The Idea Of You is a beautifully written, highly emotional story, which I have found completely compelling. If you are sensitive to the subject of miscarriage then you may find it a difficult read, or maybe you will find it of some comfort. I’m not really sure as this is something I have never experienced, thankfully. As a mother of two I can only imagine the devastation of losing a baby.

Lucy Carpenter is quite a complex character and one I warmed to quite quickly. She is very happily married to Jonah and has a very successful career, a loving family (despite a somewhat strained relationship with her mother), but what she wants more than anything is to have Jonah’s baby. This, however, is proving to be more difficult than she ever imagined, despite having no problem conceiving, and she feels like time is running out as she approaches forty. Following Lucy’s story has been heart-breaking. I could almost physically feel her pain as she struggled to come to terms with an unsuccessful pregnancy. The raw emotion made my heart ache for her.

When Jonah’s teenager daughter, Camille, comes to stay with them for the summer holidays Lucy tries her best to make her feel welcome and to become friends, but Camille doesn’t make it very easy for her and Lucy finds herself feeling like a bit of an outsider in her own home. Camille is also a constant reminder of what she longs for so it’s not an easy time for Lucy. Jonah is naturally quite defensive where it comes to Camille, but I can totally empathise with Lucy as I probably would feel the same in her situation. Let’s face it, men don’t always understand us and often don’t even try as some things are just easier for them to avoid.

I did get the feeling quite early on that there was more to learn regarding Lucy’s relationship with her mother and the truth came as a shock. I thought I knew what was coming, but I was wrong. It explained a lot though and my heart broke for Lucy all over again, especially considering Jonah’s reaction. I did find it a very believable reaction for a man though and I truly felt for them both and prayed that they could move on and still be happy together.

This story is an absolute roller-coaster of emotion, but ultimately uplifting and with a powerful message about family, love and cherishing all that we have in this life. I loved it and I highly recommend.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for my review copy via Netgalley.

Via Amazon UK…..

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?

About the author…..

Amanda Prowse is an International Bestselling author who has had twenty novels published in dozens of languages. Her chart topping No.1 titles ‘What Have I Done?’, ‘Perfect Daughter’ and ‘My Husband’s Wife’ have sold millions of copies around the world.

Other novels by Amanda Prowse include ‘A Mother’s Story’ which won the coveted Sainsbury’s eBook of the year Award and ‘Perfect Daughter’ that was selected as a World Book Night title in 2016. Amanda’s latest book ‘The Coordinates of Loss’ went straight to No.1 in Literary Fiction when it was launched. She has been described by the Daily Mail as ‘The Queen of Family Drama.’

Published by Lake Union, Amanda is the most prolific writer of bestselling contemporary fiction in the UK today; her titles also consistently score the highest online review approval ratings across several genres.

A popular TV and radio personality, Amanda is a regular panellist on Channel 5’s ‘The Jeremy Vine Show’ and numerous daytime ITV programmes. She makes countless guest appearances on BBC national independent Radio stations including LBC and Talk FM, where she is well known for her insightful observations and her infectious humour.

Amanda’s ambition is 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…

Praise for Amanda Prowse:

‘A powerful and emotional work of fiction’ – Piers Morgan
‘Deeply moving and emotional, Amanda Prowse handles her explosive subjects with delicate skill’ – Daily Mail
‘Uplifting and positive, but you will still need a box of tissues’ – Hello!
‘A gut-wrenching and absolutely brilliant read’ – The Irish Sun
‘You’ll fall in love with this…’ – Cosmopolitan
‘Deeply moving and eye opening. Powerful and emotional drama that packs a real punch.’ – Heat
‘Magical’ – Now magazine