The Art of Loving You by Amelia Henley

Having read psychological thrillers by this author, I thought I’d try this lovely romance. Henley’s writing style is fluid, easy to read and she’s a marvellous story-teller. It was a pleasure to delve into Libby’s life.

Elisabeth Emerson (Libby) and Jack are about to start a new life together. With a new home that needs renovation, they are excited and planning their future. But when Jack meets with a tragic incident, all their dreams come crashing down. Libby, who doesn’t know what to expect, believes Jack will recover and all will go back to the way it was. But all their wishbone wishes come tumbling down and although Sid is there to comfort her, Libby is heartbroken. To add insult to injury, Jack’s parents are determined to have the last say.

This sudden change of events changed the mood of the book which is a thumbs up to the brilliant writing. As events begin to unfold, the book becomes raw and emotional. One life full to the brim with plans for the future, another heading off to his next adventure like the butterfly. The suspense of each chapter is what keeps me turning the page, and although the book is a romance novel, the pace is reminiscent of the thrillers Henley pens under different name. We can all resonate with the guilt of going out to get something for a patient, those precious few moment when something life-changing could happen and the intense what-ifs if it does. True to Henley’s style, a medical condition and a string of mood swings add to the mystery and sets her protagonist on her path to healing.

Libby’s reminder, a beautiful painting, is permission to let go for the guilt and to move on. Her journal is testament to Jack’s remarkable presence, his sacrifice and strength of helps her to recover. Liam is her project now and it’s to him she focuses all her energy. I loved Sid, although much of his backstory made me cry. Grief and restoration is at the heart of this book and the strength to move forward together. The house, a character in itself, begins to find its lustre and love may spring again in the most unexpected places.

This book brings you wonderful characters with engaging storylines and if by chance you’ve forgotten how to believe in love, forgiveness and faith in humanity, then this book’s for you!

Loved this book. So emotional. Libby and Jack have a wonderful life. Starting a new venture helped by Sid who has let them buy his house at a great price. Then tragedy strikes

I LOVED this book for so many reasons.

1. I almost never cry at books but this one had me sobbing right from the start.
2. The characters were wonderful. Not just Jack and Libby (both of whom I loved) but oh how I loved Sid (Everyone needs a Sid in their lives!). Also Liam - I’ve worked with loads of these kids and he was written perfectly - and the nurse in the hospital who was just so so caring and perfect.
3. The story flowed so well I literally could not put it down. I read it in a day and the time I had to go out I was even thinking about it - very powerful

I didn’t love Alice or Noah but not enough to deter me from just how wonderful the book was

Firstly thank you to netgalley for the oppurtunity to read the second offering from Amelia Henley.
After reading her first novel, i knew inhad to give this one a go.
I have to say, it was very good.iit didnt break me like the first one but i was close to tears on quite a few occasions.
All the characters were lovely and i definitely warmed to them all for one reason or another.
A beautiful story that really makes you appreciate your loved ones, and shows that you really dont know what is around the corner, so you should make the most of the time you have with your loved ones because things can change in an instant.
Definitely worth a read if you enjoyed amelias first love story

I read this because I love the way that this writer writes. A brilliant reason to read. I don’t usually read romantic novels, but this was a beautiful exception. I was wrapped up in this story from the prologue. I remember reading a debate Louise had with herself, and her blog readers about the use of prologues and some bad advice she was given. She is now the master of prologue writing. They pull the reader into the story brilliantly.

This story is all about Libby and how she balances love and loss in her life, sometimes more successfully than others. The other characters in the book are all likeable, some even loveable. Libby and her boyfriend Jack are on the cusp of their new life together when a tragic turn of fate rips their dreams apart. They have a new home which requires an immense amount of work and a plan for their future that will make life better for so many young people. Their new adventure is tragically cut short.

Amelia writes in such a way that imagining the setting is easy. She paints a picture of a beautiful rural setting that the reader can imagine stepping into, being careful to step around the puddles just in case. However there is no way to step around the tragedy that impacts dreadfully, and on many different levels on Libby. I loved the way chapters ended with a one word hint to what is to come, brilliant.

This is a brilliantly plotted book that reads seamlessly. If life had left me alone, I would have finished this in one session. I loved the character of Sid and would love a Sid in my life. In fact we all should have one. When you read this book, you will definitely need tissues. A lot of tissues. When you read it, it will make your heart soar.

First time reading a book by this author but it did not disappoint.

Libby and Jack are moving into their first proper house, a large building needing some TLC but sold to them at a reduced price by their dear 80 year friend Sid. The dream is to renovate and set up an art centre/ field centre for troubled youngsters with a passion for art.

Libby is not feeling her best on moving day, struggling against the flu and feeling exhausted. Alice, her sister comes to view the house and Jack pops our for celebratory prosecco....and Lemsip for Libby. However this is to be the pivotal turning point in both of their lives.

I didn't see the path this story was taking me on but is a beautiful portrayal of deep love, loss, hope, determination, rebuilding. Warm, relatable characters...highly recommend a read.

One thing this book had going for it was I loved the sound of it and it says that if you are a fan of Josie Silver (which I am ) you will love this. So, did I? Not as much I'm afraid.

I have fallen in love with this wonderful book. I feel like I have been on a rollercoaster of an emotional ride with a cast of gorgeous characters especially Libby, Sid, Jack, Alice, Faith, Liam and Noah - Amelia Henley brought these people to life and I was totally invested in their story. I actually don’t want to talk about the plot as that may give away spoilers, and I was not expecting the story to go the way it did. I laughed, I cried and my heart burst with hope, sadness and joy. Read this book with a box of tissues handy - both to mop up your tears of sadness and the ones from laughter. Highly recommend this book - I devoured it in a day.

A moving account of lasting love. I feel the content of this story was predictable at times and the way most chapters ended on a bit of a cliffhanger got a bit irritating for me, however the writing was poetic and at many points heart-grabbing. I loved the dynamic between Libby and her sister, Alice, and her Mum, and Sid just stole my heart! I felt the storyline of Sid and Norma really was weaved in with such a poignancy and I truly lived for those parts of the book.

Libby and Jack are on the brink of an amazing new life together, a new home, a new project, a new adventure. A tragic twist of fate rips their dreams apart and nothing will ever be the same again.

I'm not a huge lover of romance, but The Art of Loving You is so much more than that. It's a powerful, moving and 'cry one minute and laugh the next' story of love, loss and hope in the face of adversity.

The plot was a little bit predictable but while she isn't exactly reinventing the wheel, Henley is a fantastic writer. The story flowed wonderfully and was so captivating, I read it in 24 hours. The whole cast is incredibly likeable and relatable (who wouldn't want a Sid in their lives?) which makes the story even more gut wrenchingly heartbreaking. I don't often cry at books, but this had me bubbling like a baby and vowing to 'be more Jack'. I'm a sucker for a found family trope and I love that Henley gave Libby a found family that merged so beautifully with her biological one.

The Art of Loving You is an enjoyable, quick read that leaves you feeling hopeful and warm and fuzzy inside. I highly recommend it for fans of Jojo Moyes, Sophie Cousins and Marian Keyes.

I challenge you to read The Art of Loving you by Amelia Henley without shedding a tear. It just can't be done!! I am not ashamed to admit that I had tears streaming throughout this book.

I'm a tough cookie, and don't hand out five stars easily. To get that coverted fifth star the book has to draw me in and make me truly feel the emotion. Well Amelia made me feel Libby's pain, not just emotionally but physically too, it hurt!!!

This story is beautifully put together, and opens up at just the right pace.

To be honest I'm lost for words, just read it. There are a scant few that have a gift like Amelia Henley, an author to be watched.

Love, love, love this book.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. This book was enjoyable from the off, and the leads were we'll-written characters I cared for. However, the twist towards the end of the book didn't quite gel with me, and I felt was an unnecessary part of the story which took away from the previously bittersweet exploration of grief.

Oh my, . . Don’t read this book if you don’t enjoy that gut wrenching, heartbreaking emotional build up. DO read this book if you want to laugh, cry, have a lump in your throat the size of a small country,
Jack and Libby’s story will pull you in and you will be racing through the pages willing Libby to get through. And conversely you will not want this book to end.
It’s a really lovely book, easy to read, easy yo get caught up in and really easy to love. Read it!

Wow, such a fantastic but emotional read. I laughed and cried through out the book.
I'm looking forward to reading more by Amelia

There’s something about this author and always making my heart break, I can’t take a single break it’s heartbreak after heartbreak and I really hoped this one was gonna be angsty but you know not death angsty kind of way. Loved the writing but I think that I just can’t handle all this pain even if it’s just fictional

Oh my, what a gorgeous read.
I loved Amelia's debut The Life We Almost Had and I wondered how she would follow it up with book two..
Even better. I adored the wonderful couple she created, Jack and Libby.
Reading this one broke my heart though. I laughed, cried and ached reading it.
It showed me that we never really know what is in store for us. Seize the moment, don't have regrets and appreciate all that you have. We never know when a moment will be our last.
I adored all of the characters this author created. Very different but love and let live at the heart of each one of them.
A beautiful read that will stay with me for a long time.
Well done to this author

(I will be posting my review as part of the blog tour soon so I will come back with my link to it)

I really wanted to love this book. When writing psychological thrillers under her own name, this author has had me on the edge of my seat every time with original storylines and plot twists that blow your socks off and, in her debut romance, that skill was brought to the new genre. Knowing that she's capable of that, though, made the predictability of this one rather disappointing.

For people who don't read or watch much in this genre, I'm sure this would be an engrossing read. Henley is an excellent writer and, whatever my reservations about the plot, this novel is no exception, flowing beautifully from chapter to chapter and structured well. The problem is that the plot seems to borrow from so many other books and films that it began to feel derivative and I could see where it was going from an early point. It's not a bad book and I know plenty of people are going to love it but it just didn't do it for me.

After reading Amelia’s debut rom com last year I loved her writing so when the opportunity to read her next creation came I couldn’t resist it! I have flown through ‘The Art of Loving You’ I enjoyed it that much!

This story is about Libby and Jack, after a traumatic event Libby’s life is turned upside down. We see her life through her eyes which is emotional, poignant and very eventful.

I didn’t know what was going to happen with each chapter I read of this book. I didn’t want it to end but at the same time I willed for Libby to be ok in the end. I just adore Amelia’s writing style! She pulls you in until the very last page.

The themes of this story are love, friendship, family and grief. I give ‘The Art of Loving You’ a huge 5*/5* 😊

Thank you to HQ for the advanced copy of this book via NetGalley.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book, again another new author for me.

Once I settled into it, I could not put it down, well written and easy to read. Some emotional moments and I really enjoyed Sid.

I look forward to reading a few more of this authors books
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The Art Of Loving You is the second book by Amelia Henley and is beautifully written. The story is mostly about Libby and Jack who are very happy and in love. They have just moved into their dream house when tragedy strikes. I loved the character Sid, what a remarkable old man. The story will make you shed a few tears at times. Lovely book, enjoy.