Between Before and After by Amanda Dick: ARC Review



Title: Between Before and After
Author: Amanda Dick
Release Date: June 1, 2014


~BUY Between Before and After~



Danny Morris left behind a gun, a tonne of questions and a big hole in the lives of those he loved. What he didn’t leave was a suicide note.

That was three years ago and on the anniversary of his death, his friends mark his passing by gathering at his parents’ beach house in New Zealand's gorgeous Marlborough Sounds. Danny’s decision may have seemed like the easy way out for him, but there is no doubt about the wreckage he left behind.

Danny's girlfriend, Kate, holds onto his memory by continuing to live in the house they shared. Desperate to move on with her life, the need to understand why he shut her out holds her back. Her blossoming feelings for Danny’s best friend, Finn, only complicate matters.

Finding Danny’s body has impacted on Max in ways no one could ever have imagined. Withdrawing from his high-flying lifestyle, he has carved out a much simpler life, moving from town to town as he tries to run from the nightmares he refuses to talk about. A new development, self-medicating with alcohol has him sailing dangerously close to the edge.

Finn is finally ready to admit how he feels about Kate, but the ghost of her relationship with Danny continues to haunt them both. Desperately trying to save Max from himself dredges up long-buried anger and frustration at the situation they now find themselves in.

Friendship. The word itself conjures up images of trust and love. But what happens when that trust is broken and that love is thrown back in your face?

Five friends. Three days. One shocking discovery that will shake them to the very core. This year, everything will change.




Wow. This book drained me... (and, I mean that in a good way). 

Between Before and After is riveting, emotional, and brilliantly written . It tells of what happens to those that are left in the wake of a suicide. Just be warned that this is not a light read. It will pull at your heart strings and leave your heart hurting for those left to live in the aftermath of Danny. I absolutely loved Amanda Dick’s, Absolution, so I just couldn’t wait to start this one.

What are the first thoughts that pop into your head after reading the blurb? I couldn’t stop thinking:

1. I can’t wait to find out what the “shocking discovery” is, and I probably have to wait until the end – argh, not sure I can wait that long………..

2. I’m going to be really upset if we don’t find out why Danny did it.

These thoughts turned this into a page-turner for me. Just likeAbsolution, I couldn’t tap the Kindle pages fast enough. But, reading Between Before and After was much more than finding out the answers. Amanda creates characters that are human, and you can’t help but become attached to them and what they are living through. Throw in a great story and fabulous writing and…… voila, you have a story that is certainly hard to put down. 

Amanda handled a very difficult subject with grace and understanding. This is one of those books I love because there aren’t many out there like it, and it’s the perfect book when you’re in need some something original and darn good!

4 STARS!!!






Amanda Dick is a night-owl, coffee addict, movie buff and music lover.  She also writes.

Born in Opotiki, New Zealand, she is rather partial to dark chocolate and believes in the power of a good vanilla latte.  She has a passion for the colour green (particularly in clothes and gemstones) and insists there is nothing sexier than a man in a kilt. 

She spent several months traveling around Europe in her late 20’s (there’s a story there – she’ll get around to writing it one day).  After ridding herself of her wanderlust, she met the love of her life (while working to pay off said wanderlust) in Edinburgh, Scotland.  They moved in together the week after their first date – so yes, she believes in love at first sight.  She also believes in Women's Intuition and following your heart. 

She writes on her trusty laptop, predominantly late at night, when it's quiet and interruptions are few.  Most of all, she enjoys writing about human behaviour - love, loss, joy, grief, friendship and relationships in general.  She loves to put normal, everyday people into situations that will test their boundaries.  She is passionately curious about how we, as human beings, react when pushed to the edge. 


After living in Scotland for five years, she has now settled back home in New Zealand, where she lives with her husband and two children.


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