When I First Held You is the latest novel by Anstey Harris, published in 2023. Set across two timelines, it explores themes of love, loss and resilience.
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Book Blurb
In 1960s Glasgow, anti-nuclear activists Judith and Jimmy fall in love. But their future hopes are dashed when their protestors’ squat is raided and many, including Jimmy, are sent to prison. Pregnant and with no word from Jimmy, Judith is forced to enter an unmarried mothers’ home, give up their baby and learn to live with her grief.
More than half a century later, Judith’s Mending Shop restores broken treasures, just as Judith herself has been bound back together by her late, much-missed partner, Catherine. But her tranquillity is shattered when Jimmy—so different and yet somehow the same—reappears, yearning to unpick the painful past.
Realising they each know only half of the other’s story, Jimmy and Judith finally break the silence that tore apart what might have been their family. Amid heartbreak and hope, how much can now be mended?
When I First Held You Book Review
I found When I First Held You to be a deeply affecting and original read. I was so moved by it and unlike many books I’ve read recently, this one stood out and left a lasting impression.
Judith and Jimmy are both three-dimensional characters who felt very real. They aren’t perfect, far from it, but they are likeable and relatable, with flaws that make them all the more human.
The author’s note reveals that Anstey Harris was writing from a personal place, as she herself was born in an unmarried mothers’ home. This gives the story an added layer of empathy and realism, highlighting the harsh realities faced by women like Judith in the 1960s. It wasn’t that long ago, but the choices available to single mothers were heart-wrenchingly limited, and the novel captures this beautifully.
The writing flows beautifully, smoothly blending past and present while gradually revealing details that add layers to the story. One of Harris’s biggest strengths is how she balances these timelines without losing the emotional heart of the book.
While heartbreaking at times, the novel also offered moments of hope and healing. It was a truly memorable and well-written book and I’m excited to read more books by Anstey Harris.