Having read and really enjoyed several of the author’s books, I’ll admit that this one had rather darker edges than I was expecting. No, I’m really not saying I didn’t enjoy it – the warmth builds along with the story – but I found it quite difficult to engage with Marion at the story’s start. It’s plain she’s suffering from anxiety, to a level that makes her find it almost impossible to interact with others – and, through a series of flashbacks threaded through the story, we find out about the childhood trauma she suffered (the death of her father, her mother’s withdrawal of love, her years of mutism, the bullying by her cousin…) and come to understand her rather better.

She’s left her home in Northern Ireland – walking away from her toxic relationship with her mother and the fiancé who’d changed from a source of support into someone rather different – in search of more information about her late father. The only clue she has is a photograph, taken at an event in a recognisable location – Sherwood Forest. And when she drives into the Peace and Pigs holiday park to ask for directions, she accidentally finds a group of individuals (some might call them misfits) that she becomes able to call family, and a home where she might be able to find some happiness.

There was a lot I enjoyed about this book, one element being Marion’s personal journey – and it’s one it was good to share – towards finding that she has far more inner strength than she ever imagined. And there was a great deal I really liked about the subsidiary characterisation – especially the characters of Scarlett and Valerie, who made me rather like the idea of being part of their family too. There are other well drawn supporting characters too – I particularly liked the story of Scarlett’s daughter Grace, at first desperately dislikable but undergoing a transformative journey of her own. Another thing I really enjoyed was the Sherwood Forest setting, vividly described – and with plenty of opportunities to tie in the story of Robin Hood, particularly appropriate when the main character’s name is Marion.

There is a lot of sadness in this book – major issues are particularly sensitively handled (and very realistically) but, at times, there’s really not very much to smile about. But there is a fair balance of lightness too – an unlikely developing romance that became entirely convincing, and a number of moments, really well written, that became unexpectedly laugh-out-loud. It’s a book you really respond to at an emotional level – and that’s something I always rather enjoy. And running throughout is Marion’s continuing search for information about her father – intriguing and well developed, with plenty of twists and turns and a wholly unexpected outcome.

I must be honest, and say that this book wasn’t entirely a personal favourite – just wrong time, wrong book I think (it happens…), but I’m as impressed as I’ve always been by the author’s writing and storytelling, and her fine touch with the emotional content. It’s still one I’d happily recommend to others – I think your enjoyment might depend on your expectations, and mine were perhaps rather higher than they should have been. But still one of my favourite authors – and I will, as always, be looking forward to her next book…

This is a beautifully written, emotionally charged novel. The storyline feels so real and relatable and the characters are written with a depth that makes feel you know them.
Beth Moran is a new author to me but after I signed up for the Boldwood Book Tour now I am desperate to read more.

Because You Loved Me started off slow and I wasn't quite sure what to think. The heroine, Marion, had low-functioning anxiety. While others go through daily tasks smoothly and effortlessly, those with this type of anxiety shut down and have difficulty performing even easy, mundane tasks. I have high-functioning anxiety but I'm still affected by some of the same things as one does with low-functioning anxiety. Some of Marion's actions baffled me (not calling the police during specific events, among other things) and I found myself becoming detached. However, the story finally sunk its claws into and captivated me at about the 20% mark.

I loved watching Marion blossom during her days at the holiday park. Scarlett took Marion in with open, unquestioning arms. She slowly encouraged Marion to engage in social settings that would normally send her running. In fact, Marion does that quite a few times. Marion is finally able to let people into her heart and make friends. This slow transformation makes it easier for Marion to talk to people, paving the way to her real reason for landing in Sherwood Forest. She lost her dad at a young age and wants to learn more about him and his family.

The setting and world-building were cleverly written and I (eventually) found myself immersed in Marion's tale. She gained a wonderful family in the secondary characters. I enjoyed the writing style of the author. The author wrote a very realistic book with plenty of emotion, passion, and realism. The characters were complex and fully developed. I enjoyed watching Marion grow and shed her childhood trauma. The trauma will never fully go away but her new life paves the way through the pain and opens her eyes to the life she deserves.

*Previously published as Making Marion*

I love Moran's books and they've always been solid five star reads for me.

Because You Loved Me is told in past and present so we get a glimpses of what life was like for Marion before she left NI and how she uses her time in England to go on a journey of self discovery.

It's beautifully written, the characters are realistic and relatable. I loved seeing Marion come to life throughout the pages and her development into a confident woman.

An absolute delight to read, that will evoke your feelings.

But will Marion get the happy ending she so deserves?

Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the first book I've read from Beth. I absolutely loved it.

The book was just so lovely. It ended up making me laugh, made me get all teary and made me just smile alot

What a lovely book, made me laugh, made me smile and put tears in my eyes.

Marion lives in Ireland, her father dies after an illness and her mother blames her. She has to look after herself and when her mother is really sick, she gets sent to live with her Aunt. The cousin is not a nice character to her and flashbacks of what happened to her appear in the story. She runs away when she’s older to Sherwood Forest, she’s taken in by a lovely woman Scarlett who gives her board in return for working on her caravan site.

All the characters are very interesting and loved reading about them. The setting in the forest sounds beautiful and the campsite sounds bliss.

A lovely read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

Marion Miller grew up in Northern Ireland and didn't have an easy childhood. Her father died when she was little and her mother got stuck in grief. Looking for a fresh start she sets out for England to find out more about her father's mysterious past. Because of the tense family relations, she also hopes to find family that are like her father was.
In England Marion soon finds out what it means to find a home with Scarlett Obermann, who is a welcoming lovely woman that makes everyone feel right at home and like they belong. She runs a holiday park in Sherwood Forest with her daughter Grace, and welcomes Marion with open arms.
Marion slowly blossoms, as she is trying to find out more about her father and develops a crush on Reuben, the son of the Lord of the Manor. Unfortunately the past is not quite over and Scarlett has to deal with tragedy of her own. Now it's Marion’s turn to take care of everyone because her new found friends are the family she always needed.

The most important lesson anyone can learn is that you are good enough. Find yourself and be happy with who you are. This positive lesson can be found in the pages of this book. Along with heart-warming characters, a strong plot and sweet romance, it's the friendship and strong bonds that are most lovable in this story. I never read anything by Beth Moran but I will be sure to look for more. The story is very well-written, built with different layers that will keep you reading and engaged. It provides enough depth and the characters have enough room to develop and learn things. They are very real and you can relate to them. People with real challenges and real life problems to overcome. You will be rooting for them from the start. I just loved Scarlett so much! Marion could be a friend of mine, I was so hoping she would find her way. This story is uplifting and heartwarming. Real feelgood and relatable.

I was slightly confused when I first started reading but after a couple of chapters started to get into it.
Marion accidentally ends up with a job at a caravan / camping site in Nottingham after leaving her abusive mother in Ireland to try and find out more about her dad who died when she was much younger.
As she gets to know Scarlett the owner and the others who live and work on the park she starts to relax and come to terms with things that happened in her past

Marion Miller was just looking for directions to the visitor center when she stopped in at Pigs and Peace, but suddenly she’s roped into manning the reception desk and checking in the campground’s customers and then just as suddenly she has a job and a spot to settle for a while. She’s run away, in a manner of speaking, from her home in Northern Ireland and is looking for information about her beloved father. What she encounters are deranged chickens, a bubbly young woman who speaks a mile a minute, a beautiful Southern belle who runs the campground and treats her almost like her own daughter, and a man with exquisite eyes in Beth Moran’s Because You Loved Me.

This book has everything. Huge laughs. Tears. Mystery. Family relationships. Love. Cooking. Robin Hood and Maid Marion. What more could you want?

But seriously I was glued to this book. Marion is an unusual character. In flashbacks, we see her as a daughter who loved her father to bits, loses him too soon, and, due to her mother’s accusations and negligence, becomes selectively mute. We see her grow at Pigs and Peace into her own woman, one who can face challenges head-on. We see her change and open up and blossom.

Besides Marion, Because You Loved Me is filled with wonderfully quirky and unforgettable characters that make each page a delight to read.

Because You Loved Me is a well-told, layered story that definitely leaves the reader in a feel-good mood despite some of the heavier plot turns. If you’ve read my reviews in the past, you know that I am not a fan of angst. While there was some angst here, I ate it up. Really, I didn’t want to put this book down.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

We meet Marion away from her hometown with a group of new people - strangers who quickly become family. She is trying to start over after fleeing from her life, away from her mom and her fiance. She runs to a place where she knows she can find information about her dad. Information her mom wouldn't speak to. There, she meets people who all have their own issues but welcomes her into their home. Around the fire and over food, she gets to know each one of her newfound friends while also trying to find more information about her dad.

💖 What I liked about Because you Loved me were the side characters. And there were a lot of them! At times, I cared less about Morion's story than the new people she got to know.

💔 The issues I had with this book was that it was trying to do too much. There was a lot of drama that wasn't fleshed out enough for me to be invested. The reader was constantly flung from one event to the next.

Overall, it was a 3 ⭐️ read for me. It was a light, easy read. It just didn't stand out in any way for me.

Since Marion's father died, when she was seven years old, she has become a selective mute. Her Mother blames her for his death with nasty words and constant criticism. But finding a photo of her father she embarks on a search for her history which will lead her to find people who will help her find her strength and show her what love truly is.

Moran gives us a narrative of growth as we follow the main character, Marion, as she takes on a journey to find herself. This novel explores so many themes, such as different types of abuse, illness, death and love, but Moran ties these up neatly so that nothing is too overwhelming or overshadowed.

Each character is unique and relatable, whether you know someone similar or want to get to know these specific people. My favourite characters were Archie and Ginger who always kept things exciting in their intimate life, which I found comical as it isn't something we would usually read of with older characters.

Scarlett's little lessons were a great way to help push Marion, and also show the love and teachings of this wonderful character.

This is not my first read by this author and it will not be my last.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I have previously read a book by Beth Moran called Let it Snow, one of her Christmas novels. I really enjoyed that one, and I also loved this one as well. I wouldn't say that this one was one of those edge of your seat books, but it was one of those slow burns that was enjoyable to read. The story started out a bit slow, but as you follow along and stay with it, the story unravels into a really lovely experience. I really became invested in the main character and had to see how her story would play out. This one will take you for a ride. I would definitely recommend reading this! I will be posting a review of this book on Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram within the week. I can't wait to read more from this author!

As a fan of the previous Beth Moran books I had read I was looking forward to reading her latest and as with her others she evokes plenty of emotions and takes you and her characters on a personal journey.

Marion leaves her home in Northern Ireland to try and uncover her father’s secret past in Sherwood Forest. A troubled childhood after he died led Marion to have strained relationships with her family and therefore, she is desperate to escape and feel closer to her father once again. She ends up at a holiday park run by Scarlett, a mother figure who takes in troubled souls to join her team. It is here the Marion learns what it feels like to have a home and feel wanted. With Scarlett’s help and those around her at the holiday park Marion grows as a person and it is soon Marion who is having to take care of Scarlett and her new ‘family’ when tragedy strikes.

This book takes you on a journey with Marion. From the troubled, unconfident and unloved person who arrives in Sherwood Forest, to the woman with confidence and belief in herself. The toxicity of Marion’s past is heart-breaking so to see her find herself is what you are hoping for.

There are a great mix of characters in this book with strong and individual personalities, such as Scarlett, Reuben, Grace and Valerie, who all help Marion in different ways and who she builds strong relationships with for the first time.

I did find the story slow going and difficult to get into at the start, but I was soon invested in both Marion and Scarlett’s stories that I was desperate to see how things would eventually unfold.

An emotional rollercoaster that leads you to caring about these characters.

I look forward to reading more from Beth.

Much more than a rom com, this book was at times filled with humor, sadness as well as the toxicity of dysfunctional families. Marion leaves her home in Ireland to find out more about her father. After he died, her mother blamed her and continued to destroy her image of herself, resulting in years of Marion being mute. When she gets to England, she meets Scarlet, a quirky, loving mother and businesswoman who takes Marion under her wing. There are the typical romantic interests, but the stories are told with some depth. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I love Beth Moran because she never fails to surprise me in how she will make me feel during a story, she pulls me through the widest range of emotions possible, from happiness to sadness, anger, annoyance, forgiveness, relief, joy, trust me if you read this it’s like a rollercoaster of moods. That’s what makes her so talented because I got so emotional on Marion’s behalf and trust me she forgives far easier than I would in her place, I mean sheesh some of her ‘friends’ transgressed and hadn’t earned my forgiveness I’ll tell you that !

Emotionally involved is just the beginning, you’ll be addicted to every page, Beth writes such wonderful real characters, flaws and all, no perfection, just people who you can relate to and are human. So much is dealt with too, death of a parent, toxic parents, child neglect, attempted assault, self discovery and finding family. Everything is written so sensitively and all written with so much care.

I can thoroughly and wholeheartedly recommend Because You Loved Me , it’s such a beautiful tale and a gift to read.

Thanks to netgalley, Beth Moran, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for a free e-book in return for an honest and voluntary review, all opinions are my own and freely given.


**blog tour**

📚📖 BOOK REVIEW 📖📚

📖 Book - Because You Loved Me
✍️ Author - Beth Moran
📕 Publisher - Amazon Publishing
🗓 Publication Date - 11th January 2023


This is the 2nd book by the author, that I have read. The other one was a lovely Xmas book.

I really enjoyed this book. It did take me a bit to get into it. I think for me, there was a lot of characters , especially at the start. But I suffer from brain fog as one of my symptoms. So that could be more me, than the book.

I would definitely read another book by this author.

Thanks for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.


I just reviewed Because You Loved Me by Beth Moran. #BecauseYouLovedMe #NetGalley #bookstagramshaz

Marion finally finds the courage to leave her traumatic childhood behind, and also to look for information about her father who passed away when she was seven. She stumbles into a job at a camping park and finally finds herself opening up to the people around her and feeling part of a family. There are many memorable characters in this beautiful read!

Fairly decent read, a bit muddled at times. The story comes at you from all angles. There is quite a lot of sadness here and very little romance. Mostly child abuse, assault, bullying, etc. not exactly a lighthearted read.

It was nice to have the lead end up in a good place, if it did feel a bit forced anyway.

My first Beth Moran book. Definitely not my last. I thoroughly enjoyed this unique book. What made it unusual was the intertwining of light fluffy moments with some heavy issues such as Marion’s father dying, her mothers neglect and a whole host of others. I was utterly charmed and plan to find more of the author’s books to read right away. I loved the book and feel honored to have been selected to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Beth Moran - quickly moving to the top of my favourite authors list! This is the third book I’ve read from her now and I’ve picked up quite a few more from her back catalogue because I’ve enjoyed them so much!! This one is my second ARC. What I discovered while reading is that this was (or close to) her first book and is a 10th anniversary re-release with a lot of updates and editing (originally “Making Marion”). Didn’t know initially and it was spectacular! I love that all her books take place in Sherwood Forrest, home of Robin Hood and she can play to that story and the festivities - and it’s her home so she knows it well (I had a chance to visit about 15 years ago and it was a nice area).

Marion - fantastic name choice for a main character, who happens across a campground in Sherwood Forrest while trying to search out more about her father’s history and family, gets roped into working and living at the campground. Trying to escape from a joyless life (mom and fiancé) in Ireland, she takes the opportunity because it makes her search easier, and ends up with a found family and closer to answers and more clues about her father.

So many special things contained in here, many (many, many) emotions, controversial topics and issues, health crises, parental nightmares, the list goes on. All written about with such care! The only complaint is all Moran’s books are clean romance (though I know for many readers, that is important, but for me, I need something more!). Makes this really a women’s fiction and not a romance. Great relationships between all of the characters. Some extremely sad moments. Some crazy (threat-crazy) moments. Jealousy. A lot of really great writing. Perfect for and a recommendation from me to everyone!

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and Boldwood Books, And this is my honest feedback.