Member Reviews

Set in Cornwall in a small village where you think everyone leads a charmed life. Hannah a happy go lucky girl met the man of her dreams, a fisherman, Cam. All was running smoothly until the day Nathan walked into the cake shop where she was working in the family business. He became obsessed with her and eventually split up her relationship with Cam due to a blackmailing situation and Hannah married Nathan. They moved into his childhood home and things became more and more difficult for her as Nathan was so controlling even to the point of not letting her have any money in case she left him. The story goes from bad to worse for her and for Alex her son who, as a teenager, did not get on with his father. As the story progresses it becomes clear that things that have happened in the past come home to roost and this causes a huge amount of trouble for all. Nathan is not only controlling but a mixed character like Jekyll and Hyde and you never knew which one Hannah would have coming through the door in the evenings.
The story carries on and you feel you do not like Nathan at all and feel very sorry for Hannah and Alex who cannot do a thing right. Then Alex runs away and finds Cam, her mother has to go into a home, Cam returns to Cornwall and all manner of drama happens. I liked the way the book was split into separate stories almost about the characters and how the reasons for the upsets came together. A great book. Another one please

Was this review helpful?

I'm beginning to love Amanda Jennings books. That's 2 books I've now read and boy can she describe an atmosphere. The scene is certainly set in a fishing village in Cornwall and I can even smell the fish in the air, that's how good the atmospheric scene is set. Gripping and wonderfully written. Told from Cam's time in 1998 and Hannah's but also the present day with Hannah again and also Nathan and it shows how Nathan thinks. It may not come across as controlling as the description says from Nathan but you can tell there is a bit of obsession oozing off him. I love the gripping ending and thought ... "No!! Don't end there!!" Gets the mind thinking how the book could carry on but I doubt there will be a second book stemming from this book. You HAVE to read this, it's ace!

Was this review helpful?

Slow burn to start with which allows you to invest in the characters and then you really feel for them once the book picks up pace.

I enjoy books about people and relationships so this was ideal.

Good concept, well executed.

Was this review helpful?

This book was good but I found parts of it quite predictable and it seemed to take quite a while for explanations of some elements of the story to unfold. It was OK but not one of my favourite reads.

Was this review helpful?

I have mixed feelings about this book. I was so drawn in by the blurb and there were somethings I liked and some I did not, but I am afraid for me personally it did not deliver.
Hannah is married to Nathan Cardew a Lawyer and a pillar of the local community. He has even won an award for his charity work. They live on a large estate in Cornwall. But when he is at home with Hannah, he is a completely different person. He is a controlling man, who wants to know where Hannah is 24/7. He even checks the receipts. She is not allowed he own bank account or her own passport. So, she goes along with her life as punishment for what happen in 1998. When she was with Cam Stewart a local fisherman who she spent time with before Nathan. She dreams of the life she had with him. But she hasn’t seen him since.
When her son Alex disappears one day and then turns up two days later with Cam. Hannah’s memories of Cam and her feelings towards him resurface.
Thank you NetGalley and HQ for copy of The Storm by Amanda Jennings. I was looking forward to reading this by the blurb. But as I read on, I thought this was completely different book than what I was expecting. Don’t’ get me wrong, this book is cleverly written, and the author is good at playing with your emotions. But for me I wanted more about Hannah and Nathan but, also of this was about the character Cam and his life on a fishing trawler and to be honest I did not much care about. The premise of this story was good, but it lacked oomph. There was nothing to wow me and by the time I got nearer the end I just wanted it to end. Sorry

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this thriller. It really evoked the Cornish atmosphere. Hannah is a very dutiful wife to Nathan and we soon realise there is something keeping her tied so closely to him. The story moves between past and present and slowly we gain an understanding of Hannah and who she is and what has happened to make her the person she is. There were a few unexpected twists at the end and the whole story keeps you guessing.

Was this review helpful?

A lush read. The Cornwall background was gorgeous and the prose was lovely. I enjoyed the story and I really wanted to scream at the protagonist to stick up for herself.

Was this review helpful?

When Cam and Hannah meet as teenagers it's love at first sight. But there is another boy who is captivated by Hannah too, Nathan, who can give her materially what fisherman Cam cannot. But after Cam leaves Hannah marries Nathan and has a son, Alex to whom she is devoted. But the marriage is a toxic one with Nathan very controlling of Hannah.

The Storm is a great read with its evocative descriptions of Cornwall and especially the storm which overtakes the fishermen which results in the secret that Cam and Hannah hide from Nathan and their village community. Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Was this review helpful?

Hannah's and Nathan's relationship seems perfect but in actual fact is unhealthy and toxic. Nathan is controlling and manipulating towards Hannah and tries to be with their son Alex. Alex on the other hand sees everything that is going on between his parents. But there is also a tragic event that happened in the past and Cam, who Hannah once was in love with. Will Hannah be able to free herself? Or is she trapped in her marriage because of her past?

Written with Cornwall as its backdrop, the book really sucked me in and I kept turning page after page to get to the end. Very compelling read! Another great one by Amanda Jennings.

Was this review helpful?

Hannah is married to Nathan; from the outside it looks like a perfect marriage, but Hannah hates Nathan with a vengeance. Nathan is manipulative and controlling but Hannah has her reasons for staying in the marriage.

As the story unfolds we find out what hold Nathan has over Hannah and how events of the past have shaped their lives.

With a compelling storyline and good characters, this is a great read.

Was this review helpful?

Cornwall always makes a perfect setting for this kind of novel. Years ago I expect it would have been described as a gothic romance, nowadays as a psycholical thriller but Amanda Jennings makes it so much more than this. You'll find more than just echoes of 'Rebecca' as 'Moby Dick' came to mind as I read.
Amanda Jennings is a natural storyteller with the skill to allow her three main characters, Hannah, Cam & Nathan, to relate their stories in a voice of their own. They share love, passion, jealousy and hatred in a story that cleverly holds the tension throughout.
In a dazzling plot there are surprises & shocks, twists & turns that hurtle one on to a denouement that leaves us begging for more.
The best book I have read in the first five months of 2020.

Was this review helpful?

Really enjoyed this book. Hannah is married to Nathan, they have a son Alex. To the outside world it looks like they have the perfect marriage. However, Nathan controls everything about hannah, from the clothes she wears, checking receipts for everything she buys, locked away her passport and she has no bank account.
Why does she stay with him? She's got a secret she's keeping from her past. It has to stay hidden to protect her and Alex. When Alex runs away and cam, from hannahs past returns, secrets start to unravel.
Thank you netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Hannah and Nathan Cardew and their son Alex live in Trevose House, Cornwall, which was once part of the impressive Cardew estate which was gambled away by Nathan's father.
Nathan manipulates and controls every aspect of his family's life; theirs is a marriage full of tension and toxicity.
When Hannah was a teenager, she had strong feelings for Cameron 'Cam' Stewart, a trawlerman.
The story's timeline is set between the 1980s to the present day and told from the perspectives of Nathan, Hannah and Cam.
There are secrets in Hannah's past which make her afraid to leave Nathan.
Sixteen years ago Hannah made a pact to keep a secret, but someone from that past has reappeared. Is her secret arrangement made all those years ago about to be revealed, and will it change lives forever?

I recommend this book if you're looking for a quick and easy read.

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ and author Amanda Jennings for a pre-publication copy to review.

Was this review helpful?

OMG ! Brilliant just brilliant !!
I have always enjoyed Amanda’s book’s but I think I enjoyed this one the most !!
Review to follow on my blog : candysbookcase.wordpress.com closer to publication in July :)
10/10

Was this review helpful?

Hannah lives in a gorgeous house in Cornwall with husband Nathan and son Alex, to the outside it looks like perfection but Hannah is in a loveless marriage controlled by Nathan who doesn’t allow her a bank account, passport or indeed much freedom. As the story progresses I came to understand, through chapters relating to events in 1998, just how this situation arose and why Hannah stays.

During 1998 Hannah is a lively, fun girl, a total contrast to how she become, and this is all because of tragic events after a traumatic fishing trip which shook the town and its people.

A captivating read which is full of emotion and motherly love.

My thanks to Net Galley for the digital ARC in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This book took me a while to get into the story line, didn't really 'grab' me unfortunately and was glad when I have got to the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Digital for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Was this review helpful?

This is a dark twisty thriller set in a fishing port in Cornwall.
Hannah is married to Nathan who is controlling. She has no money or credit cards and has to give every receipt to Nathan so he can account for every penny that she spends.
Hannah was once in love with Cam and when her son disappears Cam is back on the scene.
The story goes back and forth to their short time together and to what happened to tear them apart.
It was a great story but I did find the bits where Cam is out to sea a bit boring.
I would definitely recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC

Was this review helpful?

This is such a good read! Hannah lives in a beautiful house with a handsome husband and 15 year old son but her seemingly idyllic life hides a lot of secrets. I loved the Cornish setting and the tense scenes on the fishing boat and couldn’t put this book down! I felt very involved in the characters’ lives and desperately wanted everything to work out for Hannah. I loved The Cliff House by Amanda Jennings and The Storm is just as good. Highly recommended!

Was this review helpful?

I was lucky enough to get a copy of this to read during lockdown. I had been finding it hard to get into a book but this hooked me from the first page. I enjoy books that keep going back in time and keep the mystery going all the way to the end. I don’t want to give too much away but all is definitely not what it seems. I liked the characterisation and the author painted such vivid pictures that you could imagine the people and the locations.
The book is easy to get into and you quickly get to know the main characters. It’s gripping and keeps your attention without being so scary that you can’t read it when you are home alone.
I’m not going to cover the story as it would spoilt it but it’s a great plot with a good twist. Thoroughly enjoyed it .

Was this review helpful?

Great story. I read this in only a few sittings. The plot is entertaining and the characters are likeable. I would reccomend this book to others and would go and read other books by this author now.

Was this review helpful?