Waiting to Begin

Another fantastic read by Amanda, I loved the young Bess and the older Bess s, the whole story was just wonderful, bit gutted now I've finished it

An absolute masterpiece of storytelling from the incomparable Amanda Prowse. Yet again she has tapped into a rich seam of human life, love, friendship and family and crafted it into the most moving and life affirming book. I wept for Bess, the central character and I think every woman, of any age, will relate to her in some way. The dual time frames of the story, set when Bess was a naive, trusting sixteen year old and her middle aged self today, were so skilfully handled . It made me realise we all have the younger versions of ourselves living within us, still carrying the scars, pains, insecurities and loves of our teenage years. I don't want to spoil the story by giving away any spoilers but I can,say the family dynamics and characters are a masterclass in creative writing. With a few strokes of her pen, Amanda has created a fully fleshed , loving and lovable family unit. The adorable parents with their unconditional love and support, coupled with their little foibles and rituals ,leap from the page. We all know someone like them (in fact I see a little bit of myself, rushing down on the morning's of my children's birthdays so I could play the Happy Birthday record on repeat , to greet them -not as original as the adorable Ed' s harmonica rendition but my ritual).   Bess and Mario have reached a crisis point in their marriage and again, so many couples will empathise and take stock of their own relationships once their children have left home . We all hold secrets and some can be more damaging than we realise. I am in awe of Amanda's unerring ability to give voice to so many diverse facets of human lives and interactions. I was left really needing a sequel- the ending certainly gives huge scope for one and I think other readers will share my reluctance to say goodbye to these brilliant characters. Please Miss, May I have some more ?

Another great book by Amanda. I don’t know how she keeps churning them all out and all as fantastic as the previous book. A moving emotional story in places that had me hooked from the first page. It makes you realise how the choices you make when you are younger can affect your whole life to some degree. The main character Bess was very likeable and I really felt for her. I.m just sad the book had to end. Can’t wait for the next book. I 1000% recommend this book and author.

Thank you Netgallery for this book to review.  I have only recently discovered Amandas books and have been rapidly working my way through them so was very eager to start this one and i wasnt disappointed.
Very moving from the beginning it gives a great insight into a young girls confidence levels and how easy they can be destroyed and the knock on effect this can have in later life.
Great book, well written and a really captive story with small snippets of humour here

This book is so new that there wasn't even a synopsis, but with Mandy's books I don't need one. I know that whatever the book is about, I will love it, and this was no exception. Her books are based on events that could happen to any of us. Bess made mistakes, as many of us have done, at the age of 16 , and these mistakes shaped her life until she was 53.  Luckily, she opened up about her past and eventually became happy. There is so much scope for a sequel here and I hope there will be. Another must read.

"You should take the time to think about your life. You need to live a life you like."

This is absolutely one of my favorite Amanda Prowse books ever!!

There are two timelines to follow in this novel. 
One takes place in 1984 and the other in 2021. They are told by the main Character named Bessie..
Bessie, at the tender age of sixteen year old, was loving her life, best friend, boyfriend and her family until she made some unwise life choices.. 
 The secrets she has kept as a teenager, ultimately follow and threaten to destroy Bessie and her  closest relationships well in to her fifties. 
 Will Bessie ever be able to like her life and herself? Can the secrets be told and forgiven?

The heartache, heartbreak , fear, anger, sadness, and resilience will create tears, laughter, and hope for the reader! I highly recommend this novel!

This was a powerful and emotional read.  The story centres around Bess and two memorable birthdays, one her sixteenth in 1984 and her 53rd in 2021.  This is so much a story of love and loss against a family background with  a sprinkling of secrets, how certain small decisions and subsequent events, can be long lasting and affect so many people.  Totally believable set of characters and the scenarios they find themselves in with sadness touching on mental health plus a good dollop of humour.   A resounding 5 stars which left me wanting to know what happens next.

Amanda Prowse does it again! It’s is 1:46am and I am writing this review in bed, in the dark with my eyes red rimmed and sore from crying. 
A story told in present day and flashback to the mid eighties,it is seamlessly and deftly handled with each time period having its own distinct feeling and subtle differences in language. Bessie our heroine is...HURRAH... a slightly over weight middle aged wife and Mum. I’ve read so much wonderful fiction over the years but for the last ten it has seemed that the female protagonists have remained 28 years old and I somehow have not. Having three adult children and a long marriage under my own belt, so much of what Bessie felt and she and Mario had become was utterly relatable. 
To begin with I was worried that Bessie really was a rather negative and whining person, clever of Prowse as she was showing me exactly what Bessie had been showing to Mario for so many years. I guessed her secret very early on but what made everything completely clear was the party at the rugby club and the hideous things Tony said to her. From then on I could see how Bessie the grown up had been formed. 
As is usual with Prowse’s novels I stayed up far later than I ever intended to and read with feverish speed towards the end desperate to know what Bessie’s final ‘fate’ would be. Also as usual, the tears of sorrow and heartbreak had barely stopped when the tears of happiness began flooding out.

Thanks to Amanda and #Netgalley I received an ARC of this book. I devoured it in 3 days. I had not read a synopsis so I didn't know the story beforehand but with Amanda's book I don't need one. I found it hard to put down. It is mainly about Bessie it goes between 2 timelines around her 16th and 53rd birthday. The book flows between the 2 seamlessly. It is a book about mistakes made, courage and hope. I love Amanda's writing style. I was in flood of tear and sobbing for the last few chapters.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3692848369
Also posted on Facebook

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.

Oh my heart...I loved this book!!  This sweet well written book brings out all the emotions. It made me cry, laugh and smile throughout. Highly recommend this wonderful book by Amanda Prowse!
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC for Waiting to Begin by Amanda Prowse.  I found her writing style to be enjoyable, but the story and the characters were very depressing. The main character had an event when she was 16 that impacted the rest of her life and everyone that was involved with her was impacted. So, the two stories being told were from when she was 16 and when she turned 53. The only reason I kept reading was to get to the uplifting, happy part which didn’t happen soon enough for me. 
I do want to reiterate that the author’s writing was very good. At this snapshot in time, I prefer happier stories.

I’ve been a great fan of Amanda Prowse for many years. Her books are believable, relatable and deal with real life situations that many of us have faced. There wasn’t even a synopsis for this book, but I was sure I’d enjoy it and I’m glad to say that it didn’t disappoint.
The story swings back and forth between 2 of Bessie’s birthdays - her 16th in 1984 and her 53rd in 2021. We learn how the events of the former, shaped her into the woman she became and how events leading up to her 16th birthday changed her life forever.
Amanda breathes life into all the characters, keeping them real and relatable and making you laugh and cry as you follow them from the first page to the last.
Being 53 myself, it was very nostalgic reliving 1984 and brought back many memories.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was hooked on this book from page one. The book flits between 1984 and 2021; Bessie's birthday. 
As a young sixteen year old Bessie had a secret she shared with Lawrence. Her best friend Michelle likes the boys too. Her world falls apart when she fails her exams and she finds out that the secret is out.
Years later she's married to Mario with two grown up children but her mind constantly goes back to when she was 16 and hearing those visious names that were spat at her.
Can she make peace with herself before it ruins everything she has?
Everyone must of had spiteful words said to them that they've never forgotten, with Bessie the SECRETS, are slowly killing her marriage; can she discover herself before it's too late?

Heartwarming and breathtaking and utterly capitvating. This book has it all. Love, loss, determination, doubt, happiness, anger and ultimate acceptance that life really is what you make of it. I loved every single character despite some being less than desireable. The depth and emotion that comes from them is just superb. This is definitely Amanda writing at her best! 
I am sure that most people can relate to some of the situations that are faced within the covers. I know I certainly could and I'm no where near 50! There were times I wanted to reach into the book, between the lines and really shake, slap or scream out to the characters. Which I suppose comes form having an outside perspective on life and yet I was so much a part of Bess's journey and the emotional rollercoaster as she tries to figure out who she is and where she belongs in life. I felt honoured to be able to walk the journey with her, to relive those experiences and really felt both Bess and Mario's perspectives. Another spellbinding and stunning read!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Waiting To Begin, just as much as previous Amanda Prowse novels I have read. It was thoughtful and emotional with endearing characters and a well written plot. As is often the case, I guessed what would be revealed but not why, and I wasn't disappointed  This made it even more appealing to me. I read into the night to finish it as quickly as possible.

What a brilliant read which is set in two different periods in time and centers around Bessie as a sixteen-year-old with hopes and dreams and Bessie in her 50's wondering where the time has gone and what happened to her dreams. The young Bessie makes a terrible mistake when her judgment is clouded by her attraction to the boy they all want to know and be with. Why did he choose Bessie she is ordinary and there are prettier girls around. She soon comes to realise why he chose her but why did he lie to her and make her look so bad in the eyes of her peers. The older Bessie is stuck in a bit of a rut and although she has a husband and two grown-up children she still thinks there's something missing in her drab life. Amanda Prowse is a master storyteller and her books drag you in and keep you hooked to the very last page. I absolutely loved this book and I can't recommend it highly enough.

I do love Amanda Prowse books and can never put them down.  This was no different.  I loved it and was captivated from the beginning reading it in record time.  Love and friendship together made this book a must read.  Moving from the present day to the mid 80s was beautifully executed each era with its own idiosyncracies.  I felt so sorry for Bessie and happy for her in equal measure, This is my favourite Amanda Prowse book.  It kept me gripped to the very last sentence and how I smiled to myself when I read it.  Brilliant.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amanda Prowse. waiting to begin 


Oh my word Amanda Prowse you have created yet another amazing masterpiece in your latest book waiting to begin. I have had to wait a day or two before writing my review as it has left me with a book hangover and has filled a place in my thoughts. I can’t stop thinking about it even now . I couldn’t put it down once I had started reading it and devoured it in a day. I was so excited to find I had been approved by #NetGalley as I love all your books. 

Waiting to begin is a beautiful yet heart wrenching in places story of the human condition and emotions and unconditional love and is split into two parts the then and the now and contrasts Bessies experiences over her birthday when she was 16 and a few decades later on the day of her 53rd birthday. It made me laugh and cry at various intervals and also brought back lots of nostalgia and memories of the 1980s as I was reading. Amanda has a brilliant way of capturing the experiences faced in life and turning them into highly relatable and sensitive stories that many readers can relate to.

Found this book a real slow burner, have always loved Amanda prowse but feel on some of her last few books that she's losing her edge, maybe due to so many books being released.  I did enjoy it but just didn't live it.

This is such a great read filled with heartbreak and betrayal and loss in a few different ways. Bess learns at sixteen not to trust people and loses the one person she has known from an early age and there are parts of Bess in all of us, again Amanda has written the type of book that is impossible to leave down.

Thanks verbally for allowing me to read This book  Bess had an incident in her life that happened when she was sixteen that shaped her life. I enjoyed the different characters in this book.

Oh my goodness, what an emotional and compelling story! From the first few pages I was utterly hooked. Amanda always manages to touch my heart with her characters and their situations, and this book was no different. I found myself willing on Bessie, to find her happiness again and to live the life she so craved .
It’s was beautifully written and I loved reading every page 💗

I found the first half of this book frankly tedious. It was worth persevering, though, as the second half was better. Still a little predictable, but a good tale all the same. A lesson in why not to let the past affect the present too much. Most of the action cleverly takes place on 2 specific days, neither of which pans out as hoped or expected.

Another stonking  5 star read . Live, loss, family friendships, heartbreak and family secrets , all brought together in a fantastic book . Praise again for Amanda Prowse

Another amazing book from Amanda Prowse. Such a rollercoaster of emotions. This story centers around Bess. With flashbacks to the younger Bess in the 80's and back to her current life as a middle aged woman. I see a bit of myself in Bess, maybe all women do. One decision can change so much. I think that's why I love these books so much because they always seem to relate to me. You will need your tissues.

Every woman who has wondered if she was good enough will be moved by Bess's story. This story touched my heart and I could relate to Bess in so many ways. On the day of her 16th birthday Bess's life changed forever. On her 53rd birthday, she is reflecting on the path her life took and the weight of secrets she's kept for over thirty years. From the youthful hopes at age 16 to her weary examination of life's disappointing moments,  Amanda Prowse writes with tender insight about the relationships a woman has with her mother, children, friends and spouse. This one is a must read, but be sure to have a box of tissues nearby.

A fabulous novel again by Amanda Prowse. Bessie has been happily married for over 25 years and with two lovely children her life should have been perfect, but she has carried a secret for over thirty years and when  she suddenly starts having problems in her relationship she realises she must finally reveal her past before it destroys her life forever, Beautifully and sensitively written with characters you can warm to instantly and a beautiful emotional story , and I shed tears of joy at the ending. Read in in a day it was so good definitely a 5 ⭐read

WAITING TO BEGIN
BY AMANDA PROWSE

I usually love all of Amanda Prowse's novels but this one was disappointing for me. There are two timelines here concerning Bessie the main character and her family which are 1984 and the present. There isn't much happening. Bessie and her best friend in 1984 both like the same boy but Bessie is keeping a secret from her best friend. In both timelines it is Bessie's birthday to which she isn't very enthused at her Birthday gifts.

In the 1984 time line Bessie is disappointed because she discovers that out of 362 people in her class she comes in at 361 (2nd lowest in her class). Her dreams are dashed at becoming an airline hostess and on her way to a dance she learns that her boyfriend has announced that they have had sex to another boy when they had made a pact to each other to tell nobody. This complicates the fact that she had rehearsed a speech to break it to her best friend that her relationship with the boy they both like is not going to turn out as Bessie had hoped.

In the present day it is also Bessie's birthday but she is married to someone else where the doldrums of marriage has set in. She is now in her fifties and has a son and a daughter. She is feeling underwhelmed by her husband's remembering her birthday by his lack of a card. She calls him at work and he surprises her by coming home and he discloses a long ago disappointment that happened that he feels that he didn't get his needs met.

Usually I love Amanda Prowse novels but this one I felt I am in the minority compared to other reviewer's here on Good Read's. This one seemed superficial and less compelling in both the plot and characterization's. This surprises me that I don't feel like this one is very relatable to me.

Publication Date: June 8, 2021

Thank you to Net Galley, Amanda Prowse and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with my Arc in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#WaitingtoBegin #AmandaProwse #LakeUnionPublishing #NetGalley

Another exquisite tale from Amanda Drowse, one of my favourite authors. I really felt for Bess throughout. Difficult to put down- read in one sitting! Would highly recommend.

WOW!! I was only going to read one chapter before bed and ended up reading the whole book.

The story alternates between 1984 and 2021.

In 1984 we meet sixteen year old Bessie ‘A big girl with big dreams” she has her future all planned out and wants to become an air hostess. She is best friends with Michelle and they are inseparable. Bessie has an exciting secret that she hasn’t told Michelle about Laurence, but sadly Michelle also likes him!!

Bessie goes to get her exam results and she is in for a disappointment that will ruin the rest of her birthday. The day gets worse as later at the rugby club she is told some home truths and realises her secret was not so secret!!

We meet Bessie again in the present time, she is married to Mario and they have two grown up children. It’s Bessie’s birthday but she is not happy with her life and has been thinking about when she was young and had ambition and hope.

I loved this book!! You get to see how the past has shaped how Bessie is now. She has been Keeping a secret from her family that has always haunted her, but she needs to face those demons before she can enjoy living life again.

A beautifully written book that had me enthralled. 

A MUST read!! I would have have given it much more than 5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

Oh my goodness, Amanda certainly knows how to pull you in!   Waiting to Begin is a story told in two timelines - 1984 and 2021 - of a young woman's life and her life now.  I really felt as though a was Bess' sister, travelling on the journey with her.  Fingers crossed there's a sequel........

Another storming brilliant book from Amanda.  She has this gift of storytelling that you are hooked from the first page that keeps you awake at night because you want to know more.  The characters do not leave you.  This story was no different.  Very very moving that will have you in tears as well as joy.  This is the story of Bess who made choices when she was young, through no fault of her own, the characters that she surrounded her life with and the effect of those choices that she has carried through her life.  Thoroughly recommend. It's a great book

I write this as tears are streaming down my face. Wow.. is all I can say. This book has all the emotions putting you on a roller coaster ride. The highs and lows. 
Such a fantastic read.. more than 5 stars.. 
This is going to stay on my mind for awhile. Book hangover in all the best ways

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

Another fabulous read from Ms Prowse! I loved being transported back to 1984 and found it brought back so much nostalgia for me. Jeannie and Eddie were so like my best friends parents at this time. A beautiful story throughout.

Waiting to Begin
Amanda Prowse
Publication date 6-8-21
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a beautifully written story about secrets, forgiveness and letting go. This story is told through Bessie’s point of view from 1984 and present day.  Bessie is struggling as a teen in 1984, because of her choices her dream of attending university is shattered. Fast forward to present day Bessie is unhappy- she is married and has two adult children she seems to be stuck in the past and always waiting for something.  When she delves into her past mistakes she realizes that instead of waiting for a good life she needs to embrace and let her secrets free and then maybe she will be happy. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Amanda Prowse’s books as they always stay with me. 

Sending a sincere thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of Waiting to Begin for my honest review! Can’t wait to see what comes next!! 

Review posted on my Instagram blog
www.instagram.com/donnasnotsosecretbookdiary

Goodreads 
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/12409011-donna-beiderman

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Wow! I absolutely devoured this book. I couldn't put it down. I think many of us of a certain age will be able to emphasise with Bessie as a teen and the adult Bessie still reeling from bad life choices. I cried a lot!

I found this book a bit slow to begin , but it was definitely worth sticking with it. The story of Bess, her young life and her older self and all the blame and shame and secrets that were destroying her life and people around her.  It made me stop and think about all the pain, hurt and misunderstanding   that can radiate from a situation like this, when self doubt stops someone from reaching out and asking for help.  I really enjoyed the book and raced through it!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.  This book is written on Bessie's 16th birthday and flashes forward to her 53rd birthday.  The decisions she made as a 16 year old has affected her, her whole life and it has taken this long to realize it.  This story is so sweet, I cried through the last 3 chapters. #waitingtobegin #amandaprose #June2021

Amanda Prowse is definitely one of my topping five favourite authors!
I don't know how she manages to write in such a way that really gets the emotions going but she does.
Bessie is celebrating her 53rd birthday and in doing so takes us back to the 80s and remembers her 16th and how her life has shaped.
One heck of a book
Thank you netgalley.

This is my first book by Amanda Prowse. And i loved it. Amanda has put words to the various thoughts a character thinks. And these thoughts each reader might have had at some point in their life too. We seem to live the character. Though one may think, Bessie was so stupid to be so careless, you ultimately empathise with her and wish her good. She definitely did turn out much stronger, an after effect for her stupidity. 

This book compelled me to think on my life too. Very few authors have compelled me to do this. 

A good one from Amanda. I am now eager to read her other books too.

When I read a book by Amanda Prowse it feels like slipping on a cosy comfortable jumper and this book was no exception.

I could relate so much to Bessie the main character, I am a similar age and the details in the storyline had me taking a walk down memory lane. I remember taping the top twenty, applying sun in to my hair and loving Chelsea girl. Bessies story jumps from teenage years to modern day and explores the choices she made and how they have impacted on her life. 

We all had dreams when we were young and without the experience of life, many of our dreams were shattered. This story explores secrets, forgiveness and letting go. Learning to love yourself and accepting past mistakes is something we can all benefit from. Secrets can weigh us down and sharing them can have such a positive effect on not only ourselves but those around us. 

I raced through this book, my heart breaking at times for Bessie. Truly a beautiful emotional book with Amanda’s unique ability to weave a story that touches the reader. If I could give this book more than five stars I would. 

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

Another strong and beautiful tale from this wonderful author that no matter the subject, situation, setting, manages to steal your attention (and in many cases, your heart!) from the first few words on the page. 

This one was absolutely relatable to anyone in a long-term marriage, I’m sure at times we all feel life is passing quickly and have we achieved all we wanted... Bess has a reason to feel this way and her story is beautifully told by her 16-year-old and now her 53-year-old selves. 
Bess allowed a traumatic event around her 16th birthday to shape the rest of her life, her new relationships and even those relationships with her children. She is left feeling a bit worthless upon turning 53, and not really seeing what is in front of her which is damaging the one great thing she has, her family. 

Delving back into events surrounding her 16th birthday, losing a friend, failing her exams and being heartbroken over a boy, we are gathering a picture of what has made Bess feel like she has not lived or achieved what she wanted to in her life. But it doesn’t take long for Bess to realise, through a stupid mistake, that everything she has is all she needs. There are some tense moments in the book where you want to shake her and say wake up! But without spoiling anything, Bess’s story left me smiling and thinking about the characters long after I finished the book. 

Her parents are adorable, so relatable, with elements I’m sure we can all see in our or someone we knows parents. Mario, Bess’s husband, a wonderful father and hardworking man, yet Bess needs to work herself out of her blindness and see what she has, or she may lose it...

The ending to the book was truly wonderful, and I believe we could hear more from the other side of Bess’s story which would be an amazing sequel! 

I feel there’s so much more I could say about this book and the characters that shape the story, but I wouldn’t do justice to the ease at which it is written and the way you read the story which absolutely compels you to think on the things that we take for granted in our own lives. 

Once again, thank you to Netgalley and Amanda Prowse for the opportunity to read this wonderful ARC.

There’s always something very homely, and grounding about Amanda’s books that I completely loose myself in them once I start. 

This book flits between 1984 and 2021 and gives you the full backstory as to what has gone on in Bess’s younger years, and totally explains why she is like she is today. 

Bess is such a great character that I just wanted to take her under my wing and love her for the upset that “the secret” was causing her throughout her life. 

Yet again Amanda has written a book that is so easy to imagine and to relate to, with such lovely characters that you know they will stay with you for quite some time.

Another great read by Amanda Prowse. In this book we meet Bessie and her family  the chapters alternate between 1984 and 2021. In August 1984 Bessie  is celebrating her 16th birthday, getting her o level results and looking forward to her school dance and meeting up with her boyfriend Lawrence.who no-one knows she's been having sex with On this day her best friend tells her that she wants to be with Lawrence. Thus is the first devastation for Bessie on what should be a happy day. 
In August 2021 Bessie turns 53, married with two grown up children, she feels life is missing something going back to her childhood.
A heart warming tale with lovely characters. I loved it
Received this book from Netgalley and publishers in exchange for an honest review

A very moving book, brings tears to your eyes.

The story goes between 1984 and 2021 with two best friends Bessie and Michelle, On Bessie`s 16th birthday she gets her exam results which are horrendous and the day gets worse with her splitting up with her best friend Michelle.

Bessie turns 53 with two grown children and the past catches up with her, she is unhappy with life as it didn`t turn out how she expected.

I just couldn`t put this down and finished it in one sitting, as an older reader I sympathise with Bessie and wonder where the time went and why didn`t it go as planned, I`m sure lot`s of readers can relate to this.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the Arc copy in exchange for my honest review

Waiting to Begin is another brilliant novel by Amanda Prowse...I'm not sure how she does it! In this novel we follow  Bess on two important birthdays, her 16th and her 53rd and how the decisions, changes and actions taken on the 16th have affected her life on her 53rd.  At each birthday she has come to a crossroads and discovers how cruel life can be. How she deals with things at 16 has a definite impact on her at 53 and has affected her entire life.

Out of heartbreak come hope however, and this often seems to be a theme of Amanda's novels, along with the novel that she has written with her son. A powerful message, especially in today's world! Thank you to the author, Amazon UK and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Another excellent novel by Amanda Prowse which I couldn't put down, and would thoroughly recommend to anyone who loves a good book.   Features Bess from the age of sixteen through her life ups and downs.

I used to really enjoy books from this author but sadly I have not done so with this one or last few she has written.

I am sure I will be in the minority with this but it just wasn't for me.

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

Another great read by Amanda Prowse. In this book we meet Bessie and her family the chapters alternate between 1984 and 2021. In August 1984 Bessie is celebrating her 16th birthday, getting her o level results and looking forward to her school dance and meeting up with her boyfriend Lawrence.who no-one knows she's been having sex with On this day her best friend tells her that she wants to be with Lawrence. Thus is the first devastation for Bessie on what should be a happy day.
In August 2021 Bessie turns 53, married with two grown up children, she feels life is missing something going back to her childhood.
A heart warming tale with lovely characters. I loved it

DNF. I'll probably be in the minority with this one, but I did not enjoy this book. I got to around 40% then skipped to the last two chapters. I really was excited to read this with all the high reviews, but I just couldn't continue. This book was just not for me. It was really slow and I personally didn't feel the plot was engaging enough. Thank you, NetGalley!

A strong and beautiful tale that will resonate so well with anyone in a long very relationship. Life feels as if it is passing you by too quickly and for Bess an event around her 16th birthday has shaped her life 
Told from Bess at both 16 and 53 these dual timelines make Bess feel real and relatable.
I started off planning on reading a couple of chapters before bed and ended up reading the whole book. 
Thank you for this copy to read and review

In this book, Bessie is our central character and we see her at aged 16, in 1984 and then in 2021, as she turns 53. In both times, we see her on her not -so -happy birthday and share in  how the legacy of one time dictates the life lived in another.
 Bessie is very relatable and you feel for her, but what completely made this book for me was the family around her; they were flawed but beautifully so and the warmth between them all, even when at their most infuriating, took this book to another level. Perhaps it was because I recognised my own parents in hers but I adored them and this strength of connection was also evident between Bessie and her own children and with her husband and her brother. In this novel, we see that even when people are fractured and distanced,  they may have the most strength and as readers we hope and pray that their strength and their relationships are enough...
The plot to this novel is often  raw and heart breaking but this is not designed to be an emotional wringer as it is also, at times, funny and endearing. It is about family and friends, loss and love; mistakes made and choices to be lived with; it is about cruelty but also about care. It has people at its heart and that's what makes it beautiful!

This was a delightful, easy read and to be highly recommended especially in these grim times. 
The main character was well drawn and very likable,  to such an extent that it was easy to believe in her and sympathise with her problems. 
The dual time line (1980s and now) shows Bessie as a teenager and celebrating her 16th birthday and the present day Bessie celebrating her 53rd birthday. The dramatic events of her 16th are mirrored in another set of events set to change her present life. 
This was the first book I have read by this author but I shall certainly look out for others.

Another fabulous novel by Amanda Prowse.  This time we meet Bessie and her family, the chapters alternate between 1984 and 2021. In August 1984 Bessie is celebrating her 16th birthday, getting her o level results and looking forward to her school dance and meeting up with her boyfriend.  In August 2021 Bessie turns 53, married with two grown up children, she feels her life is missing a huge part of what happened in 1984.  A heart rendering story that I couldn't put down, absolute loved it.  

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

Oh my word Amanda Prowse you have created yet another amazing masterpiece in your latest book waiting to begin. Beautifully written.

I was so excited to get the chance to review this book. Amanda Prowse is one of my favourite authors, and no matter what she writes about, I always love it.

This book was particularly wonderful. It alternates between 1984 and the present day, it’s just so authentic and poignant. Bessie has her whole life ahead of her, and has the enthusiasm and ambition of youth. She’s 16 years old, and ready to start her exciting life. Fast forward to the present day, and a slightly more disillusioned Bess is who we meet, feeling just slightly unsatisfied with her lot. As the story progresses, we see how she got to where she is today, and the secret that she keeps is what really holds the key to it all.

There is an absolute rollercoaster of emotions to be had in this book. It’s genuinely laugh-out-loud funny at times, and it’s heartbreaking at others. The era of the 1980s really resonated with me, and it felt so authentic and so real. When we meet Bess in the present day, it seems that she has a lot to be grateful for, but when we find out more about her past, it’s understandable to see what’s missing in her life.

I absolutely flew through this book, I really couldn’t put it down. It was just like being immersed in someone else’s life for a while, the ultimate in engrossing reading. I laughed and cried, and went through it all with Bess. I can’t recommend this book enough, it’s one of her best so far. Absolutely captivating stuff.

This is the story of Bess - flashing between her 16th birthday and her 53rd.    Bess isn’t happy with her life and as we flash back we find out why.  This is a great read, thoroughly enjoyed. .

Another awesome book from Amanda Prowse. I literally couldn't put it down. It tells the story of Bess...now and in the eighties in alternate chapters. Such a well written tale, teenage angst, first love, failures and an event and a secret which will effect her life forever. Then there's the Bess now,reflecting on her life, marriage, children, parents and her long-distance relationship with her brother.
Bess is a very relatable, real character who along the way had really lost herself. A great read. Highly recommend.

Is what you have ever really enough? Waiting to Begin is an emotional look back on what could have been for one woman.

This is a dual timeline novel which alternates between 1984 and 2021. At both points in time, Bess, the main character, is at a crossroads in her life. In 1984, she makes a decision which will haunt her for the rest of her life. In 2021, she is confronted with the past once again. Bess must be courageous if she wants to finally let go of the burden she has carried for decades. 

Moving and reflective, Waiting to Begin takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. It hooks you in from the start and before you realise, you will be turning the last page! It's an immersive yet easy read - ideal if you want a book to read in a single sitting.

This is undoubtedly a character-driven story, and the writing is excellent. Each of the characters is well-thought-out and all-too-relatable. It's easy to imagine yourself as a fly on the wall amongst the family! From Bessie and Michelle's close bond to Bess' parents' unquestioning love for their daughter, so many different emotions and relationships are explored in the pages of this book.

Sadly, I felt that Bess herself was the least likeable character in the story. Bessie is naive; Bess is self-centred and more than a little selfish. It can be hard to relate to her and I struggled to find a rhythm with her character.

Despite this, Waiting to Begin is a great read - emotional and heart-warming in equal measure!

I've read previous work by Prowse so was eager to get my hands on this. I'd love to say I struggled to put this down, but I didn't. I was actively putting this book down because it is so well written that the story truly made me empathise and therefore sat in a pit of misery. I did of course eagerly return each evening to it, only to wallow alongside Bess in her many miseries. Though it may not sound like it, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I don't think I've previously empathised on such an enormous level with a character. Bess was very human, very believable and made a lot of typically human mistakes. I'd definitely recommend this book.

Waiting to begin is another beautifully written emotional tale by Amanda Prowse. Set in 1984 and present-day we follow the story of Bess a confident 16-year-old who is about to have the worst birthday ever and a horrible taste of how cruel the real world can be and present-day Bess who at 53 is having an equally horrendous birthday and is battling with a depression triggered by the events from her teens. Although our character has heartbreaking moments it is also written in a very readable, relatable style that is friendly and kind. I struggled to put this book down, it was an addictive read about first loves, family, and communication.

1984. Bessie is a confident sixteen-year-old girl with the world at her feet, dreaming of what life will bring and what she’ll bring to this life. Then everything comes crashing down. Her bright and trusting smile is lost, banished by shame—and a secret she’ll carry with her for the rest of her life.

This was a brilliant read - we learn all about Bessie's life and how all her hopes and dreams came crashing down around her feet with loss on so many levels; longed for career, best friendship and love.  Bessie's past has shaped her future and left her feeling less of the person she should be.  It is impossible not to root for Bessie and take her side every time, but at the end of the day she is holding back her life and needs to break free from her past and that means forgiveness and moving forward.

A thoroughly enjoyable read.  My thanks to netgalley for an arc of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. 

Amanda Prowse does it again. 
This is a powerful story of love, loss, betrayal and secrets hidden for many years. The impact of the past on the present is palpable. 
Told from the perspective of Bess who is in her 50’s, we share her journey into restoration and healing and acceptance of self. Bess has to learn to trust others with long buried secrets before she can move on with her life. 
A great read from a fine author.

Amanda Prowse is one of my favourite authors & is a lovely lady. I absolutely loved this book & will be recommending it to others to read.

I am a huge fan of Amanda's books and this one certainly does not dissapoint.

Beautifully written, it had me engrossed from the beginning and kept me reading into the early hours.

A fantastic read, highly recommended and definitely worthy of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Many thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

As ever, Amanda Prowse does it again and wows me with her ability to be able to create a story which is totally realistic and plausible. She not only writes books that are real life and fills them with characters which are likeable and some dislikeable, annoying or even at best down right frustrating but she does it in such a way that you can almost forgive her about it. 

There are always characters that have some issues and need to work on themselves but in this book they actually do, the author has got her character development right down to a fine 't'. The flow here on this book was faultless and I lapped it up. 

This book has all the emotional feels though, as it takes you backwards and forwards on an emotional rollercoaster, this book is a heart wrenching story filled with both happiness and sadness, enough emotions to make you feel as though your head will explode and all the love that makes this book probably the worst book hangover to get over, I am sure many other readers and myself can relate to how Amanda Prowse makes really relatable scenarios through capturing everyday experiences people go through and producing stories that are both sensitive and rewarding once the book has finished. I love this about the author and the stories that she writes always leave me feeling like nothing else can fill this void. 

A definite five / five stars and a `110% high recommendation.

Many thanks to both, Netgalley and publishers for allowing me to read such an absolute masterpiece by sending me an ARC for free in exchange for an honest review, I really loved it and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

I loved this book! It was heartwarming and strong. It was exactly what I needed with everything going on in the world! A happy little escape!

Amanda Prowse has done it once again! Another blubbery, red eyed read. Her writing makes you feel emotionally invested in the characters and that you know them. Told through the eyes of Bessie in two timelines, one is the present as a fifty three year old, and the other as a sixteen year old girl just on the verge of discovering love, life and all the problems associated with them. I didn’t always like Bessie but that’s the nature of how great Amanda Prowse is as an author. I didn’t always like her but I felt for her and wanted everything to be okay for her and her family. Great read and I highly recommend it. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity.

Yet again Amanda Prowse tugs at your heart strings. A moving tale of teenage angst set alongside the adult she grows up to be. Beautifully written, as you would expect f you have read any of her previous books. 
My only negative and I admit that it’s probably just me but I struggled with the main characters names, not my cup of tea and in my head Mario wears in red dungarees with a moustache - sorry

Amanda Prowse always knows how to tug at the hear strings and Waiting to Begin is no exception. Her books are a good balance of sad and sweet and she is good at writing memorable and believable characters. Looking forward to whatever she comes up with next!

Oh what a read! The book flits between the past and now. Filled with emotion and the need to know ‘the secret’ you will love the characters. A great storyline and ending. Quite simply a lovely book which I loved reading.

First I would like to say thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc In Return for an honest review.  What a plot, I have to say it had me gripped from the start, it had all the different types of betrayal all rolled into one book.. I though the characters were all well developed, and the different storylines were very original.  I throughly enjoyed this book

This book was so amazing! I really did not expect to be so enamored with it! It is such an emotional and heartwarming story. The characters are so relatable and you can really sympathize with them. I loved the character development with Bessie as well as how real this book felt. It wasn’t sugar coated, it didn’t feel like a cliche happily ever after story. The problems this character faced are very real for many people as well as the way they were handled. I loved the family love theme in this story. I’m not going to lie, the end made me tear up a little. That being said, there are a lot of sensitive subjects in this book so just beware of that before you read. Otherwise I wholeheartedly recommend this book!

Waiting to Begin tells the story of Bessie, alternating chapters between her 16th birthday in 1984 and her 53rd birthday in 2021. There are the events of the day mixed in with looking back over the previous years. At first I found it quite depressing but hoped things would improve as each birthday went on but it takes a while for this to happen. I do like a dual timeline story but what I hadn't realised was that more or less the whole book tells the story of those two days so I found it quite slow and frustrating as there's only so much can happen in one day, even with flashbacks. Bessie at 16 has lots to look forward to but things don't exactly go to plan and Bess at 53 is having a midlife crisis and during the day makes a soap opera like bizarre decision. The end of the book is fairly reassuring but there are just too many loose ends tied up too neatly, except for one skeleton that would inevitably come out of the cupboard....... This book needs something to lighten it and thankfully that comes in the shape of Bessie's parents, down to earth and always looking on the bright side :) 
Thanks to Netgalley for a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This story alternates between 1984 and 2011. Each chapter is labeled so you know where it’s going. It’s narrated by a woman who was 16 years old in 1984, and made a few wrong decisions at that time. These have haunted her since then. I wasn’t exactly enamored with the book during the first 75%, but I did not ever think of making it a DNF.  The book then ties ends together and has a great ending. I receive a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

An emotional journey that will warm your heart. This one takes place in two time periods as a 16 year old and a 51 year old. Food for thought, would you go back to your 16 year old self?

Loved this book so good beautiful wrote gripping plot  your hooked from the first page till the last just lovely I recommend to you all

Another brilliant book by the incredibly talented Mrs Prowse.  The story, as most of hers do, centres around normal people living normal lives. This time the main character is Bessie, a mum with grown up children, parents who she loves but who drive her to distraction, a husband who she loves but has lost her way with and a secret she has carried for many years.  The story evolves by switching between and teenage Bessie’s life and a grown up Bessie.  There are problems in her marriage, estrangement from her brother and difficult relationships with other family members.  Without giving any spoilers, the story climbs to a crescendo which had me reaching for the tissues. The way Amanda Prowse weaves a normal woman, with normal feelings (albeit carrying a large secret) into such a wonderful story is nothing short of a masterpiece in my opinion.

I’m not sure if I like this or not, however I have read all of Amanda’s books so I needed to review it. The narrative is dull and stodgy in parts, which I think is deliberate to add to the context of the book and the ongoing theme of being unfulfilled. I felt that Bess’ voice lifted up only when her life did! It was a great message, though, not to let life pass you by, and go for what you want. Hopefully some women will be inspired! I wouldn’t recommend the book as an introduction to Amanda Prowse, as she has written far better, but certainly it’s readable and the characters were as real as always!

This was a beautifully written story about a young girls dreams and how they are shattered. When she is grown she must come to terms with her secret, and try to repair her life. I went through a range of emotions while reading this book and it was “Oh so good”. This is a book that will stay with me.  
Many thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

As with all Amanda Prowse books, this was beautifully written with believable characters . Her settings are always true to life and the characters and events are so relatable to every day people.

The key theme to me was the fact that secrets can wear you down and cause enormous harm and as always the author dealt with this with great sensitivity and a healthy dose of realism 

Read this book , you will not be disappointed

I have read nearly all of Amandas books but felt this wasn't as good as a lot of her others. I enjoyed the story however felt in parts it was a little dull. 
However the overall message is one that I feel will help and benefit lots of women out there.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Amanda Prowse, Waiting To Begin, uncorrected proof, Lake Union Publishing, on sale June 2021.

Thank you, Net Galley, for this uncorrected proof of Amanda Prowse’s Waiting To Begin, for review.

In the works of most prolific writers, it is likely that a reviewer reads work that stands out, as well as that which is disappointing. I have mixed feelings about this novel. While it does not stand out, there are some delightful nuggets of humour and characterisation, and the story line is feasible. However, I could not warm to the main character, despite her harrowing story with which I would expect to have sympathy. 

The Prologue introduces Bessie and Philip, siblings, on a train journey, during which Bessie begins writing some post cards. These will be lies. Beginning with pleasantries to her mother and father, they continue with an upbeat comment on the possibility of her flying within weeks. Bessie commiserates with an elderly man who, awakened abruptly states that he does not know what is going on. 

The book then moves between past and present, with August 1984, Bessie’s sixteenth birthday, setting the scene for events that continue to mar her life as an adult. She is a teenager in love, aims to become a flight attendant, and is looking forward to seeing the results of her study which will propel her into a glowing future. Philip features here as well, a brother who is at once a nuisance and a friendly supporter. Once again the flying motif suggests freedom, adulthood and excitement: this young woman has aspirations which she fully believes will be fulfilled. This chapter also establishes her parents’ personalities, a caring, but sometimes bothersome mother, and a loving, but sometimes embarrassing, father. Despite the flaws Bessie sees, this is a small, quietly happy family. It is clear that the bombshell with which she could present them in future chapters cannot be thrown into this household. Bessie's decision to maintain her silence, from her parents and her best friend, Michelle, provides the backbone to the storyline. 

Friends since childhood, Michelle and Bessie, attempt to emulate each other in dress, behaviour, and exam results. The descriptions of these young, enthusiastic friends, with their popstar and favourite singer posters, reliance on fancy make up and clothing, chat and giggling are well drawn. They are hopeful young women whose aspirations beyond Michelle’s economic circumstances and Bessie’s foolish love affair could well be achieved. 

In Chapter 4, set in 2021, there is a profound change.  Bessie is now awaiting her 53rd birthday celebrations, rather than her sixteenth. The events of this birthday, and its aftermath, combine humour as the past is replicated in some of these celebrations, sadness as changes in the family and friendships are acknowledged and, for me, a mixture of sympathy and frustration with Bessie.

To be fair, this feeling of frustration in part mirrors that of Bessie’s family: her parents, husband, Mario, and their two children.   Perhaps there is too much detail, too much dwelling on the secret that impacts upon Bessie’s life so disastrously, perhaps I should empathise more. However, for me, Bessie has some major flaws. Although it is an important feature of Bessie and Mario’s immediate crisis, her almost replication of a past mistake jars with me. So, too does the resolution of Mario’s concerns. They have been developing over several years, are seemingly absent during a poignant and sympathetic scene between the partners, then resumed. 

The last chapter is good, providing a realistic resolution to Bessie’s situation. The Epilogue, describing events 6 months later, is delightful, with its warm depiction of the each character, imperfections juxtaposed with strengths and tying up of ends. Here Prowse is once again, for me, the writer of novels to which I can warm, with characters with whom I can sympathise and a story line that leaves only happy endings to be realised. 
I give this novel three and a half stars, more than the official star rating allows, but for me it was not quite four stars.

Another great story by a amazing author. She tells the characters stories so well that you will want to keep on reading to see what will happen to them. 
I read this in one evening as I couldn't bear to leave it until I knew what would happen.
I would definitely recommend this book as well as the author

I am a big fan of Amanda Prowse and was excited to see she had a new book out. This book was a big disappointment, really from the very beginning. I had a hard time relating to any of the characters and I just could not finish it. I see I am in the minority with my review as others have loved this book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed reading this book,  this was first book by this author and will certainly read more. The book was easy to read and follow the characters jumping in time from her 16th birthday to her present day birthday 53. I found the book very emotional and did feel sorry for the main character, but also found some of the references to being a teenager in the 80s funny.

Great book, highly recommended. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review.

Thank you NetGalley, Amanda Prowse and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC of Waiting to Begin. This is my personal review.
Waiting to Begin is the story of Bessie. It tells her life as a teen and present day. Bessie always feels like she is going no where with her life. Her hopes of getting to go to the university of her dreams never happens. Then as she gets older, she is married but not happy and has two grown children.
She knows her life is hers and she has made mistakes and kept secrets. She knows she must let her secrets out and with that she is hoping her life will become a happy one.
This read was one I enjoyed but is for me lacked something to connect me to the characters.

Waiting to Begin by Amanda Prowse is a novel of accepting yourself with all of your faults, past and counting your blessings. Alternating between two time periods its a story of a 16 year old Bess and a 53 year old Bess and how her birthday in the respective years changes her life. The crux of the novel is how a single incident changes the dream of a 16 year old girl and reverberates throughout her entire life.

I am a big fan of Amanda Prowse and this  book didn't disappoint. The novel jumps.between the present day and the events of 1984,  when the events that affected how Bess lived the rest of her life played.out. I liked the way the story moved around as it kept me engaged to find out what would happen. The subject matter is probably something a lot of women can relate to and the story line felt realistic. I enjoyed the epilogue at the end that gave some closure to the story. Would definitely recommend.  Thanks to Net gally for the free copy in return for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for giving me the opportunity to review this publication.
Yet again another fabulous read from Amanda Prowse who takes you on a journey that envelops you into feeling an invested part of the story.  I loved the way it was divided between the two birthdays.
It’s always a disappointment when I come to the end of one of her books.  I’m looking forward to her next publication.

I liked the characterization but the plot seemed a bit lacking.
It needed a bit of sparks to it
Over all, good book. 3 out of 5

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Waiting To Begin, it’s a beautiful yet heart wrenching read that will pull at the most hardened readers heartstrings. this book we meet Bessie and follow her life through two timelines, alternating flawlessly between 1984 and 2021. It’s a beautifully told tale that will resonate with anyone who is in a long term relationship.

Known for writing stories that keep people from turning off the bedside lamp at night, Amanda Prowse has written a beautiful tale of a middle-aged woman who risks it all for a shot at happiness. 

Told from Beth’s perspective in dual timelines, her 16th birthday in 1984 and her 53rd birthday in 2021, Beth reveals the incident that took away her happiness and influenced everything she did thereafter. Although happily married to Mario and with two grown children, Beth knows there’s something missing and she’s to blame. When Mario doesn’t acknowledge her birthday, she steps up to the plate and changes her future.  

Prowse shows how carrying yesterday’s baggage, with all its shame, regret and anger, can seep into our present life and has the potential to ruin relationships and slowly leach away our happiness. For every woman who has ever considered her worth or doubted her attractiveness, Prowse reveals that taking a leap of faith and steps towards self-healing put one on the path to claiming the future. She acknowledges that the journey involves heartache, fear, sadness, doubt, loss and anger; however, it leads to determination and resilience. Prowse will make sure you’ll walk every step with her believable and relatable characters and experience the depth of emotion that change brings. She’ll even appeal to your feelings of nostalgia from the 1980s! 

This ode to the younger version of you trapped in an older body will fill your head so that you can’t possibly read another book until the memory fades!  What are you waiting for? This is a sign. Take steps....now. Do it for YOU. 

Publication June 8, 2021

I received this gifted copy from Amanda Prowse, Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide this review.

On the day of her 16th birthday Bess was more than happy to close that stage of her life that would lead to another much more interesting with new adventures to live. She dreamed of being a flight attendant and traveling the world. She had many things to celebrate that night at the prom between them and no less important, she planned to make public her relationship with the boy who occupied her thoughts most of the day.

Bess had so many illusions and hopes placed on a single idea, that when it fell apart, her whole world collapsed and she did not know how to react to correct the damage and move on.

37 years later we meet again with Bess on her 53rd birthday. She is a dull, sad and pessimistic woman. Unable to see and celebrate all the good things she has in her life. She prefers to wallow in things that go wrong and does not stop thinking about how her life would have been different if she had done things differently 37 years ago.

Waiting to Begin is developed through a two-stroke storyline, 1984 and 2021. The 16-year-old Bess is a cheerful girl, in love, funny with whom it is easy to be. So different from the adult Bess, with reproaches and criticism at the tip of the tongue at all times. She’s become one of those envious, negative people you’d never want to meet in your life.

Bess is a complex character and difficult to decipher. I had a hard time empathizing with her but I wasn’t able to judge her either, rather I wanted to understand her and be able to put myself in her shoes even for a brief moment.

I wanted to know her, to know more about her life and her past. Above all, I needed to know what made her become this woman so different from the young woman she was. Why did she live her life on pause? What held her back to start living, feeling and being a full woman who has overcome many obstacles. What did she need to fly?

As the plot unfolded and I knew more details, I became more hooked on reading. I didn’t understand Bess' attitude and although I didn’t identify with her I did recognize her situation in many real people and I think that’s where the strength of this story lies.

It made me reflect on some issues that I hadn’t even thought of before. But if something really hit me, it was the end. It took such an unexpected turn that it made me rethink the whole novel from the beginning. I had so many certainties and I was so sure that everything would end in one way, that when it happened the opposite left me excited and speechless.

The style of this author is impeccable and getting better. She never repeats herself and always manages to surprise me especially for her ability to build fiction stories so powerful that they deal with topics as varied and that feel real as life itself.

Amanda Prowse in each new novel opens the doors to other lives and other experiences and this is one of those books you read fast but you need time to digest it because it is full of messages from those who dig deep and invite you to reflect, with a lot of background and social criticism.

A necessary and highly recommended reading.

I did enjoy this story and found some common ground with Bess. I see some of myself in her, difficult pasts can stay with you and the young you stays along with their thoughts, pains and insecurity. If you have had upheaval in your younger years you may well relate to Bess and feel her pain and struggles. I like the back and forth between the 80s and present day and found the epilogue beautiful and full of hope. Overall I really enjoyed this one and would recommend.

This is the second Amanda Prowse novel I have read and I have enjoyed both.

This story is about Bess - the young naive 16 year old Bess and the 53 yesr old Bess who looks back at her 16 year old self with shame and regret.

The characters are well developed and you really felt the pain of both young and old Bess.

It's an easy read, and the narrative pulls you along to a satisfying conclusion.

Amanda Prowse writes stories that people like, she has a good formula and I consistently enjoy them. I don’t find them life changing or particularly memorable but I really enjoy reading them.

Thanks for letting me review this book

Amanda Prowse is a go to author for me when I want to read about 'normal' people in believable situations.

 As with all her books the characters come to life on the pages with a reality that makes you think it could be a friend or a neighbour. This book is no exception. Written in two timelines 1984 and present day it is the story of Bessie. Bessie as a 16 year old and Bessie as a 53 year old.

This is a story of love, loss, family, secrets and consequences. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it!

The majority of the action in this novel is set on two birthdays some 37 years apart.  The book examines the impact of childhood events many years on.  There are different family dynamics and varying attitudes to moral behaviour.  1984 was a very different time to the present day but the decisions taken then can resonate through life, as Bessie finds out to her cost.  A wonderful look at different relationships.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

I would like to thank Lake Union Publishing, AmazonUK Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this emotion packed book. 

It seemed like the book was going to be a bit slow in the beginning but I soon was enthralled with the story and the characters. Bessie was a typical teenager until her life imploded when she turned 16.  From there on nothing happened as she hoped or planned and 37 years later everything just blows up  again.  It seems that you can’t hide from your past.  The story goes from 1984 to 2021 but does so smoothly with Bessie narrating both eras.  One can’t help but love Bessie and I just wanted to tell her she would be ok but as all of us know ,  the things that happen to us as a teenager always feel like it is the end of the world.  Sometimes this is true. 

This book is highly emotional and it made my heart hurt for Bessie.  I think each of us has a little part of Bessie’s life entwined with ours which makes this book so believable and left  me in such turmoil.  I truly enjoyed reading this book and I believe it will be a huge hit for those of you that like to believe in true love.

Another Amanda Prowse novel which kept me up much later than I should as I just couldn’t put it down! Her books are always escapism into someone else’s lives and very eye opening and thought provoking. This was no exception as we follow Bess on her two birthdays - in 1984 and 2021 and shows how life shapes and changes us often beyond recognition. Great read

I was engaged and frustrated in equal measure.

The dowdy nature of Bess’s lifestyle, her rusty car, shoestring life felt cliched- the compared the friend who has it all.... no one is middle of the road. Added to which I get frustrated by those who never say what they mean/want and swallow the important things. 

However I do think Amanda is an excellent story teller and these things aside the actual writing and draft of the tale was great - I was really engaged with the story. And shed a tear for MJ.

Oh where do I begin to tell of how a book can touch you in a good way so very much? Bessie- 1984 and present day. In 1984 she got her exam results on her sixteenth birthday and realised her head had been elsewhere. Her dreams of becoming an air hostess had flown away when she met Lawrence. Present day and Bessie works in school dinners, her two grown up children having flown the nest and her husband Mario pretty much taking her for granted so she feels they should talk and events of the past coming back to haunt her through one thing and another feel they should have a heart to heart and tell him her secret. This is a read that drew me in- I liked Bessie- there was just that something about her- she was doing her best for all around her and had forgotten the most important one- herself. Whilst her children are just beginning on their dreams she is stuck in a world of “ is this it?” Maybe something we have all thought at one point and then realised the only person who can change this is ourselves. I can’t say how much this book touched and moved me. There's nothing in it about my own life but boy did it hit home- in a very good way. Of how keeping secrets can eat away at you without you realising and when released they can be a volcano- one you aren’t sure if it’s going to erupt or just bubble and bubble until the secret is shared, and halved and wise words can put things into perspective. Of being truthful not only to yourself but to those that matter. Of being kind to yourself step by step. Of living life and carpe diem. Loved this doesn’t cover it. 10* if I could.

(rest of links as part of blog tour)

Amanda Prowse is an author whose books I often struggle to read successfully. Commencing Waiting to Begin and experienced none of my previous doubts.  I enjoyed this novel and found it well written and researched.  The chapters alternate between August 1987 and 2021, the birthday of Bessie, the main character.  

At school and sitting exams, Bessie and her best friend, Michelle have found music, make up, clothes, boys and first love.  The writing is poignant, witty, full of laughter and sadness.  And, I cried! 

This is a story of growing up painfully, envy, emotions, and friendship.

I give a 4-star rating. 

I WANT TO THANK NETGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF READING AN ADVANCED COPY OF THIS BOOK FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

Really enjoyed this book yet another great read from Amanda Prowse. I enjoyed both story's from either timeline and will continue to follow Amanda and her books.

Waiting To Begin is the story of a woman, Bessie, but told on two simultaneous days, her birthday, but thirty-seven years apart.
At sixteen, Bess thinks she has it all. Her results are out today, her future is all but planned out, she just needs those results to get where she wants. Bess's family is your usual type, a caring, but an annoying set of parents and an older brother who is just - urgh! She's got a tentative boyfriend and dreams of their life together
Thirty-seven years later, Bess is content. Well, on the surface, anyway. Nothing quite panned out how she hoped, but she's not unhappy with her life.  A doting husband, two great kids, one of them married, their own home. But, there are still gaping holes in her life. There are still secrets that are eating away at her, affecting everything she does, though no one else knows.
Not wanting to give the story away, I will comment on the essence.
Decisions we make, flippantly, can have huge effects on our life. The need to be keeping up with the rest of the world can eat away at you, making you do things you might not have, otherwise.
My heart filled with pity for teenage Bess. I wanted to scoop her up into a hug, and tell her everything will be okay. I will admit to wanting to physically harm a certain young man, too,
The same sorrow was felt for older Bess, who is sifting through her life decisions, not sure whether to rock the boat, but finding herself in a situation where she has no choice.
An emotional story that will definitely tug, hard, at your heartstrings.
When Waiting To Begin flashed up as another new book to come, by Amanda Prowse, I jumped at the chance to read, because she is my all-time favourite author.
Her stories never fail to touch the heart, and the way she tells them leaves you emotional for a long time to come,
Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

16 year old Bessie is confident that her dreams will come true, but what happens when reality crashes down?

Years later, Bess is at a crossroads in her life.  Will Bess finally realize that she must come to terms with her past to move forward?

Waiting to Begin followed along a similar path to other novels written by this author.  Family relationships and conflicts were the main premise to this book, with characters that were not all that likable.  I could not get into the story, especially because of the lack of character development and unrealistic plot. Considering all that Bess went through as a teen, you would think that her best friend would have heard the story as it floated around school.  Overall, I found the story to be predictable and the ending to be inevitable.  For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend Waiting to Begin to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of Waiting to Begin from NetGalley and the publisher, Lake Union Publishing.  The choice to review this novel was entirely my own.

The concept of ‘Women’s fiction’ has always been a bit of a mystery to me, and this book didn’t do much to clear it up. Can women not cope with excitement, long sentences, sparky characters or complicated plot? I find it rather insulting - sorry! The central character, Bess, is shown in alternating chapters on her 16th and 53rd birthdays, and serves to illustrate how mistakes in early life can alter the course of adulthood. Bess wasn’t particularly likeable and the story was pretty bland overall. I’m perfectly prepared to accept that other readers will enjoy this predictable, unexciting writing and I wish the author well, but women’s fiction isn’t for me and I found its categorisation as also ‘literary fiction’ (which drew me to it in the first place) stretched the truth somewhat.

Really great atmospheric edgy of your seat read. This book had me up late reading wanting to discover all the secrets and find out what was going on. Really well written. Great job.

Thanks to Netgalley et all for the opportunity to read this book.  I found it an okay read,  I found that it was too predictable &  slow moving   The plot was ok but  not overly memorable & it didn't grab my attention.  I've read books by this author before,  but I found that this wasn't up to her usual standards as it felt rushed.

Flitting between 16 year old Bessie and 53 year old Bess this is a lovely book. I really enjoyed the storyline and it was very easy to follow. The characters were well written and it just shows that a simple mistake can define your whole life!

Amanda Prowse is an international bestselling author of twenty-seven novels published in dozens of languages. And each one of these books is a gem for readers who love to curl up with a story that promises laughter, tears, love and understanding. 

“Waiting to Begin” has a clever format, that could be a gimmick, but instead works wonderfully to create a compelling story. We meet Bess on her 16th birthday. A day that her sweet family celebrates in their usual folksy way. Sixteen is always a special birthday, but today is also the day that Beth will receive her O Level exam results. This means she will be able to move forward with her dream of becoming an air hostess. And she has a special boyfriend, and she anticipates celebrating with him. But, by midnight of her birthday, her entire world has crashed down.

We also see Bess on her 53rd birthday. And the story alternates between these two timelines.  While still celebrated in the usual way with her parents and family, this 53rd birthday marks another 24 hours for Bess of a life upended. For too many years she has been mired in shame. Will this birthday also end in devastation?

I was quite moved with this story, even though I did not like Bess and could not really relate to her. And this shows what a gifted writer Ms. Prowse is- because I did believe in the story itself and the power of love and light to win. I couldn’t stop reading this book and Bess’s story has continued to occupy my thoughts. Highly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for an advance review copy. This is my honest review.

I was given a copy of waiting to begin by Amanda Prowse by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I have read of books by Amanda Prowse so wanted to read this one. The book is based around Bessie, on her 16th birthday in 1984 and then again in 2021 when she is 54. As a confident 16 year old collecting her exam results events which happen on that day stay with Bessie for the rest of her life. In 2021 Bessie must finally face what happened on that day. A lovely story, well written.

Another good read from Amanda Prowse. Bessie is in her early 50s. When she was 16 she had big dreams of what her life was going to be like. But something happened to her back then that changed everything, and she has lived with the guilt and shame ever since. Now her marriage is falling apart,. Can Bessie finally talk about what happened and come to terms with it? A lovely story with some great characters. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

The high price of keeping secrets is explored in the dramatic story of one girls decisions as a teenager. The implications of that secret affects several members of her family for many years. Amanda Prowse successfully delivers another touching and thought provoking book.

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I would like to extend my gratitude to the author, #NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this advanced reader’s copy in exchange for a frank, fair and honest review.

1984. Bessie is a confident sixteen-year-old girl with the world at her feet, dreaming of what life will bring and what she will bring to this life. Then everything comes crashing down. Her bright and trusting smile is lost, banished by shame—and a secret she will carry with her for the rest of her life.

2021. The last thirty-seven years have not been easy for Bess. At fifty-three she is visibly weary, and her marriage to Mario is in tatters. Watching her son in newlywed bliss—the hope, the trust, the joy—Bess knows it is time to face her own demons and try to save her relationship. But she will have to throw off the burden of shame if she is to honour that sixteen-year-old girl whose dreams lie frozen in time.

I have read so many of Prowse’s books that I had just as high hopes for this one. Unfortunately, I feel like the title of the book describes this better than I ever could. I was waiting for something remarkable happening and I finished it still waiting unfortunately. I found the plot really boring and found the main character Bess to be unlikeable. I feel terrible for writing such a harsh review, but it is fair, frank, and honest in my opinion.

The book begins in 1984, with Bessie & her brother Philip on a journey which is explained later in the book. At 16 Bessie is excited about her life but so many things happen where her life takes an unexpected turn. Another great book fom Amanda Prowse. She writes compelling stories about your life & mine & in this book, how a mistake changes your life for ever. I like Bessie, she could have been me at 16 & with a naivety which all 16 years have.  Enjoy reading Bessie's story.

If I could give this more than 5 stars I would. Easy to follow even though the chapters jump between 1984 and 2021. The storyline follows Bessie a 16 year old school leaver to a 53 year old wife and mum.  Her life hadn’t been straightforward but she has tried to bury the bad bits however her marriage started to suffer and she is facing a crossroads. I’ll leave the reader to discover what she does.

Waiting To Begin by Amanda Prowse really struck a cord with me. This book really hit me right in the heart. It speaks so eloquently about youth and the profound effect it has on our adult life. 

Bess is the main character who made a few mistakes in her youth. It gained her a name and a reputation. Ones that she was not able to forget. Ones she kept hidden from her family and Mario, her husband. Bess had a pretty great relationship with Mario based on true love but built on a secret that she kept hidden from Mario. At the beginning of the book, I didn't have much interest in young Bess. I read it anyway and came to understand the adult Bess in a much better way. You'll have to read the book to see how it all works out. I don't want to ruin it for you but, I know my heart was touched. 

If you like family drama, you'll love this new novel from Amanda Prowse! I haven't read a book by her yet that I didn't love. Waiting to Begin is no exception. 

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher and #Netgalley for a fair and honest review. Thank you!

Should one "shameful" mistake change your life forever? In 1984, Bessie Worrall wakes up on her 16th birthday, full of optimism and dreams. Today she gets the exam results that will set her on the path to her high-flying career as an air hostess, tonight her boyfriend will finally make their relationship public. Meanwhile, she has a day of fun and celebration to look forward to with her loving family and best friend Michelle.
Fast forward to 2021, and Bessie Talbot wakes up on her 53rd birthday with her usual feeling of dread. A part-time dinner lady, she lives with husband Mario in their neat little dormer bungalow, her two children having flown the nest.
What happened to 16-year-old Bessie's hopes and dreams? How has she let happiness slip through her fingers? And is it too late to start over?
As the narrative flits back and forward between the two days, a raw and powerful story emerges of a young girl's painful coming-of-age and the mistakes she made that continue to haunt and shape her outwardly perfect life. 
This story is so relatable. Bessie is such a sympathetic character, at 16 and at 53, with a sterling cast of supporting characters in the shape of her family and friends. Funny and sad by turn, the narrative sweeps you along Bessie's emotional roller-coaster ride, allowing you to experience all her highs and lows. 
I loved the backdrop of the 1980s - the author immerses us in that period with cultural refences ranging from legwarmers to eternal bow china, Cyndi Lauper to Chelsea Girl. Anyone who remembers that era can't fail to be empathetic to Bessie and Michelle! They're brash, bold, loving, loyal, sweary but ultimately very vulnerable.
If Bessie could turn back time, should she go back to 1984 and do things differently? It would mean she could lose her sense of shame, keep Michelle as a friend, maybe fulfil her dreams after all - but what then of Mario and her delightful children, Jake and Natalie?
As the day of her 53rd birthday draws to a close, Bessie realises that not only can she not rewrite her past - she must be careful not to repeat its mistakes if she is finally to begin again.
I think I enjoyed this book so much because Bessie represents so many of us in regretting her choices and bearing over-weighty burdens of guilt. She's someone we can all relate to, and if she can find the courage to move forward, it gives us permission to draw on our own strengths and do the same.

Another strong,emotional story from Amanda Prowse.  Duel timeline story has some slow parts but well worth reading on as total story is emotion packed and worth it.
Thank you Net Galley, publishers and author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. I have only read a few of her books but they are all beautifully written.

This is a story of life the good bad and ugly parts . Do we wake up fulfilled at 53 ?

Do we have regrets ? Does our paat haunt us? A story of identity, past secrets ,hopes,dreams and family.

Written in alternate timelines so we learn what happened in her past that’s affecting her present . Emotional and life affirming, this is a great read.

Published 8th June

Waiting to Begin by Amanda Prowse has Amanda on her top form! I’m in bits!  This just smacks of real life, real issues and believable choices. It’s very sad in the honest analysis of relationships and how our insecurities lie so close to the surface, just waiting to trip us up. Amanda always manages to go deep which brings her characters to life. Bessie’s children clearly live their own lives yet value being part of a loving family with shared history so there are no unrealistically saccharine-sweet “living in mum and dad’s pockets” but, instead, shared joy and/or sorrow in significant events and support where it’s needed. Another thing Amanda does well is to bring hope and positivity to the subject matter of her books in a credible way. The issues don’t suddenly, miraculously disappear but are honestly addressed and clear efforts made to overcome the barriers. She has done this in previous books, dealing with topics like Anorexia, Disability and, in this one, past trauma and the necessity for honesty in relationships. A truly great read. Five stars

Wonderful story and great characters. Another great book by Amanda Prowse. 

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

The story takes place over two days - one being Bess's 16th birthday in the 80's and her 53rd birthday in 2021.
As the story progresses we discover more about Bess and the heartbreaking events in her life. We almost see her come right down to rock-bottom and learn how she manages to claw her way back. 
Ms Prowse does not disappoint once again with her writing. It is so full of emotion and realness. She manages to capture a snapshot of life in words. 
Another book that leaves you with a lot to mull over once the last word has been read. (Some readers may need to keep tissues on hand)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the chance to read this book.

Sixteen year old Bess has the world at her feet, she is in love and has dreams of being an air hostess and travelling the world. On the day of her exam results her world comes crashing down, her dream is in tatters and the boy she loves is in a relationship with her best friend. At 53 Bess is tired, her children have grown up and the secret that she has held onto burns a hole in her marriage. A great story, set over two timelines. A story of family, love and relationships that is both heartwarming and thought provoking. Another great read by Amanda Prowse that I would recommend.

Loved it as I do all Amanda Prowse books!

I raced through this book, my heart  was breaking at times for Bessie. Truly a beautiful emotional book with Amanda’s unique ability to weave a story that touches the reader. Definitely another 5 star read! Managed to read in 24hrs.

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

Amanda Prowse has a gift of making her characters real; of making you examine yourself introspectively. I loved this book. I hated this book. I cried. I cheered. Teenage Bess reminded me so much of my teenage struggles, “being young, naive and open...”And how those struggles affect our entire lives.  “I want to feel valued, appreciated, needed...”. From a teenager in the ‘80’s to a middle aged woman today - Bess will be sure to stir memories in you!

Calling Amanda Prowse! Amanda, please stop making people cry. OK, don’t because we all need a good cry once in a while.

Waiting to Begin is the story of Bess, told in alternating chapters on her 16th birthday and her 53rd birthday. I can relate to a lot of things in this book because I am only two years older than Bess. I used Sun-In, I made mix tapes, I listened to Bonnie Tyler. I mean, what Gen X-er didn’t belt out “Total Eclipse of the Heart” at full volume anytime it came on the radio?

This is how Amanda sets a scene. She makes reference to things that people remember from whatever time she’s talking about. This is how she creates stories that you can get lost in. She makes it so real and relatable that characters like Bess and even Lawrence and Michelle (you’ll understand when you read the book) remind you of people you knew in high school. Everyone knew a Bess, whether you liked her or not. And every high school had a Lawrence. Every single high school had a Lawrence. And then there’s steadfast Mario, the guy that no one really paid attention to in high school (we don’t even meet high school Mario in the book), but he’s stable and solid and totally the guy that girls want to marry.

Neither of Bess’s birthdays go really well in this story, but it is a story worth reading. Bess is not going through a mid-life crisis. It’s more like an unusual and beautiful coming-of-age story. We watch her become a wife and a mother, all the while holding onto a secret that colors every single facet of her life. And she can’t really begin her life until she lets that secret loose.

I have never read an Amanda Prowse book that I didn’t like. I just love her more every time I read a new one. Amanda’s books make you feel her characters’ stories so deeply, and this one is no exception.

Her Secret Past

I was captivated by this story of raw emotions, of being human and the choices we make in life.

Bessie a young sixteen year old is horrified when she sees her dreams go up in smoke. She loses her hopes for the future, her best friend and her reputation and faces a secret she will carry with her into the future. Worst of all her brother with whom she is very close is part of the secret that she can tell no one...not even her parents.

Fast forward years, Bessie has been married to Mario for years , they have raised two beautiful children, Jake and Nate. At fifty three she sees her marriage has crumbled to the point of destruction. She is devastated and wants to recapture what they once had.

Can Bessie come to terms with the secret she has held, confess to all and face up to the consequences in order to try and save her marriage, or will all be lost.

This is a wonderful story of life, love and mistakes. A story of growing up and realizing one is human and that you can be strong enough to face up to the choices made in life. A novel of gaining confidence to live a life without secrets and to fully enjoy being alive. First you have to let go of the old and embrace the new person you will need to become.

This was a true to life story and the characters were fantastic. I loved every word and was so glad I had a chance to read it.

I found the title of this novel apt - 65% in and I was still waiting for the story to begin. There isn't much of a story. This novel is character driven, and yet the main character, Bessie, is not likeable. I did warm a little to her towards the end of the book when her story finally unravelled, but it wasn't enough. I warmed to Mario and Chuts and Bessie's parents were sweet (if a little irritating at times). I found the teenage parts of the story boring - pages and pages of Bessie's innermost thoughts. I skipped over some parts, wanting to get to the story. I was really surprised at this book, because in the past I've been gripped by Prowse's books, but sadly not by this one. I will say that the ending was satisfying - the novel's saving grace. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm sorry to say that I just couldn't get into this book and didn't get beyond the first to chapters. Perhaps I was expecting too much because I'd read some of the many five star reviews. The title seemed very apt to me - "Waiting to begin". So little happened in the first chapter that I was waiting for it to begin. I think I like books that hook you more at the start. 
This was my first Amanda Prowse and will probably be my last.

I enjoyed this family drama from Ananda Prowse. 

An event from Bessie’s teenage years has impacted on the rest of her life, leaving her feeling unfulfilled, dissatisfied and insecure. 

The story flies between present day and the events that have had such a significant impact on her life and choices. 

Amanda’s skills include ensuring that you want to keep turning the page to find out what happens next, and I found myself rooting for Bessie and her family. 

I did have some unanswered questions around her complicated relationship with her son in law but overall it was a good, if at times, unhappy read. 

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Prowse always delivers and with her latest, Waiting to Begin, she has proffered up her best so far. Bessie’s birthday is bittersweet and also traumatic. The narrative jumps from 1984 to 2021, focused on events, thoughts, and emotions on her birthday. It’s a thoughtful, beautiful story. Bessie comes to many realizations. Life has to be what you make of it, not just existing. Mario was my favorite person in the book. The birthday luncheon with Bessie’s parents had me gasping for air because I laughed so hard. There are tender scenes, tough scenes all in between. Don’t wait to begin this one!

As much as I hate the hackneyed phrase ‘easy read’, I can confirm that Waiting to Begin is not one of them.  Bess is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders as she reflects on her life.  She’s now fifty-three and her private angst has led to the break-down of her marriage to the lovely Mario.
The book takes us back to sixteen-year-old Bess, with her best friend, and childhood dreams of romance and Duran Duran.  Once revealed, her secret is heart-breaking and it’s easy to see how her teenaged decisions have impacted on her adult life. My heart became a little broken as I read the details of her downfall.  
As we flick back to the present day, I went from having little empathy for Bess to wanting reach out and help her come to terms with the cruelties of youth.  It’s hard to write a review without revealing any spoilers and that would be a shame with such a poignantly crafted story.
This book is for anyone who loved and lost a best friend, felt the strength of love from a sibling or simply struggled through teenage years.  Please don’t misunderstand this review, I highly recommend it as despite the seemingly helpless storm that Bess sails, there’s always sunshine after a rainy day.

At first I wasn't quite sure to think of this book. It really asked, what would you do for absolute happiness? The only thing I didn't like about this book was the alternating chapters in time. However, that's the only thing. This book made me laugh and ugly cry both in the same moment. I felt like this book stayed with me long after I finished. Would recommend this book!

Amanda Prowse never disappoints and this book gets another top notch, glittering 5 stars  from me! I'm not usually a 'cryer' and it takes a lot to make me tearful but this story really tore at my emotions from sadness to laughter and touched me deeply with beautiful prose that Amanda is so good at writing. I loved that the book was set out in alternating chapters - Bessie as a 16 year old in the 1980's and then as a 56 year old in 2021.. Having lived through those decades myself it was a nice slice of nostalgia to recall what life in the 80's was like and especially for a girl in her mid teens. Bessie makes many mistakes in those adolescent years that shape her life and affect her - and many around her - in really negative ways. Mental health and how a few bad choices can affect the rest of ones life is a main feature of the book. Without repeating the synopsis and without giving away any spoilers, all I will say is that I absolutely loved this book and will be recommending it to everyone, and in every place where I interact with other readers.  Read it and I'm sure you will love it as much as I have. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.