I enjoy books by this author because she has a great grasp of family dynamics and how life’s traumas affect her characters. In this novel we meet Victoria, who has largely been brought up by her grandmother Primrose. She is a resilient girl who hasn’t had the easiest life, but the premise of this novel follows what happens when she loses that steadying influence of her gran. Primrose dies unexpectedly, leaving Victoria bereft. However, even more disturbing is the strange woman who turns up at the funeral claiming to be Victoria’s mother. I called you ‘Victory’ she says, presumably in the hope that such a positive name would stand her daughter in good stead. Vulnerable and confused, Victoria tries to get to know this woman she believed to be dead. Yet her revelations start to undermine everything Victoria has known before, including her trust in Primrose. If this woman has been telling the truth, Primrose has been keeping some huge secrets from her granddaughter.

Now Victoria’s very self is based on shifting sand. I really felt for this girl who had a narrative of who she was that’s now being challenged. I felt her pain at being torn between believing her grandmother who is gone and this woman, who is here and claiming to want a relationship with her. How does she choose? It’s very understandable when she goes off the rails a bit. Having suffered a bereavement I truly felt that moment when you return home, the door closes behind you and you feel truly alone. She has a best friend and a boy she likes, but they are really not enough and she feels lost. You get the sense it would only take one more setback for her to crack, Prowse really brought the emotion to this one and I found myself wanting to take this girl in and mother her. A really emotion packed read, with great character and setting.

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book from NetGalley and finally had a chance to read it. It was amazing. It made me cry, feel sad, feel happy, give life some deep thoughts but in the end the story was perfect.

The story is all about Victoria....raised by her grandma because she was told her mom was dead. Until the grandma passes away when Victoria was a teenager and she finds out everything her grandmother told her was a lie. Her mother was alive and shows up on the day of the funeral.

All kinds of emotions are entwined in this story. Hate, anger, love, surprise and trust. How far would you go to protect someone? A must read and you wont be disappointed. #fourstars #netgalley

What would you do if suddenly you found out that what you always believed was a lie? That the people you were closest to could not be trusted? So begins our story of Victoria,who at age 18 is burying her Grandmother Prim, the woman who raised her. Gathering at her home after the services, Victoria encounters an unknown guest, a mysterious woman with information that will shake the foundations of her world.
Great storyline,well developed characters, a book I think readers will enjoy.

Did not finish, could not get into it at all. It just did not grab me and the characters were not at all interesting or realistic.

Thank you to the author, Amanda Prowse, the publishing company, Lake Union, and NetGalley for an early copy of this book, for an honest review.

I struggled with the beginning of this book, but it really came together and then was a breeze to read and enjoy. I loved the relationship between the mother and the daughter, and the ending of this book, was exactly what I was hoping for.

I have read books by Amanda Prowse, and she doesn't disappoint.

I was so delighted to get this arc of Amanda Prowse's book, The Day She Came Back. What a beautifully written, insightful, emotional and heart-wrenching book. In saying that, this book is not all angst. There are so many beauutifully written, positive and uplifting insights and moments in this book which will take your breath away. Prowse has done an amazing job of constructing believable 3D characters who you become instantly involved with through their narrative. Just loved the fact I was so immersed in the character's heads and point of view.
A heartfelt novel, that will make you ugly cry, Amanda Prowse's 'The Day She Came Back' is a must read.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for my arc.

This book drew me in immediately and I gobbled it up!! Such an interesting story of "parenting" and unconditional love. The characters were vivid and believable....Highly recommend....

This was a first book by this author and I loved this story very much! All the feels! Love, hope and and compassion! Highly highly recommend

I have to admit that I was unsure about this book after reading for the first half and hour however an hour later I was hooked. I loved this book. I enjoyed the characters especially Victoria and Daks. I would recommend this book to girls in their later teens and would use it for discussion with the girls I mentor. A great story which I could imagine being near to the truth for some in today's world. Recommended!

4.5 Stars

Amanda Prowse’s latest novel The Day She Came Back is a poignant and affecting tale of healing, redemption and forgiveness from a master storyteller who never fails to pen emotional reads that tug at the heartstrings.

Victoria is absolutely heartbroken. Her much-loved grandmother Primrose has died and although Victoria will miss her vibrant and spirited nature, she remains resilient as having survived tragedy before, she is well aware that even though the grief is soul-destroying, her grandmother’s warmth and spirit will always be with her. However, Victoria’s strength is put to the test when a mysterious woman attends Primrose’s funeral and makes a shocking announcement: she is the mother Victoria has thought long-dead.

Victoria is shocked to her very core. She had long accepted the fact that her mother was not a part of her life and never in a million years imagined that she would find herself face to face with the woman who gave birth to her. But as the shock eases and Victoria and her mother begin to get to know each other, they start to heal from old wounds, vanquish past ghosts and come to the realization that Primrose might have kept hidden some shocking secrets that send Victoria on a quest to uncover the truth.

As Victoria comes to the sad conclusion that her family has lied to her all her life, will she ever manage to find the answers to the questions that have consumed her? Can she ever trust anyone ever again? Or will her family’s betrayal end up costing her everything?

Keep a box of tissues handy when reading Amanda Prowse’s The Day She Came Back because this heart-wrenching page turner will make you feel every single emotion her characters go through and keep you glued to the page from start to finish. Amanda Prowse’s strength as a storyteller lies in her ability to create realistic, dramatic and emotional storylines that are handled with delicacy and sensitivity without needing to resort to melodrama or clichés.

Written straight from the heart, The Day She Came Back is a superb tale of secrets, truths and deceptions from the immensely gifted pen of Amanda Prowse.

An entertaining and well written book. Good plot and character dynamics. I highly recommend this book. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

This is my first book by Amanda Prowse and after reading it I can understand why she is popular. This book was a satisfying read as it covered all the bases of what makes a good contemporary fiction. The emotional turmoil, confusion and reactions of 18 year old Victoria Hansen who when soon after the death of her beloved grandmother Primrose finds out that her mother, who she thought had died of a drug overdose when she was a baby, is actually very much alive and that her grandmother was complicit in this lie, is very relatable. Victoria does a few things against her norm just to get back at her grandmother's memory, her mother and the few well wishers she has--she is emotionally hurting and her behaviour towards her friends and mother is a reaction to that hurt. However, she soon realises the error of her ways and thus begins her journey towards trying to understand  the decisions both her grandmother and mother made all those years ago for her better future and making peace with it.

I liked everything about this book-- the storyline was simple yet interesting, the characters were well drawn out, the dialogues were fresh, emotional, funny and witty (especially the ones between Victoria and her BFF Daksha) and the pacing of the book was smooth.

I received an e-Arc of the book from the publisher Amazon Publishing UK and the author via NetGalley.

The book was published on 7th July, 2020.

I’m torn between this book - I think I’ve decided on a 3.5 stars rounded up. A slow burner, I didn’t feel connected with the characters for quite a while into the book. I enjoyed the parts where Victoria (I CANNOT call her Victory) tried to navigate life on her own. I struggled to keep focussed during the scenes in Oslo but really liked he character of Gerald.

This books contains mild humour which was a welcome relief. The premise of the book is that Victoria hits 18 and loses the grandmother that has brought her up following the death of her mum when she was a baby.

I would say it didn’t particularly feel like an Amanda Prowse book compared to her others that I have read.

Another bestseller from Amanda Prowse. Beautiful characters, wonderfully written, thoroughly enjoyed it

Another brilliant book by Amanda Prowse. She has to be one of my favourite authors. There are a few twists to this book before Victoria finds true happiness. She has to come to terms with the lies she has been told before she can start to rebuild her life. It was a real page turner, a book I highly recommend

I’ve read many of Mandy’s novels and I’m always impressed by how she manages to think up different and interesting stories. This is another. Partially set in Denmark, Mandy conjures up real images of where the characters are at any point. It’s an easy read and well written with a gripping story. I recommend it!

The Day She Came Back by Amanda Prowse.

Blurb: When her loving, free-spirited grandmother Primrose passes away, Victoria is bereft, yet resilient—she has survived tragedy before. But even her strength is tested when a mysterious woman attends Prim’s funeral and claims to be the mother Victoria thought was dead.

As the two women get to know each other and Victoria begins to learn more about her past, it becomes clear that her beloved grandmother had been keeping life-changing secrets from her. Desperate for answers, she still struggles to trust anyone to tell her the truth.

To live a full and happy life, Victoria knows she must not only uncover the truth, but find a way to forgive her family. But after so many years, is trusting them even possible?

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I absolutely loved this book. Each of the characters was unique in her own way. The three generations of women made mistakes, went through a difficult time in life but pulled through. Victoria is my fav character. I think the girl is really strong, losing her wonderful grandmother, the only relative she thought she had, leaving her all alone by herself. Only to discover her mom was actually alive.
She discovered that what she thought she knew was a lie.

A lot of scenes was about her trying to find herself and her inner strength. Hearing the truth was too heartbreaking. The author portrayed the emotions Victoria went through very well because honestly, if that happened to anyone, they would be devastated.

The book was a mixture of sadness, grief, discovering oneself and forgiveness. There was the 10 year jump that i didn't like at first, but after Victoria's life it totally made sense. We had to see what had become of her later on.

Thanks to Netgalley, Amanda Prowse and Amazon Publishing UK for the digital ARC.

When Victoria's grandmother Primrose passes away she is berefit. Then a mystery woman turns up at the funeral telling Victoria that she is her mother . But how can she be her mother when her mother is dead. Victoria is full of anger and shock as to why would her grandmother lie to her and keep such a secret. This story just pulls you in . Will Victoria and her mum find themselves grown g closer or growing further apart.
Thanks NetGalley

First of all, a big thank you to Net Galley for sending me this book. It took me a couple days after reading it to feel like I could write my review. This book left me with so many emotions, mostly frustration with Victoria. And then I thought back to my own sheltered and protected life and wondered how I’d feel if my world were turned upside down. I love the support and understanding she received from Gerald, Daksha, and Daksha’s family. At times I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue with the book but it kept pulling me back and I’m so glad I read it. I’m still thinking about it a week later, even after reading a couple other books. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers.

This is one of the author’s weaker books and I found myself trying to get it finished rather than wanting to know what happened. The central character receives a huge shock so that her whole life is turned upside down. But the book seems to simplify the fallout that this would really cause, solving everything conveniently when in reality it would cause huge turmoil for a long time to come. Amanda Prowse is at her best when she deals with smaller domestic dramas so I hope to see a return to that genre soon.