The Life We Almost Had by Amelia Henley

Published : July 23rd 2020

Publisher : HQ

Format : Kindle, Audio, Paperback

Genre : Romance

* All words highlighted in Grey are links to either purchase from a range of sellers or links to the authors sites.

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…

My Review

This is most definitely not your average love story.

You begin with the prologue from Anna, its seven years after her relationship with Adam, She is reminiscing the good times and realising that she wants him back, the end of the prologue she is writing a letter to Adam, pen poised but not knowing what to say.

Moving forward the story goes back to the beginning, splitting between Anna's perspective and Adams. After being jilted two weeks before her wedding Anna is off on her would have been honeymoon with her best friend Nell. Heartbroken and in need of some girl time the pair land in Spain and head off to their hotel, this is where Adam sees Anna for the first time. He is also on a lads holiday with his best mate Josh.

The next day on the beach Adam saves Anna from drowning in the sea after she goes in for a dip and the pair become inseparable from that point on for the remainder of the holiday, seeing it for what it is, both know they will go their separate ways at the end but at the airport, the four of them waiting to board their planes Adam declares his love for Anna and they promise to make it work.

Fast forward ten months and the distance just is not working, Adam is sick of driving fours hours every time he wants to see Anna so he decides to surprise her and propose, they buy themselves a cute home and start trying for a baby.

But this is where it goes astray, five years in and Anna and Adam are still trying and failing to get pregnant. Nell having had two children by this point and not knowing that Anna and Adam are struggling to conceive makes their friendship drift apart.

Just as easy as it was to fall head over heels in love, so it is just as easy to fall out of love again. Infertility and the sheer desperation of wanting something so badly starts to take its toll and before long the pair are bickering constantly, only having sex when the app decides and constantly battling with the grief of wanting a baby but having lost the ability to communicate to each other.

Adam decides to book a holiday back to the island where they first met so they can get back to finding themselves again before all the routines, heartbreak and chaos. Anna tells Adam that she is finally pregnant when they get there and they seem to be the happiest couple on the whole island, that is until one afternoon when they get offered something that is to good to be true and their whole world is turned upside down...

Why I Loved It

This is a love story that will make you laugh, make you inwardly angry at the things that come so easily for some yet seem so far for others, make you think and most definitely make you cry.

Anna and Adam make such a lovely couple and you are literally routing for them throughout, just when you think they will finally get their happy ending fate intervenes and crushes your hopes into dust.

I loved this story, was so caught up in the lives of Adam, Anna, Josh and Nell that I literally did not want it to end and oh my that ending!! Amelia you broke me, made me feel there was hope and then......

I cannot recommend this story enough, that all I can say.

Rating

★★★★★

Buy from

Waterstones BookDepository

WHSmith Amazon

Meet the author

Amelia Henley is a hopeless romantic who has a penchant for exploring the intricacies of relationships through writing heartbreaking, high-concept love stories. Amelia also writes psychological thrillers under her real name, Louise Jensen