Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour for The Anniversary by Hilary Boyd! Thank you to Jenny Platt, Hilary Boyd and Penguin UK for giving me the opportunity to read and review this lovely and moving gem of a book.
About the book:
A deeply emotional new novel from the author of the ebook phenomenon Thursdays in the Park
Is the one you tried to forget the one you can’t live without?
Stella once thought that if she never saw Jack again, it would be too soon.
But life has other plans for her and her stubborn, handsome ex-husband.
Looking after their daughter in a time of need, Stella finds herself unwillingly reunited with the man she shared the best years of her life with – followed by the worst.
Where tragedy once tore them apart, now Stella and Jack are being drawn back together. But each of them has a new partner and a new life.
Should they fight temptation?
Should the past remain the past?
Or are some loves simply meant to be?
About the author:
Hilary Boyd was a nurse, marriage counsellor and ran a small cancer charity before becoming an author. She has written eight books, including Thursdays in the Park, her debut novel which sold over half a million copies and was an international bestseller.
My Review:
From reading the blurb I knew The Anniversary was going to be a moving read, but I had no idea just how emotional this book would make me. Hilary Boyd handles the difficult subject of grief and child loss with a sensitivity and depth of understanding that is respectful to anyone who has suffered this most devastating and life changing of losses.
The Anniversary is the story of Stella and Jack, a happily married couple who are torn apart by the tragic loss of their son. Consumed by a grief that causes them to react in very different ways, Stella and Jack have been apart for many years when circumstances suddenly throw them together again and they have no choice but to confront the long held grief, pain and resentment that has been kept hidden for so long. Will they finally be able to come to terms with the loss of their son? And if they can, what then?
The Anniversary is a moving and thought provoking read that I did not want to put down. As a parent and (bereaved) grandparent myself, I could relate to Stella and the heartache she went through. Her grief was palpable and incredibly believable. I could feel every emotion right along with her, and was willing her to somehow find the strength to move forward from the profound grief she continued to feel at the loss of her son.
With characters you quickly come to care about, The Anniversary is a book about family, loss and love. Beautifully written, it is a heartbreakingly moving story that is also full of warmth and hope.
Highly recommended.
The Anniversary by Hilary Boyd is available to buy now:
Cal Turner Reviews 
I loved this book! I was the same as you I could not put it down until Jack and Stella’s story had finished. Glad you liked it too.
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Sounds like an interesting read, thanks xxx
Lainy http://www.alwaysreading.net
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