ABOUT THE BOOK:
What if the one thing you want is the only thing you can’t have?With her fortieth birthday approaching, Lucy Carpenter thinks she finally has it all: a wonderful new husband, Jonah, a successful career and the chance of a precious baby of her own. Life couldn’t be more perfect.But becoming parents proves much harder to achieve than Lucy and Jonah imagined, and when Jonah’s teenage daughter Camille comes to stay with them, she becomes a constant reminder of what Lucy doesn’t have. Jonah’s love and support are unquestioning, but Lucy’s struggles with work and her own failing dreams begin to take their toll. With Camille’s presence straining the bonds of Lucy’s marriage, even further, Lucy suddenly feels herself close to losing everything…This heart-wrenchingly poignant family drama from bestselling author Amanda Prowse asks the question: in today’s hectic world, what does it mean to be a mother?
READ AN EXCERPT:
MY REVIEW:
The Idea of You by Amanda ProwseMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Idea of You by Amanda Prowse is a 2017 Lake Union Publishing publication.
One of my 2019 New Year’s resolutions was to utilize by Kindle Unlimited subscription more. I had checked this book out a very long time ago, and it has been sitting on my Kindle, untouched, for ages. So, this was one of the first KU books I chose to read this year.
Amanda Prowse has received a lot of praise from some of my reviewer contemporaries, so every time I saw one of her books on sale or in the KU library, I’d grab it, but to my knowledge this is the very first book of hers that I’ve read.
So, what were my first impressions?
Lucy, after an uncomfortable breakup, meets Jonah, at a baby christening of all places. The two hit it off and waste no time making their union official. For a while, the newlyweds enjoy wedded bliss and life is good, until Lucy suffers through a couple of miscarriages, and her step-daughter, Camille, comes to stay with them.
Lucy’s preoccupation with carrying a child to term, and her tense home environment also affects her focus at work. If that weren’t bad enough several huge situations arise which could put an abrupt end to Lucy’s happily ever after-
I understand why this story resonates with so many readers. The struggle with infertility, and the strain it can place on a marriage, coupled with the challenges of a blended family and career pressures, are all real life issues many people can relate to.
Not only that, the story is pragmatic, proving that humans often make mistakes and errors in judgments, and that life is full of disappointments and unrealized goals and dreams. It’s the way one faces and meet those challenges, that will ultimately allow one to feel real joy and peace, no matter how differently things turned out from the way they envisioned them.
This is an emotional story, but it also ends on a satisfying note. The character growth is the story’s strongest element, especially with Lucy, although, the supporting cast contributes a little compromise and support as well.
My first impression of Amanda Prowse is mostly a positive one. I’m not sure that this story is the very best representation of her work, however. But it was a solid read, and I enjoyed it overall.
GET YOUR COPY HERE:
https://www.amazon.com/Idea-You-Amanda-Prowse-ebook/dp/B01KXQ8SRW/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Amanda Prowse was a management consultant for ten years before realising that she was born to write. Amanda lives in the West Country with her husband and their two teenage sons.
