I love reading anything that is set during WWII and Amanda Prowse hasn't disappointed in this family drama centred around a young woman who made great sacrifices and risked her life to help end the war.

The story opens with Molly aged 94 suffering from a stroke and a fall that lands her in hospital unable to communicate, although her mind is perfectly clear. Molly is desperate to tell her story.

From here we go back to 1943, London and an 18 year old Molly. She is an amazing, strong woman and very intelligent. She is fluent in German and works for The Ministry of Information as a senior translator translating propaganda posters and transcripts intercepted from the enemy. We follow Molly's extraordinary life through the ups and downs of love, friendships and family in a time of war.

Amanda Prowse portrays how the war had changed the trajectory of many lives and how women slotted into jobs usually allocated to men. The story also shows the societal restrictions of the time concerning reputation and appearances. Molly falls in love fast and hard, as many did during this time of uncertainty. When he is sent off to fight she spends many hours thinking of her love and praying for his safe return whilst she continues with her life and doing what she can to end this war and bring her loved one home.

With themes of PTSD, spies, societal expectations and family, Amanda Prowse has written a beautifully described story that is filled with love, danger, tension, sacrifice and heartbreak.

I thoroughly enjoyed this compelling Historical Fiction.

Wonderful story that spans WWII through 2000 in London. The deep love and loss during the war are seen through the eyes of young, unmarried and pregnant Molly. Emotionally grabs at your heart.

My goodness, this book was a beautiful thing indeed. Molly was a fantastic central character but it was about so much more than one persons 'ordinary life'. This is a book about love, pure, simple, painful, heart wrenching, heart breaking, heart mending love. I adored every page and felt I knew every member of her family and friendships. I cried almost constantly reading some parts of this book. This is a story for everyone, female, male, young and old. It's a tale of a life well lived, a hard life, a strong woman and her sacrifices, successes and her one true love. Thank you so much for letting me read this advanced copy. Truly brilliant!!

Wow, just amazing. I loved this book and the characters in it, I thought it was well written and thought provoking. A well deserved 5* from me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for a review, I will be putting this review on Amazon too.

Although An Ordinary Life is well written it is just not my idea of a fun read. If you like a plot where the character is ninety and reflecting on her life while on her death bed, you might enjoy.

This book begins on Christmas eve, 2019, as Molly now 94 years old, has suffered a stroke and cannot relay a secret she has, which she has wanted to relay for so long.
As she lies there, her memories go back to the 1940's and her life during the war, where she fell in love, worked on secret jobs. A life full of experiences she would never forget. Mainly the sacrifice she made out of love, and one which still haunts her to present day.
This is a great story, and this is an author who's books I am so glad to have gotten to know, as her stories are always so well done, with great characters, and interesting plots.
Thank you Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of this book.

A new author and new genre for me. I absolutely loved it. This book was full of emotion and heartache. A fantastic read.

I fell in love with the character of Molly. Her strength to not only survive but thrive and make an amazing life for herself during those difficult time was nothing but extraordinary.

Beautifully written and hard to put down.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this advanced readers copy.

I loved this book! An ordinary life was truly an Extraordinary life. Molly begins a very ordinary life in London during WWII. One which quickly turns when she meets, falls in love with her best friends brother and becomes pregnant. Her life becomes a whirlwind with little unexpected twists and turns with heart wrenching decisions and loss. My only critique is a regret that there was not more about Molly and her Mom trying to exist during the Blitz. But, in all, this book is masterpiece of love, loss, devotion and commitment. An excellent read and so very well written.

I have loved every book I have read by Amanda Prowse. She writes with so much passion that I can't help becoming a part of her stories. She is my go-to author when it comes to contemporary fiction, family drama, and emotional portrayal. When I saw that this wonderful author had written An Ordinary Life I just had to read her book. Wow, she did not disappoint!

It is 2019 and on Christmas eve, Molly aged 94, is lying in a hospital bed. With her precious fountain pen, a gift from her father, in her hand she is trying to write a letter and is hoping that the beautiful item, inlaid with mother-of-pearl, will help the jumble of thoughts and truths she has in her mind, tumble onto the page.

London 1943: Mary (Molly to everyone that knows her) Collway aged 18 works as a senior translator of both German and French for the Ministry of Information in her bid to help the war effort and she is hoping the position will be a stepping stone to a career in Diplomacy. One evening, her best friend, Geer cajoles her into going to a dance at the Army and Navy Club in Pall Mall. Geer introduces her to her handsome brother, Johan and as soon as they meet, Molly forgets everything else and only has eyes for him. A lieutenant in the Navy, Johan is stationed in a secret location and the couple shares only a handful of moments together before it is all tragically torn apart. But not before one stolen moment together that she now treasures.

Set in the town of Bloomsbury and Chelmsford in Essex and told through chapters from 1943 onwards and 2019, Molly's far from ordinary life is portrayed throughout the years from post-war Britain to the 60s, the decadence of the 70s, the 80s, the changes that came moving into another century, up until Molly's fall on Christmas Eve 2019. As the times change, she loses many people she has held dear, including her beloved sister, Joyce. Molly then becomes the only person remaining who carries the secret...

This was another brilliant novel that I could relate to and it was also deeply moving. I felt great empathy for the characters, especially Molly. It was a beautifully written story about becoming accepting of your past. The story-line was gripping and the characters were extremely credible, likeable and so well-drawn by Amanda Prowse. An Ordinary Life certainly ranks very highly with me and I recommend it to fans and new readers alike. I know that books like this one make my reading days quite perfect.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Amazon Publishing UK/ Lake Union Publishing UK via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

This book was everything but ordinary. It was a beautiful reminder that as long as we have a life full of love, we have led the most extraordinary life there is. I adored Molly for her kindness and strength. Her relationship with her sister Joyce reminded me of my relationship with my sister. Molly's family was the family everyone wishes they had. The closeness and love they all shared brought tears to my eyes. I'm an instant fan of Amanda Prowse and can't wait to read another book of hers.

I received an advance copy of, An Ordinary Life, by Amanda Prowse. I really liked this book, it was a good book.

An Ordinary Life is anything but an ordinary story. Molly was a career-minded, young lady working as a translator in England during WWII and focused on moving ahead in her job. Getting married and having a family was the last thing on her mind until she fell in love instantly with Johan, her best friend's brother. Their spontaneous encounter and the circumstances of the war changed the course of Molly's life in a matter of three brief yet powerful moments. Molly's journey wasn't anything you could predict and spanned from the age of 18-94.

I fell in love with Molly's strong personality and ability to overcome whatever is thrown at her, even if she needed to take a few months to gather herself. She always put her family ahead of herself and loved fiercely. The bond that Molly and Joyce had as sisters was one of a kind. The family dynamics that developed throughout the story was so relatable, and I could see my own family in hers. You won't want to put this down once you start.

Thank you NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read this novel for an honest review. I loved it!

This book spans the main character’s life, Molly, from age 20 in 1944 to the age of 94, the end of her life, in 2019. The story tells the loves, losses and endurance during difficult times. The importance of family and friendships is very evident throughout the story.
The author does a great job of showing how the choices we make influence us the rest of our lives. There were a few times that the circumstances/coincidences were a little unbelievable, but in general the storyline was very realistic.
The story takes place in the UK. The author is covering 60 years of Molly’s life and does a smooth job of jumping from her 20s, to 40s, to 60s and 70s, then to her 90s. I don’t want to give details of her life events because that would spoil the story for the reader. Just read the book for yourself! It’s a touching story of endurance, choices, and overcoming the difficulties in one woman’s life.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review. #An Ordinary Life.

In An Ordinary Life, by Amanda Prowse, we follow the life of Molly, who has anything but an ordinary life. The story covers the history of a young Molly during the war in the early 1940's through her wonderful life up to the age of 94. This is a very wonderfully written story that breaks your heart at one point and gives you hope in another! I loved Molly and her family so much!
I recommend this book for anyone who lives books about family's who stick together!
5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the Author and publisher for an ARC copy of this book.The opinions expressed are my own.

"Christmas Eve, 2019. Ninety-four-year-old Molly lies in her hospital bed. A stroke and a fall may have broken her body—but her mind is alive with memories.

London, 1940s. Molly is a bright young woman, determined to help the war effort and keep her head up despite it all. Life becomes brighter when she meets and falls in love with a man who makes her forget everything with one dance. But then war forces her to make an unforgettable sacrifice, and when she’s brought to her knees by a daring undercover mission with the French Resistance, only her sister knows the secret weighing heavily on Molly’s heart. Will she be able to find peace—and finally understand that what seemed to be an ordinary life was anything but?

Now, lying in her hospital bed, Molly can’t escape the memories of what she lost all those years ago. But she is not as alone as she thinks."

Amanda Prowse has certainly produced another wonderful book that touches you in places other books fail to reach.

This beautiful story of Molly and her 'not so ordinary life' is a touching tribute to all the women (and men) who played their part in the French Resistance, and lived with the aftermath, memories and consequences of their bravery, which often went unrecognised.

I loved the character of Marvellous Molly and her strength and compassion and her selflessness to put her child's needs and happiness before her own, and not only survive but thrive and make an amazing life for herself and stay close to Joyce and Joe and become a special Auntie Molly.

The ending needs a box of tissues and a strong cup of tea/glass of wine to get through, but it rounded off the story beautifully, and I won't say anymore or I will spoil it, but Wow! Loved it.

Amanda Prowse has become one of my auto-read authors. I love her stories of ordinary people thrown into extraordinary circumstances, and this book is no exception. And as in all of her books, the characters here are actually far from "ordinary" in the way they rise to the challenges life throws their way. In this instance it's Molly - 94 years old and still living independently when we meet her, and looking back on her life as she tries to compose a very important letter. When a fall and possible stroke puts her in the hospital, unable to speak coherently, we see her remember her life in flashbacks from WWII London forward. And what we see is that while from the outside, seen in bits and pieces, it might indeed seem like an "ordinary life", the whole of it is in fact far from ordinary as she makes extraordinary sacrifices for those she loves. I loved Molly's story, I loved her character, her strong moral compass and her grit and determination to try to do the best for her loved ones. Altogether a lovely read that I highly recommend.
My thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

What a wonderful story of love, loss, joy and headache. It gripped me from beginning to end! I loved the characters and wartime setting,

I liked this book. I liked the time periods. I loved Molly. It flowed just right and I read it in a day because I couldn’t put it down. The ending was not what I wanted, but I would still recommend it.

A wonderful story of Molly and a promise made. Molly, age 94, begins writing a letter to Jor to tell a tale of who his father is and all the events that occurred fromm 1944 to the present--2019. This is a lovely, beautifully written story of Molly's life from the war years to the present as she watches her baby, Jor, grow up with her isster and husband raising him. This si a story of ordinary people in an extraordinary time. Highly recommended.

In An Ordinary Life, by Amanda Prowse, Molly’s life is anything but ordinary. Set near the end of WW II, Molly falls in love with a soldier at a dance. When he is killed in a training exercise weeks later, Molly finds herself pregnant and alone. Hiding her pregnancy from those around her, including her cold mother, she gives birth to a son who she is forced to leave with her childless, but married sister.
Throughout the years, she longs for her son and his father, but takes on the role of loving aunt.

As the book begins, Molly is in her 90’s and is finally writing a letter to explain everything to her son. She trips down the stairs and ends up in the hospital with life threatening injuries.

A beautiful story of a mother’s determination to always put her sons happiness and well being before her own.