# 354. Anna Astwood Speaks about Her New Book, "But He Said He Loved Me" Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/when-dating-hurts-2250848/354-anna-astwood-speaks-about-her-new-book-but-he-said-he-loved-me Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/when-dating-hurts-2250848/354-anna-astwood-speaks-about-her-new-book-but-he-said-he-loved-me.md Podcast: [WHEN DATING HURTS](https://stenobird.com/podcast/when-dating-hurts-2250848) Published: 2026-06-25T09:00:00+00:00 Episode link: https://pdst.fm/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/prfx.byspotify.com/e/mgln.ai/e/1402/swap.fm/track/2IMk17EdnEqyRhJTIpIU/traffic.megaphone.fm/FPMN9103328572.mp3 Audio file: https://pdst.fm/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/prfx.byspotify.com/e/mgln.ai/e/1402/swap.fm/track/2IMk17EdnEqyRhJTIpIU/traffic.megaphone.fm/FPMN9103328572.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/when-dating-hurts-2250848/episodes/354-anna-astwood-speaks-about-her-new-book-but-he-said-he-loved-me Duration seconds: 963 ## Resource This episode talks about a new book entitled, "But He Said He Loved Me." Anna Astwood has been a survivor guest on WHEN DATING HURTS twice. During her first interview, she said she started a book two decades ago, but put it away, and she did not finish it When she returned for her second interview in December 2025, she mentioned her book again. She was urged to pick up the book and bring it to a close. Then publish it. Well, she did. Here is what Amazon has to say about Anna's book: "But He Said He Loved Me"is a powerful and unflinching memoir about first love, manipulation, survival, and the long road back to oneself. At 15, Anna believe she had found the kind of love every teenage girl hopes for. But what began as an intense romance, slowly transformed itself into a relationship marked by control, threats, and escalating violence. Like many victims of abuse, she didn't leave – not because she was weak, but because she had been slowly conditioned to stay. "But He Said He Loved Me" is more than a memoir. It is a lifeline for survivors, a call to awareness for parents and educators, and a powerful reminder that love is not supposed to hurt. Host: Bill Mitchell If you're experiencing intimate partner abuse, coercive control, or narcissistic abuse—or if you suspect someone you care about is—Riel's story offers critical perspective on spotting red flags early, breaking free, and finding support. You're not alone, and recognizing the patterns can be the first step toward safety and recovery. Domestic violence resources are available 24/7—reach out if you need help. Are you a survivor ready to speak out? Email Bill Mitchell at BillMitchell@WhenDatingHurts.com to share your experience on the WHEN DATING HURTS Podcast. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get the WHEN DATING HURTS Book:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/when-dating-hurts-2250848/episodes/354-anna-astwood-speaks-about-her-new-book-but-he-said-he-loved-me/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/when-dating-hurts-2250848/354-anna-astwood-speaks-about-her-new-book-but-he-said-he-loved-me.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.