I adore Amanda Prowse novels but they never fail to make me cry and I thought I wouldn't need my tissues for her memoir, Women Like Us, but I couldn'tI adore Amanda Prowse novels but they never fail to make me cry and I thought I wouldn't need my tissues for her memoir, Women Like Us, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Yep, you got me again, Amanda!
Firstly, I really must applaud Amanda Prowse for sharing her intimate and personal story with us. Now I know how she can write such heartbreaking and true to life stories as she draws from the wealth of feelings and emotions from her own experiences. I felt incredibly honoured to read this true story and couldn't believe how much resonated with me; it was almost as if Amanda was talking directly to me through her book.
Much like her fictional novels that mirror real life, it's not all heartbreak in this memoir; it's often amusing and there are some tea spurting out of your nose laugh out loud moments - thanks to Amanda's Aunty Kit's advice for that one!
The book is well named as I think everyone will see something of themselves in Amanda's story; I lost count of the amount of times I thought 'me too' when I was reading. I can't believe how many trials and tribulations Amanda has gone through in her life and still remained as bubbly and positive as she is. You just never know what's going on behind a person's smile; I love Amanda's beautiful smile, by the way.
This book also helped me with something I'm going through at the moment: the dreaded 'change'. It was incredibly enlightening to read about her own experience of the menopause. I expected hot flushes but I was really puzzled by the snaps of bone chilling coldness that I experience on occasion. I didn't know the chilly willies was also hormone related, so it's nice to know I'm not going completely bonkers!
Women Like Us really is for all women like us. It's beautifully written with humour and heartfelt emotion that I found incredibly moving. Thank you for sharing your wonderful story, Amanda x
I received a gifted paperback for the LoveBooksTours readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion. ...more
This is a wonderful charity anthology with an unusual twist: there aren't just fabulous short stories to discover when you open the book, there are alThis is a wonderful charity anthology with an unusual twist: there aren't just fabulous short stories to discover when you open the book, there are also some mouthwatering recipes to try.
Hobeck publish outstanding books so it's no surprise that this anthology is of the highest quality as the authors I have come to know and love have contributed to it. Even Adrian and Rebecca, Hobeck itself, have written stories and it was lovely of Rebecca to share the personal story about the sandwich that helped to launch Hobeck.
I was entertained from start to finish and I loved the format of the book with each part headed up by an imaginative recipe that describes the different genres that Hobeck publish. It's perfectly balanced with stories and recipes; I loved every single story and there are so many recipes I want to try.
Proceeds from the sale of the book are being donated to The Trussell Trust and with cost of living rising so rapidly, supporting food banks is even more important now. It really is a fabulous anthology - definitely put this one on your Christmas list. Not to be missed and very highly recommended.
I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion....more
With her fabulous cosy crimes, entertaining weekly soap and heartwarming Ryhope sagas, Glenda Young has fast become one of my favourite authors. ThereWith her fabulous cosy crimes, entertaining weekly soap and heartwarming Ryhope sagas, Glenda Young has fast become one of my favourite authors. There aren't many authors whose books I read without reading the synopsis but Glenda is one of them. It's not only that the books are guaranteed to be good, it's also that I don't want to spoil a single surprise of the fantastic storyline.
It's December 1923 and 17 year old Emma is leaving her home in a small Irish village and setting off on a long journey to North East England. Emma is leaving under a cloud and I love the wonderfully imaginative scandal that Glenda Young has come up with for Emma. Emma makes quite a first impression when she reaches her Aunt Bessie's pub at the end of her journey: the small coal mining village of Ryhope.
I absolutely adored this book; I laughed, I cried (TWICE!!) and I was entertained from start to finish. I really don't think any review I write could do it justice, you just really need to read it for yourself. It's festive in the loveliest way with family and community spirit at its heart and I loved seeing the main characters from all of the previous Ryhope sagas making cameo appearances. I also loved reading about the Irish tradition of Nollaig na mBan (the Women's Little Christmas) and it's so beautifully incorporated into the storyline.
You can save some pounds on your heating bill by reading A Mother's Christmas Wish; it didn't just warm my heart, it warmed me from head to toe. Glenda Young breaks saga stereotypes with her hugely entertaining and incredibly inventive storylines and A Mother's Christmas Wish is not to be missed.
Very highly recommended - I wanted to read it again the moment I turned the final (soggy, tear-stained) page. It's absolutely beautiful, unforgettable and unmissable.
I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion....more
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