Anna by Amanda Prowse

 

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Head of Zeus (8 Mar. 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1788542061
• ISBN-13: 978-1788542067
• Product Dimensions: 17.1 x 2.8 x 21.9 cm

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

From the heartbreaking, uplifting and bestselling Amanda Prowse, this is an unforgettable romance about what happens when two very different people fall in love.

There are two sides to every love story. This is Anna’s.

Anna Cole grew up poor, but her mother’s love made her feel rich every day. Then her mother died, and Anna was sent to a care home. As a teenager, Anna vowed that one day, she would have children of her own, and create the happy, noisy family life she always craved.

Then, one day, Anna meets Theo Montgomery in a lift. Theo has kind eyes, but a sad past. His family were rich, but his childhood was full of neglect. Theo can’t imagine bringing a child into this cruel world, but he does want a soulmate. Someone to love him unconditionally; someone with whom he can share his family’s wealth.

Theo and Anna are two damaged souls, from two different worlds. Is their love for each other enough to let go of the pain of their pasts? Or will Anna and Theo break each others’ hearts?

 

Review

Anna is the first part of the story of Anna and Theo.  In life there are two sides to every story and Amanda Prowse has written their story from both sides, with Theo’s story being published in April.  Anna’s story starts with her troubled childhood and we follow her as she grows up, and how her childhood influences her decisions made as an adult.  I have read several of Amanda Prowse’s books before and am a huge fan of her writing style, and this book lived up to my expectations.  Amanda has a gift for understanding the human psyche and character, which brings her books to life and makes the reader feel as if they are on a personal journey with the characters, that they are friends.  I actually read this book in one day I was so captivated by Anna’s story;  I was so engrossed in the story I didn’t realise the time and was reading until just after midnight, which is unheard of for me.

The main character of Anna I really took to my heart.  She was bought up in care after the death of her mother, and she never knew her father.  She is a quiet introvert person, but what shines through is her strength and her determination that its not where you start in life that is important but where you finish and for Anna that is to find love, have a family and afford her own house.  She may have had a tough beginning but she has a big heart and wants to help others, the friends and family she meets along the way.  Theo Montgomery is her soul mate, but although he has had a very different sort in life, coming from a privileged background, he has also had a troubled childhood.  He can offer Anna a life she could only dream of, but for both it is not the material things that count, but their love and emotional connection.  I really loved Anna’s cousin Jordan, he was fun, outrageous, and full of life and provides some light relief in the book, but he also has had trouble with his parents who can’t accept his sexuality.

Amanda Prowse doesn’t shy away from difficult topics in all of her books, and Anna is no different.  She deals with addiction, child neglect, death, abuse, and depression to name a few, and what shines through is her research into all these fields,  and her empathy and understanding of how these effect people’s lives.  She has a talent for making the reader understand what the characters feel and make them a natural part of the character’s lives in reality.  One thread that runs through all the lives of the characters is parents and how you are brought up and how that then effects you emotionally and how you approach life as an adult; Theo’s lack of emotional support, Anna’s love for her mother, Jordan’s parent’s prejudice against his sexuality, Melissa. Anna’s friend whose father sent her away to England.

Anna is a powerful novel, that is heartbreaking in parts, so you may need a box of tissues to hand. However, the thing I really got from this book was Anna’s strength of character, how she deals in a positive way wth all life throws at her, she knows what she wants and what she deserves in life and that is what drives her.  I have to say I can’t wait for Theo to learn more of his side of the story, that is due for release in April, so watch this space for my review when I get my copy.