow yourself to love and be loved.

A heartwarming story about family, friendship and love in all its forms, and about finding yourself, To Love And Be Loved is a beautifully written book, perfect for a few hours of escapism.

Merrin lives in Port Charles, a village in Cornwall and she can’t imagine living anywhere else – until she is dealt a devastating blow on her wedding day, and, unable to face the humiliation, decides to leave her friends and family and move away. Whilst she makes a new life for herself, she struggles to move on and six years later, when tragedy strikes her family and she returns to Port Charles, her joy at being back in her home village leads her to re-evaluate her life choices.

Prowse sets the scene beautifully and it is easy to imagine yourself transported to the Cornish village. The characters are well-developed and relatable and I enjoyed the multiple points of view which enabled the reader to really feel they get to know not just Merrin and her journey of self-discovery, but also those around her. Whilst the pace of the book is relatively gentle, its strength lies in the face that it is full of emotion, heart-breaking at times but ultimately a book full of love and hope that will leave you with a smile on your face.

This story is an emotional insight into family life, friendships, loss, and love in a Cornish fishing village. Merrin is in love, but she runs away from her family, friends, and the fishing village she loves when it goes wrong. The story charts her gradual healing. Merrin returns home after a tragic loss that makes her examine who she is, as she comes to terms with the past and defines the life she wants.

The sense of community and family is strong, the characters vibrant, and the conflicts believable. The lyrical writing is immersive, and the vivid characterisation invests the reader in Merrin and the excellent supporting characters' lives. It's an addictive read about ordinary people.

I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

To love and be loved book tour by @mrsamandaprowse
👰 Merrin's world is turned upside down when she is jilted at the alter by the love of her life Jarvis.
👰 She can't cope with being centre of attention and the focus of gossiping neighbours in the beautiful little fishing town in Cornwall where she lives. So she has no choice, she has to move away from the family, friends and the place she loves and make a new start.
👰 After a good few years she meets a lovely new man who she can't commit to properly due to her past relationship trauma.
👰 This is a story of heartbreak, learning to love again, family disputes, regrets and overcoming them, growing and moving forward from upsetting life events.
👰 I couldn't put this book down, it's so beautifully written and tugs at the heart strings. Merrin is a protagonist who you really sympathise with and become invested in, you really want to see her sort her life out and find happiness again

Merrin is getting ready to start a new chapter of her young life - she was getting ready to walk down the aisle and marry the love of her life, and live happily ever after. But there was no wedding, no happy - after a disaster leaves her humiliated, alone, and heartbroken she flees the small town she's always called home and never looked back.

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.

Being back reminds her of who she was - young, impulsive, hopeful, confident. And she can't help but wonder if she could be that person again if she just finds the courage to move on, and let herself be open to love again.

As usual, Amanda Prowse has created a story so intense in emotion that invokes feelings so deep and visceral you can't help but shed a tear or laugh out loud. The setting, nestled in a remote part of Cornwall, was beautifully crafted so it's easy for the reader to imagine clearly exactly where everything is happening and set the scene brilliantly.

We jump between multiple point of views, learning more about the past and the people Merrin left behind when she ran away, but there were definitely some key perspectives that I felt weren't touched upon and it wasn't always clear when the time and setting changed during the chapters.

This wasn't a story where a lot of plot happens, it's about people, about their relationships and how they grow and evolve over time. There was stunning and complex family relationships, confusing romances and of course the most important of all - Merrins relationship with herself. Another moving, glittering story with that trademark Prowse prowess.

Another fabulous book from Amanda Prowse. A story of family, love, loss, scandals and its also about letting go and forgiving people. Beautifully written and highly recommend!

As always, Amanda Prowse does it again with this wonderful heart stopping novel. I read it on a plane journey and didn’t look up for the whole time! Such a beautiful story, sad, heartwarming, emotional, yet happy at the same time. The journey of life it tells makes you think, what is meant to be will be. So many of life’s ups and downs happen in this novel and I loved following Merrins life story, it truly was a pleasure. Can’t wait for the next Amanda Prowse novel ☺️

This is another wonderful story of love, loss, life, and family by the amazing Amanda Prowse. I adore the fluidity of her writing and her well-rounded characters. I was feeling all of the emotions including surprise as there was a bit of an unexpected mystery revealed that really emphasized how our choices can have far-reaching effects, both good and bad, on our loved ones and those around us. The descriptions of grief were beautifully written and very relatable for me, as well as the love of family and the joy of finding your place in this world. I always feel like I'm experiencing her books not just reading them.

Such a cute and easy read! Amanda Prowse is one of my favorites because of her ability to draw you in with her characters. This book is the perfect combination of sadness, forgiveness and hope. This is the type of story that’s itching for a sequel!

I loved this book I read it in three days couldn’t put it down it a heart warming feel good book that make you smile and cry and laugh. I loved all the characters my heart went out to them. I love the writing style easy to read fast paced you love this book

This book is such a gem, Amanda Prowse never fails to deliver!
I love the warmth that oozes from the characters and pages! The connection between Merrin and the Kellow clan is special, the bond with friends and all who live in Port Charles flows through many generations.
Readers will feel the character’s emotions, the pain, loss, joy and definitely travel along their life journey. It’s not difficult to find yourself understanding the circumstances!
A truly fantastic read!

Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley and a huge congratulations to the fabulous Amanda Prowse on another wonderful book to enjoy!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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!!

TITLE: To Love and Be Loved
AUTHOR: Amanda Prowse
PUB DATE: 01.11.2022

Reading Amanda Prowse’s books always leaves me better than when I started. It leaves me with a sense of hope, and just a little more loved. This is how I felt reading TO LOVE AND BE LOVED.

Looking back, we all probably have experienced something in the past we want Med to forget about, something humiliating and begged for a new start. I certainly have and let me tell you, it was rough. And if you are like Merrin, avoiding the gossiping townsfolk only means moving away - Far, far away. But as life would have it, we have to face our fears somehow. It will always be there to haunt us, but through that journey, we hope to find forgiveness and inevitably find our true self in the process too.

I loved the authentic characters, the immersive storyline, the family drama, the multiple POVs and the beautiful writing and pace of the story.

TW: This was an emotional read so please keep tissues with you.

I loved this book! I just gave this book a very tight hug after I finished it.

Thank you to @lovebookstours and @mrsamandaprowse for my copy of this book.

What an emotional roller coaster of a book! Even though, at times, it felt like there were more downs than ups, it was amazing.

This is the first Amanda Prowse book I’ve read, and it won’t be the last. It was so incredibly written - everything described so well you could picture yourself walking the streets of Port Charles, waving at the locals as if they were your own friends and neighbours. The characters are great, Gran especially, though I have to say I wasn’t a fan of the sister, Ruby! What a cow!!

The timeline throughout the book did get a little confusing at the start, it felt like it was set in maybe the 50’s to start then switched to modern and took me a little while to get used to. The whole book spans 6 years, I think maybe a date or year on some chapters would have been helpful, but if this is the style of Amanda’s books, I’m sure I’ll get used to it as I read more 😊

Overall, an amazing read that flowed and kept my interest wanting a good outcome for all.

Amanda Prowse's books are like a comforting mug of hot chocolate. Having read several now, she never fails to stir the emotions and challenge perceptions.

This latest novel is about a Cornish family, in particular Merrin Kellow, who is in love with rich boy Digby Mortimer. Then, on what should be the happiest day of her life, Merrin's world collapses and she flees her beloved home town to escape being the subject of local gossip.

Of course, nothing is as straightforward as it seems and the story unwraps a series of revelations, not least the spiky relationship Merrin has with her elder sister, Ruby. The two sisters are finally able to put their differences aside, but it takes a tragic turn of events to bring this about.

I loved the family and especially Merrin's parents. The sisters' best friend Bella was a real tonic and had me laughing out loud in places - irreverent but caring, with a heart of gold. I also liked Miguel, who is instrumental in helping Merrin mend her broken heart.

The Mortimer family are aloof, in particular the matriarch Loretta, who Merrin blames for what happened, although it is really Digby who is to blame because of his immaturity. Loretta sees this but Merrin does not until much later.

I enjoyed seeing how the various storylines came together and resolved. The characters are relatable and human, and Amanda allows us to see their flaws as much as their strengths.

The only criticisms I would make - minor ones - are that Miguel deserves a happier ending than he gets and also the introduction of a new and significant character in the last couple of chapters. It seems right for Merrin to fall in love again, but it does seem to happen rather suddenly. Saying that, Merrin is ready by then to make the final step away from her grief and embrace a future in which she is free to love and be loved, so maybe it is the right ending after all.

I was sent an advance review copy of this book by Amazon Publishing UK, in return for an honest appraisal.

Slowly does it. The story of Merrin Kellow builds slowly but surely, and is a tale of heartbreak intertwined with hope, families, friendship and self acceptance.

I’ve read and enjoyed a few books by Amanda and this one is no different. I find her writing style comforting and I loved the fact that part of the story was set in a village around the corner from me, and the other half in beautiful Cornwall.

The story is believable and the characters authentic. I sympathised with Merrin and I have no doubt that many people would find this story relatable, most of us have had our heart broken at least once before.

The underlying theme of the book and title is pretty heartwarming. Everyone deserves to love and be loved in return. An emotional and moving read!

This is the first novel I have read by Amanda Prowse, and the hype is real. This book is truly a beautiful contemporary romance that exceeded my expectations.

To Love and Be Loved explores the meaning of love, family and forgiveness to move forward. Merrin lives in a small sea-side town that is in every sense her "HOME." Jilted at the alter, she runs aways to escape the whispers of the community. She goes through the motions of living and relationships until an unfortunate event forces her back to those she missed for many years.

There's something about walking on the sand or the grass or dirt in your barefoot that connects you back to this place, your HOME. There is a memory behind every pebble and every grain of sand to help her heal.

Prowse excels at the building a story with realistic characters with the perfect amount of emotion and drama for a collective sigh at its conclusion. To Love and Be Loved is truly heartwarming.

Thank you, Partner Amanda Prowse, Love Books Tours and IGBook Tours
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