Well didn't I choose to start the year off with a bang?!

An Ordinary Life tells the tale of a woman who was far from ordinary. Beginning in the present day when the protagonist, Molly, is 94 years old, we then flash back to her late teens, during World War 2, and watch as her life unfolds, filled with moments of joy, sorrow, heartbreak, terror and love. We see the choices she made during the war and how those choices go on to mould the rest of her life until we are brought right back to the present day again.

Elements of the plot were predictable but I think that's always the case with a story which chooses to start at the end and certainly, in the case of this novel, it doesn't detract from the enjoyment. If anything, it heightens the anticipation as you wait for the inevitable to happen. There are a couple of things which happen at the end of the novel, one of which I loved and one I can't decide if I liked or not. Part of me feels it was entirely the right thing to do within the story and another part of me feels it should have been done differently but I can't explain more without spoiling it, so I'll just say you'll have to read it yourself and make up your own mind!

If you like historical fiction with a dash of romance, a splash of action and a lot of heart, then this book is for you.

This book was a definite 5 stars for me!! This is a beautiful story of Molly's life. At 94 years old, Molly always liked to say her life has been ordinary. But, in reality her life has been anything but ordinary. The life of Marvelous Molly was brave and heartbreaking at the same time. I do not want to give any story spoilers here, other than to say READ IT! You will not be sorry.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book. After reading this book I look forward to reading other books written by Amanda Prowse.

#AnOrdinaryLife #NetGalley
Thanks NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, Amanda Prowse for an ARC to review.
5 solid spectacular stars! Amanda's writes characters who will stay forever etched on your memories. An ordinary life tells the tale of an extraordinary woman who lived a life so far from ordinary.
Molly a bright young woman who contributes to the war effort through her translation work and is looking forward to a career and a full life once the awful war is over. An after work dance changes her life's course forever.
Now 94 years old lying in her hospital bed, Molly recounts her life, her losses and her heartaches.
A splendid story about war, love, life, loss, selflessness and anything that's but ordinary!

I read this in ONE day, I could not put it down! I felt attached to Molly and my heart tugged and ached as I read about her present life and her past. I was completely captivated from start to finish. Amanda Prowse is such an amazingly talented author and has written a beautiful and emotional novel. I loved it!

A most wonderful book.nicely written, kept your attention. Made me cry several times. Taking you through a women’s life.

AN ORDINARY LIFE by Amanda Prowse follows the life of Molly, a woman who lives through the stresses of World War II and life afterwards. Molly is the definition of a strong woman: refusing to accept her circumstances, refusing the live how society thinks women should, and forges her own path toward when others don’t support her. My favorite part of the book was seeing Molly evolve from her teenage years into an old 94 year old woman. Growing old isn’t a privilege and that is a sentiment that I’m reminded of today. The ending made me cry, get ready.

This book was a page turner and because you just want to knows what happens in Molly’s life next. A beautiful novel of strength, loss, love, and family.

Review posted on @polished_bookworm on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CJWICr9g1Wq/

Such a fantastic life which was celebrated on the pages of Amanda’s latest novel.
An Ordinary Life tells of Molly’s life during WWII, an incredible young lady, with her whole life ahead of her, yet fate dealt her a mixed bag.
Caught up in social prejudice of times gone by and the impact they have on family dynamics this book is beautifully written that the reader really invests in the lead character.
A slightly different read by Amanda but as always a book you don’t want to put down because you just need to know what’s going to happen next.
Loved it. A tribute to the many brave men and women of a bygone era to whom we should be forever grateful for their courage and sacrifice.

Once again Amanda Prowse has delivered a wonderful novel of hope against adversity. A wartime young girl who falls in love, gets pregnant and as she is about to tell the love of her life she learns he has been killed. What follows is the story of her extraordinary life. I devoured this book in two days and loved every second of it.

4.5 stars

I received a complimentary Kindle copy of this book from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Amanda Prowse, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

It seems that 2020 has helped me rediscover Amanda Prowse!! This is the third book of hers that I have read this year and I have not been disappointed. At all. Amanda's books are just lovely and what I need during these COVID-19 times. Her books are a well-written escape with beautiful fleshed out characters and settings. I was surprised that I really enjoyed this book as I said that I "was done" with WWII books. It was perfect, romantic, and real!! The only thing the title is a misnomer - it should really be "An EXTRAORDINARY Life"!!!

Highly recommend!!!

I could not put down An Ordinary Life, by Amanda Prowse. The story pulls at your heart strings as you follow Molly from the 1940s in London during the war to Christmas Eve of 2019. You’ll watch as she falls in love during a dark time in history, makes an unforgettable sacrifice, and helps the war efforts as she assists the French Resistance!

I adore Amanda Drowse and an author, and this one has to be one of my favourites. I loved the historical element. The characters had my sympathies and care. It was a suspenseful, thought provoking tale full of sadness, humour, and life choices. I highly recommend this book!

In An Ordinary Life, Amanda Prowse tells the story of Molly, an elderly woman who spends the novel looking back at the twists and turns of her ordinary life. However, it was NOT an ordinary life! From her time working underground in World War II, to her career in hospital administration as a single woman, she has lived quite an extraordinary life in which she has had to keep one huge secret, one of a sacrifice that almost broke her. Now, after a fall at the age of 94, she is unable to speak, but her memories are the basis of this beautiful and compelling novel that makes me want to reach out to her, just to sit, have a cuppa and talk.

Amanda Prowse has a way of setting a scene and telling a story so that you become so involved, when you close the book, coming back to reality is quite jarring. This is especially true in this novel, as you suffer through the bombing of London and sit in the bomb shelters with Molly, as you run with her during the French Resistance, and especially as you sit in her garden and smell the flowers and chat. I thank the author, Amazon UK and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. I've always enjoyed Ms. Prowse's work, but this novel is exceptional!

An old woman lies in a hospital bed after a stroke and accident, remembering her life. She worked during the war as a decoder and met the brother of a co-worker. They fell in love and planned to marry but he was called to fight. She was left alone, and tried to begin again as a courier for the resistance.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse
Amanda Prowse is such a great storyteller! This is a story of family, motherhood, war and love of country. She has such a way with words. She tells the story such finesse. You will literally not want to put this book down. You can relate to all of the characters.
Living through war can be hell !! A hell not all of us have been through. What if during the war, you find the love of your life? What if you discover you are pregnant? You hide the pregnancy from everyone so that you can continue working, bringing in money to the household and avoid the shameful looks from friends and family.
Are you willing to let your barren sister raise the child as her own for the safety of all involved? Are you willing to be a spy for your country? Think of the money it will pay, the future it could provide. But, in reality, we are all just striving for an ordinary life. To feel the sun on our faces. To work in our garden. To know the joy of being called “Grandma”.
This book is so beautifully written. The characters are so relatable. I felt all of their emotions, ups and downs, highs and lows. You will not want to put this book down!! Enjoy.

Another 5 star read from my favourite author , 94. Year old Molly has anything but an ordinary life . I don’t want to post any spoilers but she is brave heroic and has a lot of heartbreak in her life. I laughed and cried (big fat ugly teats) I didn’t want the book to end

Thanks netball for my copy of Amanda's latest novel. As always with her books i loved it and found it hard to put down. A beautiful story of family live loss and friendships.

Amanda Prowse is an author I very much enjoy reading. Her books are written about characters who feel very real and familiar. I found this book difficult to put down once I had begun reading. Molly is an old lady who suffers a stroke at the age of 94 years and as she lies in the hospital bed is reliving the story of her life in her mind. This story begins at the time of the second World War. It is both unexpected and yet lovely. At times I was elated for her and at others I shared her sadness. The ending did leave me with mixed feelings, which I won't share as this may spoil it for others reading the book. Please do read it and remember to value your family.

An Ordinary Life, by Amanda Prowse

I think this book is a wonderful tribute to those who died during ‘Exercise Tiger’ on 28th April 1944 in Devon.

This book gave me so much to think about, lots of characters, relationships with a backstory of the times they’re in.
War time was flooded with secrets one way or another, whether linked to the atrocities that come with war or those closer to home and more personal.

This story is set in the Second World War. It tells of a family, it’s dynamics and stays with Molly, sharing her story, from age 18- 94
I’ll try not to drop any spoilers.

I felt this book was written differently to the authors previous books . I don’t know how it’s different, I can’t quite put my finger in what it is.
What I can tell you is that it made me laugh and cry a lot.
I found myself caring about the characters and thoroughly enjoy their adventures along the way.

I had no idea what to expect when I started reading this as I never bother to read the blub on the cover of any of amandas books, shes yet to write one I haven't enjoyed and this one certainly doesnt dissapoint. Molly is a phenomenal character and someone I could relate to on so many levels. I loved to concept of the sotry, with it starting at age 94 and then going back to the first world war when Mollys life became anything but ordinary. I always find that Amanda is so gifted in the way she manages to portray the complicated family dyniamics and emotional baggage that her characters have. There's no fakeness or unrealistic situations to try and get your head around. I also love that theres no really awkward sex scenes with dodgy descriptions of body parts to endure, only suggestion and I really enjoy that.
I found the story fascinating and enthralling. The timespan intreguing and the end frustrating because I simply didnt want it to end. I hope there is another glimmer into the lives within the cover, maybe a short story or two?
This was the perfect antidote to a year of chaos and confusion and feeling like things are pretty rough. To read what families had to endure, how mental health support was unheard of how limited life could be really puts things into perspective. I have an elderly grandmother who was evacuated as a child during the war and I often, whilst reading this was thinking of her and what her childhood was like and how different her life could have been if she was any older.
It really is a beautifully told story of love, selflessness, hope and determination. One I have already recommended to friends and family.

Oh my, Amanda really does know how to tell a story! Here, we start with Molly struggling to write a letter for her nephew, who in truth is her son which has been keep a secret for over 70 years! Molly has an accident and we then learn of her Ordinary Life, which is no Ordinary life at all. I was engrossed all the way through from 1943 to 2019. At the end of the day a mother's love is everlasting.