This was a difficult story to finish. The writing was on point and the story flowed but I just never connected with any of the characters and therefore found that I didn't really care what happened to them. Prowse is a good writer but I felt depressed and not just sad or melancholy by the story and hearing SO much about Lucy's issues. There's a fine line here and I feel that this story ended up on the wrong side of that line.

Oh this book was a bit hard to read. I didn't quite realise what I was getting myself in to. The description was not misleading per se, but I did not realise the whole book would play out in the head of the main character. I mean that's not necessarily a bad thing, but when dealing with loss and relationship troubles, it's quite hard going to be in first person view all the way through.
This book deals with a lot of issues - reproduction, family building, young motherhood, middle-aged pregnancy, adoption, miscarriage, marriage, divorce, flings, career v family, blended family, jealousy, depression, repressed emotions... the list goes on. Just a few these topics could make for a heavy reading, but put them all in the blender, and you get an emotionally charged book that is definitely not for the faint of heart. It was hard reading it even though I have little personal experience with these issues, so I imagine if someone experienced any of these, it might be even more difficult. Or liberating, for they might realise that they are not the only ones with these experiences.
Kudos to the author for handling such sensitive topics with such careful hands.

What a great book. I read it in two days, couldn't put it down.

This is my second complete read of Amanda Prowse, and again I'm pleasantly surprised. Her writing style has developed, and the storyline is compelling. However, I did find this very emotional and almost unbearable in parts, and essentially, it isn't a subject matter that I would normally choose. Therefore I was privileged to be given a free copy to review. Our main protagonist Lucy is almost 40, which some women find hard. She has a good career but like all good Bridget Jones's she wants a husband and a baby. Sadly she experiences several miscarriages in her new marriage, and they tear her apart. This is a story about living with loss, yearning, issues of trust and betrayal, and of being a step-parent whilst never being a parent.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for my free copy.

Title: The Idea of You

Author: Amanda Prowse

Genre: contemporary



A few starting notes:


I received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley. NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair and honest reviews.




This is a little different from alottathe* books I read - I tend to get really bored with books which focus on domestic stuff and family life.

But I was invited to review this so *shrugs* - I'll give anything a shot, really.

And you know what? I'm glad that I did.





*It's a word now. Because I said so. #It'sTheRules




Premise:



Lucy's approaching 40, and she doesn't have it all.

She's got the career - but not a family. And she really, really, wants one.

But there's hope on the horizon in the form of Jonah, who seems perfect for her!

Things aren't plain-sailing though... just as she thinks her hopes of a much-longed-for family are about to come true, tragedy strikes.

And then there's Jonah's daughter from his previous marriage, Camille, who seems to hate Lucy on principle. All of the teenage drama with none of the shared history.

Great. Just great.




Best bits:



If this book were written by a man from the male character's perspective, there's no doubt in my mind that it would be labelled as 'literary.'

Literary, in this blogger's humble opinion, is not a genre. But that's a long-winded rant that we'll skip on this occasion.

The Idea of You, though, having been looked over by one non-existent genre, is pushed into another: 'women's fiction' - which is expected to incorporate both the serious and the fluff under one vague label.




Amanda Prowse is a skilled author.

There's no doubt about that as far as I'm concerned. Her characters are complex, and her prose could easily rival some of the heavy-hitters of 'literary' fiction.

She also brings women and women's issues to the fore in this book. And I think this is the reason she is so often relegated to the realms of 'women's fiction.'





Make no mistake, though: this book takes on hard-hitting issues.

Lucy's devastation at her miscarriages and lost children is painful to read.

Much of the miscarriage aspects of this book are based on the author's own experiences - and ouch. It shows.




The emotional pressure that consumes Lucy after her miscarriages is palpable, made worse by her failure to confide in anyone but Jonah - who has the emotional range of a teaspoon.*

I personally would've liked it if the mental health stuff were further explored, but the feelings themselves were touched on, which was good.

In Jonah's reactions to Lucy (and make no mistake, I hugely disliked Jonah - see next section,) we see society's reactions and ridiculous expectations mirrored. 

As far as Jonah's concerned, Lucy should be getting over things quickly.

He makes decisions without consulting her and expects her to be fine with this. He treats her as if she's unreasonable when she disagrees.

She should also be the perfect mother to his daughter despite the fact that she has no experience, and Camille is difficult to get along with.





*Yes, I quoted Harry Potter. #NerdsRule ;)




But the way things tied together - not with a 'and then things were magically OK' attitude, but with a 'f**k it, let's sort this sh** out!' stance, was a pleasant surprise.

I've read reviews that view the ending as too trite and convenient - but I personally think it fits.

It's realistic but hopeful and content - and why the f**k can't it be?! Lucy's certainly worked hard enough to get it, and good for her.




Not so great bits:



Potentially distressing content includes:

- miscarriages & mental health aftermath (BIG warning)

- teenage pregnancy 

- adoption/forced adoption

- marriage problems

- family dynamic problems

- alcoholism

- familial rejection




My main minus with this book is Jonah. FFS Jonah, have some empathy! Consider someone else for once dammit!!!!

Honestly, if this dude were my husband I would have given him a earful* and moved out pretty damned quick. Either consider her feelings or file for divorce honey - 'cos you don't deserve her.

Honestly, I wanted to slap this guy, and I have no f**king clue why Lucy loved him so much.



*This isn't grammatically incorrect with my accent, so #DealWithIt.




OMG, and I wish these characters would freaking TALK TO EACH OTHER!!!!

That gets really annoying - just communicate dammit!!! Sooo many of your problems would go away if you'd all just let each other know what you're feeling!

But then I suppose we wouldn't have a story. *shrugs*




The other thing about this book is that it's quite a slow read - so those of you looking for an action-packed page-turner should probably be looking elsewhere.

It's good, but you shouldn't expect to whizz through it. It just ain't gonna happen.





I've also seen criticism that this book implies that women need a husband and children to be happy.

I can see where that criticism comes from, but I felt like it was more a case of what Lucy wanted.

That in itself is important, because no, a woman shouldn't need a husband and children, but neither does she need to be alone and childless.

Feminism is about choice - Lucy's is to go down the traditional family route, and this book is about her struggles both with, and within, that role.

You may disagree, of course, and I have no problem with that - it's just the way I saw things. *shrugs*




Verdict:


This one is going to be out of the comfort zones of a lot of people.

If you decide to take the plunge though, you might be surprised at how good this book is.

ARC received from NetGalley for an honest review*****
This is the second book I have read from Amanda Prowse and I must say she is a very poignant writer who makes you feel the emotion of the storyline. This story is about Lucy and Jonah and her desire to have a baby amidst everything else that is going on in their lives. She experiences multiple miscarriages which make her question if she will ever be a mother. Within the chapters there is a beautiful 'journal' she writes to her desired daughter. I really loved that part of the story and would have been quite happy to read that on its own as it was a beautiful ode to the bond between mother and daughter and made me reflect on my relationship with my mother and what I would want for any child I would have..... I had to rethink my opinion towards the latter part of the story due to the plot twist. Without giving too much away I was disappointed how it ended.

I struggled to get through this book. Nothing wrong with the writing, and the focus on how a woman copes with multiple miscarriages was a topic that interested me, but I found the story line long and ultimately boring. The characters of Lucy and her husband Jonah lacked depth and the resolutions to the crises they faced in their marriage were not convincing. Camille, the teenage step-daughter, promised to add interest to the story, but I also found her portrayal simplistic and her move from rebellious teenager to caring daughter/mother/friend did not wring true.

It isn't often a book makes my eyes leak, but this one definitely did. It is very well written and emotional!

Lucy is a successful woman nearing 40. She meets Jonah and they marry, and attempt to start a family which turns out to be more difficult than she imagined. Lucy is struggling with infertility and during this time, Joanh's teenage daughter moves in with them for the summer. This brings more burden and stress to Lucy's life, which doesn't help with fertility.

I found that this book really sucked me in. I enjoyed the characters. The author did a great job of portraying their love for each other, despite all of their flaws.

Thanks to Netgally & Lake Union for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Very emotional and touching but ultimately not for me. The writing is great, it just wasn't holding my attention that well and I think that's down to the subject matter. The main character is a woman named Lucy who is close to 40 with an extremely successful career but has been left wanting. She wants a husband and a baby quite desperately. While she finds the husband in an unexpected way, the baby part of the equation proves quite difficult. She is elated when she conceives, but sadly she experiences several miscarriages. They tear her apart.

Her husband has a teenage daughter named Camille who lives with her mother and stepfather. Lucy and Jonah have a whirlwind romance and marry before Lucy even meets Camille. (I balked at that.) When the girl comes to visit, Lucy is hopeful about their relationship. She wants them to bond, but Camille is understandably hesitant and a little rebellious. Lucy had high expectations of their relationship, and didn't count on being talked back to (a teenager talking back, whoa) and experiencing frustration over her own losses and a bit of jealousy over the easy relationship Jonah and his daughter enjoy.

I know I was supposed to love Jonah, but I did not. I put this down to the kind of creepy (to me, others would find it charming) way he picked Lucy up and later suggestions of her abandoning her job if they had children. He just rubbed me the wrong way. Lucy did as well, quite often. She just looked at everything quite naively, hating her life as if was while imagining it would be just perfect if she could only get what she wants. That's why this is a three from me. I really enjoyed the other Amanda Prowse book I read, and I'd love to read more... I'm just going to be pickier about the subject matter now that I know my reaction. I think her style is quite lovely and I just chose the wrong book for me personally.

Prowse is a fantastically intense writer but unfortunately, I did not enjoy this. Don't get me wrong, it has a good plot but it just didn't pull me in as much as I had hoped.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

I really wanted to like this book and the main character since I think any professional woman nowadays can either relate personally to the main character's struggle or they know someone who can. But honestly, don't these people realize they could talk to each other?! I felt like the main three characters were not believable because they were essentially living in parallel universes instead of just being honest with each other. That disconnect with reality tempered the story for me.

This review was posted on Goodreads.

Lucy Carpenter, with her fortieth birthday approaching thinks she finally has it all: a wonderful new husband, Jonah, a successful career and the chance of a precious baby of her own. Life couldn’t be more perfect, or could it? But becoming parents proves much harder to achieve than Lucy and Jonah imagined, and when Jonah’s teenage daughter Camille comes to stay with them, she becomes a constant reminder of what Lucy doesn’t have. Jonah’s love and support are unquestioning, but Lucy’s struggles with work and her own failing dreams begin to take their toll. With Camille’s presence straining the bonds of Lucy’s marriage even further, Lucy suddenly feels herself close to losing everything… Will their marriage survive?

I absolutely loved this book!
Amanda Prowse is always quite brave in her writing, often tackling sensitive subjects that are difficult to discuss with skill and empathy.
This book is so captivating and vivid and draws you in right from the outset making you feel like its real life and you’re actually in the story, in their homes witnessing the trials and tribulations of one woman’s heart-breaking struggle to become a mother. She is under pressure from her body clock, not just from herself but from friends and siblings to get find a husband and get pregnant before it's too late…
After going through several agonising miscarriages. Lucy struggles to cope at work and with her family, she kept her pain to herself, secretly hoping the next time she gets pregnant, she won't miscarry. However the focus shifts for Lucy when Jonah's teenage daughter Camille comes to stay with them, bringing a whole load of teenage angst. Camille unknowingly comes between them despite Lucy going over and above to make her feel welcome, Lucy is so full of grief she is struggling to bond with Camille and the difficulties of bonding and rejection puts strain on their marriage.
The story was crafted so well that I felt I was right there with her; I felt a sense of privilege being part of Lucy’s journey and I really rooted for her as her story unfolded, I physically felt her conflicting emotion and the struggles she faced; Lucy yo-yoed between being a strong, independent, controlled, envied and successful woman and a fragile, emotional, lost and desperate little girl.
I liked the surprise at the end, its not quite the outcome she wanted, but she managed to fill that nurturing void in her life, it gives a good message that we don’t always get what we wish for but making the most of what were given can be just as sweet.
I didn't want this book to end and I want more !!!!

This was a really enjoyable and well written story from Amanda Prowse. Having read one of her books recently I had high expectations for this one too! I thought that it was well written considering what a sensitive topic it is, although maybe I would be able to emotionally connect with it a little more if I wanted and/or had children. I found it a little bit too one tracked at times, but again this may just be because of the topic! Although I didn't particularly like Lucy most of the time, I did love her efforts for Camille and appreciated the relationship between those two. As a step daughter myself I could understand the difficulties! Thank you for the chance to read and review.

Rather sad but predictable story which I'm sure will hit home to many. Love this author, easy reading and mostly gripping storylines.

Lucy is a 39-year old advertising executive who has just about given up on marriage and motherhood after her fiance left her to marry her cousin. But when she attends the christening of her godson, she meets Jonah Carpenter who immediately is smitten and so is she. They soon marry and try vigilantly to have a baby with tragic results. Life gets even more complicated when Jonah's 16-year old daughter, Camille, comes for an extended visit.

I couldn't decide for quite some time whether I liked Lucy or not but as the story progressed, it occurred to me that it wasn't about liking or disliking this character. She's experiencing the normal feelings you would expect of someone of her age and circumstances. Lucy is just human and I ended up admiring her for being authentic in her reactions to miscarriage, a resentful stepdaughter and a husband in denial.

What's distinctive about this story as the characters show up as very real. I found myself wanting them, particularly Lucy, to behave differently but would then realize that she was reacting in ways I probably would have behaved. There was an unforeseen revelation late in the story that answers many questions while at the same time throwing gasoline on the Carpenter home. It's provocative, emotionally and intellectually. Though the author could sometimes be overly descriptive of non-essential details, I thought it was well written and paced. I'm glad I read it as I learned so much about the emotional long term toll of miscarriage on everyone involved.

Sometimes what you wish for isn't the best thing for you, and sometimes it is. Lucy's story is one of love and loss, and finding a balanced and fulfilling life amidst her experiences.
Prowse takes a heavy subject matter and addresses it in a way that is bearable and sweet, while also being realistic. Her voice is at times humorous, witty, humbling and heartbreaking while she delivers one heck of a love story.

I can understand Lucy wanting to finally meet the man of her dreams because, ahem, that's what I'm currently hoping now. But I'm not a fan or whirlwind romances just like what to Lucy when he met Jonah. I think that's what the complications always start if a marriage is a product of these hasty love stories. Lucy wasn't prepared to what could happen after getting married; and she's either overwhelmed by her new situation or she just didn't expect them.

Overall, the elements of a chick-lit book are all included in this magnificent novel. If you are a fan of chick-lit, I highly recommend to add this to your collection because it is definitely a must-read.

The Idea of You is a great title and the idea it put in my head made me gravitate to the book. Lucy is an enjoyable character for whom the reader feels empathy and or sympathy. Her story is sometimes frustrating but it is highly readable and kept me interested to the end.