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. Much of the remainder of the book is spent with our h living in a city 3 hours away, working at a castle-cum-luxury hotel, missing her Cornish home terribly, but continuing to stay away because of the gossip and the guilt of putting her family through the fiasco that was(n't) her wedding. She misses her Gran's funeral because she just *can't* stomach the possibility of seeing Digby or his mother. Insert eyeroll. 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 really loved this story of love and hope amongst heartbreaking events. It is truly a wonderful story and I know you will enjoy it as much as I did. I recommend this book. This is one of the few times I don't have a favorite character because they all have something different to bring to the novel. They are varied, complex and unique in their characterization.

Merine lives in a small fishing village, Port Charles, Cornwall, and she is to marry Digby the love of her life. I liked the story and the relationships, and I enjoyed Merine’s narration, and how she endured the pain and rebuilt her life. 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.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. We follow Merrin's life journey as her future is ripped apart and she flees her home to try and make a life elsewhere. But, as we all know, the problem with running away is that we take along the problems that are in our hearts and our heads. And at some point, we just have to turn around and deal with them.

This one was no exception. I was immediately drawn into the story of Merrin. I loved her character and felt heartbroken for her. I loved the family relationships in the story - Merrin and her sister remind me of my relationship with my sister. As with most of Amanda's books, tissues were needed. I could clearly picture the Cornish location and this makes me want a Cornish holiday again soon. We love our pets. The relationship between a pet and its owner can also be symbiotic, especially when the pet shows the kind of attachment that comes so easily to some mammals. After I was widowed, my relationship with my bichon gave me something to replenish all the empty spaces that had been filled with love. In her Canine Cognition Laboratory, Yale professor Laurie Santos has demonstrated the unique bonds that dogs can have with their masters and mistresses; the Canine Cognition Laboratory at Duke has traced the sources of these bonds down to their chemical roots. I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in a book tour by Love Book Tours. With thanks to them and the author, this gift has not impacted my review. Merrin believed she had found her happily-ever-after in Digby, that is, until he abandoned her on their wedding day. Amanda Prowse is one of my favourite authors and I always can't wait to start one of her books, as they are always a treat.Merrin led a simple, quiet life that made her very happy. She needed nothing more than to be near her family, to walk barefoot in the grass and to have the sea breeze tousle her long hair. Ruby (Merrin’s older sister) and Bella (Merrin’s bestie) are two fab characters in the book. Merrin’s mother was just as good. Falling in love with Digby and being reciprocated was the most beautiful thing that had happened to her so far. Their worlds were very different but they understood each other perfectly. With him, Merrin could be herself without fear of being judged, she felt free, loved and respected for who she was. On the cusp of beginning the next chapter of her life, Merrin is convinced her life is headed in exactly the right direction. We love altruistically. Religions have been structured around the concept of altruistic love. The Abrahamic religions all command us to “love thy neighbor as thyself." Through meditation and self-love, Buddhists are able to find their connection to and thus love for all living creatures.