An Ordinary Life

I received an advance copy of, An Ordinary Life, by Amanda Prowse. I really liked this book about Molly, who in her 90's recalls her life, mainly the bad. It was a very good book.

What a beautiful beautiful read, loved every page, thank you Amanda, for letting me have an advanced copy and you've done it again, made me smile, made me cry, spending time with marvelous Molly was a pure joy ❤️
A wonderful story with some really lovely charecters

2.5 stars rounded up, generously. **This review may contain spoilers for those who have not read the book yet. **
This was such a disappointment! But for once, the title is correct - this is definitely and Ordinary book. There is nothing special about it. I cannot feel anything towards Molly in her plight as she was written as such a weak character - and I don't say that lightly.

During the war, many women in Europe bravely faced daily challenges - rationing, loved ones gone missing or killed in the Blitz, sons and husbands killed or taken captive during the war. Nothing was easy about any of it. But I just could not empathize with Molly at all in this entire story. It seemed that every time she was faced with a challenge, she just ... gave up. And why did this story go on as long as it did? Had Molly died in the 60s, 70s, 80s or even 90s.... nothing would have changed at all for the story. I was expecting so much more and honestly, even when there was a chance for everything to come to light, and make reading this entire story worthwhile... it doesn't happen.

There are so many better books out there with almost the same storyline, so give this one a pass.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this beautiful book. Amanda Prowse you have done it again and written such a heartfelt and emotional read of love and loss and how some secrets can be kept for a life time along with the precious memories they bring. This was a delight to read even though it did leave me a crumpled mess by the end. Once I had started reading it I couldn’t put it down and read it pretty much in one sitting I enjoyed the descriptions of wartime and how the story started at the current time then worked its way back through the years back to the present day with all of the events of that time intertwined in such a clever way and how the events of the story all linked together and where unfolded as the story went on.

I highly recommend this book and also Amanda Prowse other novels as she deals with real life problem and issues in a very heartfelt and sensitive way.

Wow what a stunning novel from Amanda Prowse. The story starts with Molly age 94,who after an accident, ends up in hospital ,she had started writing a letter to her son and soon her thoughts go back to when she was a young girl .Her story spans over 70 years and its truly breathtaking, such wonderful characters and it tells ot lost love family ties and a heartbreaking decision she has to make ,which is so sad but beautiful as well .A truly amazing read and the ending is so poignant I had tears rolling down my cheeks, but they were happy tears as well .I'll be seeing you Molly

What a blockbuster of a book! Amanda has departed from her usual genre to some extent in this absorbing story which starts out during world war two and spans the years in between right up to the present day. The format may have changed but the human interest at the heart of the story is handled with Amanda's usual deft touch. We see events through the eyes of Marvellous Molly, or M as she has been christened by the handsome soldier brother of her best friend. Dragged reluctantly out for a drink after work , Molly is introduced to handsome Jo and for both of them it's a coup de foudre. It's a love that will inform and mould the rest of Molly's long life. A few snatched moments is all they have before Jo is killed during preparations for DDay landings. Molly is left bereft and pregnant at a time when being an unmarried mother meant disgrace and stigma. Determined to keep her precious baby, Molly hides the pregnancy from all but her devoted older sister , Joyce, who poignantly is unable to bear children with her devoted husband Albert. Molly gives birth alone in the bathroom of the home she still shares with her unbending, remote mother. Disowned by her mother, bereft by her all consuming grief for Jo and losing her job at the war ministry, Molly is recruited , thanks to her fluent French, to embark on a dangerous mission to occupied France. Fired by a burning desire to avenge her beloved' s death and to ensure her son grows up in a safer world, she agrees to allow Joyce and Albert to take little Jo to live with them in the country where he will be safer. The sisters agree he will be returned after the war. There follows a story spanning 8 decades , encompassing grief, loss, the human cost of war, heroism in it's many forms and ultimately, the greatest of all emotions, love. This glorious book would make the most wonderful television saga and I hope some far sighted producer reads it and makes it happen. I would give this book more than 5* were it possible. Absolutely spellbinding! Another triumph from the incomparable Amanda Prowse

It's December and molly is 94. She is working hard on writing a letter.. I really liked molly. I liked the descriptions. I lost interest some.. I liked the dialogue and characters.

An Ordinary Life tells the story of Molly, who at the beginning of the book is 94 years old and in hospital after having a fall at home. She was in the process of writing a letter to her son.
The story then reverts back to the early stages of World War 2 and follows Molly's story throughout the years.
I enjoyed this book immensely, having worked with the elderly there are lots of stories about the war told but many untold due to the traumatic events and experiences. It covers life, love, and loss all wrapped up in Amanda's usual brilliant writing.
Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for free copy in exchange for an honest review

Another brilliant book by Amanda that I couldn't put down. I have read every one of her books and they are all as brilliant as the previous ones. A lovely easy read set in the war and then present time and was moving in places and Molly is such a likeable character, you just wanted to give her a hug! I highly recommend this book and author.

An easy, quick read. Set in the war to
present times, this is an emotional read, if a tad corny at times! I liked the main character and the section in the war but it was a little predictable.

Thanks to NetGalley for my review copy.

Lovely lovely story..The author writes the most involving stories characters that come alive.Molly now in her nineties remembering her life is a moving novel that will have you feeling all the emotions.Will be recommending to everyone who wants to be swept away.#netgalley #anordinarylife

I loved Molly. Such a simple straightforward story from her young days in the war up to the present day. How she dealt with everything life threw at her, coped with tragedy and loss, but still had a long., happy and fulfilled life, although never getting over her first and only love. I can never give any of Amanda Prowse's books less than 5 stars, as that is what they thoroughly deserve.

This is a tender, loving, life story about Molly, who now at 94 is at the end of her time on earth.
She has secrets, heartache and has had a journey that not many could ever imagine,
Her siblings know some of the tragedy of Molly's life, but not all.
Her survival was not easy and not without surrendering her most precious gift!
Can she at the end of her earthly time, find the serenity that she needs?

I love Amanda Prowse's books and I always feel as if I made new friends in each book. This is no exception and I truly loved the character of Molly and her family!
Excellent!

This is book is 5 + stars !! I loved this whole story line and it was great to take a break from all the psychological thrillers I have been reading in the past few months (which are my favorite genre). Amanda Prowse just knows how to write an awesome story and I loved this one from the beginning to the end. She is a 94 year old woman, reliving all her many years and boy does she ever!! I highly recommend this book to all!! Thanks to NetGalley for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first time that I have experienced Amanda Prowse's work and I am quite surprised that I haven't tried it before.
Set in the times of World War Two, we join Molly as she looks back at her seemingly ordinary life.
While the storyline and the plot seemed a bit predictable, I absolutely adored the author's style of writing. The story is rich in vivid imagery and effortless descriptions which added a. lot of depth to the narrative. Amanda Prowse has an exceptional way with words while penning down human emotions and she has captured its complexities extremely well.
However, the story ran slightly longer than I would have preferred. I felt that the chapters towards the end could have been shorter as the general idea of her life was already conveyed by then.

Though, each decade of Molly's life is captured quite well, I would have preferred more attention given to her relationship with Joe. Perhaps, the depiction of Molly sharing a few tender moments with Joe as he grows up, would have made it a better read for me. I found myself quite restless at the sudden mention of all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and it made me feel a bit disconnected from the story though I understand the author's intention of wanting to depict the changing times of Molly's life.

Overall, its a nice tale of courage and emotions. Though, predictable and on the longer side, Molly's life did draw me in and I would recommend it for a quick one time read for the beautiful way it has been written.

Well what isn't there to love about this story, as always Amanda Prowse weaves a wonderful story from the offset with characters that are relatable and jump off of the pages.

We meet Molly towards the end of WW2 as a young lady working to support her family. As we jump between her memories and present day we discover how her decisions have influenced her life and get to see if she would have done anything differently given the choice.

I loved this story, it was aptly named as all Molly was ever aiming for was an ordinary life. Once again Amanda Prowse has delivered a wonderful story that must hooks you in and leaves you frantically turning the pages to see what comes next.

Do you ever stop and look at an elderly gentleman or lady and wonder what filled their life? Was it family? A career? Did they love? Were they loved? Did they travel? We often just see a wrinkled face and rarely stop to wonder what precious moments a senior has experienced. Amanda Prowse, in her endearing novel, ’An Ordinary Life,’ writes to prove that we should never, ever judge a book by its cover. Especially when it comes to our fellow human beings. Those wrinkles are earned and there’s always a story behind them.

Eighteen year old Mary (Molly) Colloway’s life was anything but ordinary. When she meets her best friend’s brother, Johan, in December 1943, it’s love at first sight. Although they only had a few days together, he leaves her to guard something precious. When he breaks her heart, her sister, Jocelyn, comes to her rescue. Offering to lighten Molly’s load, Jocelyn agrees to keep a secret enabling Molly to throw herself into her career helping in the war effort. Her job at the Foreign Office in the translation department has equipped Molly to join the Resistance and her bravery helps save countless lives. As she reminisces about her 94 years from her hospital bed, Molly realizes that she truly has had an extraordinary life. The burden of secrecy, in retrospect, is what has enriched her life.

I love stories such as this that feature strong women who are brought to their knees and due to circumstances forced to dig deep and draw on strength they didn’t know they possessed. In doing so, they make the best of a bad situation and, in many cases, find that the whole experience has enriched their life. Molly, the youngest in a family of five, lost her father to cancer when she was a child and has lived with a bitter, resentful, and emotionally distant mother. Rather than dwell on her wretched home life, Molly grabs the first opportunity to move out and move on with her life. Each time Miss Molly falls into a huge pothole of devastation and sadness she claws her way back to life and happiness through sheer determination. Central to the theme of this wartime love story is love, loss, secrets and the necessity of creating one’s own happiness in the midst of a world at war. Prowse deftly invites readers into the protagonist’s inner circle and allows them to experience the joy and sadness that shape who the characters are and what they represent. This is more than a wartime romance, it’s about character building in spite of our circumstances and creating a lifetime of memories by putting one foot after another, one day at a time. I read an interview with Prowse where she describes how she has a ‘whoosh’ moment where the concept of the book, almost fully formed, comes to her and she has to immediately write it down detail by detail before it gets lost. I love when authors share the writing process with their readers! Here’s to many more ‘whoosh’ moments, Mrs. Prowse! The world needs more of your books.

Thank you to Amanda Prowse, Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to read this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!
There was nothing ordinary about the life of 94-year-old Molly, Marvellous Molly, or M, to those who loved her.
But who would think it of an elderly woman, quietly going about her life?
As she lays on her hospital bed we are taken through her story, spanning from the midst of World War 2, up to the present day,
Molly, as many women did, stepped up in WW2, working hard to bolster the efforts of the country, both in legal, some illicit ways.
Along the way, she fell in love, but sometimes, fate has a nasty way of dashing all your hopes and dreams.
I really don't want to give away any spoilers, but let me just say, Molly's story, her secrets, and how the story ends, really touched me.
The vivid setting descriptions written by Amanda Prowse, the words used to convey the emotions of the characters, all worked, and I was hooked all the way through. What a heroine, Marvellous M!

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

This book is a bit different to Amanda Prowse's usual genre and is more of a historical fiction novel. I started to read the book, and through certain events, I thought it would be another predictable book like many others in this era, but I was wrong!

I really enjoyed this book. The character of 'Marvellous Molly is very well drawn and I empathised with her. It is a story of family, war, tragedy, hope, loss and love.

Highly recommend!

I'm never disappointed by a book written by Amanda. She has that unique way to tap into your emotions like nobody else can. I'm always left numb but uplifted by her books and this is just as powerful. This is a truly an incredible life of a remarkable woman spanning the decades. I love storylines set around the war but this book comes back to the present day, which is truly a bonus. Loved it from start to finish.

What an absolutely beautiful book this is.

Molly is a character that will stay with me for a very long time. As soon as I started reading her story, she instantly captured my heart.

The book starts at the end of Molly’s story then goes right back to the beginning where it all begins. Such a great layout to the story and as you follow Molly through her life, you soon realise the strength, warmth and love radiating from this lady, as well as the heart ache that she goes through. It’s so beautifully written that I felt completely lost in the whole story and could actually visualise everything that was going on.

It’s really hard to give this book justice without giving anything away, but I can assure you that it’s one of the most touching books I’ve read in quite a while. The ending to this book is simply beautiful.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I have liked everything this author has written and this was no exception. Great storyline, great characters. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

I have just read two books by Amanda Prowse back to back and while I raved about the other one I’m not so keen on this one. I think I’ve reviewed one of Prowse’s novels before where there is a historical aspect to it and I’ve struggled with it. While the characterisation is as strong as usual in her novels and I fell in love with Molly and her family. On the negative side though I felt the bulk of the novel, set in the 1940’s just didn’t ring true. Characters spoke about their feelings and self esteem in a way that people just didn’t back then and the use of modern day colloquialisms meant I was constantly finding things that stood out like sore thumbs and it broke the flow of the story.
The section in France was wonderful and has Prowse’s usual fast paced and taut writing which made me gasp out loud more than once.
Don’t get me wrong, I read this in a day and stayed up late to finish it and it is an enjoyable story but for me, it just fell short compared to the authors other novels.

Molly's story will stay in my heart forever, it's so beautifully written and I felt everything she went through. I cried on many occasions reading her story and sobbed at one particular chapter. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Another great book by Amanda Prowse! Loved this one from the first page until the last. As always, her books hook you from the very start and keep you reading until the end. I’ve read many Amanda Prowse books and this one might be my favorite!
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

An Ordinary Life is so far removed from ordinary it might be titled An Extraordinary Life. Nevertheless, it is a beautifully written and at times heart-breaking, wrenching and warming. It made me feel for the characters, most impactfully Molly. She was no ordinary person and lived no ordinary life, If there is such a thing.

I enjoy historical fiction and the WWII sub-genre particularly. I've read many books set during this time period and have found them all enjoyable. AOL, though, was very special. The sacrifices Molly made over the course of her life and career and the compartmentalized way in which she kept her own confidences, was inspiring. Wanting only the best for her "nephew" and willing to do virtually anything to make sure he had all the advantages a stable home life could offer, was foremost in Molly's mind and guided the majority of her major decisions.

She led a daring and unconventional life for the time. A working woman with a career mindset was unusual to say the least. Unmarried, with no plans to become involved in a relationship that would result in marriage was also outside the norm. Although sometimes, the universe has its own designs and Molly falls in love, almost at first sight. But it was not to be . . . however the love endured throughout her long life.

The ending was one of the most poignantly written that I have read in a very long time. I hope I go in just that way.

Read this wonderful book. You won't be disappointed.

Once again I was overjoyed to be able to have an Amanda Prowse novel in my hands. I never find out what her novels are about, I never have to, as they are always a wonderful read, and this is no exception.

Although a bit of a different era for her story to be set, we do begin in present time and only travel back to wartime to understand the varied life that the now 94-year-old Molly has led.
Molly lives alone and has a fall whilst writing a letter to her son which she so desperately wants him to read. We soon realise that this is no boring old lady with a normal life. This really makes you think about people in general, and the elderly, what they have lived through and the experiences they have had. Do you ever wonder what they’ve seen, lived through, experienced?

Molly has had the most interesting life, full of sadness, yet full of so much good. Losing her one true love before they got a chance to make a life together, Molly loses more than her partner, she loses her best friend and a life with a loving family.
So beautifully written, the story of how Molly selflessly puts her son first in all that she does, seeing her life take a turn that she could never have imagined. The book was also a surprise to me when Molly’s story became one of bravery, secrecy, lies and deceit and even death. At more than one point I was holding my breath wondering what was coming next.
The things she has seen.... yet this loving lady never gets her true happily ever after. No one compares to her lost love; however, she manages to surround herself in many loving family members... if only they truly knew her story...
Let’s hope her son finds that letter. And knows the connection was real.

I absolutely loved this book, and I am so grateful to have taken a trip back in time with this wonderful author. You can’t judge a book by its cover - and there’s certainly more to this book than you think, and more to the lovely Molly.

Once again thank you to Amanda Prowse and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this tale of a true wartime hero.

Such a lovely read of family, friendship and loss in a few different ways. Amanda Prowse always manages to write the type of book that’s impossible to leave down so I’m glad I wasn’t working today or I couldn’t wait to get to the finish. I got this as an arc to read and the opinions expressed are entirely my own views and are completely unbiased.

Prowse has a way with her prose. In her latest book she pens a poignant story of Molly’s life. Molly’s story is told after she tumbled down the stairs at 94 and there is something she needs to complete. To tell a close relative the truth. Readers then travel through Molly’s life and the one special love she found, ever so briefly. I loved the connection between Johann and Molly. Molly was forced to make tough decisions and live with them, but her extended family were close to comfort her. The ending was perfect.

Oh my, Amanda really does know how to tell a story! Here, we start with Molly struggling to write a letter for her nephew, who in truth is her son which has been keep a secret for over 70 years! Molly has an accident and we then learn of her Ordinary Life, which is no Ordinary life at all. I was engrossed all the way through from 1943 to 2019. At the end of the day a mother's love is everlasting.

I had no idea what to expect when I started reading this as I never bother to read the blub on the cover of any of amandas books, shes yet to write one I haven't enjoyed and this one certainly doesnt dissapoint. Molly is a phenomenal character and someone I could relate to on so many levels. I loved to concept of the sotry, with it starting at age 94 and then going back to the first world war when Mollys life became anything but ordinary. I always find that Amanda is so gifted in the way she manages to portray the complicated family dyniamics and emotional baggage that her characters have. There's no fakeness or unrealistic situations to try and get your head around. I also love that theres no really awkward sex scenes with dodgy descriptions of body parts to endure, only suggestion and I really enjoy that.
I found the story fascinating and enthralling. The timespan intreguing and the end frustrating because I simply didnt want it to end. I hope there is another glimmer into the lives within the cover, maybe a short story or two?
This was the perfect antidote to a year of chaos and confusion and feeling like things are pretty rough. To read what families had to endure, how mental health support was unheard of how limited life could be really puts things into perspective. I have an elderly grandmother who was evacuated as a child during the war and I often, whilst reading this was thinking of her and what her childhood was like and how different her life could have been if she was any older.
It really is a beautifully told story of love, selflessness, hope and determination. One I have already recommended to friends and family.

Amanda has once again penned a best seller. A lovely easy to read story that has love, secrets, friendships and strong family ties.

An Ordinary Life, by Amanda Prowse

I think this book is a wonderful tribute to those who died during ‘Exercise Tiger’ on 28th April 1944 in Devon.

This book gave me so much to think about, lots of characters, relationships with a backstory of the times they’re in.
War time was flooded with secrets one way or another, whether linked to the atrocities that come with war or those closer to home and more personal.

This story is set in the Second World War. It tells of a family, it’s dynamics and stays with Molly, sharing her story, from age 18- 94
I’ll try not to drop any spoilers.

I felt this book was written differently to the authors previous books . I don’t know how it’s different, I can’t quite put my finger in what it is.
What I can tell you is that it made me laugh and cry a lot.
I found myself caring about the characters and thoroughly enjoy their adventures along the way.

Amanda Prowse is an author I very much enjoy reading. Her books are written about characters who feel very real and familiar. I found this book difficult to put down once I had begun reading. Molly is an old lady who suffers a stroke at the age of 94 years and as she lies in the hospital bed is reliving the story of her life in her mind. This story begins at the time of the second World War. It is both unexpected and yet lovely. At times I was elated for her and at others I shared her sadness. The ending did leave me with mixed feelings, which I won't share as this may spoil it for others reading the book. Please do read it and remember to value your family.

Thanks netball for my copy of Amanda's latest novel. As always with her books i loved it and found it hard to put down. A beautiful story of family live loss and friendships.

An old woman lies in a hospital bed after a stroke and accident, remembering her life. She worked during the war as a decoder and met the brother of a co-worker. They fell in love and planned to marry but he was called to fight. She was left alone, and tried to begin again as a courier for the resistance.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse
Amanda Prowse is such a great storyteller! This is a story of family, motherhood, war and love of country. She has such a way with words. She tells the story such finesse. You will literally not want to put this book down. You can relate to all of the characters.
Living through war can be hell !! A hell not all of us have been through. What if during the war, you find the love of your life? What if you discover you are pregnant? You hide the pregnancy from everyone so that you can continue working, bringing in money to the household and avoid the shameful looks from friends and family.
Are you willing to let your barren sister raise the child as her own for the safety of all involved? Are you willing to be a spy for your country? Think of the money it will pay, the future it could provide. But, in reality, we are all just striving for an ordinary life. To feel the sun on our faces. To work in our garden. To know the joy of being called “Grandma”.
This book is so beautifully written. The characters are so relatable. I felt all of their emotions, ups and downs, highs and lows. You will not want to put this book down!! Enjoy.

Another 5 star read from my favourite author , 94. Year old Molly has anything but an ordinary life . I don’t want to post any spoilers but she is brave heroic and has a lot of heartbreak in her life. I laughed and cried (big fat ugly teats) I didn’t want the book to end

In An Ordinary Life, Amanda Prowse tells the story of Molly, an elderly woman who spends the novel looking back at the twists and turns of her ordinary life. However, it was NOT an ordinary life! From her time working underground in World War II, to her career in hospital administration as a single woman, she has lived quite an extraordinary life in which she has had to keep one huge secret, one of a sacrifice that almost broke her. Now, after a fall at the age of 94, she is unable to speak, but her memories are the basis of this beautiful and compelling novel that makes me want to reach out to her, just to sit, have a cuppa and talk.

Amanda Prowse has a way of setting a scene and telling a story so that you become so involved, when you close the book, coming back to reality is quite jarring. This is especially true in this novel, as you suffer through the bombing of London and sit in the bomb shelters with Molly, as you run with her during the French Resistance, and especially as you sit in her garden and smell the flowers and chat. I thank the author, Amazon UK and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. I've always enjoyed Ms. Prowse's work, but this novel is exceptional!

I adore Amanda Drowse and an author, and this one has to be one of my favourites. I loved the historical element. The characters had my sympathies and care. It was a suspenseful, thought provoking tale full of sadness, humour, and life choices. I highly recommend this book!

4.5 stars

I received a complimentary Kindle copy of this book from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Amanda Prowse, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

It seems that 2020 has helped me rediscover Amanda Prowse!! This is the third book of hers that I have read this year and I have not been disappointed. At all. Amanda's books are just lovely and what I need during these COVID-19 times. Her books are a well-written escape with beautiful fleshed out characters and settings. I was surprised that I really enjoyed this book as I said that I "was done" with WWII books. It was perfect, romantic, and real!! The only thing the title is a misnomer - it should really be "An EXTRAORDINARY Life"!!!

Highly recommend!!!

I could not put down An Ordinary Life, by Amanda Prowse. The story pulls at your heart strings as you follow Molly from the 1940s in London during the war to Christmas Eve of 2019. You’ll watch as she falls in love during a dark time in history, makes an unforgettable sacrifice, and helps the war efforts as she assists the French Resistance!

Once again Amanda Prowse has delivered a wonderful novel of hope against adversity. A wartime young girl who falls in love, gets pregnant and as she is about to tell the love of her life she learns he has been killed. What follows is the story of her extraordinary life. I devoured this book in two days and loved every second of it.

Such a fantastic life which was celebrated on the pages of Amanda’s latest novel.
An Ordinary Life tells of Molly’s life during WWII, an incredible young lady, with her whole life ahead of her, yet fate dealt her a mixed bag.
Caught up in social prejudice of times gone by and the impact they have on family dynamics this book is beautifully written that the reader really invests in the lead character.
A slightly different read by Amanda but as always a book you don’t want to put down because you just need to know what’s going to happen next.
Loved it. A tribute to the many brave men and women of a bygone era to whom we should be forever grateful for their courage and sacrifice.

AN ORDINARY LIFE by Amanda Prowse follows the life of Molly, a woman who lives through the stresses of World War II and life afterwards. Molly is the definition of a strong woman: refusing to accept her circumstances, refusing the live how society thinks women should, and forges her own path toward when others don’t support her. My favorite part of the book was seeing Molly evolve from her teenage years into an old 94 year old woman. Growing old isn’t a privilege and that is a sentiment that I’m reminded of today. The ending made me cry, get ready.

This book was a page turner and because you just want to knows what happens in Molly’s life next. A beautiful novel of strength, loss, love, and family.

Review posted on @polished_bookworm on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CJWICr9g1Wq/

An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse
I was drawn into this book from about page three. I walked around my house tending to things but reading as I went along. I couldn’t put it down. It was very well written, the story very well plotted out, everything seemed to flow. I wanted to see how it was going to end very much from the beginning. I became invested in the characters and wanted to keep reading. If you are looking for a good book to pick up, this one won’t disappoint you. It has suspense, romance, danger……Great story.

I received this book from NetGalley.com in the kindle format. My words and opinion of this book are my own freely given. #AnOrdinaryLife #AmandaProwse #NetGalley


Description
From the bestselling author of The Girl in the Corner comes a tale of love, loss—and one last extraordinary dance.
Christmas Eve, 2019. Ninety-four-year-old Molly lies in her hospital bed. A stroke and a fall may have broken her body—but her mind is alive with memories.
London, 1940s. Molly is a bright young woman, determined to help the war effort and keep her head up despite it all. Life becomes brighter when she meets and falls in love with a man who makes her forget everything with one dance. But then war forces her to make an unforgettable sacrifice, and when she’s brought to her knees by a daring undercover mission with the French Resistance, only her sister knows the secret weighing heavily on Molly’s heart.
Now, lying in her hospital bed, Molly can’t escape the memories of what she lost all those years ago. But she is not as alone as she thinks.
Will she be able to find peace—and finally understand that what seemed to be an ordinary life was anything but

A most wonderful book.nicely written, kept your attention. Made me cry several times. Taking you through a women’s life.

I read this in ONE day, I could not put it down! I felt attached to Molly and my heart tugged and ached as I read about her present life and her past. I was completely captivated from start to finish. Amanda Prowse is such an amazingly talented author and has written a beautiful and emotional novel. I loved it!

#AnOrdinaryLife #NetGalley
Thanks NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, Amanda Prowse for an ARC to review.
5 solid spectacular stars! Amanda's writes characters who will stay forever etched on your memories. An ordinary life tells the tale of an extraordinary woman who lived a life so far from ordinary.
Molly a bright young woman who contributes to the war effort through her translation work and is looking forward to a career and a full life once the awful war is over. An after work dance changes her life's course forever.
Now 94 years old lying in her hospital bed, Molly recounts her life, her losses and her heartaches.
A splendid story about war, love, life, loss, selflessness and anything that's but ordinary!

The book starts with Molly, an old lady, in present day remembering her life and writing a letter to complete a promise she made to her beloved sister.

We then go back with Molly to the war years, where Molly is helping the war effort by translating documents for the Government. An invitation which is to change the course of her life comes from her best friend, and colleague, when she persuades Molly to come out for a drink with her and her brother after work. This then affect the course of her life.

Molly's war years are extremely hard, and like others she has to make enormous sacrifices, but some sacrifices are enough to test you to breaking point. Then Molly is asked to undertake a mission on behalf of the Government, and she accepts as she will do anything to help shorten the war, and thereby keep safe those she loves.

Molly's life goes through many ups and downs and hardships no one should ever have to face - unfortunately many did in those hard times. Still she comes through and looking back she had anything but An Ordinary Life.

Another fantastic book by this extremely talented author. The characterisations are perfect, with instantly believable and recognisable characters. Various parts of the story probably happened to many people at the time. The story was pacey, and interesting from start to finish, and I didn't want to put it down. The only part I would have changed was the ending but that's subjective. I would have liked her to complete a promise made.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough - and it's one I feel will appeal to a large audience.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3739936127

Molly certainly does not have an ordinary life! She is a remarkable and engaging character, who swiftly becomes under your skin. I simply could not stop reading this enthralling book and was blown away by the bravery and determination of Molly. Set in World War Two, she shows that she is an extraordinary woman who is willing to fight for what she loves, despite the terrible things that befall her. Her resilience is inspiring and on many occasions I found myself in tears for her and the difficult decisions she was compelled to make.
Such an emotional book, it was such a page turner and totally had me absorbed from the first page.
I love historical fiction and I love an emotional journey, this book ticked so many of my boxes for both of these, it’s brilliant!

Well didn't I choose to start the year off with a bang?!

An Ordinary Life tells the tale of a woman who was far from ordinary. Beginning in the present day when the protagonist, Molly, is 94 years old, we then flash back to her late teens, during World War 2, and watch as her life unfolds, filled with moments of joy, sorrow, heartbreak, terror and love. We see the choices she made during the war and how those choices go on to mould the rest of her life until we are brought right back to the present day again.

Elements of the plot were predictable but I think that's always the case with a story which chooses to start at the end and certainly, in the case of this novel, it doesn't detract from the enjoyment. If anything, it heightens the anticipation as you wait for the inevitable to happen. There are a couple of things which happen at the end of the novel, one of which I loved and one I can't decide if I liked or not. Part of me feels it was entirely the right thing to do within the story and another part of me feels it should have been done differently but I can't explain more without spoiling it, so I'll just say you'll have to read it yourself and make up your own mind!

If you like historical fiction with a dash of romance, a splash of action and a lot of heart, then this book is for you.

This book was a definite 5 stars for me!! This is a beautiful story of Molly's life. At 94 years old, Molly always liked to say her life has been ordinary. But, in reality her life has been anything but ordinary. The life of Marvelous Molly was brave and heartbreaking at the same time. I do not want to give any story spoilers here, other than to say READ IT! You will not be sorry.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book. After reading this book I look forward to reading other books written by Amanda Prowse.

My thanks to Netgalley for my copy of An Ordinary Life. I've long been an admirer of Amanda Prowse's work but I think this must be the most beautiful of them all. A really charming book which should be sold with an accompanying box of tissues because if you're anything like me you will shed many tears, both of sadness and also happiness. The plot would make a great television series.

Omg Amanda Prowse never fails to make me cry and this story of Molly is no different. We begin with Molly, in her 90’s being found by her niece after having a full. We are then taken back to Molly’s you get life starting during world war 2 and we learn of her deeply emotional story. An amazing read, most definitely recommend.

Another good read from this author, sensitively written about families and friendships although it did take me a while to get into this story line it didn't really grip me and I found some parts of the story a bit depressing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Absolutely amazing!

I’ve read previous books from Amanda prowse before and this is definitely my favourite.
It starts with Molly in 2019, she’s writing a letter.... Then we jump back to the Second World War and Molly begins her story. A lot of downs, but Molly always manages to come out the other side. Definitely recommend you all to read this.

Amanda Prowse really knows how to write a tear-jerker. She captures emotions just perfectly in her writing. This book is no exception.
This book is about family, love and hope. We are reliving the life of Molly, who is in hospital after a stroke. We are taken on a journey through time of this wonderful woman’s life. It was certainly anything but ordinary!
This was certainly a step out of my comfort zone, as I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, but it was so worth it to be encaptured by this story.
This is really a page-turner and a fantastic read.

I’ve just finished this beautiful book with tears rolling down my face . Each time I read a book by Amanda I think this was her best one yet and again I’m proved wrong.

The book opens with Molly who is 94 and has just had an accident falling down her stairs. The burning thought in her mind is the letter she has just written to her son which may now go unread.

We travel through Molly’s life in every wonderful chapter. From a young 18 year old to present day. The trials of war are beautifully explored and the very different times were people kept up appearances and unmarried mothers were looked down on were a reality of not so long ago.

A mothers love shines through this book. The sacrifices Molly made for her son were heartbreaking but I was so full of admiration for her courage. My own mother and grandmother have been a huge influence in my life and as I read Molly’s story I connected with how the circle of life turns. The decline in physical health versus the young mind full of memories is so relatable. The lives lead by previous generations largely remain untold. My own granny told me she was to be engaged to a solider who never came back from the war. This was something she had never disclosed to anyone else and it came back to me as I read Molly’s story. How events can change history fascinates me.

This book was just what I needed to read as we all go through uncertain times. It reaffirms to me that material goods are not the most important things but family, love, happiness and hope are priceless. This book and Molly’s story will stay with me for a long time. I LOVED LOVED LOVED it.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my chance to read this fantastic book.

Another amazing heartfelt book from this author. I felt I was part of the story as it just pulls you in. I could not put this down. I feel like I grew up with the family. Just wonderful. The author always seems to jab you in the heart with her wonderful books.
Looking forward to more.

Thanks to the Author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

An Ordinary Life is the story of Molly, a flawed but lovable character whose life was anything but ordinary. I enjoyed this book, but WWII dominates the historical fiction genre, and this one didn't really stand out. I would have loved more of Molly's life and work during the war and less of her later years - much of the last quarter of the book felt unnecessary. I also prefer historical fiction with a strong sense of place and time, which this book lacked.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for early access to this book in exchange for my honest review.

Genre: Fiction

Release Date: 9th February 2021



It's Christmas Eve, 2019.

Molly is dying.

She knows that, and as she lays in her hospital bed to every passer-by she looks like just another frail 94-year old woman. Ordinary.

But she is far from that.

From her bed, Marvelous Molly relives almost a century of sadness, war and secrets... and of love, excitement and laughter. Counting the days backwards, we explore all the true loves and losses that Molly has lived through and still holds in her heart to this day. All of this is jotted down in a letter intended for her son ... and I really hope he gets to read it one day.

I fell in love with Molly from the moment I met her, first of all loving her like a kind grandmother and watching her form into a beautiful woman, a mother a law-breaker, a lover ... an entire person that society often forgets that can be hidden inside an elderly body.

Beautifully breathtaking, this tale of a beautiful life kept me in a constant state of wanting to cry and smile at the same time. Vivid and vibrant, I was sucked back in time to dance and laugh with Molly ... a woman who proved that life, in all it's ups and downs, is anything but ordinary.



RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley and Amanda Prowse for this ARC.

I have read nearly all of Amanda Prowse books and this was another amazing heartfelt story. It was just wonderful. I couldn't put this down. I felt I was part of the story as it just pulls you in. It brings all emotions, hope, sadness, happiness, I loved it! The author always seems to jab you in the heart with her wonderful books.
Looking forward to more.

Thanks to the Author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Despite the title this is no ordinary book and the lead character, Molly, did not lead an ordinary life. I love Amanda Prowse books, she never disappoints me, and this one is no exception. Historical fiction...Who knew I would enjoy it the way I did. I think it was the author, she did an exquisite job of describing the scenes and the emotions so well and the story-line is captivating.

I felt many things, right along with Molly, while reading this book...sadness, happiness, scared and hopeful. I loved how she never shied away from her mental illness and was never embarrassed about it, despite the time period she lived in. The book is so heart rending and beautifully written. It is a story that shows how war, and life's other surprises, can break our bodies but not our souls...if we don’t let it. Amazing book. Very hard subject matter but very well worth reading.

We are introduced to Molly age 94 writing a letter to her son. We are then taken back though a life that is anything but ordinary. From the Second World War in London to the present day Molly's life did not follow any of the paths she imagined but made for a rich story of strength over adversity, sadness and happiness. A wonderful story.

This is a book which begins at the end. Ninety four year old Molly has had a bad fall at home and suffered a stroke. In hospital, she fears she may never be able to finish writing a very important letter she always promised to. From this beginning, Amanda Prowse takes us back to 1940s London where young Molly meets a man who will change her life. We then follow Molly through her life until we get back to the present day. And what a life she has had!

Amanda Prowse is a prolific author never fails to write a book I enjoy. She is a wonderful storyteller and creates characters who seem so real and who you take to heart. Although this novel is a little different with its historical focus, as ever I was caught up with the life of her heroine through all its ups and downs. Molly didn't have an ordinary life. She had an extraordinary life, although in her later years she was content to live an ordinary life. Through her we see how women throughout time have had to face adversity with strength and courage. Her resilience was admirable and her secret was heart-breaking.

An Ordinary Life is a tender story of love, loss, courage and hope. Amanda Prowse's many fans won't be disappointed.

Wow Amanda has done it again. What a fabulous read and unlike the title there is nothing ordinary about this book. We first meet Molly as a 94 year old woman who falls down the stairs. Molly had an emotional rollercoaster of a life which was anything but ordinary. We go back in time to when Molly was a young girl working as a translator during the war. It is so easy to feel part of the family with these great characters. This book is so well written you can imagine yourself right there with them. Make sure you have tissues to hand and plenty of time as you will not want to put this book down. A well deserved 5 star read

The was a sweet book about a woman who had secrets. You get a glimpse of her long life and the family she loves and how it never seems to be the right time for revealing those secrets. She lived and loved her “ordinary life”, but this was only after a very non-ordinary beginning. I would definitely recommend this book.

An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse
A captivating and moving read by this bestselling author. Ninety four year old Molly takes a tumble and ends up in hospital. Her mind is alive with memories. It’s 1940 and while doing her part for the war effort she meets her one true love. With circumstances out of her control she is forced to make sacrifices that change her life forever. Working undercover and as part of the French Resistance she draws on her inner strength and the love of her family. Will Molly keep the promise she made to her sister? I couldn’t put this book down. I would strongly recommend this absorbing and wonderful read.

Another amazing book from Amanda focusing on an extraordinary female lead character Molly. A stand alone book following the story of Molly an ordinary woman who ends up in France during WW2 helping the resistance. Mollys life isn’t straightforward which gives depth to the book and it doesn’t end as you might hope or expect which I liked. If you want an easy to read book full of depth then you won’t be disappointed by this or any of Amanda’s books. I think Molly has become my favourite female from Amanda’s writings. Thanks NetGalley and Amanda.

Molly’s life was far from ordinary.
Aged 94 and lying in hospital after a fall and subsequent stroke, she reminisces about her life and a whirlwind love affair during war torn London, that ends in tragedy and leads to a heartbreaking decision that will change her forever.
Amanda Prowse is very good at exploring relationships and emotions, and this book is no exception. The bond between Molly and her sister Joyce was particularly moving.
Although it was a good solid read, I felt it was quite predictable and the story was similar to many books l’ve read before.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

M is for Marvelous

A heartbreaking story of a love taken too son and a young life altered forever by WWII. Such sadness I felt reading this book I had to stop and wipe away the tears so I could read on.

How much sadness and pain can one person handle in a lifetime? Can one ever forget the ugliness of the war and the horrible losses it inflicted on the families of the young men lost to them forever?

Molly certainly had her share of pain and misfortune. After she falls pregnant and before she can tell her boyfriend he is killed in the war. Her life is never the same, all she has left is a shiny button that fell from his uniform and the child he would never know. Because of the times and the circumstances she would have to make the most devastating decision in her life.

This book was one of the most emotional books I have read. Molly lost a lot and she saw a lot of horrible things in her secret work with the government. She was blessed to have sisters and a brother that loved her and were there for her although her mother was not.

As she lived her life from a young woman of nineteen to the ripe old age of ninety four her life was full. Her story filled with sadness, sorrow and love plays out within these pages. Her most closely guarded secret was never revealed.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I would highly recommend it.

Thanks to Amanda Prowse, Amazon Publishing U.K., and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy in return for an honest review.

I loved this story. Molly has been through so much in her life. The ups and the downs have made her life far from ordinary. She is a cherished member of her family and she is braver in so many ways than they will ever know. Beautifully told and memorable.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

The book starts at Christmas Eve 2019 when Molly who is 94 has a fall and ends up in hospital. It then jumps back to London in the 1940’s and relives through Molly’s memories throughout the decades.

I heartfelt story of love, loss and family relationships through war and it’s impact on her life.

An Amanda Prowse book will never let you down and this one is no exception. A perfect escape to another persons story and another lifetime - this book was beautifully written and gripping right up until the final pages. This is a brilliant combination of historical fiction and contemporary romance.

This was not your typical WWII book, there were many common themes as with other books, but the strength and independence of the main female character really set this one apart. I felt every emotion that Molly went through, her humanity and vulnerability allows the reader to really connect. I would highly recommend this book.

Molly Collway is ninety four and she's delayed starting a very important task for years, she needs to write a letter and she’s running out of time. Unfortunately Molly takes a tumble on the night she begins penning her letter, she has a stroke, and she’s unable to speak and ends up in hospital on Christmas Eve. Lying in her hospital Molly’s body is frail and broken and her mind is still sharp. A life time of reflection, some of her memories are wonderful others are incredibly sad and you have no idea how her story will end.

Molly’s life hasn’t been ordinary at all, she crammed a lot into ninety four years and she enriched many people’s lives. As a young woman she worked as an interpreter during WW II, fell in love with her best friends brother Johan, joined the resistance in France, worked as a POW liaison officer during and after WW II and her last job was working in the records department of a large English hospital.

As you read Molly’s story the years go by, she grows old and her secret is always on her mind. The story revolves around Molly finding peace with her past, accepting that she made the right decision as a young woman and at a very difficult time for her. Thanks to NetGalley for my copy of An Ordinary Life, I enjoyed the story, maybe it could have been a little shorter and three stars from me.

Another brilliant read from Amanda Prowse.

We meet Molly, or M as she is affectionately known. A 94 year old lady, nearing the end of her full life, telling of her efforts during WW2, and the letter she is writing to her son, when she has a fall, and ends up in hospital. The story goes back over 70 years of her life, and is beautiful.

Another rollercoaster of emotions from the author, ( but then I wouldn't expect anything else )! Amanda draws the reader into every book she writes, as though you are sharing the lives with the characters!

Many thanks to Netgalley, and Lake Union Publishers for the Arc copy, in return for a true and honest review

A treasure of a read. Molly is at long last writing a letter. One she has been wanting to write for decades. She is frail and elderly and this letter matters very much to her. She falls and remembers her past life. In the war she worked as a translator and through a friend met Johan whom she instantly fell in love with. One thing led to another and she had a baby, leaning soon afterwards that Johan had been killed. After having the baby and keeping her secret well hidden until the very last moment she tries to return to work- who doesn't want her. Neither does her mother as it will bring shame on the family name- something that lived on in many for decades afterwards- we are in oh such a different world now. She is approached about some work and her boss highly recommended her. She wants to do the best not only for the war effort but also to bring her baby back home as he is currently being cared for by her sister and her husband. Molly is now Claudette and part of the resistance.
This is the second resistance book I have read and found them very interesting (the first being Resistance by Patricia Dixon- please see my blog for 5* review). Both show women of determination and an inner steele to overcome adversity whatever life may throw at them. A truly memorable book. I loved Molly. An inspiring and educational read. To those who tread so easily in this life, read on- life for some is not quite so straightforward. An ordinary life is all some crave. Brilliant.
(rest if links as part of blog tour)

An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse a beautifully historic five-star read. I don’t want to go into too much detail as I wont do it justice but suffice to say this is heart wrenching and goes into great historical detail that will encapsulate you even if you don’t like historical stories.

This thoughtful work of historical fiction spans decades in the life of Molly Collway. Author Amanda Prowse does a marvelous job of examining the trials of a young lady coming of age during war. I was moved by our heroine, Molly and her brave journey through a life that repeatedly took an unplanned direction. At its heart this is a story of relationships, love and sacrifice. I wept with Molly even as I marveled at her stoic resolve to move forward and appreciate her life regardless of the heartbreaking struggles she faced. I highly recommend this beautifully told novel.

What a remarkable story told in Amanda Prowse’s indomitable style.
A tale of hope, courage and love narrated with emotion and as always realistic characters.
I loved this!
4.5 stars
My thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a heartfelt story of 94 year old Molly who, following a fall, remembers her life and love from war time through to her accident that finds her in hospital on Christmas Eve. It is beautifully written and draws you into Molly's life from being a young girl during the war and what she did to survive. Amanda Prowse has a style of writing that is descriptive and heart wrenching. Her characters and their lives are portrayed in a believable way that leaves the reading wanting more.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my copy of this novel

4.5 rounded up to 5

Another emotional read from Amanda Prowse. I can always count on going thru a few tissues when I read Ms. Prowse. She has quickly become one of my favorite authors.

Molly, our protagonist, ages from a young girl living with her Mother to a young woman in love, to a woman hardened by the choices she has to make to survive during the war to decisions later in life. This book will make you feel. Have tissues handy. Great characters, story can be a little predictable but story itself is beautifully written. Love the relationship between the siblings. This story will immerse you in the horrors of war, what people had to do to survive and how times have changed. I loved how Ms. Prowse would end a chapter with a major milestone in Molly’s life, then move on, knowing its effects, but not dwelling on it. Just as we must do, learn by it, move on, but never forget it.

Thanks to Ms. Prowse, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

I received a free e-ARC through Netgalley.
The story of Molly who has lived to be 94 years old, but hasn't told her biggest secret yet. We go through her life during WWII as it changes drastically and then her many years after the war when she is still affected by the way. Some people in looking at her life, living alone in a small cottage might think she had an ordinary life, not knowing what lay beneath. A good read about how one moment can change everything after.

solid 3.5
A thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.
I have to say that there are not many books that get a 4 or 5 from me... So a 3.5 is a very good book in my opinion. I agree with some other reviewers - there are a lot of psychological thrillers out there recently so this was a welcome change of pace. I'm a fan of WW II historical fiction and if you are as well, you may be tempted to pass this one by as just another WW II story. I thought that was how I would feel...but you would be wrong. While WW II is the background and the starting point, its more than that. Is some of it a bit predictable? yes. however this is the story of what Molly thinks is her ordinary life. As others have said, her life is anything but. The author does an excellent job of describing scenes, emotions and taking on issues such as mental illness in a time where it would not be popular. without giving anything away, you are rooting for a certain type of ending. will you get it? you need to read it to find out. But you'd better have some tissues.
Strongly recommend this book

Wonderful, wonderful story, another winner from Amanda Prowse. It's a heartbreaking story of a love taken too soon and a young life altered forever by WWII. It made you wonder how much sadness and pain one person could handle in a lifetime. Can one ever forget the ugliness of the war and the horrible losses it inflicted on the families of the young men lost to them forever? The story is about 94 year old Molly who lived anything but an ordinary life. How much do we actually know about our elders and the secrets they kept because they were seemed as being shameful. I loved this book, it kept you guessing until the very end as well. Just perfect, I loved every bit of it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

Oh wow this book is really sad but also filled with happy pockets of joy.

When Geer didn't turn up for work that day I felt I knew why but it didn't want to be right.

Poor Molly has had so much heartache in her life from so young but she remains so strong.

I was so sad when Mollt told her mother what had happened, her mums reaction was so harsh, sometimes I think religious beliefs can be so cruel, I know it was a different time then but I just really felt for Molly.

It's a really exciting Novel that keeps you involved right from the beginning, there is. A new thing that happens in almost each chapter. It's so gripping and entices you to read another page and another and another.

I really enjoyed the layout of the book, how it went through the years of Mollys life and the friendships she has along the way. She remains true to herself and shes a fabulous character, shes the sort of lady I'd love to enjoy a cuppa with so she can tell you about her life herself.

I absolutely balled my eyes out at various points in this book bit the ending nearly floored me. What an inspiring book and so enjoyable.

A Nonagenarian Recounts Her Life
This is the story about a very eventful life of an English woman who lived into her nineties. The story is very much about the deep-seated sadness brought about by WWII. This woman, her family, and her friends dealt with such unspeakable tragedy. Beyond the sadness, our heroine becomes stronger and deals with life's blows with grace and clarity. This is an amazing account of the struggle through sadness and depression back into a life worth living. I received this ARC for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I can count on one hand how many times a book has made me cry hard. An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse is part historical fiction and part romance fiction. Our story begins with 94-year-old Molly remembering her not so ordinary life. Love found and love lost, the atrocities of WWII, and the sacrifices made by so many for the better good of others. This was a very well-told story and a reminder of a time when the world seemed full of madness and hope was in short supply. I hope when this book becomes available in February 2021, that you’ll take a moment and read it and remember those, like my father, who gave up so much so that we could live in a peace-filled world. What a lovely story. Thank you to NetGalley for this book but the review and thoughts are my own and without bias. @netgalley #netgalley @mrsamandaprowse #reviewer #wwii #live #sacrifice #historicalfiction #womanfiction #survivor #hope #anordinarylife #amandaprowse #reading #books #bookstagram #book #read #bookworm #booklover #bookish #bibliophile #reader #novel #booksofinstagram #booklovers #bookish lindaleereads2021 #mmdbookclub #idratherbereading #readinglife #mmd #modernmrsdarcybookclub #january2021

IG: @bookbimbo

This story about Molly living and working during WW II, is anything but ordinary. She made many sacrifices both for her family and with her contributions to the war effort. This book is very well written, and told through Molly’s eyes. There are some very heart breaking parts to the story; however, you can’t help but keep turning the pages to see how this strong woman’s life played out. This book is part historical fiction and part romance, and well worth reading. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

At 94, Molly has fallen at home and ended up in the hospital. She started writing a letter to her son and you are taken back to 80 years of a lifetime. Molly goes back to the day she met Jo, the love of her life and continues to remember her life, the good, the bad, the heartbreak and the joy. I found this to be a wonderful story of a life lived and reflected. There is laughter, there are tears and beautiful remembrances.
Thank you to NetGalley, Amanda Prowse, and Amazon Publishing UK-Lake Union Publishing for an advanced copy of this book for a far and honest review.

I laughed, I cried, I gasped, and cringed...all due to the uncanny ability Amanda Prowse has to make you indentify with the amazing characters that she so easily brings to life. Molly is a very real woman who has not, in my opinion lived an ordinary life. She fell in love and lost her love, Johan, -a casualty of the war. She overcame so many obstacles and lost so much in her attempt to keep her dream a reality. The passages with her mother were so achingly heartbreaking to me, as were those with her sister, her husband and Joe. The tension during her activities with the French Resistance were palpable and felt so realistic. Loved Molly, especially her seeming acceptance and understanding of her emotional breakdowns. She endured so much heartbreak in her life, especially with Joe. The symbolism of the button was very touching throughout the story and very poignant when Joe found it. Hoping he finds her letter to him as well. Such an amazing read once again from Amanda Prowse, one of my favorite authors.many many thanks to Amanda Prowse, Kindle Edition, and NetGalley for affording me the honor of reading an arc of this soon to be published emotional story.

What an amazing, heartbreaking story. An emotional read and happy I had tissues near by as tears fell.
Story of Molly from a young girl to a young mother during the war to a woman who had to make hard decisions to survive and the impact on her life as the years went on.
M is for Marvelous

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to read this book.

A well written, well-told story of love and sacrifice. When Molly's life plans changed due to love and loss, she kept her determination to live the life she wanted. She didn't think that societal pressure that existed in the 1940's would force her to make decisions she would have never made if her mother and society would mind their own business. Her one decision to love changed her entire life. What happened next in her life, and all the next's provided anything but an ordinary life.

This is a wonderful book and it’s certainly not about an ordinary life. It does underscore, however, how one person’s journey can have a resounding effect on those around them, and how each experience adds yet another layer to the character of a person we become, until at the last, we are fully developed.

Beautifully written prose with words so perfectly chosen like these....”These were boys who she knew had not lived through the war, or they would know that a few upturned drawers was nothing compared to the sight of a flattened house with all its belongings lying splintered for all the world to see.” That simple sentence conveying the most awfulness of war trumps everything.

We meet Molly Collway as a young working girl in London doing her best to survive the Blitz, enjoying what simple pleasures she and her friends can find during wartime. She meets a young solder, falls in love and at this moment the reader decides the story will be very predictable. And for a few chapters it is, being very much saved by the emotional writing of the talented Amanda Prowse. It’s only predictable for a very short while before the reader is engaged in a relationship with a most remarkable cast of characters who will be remembered long after the last page is read. Don’t pass up this book.

What a lovely story. I don't usually read historical fiction, but I'm glad I had a chance to read this novel. Molly, the protagonist, is a wonderful character. She's so full of life and determination, no matter what circumstances she finds herself in. Her family members are also fully realized characters. The trip through time, from the middle of WWII when Molly is 18, until the age of 94, is an interesting take on each time period. Throughout the book, it becomes obvious that everybody has moments of extraordinary in an otherwise "ordinary life."

"Christmas Eve, 2019. Ninety-four-year-old Molly lies in her hospital bed. A stroke and a fall may have broken her body—but her mind is alive with memories.

London, 1940s. Molly is a bright young woman, determined to help the war effort and keep her head up despite it all. Life becomes brighter when she meets and falls in love with a man who makes her forget everything with one dance. But then war forces her to make an unforgettable sacrifice, and when she’s brought to her knees by a daring undercover mission with the French Resistance, only her sister knows the secret weighing heavily on Molly’s heart.

Now, lying in her hospital bed, Molly can’t escape the memories of what she lost all those years ago. But she is not as alone as she thinks.

Will she be able to find peace—and finally understand that what seemed to be an ordinary life was anything but?"

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The novel opens with 94 year old Molly Collway in her beloved cottage reflecting back on her life and finally planning to write a long promised letter to someone very important to her. A letter she never gets to finish. Her life hasn't always been easy, especially as a young woman, but her later years have been filled with love and family. It's her early years, as an 18 year old working as a translator in the Ministry of Information during WW2 that she recalls most strongly. Where her best friend Geer introduced her to her handsome brother Johan, a navy officer and they fell head over heels in love. For many young women, WW2 was an extraordinary time when they not only had to go out to work but also had to make choices they never would have been free to make before. The consequences of Molly's choices would set her life on the path that it took for the rest of her life.

Molly's story made for an enjoyable read, but lacked that something extra needed to lift Molly's life out of the ordinary after the war. However, it will likely appeal to readers who love family dramas.

<I>With thanks to Amazon UK Publishing and Netgalley for a digital copy to read</I>

What an absolutely beautiful and poignant telling of British life during and after World War II. The story is told through the memory of a woman 94 years old beginning in 1943 when Molly, our protagonist, is 18.

The descriptions are vivid to the point that I almost covered my ears while reading about the blitz. The development of the characters is excellent.

Thankfully, the storyline is straight forward carrying the reader through all the decades of Molly’s life, ending in 2019. There is no flip-flopping, back and forth (which has become so popular with writers and so irritating to readers) just a retelling of 75 years of life, death, loss and forgiveness.

In this era of such affluence we’re in, it’s good to read about those caught up in the ravages of war, having to make decisions they’d never choose in a stable time, but doing whatever they must to survive and provide stability for those they love.

I also very much appreciate the fact that each chapter was headed with the place, the date and the age Molly had achieved.

This novel gets 5* all around! I will look forward to others by Amanda Prowse. I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, Lake Union Publishing, in exchange for an unbiased review.

Historical fiction of a life during and after WWII. It is hard to read in places.If you let yourself think of the position people were in during those times,(especially women and children and the people of Great Britain) it is disturbing. Without giving any spoilers, there's not much to tell. I rather enjoyed the book but mainly felt sorry for this extraordinary/ deemed ordinary life.While dramatic, I did not like the ending.But the author definitely will evoke a variety of emotions from you as you read. Enjoy.
I was provided an advanced reader copy of this book and was under no obligation to provide a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Thanks to the author. publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I loved this book. Poor Molly, has had a lonely life, but makes the best of it. Her choices in life have allowed her to support herself and live on her own. Her sister Joyce, and Molly are very close and share the bond of Joe.
Lovely book. I miss Molly already.....

I always enjoy sitting down with a novel by Amanda Prowse; I enjoy the rollercoaster ride and ensure I have tissues to hand. Molly’s life was anything but ordinary and Amanda Prowse has cleverly weaved together a story of fictional history, memoir and love. Molly had to make some tough decisions and along the way she made some very special friends and work colleagues, and watched her small family grow. The thing that all these people had in common was that they all loved Molly.

Thank you to Amanda Prowse for another 5-star entertaining read. I adored Molly and didn’t want her extraordinary story to end.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of An Ordinary Life.

My rating:

Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Character development: 4 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for readers of:

Women’s Fiction
Historical Fiction



Review:

An ordinary life starts of when Molly who at age 94 lies immobile in a hospital bed after a stroke and a fall. This book tells the beautiful story about a kind strong woman who has experienced it all, love and loss and hast a few skeletons in her closet. Her remarkable story starts as a young girl during the war determined to do her bit until the present day in her hospital back reflecting back on her life. The book is beautifully written, highly emotional and very touching. The plot is nicely paced and flows well. The main characters are kind and strong people they have real human traits and their actions were well explained. This made them realistic

Overall:

An interesting story about a woman’s life that is far from ordinary. The writing is vivid and highly emotional. The characters were nice and feel realistic. This is great book that grabs you and holds you captivated till the end.

I loved this book. I would give it 5+ stars. I liked the historical storyline., and felt my heart hurt and rejoiced for Molly and the choices she chose to make over her life. What an inspiring character she is!!

I’m a great fan of Amada Prowse and have loved everything she’s ever written. It was no surprise, therefore, that I loved this wonderful book and enjoyed every minute spent within its pages. The book spans a very long time period from the second world war until the present day. Starting with the lead character, Molly, a 94-year-old who has suffered a bad fall and is unable to communicate with people although she has written a letter for her son that she is determined he should read. The story then goes back to Molly’s life as a 20-year-old. From thereon her story is told chronologically which is something I was especially happy about. No skipping back and forth – just a beginning, middle and end which made her fascinating life story so much easier to follow. She falls in love with Johan but their time together is short as the war forces them apart and what happens at that point changes many lives completely. Here is a story of love, loss, great sacrifice and at its heart is a remarkably strong woman. I loved the characters in this book. There are so many kind, courageous and lovable people all with their own stories to tell. This book highlights the fact that what we perceive about a person may be a million miles away from the truth. While Molly appears to be an ordinary woman, (and which is also the way she would describe herself), she is far, far more than that. Her extraordinary life, the horrors she goes through, the choices she makes, make this lady very extraordinary. This book had my heart breaking, my spirits lifting and my tears falling. Beautifully written as always by this eloquent author, it’s a book I’d recommend one hundred percent. My thanks to the publishers and to Netgalley for a pre release copy in return for my honest opinion.

I’m sorry but I just couldn’t get into this book. I won’t post a negative review on my blog or any social sites because I don’t want to hurt the author.

This particular novel stood out for me, as firstly, I had read one of Amanda’s novels before and enjoyed it and also this one is initially set in WW2 which I always enjoy reading about.

An Ordinary Life is all about Molly. A 94 year old woman who is stuck in a hospital bed after having a fall. A suspected stroke has left her unable to speak and there is an important letter she wanted delivered before she passed away but she never finished writing it. Instead we are given the privilege of seeing Molly’s life through her memories.

This is an emotional, moving story filled with love, loss, drama, tears and laughter and everything in-between. It is about strength and hope and how one person can be stretched to the limit and still survive. This book will have you sobbing your heart out one minute and crying tears of joy the next. It is a rollercoaster of emotions and the best way to describe it is bittersweet.

The character of Molly shows us every emotion a human goes through in life; love, pride, jealousy, grief, sadness, joy, anger…the list goes on. She is one of the most rounded characters I have read in a long time and her pure raw emotion makes her easy to relate to, even to someone who hasn’t grown up during a war or suffered that much loss. Molly is a beacon of hope, she shows us that even the strongest fall but that it is possible to get back up again with the right help.

This was such a beautiful story of a life which Molly sees as just an ordinary life but to us it seems far from ordinary. But, then I guess, to Molly and millions of others during the war it probably was just An Ordinary Life.

I don’t usually read fictional WW2 stories as I love hearing about the true stories so much more but this one was so well written. It flowed really nicely and the timeline was not complex or confusing due to the dates written at the beginning of the chapter. However, I do recommend having tissues to hand when you read this.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ – highly recommended if you like your WW2 dramas or if you are into emotional stories.

On Christmas Eve, 2019, 94-year-old Molly lies in a hospital bed with a broken body but a mind that's alive with memories. She recalls her life in 1940s London where she met and lost the two loves of her life and lived an adventure she wants but can't forget. Today, she's considered an ordinary woman, but that's enough for her. Does it matter if anyone else knows the reality of her life?
This book made me laugh, cry, feel afraid, and rejoice. To me, any book that makes me feel is a success! I couldn't believe all the drama and trauma Molly had to experience, but the tragedies did make her stronger as she leaned on her family.
While there are some potential triggers in this book - profanity, sexual content, war violence, mental health challenges, adoption - Amanda Prowse has a way of weaving a tale that's historical, entertaining and real. I appreciated that she included a mostly realistic look at mental health challenges, too.
I would definitely recommend this book and read other books by the author.

London, 1940s. Molly is a bright young woman, determined to help the war effort and keep her head up despite it all. Life becomes brighter when she meets and falls in love with a man who makes her forget everything with one dance. But then war forces her to make an unforgettable sacrifice, and when she’s brought to her knees by a daring undercover mission with the French Resistance, only her sister knows the secret weighing heavily on Molly’s heart.

Now, at the age of ninety-four, lying in her hospital bed, Molly can’t escape the memories of what she lost all those years ago.

Will she be able to find peace—and finally understand that what seemed to be an ordinary life was anything but?

When I started reading this, I did not think that I would love this book. It was such a beautiful and heartfelt story; I was so lost in Molly’s story that I did not even realize how the time flew and within a few hours I had finished reading it.

Often when we come across stories of people during the World War II, we hear and read examples of sacrifice, courage and exceptional strength through their actions. This story is no different.

This book takes us on a journey through Molly’s story. It covers the different experiences and emotions that one faces in life such as love, loss, grief, anger, joy and hope. Faced with some of the toughest decisions she did experience some emotional breakdowns but with every challenge or circumstance that Molly faced, she just grew stronger and never lost hope.

What’s amazing is that Molly considers her life ordinary but for us readers, it is far from that. In fact, I found her life both extraordinary and inspirational!

I would highly recommend this historical fiction to everyone! It is definitely worth reading!

Thank You NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC!

Molly Collway is in hospital after a stroke and a fall. The elderly lady's thoughts go back to her life, one that seems ordinary but, in reality, was anything but.

In the 1940s, Molly meets Johan de Fries, a handsome naval officer, and is swept off her feet. Their love affair is brief as he has to go away on a training exercise. Molly then finds herself having to make the hardest of decisions, involving a sacrifice that only her sister, Joyce, can truly understand.

Posted briefly to France on a dangerous mission, Molly is scarred by what she sees, yet her love for her family and one person, in particular, keeps her going.

The scars of her wartime adventures leave Molly struggling and she takes a while to recover, but her life becomes rich in ways she could not have imagined. Now, lying in hospital, memories threaten to overwhelm her, the truth she wanted to voice for so long frustratingly out of reach.

This is a lovely yet bittersweet story, shot through with family life, decisions, and raw emotion, and felt very believable. Molly's journey, her struggles with mental health, the life she carves out for herself after the war, the family that grows around her, all relate to a person that deals with the various challenges life presents.

Molly is a force of nature but very real, never wavering in her love for those closest to her heart. The ending is tinged with sadness, and yet seems perfect. Whether her family comes to know the truth or not no longer seems important, but there is a sense of closure.

I was sent an advance review copy of this book by Amazon Publishing UK, in return for an honest appraisal.

'When you're young, or just younger than we happen to be, it seems unthinkable that you will ever become the older people around you. I think the older you get, the more invisible you become'

Molly is 94 years old and on Christmas Eve 2019 she settles down in bed to write a letter that she should have written a long time ago, a letter revealing a secret that she has kept hidden for more than seventy years, but she never gets to finish it as she decides to go downstairs and, in a lapse of concentration, she loses her balance and falls down the stairs, resulting in a stroke and some broken bones. Now, lying in a hospital bed, all battered and bruised, she reflects back on her life, the man she met and fell in love with during WW2, the huge sacrifice she made and the secret she's held close all these years, the content of which, it seems now, will never be revealed.

There is nothing ordinary about the life of Molly Collway, who witnessed and dealt with so much tragedy and loss within a very short space of time during the war, making the ultimate sacrifice and then keeping it secret for such a long time, standing by the promise that she made to her sister until she thought the time was right. The story is told over two timelines, starting in 2019, then going back to 1943 where Molly begins her story in war torn Britain, reliving the trauma that many people can relate to during those terrible times, and hoping that future generations will never experience these atrocities in their lifetime. Amanda Prowse, once again, writes with dignity and compassion, a tale of love, loss, hope and adversity, creating real characters that, for the time that I was reading this book, I felt like they were a part of me. It is such a poignant tale and in true Prowse fashion, I was reduced to tears on more than one occasion, the quote at the beginning of my review really hit a nerve and I was a complete mess for a whole day. It's an exquisite piece of writing that deserves way more than the maximum five stars I am able to honour it with.

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.

Wow! Five star, five tissue read! Predicting best seller... Love, loss and so much more. Did Molly live an ordinary life, or so much more? No spoilers from me. If you enjoy historicals set during WWII and even if you don't I think this was a beautiful, heartfelt story. I say read it!

I loved, loved, loved this emotional and heartfelt story of family dynamics, tragedy, love and forgiveness. I loved the development and growth of all of the the characters as the book progressed from World War II up to the present day.

The story begins in the present day when 94-year-old Molly Collway suffers a fall and a stroke. As she lies in her hospital bed unable to speak, except for the words "igloo" and "paws," she recalls her past beginning from the time she was an 18-year-old working as a translator during WWII. The story takes a lot of twists and it is really an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this wonderful book.

The book started off really well for me. Instantly hooked. We start with current day Molly at 94 years old. Almost immediately, we're taken back to the days of WWII England. During this time period, I'm thoroughly enjoying this story, even the tragic parts. But as the years pass and the story progresses, it just keeps getting a little more...boring. While I do understand the choices Molly made, HER life just paled and her story was rather...boring.

Molly is 94 and she's dying. She hasn't lived an ordinary life- not at all. This sweeps from the 1930s when she was 19 until the present and tells her story in a straightforward way. The WWII generation dealt with an incredible amount of loss and Molly was no exception. She lost her love, she lost, well, no spoilers from me. She also steps up to help the war efforts, first as a translator and then on missions to assist the resistance. And she works with POWs after the war. Post War life is not as easy for her as one would wish. Her story is well done- she's sympathetic and realistic. Prowse is a good storyteller so you'll be turning the pages. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

I have just finished reading An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse

An Ordinary Life is a Historical Fiction, with the main character Molly starting off the story at age 94. The story is based primary in England during war time

This really was not a good fit for me, as I found the writing and story to be almost geared for Young adults. I could not get into the characters and had a very difficult time finishing the book. It is rare for me to not want to finish a book once I start it.

I did only finish it, as I committed to a review. It is getting good reviews overall, so I am sure many readers will find it appealing.

Thank You to NetGalley, Author Amanda Prowse, and Amazon Publishing UK for my advanced copy to read, and review.

#AnOrdinaryLife #NetGalley

Christmas Eve, 2019: Ninety four year old Molly lies in her hospital bed. A stroke and a fall may have broken her body - but her mind was alive with memories.

London, 1940's: Molly is a bright young woman, determined to help the war effort and keep her head up despite it all. She meets and falls in love with a man who makes her forget everything with one dance. But war forces her to make an unforgettable sacrifice, and when she''s brought to her knees by a daring undercover mission with the French Resistance, only her sister knows the secrt weighing heavily on her heart.

Lying in her hospital bed, Molly realises she has not been able to fulfill a promise she made a long time ago. We go on a journey with her asshe reminisces about events that took place in her life. This is an emotional story about love and loss. It's descriptively written with a steady pace.

The story begins with Molly at 94 planning to write a letter to Joe telling him the truth of her life and his but she falls down the stairs and has a stroke and we go back to the beginning near the end of the war when Molly is 19 and plans on having a career in government as a translator. Fate intervenes when she meets her best friend's brother, Johan, and they fall quickly in love. Johan is killed in a friendly fire incident and Molly realizes she is pregnant. She plans to have her child and raise him herself but her mother will have nothing to do with her or the baby and neither will Johan's family. In order to get her son, Joe, out of London and keep him safe during the war she puts him in the care of her sister, Joyce. From then on Molly leads anything but an ordinary life. She goes on a mission for the Resistance in France, she works as a liaison for prisoners of war in England and then eventually in a records room at Barts Hospital. But overall she still loves Johan and her son is a shining light in her life.

I adored Molly. She had gone through so much and could have been jaded and wounded but she still managed to live a good life. Everyone needs a sister like Joyce, always having Molly's interest at heart and loving Joe as much as Molly. Sometimes the skips in time were a bit confusing, trying to orient to another age and more members of the family but it no way detracted from the joy I felt at the good moments and the heartbreaking moments in her life.

This is a fairly new author to me and I have enjoyed reading her past books and look forward to so many more.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union for my copy.

I’d like to thank Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘An Ordinary Life’ by Amanda Prowse in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Molly’s in her 90’s when she begins to write a letter to Joe, the son she gave up for her sister Joyce to take care of. When she reaches her 94th year she has a stroke and falls down the stairs and as she lies in a hospital bed her only regret is not finishing the letter telling Joe about his father.

‘An Ordinary Life’ is the wonderful story of a strong young woman, the love of her life and the son she could never publicly acknowledge. It’s been beautifully written in the style Amanda Prowse is superb at with characters that have depth who I’ve enjoyed reading about. It’s a remarkable story that gives an account of the devastation caused by WW2 and the bravery of those who fought for the freedom of their country. It’s an exceptional novel that kept me enthralled from page one and that had me in tears at the conclusion. Thank you, Amanda, for writing such a heart-warming, emotional and thoroughly enjoyable novel – I loved it.

This is the first Amanda Prowse book and I can assure you that it won'y be my last.

An Ordinary Life tells the story of 94 year old Molly's life from the war and her experiences right through to present times. I felt for Molly and loved her character so much and I loved that Prowse did such a great job telling about Molly's struggle with her mental health.

It isn't often a book makes me cry but this one had me in floods especially the ending.

I highly recommmend this and will definitely buy this one for my personal library.

I am excited to be taking part in the #BlogTour for Amanda Prowse's beautiful, heartfelt and poignant story AN ORDINARY LIFE.

Having not read Amanda Prowse before I had no idea what to expect, apart from what the premise outlined that had initially drawn me to the book for it's wartime subplot. And yet I wasn't prepared for the emotions it evoked in me. I can see why she is such a high-rated author as she has that ability to draw you in and make you feel as if you are the main protagonist with all her experiences of love, life and loss. I was initially drawn to this book for his historical fiction aspect but it's the easy contemporary style that leaves you feeling emotive.

AN ORDINARY LIFE is about one woman's extraordinary life that was anything but ordinary. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry and it will make you feel. It spans the years from 2019 to 1943 and throughout the years to the present day again. It is a tender tale, a beautiful story that is both heartfelt and heartbreaking...and it is about a secret carried over seven decades.

Christmas Eve 2019: Ninety-four year old Molly has a secret. A secret that she has carried for seventy five years and now she is the only one remaining that knows of it. She knows that at her age time is no longer on her side and this secret which she carries, she knows the time has come to impart that knowledge to the one whom it affects the most. Her son. And so she begins a letter but is unsure where to start. And then she sees another envelope marked "Private Correspondence" that spoke of the news the recipient never got to read and a tear escapes her eye. She places her unfinished letter to her son with the other aged envelope in her book "The Study of Flora" and sets it aside for a moment until she can gather her thoughts. A quick cup of tea and then she will finish it.

Molly carries the delicate teacup along the half-lit hall of her cosy cottage. She knew every nook, every cranny and every nuance of this house she purchased seven decades ago for her a little Joe. But her socked feet misjudged the two hundred year old staircase and she clutched her little teacup to her chest as if her life depended on it - it had been her grandmother's teacup - as if protecting it was of greater importance than any attempt to protect her aged bones. And as her frail body descended, she felt her head hit every step as she thumped her way down. The only two thoughts in her mind were - "This was my grandmother's teacup!" and "This may be how I die but I must finish my letter!" This, she thought before she drifted into dark oblivion.

It was her granddaughter Frances who found her and as Molly tried to tell her and the paramedics about her letter, she found her voice could only utter grunts and sounds. Now Molly finds herself in a hospital bed having suffered a stroke that has taken her words from her after a fall that has broken her body...but her mind remains alive with memories... And the thought that she must finish that letter.

London 1943: Nineteen year old Molly Collway works as a translator of both German and French for the Ministry of Information in her bid to help the war effort. She hopes this position will be a stepping stone to a career in Diplomacy although her family would rather she settle down with a nice young chap and have babies. But Molly wants more from life than domesticity. That is until her best friend Geer drags her along to a dance one evening and introduces her to her handsome brother Johan. As soon as their eyes meet, Molly forgets everything else and sees only him. They dance as if no one is watching, as if they were the only people in the room.

Time is short, as it was in wartime fraught with stolen moments, and Molly and Johan's was just that. A lieutenant in the navy, Johan is stationed in a secret location, though he assures her he is quite safe as he remains on English soil. The couple share only a handful of moments together before it is all tragically torn apart. But not before one stolen moment together that she now treasures - the memory of Johan's touch, his kiss and the feel of their nakedness.

But Molly while has no time to mourn, her mother has no time for her grief. She returns to work hiding a secret from everyone...except her sister Joyce, who urged her to tell their mother before she guessed. But too late, Molly returned home from work with a backache that lead to her locking herself in the bathroom and giving birth to her beautiful son who she named Joe, after his father. Her mother was shocked at the shame that Molly had brought on their good family name and told her that she nor the baby were not welcome under her roof. Molly's plan had been to save enough money to see her through her confinement and return to work whilst acquiring someone to look after Joe in her absence.

But things change. Especially in wartime. Molly soon found herself without a job and no way of taking care of Joe. So she decided on a temporary solution while she saved enough for her and Joe to live a comfortable life. She asked her sister Joyce to look after him and keep him safe until after the war when living in London was no longer a risk. It seemed the ideal solution...for now.

The remainder of the war saw Molly become an undercover operative with the French Resistance until she realised the danger before becoming a POW liaison officer for the duration of the war and beyond. Once the war was over, Molly decided a move to the countryside would be a far better life for a child and bought a cottage in Chelmsford in Essex. She decorated Joe's room in shades of blue and suspended her father's wooden airplanes from the ceiling...and prepared to welcome her son home at last. After nine months growing and blooming under Joyce's loving care, is this finally to be her's and Joe's happy ever after?

Without giving any spoilers away, suffice to say Molly's life continues throughout the years from post-war Britain to the sexual revolution of the 60s, the decadence of the 70s, the changes of the eighties, the losses that came with moving into another century up until her fall on Christmas Eve 2019. She changes as the times change and she loses many people she has held dear...including her beloved sister Joyce. Leaving Molly the only one remaining who carries the secret. And now, it seems she may never finish that letter that was so important to her.

Molly's story, her secret, her life...is anything but an ordinary life. It has known tragedy, heartache, loss, grief and pain but it has also known love, happiness, hope and even contentment. Her story is one that will touch you and leave you with tears of sadness as well as happiness.

AN ORDINARY LIFE is definitely a tale of a life that was anything but ordinary. It is a tale of reflection and of acceptance that is both emotive and compelling from beginning to end.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it...with tissues!

I would like to thank #AmandaProwse, #RachelsRandomResources, #AmazonPublishingUK and #Netgalley for an ARC of #AnOrdinaryLife in exchange for an honest review.

An Ordinary Life is the story of Molly Collway at 94-years-old remembering what a life she lived. This book takes you through her love, her careers, WWII, and the life after.
Amanda Prowse writes about family and the life sacrifices that either binds the family together or tears them apart. The love that binds you together with family and friends, or can tear you apart. She touches on homosexuality, childbirth and being single, depression or PTSD and so many other common society issues.
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a preview copy of An Ordinary Life.

Readers who enjoy WWII stories will find this heart warming story a worthwhile read. Molly does not have an ordinary life as the title suggests. She steps out in a brave manner to help during the war as a translator and then assists the resistance. After the war she does her part helping but life is not always what ones expect. This dual time novel makes for an interesting read.

Molly’s life was anything but ordinary! Heartwarming and heartbreaking, this is a beautifully told story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Very well written with great descriptions. A lovely story of 94 year old Molly looking back on her life during world war 2 and how women were treated at that time.
I found this book exciting and interesting and loved reading about Molly’s life.
There was laughter, sadness, tears, joy and drama. Everything you would want from a book!

I love all Amanda Prowse’s books and this one did not disappoint.

Molly is in her 90’s and has had a fall while she thinks about her life there is a story she wanted to tell.

The book goes between current day and back over Mollys life when she was younger. We learn about the person she really was.

You have to love Molly she is adorable not always had things easy but it’s made her who she is.

A wonderful story.

Amanda Prowse writes books where she carefully defines the characters in ways that bring them to life as we read their stories. Sometimes we like them and sometimes we don't, but that's what makes them realistic. In this book we begin with 94 year old Molly desperately trying to word a letter to her sister's son Joe, knowing that her time is running out and that a promise must be kept. An accident keeps her from finishing that letter, but as she lays in the hospital, we are taken along with her thoughts to young Molly, age 18, and in London during WWII. Her story progresses from there through friendships, heartache, heroism and life-changing decisions. At the heart of all of this is the man she fell in love with, Johan, her sister Joyce, brother David, and her mother. Her life's secrets and sacrifices and her intent to keep them to herself, make for a sometimes difficult life for Molly. However, Molly is not an old-fashioned girl and has no problem making her own decisions and following through. She and her sister have a remarkable relationship, and it is a promise to her that she is attempting to fulfill. I must say the ending of the book did not happen the way that I thought it would...and it was refreshing to have it done that way. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity. #NetGalley #AnOrdinaryLife #LakeUnionPublishing

The story begins in the present day with 94-year old Molly writing a letter to her son. After landing in the hospital from a fall, we are flashed back to her earlier years in life beginning with WWII all the way through to today. I was captivated by the love story, heart break and family connections described throughout the book. At first I was worried this might be a predictible war story that we've all read before but there were plenty of twists to the plot that kept me reading and made this book stand out from others. It was a little long and slow in parts but I found myself completely reengaged for the last half. Fans of WWII fiction will love this book. // "And an idea, something utterly unimaginable, like grief, like loss, like war...had slowly become normal because she had lived with it. What indeed was the alternative?

"

I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel from Netgalley, Amanda Prowse, and Amazon Publishing UK - Lake Union. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read An Ordinary Life of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Amanda Prowse writes a subtle tale with a real kick. After a steady, ordinary climb, we see that the life of Mary "Molly" Collway was anything but ordinary.

We start at the end - Molly is in Chelmsford, Essex on Christmas Even 2019, and 94 years old. She has tasked herself with sharing the family information known only to herself and her sister, now deceased. Information that she and her sister Joyce promised each other to share with Molly's nephew Joe only after the death of either one of the sisters. Information that is important to Joe and his offspring...

And then we go back, back, back. This a story that begins on Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London, on December 15th, 1943, when Molly is 18-years-old and the world is at war. Fluent in several languages, Molly works in the translation department of the Ministry of Information along with her best mate Geertruida 'Geer' de Fries. Her work is classified, and she and her friend Marjorie are senior translators, with an impressive security clearance. Molly is pleased with her life as is and has no interest in pursuing a romantic match and marriage as her mother insists she must. She wants a career, to see the world. After the war, she hopes to qualify for a diplomatic posting. Men are not in her immediate plans. Then she meets Johan, Geer's big brother, and a soldier. And all bets are off...

I’m not sure why I picked up this title... I’m not a fan of this sorrowful story. I’ve never read anything by this author and so a publisher must have suggested it.

What did I like? War stories are not my forte... but somehow this was on my list. It’s a gripping story with lost love, spies, and the damage of war. I read for pleasure and this ripped me open rather than be enjoyable.

Would I buy or recommend? I read for pleasure but really this story brought me none. If you like war stories that rip you apart you can enjoy this one.

I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review.

When we first meet Molly, she is in her 90s and needing to write a letter to Joe to explain things. Then she has a nasty fall and a stroke and we are transported back in time to young Molly who is an independent young woman, working and living at home with her widowed and overbearing mother. Through her best fried Geer, she meets and falls madly in love with Johan who is soon killed in a military exercise. Molly then finds out she is pregnant and tries to keep it a secret until she gives birth. Molly makes a heartbreaking choice for the good of her child which impacts her for the rest of her life. I really enjoyed reading about Molly and her life and family and found it to be a very easy read.

This is the sometimes bitter-sweet story of Molly, a now 94-year old woman lying in her hospital bed following a fall and a stroke. Unable to communicate she instead thinks about her life and the important letter she had written just before the fall and which she is now afraid will never be sent or seen.

As the book goes back in time to 1943 London, we meet a young Molly full of drive and ambition. Unforeseen events mean her intended career ambitions are pushed aside, but instead this strong woman finds new opportunities to feel useful and important even while having to make some heartbreaking decisions.

As the book progresses we see that, despite Molly's life appearing to be very ordinary to those who think they know her, in fact her life has been filled with extraordinary moments. There are some strong themes running through the book of the different forms that love can take. I particularly loved how strong and honest the relationship was between Molly and her sister. Another strong theme is about how quickly things can change and to never take anything for granted.

And what of the letter? You'll have to read it and find out for yourself 😉

An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse is anything but an ordinary book. To say it is extraordinary is not enough. It is magical, first page to last page. With many, many tissues in between. What a love story – love between Johan and Molly, Molly and Joe, Molly and Joyce.

It starts out just an average (well, actually marvelous - it is Amanda Prowse, after all) story, until Molly and Johan meet. Now I’m swooning, sighing, wanting to read straight through but afraid at the same time because I know there will be tears, lots and lots of tears, ahead. What an amazing writer to always hook me so strongly so early. An Ordinary Life is one of the best historicals I have ever read, and it doesn’t stop there. It’s an historical but at the same time it’s a riveting, bittersweet journey through Molly’s life.

We meet Molly on Christmas Eve, 2019. She’s ninety-four years old and has just had a stroke and a very bad fall. She’s in the hospital, unable to speak, but not unable to think and remember. And as she remembers we are privileged to take this fascinating trip down memory lane with her.

Molly’s young life was not easy, especially after her father died. Her sister Joyce is warm and caring, but her mother is distant and cruel to her. And then Molly meets Johan. Their love is so intense, so perfect, it nearly jumps off the page. It feels so, so right. But it’s wartime London, and people have to make sacrifices. Some more than others. Much more.

Molly’s memories take us through dangerous work for the war effort, sacrifice, loss, secrets, career, friendships and disappointments – and love. The only constant in her life is her close relationship with her sister. It seems that Molly is destined to have a life of “almost” - every time opportunity seems right there, hers for the taking, something intervenes and she remains in what she considers her ordinary life. She regrets not having what might have been, but she doesn’t regret the choices she’s made. And as she lies in the hospital bed, an old woman unable to communicate with others, she realizes her life wasn’t so ordinary after all.

I can’t say enough good things about An Ordinary Life. It drew me in after just a few pages and held my interest – and my heart – for every single page. Everything author Amanda Prowse writes is beautiful, and this book is no exception. Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance copy for my reading pleasure and honest review. I recommend this wonderful book without hesitation. All opinions are my own.

Amanda Prowse did it again with a beautifully written story of a woman that lived through WWII and how her life evolved until she was 94. Decisions she made and how each era she lived through, shaped those decisions. I can’t say I agreed with her choices or believed the part she played in the war, but I was still engrossed in her story. I would’ve liked a different ending. Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC of An Ordinary Life.

💔Bittersweet love & sacrifice: bring out the tissues😢

Apart from some minor issues, this story had me all-in. Molly, the main character, is such a tragically heroic figure, ready to sacrifice again and again for her son and the family she holds so dear. Her ill-fated romance is just so poignant and stirring, every time her beloved Johan came up I felt her powerful sense of love and loss. Author Amanda Prowse really knows how to write her characters so that you identify with their emotions. This is the fourth of her works I've read in the past few years and probably the best.

Molly's relationships with the women in her life are perhaps just as important as her love story. Her workmates and her sister Joyce especially provide the compassion and support to help her through so much grief and turmoil. I thought Telsie's story was somewhat incomplete as we never learn where she came from, but her sadness and loneliness behind the laughter made her character, though a minor one, just as emotionally wrenching as Molly's.

I, frankly, found the part of the story set in France bogged down a bit with too much description that was extraneous to the drama. But, in general, the novel is extremely well written and provides fascinating glimpses over almost an eighty year period of a strong woman whose life and its setbacks seems anything but "ordinary." Have tissues at the ready for the final scenes but expect to be moved throughout her story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this powerful, emotional novel and can't wait to see what new tales Prowse has in store.

Thanks to Lake Union publishers and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

Amanda Prowse never disappoints! Another gets you right in the feels book! This is a beautiful historic novel set in London during WWII and the aftermath and chaos those that survived had to endure. She does a wonderful job describing what today is known as PTSD but not much was talked about in the 1940’s & 50’s. The journey that the main character Molly takes the reader from her late teens onward. A tissue box is appropriate to have next to wherever you might be reading. I could not stop reading this book once I started! I didn’t know what to expect but once again Amanda Prowse delivered a bestseller!

I adore historical books and I enjoy Amanda Prowse novels, so I was looking forward to this one to take me away from the reality of life. We follow Molly's life that unlike the title isn't actually that ordinary! The day Molly meets her friend's brother for a date her life changes very dramatically. But Molly is both resilient, strong, and resourceful and we follow her life and adventures right up to the present day. This beautifully written and I adored the character of Molly and her strength. There are many grab the tissue moments but it is a beautiful read.

An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse is a story of one woman’s life as she lives through World War II and settles into life after. The story opens on Christmas Eve, 2019, Ninety-four year old Molly sets to write an important letter, a letter she has put off for far too long. She wakes up in the hospital, having suffered a stroke. While she has lost the ability to speak, her mind is still active and alive with her memories. The story then transports us to London, 1940s, as a young, nineteen year old Molly tries to find an excuse not to go out with friends. Little does she know that this night will change her life forever. She meets and falls in love with a man who makes her forget everything with one dance and all is right with the world. But the realities of war forces her to make an unforgettable sacrifice and she finds herself going undercover for the French Resistance and other dangerous activities, all in the name of the war effort. As the war comes to an end and life returns to normal, Molly finds herself witnessing the ever-changing world with a heavy secret on her heart, a secret that only her sister knows. Witness a life of courage, strength and unbelievable love of a life that is anything but ordinary.
With a title like An Ordinary Life, you know you are on a roller coaster of a life which is not so ordinary. From the opening prologue to the closing epilogue, Molly’s story is one of heartache and sacrifice as she must find a way to survive. At one part, a character tells Molly that war changes everything as time is compressed and stolen. It is so true as the rest of her story is one of compressed and stolen time. Despite the passage of time, her memories are vivid as if the events were yesterday. I loved Molly’s spunk and determination. She wanted a life more than was expected of her and boy, did she live it. An Ordinary Life is a beautiful story of courage, strength and love. A story of finding the love of your life and doing your best to fit a lifetime of love in the time you have because with war, you never know if you’ll get any more. Despite the loss and heartache she experiences, Molly is able to fill her life with love, family and experiences that anyone would consider an extraordinary life. Ms. Prowse does not disappoint for a story of high emotions, personal sacrifice and life lessons learned. I highly recommend An Ordinary Life.

An Ordinary Life is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook.

Always excellent books by Amanda Prowse, this one kept me enthralled from first to last page about the life of Molly starting in hospital at 90 with a fall down the stairs and then going back on her life from when she met a man she fell in love with. Recommend to anyone who loves a good book.

Oh, I loved this book. Made me cry & made me smile, such an emotional roller coaster. I always enjoy Amanda Prowse books & to me this was one of her best. Set during the war & later, Molly meets & falls in love with Johan. Her life becomes a turmoil because of the result of the war. So much happens to her. I may have to re-read this book as I enjoyed it so much!

A beautiful story set over 80 plus years. We first meet Molly in present day times and then are taken back to Molly in the midst of World War Two.

We follow her life and her choices over the years. We see the difficult decisions she had to make that were determined by the social norms of those years.

I found how Molly's story was laid out very beautiful. I also loved the family dynamics of her family.

I will admit to not 100% loving the ending. I loved half of it - the full circle coming together again, but part of the ending I found myself yelling at Joe: "Just open the damn book. Or drop it per accident so something falls out."

But after some reflection, I concede that perhaps the ending was fitting - to the story and the title. To the reader, outsiders in the story and even Molly's family, she lived by all accounts an ordinary life.
This also ties in with the theme of the book. Molly has wonderful bravery, strength and courage but all of it is carefully hidden away so that to all intents and purposes she lives this ordinary life. Never revealing to everyone how extraordinary her life really was. These strong female characters are what I especially love about Ms Prowse's books. She gives us women to admire.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the chance to read this book.

This book was such an emotional rollercoaster! Molly's life was anything but 'An ordinary life' and actually a story with plenty of heart break and drama.
Molly meets the love of her life during WW2 . But it is a bittersweet love story and soon after meeting her love ,Molly's life changes in so many ways.
Living through WW2 was hard, harder still for Molly and the sacrifices and decisions that she had to make. Tissues recommended when reading!
I really enjoyed this book, and the ending was fitting I'd say.

I’m writing this review, drying the tears from my eyes. Such a wonderful book that pulls on all the emotions.
Set during the Second World War, Molly falls deeply in love with Johan from the moment she sees him, but unbeknownst to them, their time together is short.
Molly discovers she is pregnant and not being married, she has to hide it. She’s not very close to her mother and can’t bring herself to tell her, so the first she knows is when Molly gives birth in their home.
Molly loved Joe so much but everything is put in her way to stop her from bringing him up on her own.
Molly has to make a heart wrenching decision and it’s one she never really gets over.
At the beginning of the book we meet Molly, aged 94 and the letter she is trying to write becomes more poignant as the story goes on.
I laughed and I cried whilst reading this book but the main feeling it’s left me with is love, as Molly knew it’s true meaning.
This is a wonderful book that will stay with me for a long time.
Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

An exceptional novel spanning several decades, 30’s to 2019 regarding one woman’s life. All her trials and tribulations are revealed with intimate detail. This is a WW2 novel through modern times detailing the changing morals, dress, and historical information. Molly is a woman who finds love, loses love, expresses anger, during the war is a spy in order to support her son,, endures hardship and survives. This book is both encouraging and sad. I cried throughout the end of the story. Molly thinks her life is ordinary but the reader thinks her life is extraordinary and inspirational. The characters are well developed and interesting, each having their own problems or secrets.

You know what I love about Amanda Prowse’s books? She makes me feel as though I’m sitting across from her in a comfy armchair while she tells me a story. In this case, one that’s compelling, heart-warming and heart-breaking. She’s that kind of writer. Her characters are those everyday people we all know, which makes her stories utterly accessible and relatable.
An Ordinary Life is no exception. As Molly (94) lies in hospital following a fall, we’re given a glimpse into her life. We get to know her as a young woman, courageous and energetic, living in London during the war (WW11) years. She’s ambitious and dedicated, working by day and volunteering for the fire service at night. One evening she’s persuaded by her best friend to go out for a drink. It is an outing that changes the course of her life.
An Ordinary Life is a quick read, yet one that really drew me in. Molly’s is definitely not an ordinary life. Christened Marvellous Molly, or M, by the love of her life, she is called upon to do much more than most of us during her ninety-plus years. I adored her. No-nonsense Molly faces life full on. During the worst of times she manages to dig deep and stand tall. And when things all get too much, she isn’t afraid to ask for help.
I was devastated when she’s forced to make a brave, yet absolutely heart-breaking, decision. This is a story about family, relationships, love and sacrifice, all beautifully told in Prowse’s flowing writing style, and with her trademark wit. (She uses her modern day knowledge to slip in some really humorous asides, for example, about The Mousetrap’s stage run.)

An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse is, as always when a book appears written by Amanda no ordinary book or life! An historical fiction story told straight from the heart, a woman with a secret that has been kept for seventy years.
A touching and emotional tale,told over two timelines, of Molly. We first meet her in 2019 at 94 years of age, on Christmas Eve, after having a stroke and a fall. Lying there with her body broken but her mind bright and alive with memories.
We are taken back to the 1940s and Molly is a young 19 year old who is doing, as a lot did then, her bit for the war that Britain was in the midst of. She meets and falls in love with a man after just one unforgetable dance. It is a meeting that she will never forget, ever. This story follows her work for the French Resistance and the sacrifices one woman made for the war, including keeping her promise to her sister.
Once again Amanda Prowse has written a story that has the power to transport you back in time and feel like you are a part of Molly's story. Such a heartbreaking time for everyone during the Second World War. There was hardly anyone who could claim to be left untouched by this cruel and horrific war. Amanda has created characters whose emotions are so real and vivid. A book of love, loss, adversity and most of all hope. I knew I would be at the very least, almost reduced to tears while reading this. Amanda has a poignancy to her writing that is unique to her and this book is no exception.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources, NetGalley and Amanda Prowse for my place on the tour and the copy of the book

At 94 years old, Molly is confined to a hospital bed after suffering a fall and a stroke, she should be thinking only of herself and her recovery, but there is one thing she needs to do, something that she has put off for many years.
What a beautiful and extraordinary woman Molly is. However, when faced with the most difficult decision of her life she takes the hardest most unselfish route in order to protect those she loves. But did she make the right choice?

Amanda Prowse, I am in awe of how your words seem to form a hand which reached out for mine and then took me on an emotional and heart wrenching journey.

I truly could not put this book down.

This was such a lovely and poignant story that I couldn't put it down. Molly is my favorite character so far this year. Her life definitely was not ordinary as she made a sacrifice that was not easy and yet she survived and made the best of an impossible situation.

An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse is a story that made me weep...and I am not a crier. It proves that you cannot tell what is going on with a person by looking. Even Molly thought she had had an ordinary life. To begin with, if you live to 94, your life is far from ordinary. Molly fell in love when she was 19 years old. It took just a moment. She had only seen him three times when he was killed in a freak accident, rehearsing for D-Day. One of those days they had spent in the country on a tartan blanket making love, and making a baby. She hid that baby from her co-workers and her mother. It was born and she swore she would do her best for it, but at this time, World War II, people were not kind to women that had babies out of wedlock. She needed to work. Her mother, who she had hope would come around, did not. She had to give Joe to her sister and brother-in-law...just until she got situated...a few months. That sadly did not work out and they kept him. Wartime is so difficult. She lost her co-worker to suicide...she had not realized. She had a nervous breakdown but after a few months in an institution she got better...no thanks to the institution. Life went on.

No life is ordinary. This is something Molly never realized, even as she lived it. She did extraordinary things: she loved. So many things were not exactly as she believed, as is life. This was an amazing, wonderful story. Kudos, Amanda Prowse. This could not be more beautifully written. The plotline was interesting. The characterizations were sharp. The pacing was smooth and believable. All-in-all, it was a book difficult to put down and difficult be finished with. It will stay with the read for a while. Please read it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of An Ordinary Life by Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #anordinarylife

I normally do not read this kind of book but I am really glad I did. Marvelous Molly, which she is, had such a struggle from the early age of 19. War is a horrible thing and it is especially horrible when you lose the love of your life to it. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger and Molly becomes a strong woman with a purpose. The heartbreak from war, lost love, lost family (how could a mother be so mean) and lost friends leaves readers with a lot of wet tissues. Such a great story with lovely characters (well, most). I would definitely recommend this book. Once you start reading it, it is hard to put down.

Thank you #LakeUnionPublishing, #netgalley and @amandaProwse for an ARC of this beautiful book.

An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse was a beautifully written book I didn’t want to end. I have read a few other books by her and enjoyed each one in it’s own way. This one had a whole different flavor for me.

The story starts out at the end of Molly’s life, goes back to her late teens and progresses back to the end. It was poignant, heartbreaking and deliciously satisfying. It is centered in England and partially takes place during World War II. I love Historical Fiction and this was a plus. Her characters were dealing with War on their home front, recovery after the war and difficulties in relationships during that time period. I loved Molly and her siblings they were warm and loved each other. I didn’t like her mother. Not one bit!

Amanda Prowse always has something for us to look at in a new way in her books and An Ordinary Life was not different. Her books always draw me in, make me sympathize with the characters and give me a new understanding at the end. I don’t have to read a synopsis of her book too know if I want to read it. If it is written by Amanda Prowse, I want to read it!

This book releases February 9, 2021. If you love Historical Fiction or family drama, I’m sure you’re gonna love this novel.

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher and Netgalley for a fair and honest review

When you first start reading the book thee is an air of predictably,. However, just as you think you have things sorted the storyline takes an unexpected turn. With a mid point in the book where I audibly gasped ‘oh no’ and she’d a teat.
A lovely read by an exceptional author and not the ending the majority of we readers would expect.

This tells the story of Molly from an 18 year old experiencing her first love affair, during the war, through to when she is a very old lady. The young Molly has to make an enormous decision and it impacts on her whole life and that of her family, will she take the secret with her to the grave?
I really enjoyed this book the characters are believable and the plot is good.
I have read quite a few books by this author and find that each book is completely different whereas sometimes books are so similar in style that you feel you have read it all before. Will continue to look forward to reading more books by Amanda Prowse.

EXCERPT: . . . the memory of her lover's palm running over her back beneath the winter sunshine on a stolen afternoon, as they lay close together on a tartan blanket among the ruins of war was, even now, enough to make her weep like the willow beneath which they had sought shelter. His face, captured in her mind like a picture, a particular smile, lips closed, one side of his mouth raised more than the other, his hair flopping forward, his eyes mid-laugh...It had always been him.

And now, here she was. Lying alone on a trolley in a corridor, unable to imagine whatever might come next, able to think only about what had gone before: each step, each breath and each day that had led up to that point in time. Her body quite useless now, but oh! The miraculous thing it had done: bearing a child, a boy! A beautiful son . . .

She cursed her inability to finish the note she had started, wishing nothing more than to place it in the hand of the boy who had shaped her whole life. She needed to tell him of her history. Her story, her ordinary life, and thus his story, the full truth he'd never known but that she'd promised, finally, to tell him. The truth that now he might never know.

ABOUT 'AN ORDINARY LIFE': Christmas Eve, 2019. Ninety-four-year-old Molly lies in her hospital bed. A stroke and a fall may have broken her body—but her mind is alive with memories.

London, 1940s. Molly is a bright young woman, determined to help the war effort and keep her head up despite it all. Life becomes brighter when she meets and falls in love with a man who makes her forget everything with one dance. But then war forces her to make an unforgettable sacrifice, and when she’s brought to her knees by a daring undercover mission with the French Resistance, only her sister knows the secret weighing heavily on Molly’s heart.

Now, lying in her hospital bed, Molly can’t escape the memories of what she lost all those years ago. But she is not as alone as she thinks.

Will she be able to find peace—and finally understand that what seemed to be an ordinary life was anything but?

MY THOUGHTS: This is a steady-paced but extremely emotional family drama that had me in tears several times during the read. Amanda Prowse is very adept at that.

I adored and admired Molly. She was an extremely strong and courageous woman, but that strength was also her undoing. No matter what befell her, she picked herself up and kept going, until she could go no further.

I didn't think that I would enjoy An Ordinary Life when I first began it. It felt like it was going to be a 'soppy romance.' But I should have known better. Amanda Prowse has never let me down yet, and she certainly didn't this time either. A few twists, and the book went off in an entirely different and unexpected direction.

I enjoyed An Ordinary Life. Molly wormed her way into my heart as I celebrated her successes, cried with her at her heartbreak, held my breath when she was in danger, and took pleasure in her joy.

An Ordinary Life is proof that Prowse can turn her hand to any genre, successfully. Every book she writes is different, yet every book stirs my emotions.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.3

#AnOrdinaryLife #NetGalley @MrsAmandaProwse

#familydrama #historicalfiction #mentalhealth #romance #WWII

THE AUTHOR: Amanda Prowse was a management consultant for ten years before realising that she was born to write. Amanda lives in the West Country with her husband and their two teenage sons.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

3.5 stars rounded up to 4!

The novel starts in the present with 94 year old Molly lying in a hospital bed following a stroke and fall at home and realises the sacrifice she made and the secret she kept will never be revealed. We then flash back to her teenage years in 1940s war time England and follow her journey through life, when she falls in love, survives through grief and how she manages to keep her life long secret.

It’s only recently I’ve started to get into historical fiction and being a mix of that and romance fiction this one did not disappoint - it’s a beautiful and heartfelt story!

Amanda Prowse is one of my favourite authors (despite the long chapters hahaha), I’ve read a few of her books now and I just cannot fault her writing. Her character development in particular is just amazing, I felt everything that Molly felt and I was so connected to her and her family.

Whilst it wasn’t a fast paced and overall gripping story it was beautifully written and easy to follow.

I can’t wait to read more of Amanda Prowse’s work!

Thank you so much NetGalley, Amanda Prowse, Amazon Publishing UK & Lake Union Publishing for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is out NOW! Released today Tuesday 9th Feb!

The story of Molly’s life as told my Molly. It starts with Molly being home, in her house writing a letter to Joe. Continues with her having a stroke and reliving her life through WWII and love and loss. The life she lives, the things she sees, the love she feels all shape her into the amazing woman she has become.

I love WWII stories and An Ordinary Life is no exception. What I especially loved about this book is how I could see how Molly was now and as she told her life story, I was able to see why she is this way. I loved the glimpses back into the life of women in WWII. Their part in the war is not always as well known as the men’s part but they were just as important to the end of Hitler’s reign. The strength and bravery that Molly had is still evident in her at age 94.

The relationship between sisters, Molly and Joyce, is the way sisters should be. Even when things do not necessarily go as planned, they stick together, they protect each other, they love each other, and they keep each other’s secrets. They understand that they are family, no matter what else is happening in the world, they must stick together.

Amanda Prowse wrote an amazing historical fiction book. I recommend picking up your own copy as soon as you can. It is a book that I could not put down.

Once again Amanda Prowse has delivered a wonderful novel of hope against adversity.
Wow what a stunning novel from Amanda Prowse. Molly’s story is anything but ordinary, it’s extraordinary . Her story spans over 70 years and it's breathtaking, emotional, and beautifully written. Molly is such a wonderful character, her story is one of lost love, family ties and a heartbreaking decision. A truly amazing read and the ending is so emotive you would be advised to have a box of tissues to hand.

Molly lives a life that is anything BUT ordinary! The story begins with her in her 90’s and quickly moves to her recollection of her younger years where she experienced love, joy, adventure and loss. I really enjoyed reading this! The author has a gift for storytelling and is able to draw you deeply into the story!

Amanda Prowse writes beautiful, emotional stories with a skill that few have. I have yet to read one of her books that does not leave a lasting impression on me. You will be captured in the first few pages and will read long past "just a few more pages". Guaranteed.

A 94yr old woman sets down to write what she knows will be her last letter to her son. She has so many things she wants him to know about her "ordinary life". So her story begins.....
Told through flashbacks, we start in 1943 when her teenage self volunteers for the war effort. We see through her eyes as she has so many experiences that young women of that era would never know. The only bright spot is the young man who steals her heart. But WWII has few happily ever afters and she will find herself with few options. Her life from that point on is influenced by this one decision. There are so many ups and downs, you find yourself afraid to turn the next page for fear of her fate.
Ms Prowse has written another sigh worthy story.

I loved this book so much it was so hard to put it down. This is about Molly’s life and it does come full circle. It starts out with Molly towards the end of her life trying to write a letter to her only son Joe. Molly grew up with a brother named David and he was in the service and was married with one daughter and later had another child. Joyce was Molly’s sister and she was married to Albert and unfortunately they could not have children. Their father had passed away when Molly was younger so she lived with her Mother. They had a volatile relationship to say the least. Her mother was constantly asking Molly where she was going and quoting sayings about what people think. Molly goes to work as a language interpreter for the military during WW2. She would interpret what the Germans were saying. She worked with Geer and they would go out for drinks once in awhile they were best friends. Geer wanted Molly to met her brother Johan (Joe) and they did and it was instant attraction. Molly finds out she is with child and doesn’t have a chance to tell Joe before he is killed. Geer left to be with her family once Johan had been killed and she gave up the friendship she had with Molly because she felt like Johan spent his last few days alive with Molly and not his Mother.
Molly confides in Joyce that she is with child but she’s can’t talk to her Mother because she fears retribution from her. What will people say? So Molly ends up having the child at home and misses so much work therefore she is terminated. She does find another job as a liaison which places Molly in very dangerous positions. Molly knows she needs to put her son with her sister to keep him safe from the war. The struggles Molly goes through to try to keep her head on straight during these times are horrific. As I said earlier this book brings Molly’s life full circle and how everything played out for her. So sad on so many instances but she was a very strong woman and did what she had to do. I so loved the ending with the snow globe.

I received an ARC for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you so much Netgalley for a chance to read this book! Great book!

Having a perfect memory is both a blessing and a curse. For ninety-four-year-old Molly a fall and a stroke have left her trapped in a hospital bed, unable to communicate but she still has her memories and determination to share them with her son. The reader is taken back in time to London in the 1940s and shares memories of what happened to Molly then and discovers just why this lady has certainly not lived an ordinary life! It explores her experiences of first love, hard decisions and all the emotions you can imagine as Molly remembers them all in this highly emotive read. It is a moving story, a life packed with challenges, a roller coaster emotional ride during which you have to wonder if she'll get to share them as she wishes or will fate deprive her of the opportunity to do so?

Molly is such a strong character, someone who never loses hope despite everything life throws at her. She's an unsung heroine, a quiet and unassuming woman who does incredible things without any expectations and this story celebrates - and commiserates with - her story in a way that makes it easy to empathise with her as her extraordinary life is revealed. Make sure you have the tissues handy for the ending!

My thanks to Amazon / Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

This was a lovely story by Amanda Prowse. You can always count on her for a good read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

An absolutely wonderful story by the talented Amanda Prowse. Yes it tugs at your heart strings and you may find tears in your eyes bit I cant express how beautiful this book is.
This story tells of Molly recalling her life as she lies in bed having suffered a stroke and fall. She may not be able to move or talk but this 94 year olds memories are sharp and vivid.
The title An Ordinary Life doesnt depict Mollys life as she had endured so much in her lifetime. She has suffered deeply but also loved deeply. She can leave this world knowing that she is cherished and played a significant role leaving her mark on many.
I love reading Amandas books as they are beautifully written with characters that I cant help but hold in my heart. This story has all these and more.
My thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.

An Ordinary Life is a beautifully written novel about adversity and heartbreaking decisions. Historical fiction is by far my favorite and this one is a solid four stars from me! Molly is such a strong dynamic character who led anything but an ordinary life. The story begins in 2019 where 94 year old Molly decides to write a last letter to her son. From there the story transforms to the 1940s where Molly meets the love of her life and joins the French Resistance. I couldn't put this one down.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I really enjoyed Molly as a character, and I was instantly drawn to the story. I wished the plot of her in France and the secret work she was doing would have been longer and I also would have loved to know more about Molly later on in life. However, it did make me think of my grandmothers and all they went through and don't discuss. Women are often forgotten when we speak about war. The book was well written, and I would definitely read another of Amanda's books!

Loved the story in this book. The characters were relatable, really helps you to understand what people go through in these circumstances.
Very easy read couldnt put it down once i started

This is a special historical story. We get to relive Molly’s amazing journey through life. And what an amazing life Molly lived. This book had every emotion flowing through me. It is amazing!

Molly lived anything but an ordinary life, if anything her life was extraordinary. She gets caught up in a whirlwind, wartime romance and endured loss on so many levels as well as makes an unimaginable sacrifice. She is incredibly brave and faces things head on, especially her mental illness which she doesn’t shy away from and isn’t ashamed to admit she struggles with it. Even if you don’t typically read historical fiction, I feel you would enjoy this book just because it also reads like women’s fiction. It had me feeling a wide range of emotions and left my jaw hanging open from time to time. Wonderful characters, wonderful story.

Review with photo posted on my Instagram: gennysbookbag as well on my goodreads account, username: gennysbookbag

What a wonderful book! It follows the life of Molly who is such a lovely person I fell in love with her. Who would have thought that such an “ordinary life” could be so captivating. I was very quickly drawn into Molly’s life and couldn’t put the book down, needing to know how things would end and if she would find the happiness she so deserved. It made me reflect on life in general - I’m sure there are times we all feel we have ordinary lives, even boring at times, but everyone has events that shape their future decisions, everyone has tragedies and triumphs and secrets that others don’t know.
Molly remained brave, kind and selfless throughout what she may have thought was an “ordinary life” but was in fact far from it.
This is another great book by Amanda Prowse and well worth adding to your wish lists. I happily recommend this and rated it a strong 4 stars.

Young Molly was determined to live life on her own terms. She aspired to having a meaningful career rather than being the obedient housewife. Those dreams were upended when she met the love of her life and suddenly became a single mother. Determined to keep her infant son safe, she turned him over temporarily to her sister while she became involved in the French Resistance. The war came to an end and Molly dreamed of being reunited with her son. However, such was not to be. The story of Molly's life is one that will linger with me for a long time. Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for another great book to read and review.

Extraordinary

This is the first book I have read by Amanda Prowse but it certainly will not be the last! "An Ordinary Life" is about an extraordinary woman and quietly extraordinary life. It makes you wonder if your parents or grandparents had similar experiences in their pasts. I especially noticed how, as a woman, Molly was discouraged from telling her truths.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time limited e-arc via netgalley with no obligation. This review is optional and my own opinion.

An Ordinary Life tells the story of Molly, who actually lives a life that’s far from ordinary. Yet in her humble, unassuming way she gets on with things and tells herself and others that this is the way that she feels most people would have dealt with what was thrown at her. And a lot gets thrown at her!


It’s war time and London is in the middle of the Blitz. Molly is working for the war effort, and given her gift for languages she is actually more of an asset than she realizes. She is making the most of life as it is during difficult times. She’s been left to live at home with her bitter widowed mother, while her older siblings are off and married elsewhere, although they remain in close contact and maintain their warm, loving relationships. She works in a war office during the day, which is far from dull as her best friend Geer livens things up. The other girls are pleasant enough, but it’s Geer who she’s closest to.

And then things change when Geer introduces Molly to her brother Johan and the two fall instantly in love! It’s wartime, and one must make the best of things – fast! Molly could never anticipate how her life would change simply by following her heart. Far from being the naive, silly young girl that many (including her mother) take her for, Molly is astute, and in many ways, wise beyond her years. She knows full well that in order to succeed in life and to be taken seriously, she needs to take herself seriously first. And that’s exactly what she does. She listens and learns and in so doing, lands up playing a vital, heroic role in England’s war effort. A role that she plays down and that most people outside her immediate family will know nothing about. But she also suffers huge trauma and loss and bears the brunt of the decisions she must make for the rest of her life.

As expected, Prowse has created characters who are so real that the reader feels that they’ve made new, lifelong friends. Molly is simply fabulous – I adored her! Without giving too much away, I also need to say that her mother is simply awful … but … she was just being the only way she knew how to be, and that’s how women of her generation were: set in their ways, and unable to waver from their ‘my way or the highway’ opinions. But oh my word, she’s bound to bring out some strong emotions!

Ultimately this is a book about resilience, strength, and the unexpected bonds that are created during the most trying times. It’s absorbing, 5 star reading.

This is the first book by Amanda Prowse that I've read.
And interesting story, with engaging characters, heartbreaking and shocking events.
Molly, the main character is explored on a timeline from the 1940's to 2019 - ranging from when Molly was a young woman involved in wartime work, to her last days in hospital.

Most of the story is about her as a young woman - it then jumps quickly through the 60's, 70's, 80's and to the present years and her last days. I personally thought it went to fast through these - it would almost have been better if it stuck to "then" and "now" instead of trying to fill in the gaps, giving the reader lots of names and relations that you have no time to connect with.

It was an enjoyable read though, and I would read more from this author.

An Ordinary Life is about Molly as a 94 year old woman who has a secret she has kept her whole life and needs to share it with her son. She suffers a stroke and while recovering in the hospital she thinks back on her not so ordinary life. Starting as a teenager doing her part during WWII working as an interpreter. She goes through so much in her life. A very emotional read. I like how this doesn't jump back and forth but just starts in present day and goes back to time during the war and continues from there. This is my first book I've read by Amanda Prowse but I will definitely read more. Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy!

It's going to be hard to talk about this book without spoilers, but I will do my very best! Overall, I really liked the book and especially the main character, Molly. It may be obvious from the title, but Molly's was anything but an ordinary life. I think we see through her adventures, missteps, challenges, and heartache that no one's life is ordinary - they all have their own magic and worth. I did think that there were several parts of Molly's life that were significantly glossed over - happenings during WWI and soon afterward, specifically. I would have liked to see those fleshed out more and think the book would have benefited from the interest this would have brought. I can see, though, that the author may have been wanting to focus on the "ordinary" parts of her life to make a point. It's a lovely story with a good cadence, dealing with some deep trauma and hurt but also love and happiness. 3.75 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for my ARC of this novel - all opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and loved Molly. At times I wanted to shake her as she seemed so weak and lacked confident but at other times she was so strong. The book was the story of her life, the ups and the downs and I did not want it to end but sadly it had to. Having said that I have to say that the ending was magical, I cried tears and I look forward to meeting her in the future.
Well done Amanda for such a poignant story.

An Ordinary Life, superbly crafted and brilliantly written, Amanda Prowse never fails to entertain. Every time I read one of her books I think this is this best yet, this is certainly what I think about this one and I hope there is more of this brilliance to come.

Amanda Prowse is without a doubt one of my absolute favourite authors, so when given the opportunity to read and review An Ordinary Life I was incredibly excited!.

Mary (Molly) Colloway has had anything but an Ordinary life. When she is introduced to her best friends brother Johan in December 1943 it is love at first sight. Despite only knowing one another for a couple of days, Johan leaves her in possession of something precious. When Johan ends up breaking her heart, Molly’s sister Jocelyn steps in to help, and decides to keep a secret to enable Molly to continue pursuing her career within the Foreign Office in the translation department. This later enables Molly to join the resistance and in doing so saves an endless amount of lives.

When Molly later reminisces over her life whilst laying in her hospital bed, she realises that over the 94 years of her life she has had a remarkable life. And the added secrecy she kept throughout her life certainly added to the enrichment.

This book is written beautifully and really draws you in from the start. The characters that Amanda has created are authentic and relatable, and you really feel yourself connecting with them throughout the story. I loved the way in which Molly’s story was told, allowing insights to her younger self as well as the woman she has become throughout the years. I also adore the way in which Molly is portrayed, showing her to be a strong woman who is unfortunately pushed down by life, then having to use all of her inner strength to get herself moving forward once more.

The storyline itself was so brilliantly constructed and full to the brim of drama, love, and mystery. A story that will pull you in and keep you invested in the characters and their lives to the very last page. I adored everything about this book and it is undoubtedly a must read for 2021.

This book was such an amazing read! Again the author had me captured by her storytelling. This is the story of 94 year old Molly a lovely old lady, with all her memory still there after a stroke and nasty fall in her stairs of her home. This is about how Molly in the hospital badly injured goes back in her past and tells us her story. It is a story of courage, hope and Molly doing the best possible with her situation. Molly ends up in such scary situations during her life and having to take risks. Choices had to be made even in difficult times as during the WWII.
Molly takes us into her life's secrets, and the characters in the story are as always well put together.
Molly has also made a promise that she absolutely needs to keep. That promise helps her to keep on going.
The story takes us back in time and how the years pass during the life of Molly. Till Christmas Eve 2019.
How life is very hard on Molly, the love of her life Johan gets killed but, life continues no matter what. The mysteries that unravel through this all but, ordinary life of Molly's. The book has a very good story line and it is not predictable with several surprises.
The strength Molly shows through out her life is so amazing. The author also kept me emotional reading the story, it is something she has done when I have read several of her books and this book is no exception. It is a lovely and well written book that I definitely recommend reading, the story is captivating and simply great! I'm grateful to have read another book of Amanda Prowse, thank you for the read!
Charlotte N

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Amanda Prowse - 4.5 stars for another winner - how does she keep putting out such great reads?

This book opens on Christmas Eve 2019, with Molly, age 94, writing a letter that she has put off writing for decades. But before she can tell anyone where it is, she has a stroke and is taken to the hospital. In the 1940s, Molly's story begins in London as an 18-year-old desperate to help make the world a better place and do her part in the war effort. She meets the love of her life, Johan, her best friend's brother, when he's home from the service for a brief time. But their dreams come to a tragic end, leaving Molly with the hardest decision of her life and a secret shared by sisters to the end.

This is a beautifully written story of a woman's life. So many sacrifices were made by so many during wartimes and Molly's quiet acceptance of her life is a testament to her strength. It reminds me of the saying that everyone has a story - from the outside, we have no clue what someone's story may be. Molly was so grateful for her "ordinary life" and accepted her path with grace. Definitely some life lessons there!

An ordinary life that´s not so ordinary at all, but full of dreams, terrible happenings, strong determination, and so much love. She also experienced so much anger and prejudice (it was a very peculiar time regarding women in general) and went through so much danger to protect those she loved. It´s heartwarming and at the same heartbreaking story that, I´m sure, many women went through in the throes of WWII, the ´50s and ´60s. Easy to relate and feel for the main characters who lived a difficult but otherwise blessed life in view of the partnership, and love their lives were always surrounded. An Ordinary Lofe is a beautifully written love story that depicts a very peculiar time in the life of two families, and what meant living in London. Truly entertaining!!!

Love and loss affect Molly's life from an early age. She's kept a secret for many years. Molly's engaging life story shows her courage in the face of adversity. The characters are vivid, and the historical details add to the authenticity. The relationships are believable and are what make this story so addictive.

This is an emotional story that keeps you turning the pages.

I received a copy of this book from the author via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Another fantastic book by this extremely talented author. The characterisations are perfect, with instantly believable and recognisable characters. What follows is the story of her extraordinary life.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough - and it's one I feel will appeal to a large audience.

An Ordinary Life begins with Molly at age 94 writing a letter to her son. I was hooked from the very beginning. Molly describes how she feels in her 90’s. “Beauty, she had learned, despite everyone’s apparent preoccupation wit it, was but fleeting and also relative.” The story then continues with Molly throughout her life and all of her experiences but good and bad. A strong woman who endures so much for her son.

I really liked the characters in this book and how well-rounded and realistic that they all were. I loved that I felt so many different emotions throughout the book and that the story was just so plausible and well balanced, I am not a huge fan of war novels in this period, yet found this to be a gem. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley. I want to read much more from this author and genuinely thought this was well worth the read.