Amanda Prowse is one of my favourite authors and I couldn’t wait to read her autobiography. What an honest told from the heart story it is.

Amanda is not only a best selling author but a really lovely genuine lady and this comes across in the pages of this personal book.

I could relate to many aspects of Amanda’s story. A lot of woman compare themselves to the shiny perfect life of others when in reality everyone has to face their own struggles and difficulties. Amanda so openly recounts her own struggles which I’m sure will help many other woman in similar situations.

I applaud Amanda for turning her life around, with the love of her husband and family and her own strength she is now enjoying the happiness she so readily gives to others through her wonderful writing. Amanda I loved you before Woman Like Us but now I have even more love and respect for you , I urge everyone to read this brilliant book it will pull at your heartstrings but also make you feel good and uplift you.

If you have ever felt like you're never quite good enough and had worries about your appearance, your career, or any other aspects of your life, you need to read this book.

Women Like Us is a story of success and hope from the words of a very wise woman.

Amanda's voice is warm and so relatable, you cannot fail to feel both inspired and in awe as you gain access into her remarkable life.

I laughed and cried too many times to count while reading this candid memoir. It's a life changing read, and one I will be recommending to everyone. It needs to be on your tbr!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I will be honest - Amanda Prowse’s name was familiar to me, but I didn’t know who she was (in fact, I thought she was an actress, not an author). So, saying that I went into this book completely blind - when there also wasn’t a description - is extremely accurate. I thought, from the title, this would be some short stories under the over-arching umbrella of stories about women - possibly about her or possibly about women in her life.

I enjoy autobiographies, though I also realize that they are written as we’d like our life story to be told and preserved. Every single person has a backstory and different ways of telling said story. Some people skirt around difficult times in their lives - Ms. Prowse does not do that in this book. At times, I found some of her emotional (yet real) angst a bit over the top, but I’m sure that at the time all those feelings were really what she felt. I wish that she’d detailed a bit more about her writing process - yes, she has a filing cabinet with stories in them, but even when saying she researched a topic, it’s just presented as “I researched it” opposed to explaining how or why; maybe this is more explained if I’d read the actual book and looked at Author’s Notes? But, that didn't seem to be the point of this book. I did like that she included a number of difficult stories trying to bring topics to light for discussion purposes, but at times I felt she went a bit on a bit too long (maybe too much trying to describe the situation repeatedly?).

I have read a few novels by Amanda Prowse and, whilst she has a compelling style of writing, she is not a favorite of mine. She has gone through an enormous amount - sexual assault, multiple operations as a teenager for a painful pelvic condition, low self-esteem, food issues, miscarriage, suicidal son, cancer, etc., but she eventually tried her hand at writing which is what she always wanted to do, and has become very successful. She has also had many jobs, from cleaning to having her own business. However, in this memoir she obviously needed to explain what lead to her over eating to the extent that she became morbidly obese. It is well written but I found it unnecessarily detailed and too long.

You know when you read books, and you have that favourite author?
Then she goes and releases a memoir, and you just HAVE to read it because you are in awe of her?
That was me when I heard that Amanda Prowse was writing her story.
She has always come across as a true, down to earth, 'real' woman, who has had her fair share of struggles, including being an army wife, battling cancer, and how her family coped with the depression her son Josiah went through due to them both writing about it.
Yet, she has never been afraid to talk about these things.
I felt I already knew her.
But reading Women Like Us made me aware of how much I didn't know.
We all have a backstory, and it is that which moulds us to be the people we become.
Amanda Prowse has opened up about her life in a way that I feel will relate to many, many women out there.
Without wanting to give too much away, because I would urge anyone reading this to read the book themselves, Amanda's life has had huge amounts of love poured into it by her wonderful family and husband.
However, there have been events and situations that have tested her and almost broken her at times.
An undiagnosed medical condition, loss, abuse, miscarriages, and that overwhelming feeling of never being good enough or thin enough.
I read each chapter, and yes, there were times I smiled and laughed out loud. I'm as clumsy as Mrs Prowse and could relate to so many things she wrote.
My eyes moistened at other times, reading about some of the things Amanda had gone through.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as the realisation hit that some situations hit much closer to home than others. I've been there before, too, and maybe, I'm there right now.
And Amanda has come out of the other side, not necessarily unscathed, but a brighter, happier, more positive woman for it.
It takes a brave person to open up the way Amanda has, and I truly applaud her. I would be giving her the hugest of hugs right now if she was in front of me.
Amanda, thank goodness you managed to overcome the words of that English teacher, because where would I be without my Prowse books?

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was a bit unsure at first, I didn't know what to expect. But later on I came to appreciate the book more. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Thank you #Netgalley for this advanced copy.

As there was no description for this book, I was not sure what to respect. I have read a few of Amanda's books so was interested in learning about her past in this memoir. This woman has experienced so much as a child, physical pain and endless surgeries. She had many struggles that she had to battle. She shares many personal stories and feelings, including her thoughts as a parent, daughter, wife, writer, etc. She shares her battle with weight and self confidence and how sitting at a computer all day could affect her life for better and for worse. So many struggles, but she keeps on going and fighting for herself and family.

What a fantastic story. Amanda really opens up about her life and it is written with such honesty and openness that you cannot fail to be gripped and touched by what she went through .Starting from problems with her health as a child and then in later life when she has carved out a successful career she surcomes to an eating disorder it is a heartbreaking read at times but really does hit you hard .The struggles she has faced must have been physically and emotionally draining but she comes back fighting every time and there is so much love in thier little family I'm sure they can get through anything. A brilliant 5🌟read and I would give it more if I could and thank you for being so brave and sharing your story

Apart from a different geographical area,, this could be my story, like Amanda, I had two parents who encouraged us to be all we could and I can’t wasn’t accepted as an excuse but we were told time and time age that I can and I will was a better way to think. I cried and smiled reading this and thank you for being so brave to share your back story and it’s ups and downs., A must read for not only Amanda’s readers but for anyone who feels on the outside and is struggling to keep going.

I've read a lot of so say autobiographies and this is the best I've ever seen, The reason for this is that you can tell that the author actually wrote it themselves and it wasn't produced by a third party ghost writer. They're not trying to portray themselves as all sweetness so it avoids that saccharine feeling, it is just open, honest and really engaging.

Amanda usually writes fiction but I had also read 'The Boy Between' which was her first non-fiction. That too was a fantastic book but the subject matter in The Boy Between was quite dark so didn't allow for the humour that comes out in Women Like Us. Both were great, just different. It also leapt out at me that Women Like Us was very conversational so it was like having a coffee with a friend.

The descriptions of Amanda's childhood, the houses and interactions were fantastic.

The subtle and not so subtle addressing of issues really resonated with me; I identified with every emotion at some point during the book.

You quickly get immersed in the journey and I read it in a day without intending to. The author is very likeable and having read all of her books, following her social media posts and blog, I now feel that I have had a personal seat at her table and understand why she is able to produce such great emotional fiction.

Women Like Us is very much an uplifting, feelgood book and I certainly feel happier with myself having read it. I would definitely recommend every woman reads this book and the earlier in their life they do this, the more they will get out of the rest of it.

In short, a wonderful book and an easy 5 Stars. It's my book of the year already and if I could give it ten I would. I think it is going to help a lot of people.