I have read quite a few of Amanda’s novels, together with the brilliant, but gut wrenching, The Boy Between, written with her son Josh. I have read articles about Amanda in newspapers and magazines, and seen her on TV, so I had begun to build a picture of my favourite author in my head, however, nothing prepared me her the raw, brave, emotional, and entertaining memoir "Women Like Us"

I am a few years older than Amanda, so school days were similar. I loved reading about Amanda’s family and welcomed the photos that were interspersed throughout the book. I also loved reading about baby Josh and the story of how she met her Husband, Simeon, and I cried buckets learning of Amanda’s relationship with food. I could go on, and on, talking about chapter after chapter but I want everyone to read this for themselves!

Women Like Us is such an honest, well written memoir and I give it 5 stars.

There were some quotes coming out of this book that I so deeply resonated with. From her childhood, where there was no blueprint for success to building a career as a bestselling novelist against all odds Amanda Prowse takes the reader on a journey exploring what it means to be a woman in a world where popularity is defined by slimness and beauty is currency.

This must be one of the most candidly honest memoirs I have ever read.

I have been a fan of Ms. Prowse's writing for a while now. I have read and reviewed The Day She Came Back, and you can read my review by clicking here. The Food of Love also featured as one of my Tuesday Teaser posts and you can read that post by clicking here.

Prior to reading this book my impression of the author was that she is talented, intelligent and successful, and I still hold to that view. However, having read this book in which she describes her own view of herself, it could not be more different to mine. Amanda sees herself through utterly self-critical lenses and has struggled with not being able to judge herself by the beauty that she radiates from within.

She has written with courage and bravery and this book will touch many people. I suspect many of us judge ourselves critically for a whole plethora of reasons. There are many issues that I could identify with, and I have no doubt that this book will effect others similarly.

Unsurprisingly, as it has come from the pen of this inspiring author, the book is well written, and even though she takes us through her inner dialogue of self-criticism throughout, it never became repetitive to read and was engaging throughout. Instead, it was sad to read about the way she had viewed herself; how she never felt content to be the woman that she was and what a difficult journey she has been on.

I would encourage anyone who has ever felt lacking in some way, anyone who has struggled to see what a beautiful person they really are, and anyone who has judged themselves by the caustic comments made by others to read this book. Amanda's journey of self-acceptance is humbling to read and I applaud her for her courage and bravery in writing and publishing this book.

So many things hit hard when reading this book, I would need a day to write them all into this review.
On finishing this book I promise to be kinder and listen more to my body and hopefully from this day forward I can stop beating myself up for hating my body and mind.

Thank you Amanda. Xx

Wow, wow, wow. What an incredible but touching and hard read. This book really blew me away. Honest and raw, tough to read at times, but so well written. Highly recommend

I have read several of Amanda Prowse's books and it was fascinating to read about the woman behind the stories and how she came to her present career.

Amanda has a lot to say about the various struggles she has had - with miscarriages, drinking, mental health issues, and - most notably - a toxic relationship with food that saw her weight balloon to over 20 stone.

She is forthright yet engaging; however, you will need tissues at some points. The saddest part for me was the way Amanda's self-esteem crumbled as she grew up, reinforced by the negative experiences she had. A teacher who basically laughed at her dream to be a writer, a serious health issue that affected her ability to bear children, a failed marriage - all impacted her and it was only when she met her present husband that she felt able to pursue her writing dream.

This is a book that demands to be read. If you have ever struggled with low self-esteem, felt invisible or are constantly comparing yourself to women you perceive as 'perfect', this book should be on your to-read list. It will challenge you to see life from a different perspective and to love the person inside your skin.

Amanda references the strong women she grew up around - her mum, nans, aunties and others, who all got on with life. She is strong too, but took over half her life to realise it.

I received an ARC of this book from Amazon Publishing UK, in return for an honest appraisal.

Women Like Us
By Amanda Prowse

Uplifting
Inspirational
Immersive

I love memoirs. Amanda Prowse has been one of my favorite women's fiction authors having read many of her books. Reading WOMEN LIKE US made me love Prowse even more. she is the story of women like us - achieving success despite all odds and despite what society thinks success should look like. She tells the story of a woman with challenges, struggles, even insecurities - guess what, yes, indeed just like us.

I love the candid, honest, and funny way Prowse delivers her story - it is relatable, heart wrenching, but so uplifting and inspirational.

Thank you Amanda Prowse for sharing your story with women like us.

Women Like Us by bestselling author Amanda Prowse is a memoir unlike any I’ve ever read before. So completely relatable, this book spoke to me on such a personal level that, from the very first page, it felt as though the woman Amanda was describing could just as easily have been me. From her toxic relationship with food to always feeling like she didn’t quite fit in, I could relate to so much of what she was saying. I’ve been a fan of Amanda and her writing for a long time and this gorgeously written, eye opening memoir just reinforces the reasons why I’ve always admired her as much as I have.

Women Like Us is a raw and honest memoir that tells the moving story of Amanda’s life, from her humble beginnings growing up in a close knit family right through to the present day and the extraordinary success she’s made of her life so far. This is a woman who has been through so much but continues to be warm and empathetic towards others, which comes across so clearly in every word that she writes. Written with warmth and humour, Women Like Us is an extraordinarily insightful memoir that touches on deeply personal issues such as body consciousness, lack of self esteem and food addiction. It is without a doubt an emotional rollercoaster of a read, but also one that had me laughing out loud at times, Amanda’s warmth and infectious sense of humour bringing a softness to the proceedings that really do turn this book into something rather special.

Women Like Us is the story of a woman who, in spite of everything she’s been through, has never allowed anything to hold her back and has achieved more happiness and success in her life than most of us could only ever dream of. I have to admit there are some parts of Amanda’s story that I found incredibly difficult to read at times as I could identify with so much of what was written between the pages of this intensely personal and beautifully written book. I honestly don’t have the words to describe how Amanda’s words made me feel other than to say that this is a book that will stay with me always.

Amanda Prowse has written a powerful and emotionally intense memoir that I believe everyone should read. What more can I say? I absolutely adored it!

Highly recommended.

Women Like Us was a very interesting and heartfelt memoir. So many times I thought, "wow, that is my story as well." Prowse has written this straight from her heart, which makes it such a good book! She talks about her very painful childhood with many surgeries. This is one of the best autobiographies I have read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC, which I loved reading.

Wow, what a powerful and affecting memoir. I am a huge fan of Amanda Prowse novels and have always loved the journey she takes me on as a reader and the depth of her characters and their emotions. So it was fascinating to read about the woman behind the books. Her honesty, bravery and humour are very inspiring and I’d highly recommend reading this

I've read one Amanda Prowse novel before, Waiting to Begin. I liked it well enough, but it isn't my usual sort of book as I'm not much of a contemporary "women's fiction" (I hate that term" reader. I could see that Prowse was a good storyteller though, and so when I saw her memoir - a genre I much more into - and that it covered so much that I am personally interested in, I knew I had to pick it up.

Prowse is a prolific writer. Like, more than 30 books in eleven years prolific. Writing had been something she'd always wanted to do, storing away ideas for plots and characters in her inner filing department for most of her life. But she went though a whole other life before putting her ideas into being. From a tight-knit London family community, Prowse's father moved the family multiple times across the country for his job, which shook her foundations. A failed marriage in her early twenties led to Prowse embarking on life as a single mother working all hours to support her son. To cope, Prowse turned to food as her comfort and companion. This is a dysfunctional relationship that follows her throughout her life, and the attendant body images issues that come with with the eating disorder that this use of food turns into.

I am always interested in the experiences of women in the generation ahead of me, and their thoughts on entering that stage of their life. Prowse addresses lots of issues that must be familiar with so many women, around body image, the pressure to look a certain way, and the expectations on women's appearances as they age. She looks at this from a perspective of someone whose weight is not deemed ideal, and I appreciated this a lot because I am very much that woman too.

I found her to be so honest and insightful about living with binge eating disorder, and that is something I find so important because it is often the hidden eating disorder. The medical establishment don't pay it as much attention as the more immediately damaging disorders, and so those of us who struggle with it are often left feeling isolated and with nowhere to turn, our health being damaged but too slowly to excite anyone in a position to actually help us.

Prowse has a real warmth in her writing, she's funny and willing to share the unflattering or very sad things in her life. I can see why her books appeal to so many, as from the one book of hers that I read previously I can see that she brings that into her fiction too.

Much like with her fiction that I read, I did find this memoir didn't go as deep or as literary as I'd have liked it to go...but that's my issue, as that just isn't the sort of writer Prowse is. This is her life, her story, and she told it completely in her voice - fans will love it, women facing similar things to Prowse will find connection with it (I did), and it's refreshing to see someone in the public eye being so open and honest.

I was so looking forward t this - written in Amanda Prowse's easy read style, it ticked all the boxes, like sitting down for a good old natter with a friend you haven't seen in a very long time.
Very brave, honest and endearing - bravo.

Amanda Prowse is an amazing author, her widely read books are full of warmth, truth and honesty! It’s absolutely my pleasure and honour to read this book about an inspirational woman that I’m a huge fan of!
To write about oneself is not easy, delving into the good and bad emotions and thoughts to bring your truth out to the world, bravo and very well done Amanda!
I felt that Amanda is not fully aware of her own capabilities and worth, it’s probably been an ongoing work in progress.
An author of the most wonderful books, is given a reminder from her adoring public of her inner beauty and enormous talent! It’s absolutely brilliant to see this happiness realised!

Thanks so much to the publisher, NetGalley and this wonderful author for the opportunity to read this book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am a fan of Amanda Prowse and her novels, so I was thrilled to read her memoir, Women Like Us.

I really enjoy memoirs, and this was an excellent memoir.

There were parts of this memoir I could relate to and parts I couldn't. I am not a mother, so that part of it didn't resonate with me.

But there were REALLY parts that I absolutely LOVED. The parts about weight and food. I also enjoyed the parts where the author talked about comparing yourself to others and self-doubt.

This well written memoir is like one big PEP talk that is fantastic for any fans of this author or fans of memoirs.

Finishing Amanda Prowse’s memoir left me slight bereft. I’d seen this woman on The Wright Stuff voicing her opinions on topical issues. I’ve read about the experience depression had placed on her family. Could there be much more to this woman’s life? Oh boy yes there could be, bucket loads!!!

Prowse’s formative years were heartbreaking. I could identify with her moving primary schools and going to high school without friends. I was the same as her, the outsider with no real friends but what happened to her health was just shit… totally shit (her words not mine but I couldn’t put it better).

She had me bawling my eyes out halfway through. Her experiences felt as if I personally had been there as she went through events. Prowse has an amazing way with words to evoke emotions. I’ve never been through what she’s experienced but my emotional journey as I read felt like I had.

Prowse’s constant battle with her weight is a theme that runs through the book from her anorexic tendencies as a young woman to her more recent struggles and secret eating. Throughout she is brutally honest about her mindset and takes the time to discuss society’s imbalance to body image. As someone who has struggled herself, I’ve felt that imbalance but as Prowse has, I’ve been in a journey mentally and physically to find a happy place.

The journey, ney life Prowse has lead is one hell of an emotional rollercoaster. She’s very eloquently but honestly put fingers to keyboard and shared her story. Women Like Us is one compulsive read and I love Prowse’s impeccable writing. I’ll admit I’ve never read any of her novels but having now read both of her spellbinding and beautifully written nonfiction titles, I feel I need to… stat!!!

I just Love Amanda's books especially her latest one Women Like Us by Amanda Prowse. This book was another excellent read and I was gripped from the beginning till the very end. Amanda has a way of writing that will bring you into all her books as she always writes from her heart especially as this book is her true memoir. Amanda, explores what it means to be a woman in a world where popularity, slimness, beauty and youth are currency—and how she overcame all of that to forge her own path to happiness. I found this heartbreaking at times and I needed to grab some tissues and then I was laughing out loud. So it was like then weather of the day I started to read it!
Amanda talks about her early struggles with self-esteem and how she coped with the frustrating expectations others had of how she should live her life.

WoW! I highly recommend this book and all her books they do not disappoint, It's Brilliant.

Thank you, Amazon Publishing UK, for the advance reading copy.

It is no secret that I am a massive fan of Amanda Prowse's books and I have also been extremely lucky to meet her and I can personally vouch for the fact that her bubble personality lights up, not only the room, but the whole street and is also extremely infectious. You don't leave a meeting with her feeling down in the dumps and so to read her very honest and open book about her insecurities of her weight and body image really took me by surprise.

I found that there were times reading this memoir that I wanted to laugh with her, cry with her and more often than not, I wanted to reach through the pages of the book and hug her - if only Kindle offered that facility!

You couldn't read a more candid book about body image and I think every single woman in her early 20s should read this and know that more often than not, if's ok not to be ok, but also have a chat with a friend when you feel like that as you don't go through things on your own.

For a long time I have been a fan of the books written by Amanda Prowse, so I grabbed this opportunity to read her biography and find out more about the person behind the books.
This book was a lesson in, although someone's life may appear perfect from afar, we cannot see inside their minds and the struggle they are going through. Amanda presents a very warts and all view at her life and shares moments of grief, pain, humiliation and despair. From her childhood trauma of having to undergo pelvic surgery, multiple miscarriages during her married life to her lifelong battle with self0image and eating disorders. It was refreshing to read a first hand account of another person who doesn't feel good enough, beautiful enough, slim enough - who defines what is enough?
I think a lot of people who struggle with self image will really appreciate the brutally honest way that Amanda tackles this and reflects on her life journey and then her very practical, realistic approach to being kind and forgiving to herself. This not only had the impact of improving her mental health and confidence, but also fuelled her to lose weight in a steady, controlled and sustainable way.
Thank you Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a powerful read! I think it's hard to "rate" books like this but I really appreciate the author opening up and telling their story. I always love reading about people's journeys and why they are who they are today.

Women Like Us by Amanda Prowse.
I guess the first question to ask is, what kind of woman am I? Well, you know those women who saunter into a room, immaculately coiffed and primped from head to toe? If you look behind her, you’ll see me. From her childhood, where there was no blueprint for success, to building a career as a bestselling novelist against all odds, Amanda Prowse explores what it means to be a woman in a world where popularity, slimness, beauty and youth are currency—and how she overcame all of that to forge her own path to happiness. Sometimes heartbreaking, often hilarious and always entirely relatable, Prowse details her early struggles with self-esteem and how she coped with the frustrating expectations others had of how she should live. Most poignantly, she delves into her toxic relationship with food, the hardest addiction she has ever known, and how she journeyed out the other side.
A good read. I do like this author. 4*.