This book was a beautifully written story about love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit. Weaving between Molly's past during WWII and her present-day reflections, Prowse created a captivating narrative.

Especially noteworthy was the way the novel explored the complexities of wartime choices. Molly's strength and sacrifice were truly inspiring.

An Ordinary Life is a moving and thought-provoking read that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. It's a testament to the power of love and the importance of cherishing our memories

An Ordinary life by Amanda Prowse

This story follows Molly’s life as she remembers her life whilst lying as a 94year old with a broken body having fallen at her cottage. From her teenage years to present day. A through the war years to present day with all the unusual things that were thrown at her and ordinary people like her during the war years that change lives and the future it evolves to.

Interesting character but long winded and more depressing than it needed to be. I personally would have liked to have the part of Mollys life in the war years expanded as it would have made for a better read. Ok read overly long and very predictable especially if you are used to reading this genre of book.

This is an atmospheric novel
The writing is absolutely captivating
This book tugged at my heartstrings and made me cry
A brilliant book

An Ordinary Life is a compelling historical fiction novel set against the backdrop of World War II. The story centers around Molly, a seemingly ordinary young woman living in London during WWII and the turmoil of first love and family during wartime.
The intertwining themes of love, loss, and resilience are masterfully expressed. Molly's story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit, showcasing her ability to overcome unimaginable hardships. Molly is a powerfully written protagonist, and her emotional exploration is noteworthy. The wartime backdrop adds a layer of complexity and intrigue to the story. Prowse paints a vivid picture of life in London during the war, highlighting the chaos and challenges. The action scenes are vivid and provoking, bringing the reader directly into the story.
Molly's life has a sense of predictability as the story opens with the retelling of her younger self. However, the emotional depth she projects keeps the story engaging. The secret mission was too short for my liking (keep the action coming), and I felt the story glossed over Molly's mental well-being too quickly. The time jumps also felt like lost opportunities for greater exploration. Still, An Ordinary Life is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that will resonate with readers who enjoy historical fiction and stories of love and loss.

Engaging and immersive. This is a recommended purchase for collections where women's fiction is popular.

This is one of those stories that stays with you for a long time. Well written with perfect prose that captures your attention and doesn't let you go. I plan on reading more of Amanda's books in the future

"Ordinary Life" by Amanda Prowse is a poignant and heartrending tale that explores the themes of love, loss, and resilience. The story follows the life of ninety-four-year-old Molly, who lies in a hospital bed on Christmas Eve in 2019. While her body may be broken, her mind is vibrant with memories that transport her back to London in the 1940s during the war.

Molly is a spirited young woman who remains determined to contribute to the war effort despite the challenges. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she falls in love with a man who sweeps her off her feet with a single dance. However, the war demands sacrifices, and Molly finds herself making a heart-wrenching decision. As she becomes involved in a daring undercover mission with the French Resistance, the weight of her secret burden grows, known only to her sister.

As Molly reflects on her past while lying in the hospital bed, she realizes that her seemingly ordinary life was anything but. Amanda Prowse masterfully weaves together the threads of Molly's journey, capturing the reader's emotions and drawing them into a tale of resilience and self-discovery. "Ordinary Life" is a beautifully crafted story that reminds us of the power of love, the strength of the human spirit, and the importance of finding peace amidst life's trials and tribulations.

An Ordinary Life is an extraordinary tale of courage, strength and sacrifice. Amanda Prowse expertly weaves the narrative between 1940s London during the war and present-day 2019 as 94 year-old Molly reflects on her extraordinary past.

This beautiful story reveals Molly's passionate spirit and strength of character, with vivid scenes of joyous celebrations and shattering grief. Every page holds a memory to be cherished, as well as insight into how an extraordinary life is an ordinary life - with twists and turns we cannot possibly predict.

An Ordinary Life is a novel that truly captivates. Through Molly, we discover that love transcends time and boundaries, and even the longest and hardest journey is made bearable if taken with a brave heart.

I rarely give 5 stars.

Amanda Prowse has the amazing ability to bring words to life. I fell in love with the characters. The story of Molly’s ordinary, extraordinary life.

Without giving any spoilers away, Molly’s war was truely a hard war. But she survived, and the repercussions of it. Secrets. So many secrets. Deep within the roots of one family from one romance, yet generations later… will they ever be revealed?

A handsome ending, left me choked but smiling.

I typically love anything written by Amanda Prowse. But this book did not appeal to me. I struggle to get through every word on every page. I appreciate the promise of making peace with your past and could sympathize with the losses experienced. But for some reason, I could not connect with Molly … past or present. It’s obvious I’m in the minority because there are lots of very positive reviews. I would encourage you to read the book and decide for yourself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A good drama that takes place in different time periods.

The first book I have read by this author. I've seen several of Prowse's novels on Amazon so thought I would give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised

It is an engaging story and I really enjoyed Prowse’s writing,, style. I will looking for more of her books.

An Ordinary Life
Having read more books by Amanda than any other author, its no secret that I am a huge fan. I had this book to read, but as I love Amanda narrating her books I could resist getting the audio and switching between reading and listening.
I adored Molly, and love books where we go through the lifetime of a character, I loved her at every age.
I read mostly thrillers, but will always make an exception for Amanda.

This is one of those stories that stays with you for a long time. Well written with perfect prose that captures your attention and doesn't let you go. I plan on reading more of Amanda's books.

I did not finish An Ordinary Life because I found it boring and predictable; yet another story of a young woman whose lover, and the father of her unborn son, dies in “friendly fire” during a training exercise. Spurned by her mother and without a job, Molly turns her baby over to her sister for safekeeping. When I got to the part where certain higher ups have been watching her in her previous job as a translator, who want her to be a courier for England carrying who knows what information to a contact in France, I threw my hands up at the triteness of it all and said to myself “I do not like this book,” and that was that.

I’m sure my reaction is an outlier and I hope other readers enjoy it.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Molly lives a somewhat normal life, but she has many secrets she keeps in her heart. Her biggest secret is that she gave birth to a baby boy, Joe, but had to give him to her sister to raise because she needed to keep her job. Will Molly ever tell him she is his mother?

The writing is excellent, but the story itself is a little somber and dull. I kept waiting for something exciting and extraordinary to happen, but it never did. The book seemed to go on forever about nothing and I asked myself, “ why am I reading this book?” It didn’t seem to have a purpose after Molly gave up her parental rights to her sister and her husband.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Full of hope, heartbreak, and unforgettable characters. Amanda Prowse knows how to write a lovely story!

Really enjoyed No Ordinary Life. Molly was such a strong character with an smazing life story. The first book I have read that had a character having to go to an asylum. Being a person that suffers from depression really made me feel a bit better about myself that it is possible that all types of people suffer from mental illness.

This novel starts by introducing us to Molly. Molly is 94-years-old and is lying in a hospital bed following on from a stroke and a fall at home. This experience makes Molly realise the sacrifice she has made and the secret that she has kept that will never be revealed. The novel then jumps back in time to the 1940's which is during the time of the Second World War. This part of the novel follows Molly's journey through life, when she falls in love, when she experiences grief, and how she manages to keep her life long secret.

I have to admit, I am not a historical fiction fan at all, but for Amanda Prowse how can I not give it a go?! The fact that there is the romance element added in there obviously helped me out just that little bit - this is a beautiful and heartfelt novel.

Molly is an extraordinary woman. She didn't always have an easy life, but she always sparkled through her experiences. I loved the character of Molly and getting to know 18-year-old her and the sacrifice she made that she had to live with for the rest of her life. Ironically, the title of this book is the complete opposite of Molly's character. Ordinary? Nah. Molly is extraordinary and inspirational. What a woman.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Amanda Prowse did not disappoint yet again!

Another great book by Amanda Prowse! Her books hook you from the very start and keep you reading until the end. I think that Molly’s story will stay with me for a while. The book is beautifully written and I felt everything she went through. Such a great layout to the story.