Another fantastic read by the very talented Amanda Prowse. Loved the characters and want to get to know them more Can’t wait to read about Theo.

I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I would rate this 2.5 stars if I could. It was an okay read but wasn't really my thing. Which is such a shame because I loved the premise! It is well-told and really honors the third person limited point-of-view but it didn't wow me beyond that.

The story started slow and I found the dialogue annoying, almost off-putting. It's a fine line between mimicking the age of the character and being bad at dialogue and it was difficult at first to tell which it was. It got better as Anna aged and became a tolerable read. But I was never excited to pick it up. I was intrigued enough to finish it (and I honestly wanted to finish it) but I didn't care much one way or another for the characters.

I'd think carefully about who I recommend this to, as I don't think it's something that will appeal to everyone.

Wow what another absolutely fantastic book by this author. I have loved all her books and this one certainly didn’t disappoint. It was a lovely story and I cannot wait to read Theo’s side.. Would highly recommend this

Anna is the first of two books making up a whole love story, Theo being the second. Having only read Anna (for the moment) I would say that this is a complete stand-alone story in itself, there is no 'cliffhanger' and you don't need to read the two together, but reading Theo might make you change your mind about the balance of their relationship.

Amanda Prowse has a natural and easy to read style of writing, is a master at crafting relationships and interactions within family life, and I therefore found Anna a delight to devour. This is quite an unusual concept to have two books written about the two protagonists of the one love story. I can only think of one other book I've read in which half the book was written in the viewpoint of the female and flip the book over to read the same story from the viewpoint of the male, so depending on which order you read them, you may have differing views of the main story.

Anna's story is set over three decades so we get snippets of Anna as a child with her mother, during and after tragic circumstances leaving her in a children's care home, her working life and her time with Theo. Anna is a lovely well balanced and grounded character despite sad circumstances surrounding her upbringing. She is a character you can like and warm to, she feels like your friend. I love the way Amanda Prowse has given her weaknesses as well as strengths, which brings Anna to life in a very real way. She has a great little coping mechanism for when things get too much for her or if feelings of anxiety are becoming overwhelming, The Alphabet Game, in which she goes through the alphabet listing things around her or how she is feeling to give herself thinking and breathing time – not a bad one to use in our everyday life.

There are some interesting characters to meet along the way – Jordan was the best thing that came out of the disaster of living with her aunt and uncle, and angry Shania becomes one of Anna's best friends.

I was so pleased when Anna and Theo first met, I'd been anticipating the moment from the very beginning, and felt that they gave off good natural vibes for a long term relationship. It's not a smooth ride though, and I will definitely be reading Theo to understand his life and hang-ups and hopefully see that they do eventually get a happy ending.

I have only read a short sample of this particular book, but I can honestly say that even from the small amount I read, I truly enjoyed this. Well-written with a fantastic storyline, and endearing characters, I know for certain that I will be reading the book in its entirety at some stage in the future. I can definitely recommend this!

Predictably good novel as usual from Amanda Prowse... her books are relevant, engaging and real. I enjoyed this one and definitely makes me want to read Theo.

Amazing 5*book by @MrsAmandaProwse Characters leap off the page. Anna grows up from girl to adult. An emotional roller-coaster Amazing book. This author never disappoints. Anna is real, has great depth and emotions. Read first before Leo to get the best out of the experience

I only received the first 6 chapters ( and seemed too much fuss to get the rest and/or the other one) but what I did read I really enjoyed and was the first time reading this author ( for many book lovers I know she is a firm favourite author) ,I loved the authors style of writing and from what read would definitely read more of her books

Yet another amazing read from Amanda Prowse. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and read it in one sitting, with a large mug of tea and huge box of tissues. Anna is the first of two novels that tell the love story of Anna Bee Cole and Theodore Montgomery. The book opens with Anna as a very young girl living with her mother and older brother but unfortunately life is not good to her and she ends up growing up in care and learning to live a very solitary, rather lonely life. However, Anna's mother instilled in her the belief that she will one day meet the right man and she will know straight away he is her great love. Throughout the novel you are drawn into Anna's emotional rollercoaster, knowing there will be a tale of love along the way. Throughout the book Anna is letter writing and it is through these letters that you see and feel all Anna is experiencing, drawing you deeper into her emotional turmoil expressed in a very unique way. I cannot fault how beautifully the writer hooks you in right from the opening chapter ensuring that you cannot stop reading until you've reached the end. This is just the first of half of the tale of love and I cannot wait to read Theo.

Wow what a wonderful and clever story. I loved Anna so much so I wanted her to be real. Amanda Prowse is such a talented lady and I love this idea that we get to read 2 separate stories about the characters and their past lives. Really can't wait to read Theo now

EXCERPT: But you know, what you eat on your wedding day isn't really that important. In fact, whether you get married or not isn't really important. The thing that matters most is that you spend your time with someone who loves you very much and who you love right back, someone who is kind to you and who you, in return, want to be kind to.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: One Love, Two Stories.

Anna Cole grew up in care, and is determined to start a family of her own. Theo Montgomery had a loveless childhood, and wants only to find his soulmate.

Then, one day, Theo meets Anna, and Anna meets Theo. Two damaged souls from different worlds. Is their love for each other enough to let go of the pain of their pasts? Or will Anna and Theo break each others' hearts?

There are two sides to every love story. This is Anna's.

MY THOUGHTS: Those of you who have been following my reviews for some time know that I am no great romance reader. But every now and then I come across something that piques my interest. And Anna certainly did that.

WARNING: Anna is a book that needs to be read with a box of tissues on hand to mop up as we follow Anna's journey.

Anna grows up the adored daughter of a single mum, sister to a drug addict. Her six year old self writes letters to the children she wants to have one day, Fifi and Fox. This is a habit she continues throughout her life. That and playing the alphabet game, a game her mother taught her to play when she was worried or anxious. These two things sustain her through her troubled life. But just when she thinks she has got it all right, everything goes wrong.

I have read and enjoyed Amanda Prowse's books in the past. She has a talent for bringing her characters to life, of making you feel as though you are right there, experiencing the myriad emotions, living through the disasters and triumphs. She wreaks havoc with the reader's emotions. Prowse had me laughing, crying, and everything in between.

Anna is a triumph. I can't wait to read Theo. 4.5 stars

Thank you to Head of Zeus via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of Anna for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

I woke up last night with cramp (no this doesn't have anything to do with the book!) and decided to go downstairs and read. I read this wonderful book in one sitting and it left me wanting more!

After Anna's mother and brother both died, Anna goes into care. This is her story from age 6 - 18.

I think that's enough of the spoilers, so I will say nothing more than 'Please hurry up and write the next in the series Amanda Prowse!'

Another beautifully written book by Amanda prowse. The book follows Anna through the challenges that life throws at her but what a resilient strong woman emerges when large could have just given in. Whenever I pick up a book by Amanda I know that I will be hooked and this book was up there with the best

I'm going to be in the minority on this book. I thought it was just ok. It was slow-paced for me and some parts of the story felt rushed. In the beginning I loved Anna. She's strong and brave and so loved. You can feel the love she has for her mum and brother. I did not get this same feeling for Theo. Supposedly this is about One Love, Two Stories. But I saw more of connection between Anna and her ex-boyfriend Ned than I did with Anna and Theo. And Theo didn't even make an appearance until almost 50% into the story! They met, then they were 2 months into dating, then they were engaged, then it was 3 days before the wedding and then their one year wedding anniversary. It felt rushed to me. By this time, Anna was getting annoying. And if you want to know about Theo's story, you have to read the next book because the author did not go into detail about his childhood besides him being born with money and ignored by his parents.

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for a copy of Amanda Prowse's "Anna" in exchange of an honest review.

Anna is a sweet, absorbing story about a young girl with such a sad start in life, and her battle to overcome her demons and fall in love - with Theo, the subject of the follow up to this story (this book is about Anna, book 2 is from Theo's point of view).

There are plenty of sad points to this story as well as some more uplifting parts which you can't help but smile at. The characters are convincing and, though some are definitely not likable, there are plenty of people you really do feel you can get behind (Anna's cousin is just brilliant and so lovely, in stark contrast to his parents). Anna herself is just lovely; she hasn't really got any 'edges' to her, she's just very sweet and kind. She's has had such a hard time and you can't help but feel for her, making you actually care about what happens to her.

The plot covers so many parts of life in general and so many different 'kinds' of people, and I loved reading about them all - from the people she met whilst in a children's home to Theo and his (slightly strange) family, as well as people from Anna's own family who she never got to meet growing up. They're all here!

The way Anna ends definitely left me wanting to read book 2, Theo, which will be released this month, and which will hopefully answer even more about Theo's earlier life. He's an equally interesting character and so I can see why Amanda Prowse has chosen to write a book from each of their perspectives - what a great idea!

The lovely story centred around Anna, a girl whose life hasn’t gone well yet she picks herself up and carries on.....and theo....someone who has all the privileges and none of the self belief....a lovely love story but mainly a story of a loveable female who anyone would want to know

A new concept of writing a story, a brilliant stroke of genius I must say. One love, two stories, 2 books depicting an intense love story about Anna and Theo.

This book narrates Anna’s story of life and the next one would be Theo’s. Amanda Prowse is the Queen of Emotions. Her words are always read with a sheen of tears over my eyes. Her description of Anna’s childhood, her deep grief on losing her mother and later her brother, had me shutting down the book and closing my eyes, till I could gather my emotions.

At one point, on reading about Anna’s childhood, I didn’t want to read, not because I was bored but because my heart was full. I just wanted to sit and cry, and not many books can bring out these emotions in me.

Amanda Prowse is amazing, she has painted Anna with a core of steel. At one point, when Anna was in state care, her roommate says that nothing fazes Anna, she is unbreakable. To which she replies

You can’t break something that is already smashed. I got broken when I was nine, and my mum died. And then my brother died too, and those fragments were crushed to dust

After reading this, I wanted nothing more than to hold Anna in my arms and join those pieces all back, promising her all the happiness, and a love who would make it seem as if it’s sunny, even on a rainy day. (as per her mother’s definition of true love, don’t we all want that!!)

Her letters to her future children Fifi and Fox (she calls them that at the age of 6) are so endearing and heart soothing. They are a comfort to read, to know how deeply Anna feels everything and to know she would make a good mother, she already loved them from her childhood, children born out of her imagination and love.

She meets Theo, marries him, and life throws curve balls one after the other. I wanted to cry with Anna, at the same time, Anna showed me what real courage is. Both Anna and Theo are complex characters, with their childhood experiences, formative years adding to the layers to their personality. There is so much in this book, that I can take each chapter and talk about it. A beautiful emotional book, like always by Amanda Prowse.

Ms. Prowse, this book hits me so hard with emotions, that I am hardly able to breathe, I am so full. I want to cry and I want to laugh. You showed me life’s problems and you showed me courage. And it would take me a long time to get over a girl named Anna and an author named Amanda Prowse.

Thank you!

The concept of splitting this story into two separate books is genius. It could so easily have been written as one book, yet I don't think the reader would get half as much detail and enjoyment had it been published that way.
The feelings and experiences that Anna went through which formed her personality over the years from the love-filled years of her early childhood through the tragic loss of her family members and subsequent move to the Midlands all gave Anna tough lessons in life.
Things could have gone in such a different direction for Anna had her mum not have taught her that love makes you feel good. Her friend Shania didn't have that background and but for Anna showing her that life could be different if you choose it to be she too could have ended in a much different place.
The alphabet game - a simple yet effective distraction technique for coping with anxiety - helped Anna through many tricky situations in life and it was the little things like that which she taught Theo which helped him see life differently and that love can get you through tough times.
Ultimately though, Theo's problems proved too deep seated even for Anna to solve and, without giving too much away, an emotional space built up which sadly became a physical distance between the couple. I will be very interested to find out the detail of Theo's story to understand why Anna's tale ended the way it did.
Theo is a very closed person so very little has been shared with us throughout this book which leaves us plenty to learn in the follow up novel which is due out very soon.
A brilliant concept of a story which has been executed to perfection. Huge congratulations to Amanda Prowse - I have laughed, cried and been tormented by the unfairness of life throughout this realistic book.

Have enjoyed some of her other books, but sorrry couldn’t get into this one.