I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book through NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing. Thank you for allowing me to reading your book in exchange for an honest review. This story follows Lucy who seems to have it all yet isn't happy until she meets Jonah, gets married then pregnant and finds out that isn't what she thought it would be either. The author explores the difficulties of relationships and self actualization.
It is a very emotional story and well written. I think it would make a great book club discussion book.

Good. Well written and very emotional as it shows how multiple miscarriages can have a devastating effect on not just you but your family. Even though this is full of emotional pain there is heartwarming element to this book it shows that if you have the right support you can deal with anything.

Really enjoyed this book, well written and poignant on a significant issue that affects many people. It was hard to put down

This book is a thoughtful study on motherhood and what it really means to be a mother. All Lucy wants is a baby of her own, but the dream sadly eludes her. When her husband's teenage daughter comes to stay, it's a painful reminder of the role she cannot fulfil, but so desperately wants to, and her marriage soon becomes strained. This was a poignant, thought-provoking book that asked many questions of its readers. Having my own issues in this area, I found it a difficult read at times, but kept going due to the quality of Amanda Prowse's writing and my desire to see how the story unfolded. Lucy embarks on a raw, painful journey throughout the story and soon discovers there are many ways to be a mother, beyond her original ideas. I cried a few times reading this, which is a sure-fire sign that I enjoyed it!

I loved The Idea Of You by Amanda Prowse! Another beautiful novel, tackling relevant issues of second marriages and being a step-parent, as well as infertility and major long forgotten secrets. Wonderfully woven, easy to relate and engaging from beginning to end. Thank you NetGalley, Amanda Prowse, and the publisher for the e-reader for review. All opinions are my own.

The idea of you by Amanda Prowse is an a heartful and emotional book that details with heartbreak of wanting a child,

did not have internet access to review at the time . I will review each and every ARc I am allowed to. I have a computer and internet now.

The Idea of You was an emotional look at women, mothers, and their struggles! I appreciated the way that something that sadly is a real part of many women’s lives was portrayed in the story through the characters. Lucy and Jonah have only been married for a short time. Lucy is nearing forty and excited and ready to start a family with Jonah. She is heartbroken when she loses the baby. Both Lucy and Jonah struggle with their loss and their grief. Then Jonah’s teenage daughter from his previous marriage comes to live with them for awhile. This is a complicated situation as Lucy and her stepdaughter have to adapt to their new relationship as well as Lucy and Jonah feeling so much from their loss. Something from Lucy’s past is revealed and adds even more to everyone’s emotions. There are so many dynamics to the whole story and the characters’ lives and relationships between each other.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of The Idea of You by Amanda Prowse. Lucy and Jonah met when they were both asked to be godparents for a friend's baby. Later they are married and struggling with having a baby of their own. Jonah's teenage daughter from a previous marriage moves in with them and adds to the drama in the household.

A lovely story about the struggles of parenthood, family, blended families, and all the drama that comes with a family. A slower read for me than usual, but a beautiful story.

This book deals with a very difficult topic and while I can empathize with all women who have suffered the loss of miscarriage or difficulty conceiving, I think that this was written for a very specific reader in mind and I was just unable to engage with the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing a digital copy in return for an honest, unbiased review.

It looks like I might be on the same page as other people. I made it 45% of the way through and decided it’s not for me. It is just so slow and never picks up. I tried to get into it and I gave it a solid chance I just couldn’t.

Not my usual kind of read but the authors name was familiar to me. Enjoyed this more than I thought I would, which sounds like I’m damning with faint praise, but definitely worth a read

A sometimes though provoking read for those people out there who are trying to find that relationship which will be ever after and give you those babies that you have waited your whole life for, only to find that time is neither on your side nor is your body.

For Lucy, being on the wrong side of her 3os and too close to 40, she wants her happy and she wants those babies. A little desperation sees her getting that whirlwind courtship and marriage and maybe a baby before everything stops and maybe it's time to take things a bit slower. Where she realizes that sometimes family is what you make it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this free readers edition. In exchange I am providing an honest review.

I really liked the premise of this story but I struggled through reading it. It started slow for me and the pace never picked up.

Lucy is married to the love of her life, Jonah, and is desperate to have a baby with him. She's waited so long to be a Mama. She had her chance once upon a time but had to give that child up, a regret that she carries with her daily. So now is her time except her body hasn't gotten the message. Lucy and Jonah keep conceiving but keep losing the babies. She's heartbroken. Her most recent loss coincides with the summer visit of her step-daughter, Camille, whom she has never met. The summer unfolds and so do the relationships between Lucy, Jonah, and Camille.

I tried to give this title a compelling summary but couldn't. That is reflective of the struggle I had to become engaged in this story and keep with it. I can't pinpoint what it was, or is, about the story that I just couldn't get on board with. It's a story line that usually grabs and keeps my attention, the writing was decent, the characters fine. It just didn't enhance or add to my reading life.

I'm sorry, but this wasn't the book for me. I just couldn't get into it, so I found myself skimming the bulk of it.

I really enjoyed this book - all the way to the last page. Amanda's powerful writing had me hooked from the first page,. With an amazing cast of characters and a unique way of weaving a story that transported me into the very pages of the story, I could not put this book down. This is one book not to be missed. Loved it !!

Long overdue, but finally read! I felt like the story was highly predictable but was glad that Lucy didn't get what she wanted in the end...as is so often the case in these types of books but not so much in reality. Being a miscarriage survivor myself, I could relate with Lucy's inner dialogue and anguish over her inability to become pregnant. You could tell that the author was familiar with the pain of miscarriage and the longing to become a mother.

The Idea of You by Amanda Prowse is a 2017 Lake Union Publishing publication.

One of my 2019 New Year’s resolutions was to utilize by Kindle Unlimited subscription more. I had checked this book out a very long time ago, and it has been sitting on my Kindle, untouched, for ages. So, this was one of the first KU books I chose to read this year.

Amanda Prowse has received a lot of praise from some of my reviewer contemporaries, so every time I saw one of her books on sale or in the KU library, I’d grab it, but to my knowledge this is the very first book of hers that I’ve read.

So, what were my first impressions?

Lucy, after an uncomfortable breakup, meets Jonah, at a baby christening of all places. The two hit it off and waste no time making their union official. For a while, the newlyweds enjoy wedded bliss and life is good, until Lucy suffers through a couple of miscarriages, and her step-daughter, Camille, comes to stay with them.

Lucy’s preoccupation with carrying a child to term, and her tense home environment also affects her focus at work. If that weren’t bad enough several huge situations arise which could put an abrupt end to Lucy’s happily ever after-

I understand why this story resonates with so many readers. The struggle with infertility, and the strain it can place on a marriage, coupled with the challenges of a blended family and career pressures, are all real life issues many people can relate to.

Not only that, the story is pragmatic, proving that humans often make mistakes and errors in judgments, and that life is full of disappointments and unrealized goals and dreams. It’s the way one faces and meet those challenges, that will ultimately allow one to feel real joy and peace, no matter how differently things turned out from the way they envisioned them.

This is an emotional story, but it also ends on a satisfying note. The character growth is the story’s strongest element, especially with Lucy, although, the supporting cast contributes a little compromise and support as well.

My first impression of Amanda Prowse is mostly a positive one. I’m not sure that this story is the very best representation of her work, however. But it was a solid read, and I enjoyed it overall.

3.5 rounded up

I very much enjoyed this book! The subject matter is real and raw that will touch the hearts of readers. It takes you on an honest and realistic journey and would recommend to people who enjoy a deep and emotional read.

This book was not at all what I expected. I liked the cover but didn't understand it fully until getting half way through and have to say that it one of the most fitting, brilliant covers that I've ever seen. A metaphor for wanting to establish a home and have a baby but being unable to. Sheer genius.

The mechanics of the story are quite simple and it flows well chronologically. The characters we likeable and relatable and there were some excellent twists that I did not see coming and two things that I thought MUST happen did not materialise, so a masterpiece of misdirection from the author.

While the subject matter is not trivial (if you have struggled to conceive, this may be a tough read), it was a light read and I devoured the story in a day. 4.7 Stars out of 5.