If you have ever felt like you're not good enough, whether it's because of your appearance, career, or any other aspect of your life, this book is for you. Women Like Us is Amanda Prowse's Memoir; unlike her usual fiction, this is about her life and experiences.

I have been working through Amanda Prowse's backlog of books but have read all of her more recent books and reviewed them, which I will link at the bottom. So this was a super easy choice. What brings a person to write, and where does she find her inspiration? I also love the idea of becoming an author, so it was a great start to thinking of that journey.

Women Like Us is a story of success and of hope but not without its trials, especially the first hurdle to becoming an author in the first place, the massive number of rejections from publishers (who must be cursing themselves now she has written so many books!). However, Amanda has a unique voice, warm and personable; you can easily relate to her experiences. This is not a dark tale of woe, though. The love shown by her family is immense, and her journey remarkable.

Amanda is a down to earth, 'real' woman who shares her struggles through life, from being an army wife to her battles with cancer (yes, two of them) and how her family coped wither son Josh's depression. This also focuses a lot on her struggles with her weight, from being underweight, average weight and overweight and the efforts that each has bought.

While her life may be excellent and a dream in many ways, this book also shows that not everything has been so easy. She has lived through many trials and tribulations, some of which have almost broken her. Medical conditions, multiple surgeries, loss, abuse, and multiple miscarriages.

I applaud anyone who writes their own story for the whole world to read, but this one is a candid and raw review of her life. Amanda deserves an extra big hug for this one, and thank goodness that she overcame the words of the stilted teacher, who must have no dreams of her own and shouldn't be inflicted on small children, because where would we be without the beautiful words of Amanda Prowse? If she is still around, I like to bet that she has read at least one of Amanda's books and regrets those words and now encourages everyone to follow their dreams, whatever they might be.

I don't want to write too much because I don't want to ruin the book for anyone else, and I think it's a great book that so many women will relate to so easily. I love the 'new' Amanda who has come out of the other side. Now, if only she would share more of her new food regime for us to follow…

I enjoyed this well-written memoir, though I did find it a bit long at times, but I appreciate that Amanda Prowse wanted to give us the full picture, which may be very encouraging to women who find themselves struggling in life. Basically, she's proven that -with support, which one must accept- most people can overcome in life.

I would recommend this book to women over 40. I don't know if I would have appreciated the author's struggles in my younger adult years.

I received a complimentary digital reviewer's copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley.

I’ve read all Amanda’s books and loved each one including this one. Although very different as it’s an autobiography it’s very real and down to earth and funny in places. Amanda has been very vulnerable writing this book which helped me to relate and by the end it helped me understand some of my own eating issues. When someone is as honest as Amanda has been all that’s left to say is Thank You from a woman like you. Thanks also to your publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Lovely and real. This book is for all women. Don't miss this one.

Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

Women Like Us by Amanda Prowse

Amanda has wrote many wonderful books over a long career and long may it last. A fab writer of fiction.
But here we have her autobiography , and what another great book it is !
A frank , honest , at times harrowing due to the subject matter ( which I'm sure will hit a nerves for many ) but still very readable and relatable for I'm sure many of her fans.
Thank you for sharing.

Such a fantastic read. This is a book telling you of the life of the author Amanda Prowse and what she went through from being a young girl to where she is now. This book will have you engrossed from page 1, you will cry, laugh, be happy and sad all within a few chapters.

A stunningly-candid, painfully-beautiful memoir of one incredibly successful woman’s journey, a microcosm of joy and trauma, peeled back in the spirit of illuminating, exposing, and ultimately revealing hidden truths that just may resonate as some of the kindest and most caring hard-earned learnings “women like us” need to hear, and more importantly, share with each other.

We are good enough.

Regardless of what is increasingly experienced on social media - intrinsic value (popularity, self-worth, acceptance, - really anything that matters ) does not hinge on beauty, youth, or the size of your thighs.

We have the tools already, if we look for them, for a healthier relationship with our bodies, our mindset, our experiences, - and most of all, a deeper love and appreciation for our core and most tender selves.

In this starkly-authentic expose, Amanda Prowse, (an author who was charmed the world with dozens of best-selling books, a world-wide presence, and a devotedly grateful readership) surrounded by her loving family and all the physical trappings of success, opens her heart to the reader, shedding light on battles beginning early in childhood and climaxing in middle age, triggering painful emotional crises with self-esteem, a toxic relationship with food, and a life held needlessly on a wretched and self-imposed leash.

“In order to know where you’re going, you need to know where you’ve come from. “

As Amanda traces her roots, right down to the the important and the impactful, (and Mandy really has seen it all - from horrific medical trauma, to achingly-tragic missed births, cancer, sexual assault, battles with alcohol, misogyny, grief, and familial mental illness) - she opens the coffers wide - her story made clearer, both to the reader, and in aid of her own deeper awakening.

I loved this book, - loved the courage, the story, the candor and the grace, most of all - in the heart-laid-bare acknowledgement that all of us women, suffer, some more than others, with our own self-internalized value, body-image, and “femininity”, in a society that, while making some progress, continues to marginalize the softer, the “weaker”, and most of all, the vulnerable.

A wonderful heart-tugging read, this book and it’s touching and ultimately deeply-inspiring message, will change you, as it did this reader - taking us perhaps one step closer to a world where each of us can look ourselves in the eyes with the same warm and unconditional love we often have no trouble sharing with others.

A great big thank you to the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

I have read a number of books by this author and I follow her blog so I knew a bit about her before I started reading the memoir. I’m normally more of a fiction reader but there was no way I wasn’t going to read this. Amanda has always come across as a warm, kind and caring person and this book confirms my feelings. What I didn’t know is some of the backstory, the fear of not being good enough, the overwhelming insecurity around a constant battle with her weight, something I can totally relate to.

Again I was aware of her family struggles with mental health issues. Her son Joshua suffered with serious depression and considered committing suicide, they wrote a book about this and continue to support others in a similar situation. But there have been a lot more traumas in her life - cancer, miscarriages, loss and more. All of which she has come to terms with and is now sitting (mostly) on the other side.

As expected the heart rending stories are countered with plenty of humour and hope; I don’t think Amanda is capable of being deceitful. She is an open book, warts and all. Like most of us her life has been full of ups and downs and as she says this is normal! Nobody enjoys a perfect life from the day they’re born. It’s normal to have bad times. It’s normal to have good times. What differentiates us is how we deal with them.

This was just a thoroughly good read which took me through a whole gamut of emotions from despair to hope, sadness to joy. If you want to read a book that encompasses all these emotions and much much more I recommend you read this. I’m so glad I did ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to author Amanda and @lovebookstours for my gifted copy.

My thoughts: wow! What an raw, honest and simply stunning memoir that Amanda has gifted us. I hadn’t read any of her fiction titles but I knew I needed to read her story. I can relate to so much of what she battles through. Anxiety with food and struggling with acceptance has been tough for me as well and I felt that Amanda was reading my thoughts! I want to say thank you for being so brave to put your entire story out there for us to cheer you on and remind ourselves that we are enough and worth it.

Blurb —Women Like Us’ is my life story so far! It’s a raw, but I hope, inspiring account of my life lived as someone who always felt as if I was the odd one out. I had so many ideas, but felt hemmed in by class, lack of opportunity and my own low self-esteem. I didn’t ever see how I could get on in life. Growing up as a proper homebird and spending nights on the sofa with my wonderful, eccentric family, I felt as if the world was having a party to which I wasn’t invited, and it felt awful. The thought of writing a book felt like a dream, just out of reach, until aged forty-two I took the leap, and the rest is history. Now, ten years later and with over thirty books published, I decided it was time to tackle my greatest challenge – how I felt about myself, my overweight body and my ageing face. Having lived for years feeling that I wasn’t quite good enough, or that I didn’t quite fit, I finally learned the secrets of living a happy life and am sharing them with you now.

Non Fiction, autobiographical books wouldn’t normally be my thing. Those I have read in the past have been audiobook.

However I must admit from the minute I started I felt ensconced in the authors world. This was a heart warming uplifting tale, tinged with sadness. Prowse tackles topics such as depression, miscarriage, love and loss and not necessarily in that order.

This is a no holes barred account, warts and all. Nothing is off limits and I find the honesty very refreshing. I’m not sure how often we all sit back and actually think about how far in life we’ve come and overcome so much. Women Like Us was a timely reminder that tough times make way for better times.

Due to be released September 6th I recommend you give it a read. It’s like food for the soul.

I have to say this was a great memoir. Amanda Prowse opens up and shares her life with us through her good times and bad. You will laugh and cry with her. I have read a few books by this author and she’s one of my favorites so I would like to say Thank You for sharing this Raw, emotional story with us.

Women Like Us~A Memoir~by Amanda Prowse

Releasing 9-6-22

Well-known author Amanda Prowse has written a memoir that goes deep into the feelings and emotions that for years kept her hidden and holding back on her life. Prowse, like so many girls and women, has struggled with who she really is, how she fits with the world, body image, does she say the right things, wear the right things...the insecurities so many of us face.

In her memoir, she takes these issues head on-any shares what she has learned along the way that has led to her happiness.

A book that we should all read for inspiration!

Well-done!

I was given this book to read and review. Thank you!

Amanda Prowse opens up and lets it flow. I hope this was a cathartic exercise in her recovery from food addiction. It reads very well. It is a memoir, but reads very much like one of her novels, studded with snark and personality, which helped with the flow of the book. It touches on mental illness, motherhood, womanhood, uncooperative bodies, food addiction and recovery, and relationships.
I'm loath to say that there was too much about the food part, as this is someone's life we're talking about, but the last third of the book did tend to be repetitive. However, it is important, honest reading for someone who is dealing with an addiction. Especially profound was comparing and differentiating between food addiction and a heroin addiction. A heroin addict doesn't get better by having just a dab of heroin to survive. They can't. However a person needs food to survive, and if you're dealing with a. food addiction, getting healthy is tough to navigate,

Reading this emotional and honest memoir, the reader can see why this author writes brilliant, heartfelt fictional stories. It's recollections of a life so far from an ordinary woman who never lost sight of her dream despite the physical and emotional setbacks. It's full of love and pain with underlying insecurity about fitting in and being good enough that so many of us can relate to.

Whilst the first part is poignant, the second half of the memoir is intimate and heartbreaking to read at times, but you keep turning the pages hoping that the author will find a way through her pain. The last part of the book is moving and motivational, and it resonates.

I enjoyed the honesty and the positivity of this memoir.

I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher.

#netgalley #womenlikeus publication date 06 SEP 2022
This is a memoir so it's not like Amanda's other books but it is still amazing, the pages turn themselves, I usually am not a fan of biographies but this is honest, emotional and very funny. Highly recommend 4/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley for arc.

I absolutely love Amanda Prowse and was over the moon to receive her memoir and what an amazing woman and inspiration she is.

Fantastic read and would highly recommend. 5 stars.

I love Amanda Prowse books this was a little different from her normal writing as it was her memoir.

What a woman she is..

A great inspiration, level headed, hard working the list goes on.

A wonderful motivating read that’s not all easy reading.

Amanda I just want to give you a hug

If there is one thing I want everyone to take away from this review, that is to read this book. I highly, highly recommend it.
Funny, witty but a whole touch of life, Amanda Prowse opened herself up and took us through her memory lane. And it was written in such a light and a matter-of-fact tone that makes reading it such a breeze.
Yet don’t be fooled. It covered concerns and issues that women back in the 70s/80s faced yet in some aspects, still are facing now.
Just not to get lost in everything, this is her memoir. And she is a woman. But that does not deter the fact that it is relatable - might not be a whole chunk but it will still make one introspective.

Book out on 6 September, 2022.

Oh how I love Amanda! I have read all of her books and her memoir has only reiterated how much I adore her work. Telling us about her life in Women Like Us is so very much so many of us who were brought up in the 70’s and 80’s. I felt as though I was reliving my youth as one of her friends! She made me smile and cry in equal measures! Long may she continue to write.

I absolutely loved this book. I am a huge fan of Amanda and was thrilled to get to read. Thank you to publisher and NetGalley for chance to read and review this ARC.