Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: I Won’t Be Home for Christmas
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://amandaprowse.org/
CITY: England
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: nb2013020345
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/nb2013020345
HEADING: Prowse, Amanda
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372 __ |a Writing |2 lcsh
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670 __ |a What have I done?, 2013: |b t.p. (Amanda Prowse) p.[i] (Amanda Prowse lives in the West Country. She was a managing consultant for ten years before realising she was born to write)
PERSONAL
Married; husband’s name Simeon (a soldier); children: Josh, Ben.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Former management consultant.
WRITINGS
Author of short stories.
SIDELIGHTS
Amanda Prowse worked as a management consultant for several years before deciding to forge a career as a writer. The catalyst was a cancer diagnosis when she was thirty-two. “Everything changed for me,” she told Hannah Martin in an interview for the Talented Ladies Club Web site in 2014. “I thought, ‘I only have one life. What do I really want to do with it?’ I’d always loved writing, and wanted to make it my career, but I didn’t know if I could do it. Eventually though, I plucked up the courage to give it a go.” It took a few years, but she and her husband, a military man, pared down their possessions so she could quit her job, and she began writing novels. “I’d always had lots of ideas for books,” she told Martin. “I’m a real bookworm, and every time I read a book I’d either think ‘I wish I’d written it’ or ‘I could write better than that.’” Her first novel was Poppy Day, the story of a woman who rescues her soldier husband from a hostage situation in Afghanistan. It was a success, and Prowse has been writing ever since. Her stories often focus on the complications of women’s lives.
Christmas for One
The protagonist of Christmas for One, Megan Hope, has had some difficult times in her life. She spent her childhood in foster care, and the man she loved in her young adulthood was killed in an auto accident, leaving her pregnant and alone. Now she is the single mother of a four-year-old boy, and Meg, who remains an optimist in spite of everyhing, is determined to make life good for him. She has a management position with Plum Patisseries, a British bakery chain run by cousins Pru and Milly Plum. Shortly before Christmas, Milly sends Meg to New York City to do some troubleshooting at the Plum Patisseries outlet there. In New York she meets Edd Kelly and is smitten with him immediately. She spends a delightful couple of days with him, but then something goes wrong, and she feels fated to spend Christmas on her own once again. As Meg ponders whether she was too quick to trust Edd, she also reaches out to her estranged mother to try to reestablish their relationship.
Some critics found Christmas for One engaging and touching. “Meg’s world is peopled with believable characters with jobs, families, and realistic concerns,” observed Autumn Markus in the New York Journal of Books Online. “The sad backstory of the main character is sketched, but with a briskness that refuses to make her a tragic figure. There is also a healthy dollop of humor swirled into the story, even the heart-wrenching parts; this gives those sections a genuine pathos that a more heavy-handed treatment would obscure.” A Publishers Weekly reviewer was unimpressed, however, saying the novel offers “gorgeous details of food and culture on two continents,” but is marred by “inconsistent characterization and an obnoxious leading man.” Markus had no such reservations; she summed up Christmas for One as “a sweet, humorous snapshot of a romance that … will elicit a sigh and a smile.”
The Food of Love
This novel portrays a family dealing with one member’s eating disorder. Freya Braithwaite and her husband are the parents of two daughters, and Freya is shocked to learn that her younger child, Lexi, is anorexic. The mother receives the news from the headmistress at Lexi’s school; Lexi has been hiding her thinning body under layers of clothing. Freya, not recognizing the complexity of such disorders, believes she can solve Lexi’s problem with love and home cooking.
Several reviewers deemed The Food of Love moving and realistic. “Like or loathe the way the Braithwaites handle their daughter’s problems it certainly makes for fascinating reading,” remarked Susan Lobban on the Novelicious Website. The story, she noted, is “a very convincing portrayal of a family ripped apart by something out of their control.” At the online Counsellors Cafe, Helen Gifford advised readers: “If you want to learn more about eating disorders, from an emotive and family point of view then this book will suck you in and immerse you in that difficult world. You will emerge feeling raw and tired but warm in the encompassing love and bond of a family unit.” Another online critic, Lisa Bambrick at Chicklit Club, called The Food of Love “poignant,” adding: “It will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.”
The Art of Hiding
This novel focuses on a woman’s adjustment to widowhood. Nina McCarrick has risen from the working class to a comfortable middle-class existence, but the sudden death of her husband, Finn, leaves her both financially and emotionally insecure. She returns to her hometown, where she tries to find a job, provide for her children, and rebuild her life.
The Art of Hiding found favor with some critics. “It’s really well written and the story was great,” reported Helen Corton at the Nudge-Book Website. At the online Chicklit Club, Noemi Proietti dubbed the novel “interesting and relatable,” but she thought Nina and the supporting characters were “not particularly likable” and “a bit irritating.” Corton, however, maintained that Nina and several other “likeable characters” learn lessons through their struggles. The story, she added, has a message “about what’s important in life and where you can find it.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, November 3, 2014, review of A Little Love, p. 91; August 31, 2015, review of Christmas for One; May 1, 2017, review of I Won’t Be Home for Christmas, p. 43.
ONLINE
Chicklit Club, https://www.chicklitclub.com/ (February 14, 2018), Joan Hill, reviews of Will You Remember Me?, A Mother’s Story, and Another Love; Lisa Bambrick, review of The Food of Love; Noemi Proietti, review of The Art of Hiding.
Amanda Prowse Website, http://amandaprowse.org (February 14, 2018).
Counsellors Cafe, https://www.thecounsellorscafe.co.uk/ (March 30, 2017), Helen Gifford, review of The Food of Love.
New York Journal of Books Online, https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/ (February 14, 2018), Autumn Markus, review of Christmas for One.
Novelicious, http://www.novelicious.com/ (December 12, 2016), Susan Lobban. review of The Food of Love.
Nudge-Book, https://nudge-book.com/ (July 21, 2017), Helen Corton, review of The Art of Hiding.
Quick Book Reviews, https://quick-book-review.blogspot.com/ (October 4, 2017), David Ben Efraim. review of The Idea of You.
Red, http://www.redonline.co.uk/ (November 8, 2012), Hannah Gilchrist, review of Poppy Day.
Talented Ladies Club, https://www.talentedladiesclub.com/ (August 3, 2014), Hannah Martin, interview with Amanda Prowse.
About the Author
Amanda Prowse likens her own life story to those she writes about in her books. After self-publishing her debut novel, Poppy Day, in 2011, she has gone on to author sixteen novels and six novellas. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages and she regularly tops bestseller charts all over the world.
Remaining true to her ethos, Amanda writes stories of ordinary women and their families who find their strength, courage and love tested in ways they never imagined. The most prolific female contemporary fiction writer in the UK, with a legion of loyal readers, she goes from strength to strength. Being crowned ‘queen of domestic drama’ by the Daily Mail was one of her finest moments.
Amanda is a regular contributor on TV and radio but her first love is and will always be writing.
You can find her online at www.amandaprowse.com, on Twitter @MrsAmandaProwse, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/amandaprowsenogreaterlove.
Amanda has always obsessively crafted short stories and scribbled notes for potential books, but it wasn’t until she was forty that she began writing full time. The result was Poppy Day, the story of an army wife, whose incredible love for her husband gives her the courage to rescue him from hostages in Afghanistan. This was followed by the number 1 bestseller What Have I Done? Amanda now has ten novels and four novellas published.
All of Amanda's books in the No Greater Love series share common themes in that they are contemporary love stories, the main characters are women, just like you and I, who find themselves in extraordinary situations for love.
Her new series is the No Greater Courage series, tales of women facing the trials that life throws at them and having to dig deep to find the will and strength to succeed. This series includes the A Mother’s Story and Perfect Daughter, which continue to receive brilliant reader and press reviews.
Amanda’s ambition has always been to create stories that keep people from turning the bedside lamp off at night, great characters that ensure you take every step with them and tales that fill your head so you can’t possibly read another book until the memory fades...
Currently, Amanda lives in the West Country with her husband and their 18 & 19 year old boys Josh and Ben.
Thank you for stopping by.
Quoted in Sidelights: “Everything changed for me,” she told Hannah Martin in an interview for the Talented Ladies Club Web site in 2014. “I thought, ‘I only have one life. What do I really want to do with it?’ I’d always loved writing, and wanted to make it my career, but I didn’t know if I could do it. Eventually though, I plucked up the courage to give it a go.” It took a few years, but she and her husband, a military man, pared down their possessions so she could quit her job, and she began writing novels. “I’d always had lots of ideas for books,” she told Martin. “I’m a real bookworm, and every time I read a book I’d either think ‘I wish I’d written it’ or ‘I could write better than that.’”
By Hannah Martin on August 3rd, 2014
Interview with bestselling author Amanda Prowse
INSPIRATION
The life of Amanda Prowse almost reads like one of her hugely popular novels. Five years ago she quit her job to write her first book, Poppy Day, which was rejected by every agent in town.
Determined not to give up, she self-published her book (donating 100% of the profits to the Royal British Legion) – and to her surprise, it became a much-loved bestseller.
Today she’s an established author, with nine books to her name and is a familiar face on TV. She very generously shared her incredible story with us – plus some tips for would-be writers!
Trethowans
How did you get started as a writer?
I haven’t been a professional writer all my life – far from it! I was a management consultant until I was 40. I was married to a soldier and was the main breadwinner in our family.
We had a nice life and house, and two great kids. But when I was 32 I was diagnosed with cancer and everything changed for me. I thought, ‘I only have one life. What do I really want to do with it?’
I’d always loved writing, and wanted to make it my career, but I didn’t know if I could do it. Eventually though, I plucked up the courage to give it a go. My husband, Simeon, completely supported my decision. We were both worried about how we’d live, but material possessions didn’t matter to us.
So we sold our house, furniture and cars, moved into rented military family housing, maxed out two credit cards, and just got on with it. We’d never been so skint but so happy.
How did you get the idea for your first book?
I’d always had lots of ideas for books. I’m a real bookworm, and every time I read a book I’d either think ‘I wish I’d written it’ or ‘I could write better than that’.
The idea for Poppy Day, my first book came from an interview with the father of Gilad Shaalit, a soldier who had been taken hostage. He was asked what the worst thing about having a son in captivity was, and he replied that every day he woke up knowing his son needed him, but he couldn’t get to him.
My family is my absolute life and I couldn’t imagine anything happening to them. If you’re in a business meeting and you get a call from the school saying that your child is sick or injured you just drop everything and go.
When people you love need you, you get to them. And it made me wonder what would happen if Simeon was taken while he was on tour. What would I do?
The idea of Poppy Day came into my head and I decided to write the book. I didn’t know if I could actually write, so when the first version was finished I asked Simeon to read it.
He sat on the sofa for eight hours straight reading it, and by the time he finished he was sobbing. He’d never thought about the danger he was in from my perspective before – the one left at home. I realised then that if I can get to him then I’ve got something.
What did you do next?
I sent the book everywhere, but no one wanted to read it. The common response was that no one wants to read about Afghanistan or war. It’s not women’s fiction.
I was trying to work out how I could get the story out when Simeon and I travelled to London. We stayed in the Union Jack Club and when we came back from supper one night there were lots of young, injured servicemen there, just back from their first round of treatment.
I realised that the only reason Simeon had always come back from his tours was luck – nothing else. Seeing these fit and handsome young men with no arms and legs really made it real to me, and I asked Simeon what we could do to help. He replied that we could sell the book and give the money to help soldiers.
How did you get it published?
I sneaked a copy of the book to board directors of the Royal British Legion at break time in a meeting. A couple of them liked the story and called me. They agreed to publish it, and every penny of profit it makes goes to the Royal British Legion.
The success of Poppy Day grew organically from there. It caught the imagination of people, maybe because it was a simple premise – a very relatable story.
In the beginning we thought that it would be great to sell as many as 5,000 copies, but today it’s sold over a quarter of a million copies, and it’s still selling!
What happened after Poppy Day? How did you get your second book published?
I was very lucky in that I managed to get a book signing at Selfridges for Poppy Day. I called them up and asked if I could do a signing for Valentine’s Day and they said yes. I couldn’t believe it! I’m not a sales person and making that call was excruciatingly difficult for me, but I’m so glad I did it.
A few weeks before the signing I had a few calls from a private number on my mobile, but I had ignored them as I wasn’t sure who they were from.
Then on the day in Selfridges an incredibly elegant and well-dressed woman walked down the queue towards me. She said that she was a publishing agent and had been trying to get hold of me. She’d read Poppy Day and loved it and wanted to sign me! Three weeks later I got an offer from my current publisher.
How easy is it to come up with ideas for books?
I am lucky in that I always have new stories in my head. As I am writing one book, I am writing the next in my head.
The stories come to me in their entirety, and I write quickly too. I’m always one book ahead of the last book out.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It takes me between four and five months. I write every day during that time – if I don’t, I feel agitated, like I need to crack on.
What does your average writing day look like?
I get up early in my PJs and write. I take the boys to school and then carry on writing. I write all day and usually suddenly notice the time and realise I need to get dinner ready! I find the process absorbing and would happily write for 15 hours a day – it almost feels like something has been tapped into.
I come from a very ordinary family – I didn’t grow up thinking that I would write books. I didn’t even know anyone who had written a book. It still feels like an odd profession to have.
How does it feel when you see someone reading one of your books?
It feels like nothing on earth. I remember the first time I saw someone reading Poppy Day. It was on the tube and I was sat opposite her. It was a surreal moment. I really wanted to say something but didn’t have the courage, so I just sat there beaming at her. She probably thought I was crazy!
Even now I still feel grateful that people enjoy my books – it doesn’t lessen for me. I feel very lucky and honoured. Not just that people have spent their hard-earned cash on my stories, but that they’re giving me their time. It’s an incredible privilege.
I am still amazed at the popularity of my books. They sell all over the world – I go to remote places and they have a whole section of my books in their local book store, people in the most out of the way towns in foreign countries know me, and I see piles of my books at airports. It’s pinch-me stuff!
How have you found the PR side of being an author?
It was completely unexpected. I didn’t think the whole process through when I was writing Poppy Day. I thought you just wrote books and that was it.
But a big part of my work now involves travelling and giving interviews. I’m a confident speaker, but I’m also a shy person and I still find it quite daunting. I usually feel nervous or sick before going on TV or radio, but as soon as I’m doing the interview I’m fine. I’m learning as I go along!
What’s your plan now?
I have at least another 20 books in my head right now. I’m writing a one woman play and a one man play, too. I’m just going to carry on doing what I’m doing – I feel that if I can make a difference along the way it’s almost my duty to.
Why do you think your books are so popular?
Maybe because I write about topics that are quite difficult. But by putting it into a story, it’s easier to talk about. In my latest book, Will you remember me? Poppy is diagnosed with cancer, like me. The story is my worst fears played out on paper – wondering how you say goodbye to your kids.
I write about very real, human situations. Ones that many of us have lived (and are living) through – such as domestic violence, illness, loss, prejudice.
If you were to write a government-style white paper about these issues, no one would read it. But putting it into a story, it becomes a hot topic. Women contact me and say they recognise their sister, mum or themselves in my stories. It feels like a safe environment to voice their own experiences.
Who inspires you?
My family – they’ll always come first for me. I cherish every second I spend with my children and husband, and I grab every opportunity to sit with my mum and have a coffee. The people I love are everything to me. I see myself as a mum firstly, followed by an army wife and then a writer.
I’m also inspired by other women – women who face struggle and overcome it. Whether that struggle is being a single parent, battling breast cancer, leaving an abusive relationship or caring for a sick child.
I admire anyone who has the courage to change a situation that they’re unhappy with, or who put themselves out of their comfort zone.
What tips do you have for other aspiring writers?
Don’t give up! 90% of the effort in getting your first book published will be in approaching people and getting rejected. You’ll probably get around 150 million nos – and each one is a step to yes.
Take what you can from each rejection. Learn from it and act on it. You’ll get good, bad and indifferent feedback, and sometimes you’ll agree with it, and sometimes you won’t. But even the negative comments are good because they stoke the fire in your belly.
Also, don’t set out to write a bestseller. if you start by thinking you’re going to write the next Thornbirds you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. And you’re much more likely to give up as you’ll think you’re not succeeding.
In fact, don’t put pressure on yourself to write ‘a novel’ at all. Just start writing something. Write a letter, a short story, even a list! Start small and keep going. If you feel confident, show people your writing and ask what they think of it.
How can budding writers get their work noticed?
It’s difficult to get your work read, so don’t be disheartened if it doesn’t happen straight away for you (it didn’t for me either!).
If no one reads your work, use ebooks and get it out there on the internet. You can get an audience at the click of the button, and you’ll soon know if your work is any good or not as they’ll tell you.
You don’t need an expensive course or huge investement – you just need people reading what you’re doing. If they like it enough, you’ll get spotted. Agents and publishers are out there looking, and they’re often looking in the same places as everyone else.
And finally, what’s something that most people don’t know about you?
I only own three outfits! It’s true – if you take a look at the videos on my YouTube channel, or photographs of me you’ll see I am wearing one the of the three.
Every day I wash and dry them ready to be worn again. I’ve had the same clothes for five years – I don’t need anything else.
In my 20s I used to think I wanted things, but as I have got older I feel that the less I have the more content I am. I guess that there are just other things that matter more to me now.
You can find out more about Amanda and her books on her website, and on Amazon.
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I Won't Be Home for Christmas
Publishers Weekly.
264.18 (May 1, 2017): p43+.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
I Won't Be Home for Christmas
Amanda Prowse. Head of Zeus, $14.95 trade paper (336p) ISBN 978-1-78497-492-3
Prowse's romantic contemporary novel unfolds slowly and steadily with unexpected twists and smart,
funny, honest language. Fifty-three-year-old Vivienne had hoped her wanderlust-stricken daughter, Emma,
would return home to Bedminster, England, for Christmas after a four-year absence. Instead, Emma
announces she's getting married in New Zealand. Vivienne struggles to be supportive of Emma and keep her
own insecurities at bay. Her rambunctious longtime friend Ellen joins her for the trip to Tutukaka, lovingly
teasing and challenging her at every opportunity. Free-spirited Emma is her usual ebullient self with her
mother, but more reserved with her fiance, Michael; nonetheless, she assures her mother all is well.
Vivienne finds her English reserve crumbling under her attraction to Michael's father, Gil, and the stunning
beauty of Tutukaka. As Vivienne and Gil explore their budding camaraderie, Vivienne begins to realize how
much she needed closure regarding events from her past, but moving on comes at a price. Prowse connects
the past to the present, exploring life's journey and the choices the characters made along the way. (Aug.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"I Won't Be Home for Christmas." Publishers Weekly, 1 May 2017, p. 43+. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A491575306/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=fea51a35.
Accessed 28 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A491575306
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A Little Love
Publishers Weekly.
261.44 (Nov. 3, 2014): p91.
COPYRIGHT 2014 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
A Little Love
Amanda Prowse. Head of Zeus (www.headofeeus.com), $12.95 trade paper (352p) ISBN 978-1-781-85498-
3
In the fifth No Greater Love contemporary, Prowse (Clover's Child) introduces a nontraditional heroine, Pru
Plum, the 66-year-old co-owner of London's successful Plum Patisserie. Spinster cousins Pru and Milly
planned and struggled for decades before they saved up enough to open their bakery. Pru has also been a
surrogate mother for her dead brother's daughter, Bobby. At Bobby's engagement' party to charming
William, Pru meets William's uncle, MP Christopher Heritage, and is instantly smitten. As their relationship
begins, tragedy strikes, and fate introduces a devastated Pru to a needy, pregnant young woman. Pru,
wanting to pay forward some of the kindness that others have shown her, reaches out to the woman and
takes her in. The romance takes a backseat to Pru grappling with some hard truths and learning to trust
herself. The bakery tips sprinkled around the story are interesting, but they feel mostly like padding. (Feb.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"A Little Love." Publishers Weekly, 3 Nov. 2014, p. 91. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A389934684/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=9b54ef7f.
Accessed 28 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A389934684
Quoted in Sidelights: “interesting and relatable,” “not particularly likable” and “a bit irritating.”
The Art of Hiding (2017)
After the sudden death of husband Finn, Nina finds out that the perfect wrapped-in-a-bubble life she thought they had wasn’t perfect after all. She is forced to give up her beautiful house and expensive things and move with her two sons back to the place Nina swore she would never return to - her hometown. With the help of her feisty sister Tiggy, she will try to find a job – although she has absolutely no work experience - and get her life back together.
This book focuses on families as Nina and her sons grow closer than they have ever been and she reconnects with her estranged sister. Although I found the plot interesting and relatable, it didn’t completely engage me or keep me captivated. The characters were not particularly likable and were a bit irritating, especially Nina who keeps repeating how she grew up poor and married rich and seems too naive and clueless. (NP)
Quoted in Sidelights: “poignant,” adding: “It will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.”
The Food of Love (2016)
This powerful novel explores the world of eating disorders and the impact they have not only on the individuals suffering from them but on their families and friends. Freya is a loving mother to two daughters, Charlotte and Lexi, and has enjoyed a wonderful marriage to her husband of nineteen years. But the family’s happiness and stability are threatened when Lexi develops anorexia. The frustration of having to cope with this complex mental illness quickly takes its toll on Freya and Lockie’s marriage as they disagree on the best way to help their daughter.
Amanda Prowse has successfully depicted the struggles surrounding eating disorders, and while Freya’s actions may sometimes seem illogical, one can certainly feel for parents who want nothing more than for their child to heal. The Food of Love is poignant and for anyone who has confronted similar issues, it will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading. (LB)
Another Love (2016)
Romilly can hardly believe how lucky her life has been so far: she has a job she loves, a beautiful family home in the suburbs of Bristol, a loving and handsome husband in the form of David and, to top it all, their lovely daughter Celeste. Of course, life can be difficult at times, but there's nothing a glass of wine can't help with. Until that one glass of wine doesn't do the trick anymore and before she knows it, Romilly finds herself longing for alcohol for most parts of every single day. She loves her family more than she can put into words, but this other love is slowly taking over and Romilly starts to realise it's going to take a lot of strength and determination to turn her back on this new dangerous love.
Every single time I pick up a new Amanda Prowse novel, there is a tiny bit of doubt in mind, wondering whether I will end up enjoying this novel as much as I did her previous ones. However, I think I finally have to stop doubting and just accept the fact that Prowse is a consistent author who continues to amaze me with her emotional and intense stories. Another Love is another heart-breaking story that blew me away and will undoubtedly stay with me for quite some time to come. This time, the topic is alcoholism and Prowse has done a fantastic job portraying both sides of the story. The book is quite an emotional rollercoaster with a strong and authentic voice at its core. It’s a gripping, emotional and memorable novel that will make you feel all kinds of things, from anger to sadness to laughter; another great read by a great author. (JoH)
A Mother's Story (2015)
Jessica simply knows she and her new husband, Matthew, were meant to end up together. From the first moment she looked into his eyes, Jessica has been head over heels madly in love with Matthew, and luckily he feels the exact same way about her. When Jessica unexpectedly gets pregnant at the age of twenty-three, Matthew is over the moon and can't wait to go on this new adventure together. Yet, as soon as the baby is born after a complicated birth, Jessica can't seem to find the maternal feelings and strong love she is supposed to feel. Instead, she starts to feel worse and worse and she can't help but think about how her and Matthew's life was supposed to be and what she could possibly do to make things better.
This novel deals with a sensitive and quite controversial topic, namely post-natal depression. Amanda Prowse is a wonderful author and she deals with this subject in an incredibly realistic and touching way. Jessica is a heroine that really spoke to me; from the start it is obvious that she and Matthew make such a great couple and the love between them just warmed my heart. What they go through is told in an incredibly gripping and heartbreaking way, and I can't even imagine what it would be like to go through something like this. The story is told from the perspective of main protagonist Jessica, but in two different ways. On the one hand we see diary extracts from Jessica in the here and now, and on the other hand we get to see everything that has happened to Jessica in the past, mainly told from her own point of view. The switches between these different chapters is very strong and really shows the development of Jessica's character. This story really gripped me and I haven't been able to get it out of my head since I finished the book. If you're looking for a heart-wrenching, gripping and well-written women's fiction title, then A Mother's Story definitely won't disappoint. (JoH)
Will You Remember Me? (2014)
Poppy Day is a 32-year-old mother who is happily married to her husband Martin, who works in the army, and together they have two lovely children, Peg and Max. As a family, they have been through quite a lot and Poppy is incredibly happy to have Martin back home, safe and sound, for the time being. However, while Poppy is busy taking care of the kids and making sure Martin enjoys his time back at home, she forgets to take good care of herself and suddenly finds a lump growing on her breast. Their comfortable and familiar family life is suddenly turned upside down. Everyone knows that if there is one person strong enough to beat cancer it has to be Poppy, but what if the disease just doesn't want to be beaten?
Poppy first appeared in Prowse's Poppy Day, a book which I had not read before starting Will You Remember Me? Even though I did occasionally wonder about things that had happened to the group of characters in the past, you can definitely read this book as a stand-alone. Prowse is an amazing author and she really touched me with her writing. The emotions in this book are so raw and realistic and I think every reader will be able to imagine themselves in a situation like the one Poppy and her family find themselves in and imagine how horrible it would be. There's a simply wonderful cast of warm and easily loveable characters at the core of this book. Poppy and Martin make such an amazing couple and their two children are the cutest. I felt like a part of their little family and I don't think anyone would be able to read this novel without caring for and warming to these characters. This is a simply heartbreaking, well-written and incredibly emotional read; a book I definitely recommend, but make sure you have a box of tissues handy! (JoH)
Quoted in Sidelights: “gorgeous details of food and culture on two continents,” but is marred by “inconsistent characterization and an obnoxious leading man.”
Christmas for One
Amanda Prowse. Head of Zeus (Trafalgar Sq., dist.), $13.95 ISBN 978-1-78185-656-7
MORE BY AND ABOUT THIS AUTHOR
Prowse’s unsatisfying fifth No Greater Love contemporary (after A Little Love) pulls romance out of the ashes. Meg Hope’s life has shattered more than once. She spent childhood bouncing between foster homes; in early adulthood, her fiancé died in an accident, leaving her pregnant. Now Meg and her four-year-old live above the London bakery Meg works in, and the owners have taken her in as a near daughter. Meeting American architect Edward Kelly sparks a fairy tale romance, but after so much rejection and loss, Meg has difficulty believing in fairy tales. Prowse spins gorgeous details of food and culture on two continents, but inconsistent characterization and an obnoxious leading man drain this Christmas confection of its tasty flavor. (Oct.)
DETAILS
Reviewed on: 08/31/2015
Release date: 10/01/2015
Ebook - 224 pages - 978-1-78185-653-6
Quoted in Sidelights: “If you want to learn more about eating disorders, from an emotive and family point of view then this book will suck you in and immerse you in that difficult world. You will emerge feeling raw and tired but warm in the encompassing love and bond of a family unit.”
Book Review - ‘The Food of Love’ by Amanda Prowse
March 30, 2017
Helen Gifford
I recently read ‘The Food of Love’ by Amanda Prowse. Amanda writes about a family in which the daughter suffers from anorexia. It’s written from the viewpoint of the mother but encompasses all the family’s emotions and the ever changing dynamic of a family impacted by a terrifying and often incomprehensible disorder.
I work with eating dysfunction and disorder fairly regularly. I know the facts and have a CBT approach to challenging negative and incorrect thoughts about food and body image. I have sympathised and empathised with the emotions involved, but as with all clinical work I remain professional and partially detached. We can’t help if we can’t step back and keep perspective.
This book rocked me, I am a mother and stepping into the maternal perspective shakes your core.
Being a mother is not the same as being a therapist and whilst I admit to using the therapist tools now and again with my family, I am in love with my children and don’t always have perspective, as it should be. It’s unsettling to know that although I have knowledge and experience, in similar circumstances I would also feel like I’m breaking, I would cry and freak out like the families I so carefully support. It doesn’t matter how ‘skilled’ you are, love is all consuming and overpowering and this book was a stark reminder of that. I would not change anything but it’s sometimes good to remind yourself of the tentative balance we take as therapists.
If you want to learn more about eating disorders, from an emotive and family point of view then this book will suck you in and immerse you in that difficult world. You will emerge feeling raw and tired but warm in the encompassing love and bond of a family unit.
Quoted in Sidelights: “Like or loathe the way the Braithwaites handle their daughter’s problems it certainly makes for fascinating reading,” remarked Susan Lobban on the Novelicious Web site. The story, she noted, is “a very convincing portrayal of a family ripped apart by something out of their control.”
Monday, 12 December 2016
Review - The Food of Love by Amanda Prowse
The Food of Love by Amanda Prowse reviewed by Susan Lobban
The food of loveThe Braithwaites may not have lots of money but one thing they do have is each other. A close family is priceless and Freya prides herself in how well she knows her husband and two daughters. Until that is one day she is called into school to talk about her youngest regarding concerns the headmistress has. As a mother her first reaction is one of disbelief, however once she really looks at Lexi she realizes that she has been changing right under her nose and Freya has missed it.
As Lexi peels away the layers of clothing she reveals the true extent of her weight problem but Freya is convinced that she can rescue her daughter before any real damage is done. Pushing aside her husband and eldest daughter she is blinkered to the fact that Lexi needs more than a few home cooked meals. Will a mother’s love really be enough to battle such a cruel disease?
As with all of Amanda’s books I started this book knowing nothing about the main topic of the book. This time it was Anorexia which of course I have heard of but not in any great detail. I had not read the synopsis before starting this book, but as I know the nature of Amanda’s books I guessed that was where the story would be headed. What followed was a very convincing portrayal of a family ripped apart by something out of their control. Each time I read one of Prowse’s books it piques my interest to read more into the facts behind the fictional families’ dilemmas.
Usually Amanda’s female protagonists are strong and relatable however this time I found Freya to be extremely weak and bordering on unlikeable. However this did not make her any less readable as I believe a lot of mothers would react in the same way but when she shouldered some of the blame due to her past actions I tended to agree with her. Lockie was who I admired and related to as even though he was sidelined by his wife he kept trying to assert his fatherly opinions and he could clearly see Freya’s approach was far too softly softly.
Like or loathe the way the Braithwaites handle their daughter’s problems it certainly makes for fascinating reading. I stayed up far too late into the night to see what would become of Lexi and if her family would survive the trauma they were facing. Amanda Prowse has a remarkable gift of choosing topics that leave her reader desperate to share with others. I think this is part of her ever growing success as I find you can’t read one of her books without mentioning and recommending to everyone you know!
10/10
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Quoted in Sidelights: It’s really well written and the story was great,”
“likeable characters”
“about what’s important in life and where you can find it.”
The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse
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Review published on July 21, 2017.
Nina McCarrick has a comfortable existence – beautiful property, a successful husband, children at private school. She hasn’t always though, coming from a humbler life in working class Southampton where her remaining family still reside. Her middle-class existence has made her slightly smug and she displays a feeling of superiority over those with less. This book is predominantly concerned with her fall and subsequent rise again. After the sudden death of her husband, life has to evolve physically and psychologically, as Nina deals with grief, fights for her own and her son’s futures, and learns important lessons in life and humanity, making the best of a bad situation and helping others. We certainly meet several likeable characters struggling with the cruelty of what life can throw at you and see all the characters develop over the course of the book.
Reading this book was entertaining and enjoyable. I found it really emotionally engaging, and found myself easily running with the mood of the book. It’s really well written and the story was great and escapist. I’ve never read any of Amanda Prowse’s other books, but having seen her on the panel for the Wright Stuff regularly I found her a likeable and kind person which has intrigued me to make a start, I’m glad I have.
This would be a great holiday read, excellent for someone who doesn’t read much and wants to see the sadness and also the joy of life, while being taken with the story and spend a bit of time quietly. I found it relatable as a mother and also think about what’s important in life and where you can find it.
Helen Corton 4/3
The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse
Lake Union Publishing 9781611099553 pbk Aug 2017
Quoted in Sidelights: “Meg’s world is peopled with believable characters with jobs, families, and realistic concerns,” observed Autumn Markus in the online New York Journal of Books. “The sad backstory of the main character is sketched, but with a briskness that refuses to make her a tragic figure. There is also a healthy dollop of humor swirled into the story, even the heart-wrenching parts; this gives those sections a genuine pathos that a more heavy-handed treatment would obscure.”
“a sweet, humorous snapshot of a romance that … will elicit a sigh and a smile.”
Christmas for One (No Greater Love)
Image of Christmas For One (No Greater Love)
Author(s):
Amanda Prowse
Release Date:
October 1, 2015
Publisher/Imprint:
Head of Zeus
Pages:
368
Buy on Amazon
Reviewed by:
Autumn Markus
“Life has always kind of happened to me without too much planning.”
Fate and happenstance as the primary architect of a life is very much a dominant theme of Amanda Prowse’s newest book, Christmas for One.
After a lifetime of disappointment and worry, Megan Hope’s future is finally looking up. Though her own childhood was grim, Megan is determined to make life better for her four-year-old son. She is in management of one of England’s premiere bakeries, Plum Patisserie, and is beloved of the two older women who own the establishment; as such, it is impossible to refuse when Milly Plum implores her to visit their troubled New York City site right before Christmas.
A chance meeting in an archetypal NY deli leads to a whirlwind romance for Megan; within hours she’s ready to say that Edd Kelly is The One. They spend two magical days together visiting a NYC travelogue of sites, including Coney Island, the Empire State Building, and skating at Rockefeller Center. They part with plans to explore their budding love story further. Cue fireworks and romantic music.
Of course, spanners are thrown into the works almost immediately, and Meg is left wondering what the hell happened, and if she’d opened her heart too quickly once again. It seems that her Christmas will be a solo affair once again.
Christmas for One is a light, sugary confection, perfectly suited for the holiday season. As is often the case with romantic fiction from the UK and Ireland, Meg’s world is peopled with believable characters with jobs, families, and realistic concerns. The sad backstory of the main character is sketched, but with a briskness that refuses to make her a tragic figure. There is also a healthy dollop of humor swirled into the story, even the heart-wrenching parts; this gives those sections a genuine pathos that a more heavy-handed treatment would obscure.
Meg herself is a buoyant character. A child “in care” after a neglectful mother lost custody, she unwittingly became the “other woman” of a wealthy man, and was left pregnant and alone when he died in a car crash with his fiancé.
This backstory, in less capable hands, could have led to a dragging, over-the-top melodrama book. Prowse, though, downplays her character’s challenges, moving through them at a brisk pace and wrapping all but the most poignant bits in a layer of humor and “I can do it!” that is worthy of The Little Engine That Could.
It would be easy, then, to get frustrated when Meg trusts Edd upon meeting him. “I don’t know how many times I can bounce back from having the rug pulled from under me, Edd,” she warns him, but there is a sense that Meg herself is not aware of her limits. That is never clearer than when, coming quick upon the heels of her first disappointment in this book, Meg reconnects with her decade-absent mother and commits to that relationship once again.
That level of positivity is in inherent Meg. “That’s because you are sweet and hope for the best, always. That’s one of the reasons we love you,” advises her friend Guy; as a reader, it’s just as easy to care about hopeful Meg Hope as her friends do. She’s funny, loving, and kind.
There are other strengths of this novel, not the least of which is the refreshing lack of clichés. Mothers-in-law are not automatically evil; people in their sixties are funny, sexual beings; and a romantic novel exists without fawning descriptions of six packs and godly beauty (on the part of either main character).
The dialogue particularly shines. There are typical verbal jabs as well as loving speech, and nary a conversation unlikely to happen in real life between actual people. Though there are brief sexual allusions, heat takes a back seat to romance in this charmer.
Amanda Prowse became an e-book sensation with her first self-published novel, and it’s easy to see why. Christmas for One is a sweet, humorous snapshot of a romance that, though unplanned and a bit magical, will elicit a sigh and a smile.
Autumn Markus is the author of the contemporary romances Art of Appreciation, Cocktails & Dreams, and A Christmas Wish.
Wednesday, October 04, 2017
“The Idea of You” by Amanda Prowse – The Loss of Motherhood
Amanda Prowse Explores the Mother
Being a parent is one of those aspirations that transcends race, gender, culture, nationality and whatever else you may have. It's a biological, cultural and psychological yearning that governs the grand majority of us, to the point where many people don't even need to have a debate with themselves as to whether or not they want children. Unfortunately, nature and genetics are cruel and unforgiving, making it extremely challenging, if not impossible for certain people to conceive. This painful yearning for a child that never comes is one known to far too many people, and it serves as the central theme for Amanda Prowse's emotional and captivating novel, The Idea of You.
As the story opens we are presented with Lucy Carpenter, a woman who is about to turn forty, is pregnant and has a new husband, Jonah. She has always had problems maintaining a pregnancy, and feels this is indeed her last chance to bring into this world a child of her own. Life feels quite hopefully, if not idyllic to a certain extent, until the day that Jonah's teenage step daughter, Camille, comes over to stay with them. Her arrival only serves to complicate things within the household, straining the marriage between Lucy and Jonah as the former is unable to build a bridge between herself and Camille... not to mention that she remembers all she cannot have when looking at the young girl. Soon, Lucy's life takes a turn for the worst and it all begins to tear apart at the seams, and she begins to wonder if there is actually any salvation in sight, whether it will be possible for her to have the family she always wanted.
The Strife of Infertility
To begin with, I'd like to say that the subject matter this book deals with is quite dark and heavy, depicting a lifelong tragedy that many people are sadly familiar with. The unfulfilled desire to have a child is a powerful force that can shape someone's life, and that's an idea which I believe Prowse manages to communicate with remarkable skill and precision. Everything that Lucy feels in regards to her inability to conceive is explained in great detail, bringing us so close to the character that we can practically hold her hand. While it might be a novel, the reality of her situation makes it feel as though we're reading a biography.
Some of the most touching parts of the book in my opinion were the monologues from Lucy to her unborn child that she is carrying. There is just something truly touching, gentle and pure in the way she addresses it and how she uses it as the scope through which she examines her life before and after. We are also given some curious insights as to how the whole situation affects Lucy's household, how it shapes their hopes and dreams for the future and becomes their main point of focus. All in all, I'm inclined to believe that Prowse's depiction as to the psychological effects of a fertility problem (whichever guise it may come under) is true-to-life and comes from either research or personal experience in the matter.
The Family You Didn't Want
Though a decent amount of the book revolves around what we just previously discussed, a big chunk of it is also dedicated to another concept: assembling the family you didn't want. Lucy always had a perfect image of the family she would build for herself, but ultimately things turn out very differently as her husband's sixteen year-old step daughter is the child she ends up with. Watching Lucy's failed attempts at bonding with a teenager who hates her ring very true and are quite inspiring to watch as they develop into something more positive over the course of the story. Through these attempts to put together a cohesive household, even though it isn't the one she dreamt of, Lucy slowly learns what it means to be a parent, what it means to be a mother.
Rest assured, there are some twists in the plot to keep you on your toes, even though most of the book does move along at a slow pace and places a much greater focus on character development. I do admit that overall, the story remains a pretty gloomy and depressive one despite the uplifting moments and qualities it may have. The parts that revolve around the family rather than the unborn child have a few superfluous sections, explorations of the past that don't add much to the story. Nevertheless, those aren't big enough problems to say they ruin the book or anything of the sort.
The Final Verdict
All in all, The Idea of You is not a novel I would recommend to absolutely anyone, being slow in its pace, focusing much more on character development, and dealing with heavy real-world topics that won't resonate with everyone. If those aren't things that bother you and you feel like the subject at hand interests you in one way or another, then I strongly recommend you check the book out; as long as you can get invested in it, the story won't leave you indifferent in the slightest.
The Idea of You By Amanda Prowse (Paperback - Mar 21, 2017)$9.61$14.95
Rated 4 out of 5 by 207 reviewers on Amazon.com
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Amanda Prowse
Personal site
Amanda Prowse is an English writer hailing from London who is currently best-known for The Food of Love, I Won't Be Home for Christmas and My Husband's Wife . Her books have reached the number one spot on many bestsellers lists, having sold millions of copies around the world.
Posted by David Ben Efraim at Wednesday, October 04, 2017
Poppy Day Review
Hannah Gilchrist By Hannah Gilchrist Posted on November 8, 2012
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A deeply emotional story of a woman who will stop at nothing to save the man she loves, Poppy Day is written by soldier wife, Amanda Prowse.
Poppy Day by Amanda Prowse is out now
Both Poppy and Mart had difficult childhoods, even by council estate standards. School was a place of anxiety until they found each other and vowed eternal loyalty. They eventually married and it felt perfect. Mart got a job at the garage as general dogsbody, hoping to graduate one day to mechanic. All he wanted was to protect Poppy and provide for her. One day he realised with sickening insight that he was never going to progress at the garage. He was distraught what future could there be for him and Poppy ? When he saw the advert for joining the army and learning a trade he thought his prayers had been answered.
Not so Poppy, she was furious. She simply couldnt understand how he could go off and leave her alone for so long. When he was mobilised their leaving taking was less than warm. Bad went to worse when she got the dreaded knock on the door. He had been taken hostage in Afghanistan. The authorities assured her they would do all they could to procure his release. But would they ?
Amanda Prowse would be the first to acknowledge the phenomenon of compassion fatigue and here she uses her considerable insider knowledge to re-awaken our hearts and heads to the lonely pain and constant anxiety felt by the women and to the unbearable ordeals demanded of the soldiers. She also reminds us that the returning soldiers have more tribulations to deal with having found their view on life and their relationships changed forever. Lastly, and more sinisterly, she explores the complex world of politics and economy against the actual powerlessness of the ordinary man.
A fast, unputdownable read, Amanda Prowse adeptly fuses a tale of love and courage with the stark realities of war, both on the field and at home.
If you like the sound of this then you might also like Goodbye Sarajevo by Atka Reid and Hana Schofield.
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