Caffeinated Reviewer

It’s 1965, and life has taken a turn for eighteen-year-old Anton Addison-Rice. Nearly a year after his brother died in a tragic accident, Anton is still wounded—physically and emotionally. Alone for the holidays, he catches a glimpse of his neighbor Edith across the street one evening and realizes that she’s in danger.

Anton is determined to help Edith leave her abusive marriage. Frightened and fifteen years Anton’s senior, Edith is slow to trust. But when she needs a safe place to stay, she lets down her guard, and over the course of ten days an unlikely friendship grows. As Anton falls hopelessly and selflessly in love, Edith fears both her husband finding her and Anton getting hurt. She must disappear without telling anyone where she’s going—even Anton.

If keeping Edith safe means letting her go, Anton will say goodbye forever. Or so he believes. What would happen, though, if one day their paths should cross again?

Catherine Ryan Hyde has fast become a favorite author here at Caffeinated. My Name is Anton is a historical fiction about a young man, his dysfunctional family, loss, and most of all love. Come fall in love with Anton.

It’s December 10, 1965, and eighteen-year-old Anton is awakened by his mother. In just a few paragraphs Hyde offers us a glimpse into their home life, and the aftermath of a terrible tragedy. His parents are off on holiday for Christmas and want to do Christmas morning before the taxi arrives. They give Anton a gift that will set in course a chain of event that will forever change him.

This is the third book I’ve had the pleasure of reading by Hyde. Her characters are fleshed out, and the stories she provides are heartwarming. They shedding light on everything from family shame to prejudices.

When you read and listen to over two hundred books a year, you don’t always remember the character names and details, but that is not the case with Hyde’s books.

In this story we follow Anton as he helps Edith, a woman, fifteen years his senior, escape her abusive husband. They end up hiding in his family’s flat until the day after Christmas before she leaves town. We watch their friendship grow and witness Anton falling in love for the first time.

When she left Anton hit bottom but it forces him to face his fears, mourn and find himself again.

The story tugs at your heartstrings as we learn about the events that transpired during Anton’s seventeenth year and watch him mourn the loss of Edith before we fast forward to a chance encounter that changes everything.

I laughed, I cried, and I got angry. But more than anything I fell for this sweet, kindhearted young man who deserved all the happiness life can give.

Edith and Anton’s story was touching. At its core, it reminded us that love is love. It doesn’t come in perfect packages or meet everyone’s requirements. The only thing that truly matters is embracing it and making the most of each precious moment.

I adored his grandmother Maron and his Uncle. I wanted to throttle his mother, but Hyde helped us understand and see that not everyone processes life’s hardships and tragedies the same way. As a mother, I can’t forgive her. As someone who has suffered loss, I understood the need to lock it away.

Read it, listen, and gift it to the readers on your holiday list.

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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