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‘A modern day Atonement meets David Nicholls. Beautifully written – I couldn’t put it down’ EMMA GANNON
‘Like if One Day had been written by Sally Rooney’ 5***** READER REVIEW
‘The Romeo and Juliet of our generation’ GILLIAN McALLISTER
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She could be the girl dancing on tables one night, and the next she’d be hiding in the shadows. Just when I thought I understood her, she would melt away and become a completely new person, and I’d have to start all over again.
That’s how it was with Anna.
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Nick and Anna work the same summer job at their local cinema. Anna is mysterious, beautiful, and from a very different world to Nick.
She’s grown up preparing for the end of days, in a tightly-controlled existence where Christmas, getting drunk and sex before marriage are all off-limits. So when Nick comes into her life, Anna falls passionately in love. Their shared world burns with poetry and music, cigarettes and conversation – hints of the people they hope to become.
But Anna, on the cusp of adulthood, is afraid to give up everything she’s ever believed in, and everyone she’s ever loved. She walks away, and Nick doesn’t stop her. Years later, a tragedy draws Anna back into Nick’s life.
But rekindling their relationship leaves Anna and Nick facing a terrible choice between a love that’s endured decades, and the promises they’ve made to others along the way
Sarah Turner –
I’ll be honest I would never have picked this out as my next read. The cover didn’t stand out and I felt I was getting into trad love story / will they won’t they territory. However it’s inclusion in “Between the covers” book club show made me reconsider. If it was to be on TV being discussed by a panel surely there had to be more to it than this…. and there sure is! I just hope that the word of mouth then boosts this wonderful novel.
From the first shocking chapter it is clear that this is very much going to be a rollercoaster of a ride. Plotting is deft and unexpected. There is a lot of era jumping. Twists and plot shocks creep up totally unexpectedly which is brilliant. Great writing throughout and all of a sudden I was staying up past midnight to finish it.
Although the main story line does rest on Anna and Nick, who meet as teenagers but never quite manage to stay together, there is a lot more to the book than this. Complex families, particularly the relationship between Nick and his brother Sal, are core. Religion plays a large part… Anna’s loyalties to her family who are Jehovah Witness church members have a strong pull on her, and friendships let alone relationships outside of their church would mean losing all she’s ever known.
I think this could be a strong word of mouth success. But it definitely needs that discussion as the cover and the blurb would never have sucked me in had I seen it on a bookshelf. I’m really looking forward to hearing it discussed on TV and to talk about with other friends who have read.