What an absolutely delightful, sweet story! I was definitely engaged from the beginning with Molly's life and mourned the death of Johan and losing Geer. Also, her agony in her decision about Joe and the challenges she faces because of the war and society were heartbreaking.

I did feel like the story needed some stronger conflicts in the middle. While I realize the point of the book was to show that even "an ordinary life" can be extraordinary to the person living it, it felt like the plot lost a little bit of steam halfway through. Also, framing it as a flashback took away from the novel a little. It would have worked just as well starting in 1944 and going all the way through to the end.

Regardless, Ms. Prowse's writing style is endearing, and I know I'll enjoy her future works as well. Lovely!

Oh my goodness, I LOVED this book, and cannot praise it enough! I had been a MAJOR book rut, having quit several books that I just couldn't get into. An Ordinary Life just took me away and helped me escape into Molly's story. I loved this book so much! 5 stars!! I want to read more by this author in the VERY near future!

I’ve read a few books by this author and the main thing that sticks in my mind is the depth of her characters. Molly at age 94 is now in a hospital with a stroke and broken bones from a fall. She seems like the typical elderly woman, but no one who knows her has an idea that her life has been anything but ordinary. While she was working in an ordinary job she sometimes went out Circumstances a group of friends and met a young man (the brother of one of her friends). They fell in love quickly and only saw each other before he left for France during WWII. Circumstances made it impossible for her to continue with her job and one of her friends brought her to a place for a different job for the British, working for the Resistance in France. Her life took many twists and turns and was anything but ordinary! I really loved this book!

Where to begin? An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse was so exquisitely written that after I started it, I could think of little else until I had finished the last page. I have never read anything from this author before, but now, cannot wait to read more.

The book begins with the protagonist, 94 year old Molly having a bad fall down the stairs , It continues on with her story from the 1940s London during WWII to the present (1994). Much of what she goes through in her life is emotionally painful, but she has resiliency and strength and presses on to make her life so much more than ordinary.

I’ve never been one to tell the whole story when I review a book, but suffice it to say that I highly recommend this book. I felt the depths of lots of emotions during the book, and be forewarned...stock up with lots of tissues because you will need them.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reader copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

This is such a special book, it’s hard to know how to even do it justice in a review.

I’ve loved Amanda Prowse’s books right from the start, and I think I’ve read every one of them. She has this amazing ability of taking what might seem like an ordinary lives and ordinary people, and turning them into something so real, and so extraordinary. These are books that you don’t merely read, you experience. These books feel like you’re getting an insight into someone else’s life, rather than reading a story.

The book starts off with Molly at 94 years of age, coming to the end of what she perceives as her rather ordinary life. But as we go back to the past, and relive Molly’s youth, we realise that her life was anything but ordinary. She showed such courage during the war, and her missions are truly compelling stuff that will have you on the edge of your seat.

She went through a lot in her life, and the book is not afraid to handle sensitive topics, in such an insightful and empathetic manner. The story flows beautifully, and you will feel such compassion and admiration for Molly. She is a wonderful character.

I was totally consumed and captivated by this gorgeous book. It’s both heart-breaking, and life affirming, and it is a book that will stay with me for a long time. A moving, emotional, and beautiful read, one of Amanda Prowse’s finest so far.

A lovely story about an extraordinary woman. The story starts off with Molly age 94 writing a very important letter followed by a tumble down the stairs. The book then jumps back to Molly at age 18 working for the British government as a translator during WWII. The story than documents Molly’s life through the decades. First love, war, sacrifice, tragedy, hardship, friendship, forgiveness, hope. Molly didn’t always have an easy life but she always had a bit of a spark. I really liked Molly and enjoyed getting to know her throughout her life. She really made the ultimate sacrifice and lived with the fallout for all her life. But I do have to say I think she made the right choice and came to peace with it in the end. The perfect book to pick up when you’re in the mood for a quieter story with a big heart.

*** Big thank you to Amazon UK for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

This is one of the better WWII Historical Fiction novels I have read in awhile.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, but actually ended up listening to the audio version. I just loved the character of Molly and was fascinated by her story.
I really can't speak to why this novel struck me and why I enjoyed it so much more than other WWII books.

It tells the tale of Molly, a young English girl, living during World War II. She meets her friend's older brother, Johann before he is shipped off to fight the war. They fall madly in love over the course of a couple of days, and she becomes pregnant with his baby.
Sadly, Johann dies in battle and Molly is rejected by her former friend, Johann's sister and his family. They leave her to deal with this situation on her own.
She keeps the pregnancy hidden until the time of the birth, and her oblivious mother handles the situation abhorrently.
The part that intrigued me the most and tugged at my heart was when Molly had to give her baby to her sister, Judith. For his entire life, Jo believes Judith is his mother.
Molly had to make this tough decision in order to fine work. She ends up serving as an English spy in the war and faces serious dangers as a result.
The story covers Molly's entire life up to her death at ag 93.
I loved the title of the book because her and Johann have this beautifully romantic conversation about creating An Ordinary Life together. That is all they ever wanted, and the one thing Molly always pursued.

This book was a good read and gave my heart all the feels.

I just finished one of the most wonderful novels I have read in a long time . The story is spellbinding, taking the reader through 90 years of a characters life. The character is Molly. She is an incredible woman who shared her life with us .
I will give this book 5 stars! Don’t miss it!

Another great book from Amanda Prowse. It is happy and sad with all the other emotions in between. A very moving story and one that I would definitely recommend

4 stars. I have mixed emotions about this book. Most times I was fully immersed and fully engaged with the characters, but at times the story felt disjointed and I almost felt as though I had missed something.

The title of the book confused me at first, as Molly's life was anything but ordinary in what I would be considered a pretty clear standard. Living in WWII London wasn't easy on anyone, but Molly's life was on track and she knew where she was headed. Then one night out with her best friend changed the entire trajectory of her life. Falling in love, being separated during the war, making the ultimate sacrifice with her sister, and being traumatized while helping the French Resistance- all sent her on a difficult journey that lasted until her 94th year. All those painful memories, all the friendships made and lost, all the lessons she learned over the years. But for her generation- Molly's was not an uncommon story.

Overall a powerful story and I did shed tears at times with the choices Molly had to make and the things she went through. I looked forward to following this story to the end, so in that respect it was worth the 4 stars. I will definitely go and look into more from this author. A mostly clean book, but I think probably too heavy for my teenager to read (for my own future reference when looking for books for my bookworm).

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What's not to love? Molly's story is a sweeping drama full of heart and soul. I've come to expect nothing less from Amanda Prowse. This is a story so rich and touching that it will stay with you long after you finish reading it.

Molly, the protagonist in An Ordinary Life, feels she leads an ordinary existence, but it is anything but ordinary. As a citizen, she shows patriotism to by wanting to do her “bit” for England during WWII. As a family member, she remains loyal to each person in spite of difficult situations. As a worker, she displays courage in her actions and feelings for those around her. As a mother, she willingly makes the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the safety of her child.
Amanda Prowse creates realistic and profound experiences for her protagonist, causing her readers to feel various emotions and leaves them with a feeling of optimism. A Wonderful read!

Historical fiction at its best! Need I say more? Of course! I did not expect to love this book. I've read a lot of WWII books but thought following one woman through her life would be interesting. It was eye-opening. The author took me through joy and extreme sorrow in a story of a woman who is torn in many directions throughout her life. The emotions the author brought through the main character, Molly, were real and took me through the highs and lows in her life. When I finished the book, I was drained but felt like this woman had lived life her way before most women did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK/Lake Union Publishers for the opportunity to read and review this amazing book!

An Ordinary Life begins at the end of Molly's life. She worked for the Foreign Office in London in the 1940s with several of her friends. Molly is approached for a special assignment which changes her life and forces her to make a very difficult decision. I really enjoyed following Molly in her work and travels. There were so many emotions in this book; love, sorrow, joy, laughter, loss.

Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a great read! I loved going through the timeline of Molly's life and seeing the character progress as she grew older. It took me a while to truly get in to the book, but once I did it was a heartwarming read.

A story full of emotions - happiness, sadness, shock, empathy, anger, etc. it takes place in England toward the end of WWII. I read the book easily and quickly, enjoying the relationships Prowse develops to help the reader understand life in wartime and the after effects on people who lived through that time.

Amanda Prowse is such an amazing author. Her books bring out every emotion imaginable.
Another great read.

Wow so powerful love the style this book in wrote you pull into the plot great characters some very strong your be hooks bits were sad I recommend to you all

This was anything but an ordinary life. A solid read starting in the present then going back over dear Molly’s life through WW2. It had fun, love, tears, pain, depression and most of all heartbreak. The things Molly went through and the decisions she had to make were enough to put her in an early grave, but she battled on and kept her head held high until the impressive age of 94. If you like books based during the war around family trials and tribulations then this is ideal. Thank you NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Lake Union Publishing for letting me read and review this book.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. It seems impossible what some people will do during wartime to make sure their family members are well taken care of. I loved the way the book shifted time periods. I highly recommend reading this book. It is different from other WWII books. Uplifting and sad at the same time.