A beautiful, wonderfully told story about love, life and family. Thomasina is a great character and her quest for change was an emotional read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Thomasina, or Hitch as she is known by, is an unlikely heroine; the original ugly duckling and Amanda’s skilful prose really brought her to life for me.

Her home and life is the farm and B&B where she lives and works alongside her parents, who have always protected her as far as possible from the outside world. But she longs to go to New York, find a boyfriend and buy those red shoes which she will never be able to wear.

Into her life comes Grayson, a man who is also a little bit different. He prefers his own company but in Thomasina he finds a kindred spirit and he doesn’t see her flaws just the beautiful and kind hearted woman underneath.

This book is not only a beautiful and, at times, heart-breaking love story but also about a woman realising that she is far stronger than what she, or anyone else, actually thought.

Utterly compelling!

What a page turner from the start to the end. I was on that farm every second. Such an emotional book which shows how victims of bullying can and often do have a hidden inner strength which, in time overcomes everything and they are the stronger person.

As I’ve said before Amanda just ‘gets it’ every single time. I do hope and look forward to reading a sequel

With thanks to Netgalley & Amanda’s publishers for ARC in return for an honest review

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.

This was my first book by Amanda Prowse and I really enjoyed her writing. I loved Thomasina, or "Hitch", as everyone called her. She's let people treat her like the ugly stepchild all her life because of her physical deformities and generally just had low self-esteem because of it. Living on a remote farm and bed & breakfast with her family, she goes through her daily routine of caring for her beloved chickens and cooking and cleaning for her family and their guests.

One day a man named Grayson comes to stay and he and Thomasina have a connection. He looks past her physical deformities and into her mind and heart and sees the beauty within. In the short time that he stays at their B & B they spend a lot of time together and realize how much they like each other. But soon it's time for Grayson to go back to the city and his responsibilities there. It seems like an impossible situation and there's no hope for them to be together.

Will Thomasina let Grayson get away when he's the most wonderful thing that's ever happened to her? She's rarely been away from the farm that she's lived on all her life and she doesn't have much money. I think you will enjoy reading how Thomasina finds her self-confidence and fights for the love of her life, even though there are some disappointments along the way. I would also love to see a follow-up book to this one...perhaps a continuation to the story of Thomasina and Grayson (hint-hint, Amanda)?

I highly recommend this book and give it five stars! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I was allowed access by netgalley to read and review. I love Amanda Prowse novels anyway and this didn't disappoint.

A love story about two people who are not quite 'right, I loved all the characters, especially Thomasina and Grayson. Their trials and tribulations before they met, and after made them who they were.
I love the description of the farm and the chickens and the food sounded delicious! The epilogue made the book for me, we got to find out what happened to all our favourite people which often doesn't happen and all the loose ends were tied up nicely! Wonderful, thought provoking yet feel good book for the summer. Loved it!

My 5* review for The Things I Know by Amanda Prowse. I was allowed access to this book via Netgalley to read and review, and because it was on my kindle I took it on holiday with me and I am so glad I did. I think Thomasina would have loved to have seen Skiathos with me and I felt as if I was taking her to see the world, just as she dreamed of.

"Thomasina ‘Hitch’ loves living and working on family farm and B&B. But she also wants what every other young woman does.... to see the world, to fall in love and to own her own home. However, those are fairy tales, and if her life is a fairy tale, then she’s the ugly duckling. Her deformed lip, her crooked limbs and her weak heart have kept her from taking chances. But that’s about to change. She feels she was born a bit different "as if someone held the instructions upside down or lost a part when they opened the box" as Amanda Prowse so delicately puts it."

When Grayson Potts comes to stay, he’s unlike anyone Thomasina has ever met. He’s shy, but kind and is also totally unconcerned with the physical flaws that have always defined her. He too has led a lonely difficult life and lives with his alcoholic mother and dreams of a life of his own away from the sad place that his home has become where he looks out of the window at a world full of light and possibilities, listening to the family living below laughing and thinking it must be a nice way to live - happy.

I was easily able to envisage Hitch's life on the farm with her Mum and Pops in my mind because I live in the countryside and worked on a similar farm near me in Golden Valley in the school holidays, picking potatoes, or whatever was ready for harvesting and doing odd jobs around the farm for pocket money back in the 1970's. The descriptions took me right back and I loved the fact Thomasina kept chickens and had a favourite called Daphne.

I drooled over the descriptions of some of the lovely pies, stews, breakfasts, bread and cakes that Thomasina created and really wanted to go and stay at the farmhouse and have a meal around the big table with them. The Author certainly knows a thing or two about living on a farm and how full on day after day it can be, but how lovely to be surrounded by countryside and animals, especially Buddy the faithful dog and Chops the "guardpig" as Grayson named him.

This is a beautiful story, so well and incite-fully written of two misfits finding that they fit together perfectly and can find happiness in each other's company and each other's arms and have the love, acceptance and appreciation that they have both wanted for so long (together with a set of their own cake tins, and someone to bake for, if they are lucky)

I love the fact that Thomasina keeps a jotter and writes in it at the end of the day to express herself when things were too difficult to say out loud. We know from this that she "wants to own sparkly red shoes that she will never get to wear but can look at whenever" and why not? I would gladly buy her those shoes, because by the end of the book i felt like I would love to be her friend, and make her feel loved, valued, appreciated and worthy of everything and anything she wanted, regardless of her disabilities and limitations.

I am a huge fan of Amanda Prowse books and leapt at the chance to read and review this book.

I love, love, love this book!!

It is another well written, heartwarming book with wonderful characters and a book I didn't want to end.

There is nothing else to add, just go and buy it, you won't be disappointed!

If you love Amanda’s previous books you are going to love this one. If you haven’t read any of her books then what are you waiting for !!

Thomasina (Hitch) is living on her family farm with her parents. Her brother is living in America and Thomasina dreams of travelling herself but her parents are very protective of her and she feels as though she can’t leave the farm. I absolutely fell in love with Thomasina and felt as though I was going through the high and lows with her.

One day Grayson arrives to stay a few nights in their bed and breakfast at the family home. Grayson and Thomasina hit it off straight away and suddenly she is dreaming of bigger and better things. Will this one event lead to Thomasina’s world changing forever ?

This is a glorious story from Amanda with lots of highs and lows. You will find yourself falling in love with the characters and going through everything with them, it’s as if you are really there is the farmhouse !! Love love love.

Thank you to Amazon UK and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

If I had to sum up this book in one word I'd call it charming, and in the best possible way. The Things I Know by Amanda Prowse is the story of Thomasina, better known as Hitch, who lives with her mum and dad on the family farm. Despite being in her twenties and longing for more freedom and independence she feels unsure of how to get what she wants. Her lack of confidence is caused in part by her physical deformities, but she has also been protected by her family for so long that she is not sure she can strike out on her own. When a guest to the farmhouse B&B , Grayson Potts, captures her attention because of his eccentricities the two soon become friends. Can Hitch break out of her shell and go after the future she really wants, even if it means risking rejection and a broken heart?
This was such a heartwarming book, and as I said full of charm. I loved seeing a romance featuring a character with physical disabilities and I particularly loved that she was more than just her flaws, she was kind, determine, brave when she had to be and smart when it really counted
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Thomasina ‘Hitch’ Waycott loves living and working on the remote family farm and B&B. But she also wants more. To see the world. To own her own home. To fall madly in love.

But those are fairy tales, and if her life is a fairy tale, then she’s the ugly duckling. Her deformed lip, her crooked limbs and her weak heart have kept her from taking chances. But that’s about to change.

When Grayson Potts comes to stay, he’s unlike anyone Thomasina has ever met. He’s aloof, eccentric and exceptionally kind. He’s also totally unconcerned with the physical flaws that have always defined Thomasina.

The two form a bond that neither has had before. It’s possible that it could become something more, but Thomasina also wonders if it’s too good to be true. By putting her heart on the line, Thomasina may open herself to heartbreak. But she may also open herself to so much more. 

Amanda Prowse has once again created a beautiful story of two people that are very different to those around them, it is these differences that bring them together and they form an unimaginable bond within hours of meeting that, it seems, nobody can break but, to be together, there are many obstacles they have to face, are they strong enough to face the battle ahead and will their love conquer all? I absolutely adored Thom, her character showed great strength, borne from everything she had had to face through her childhood and beyond and Gray was such a sweet man, these two together showed that anything is possible and even though you may not think you're perfect, you are always perfect for someone.

This author, as always, had me reeled in from the first page and I was praying it would be the happy ending they both so deserved, but you'll have to read it to find out for yourself, I would recommend that you do. I'd like to thank Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for the auto approval. I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 stars!

Born a little bit different “like someone held the instructions upside down or lost a part when they opened the box”, Thomasina “Hitch” Waycott just wants to find love and be loved. Born with a cleft lip among other deformities, she learns at a very early age that words hurt. She lives on a farm/B&B with her parents and brother, who gets to experience things Hitch can only dream of. Until she meets a handsome stranger, just a little bit different.

You will fall in love with Thomasina as you see her struggle and grow. Your heart will break with her as you see kids and adults can be cruel. You will watch this caterpillar grow into a butterfly as she opens her eyes and finally sees the people around her. But, all the while, you will cheer for her to get what she wants. This book is full of wonderful characters, realistic situations, transformations all the way around. I hope this book makes you look at people who are different in a whole new light.

For me, this book is reminiscent of “Eleanor Oliphant” with its quirky characters. But this book was so much more relatable for me. Thoroughly enjoyed this read, my first by this author, and look forward to reading more of her books.

I received an ARC of this book. Opinion is mine alone.

Another amazing book by Amanda Prowse. Every time she writes she brings the characters to life. I wish Thomasina was real, I would love to meet her. You become so involved with the characters and want to know what is going to happen to them next. I loved the lists she made. Grayson’s character is written beautifully and with love. I really hope this book is just the beginning of the story, I would love to read what happens to the characters next.

I loved this book, true to Amandas style of writing. A lovely love story and great to see how the 2 main characters can come together beat everything going on in their lives deal with all the ups and downs life throws at them and move on to have a great life together.
Loved the story lines including the alcoholic mum and the bully cousin I felt it was very true to life, how people have a lot of bad things going on in their background or behind closed doors and they keep it all at the back of their mind whilst they try to lead a life or keep a job.
Loved it great ending

Another character driven book by Amanda Prowse. Hitch and Grayson are characters who find it difficult to fit in with society but they have hopes and dreams. A romantic read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

Thomasina, otherwise known as Hitch, was born with a clef palette and other disabilities. She has always been insecure because of her disabilities and has stayed home working on her family’s farm and B&B. This is a wonderful story of her finding her confidence and making peace with her past. I always enjoy Amanda Prowse’s writing. Her characters pull me into the story so completely. I was really hoping for Thomasina to spread her wings and find true happiness. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

I fell in love with this story! It's a story about Thomasina (Hitch) Waycott and her struggle in life to be accepted. She has been made fun of and ridiculed her whole because of the way she looks. Different from all the other "normal" people but her heart is tender. All she wants is to be loved and cared for unconditionally.
I really liked the character of Thomasina. My heart went out to her and I really hurt with her when she was taunted so badly. I wanted to be her friend and show her that she has value and is important. I also liked the character of Grayson Potts. He came into Thomasina's life and changed things for her. The story really was like a fairy tale but there were also huge struggles to overcome. Life isn't easy and it takes courage to let other people in after being so hurt in life.
This book took me on a journey with a girl who had been dealt a difficult hand when she was born. I hurt with how much she went through. I became emotionally involved with her character and really felt the heartache she suffered because of mean and vindictive bullies. I also felt the happiness and strength when she found the fight in herself to stand up for herself.
I loved that Thomasina had her dog, Buddy, to be with her throughout the book. He was a loyal and devoted companion through everything. This passage expresses how much he loved her:
"Even Buddy, in tune with her emotions, seemed to have lost his playful bounce and had earlier crept by her side across the yard with his head low, ears back, as if able to sense her malaise, so in love with her that her sadness crushed him." I love that dog and his place in her life.
This book is a tale that drew me in and took me through the gut wrenching life of a young woman just wanting to have what other young women had. It also has the message that each person is valuable and that there is hope and happiness just by being who you are.
I thought the chapter endings were very unique and different. They were the thoughts of Thomasina and the things she knows. Each one was a bit of the chapter before...a kind of summary. It touched my heart as some were enlightening and some were hard truth.
"What I don't know is how different I am, and I also don't know how I can find this out."
"And I know that some days I'm happy and on other days I'm sad, but that's the same for everyone, isn't it?"
The Thing I Know is that this book will touch the reader in many ways. It did me, for sure. Thomasina and Grayson are two characters I will think about for a long time.
I want to thank Lake Union, Netgalley and especially Amanda Prowse for the honor of reading such a powerful, inspirational and touching story. It is most definitely 5 stars!

The Things I Know is a marvellous story of overcoming adversity to realise true happiness in life. It is very clever because it tells the tale through two imperfect but likeable individuals who both have characteristics that many people would not choose. What surprised me the most was how much I identified tiny snippets of my life being comparable to the main protagonists and then I realised that the 'disabilities' were just a representation of the 99.9% of us that don't have a fairytale life and we want the downtrodden heroine to succeed because really, we've all been in her shoes at sometime in our lives. I've read a few by this author and they get better each time. I prefer her more upbeat stories of which I class this as one. Great descriptions, clever writing and the mechanics of the story mean that it has an interesting and believable plot Perhaps we could have got into the action a tad sooner but the development of the story in the middle and latter third made it time worth spending to set the scene. I think that this will be one of the big hits of the summer, it has every ingredient to make it catch against a very broad set of readers. An easy 5 Stars from me.

What a refreshingly wonderful read! I absolutely fell in love with Thomasina and Grayson! I definitely recommend this book. I loved that all the characters were real and authentic and their story so very normal...in the best way possible. It also makes you question the limitations we place on people when we think we’re doing what’s best for them.

This review was also posted on Goodreads.

The Things I Know is a refreshingly unique story. At the start of the book our protagonist, Thomasina, copes with the stress of her daily life by writing in a journal. Through her journal Thomasina reveals the truths as she sees them. Some of her truths are absolutely heartbreaking. When she meets Grayson her world begins to shift. She sees life through a different lens and finds her voice.
Amanda Prowse packs a lot of emotion into one sweet story as it explores a variety of relationships including family, friendships and love. I love that this story to challenges some common statements used to excuse poor behavior. I highly recommend this story!