An Ordinary Life

This book is so astounding, so absorbing and amazing, that I can't believe it. Every single character is fascinating, and the story itself is at times so heartbreaking, so gripping, that as others have already said here, it's really hard to put the book down. Each time I do, I can't wait to get back to the book again, which is saying a lot.

Especially given that, in general, I'm not fond of books about war or any book whose major storyline goes back in history by many decades. That's just not me. But THIS book? Wow. Not a boring moment in it, believe me.

An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse An Ordinary Life had me riding the emotional rollercoaster throughout this story. The trials/ challenges Molly faced were overwhelming and how she coped and overcame them kept me engaged and sitting on the edge of my seat. Her life was anything but ordinary and I really enjoyed reading each page of this book. I definitely recommend An Ordinary Life - 4 STARS!

I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own. Thank you to Ms. Prowse and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to review this book.

Reading about her experiences in WWII - especially with the French Underground - I have several books on that subject

Molly’s life in Amanda Prowse’s An Ordinary Life is anything but ordinary. We learn almost her entire life as she relives her memories from a hospital bed — work, love, passion, pain, sorrow, everything you expect to experience in a lifetime. Molly’s early life takes place during war time in the 1940s, so there’s a lot to experience that most of us never have and probably never will. But Ms. Prowse is an amazing storyteller with the ability to put her readers right into her protagonist’s life.

All of us are shaped by things that happen to us — the schools we attend, the friends we make (and lose), the jobs we take, the loved ones we mourn along the way. All of us experience ordinary things every single day. But Molly’s “things” are far more influential and extraordinary than your average person. Her skills with multiple languages put her in a position to be an asset to the war effort, and as a result she lives through situations that influence her entire future. These experiences color everything that she does after the war. And as far as she is concerned, it’s been an ordinary life.

Molly’s story will take you on an incredible journey. The only reason I gave it 4.5 stars instead of 5 is that 76 years is a lot to cover in a single novel, so there had to be big gaps in time by the end in order to get through it all. As the novel approached the end, the gaps became increasingly wider. The first 70% of the book covers two years, then it skips ahead seven years, then 16, then nine, then eight, then 17, and then 17 more. I know that ordinary things happened in the gaps. They just felt like really big gaps in the last 30% of the book. Nevertheless, this is definitely another Amanda Prowse creation worth reading.

I received an advance copy of this title from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

An Ordinary Life begins at the end of Molly's life. She worked for the Foreign Office in London in the 1940s with several of her friends. Molly is approached for a special assignment which changes her life and forces her to make a very difficult decision. I really enjoyed following Molly in her work and travels. There were so many emotions in this book; love, sorrow, joy, laughter, loss.