Anna marriage plans change at the last moment and she decides to make the best of her circumstances. On what should have been her honeymoon she unexpectedly meets a new love and life is wonderful.
However her life is not yet complete and she longs for a baby.
The story then twists and turns through her relationship ending in a heart wrenching decision.
A great story, which tugs at the heartstrings.

I loved this book! I was gripped from the start and the more into the book I got the more I couldn’t put it down! The characters come to life and you feel yourself relating and feeling so much for Anna. I’d definitely recommend!

A romantic story of a couple “meant to be”. This is a lovely read that pulls your heartstrings with ups and downs. We follow Anna and Adam from their first meeting through their relationship and the trials it brings. A great story !

What a beautiful love story. When Anna gets jilted she decides to go away with her best friend on what would have been her honeymoon. On the first night she meets Adam and her life changes forever. The bond they share is instant and it's as though they are soul mates. Things aren't perfect and Adam decides to take her back to where they first met for their anniversary but things take an unexpected turn when something happens and things will never be the same again. A lovely setting,great characters with whom you can connect with and a fabulous story make this a real tear jerker which you will find hard to put down. A fabulous, warmhearted 5⭐read

Wow! I loved this book. I completely connected with the characters and could not put it down.

Anna and Adam meet on holiday and have a whirlwind romance. This is not your typical love story and through the highs and lows I felt like I was there with them. There were various parts through this book that had me sobbing as I did feel so connected to the story.

I would definitely recommend this book and thank net galley so much for the chance to read it.

Such a lovely book.

The Life We Almost Had is not your typical romance. There’s no happily ever after.

An abundance of love in this book and all the feels.

It’s about Anna and Adam - who have a whirlwind holiday romance, and like many couples(maybe readers can relate to) they have many ups and downs within their relationship.
As they work through some difficult situations, something happens which in turn shows them just how much they mean to each other.

We get a glimpse into things from male and female sides.

The good, the bad and the ugly.

Have tissues ready when you begin to read this.
Recommend it.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more of a crime/thriller reader however this story intrigued me. I absolutely loved it, truly one of the best books I have read. I am extremely pleased and grateful to both for opening up my mind to something totally different.

This is a change for an author known as Louise Jensen. She’s a crime writer but this is her first book as women fiction. I really enjoyed this book. I didn’t guess what happened at all. This book gave me so many emotions and even made me cry. I don’t cry at books so that’s an indication of how special this book is. I can’t wait to see what is written next.

Thanks goes to net galley and the publishers for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

*No you're crying*

Prepare to get emotional.

The Life We Almost Had is not your typical romance.

There isn't the happily ever after that you'd be expecting from a love story.

But ....

There is an abundance of love in this book and all the feels.

Anna and Adam start as a whirlwind holiday romance and like many couples they have many ups and downs within their relationship but as they work through some difficult situations something tragic happens which in turn shows them just how much they mean to each other.

Told from alternating POV, we get a glimpse into things from both the male and female perspective.

The good, the bad and the ugly.

I was routing for these two throughout the whole of the novel.

Honestly all I can say is get your tissues at the ready.

This story is definitely a story with a difference, a love story for sure but one with a very different outcome to the norm. I did enjoy the feel of this story, the first part is like any other romance, boy meets girl, they fall in love, just what you are expecting. However, thing change as the story progresses, it is still a romance but with a whole new agenda. It is certainly a story that makes you think.

Written in the first person narrative this book has a very personal feel to it, I felt that I really get to know the characters. Anna and Adam are just your normal run of the mill people, nothing special or ridiculously unbelievable, people who you would know in your own lives. Their best friends Nell and Josh are brilliant foils for them too and I enjoyed their banter.

I did feel this story lost it's was a little in the middle, however, having said that the ending was not what I was expecting at all. I held my breath at times wondering what the outcome would be and I really didn't guess what was coming. If you want a story that will take you on an unexpected journey then this one is a definite must-read.

It's no secret that Amelia Henley is the new pen name of Louise Jensen. Louise has stepped sideways from her usual genre of writing Psychological Thrillers into the world of Romance with this Women's fiction debut. And what a treat it is. I was worried, I won't lie, I even delayed reading this for a little while because I absolutely adore Louise's writing but embarking on a new genre is big especially for an author who is so well known for her gift of writing an epic thriller. I didn't need to worry. This book was a five star read almost instantly. It had everything you'd look for in a contemporary love story and more - because it had the benefit of Louise's extensive experience whilst also at the same time becoming almost a genre of its own...

I can never fully do this book justice in a short review and I won't attempt to, it's just not always possible to convey how incredible a book is without you reading it yourself to understand. But what I will say is that this is a rare treat. A beautiful debut novel but from someone who is incredibly experienced and talented with words, who we know we already love from her existing genre. What could be more perfect? If a book makes your eyes sting it's a success!

Beautiful, beautiful book. Romance and Science and every type of love... Twists and turns that feel like miracles bit because they are so well written, they are totally believable and make this a love story like no other. Tender, thought-provoking,sad but full of hope. I loved Anna and Adam.

A rather different love story. I really liked Anna and Adam as the main characters and enjoyed the story of their meeting. Difficult not to give spoilers away but at times the story felt a bit far fetched and very emotional too.

This is not a typical love story and that's why it's great. No secret is made of the fact that Henley is a pseudonym for top thriller writer Louise Jensen and her experience in crafting excellent psychological suspense shows in the way this romance novel is structured. From the teasing ambiguity of the prologue to the final chapters, the reader is never really sure what will happen next and this is one of the things I loved about this book.

I haven't checked but I imagine I'm not the first to make a comparison to 'The Time Traveler's Wife' after reading 'The Life We Almost Had'. The sense of a love destined to be had and lost is weaved through both stories. At times heart-warming, at times gut-wrenchingly sad, Henley pulls you into the story of Anna and Adam's love and the life they dream about having together. The cast of supporting characters, especially Nell and Josh, are the icing on the cake.

There was one plot point towards the end of the novel which I felt didn't quite fit with the feel of the rest of the book, although it did make for an especially poignant ending. This is the only reason this is not a 5* review from me. In every other way, this was a perfect romantic debut from Henley and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

I really enjoyed this lovely, light and easy to read story for the most part. It was different to your usual love story and had warmth and humour as the story unfolded. Some difficult times were well written but the end p, whilst tying everything up neatly (and very sweetly) was a far fetched step too far for me. Would recommend it to read though - just suspend disbelief!

This book was amazing! It unleashes so many different emotions and its written so well, so much so that you feel the main characters pain, as they are going through all the different testing and trying times. Anna and Adam meet and have a holiday romance and are just meant to be together, when things take a massive turn for them after things have been tough and they go back to the island they first met.

I am a fan of Louise Jensens' books, and although I don't tend to read this genre too often I'm really glad I did. Thank you to Louise & Netgalley.

This book is certainly different. I really enjoyed the story, the first part sees a young couple start on their life together until tragedy happens. The story after that, although at times, a little far fetched, is sad but romantic. I particularly enjoyed the ending and thought it rather fitting. Adam and Anna are relatable, as are family and friends. I did enjoy it, it’s not hard to read and a fresh look at a complicated subject

Omg what an amazing, heartbreaking love story, I absolutely loved Adam and Anna, this is definitely a recommended read.

The Life We Almost Had is a contemporary romance but as the book’s blurb says ‘this is not a typical love story.’ The narrative starts with the story’s mirror moment, where seven years after meeting and falling in love with Adam, heartbroken Anna is writing a letter. At this stage, it appears Anna and Adam’s relationship has broken down and Anna is ‘hopelessly, irrevocably, lost without him.’ The story then flashes back to when the couple met before continuing in a linear structure as the alternate first-person narratives of Anna and Adam tell the story of how they fell in love and how it all started to fall apart.

Plot wise, the first part of the story has all the trappings of any good romance novel; however, once the story reaches about thirty per-cent it moves to a completely new level and is totally not what I was expecting. Many readers will know that Amelia Henley is the pseudonym of Psychological Thriller writer Louise Jensen, who not only has a reputation for writing stories based on avant-garde medical science but also for her in-depth research into such topics. This is where The Life We Almost Had pushes the boundaries and transcends the romance genre. I don’t want to give any spoilers here but I can reveal the author’s research into this branch of neuroscience is utterly fascinating, and so futuristic the novel felt borderline science fiction. I was gobsmacked when I read the author’s note at the end of the book to discover that it was based on current research.

But it is not just the story’s plotline that makes this book exceptional. The author’s narrative style, in particular the use of first-person narration, takes the reader deep into the character’s thoughts and feelings through an inner stream of consciousness. The prose is almost poetic at times; however, lexical structures are clear and the story moves along at a pace that sucks the reader right in to Anna and Adam’s heart-wrenching story. But make sure you leave some of those tissues for the end of the story. Oh that ending! Just WOW…

Without a question of doubt, Amelia Henley has proven that her skill as a writer is not restricted to one genre. Not only is she able to send shivers down the reader’s spine through placing them in a terrifying situation, but also through the magic of true love.

I would recommend this book for fans of Jojo Moyes, Carol Mason, Emma Cooper, or Caroline Mitchell (author of Chains of Gold).

💫 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕕𝕕𝕪 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕! 💫

The life we almost had - Amelia Henley

This book was from netgalley and I also saw it on facebook on a post by Louise Jensen.

Buddy read with @booksinthebath_reviews41

As soon as @booksinthebath_reviews41 and I saw this on Facebook, we both knew we had to request this book on netgalley straight away. We were both approved and started reading the book the same day.

We both love Louise Jensen's books, however this book has been released under her pen name, Amelia Henley.

I couldn't wait to get stuck in and I finished the book within a couple of days.

I absolutely loved both the main characters, Anna and Adam. I loved reading about how the met on holiday and romance blossomed from it.

This book made me cry a few times and it was very emotional. I loved how the book was written and how each chapter has so much description. I could really imagine the characters and the story playing out in my head.

RATING; 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis;

This is not a typical love story, but it’s our love story.
Anna wasn’t looking for love when Adam swept her off her feet but there was no denying their connection, and she believed they would be together forever.
Years later, cracks have appeared in their relationship. Anna is questioning whether their love can really be eternal when a cruel twist of fate delivers a crushing blow, and Anna and Adam are completely lost to one another. Now, Anna needs Adam more than ever, but the way back to him has life-changing consequences.
 
Is a second chance at first love really worth the sacrifice? Anna needs to decide and time is running out…