I have read five(reviewed four) of the author's previous books, and the one consistent factor I appreciated in all of them was the writing. There is something about how Beth Moran introduces the characters and slowly paints in the surroundings that make the reading experience an enjoyable one.
This particular book is no exception. Although I admit to being biased, I cannot imagine people who like this genre disliking this particular story. Marion is not a person comfortable with herself. She has issues which stem from trauma in her childhood. I have seen this specific dynamic play out in a couple of other books, but it felt more believable in this one.
When Marion enters the scene, we do not know who she is or what she wants. She ends up in a job at the holiday park that she originally just came to investigate. She is looking for her father's past and starts to believe that she might get much more than she is looking for.
The found family part works well. Not all members of this new 'family' are picture perfect, as it sometimes happens. There are some events that mar the otherwise jovial atmosphere. Our leading lady gets basic life lessons to make her better prepared for the world out there.
The romance is almost secondary, except that it is a key piece to figuring out the past. It is a slightly more fraught experience for Marion than it is for other usual protagonists in this genre. She works hard at change, and it shows.
The ending was only a partial surprise once we started to get more information. Marion's growth arc was believable and enjoyable, a combination I much appreciate.
I would highly recommend this author and this book to readers of this genre.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience of this and other works by the author.

I love Beth Moran's books. They had so much heart. And Because You Loved Me is no exception. I always feel much better after meeting her characters and learning their stories, as if something has been righted in the world. And I love the theme of this book -- Because you can’t choose your family, but you can make your friends the family you choose

This is a lovely story of a lady trying to find information out on her mysterious father who passed away when she was young. Marion tells her story from her POV, over different timelines, I usually find these hard to read but I didn't in this case.
She is a young woman in her twenties, she turns up at a caravan park to try and find out more about her family. There are mysteries unfolding and overall it is a good read

A beautiful story about love and friendship. An escapist read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

This book is full of emotions. It will make you laugh, cry and feel every emotion in between.
Beth's story hooks you on the first page and doesn't let go. Grab this book and settle in for a great read.
I received a complimentary copy from Boldwood Books via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was such a lovely read, I enjoyed the story, the characters were well developed and felt like real people. Troubled family relationships is something I can emphasise with and seeing how this worked out was a joy to read.

This book was previously published as 'making marion'
The story follows Marion who leaves her troubled life behind in Northern Ireland as she relocates to Sherwood Forest hopeful in her search to uncover the mystery of her late father's past.
It is told in the past and present tense so that the reader finds out what her life was like in NI.
I enjoyed getting to know Marion and the other delightful characters, and it was nice to see her character grow in confidence and begin to blossom.
This was an enjoyable heartwarming story of friendships which was also slightly humorous.
Thanks to netgalley and Boldwood Books for this advance read.

This was a sweet story that I very much enjoyed. I was all in from the beginning and couldn't put it down until I finished.
I loved Beth and my heart went out her at times. She was an amazing character.
The setting of this story is my favorite. I really do enjoy "visiting " a place I've never been and "meeting" new characters.
I really like this saying in how you can't choose your family but you can choose your friends? That is so true! Sometimes it's friends that make you feel like you belong along with God of course. He chooses the time and place that your supposed to be.
I will be looking for more by this new to me author because this was just simply a fantastic read!
5 stars for a satisfying read and keeping me engaged throughout the whole book.
I highly recommend
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Marion ran away from Ireland to Sherwood Forest to try and find out more about her late father. Secrets are being kept, and her appearance is upsetting someone, but who wants her gone?

This is a good book. I enjoyed the flow of the story, it had well rounded robust characters, a good dose of fun and romance and is a all round general good read.

I absolutely adore Beth Moran novels and I sink into each one and devour it until every last word is digested.
I’m used to Beth’s more cosy style of writing and I feel this book has a lot of that but also delves into deeper issues much more than some of her later books. This is not a complaint! I enjoyed it equally as much. It really made the cosy, heartwarming moments stronger and allowed a more insightful look into the character of Marion.
Marion is one of those characters that you instantly feel protective over. As soon as she arrives at the camp (just asking for directions) it’s clear she needs some love from herself and others. Initially, it just seems as though she is very introvert but flashback chapters, and Marion’s thoughts, reveal there is a lot more going on underneath. Knowing where he anxieties and lack of confidence came from made her journey that much sweeter.
The other residents/visitors to Peace and Pigs are an eclectic and entertaining bunch too. Scarlett is so sweet and nurturing – one of those people that everyone needs in their lives. Such a variety of community members really brought the book alive and how they contributed to supporting Marion, and then Scarlett was so uplifting to see. Teen angst was perfectly represented in Grace too.
I adored the setting of Sherwood as a place to have this experience for Marion, aptly named. It’s such a friendly and peaceful part of the country and it made such a refreshing change to read a book set there.
Overall, this book has some heartwarming themes but equally, delves into some very real issues that did bring out a tear or two whilst reading. It’s such a wonderful story of Marion’s journey and I thoroughly enjoyed accompanying her along the way.

This book is full of emotions of all kinds but it is so well written that you delve into it and work with the characters. This brings smiles and tears but well worth reading. 4 stars

Thanks tio Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

Marion Miller's life requires a do-over, so she needs to disappear and start again. It all begins with dreams of finding the father she never knew until she ends up in Sherwood Forest at a holiday park. Mistaken identities, quirky residents, and a potential love interest bind the characters together unexpectedly. From the angst of a family mystery to the creation of a new family unit, Because You Loved me is one of author Beth Moran's best. This book is worth remembering, with a relatable cast of characters and a storyline that stays with the reader long after the final page is finished.

Because You Loved Me

Thank you Boldwood Books for inviting me on this Blog Tour.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 1/11/23
Author: Beth Moran
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Pages: 345
GR: 4.13

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Boldwood Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

TW ⚠️: Death of a loved one, toxic parent, and child neglect.

My Thoughts: I always adore Beth Moran’s books and this one was no different. The story is narrated by Marion, in her POV, in a dual timeline. It was easy enough to differentiate which timeline was happening, although it would have been easier if they were labeled at the top of the chapter. This story produced a range of emotions, sad tears, happy tears, contentment, and laughing out loud. The host of characters were nothing short of amazing, brilliantly laid out, and impacted me in ways that I could not even know. Marion is staring over at the park that Scarlett owns with her daughter Grace, there is also Valerie and Jake that work there, with Ruben up at the manor. I loved Marion and Scarlett but despised Marion’s mother, I know it is just a character, but the effect she had on Marion felt extraordinarily real. Marion really grew throughout the story, just transformed into a beautiful butterfly. The characters were fleshed out well, had depth, emotional connect, chemistry, and were just brilliantly created. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, crisp, slightly humorous, serious, and just connected me to the writing. I highly recommend picking this up today!!

Description 🔖

Marion Miller needs a fresh start.

Her childhood in Northern Ireland wasn’t easy, with a father who passed away when she was young and a mother who got lost in grief. Now grown-up and with family relations as tense as ever, Marion heads to England, to find out the truth about her father’s mysterious past – and hopefully an extended family who will love her as much as he did.

Scarlett Obermann runs a holiday park in Sherwood Forest with her daughter Grace, but what’s she’s best at is making people feel like they belong. With her merry band of waifs and strays, Scarlett welcomes Marion with open arms, and it isn’t long before Marion finally understands what it means to find a home.

As she tries to uncover her father’s story, Marion slowly blossoms, even daring to indulge in her crush on Reuben, the son of the Lord of the Manor, but she hasn’t quite out-run her past. And as Scarlett faces her own tragedy, it’s Marion’s turn to take care of everyone.

Because you can’t choose your family, but you can make your friends the family you choose.

General Thoughts 🤔

When I first started this book, I didn’t know how it was going to pan out, whether or not I would end up liking it and whether or not anything of significance was going to happen in the story. It didn’t take long for me to realise that I shouldn’t have had doubts because everything about this book was so heart warming and so beautiful. It was definitely character driven as opposed to plot driven but that didn’t mean that the story was dull. I became so invested in the stories of the characters that I raced through the end of this book; I had to know if everyone was going to get their happy endings.

Characters 👫👭👬

Of course, Marion was the main character and I challenge anyone to read this book and not fall in love with her. Marion didn’t have an easy start in life and so it wasn’t surprising that she got to her breaking point in adulthood and made a dash away from her family. Even then, Marion was still sweet and was never really angry. If I had been in her position I think I would have been carrying a lot of anger and maybe hatred that I would have found it difficult to shed.

Grace was a dark horse character for me that I ended up really liking. To begin with I thought she was going to be the stereotypical teenager in a story who acted out, was ungrateful and unappreciative. However when faced with tragedy, she really did grow up and I think that she would have turned out to be a kind hearted and loyal adult friend.

Writing Style ✍️

I really enjoyed Beth Moran’s writing style. It’s the first book of hers that I read and I really think she has a little something about her writing that makes it a touch different from other contemporary fiction authors. I liked that the story sometimes jumped from one time period to the next with very little warning. It kept me on my toes as a reader and it was done cleverly to marry up Marion’s life back in Northern Ireland and her life in England.

I loved how Beth Moran wrote such loveable characters. Even the “bad guys” in this story were shown to have a side of them that was likeable which I think is much more alike to real life than having a hard line between good and bad. Everyone has their demons and some people deal with them better than others and I think this was portrayed fantastically.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖

This was such a lovely story about family, friends and most importantly, the friends that we choose to make our family. Marion was such a beautiful character to read and it was heart warming and inspiring to follow her journey from her haunted and troubled past through to her confident and thriving future. If you’re a fan of characters that you can’t help but love and a feel good story, then this is definitely a book for you.

I really took my time with this book as it had lots going on but not in a confusing way. I wanted to understand each character and it was great to work put how they each fit and played a part in the story. Despite some sadness it was a very uplifting book and I just loved the setting.

Because You Loved Me by Beth Moran is a very moving book. This beautifully written book made me laugh, made me smile, and put tears in my eyes. All the characters are interesting and bring something to the story. The setting in the forest sounds beautiful and the campsite sounds peaceful.. There was a good mixture of love, sadness, forgiveness, and moving on. I would definitely recommend this book seeing as I couldn't put it down.

My Review: I found this slightly tricky to read due to my father passing away at the beginning of the year. I can fully understand some of Marion Miller’s emotions. There are look backs and much needed changes. I kept humming Celine Dions song to myself and listening to it. Beth has written an emotive and inspiring book that in some parts are identifyable. I’d definitly recommend reading it when grief isnt quite so fresh.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. I was expecting a lighthearted easy read but it was definitely not that! Some topics discussed were quite upsetting but definitely an interesting read. I was championing Marion all the way through and just wanted to give her a hug. I’ve given this book a solid 3 stars.

Marion turns out to be quite a complicated character with a childhood experience which has affected how she views herself as an adult. The grief of her mother has been so overwhelming that as a young girl, she was neglected and mentally abused. Turning this treatment onto herself she has internalised her mother's words and actions and a self-destructive way. In many ways, you see the healing effects of the friends she meets in Sherwood Forest as she tries to invent her life without reference to the past.

I found that the group of characters added life to the story and moments of humour as well as sadness. Scarlett is a wonderful character, the complete opposite in many ways of Marion's mother. She is warm, accepting and empathetic- just what Marion needs. This is a gentle romance which makes for a warm and uplifting story and is well worth its re-issue.

In short: a heart-warming story of love and loss.
Thanks to the publisher ofr a copy of the book