3 stars

The good thing is that it didn't concern how usually books like this begin: two different couples, and then end: one husband killed and the wives having had an affair since years.
Also, what was heavily relatable here was the aspect of how everything Hanna did was controlled as it is very much prevalent in today's society, maybe even more than it was many years ago. Furthermore, it was interesting to read such a genre of book with more than just one POV. You had Hanna's POV, the husband's POV and the man she loved POV.

One thing, however, that I didn't like was how ***SPOILER*** the child wasn't actually his and she never came out with it. ***SPOILER**** The ending was a little la-dee-dah as well, like the couple leaving in the sunset and everything.

Admittedly, the ending sounded a bit creepy and often seen in a relationship where one of the parties haven't yet accepted the fact that the other one has left.

The Storm, Amanda Jennings

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, New Adult

I'm not really sure why this is listed as New Adult, everyone in it is well past that except for Hannah's son ;-) Anyway, I was expecting to love this, it sounded very intriguing.
I liked it, a lot but didn't love it. Its one of those I'm glad I've read but won't reread.
I didn't really like any of the characters, except for poor Alex, he was the innocent victim in everything.

Nathan is obsessed with Hannah right from the start and manipulates his way into her life. He's got money and uses it to carefully lure her in, not in an obvious way, but in more subtle ones once he susses that she's not impressed by wealth. Her boyfriend Cam though....he's stiff competition. Cam's a fisherman, to Nathan its no contest but of course Hannah is in love and for her Nathan is just a good friend. And then something happens that changes everything.

Nathan goes from being a bit of a stalker to a total control freak. As events unfold I can actually see where his issues lie and they stem from way back in his life, to childhood and I did feel even the tiniest bit sorry for him. He knows way more than he admits, and what seems like heavy handed OTT control is his attempt to stop Hannah – his love, his life – from leaving. It made a hard life for her but she puts up with it for reasons of her own.

Then there's Cam who I hated at first, for leaving when she needed him, but of course as events unfold it wasn't that simple. I had guessed at some, though not all, some parts came as total surprise. I felt so sad for some of the characters, life in a fishing fleet is tough, harsh and death or life changing injuries never far away.
Its a classic story in a way of Teen ( imagined) Invincibility meets Real Life, and led to sadness all round. Alex was caught in a trap not of his making, Hannah was in a situation she felt she had only herself to blame, Cam did what felt right at the time even though he lost everything, and Nathan, well Nathan thinks he has the girl he loves but its only by controlling every bit of her life that he has her....A really sad group of characters, and even the ending holds a hint of more to come.

Stars: Four. A great read but not a re-reader for me.

ARC supplied by Netgalley and publisher

A provocative read. Set in Cornwall,, with the title of The Storm, it was tempting to make assumptions about the plot.
However the story. Is cleverly weaved , flitting between past and present.. We get to know more about the characters motivations as the book progresses . Even. so the unraveling , and revelations toward a the end are unexpected ..
A.n absorbing read .

I read this book in just two days – it was really good and kept me hooked from the very first page.

The Storm is about manipulation, marriage, lies and murder. It tells the story of Hannah, who is married to Nathan. He controls absolutely everything that she does, checks her money and keeps her passport locked away. Everyone thinks he is the perfect man, but behind close doors, the story is completely different. Why does she let him act this way?

The Storm is a compelling book that surprised me as there were many good twists in the story I was not expecting. It's a fast paced read that will keep the reader guessing and I cannot recommend it enough.

Deep and Dark. Never judge a book by its cover is perfect for this storyline. No one knows what goes on behind closed doors. Being dictated to being told what you can and cant wear what you should and shouldn't eat. Abuse comes to mind and mental abuse is worse than physical book.

A story about first love and second best, this is a sad tale of abuse and control. I thought it was a good read but I was also annoyed with the main character for being so weak. She has taken the controlling abuse for years without making a stand which feels somewhat unlikely.
Eventually things develop to a stage when this is no longer possible and the situation moves on.
As the story moves towards the conclusion, things begin to change but the abuser is always there. He is clear about his 'ownership' of his wife in his mind and will not let things go!
Recommended.

The Storm by Amanda Jennings was a gripping read. Amanda develops a great storyline with a very credible account of Nathan’s overt yet insidious coercive control. The back story is interesting and tragic, giving insight into Hannah’s compliance. A storyline such as this is always disturbing and the impact of the domestic abuse on Hannah and her son is devastating in its humiliation and constant imbuing of fear and confusion. The ending is encouraging and hopeful ......until it isn’t. A great read

What a wonderful story!

I just gobbled this book up.

I've loved all of Amanda Jennings books but this is the best one I think.

Constantly surprising, vividly drawn characters and a cracking story.

A satisfyingly twisty tale. The characters didn't really ring true to me, which meant that I couldn't quite immerse myself in the book. The ending wasn't a complete surprise, but it is still an enjoyable book.

Hannah and Nathan's marriage appears to be perfect. They have a beautiful house, a son, and a dog. But it is only superficial.
Hannah is not allowed any money of her own, she has to explain every single purchase and provide her husband with receipts for everything.
And all that because she has to protect her secret...But how long will she be able to carry on like this?

Domestic thrillers are my favourite, and I was excited to be approved for this one.
The story alternates between Hannah's and Nathan's points of view and is interspersed with that of Hannah's previous boyfriend Cam's, 3rd person recollection of the past.
This was a well-paced and reasonably suspenseful story, and I really enjoyed it.
However, I found it lacked the wow factor that makes a book stand out among the sea of similar stories. The twist at the end wasn't shocking enough for my liking, and I guessed some of it along the way.
Overall, it was a good, enjoyable read, and I recommend it if you're looking for a quick and easy read.

An extremely taut and uncomfortable story about a woman in a coercive marriage. It flashes back to 1998 when something happened which caused her to marry her husband and give up the man she loved. Then just when I thought I had it sussed another fact was thrown in the mix. Extremely gripping.

THE STORM
by
Amanda Jennings


A good read that engrossed this reader from the start.
Love is a simple word but behind it can be so many interpretations. In this book Nathan declares undying love for his wife Hannah, but he also controls her every part of her life, gradually isolating her so that she relies on him for everything. Hannah’s love is hard to qualify as her fear of resistance leaves her vulnerable and malleable.
On the surface Nathan, a successful lawyer is a catch in contrast to Cam, the young fisherman and her first love. Is Hannah happy? Flashbacks show Hannah as a young carefree lovely girl full of personality, madly in love with Cam. What was the tragic event that ended the romance and saw Cam banished from her life.
Now despite her loving relationship with her much teenage son, Alex, there is little sign of the once happy go lucky girl seen in the preliminary chapters.
Nathan is proud and triumphant at owning this lovely woman as his wife, keen to appear as the perfect couple. His treatment of Alex is another story. Just how much can Hannah tolerate or overlook?
A major row develops when things do no go according to Nathan’s orders and a crack that develops into a chasm increases the tension in this exciting thriller where past events not only cast their shadow, they unbalance everything.
Amanda Jennings writes atmospheric books that take the reader into the heart of a book and its characters. I would have no hesitation in recommending this fascinating tale for those who like a gripping read.
A disturbing book, relevant to what is often highlighted in the media at present. It is a well written and constructed story with wonderful and very believable characters. Once or twice scenes are slightly contrived but this does not detract from a really good read that this reader could not put down.

A twisty tale of abuse and obsession. A page turner, but I found myself not as keen to keep picking it up again as I would like to be.

Hannah is married to Nathan and they have a son called Alex. Nathan is a control freak and wants to know where Hannah is every minute of the day. He keeps an eye on her spending, making sure she keeps the receipts!! She doesn’t even have her passport or a debit card of her own.

To the outside world Hannah is a very lucky woman living in a big house, with her handsome Lawyer husband, who has just won the award for citizen of the year for his charity work. The reality is that he is like a bomb about to explode and Hannah can never guess his moods, he doesn’t need to be violent towards her, when his words can cause as much harm as a slap or punch could!!!

The story goes back to 1998 when Hannah was in love with Cam a rugged fisherman, but something tragic occurs and they part ways.

I was addicted to this book. I hated creepy Nathan with a vengeance and I was so desperate that he would get his comeuppance, especially as it becomes apparent that Hannah is only with with Nathan, as he holds a big secret over her head ( intriguing - I hear you say)

A must read book where you will be transported to Cornwall with its vivid description of the sounds and smells of the sea.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

5 Stars from me

How do I even begin to do this book justice?

I absolutely adore the way that Amanda Jennings writes, I have loved all of her books and, although I expected The Storm to be good, I was utterly blown away by this one.

An author like no other, Amanda creates characters that feel so real it is as if you are truly following their lives rather than reading a novel. She has a way of verbalising emotions that hits home, an example:

'Cam visited. Once. He sat on the chair in my room holding the mug of tea that my mother made him. We didn't talk. Instead we sat in silence and stared at nothing, our tentacles of guilt wriggling outwards, knotting together, snarling up at the space between us.'

If that doesn't sum up the gut wrenching feeling of a moment going wrong, of that disconnect that you can only feel with someone you love then I don't know what does. I hope that after writing that little paragraph she danced around the room and high-fived the dog safe in the knowledge that she is a genius.

The story is a different take on the subject of coercive control, it is also a love story, it also celebrates family bonds, the emotional trauma of the relationships with ones children and ones parents, and sea fishing in Cornwall... How can one person be so adept and skilled when writing about all of these somewhat varied subjects?

My favourite character was the son, Alex, what a top lad. Nathan, awful obviously, but I couldn't help but feel a teensy but sorry for him too. Cam and Hannah - ahhh I actually have a tonne I could say about Hannah's marriage, about 'that night', about the decisions made but I don't want to spoil the story for anyone else.

Do yourself a favour and read The Storm to find out.

It took me a few chapters to get into this novel, but once I did, I couldn’t stop reading, finishing it in a couple of days. You are in safe hands with the gifted Jennings who sets her story up carefully and winds you in tighter and tighter until it is virtually impossible to put this novel down. Prepare for reading late into the night! What makes this thriller stand out for me is Jennings’ superb sense of place - Cornwall is brought so fully to life that I felt as if I was sitting right there on the harbour wall beside Hannah. I could almost smell the seaweed. I especially loved the scenes that featured the fishing trawler and its crew. Her lawyer husband Nathan, however, is absolutely loathsome and it soon emerges that Hannah is only staying with him because of a closely guarded secret from her past. When a (it has to be said - swoon-worthy!) man that she knew from years ago makes an appearance in her life, it is only a matter of time before we discover the truth. Beautifully written and transportive, this was a throughly enjoyable read.

Firstly a big thank you to Hq for approving my request to read this on netgalley. Amanda is one of my favourite authors who ive had the pleasure of reviewing for years . Ive also met her and shes lovely... not sure how she writes such darkness!

I had trouble sleeping so inhaled this.. its so good.

Incredibly clever insight into a toxic marriage . Speaking from someone who lived through one its written accurately .You can feel the suffocation shes feeling through the pages.

Addictive reading that will get under your skin.

This is thought provoking,tense and chilling.

Amanda is a fantastic writer and i wish her every success with this book.

Published 23rd July



A tense psychological thriller that focuses on the tense, controlled marriage between Nathan and his wife Hannah , initially you find it hard to comprehend how one partner in a relationship can be so manipulative, coercive and psychologically abusive, as the story unfolds you realise that both Nathan and Hannah have suffered differently in the past and how they live now is a manifestation of previous harm/ damage they have suffered! And the choices that made in order to have a stable upbringing for her son.
As time progresses it becomes apparent that this life choice is damaging to all the family and things change drastically! told in present day and past with many twists and surprises throughout!
A thought provoking read about why some couples are in and stay in such relationships!
Thank you netgalley for this read

Well who doesn’t love a read with a complete psycho in it?
That’s exactly what Nathan is. Not only is he controlling but also possessive and jealous. This is a book I’ve had to put down and come back to a few times. However, I have to admit I became desperate to find out what was going to happen next. This is definitely going to be a best seller. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Liz Barnsley rated a book really liked it

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The Storm

by Amanda Jennings (Goodreads Author)

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Read in April 2020

I really enjoyed The Storm, with its dual narrative and two fascinating characters with whom I developed a real love/hate relationship. 

Hannah stays in a controlling marriage more by choice than anything else- for reasons that become clear- whilst Nathan watches her every move, yet you occasionally feel sympathetic as what drives him comes to light.

Therein lies the clever nature of "The Storm". This is not a path of least resistance novel about coercive control- it looks a little deeper than surface level and judges less, instead choosing to explore the psychological reasons why couples end up in these relationships and what holds them within. 

That's not to say it excuses these things and there are plenty of character twists and turns along the way, leading into a thought provoking finale that quietly hones in on the message of the narrative rather than exploding in the readers face.

I thought it was great. Definitely recommended