The Storm by Amanda Jennings

Last week, I felt like I was starting to get into a bit of a reading slump. I tried a few books and couldn’t get into them so I decided it was time for a thriller. I always think they make me turn pages quicker and usually lift me out of a slump. Luckily for me, the lovely people at @hqstorieshad just sent me The Storm by Amanda Jennings so I dived straight in.

Hannah and Nathan appear to be the perfect couple on the outside, but behind closed doors it’s a very different story. Nathan controls everything; Hannah’s clothes, money, her passport and even their teenage son. Hannah has thought about leaving but a dark secret from her past keeps her trapped.

The story is told between two timelines, present day and years before when one stormy night something terrible happens that will haunt Hannah for years to come.

The story is set in Cornwall, I used to spend a lot of my late teens in Falmouth so I found it really easy to bring it all to life. The storyline that runs in the past I found really gripping and full of suspense. Normally I’m not very good at guessing the plot (I’d be a terrible detective) but I did get this one and I found myself wanting to warn Hannah about what I could see coming.

The relationship between Hannah and Nathan was stressful and upsetting to read. Their relationship is just toxic and I found myself feeling quite anxious and stressed reading it at times. There are some parts of the book that felt very detailed but once all the pieces all started to fall together, it does become a very compelling read.

To be completely honest, I wasn’t a massive fan of the ending. In no way, did it ruin the book but for me it just fell a little bit flat. I did love her writing and I thought the storyline was really good, I haven’t read her other book, The Cliff House, but I definitely will soon.

The Storm is out now in paperback. Thank you again to @hqstories for sending it to me, it definitely lifted me out of my slump.