Oh what a tangled web we weave and the untangling of this particular stormy web became all time consuming! A real page turner! Hannah, living in a small fishing village in Cornwall, contending with her narcissistic husband Nathan to protect son Alex. We go back in time to the nineties with the events that ensued after a terrible storm. The life changing effects are told with conviction and I was there riding out the eye of the storm, feeling the crash of the terrifying waves mercilessly tossing the fishing boat containing Cam, her first love and his fellow fishermen on the stormy seas. Brilliantly told, I felt all the frustrations and fears right to the conclusion with all the characters staying true to themselves just as they should! A good read!

I enjoyed this book. From the start it was a gripping read and I was keen to know what the dramatic incident was that had clearly happened in the past to lead Hannah to end up marrying Nathan.
It was well written and engaging.
Thank you for the advance copy in return for my honest opinion.

First of all, huge thanks to NetGalley, @hqstories and the author @amanda_jennings1 for an e-copy of "The Storm" which was published in July. With the three adjectives "twisty, malevolent, gripping" used by @lisajewelluk in her endorsement of the book, this was ticking all of my boxes. Having not read anything "twisty" for a few weeks I hunkered down into the story of Hannah Cardew, wife of Nathan and mother of Alex. The book certainly was twisting perceptions of the Cardews' seemingly happy marriage. Nathan was truly a despicable man. Controlling, dismissive and abusive, Nathan has Hannah absolutely trapped with not a penny in her purse and no means of transport to escape. From the checking of Hannah's shopping receipts to locking away her passport, this was a toxic marriage. The entrance of ex-boyfriend, troubled Cam, marks a change in the narrative with flashbacks to the past and the storm which led Hannah to where she is now. The tragedy from 1998 weighs heavily on Hannah's mind and with Cam, now returned to Newlyn, the past is very much part of her present. The presentation of Hannah's son Alex was moving as was his relationship with Hannah's longtime friend Vicky. Definitely one to pick up if you're looking for a fast-paced thriller with obsession and secrets at the core.

A compelling and thought provoking read, which is all too horribly accurate and credible when observing Nathan’s controlling treatment of Hannah. This is uncomfortable reading, but as many of us know it’s not always just as easy as packing up and leaving.



The story moves effortlessly between viewpoints, and timelines, returning to when Hannah was a young girl in love with Cam prior to the life changing storm. Why is she now with Nathan doing as she's told?


Set in beautiful, wild Cornwall, the novel twists and unsettles you. It is fast moving, the dialogue moves the plot on & I believed in the well written characters.



Hard to put down, I was intrigued by the references to a storm glass as invented by the captain of Darwin’s HMS Beagle- ‘a mysterious phenomenon which can predict changes in weather.’ What a fabulous simile for this story- you hooked me, Amanda Jennings!

Hannah is married to Nathan and lives in Cornwall. They live together, with their son Alex, in Nathan’s family mansion - all that is left from his family estate - most of it lost by his father, an inveterate gambler.
Nathan controls everything Hannah does - horrendous example of coercive control but why does she let him.? Why does she not escape?
The story shifts from present to past tense well and the reader finds out about Hannah’s past life and her love for a local fisherman Cam.
The setting for this is spectacular and well written - highlighting the writer’s love for Cornwall.
I wanted more about Cam and Hannah’s relationship and less about fishing though it was an integral part of Cam’s life.
Despite that I enjoyed this book, particularly finding out why Hannah stayed married to Nathan.
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. 3.5 Stars.

An unsettling thriller that vividly conjured up the claustrophobia of an oppressive marriage and the wild, untamed depths of the sea. While I felt more connected to the past story-line than the present one, I really enjoyed watching the characters change and develop and was sucked in by the unfurling mystery.

The Storm is a solid domestic thriller about a woman stuck in a controlling marriage that appears to be perfect from the outside. The story alternates between present day and the past involving an old boyfriend. The plot has plenty of twists and will keep readers guessing. Highly recommended to those who enjoy domestic thrillers.

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC of this book!
When I first started reading this book, it was almost a DNF for me, I couldn't engage with the characters or the different points of view, however I continued and was soon glad I didnt put it down!
I totally fell in love with Hannah and Cam's relationship in the beginning and was rooting for them throughout! I loved the character of Alex and how he stuck up against Nathan and for his mum. Nathan is totally damaged good and is making Hannah pay for something she doesnt know what.
Even though the reveals and dark twists weren't shocking as I had already worked out what was going to happen, it was still a gripping read and loved reading from the different characters POV.
Was a gripping, dark, emotional read and would definitely recommend! If you feel stuck at the beginning, dont give up! It's worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
It took me several attempts to get into this book, and a few months to read it, but I've finally finished it today.
The story was interesting and intriguing, but maybe not exciting enough for me. I didn't get a spark from the first few pages, which I think was the problem initially. Once I got past that, I did enjoy most of the book.
It was probably just unfortunate that the fishing side of the story bored me, and the behaviours of the characters at the pub just made me cross! Maybe this was more of a fault of mine than the book, as it all formed part of the story.
The way the ending was left open with it's little twist was well done, but I'm not sure I would want to read a follow up book though.

Totally gripping story about Hannah who is trapped in an unhappy marriage with a controlling husband.....and we learn why she is living like that. Unravels and you can’t put it it down! Excellent book!

Hannah is completely controlled by Nathan, her husband, in what I can only describe as a toxic relationship. He determines what she wears, where she goes, when they have sex and takes away her passport and freedom yet on the outside he appears to be an upstanding member of the local community and they appear to have the 'perfect marriage'. I felt very uncomfortable with this relationship and found myself becoming annoyed with Hannah for putting up with this.
However, the story was well developed and written from the different POVs of Hannah, Nathan and surprisingly Cam, Hannah's ex and moved between two different time lines effectively.
There were times where the book dragged too much for me but there were also atmospheric descriptions of the local area and the sea - obviously including The Storm and the consequences .
A good read - slow paced at times but also tense and dramatic.

Thanks to netGalley and Harper Collins for the arc.

Really enjoyed this book.

The development of the theme as the after effects of the Storm unraveled was the centre of the plot.

Wow what a page Turner. Hannah and her husband Nathan's marriage is not a happy one as events from the past are not easily forgotten,and when their son goes missing things start to get complicated when a face from the past turns up and things start to unravel A great mix of characters and a fabulous story that grips you from the beginning,and has lots of twists and turns.A great 5🌟read

I really enjoyed this book! I wasn’t gripped right from the beginning but the more I read the more I got into and it ended up a winner. Great storyline, it managed to take me totally by surprise. I found myself really wanting Hannah to stand up to her husband. Perfect garden reading in this warm weather!

Hannah appears to have it all, the perfect husband, a loving son and a beautiful house in a Cornish fishing port, but nothing is ever as it seems because, behind closed doors, she lives a totally different life where her husband, Nathan, controls everything she does. He chooses what she wears, decides what she spends and never lets her do anything without his say so, what hold does he have over her and who is the person she thinks about when she's with Nathan, the one that enables her to live through this sorry existence and sham of a marriage. Rewind 15 years, during a relentless storm, a tragedy occurs which changes everything and Hannah is left to deal with the consequences of that night for the rest of her life, ensuring Nathan is kept happy, but some things can't stay a secret for ever and the past has a habit of rearing its head when least expected. The question is, how will Hannah and Nathan deal with it when it does?

This story is told over two timelines, the present day and 1998. It's a tale of dark secrets, obsession and coercive control. The plot is executed perfectly and I soon developed a dislike for Nathan, with his controlling ways. I couldn't understand why Hannah was allowing him to behave the way he did towards her and their son Alex, but, as the story unfolded, it soon became clear that Hannah had an awful lot to lose if she didn't toe the line and her description of Nathan as 'my very own Jekyll & Hyde' was spot on, because she just never knew what mood he would be in from one minute to the next. This is a dark and atmospheric read that kept me gripped throughout, with a great twist. It's the first I've read by this author, although I do have some of her other titles on my kindle, so it won't be the last.

I'd like to thank HQ and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads and Amazon.

I had a bit of a marmite relationship with this book. One minute I loved it, the next not so much. The main character, Hannah, is married to Nathan Cardew, a fine upstanding lawyer in their close, Cornish community. But Nathan, a paragon of virtue when it comes to that community is not what he seems. Hannah (and to some extent their son, Alex), is controlled to the nth degree by Nathan. He really is a nasty piece of work. What I did love about this book is that it's really well written, and because of that I could really immerse myself in Hannah's world as a controlled, subservient wife. The descriptions of the location in which the book is set are just lovely and the characters are really well defined. The problem for me, whilst I could understand the importance of the inclusion of these chapters, was that the story surrounding Cam (who Hannah holds a torch for and their relationship is pivotal to the book) was just too drawn out for my liking. I'm sure these could have been shortened, and I found myself skipping chunks to get to the point! All in all, I'm glad I read this book. I do love a good domestic noir to break up the psychological thrillers I'm so addicted to.

The Storm by Amanda Jennings is a wonderfully evocative tale of love, control, obsession and long-held secrets.

The reader is introduced to the Cardews - Nathan and Hannah, a happily married couple to all intents and purposes, living in the Cornish fishing village of Newlyn. They have a life of privilege, as they appear to be living the dream in their idyllic home, known as Trevose House. Nathan is a highly successful lawyer and businessman and a real pillar of the community. But behind closed doors he is a control freak, manipulating Hannah and their teenage son, Alex's, every move at all available opportunities. From the way Hannah dresses to her confiscated passport, and till receipts - all are open to close scrutiny and observation. Hannah lets this happen because of a monumental event from her past and a previous relationship with a man named Cam(eron) Stewart, a local fisherman of whom she still dreams, and the haunting night of the storm...

The story is set mainly around Newlyn fishing village and moves between the present day and twenty years earlier, as the reader gets to see how the lives various people were altered by the dramatic events of one night in 1998. I was completely wowed by Amanda Jennings' entertaining and well drawn, if less than perfect, characters. I was really impressed at the way that she created such a fabulous sense of place with expressive prose and visually descriptive narrative. I became completely preoccupied in Hannah’s bubble, unable to put this darkly atmospheric novel down. Evoking a magnitude of emotions, and with an abundance of the less savoury aspects of human nature on display, I revelled in reading The Storm and felt 100 per cent invested in the outcome. I was left chilled to the bone with the superbly crafted finale.

A wonderfully toxic and intense book from start to finish!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from HQ via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

To the outside world Hannah married the perfect man. Behind closed doors it's a very different story. Nathan controls everything Hannah does. He chooses her clothes, checks her receipts and keeps her passport locked away. But why does she let him?

Years before, in the midst of a relentless storm, the tragic events of one night changed everything. Hannah has been living with the consequences ever since.

Set in Cornwall, the story is told mostly from Hannah's point of view. It's told from the past, 1988 and the present day. We learn about Hannah's past and the terrible tragedy which would change her life and others. The pace is steady as the suspense just kept building. I was shocked and surprised by some parts of the story. It kept my attention throughout. The ending was a little predictable.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HQ and the author Amanda Jennings for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me engaged from the very start. I enjoyed reading from the different perspectives, especially of Cam whist at sea,. I feel the sea/fisherman parts of the story helped to differentiate it from other similar domestic dramas and gave it more of an interesting spin.
Thanks for Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Oh this was such a good read! The Storm follows Hannah who appears to have a great life, a beautiful house a loving husband who is about to receive an award for being citizen of the year. To any onlooker she has it all, who wouldn't want to be married to Nathan her doting husband but behind closed doors things are a very different story, Nathan keeps her passport hidden in a safe asks for receipts for everything she spends refuses to let her have a bank card of her own, chooses her clothes, tells her he tells her things that she never remembers but it's all lies he likes to make her feel insecure and helpless.

The storyline has a few perspectives which I loved my favourite parts are Cams his perspective is from the past in 1998 and the moments at sea are just superb Cams storyline slowly reveals the terrible events that drive Hannah and Cam apart and that leave her husband with a secret hold over her.

The storm is one of those stories that is quite a slow burn but really sucks you in too, I absolutely loved seeing Hannah find the strength to fight back more and learning all the secrets of the past kept me turning the pages. I actually think the author does a fantastic job of making you dislike Nathan but at the same time as the story progressed I kind of ended up pitying him. All in all a great read that I flew through and I'm in a reading slump so 100% would recommend.


Thank you so much to the publishers for the review copy and inviting me to be part of the blog tour.