I would say thus is a very middle-of-the-road story for me. I did finish the book, but I wouldn't aim to recommend it to people. I like the authors writing which is why I gave it three stars.

While outside my usual wheelhouse, I found this a quick and wonderful read. I connected very deeply with the main character, Lucy and her struggle with fertility and found myself, at times, moved to tears. The whirlwind romance, the struggles, trying to connect with the step-child ... Ms Prowse most definitely nails raw emotion! I am a new fan :)

Although I could connect on a personal level with the subject matter it didn't really engage me as much as I thought it would. Not as good as the last book I read by the same author.

Honestly I didn't finish this book. It's not so much that it wasn't written well as that it's not my style of book. I received this one unsolicited and I gave it a good try, but I just don't feel that this author is for me.

I couldn't sympathize with her character and I honestly was very bored and slightly uncomfortable with her intense desire to have children and get married. It seemed to take over her very being, although I did appreciate her effort to stay with her job as much as she could.

Like I said, this is not me saying that this book isn't good, just that it isn't for me.

3.7 - I felt like this was very 1-note for the first half, but then it developed more depth

Lucy's 40th birthday is quickly approaching and she is hoping that she can achieve all of her dreams by the time it gets here. To be happily married and have a child of her own. Lucy is a successful business woman and has just married Jonah so some of her dreams are coming true, now just to get pregnant and have her own child. Well, that all sounds easy, but someone has other plans than it to be super easy. Lucy endures several miscarriages and in the middle of all of this, Jonah's daughter from a previous marriage, moves in with them. What is worse than a 16 year old during all this?

I thought that Lucy was a very strong woman to endure all the challenges that had been put upon her. I can totally relate to the miscarriages. It is not fun having to go through these and with added stress it makes it even worse. Poor Lucy!

I thought that Amanda Prowse did an amazing job with Lucy being a down to earth person that dealt with many day to day issues that we all deal with. Lucy wasn't over the top, but just normal. I appreciated that so much. This was a good read for me, even though it brought up some old feelings. I am definitely a fan of Amanda Prowse now and will look for more from her!

'The Idea of You' was truly another lovely story by Amanda Prowse. Her detailed observations of peoples' behaviours and reactions in a variety of trying circumstances are excellent, and yet despite the many trials and tribulations of her characters, the stories manage to maintain an aura of warmth and hope and an indomitable human spirit. To date I have not come across an Amanda Prowse story that I did not enjoy; the only thing that lost that extra star for me in this case, was that it was perhaps a little cliched.
This particular story revolves around Lucy, Jonah and Lucy's stepdaughter, Camille. Lucy, middle aged, attractive and single yearns to be a mother, but is losing hope of ever meeting Mr Right and having a family of their own. That is until she meets Jonah at a christening they are both attending. Following a whirlwind romance they are married, and Lucy is hopeful that she will finally find her happy ever after! She didn't however factor on Camille, Jonah's daughter by a previous relationship; wilful and difficult, Camille seems to be doing everything she can to come between Lucy and Jonah and finally drive them apart..until one day she discovers that she actually needs Lucy more than she ever thought she would. Suddenly Lucy is forced to confront the demons from her own past, and face the pain that they bring to her present....
An excellent book which I thoroughly enjoyed.

This is the second Amanda Prowse book I have read and I like her way of writing. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions and I found it to be interesting. You will need tissues!

This was my first time reading a book by Amanda Prowse. Although I am not a regular reader of fiction of this type, I was eager to give this a go.

The Idea of You is the story of a woman who appears to have it all, including a great career. Feeling that her life is lacking as she approaches her 40th birthday, she is desperate to meet a man and have a baby. That man appears all of a sudden in the form of Jonah. After a short spell of dating, Lucy and Jonah marry and, unfortunately, (view spoiler)

When Jonah's daughter, Camille, from his first marriage come to stay with them, tensions are heightened and Lucy finds that the life she previously knew has been turned upside-down.

This book is ultimately a tale about motherhood; Lucy's desire to have children of her own, Lucy's blossoming relationship with Camille and, later, Camille's (view spoiler) While I think the book is well-written, the plot was a bit simplistic for me and a number of situations presented in the book just didn't seem realistic to me. For example, I found it hard to believe that Jonah would not have introduced Camille to Lucy before they were married, despite their short courtship. I understand this provided a convenient base to justify the tension between them, but I felt it was a weak plot point. I also found it hard to accept that Camille (view spoiler) Again, I found this a weak entry to add a bit of drama to a plot that was pretty vanilla.

I would like to read another book by Prowse before I make up my mind about her as a writer, but for me this was an unexciting read.

Amanda Prowse writes books about ordinary people who find themselves in difficult, unexpected circumstances and the ways they learn to cope and overcome. In this instance, the unexpected circumstance is the inability of the main character, Lucy, to sustain a pregnancy. It casts a dark shadow over her marriage, in spite of her husband’s love and support. There were times I wanted to shake Lucy, but in all honesty she was dealing with her situation in an all-too-human way, which is sometimes messy and counter-productive. But ultimately I liked Lucy, and kept reading to see if she’d be able to pull herself together. There was also a thread of a mystery running through the book, which wasn’t completely unexpected when exposed, but still explained many things. I liked the characters, who very real and very human. All in all I quite liked this book, it’s the second I’ve read by Prowse and I’ll definitely read more.

Copy provided by Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thank you for the chance to review this book, however, unfortunately, I was unable to read and review this title before it was archived.

I couldn't really get into this book. I don't know why exactly. It just didn't ever hook me in.

A very emotional story about motherhood in its many forms. Thank you Amanda Prowse and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this. Amanda Prowse is an expert at this genre and writes from the heart.
Personally it has made me re-visit many of my past experiences and those of my friends and my family. This has, at times, made reading this novel a difficult and emotionally charged time, so although well written I can't say it was a pleasurable way to spend an afternoon. However......the art of writing and reading should always be an experience, sometimes unforgettable, sometimes emotional and at others just a pleasant way to idle away some time.
It has made me realise that I should always read the précis before starting the read!

2 Stars and hard to finish

Lucy is approaching her 40th birthday and her life finally seems to be getting together. She has married the man of her dreams and has a great career. The only thing left that will make her life complete is a child of their own. Jonah has a teenage daughter from a previous relationship, Camille, and they don't see her nearly enough as thy should. Things aren't going as planned and they begin to realize that having a baby isn't as easy as it seems. When they agree to have Camille come and stay with them for a little while it puts a strain on their relationship and the baby making becomes even more stressful. All Lucy wants is a baby. She thinks about it all day, she knits clothes for her, she is constantly hoping for a missed period. Little does Jonah know that she is harboring a secret from her past that no one else knows about and haunts her every day.

This is my third Amanda Prowse book and my least favorite. It was actually difficult for me to read because I couldn't stand Lucy. After her first miscarriage is when I started to dislike her. I understand how difficult conceiving a baby can be, I just didn't like how she handled herself. I know that sounds terrible and if you haven't read the book you may not understand. I wanted to like her and I did feel bad for her, there was just something about her that rubbed be the wrong way. She was so whiny, needy, and selfish and I had a hard time reading her parts. She turned everything to make it be about her. I thought her relationship with Jonah was weird too. He would cater to her and call her his brilliant girl and it was almost kind of father-daughter like and creeped me out. When Camille arrived I didn't like how Lucy was with her either. She was either trying too hard or acting holier than though and a know it all.

This book just wasn't for me!

This books centers around Lucy carpenter, a late 30 year old married woman wanting to become a mother but faces loss and other issues.

This book was not my cup of tea? It was slow paced and I found myself wanting to put it down several times.

This is a heart-rending story of a woman who seemingly has everything but the one thing she most wants. She gets so wrapped up in what she doesn’t have that she can’t appreciate what she does have. The struggles she goes through cause problems with her husband and step-daughter and take a toll on their relationships. The story seemed to drag in spots, and I had a hard time relating to the characters. While I wasn’t very invested in this story, others might enjoy it.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Dramatic at times but still fairly enjoyable

Lucy is in her thirties, she has a loving husband and a fruitful career. Only thing missing is a child, or children. She imagines a little girl, someone who will respect her and value her guidance. With all her friends starting their own families, she's afraid she'll get left behind. The situation only seems to get worse when she has trouble staying pregnant. Will she let this ruin her marriage? What if when her husband's first child, with his ex wife, re-enters the picture? Will they get along?

This book was wonderful. I appreciated how Lucy never once thought that she should tell her husband, Jonah, that he was free to leave her seeing as she couldn't give him children. It was refreshing- I've understood that sentiment of course but I've always felt that as a couple, more should be considered. As in, both partners' feelings. This book did just that though no conversation was had which downplayed how meaningful this was.

Other than that, this was an easy read- kept my attention occupied and I enjoyed it. There was a lot of drama, something I've always shied away from- for obvious reasons (just watch Gossip Girl- or don't, I've only just started it and as of yet I'm unsure of my opinion.) I liked that it wasn't all smooth sailing, in life it so rarely is, so the plot twists and tantrums felt real. The only other thing that was sometimes a problem was the unnatural lengthy conversations between the characters and often they were too perfectly written to appear spontaneous.

This is a lovely book club read and will get all women talking, sharing experiences, hopes and dreams. As a sort of permanent baby sitter to my two younger siblings, I have often found myself thinking about parenting and the children I hope to raise. This will resonate with any one who finds themselves thinking of a future filled with a child or many children. I wish you much success and happiness. Enjoy!

I received this book through NetGalley.

I received a free ebook copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for my opinion. This is a book that will tear at your heart as it touches on the subject of motherhood. Knowing people who are going through the struggle of becoming a parent I think this book accurately reflects the emotional roller coaster it can be. I found the author conveyed the subject with sensitivity and realism.

Amanda Prowse, again, does not disappoint. This gritty, soul searching novel examines the challenges of fertility on a marriage and a woman's own emotions and struggles. Mix in with that the issues concerning a blended family and this novel is created. The author creates characters that you can relate to and care about. Definitely recommend and will continue to read Ms. Prowse's novels in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Press for the ARC of this book.

An interesting subject for a book but I found the Central character so irritatingly self- absorbed that I lost sympathy with her predicament and couldn’t finish the book.