From the bestselling author of The Girl in the Corner comes a story that asks: how do you forgive the family that lied to you, and love the mum you never had?
When her loving, free-spirited grandmother Primrose passes away, Victoria is bereft, yet resilient—she has survived tragedy before. But even her strength is tested when a mysterious woman attends Prim’s funeral and claims to be the mother … funeral and claims to be the mother Victoria thought was dead.
As the two women get to know each other and Victoria begins to learn more about her past, it becomes clear that her beloved grandmother had been keeping life-changing secrets from her. Desperate for answers, she still struggles to trust anyone to tell her the truth.
To live a full and happy life, Victoria knows she must not only uncover the truth, but find a way to forgive her family. But after so many years, is trusting them even possible?
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The Day She Came Back is the newest release from one of my top-five favorite authors, Amanda Prowse. The Queen of Domestic Drama and a prolific writer of emotionally charged contemporary fiction has another hit on her hands, and I am thrilled to share an early review. I have read all of her works from the last five years and plan to shuffle my way back through the earlier ones I missed, before I knew anything about her.
Imagine being an eighteen-year-old girl in England, raised by your much older grandmother because your own parents died from drug overdoses. You lost your grandfather years ago, you have no siblings or aunts and uncles, and you’re a bit of an outcast at school. But you’re sweet, and you are generous, and you have so much potential. At least you have a wonderful best friend and a lovely little crush on a boy at school… perhaps life might be okay… until your nana, Prim, passes away unexpectedly. How tragic and sad, and it breaks your heart. But then… everything changes the following days at nana’s funeral. Someone you thought long gone shows up with a shocking twist!
Prowse knows how to lure you into comfortable nostalgia and love… she makes you feel the true pain of a young girl who now has no one to help her through the grief. Sure, she has a bestie and her family, and her nana’s beau, but it’s not the same. I felt my eyes tear up when Victoria was home alone for the first time… you know things can’t possibly be okay again for her. She is alone in the world now. I understood her reckless behavior, her desire to be someone different. Victoria shows us the downside of being heartbroken on multiple levels, and then… finally, we see a glimmer of hope. The crush seems to return her feelings!
As quickly as we feel the pain, our hopes rise and we see the potential for Victoria to heal. But it won’t happen, and things will take a very long time to truly turn around. Prowse paints the characters with just enough detail to give you all you need to take the picture and run with it yourself. I heard the music at the party Victoria throws. I smelled the breakfasts she and her crush make each morning. I felt the change in this young woman when she is hurt a second time by someone who devastates her in a terrible way.
It’s rare others than Prowse can generate this kind of emotion from me… but when she does, I am all in. I can’t wait to find out what’s next in this dynamic author’s mind.
The Day She Came Back tells the story of a teenager named Victoria who has believed her whole life that her mother had passed away due to a drug overdose. Victoria has therefore spent her life growing up with her grandmother raising her. When her grandmother passes away, Victoria comes into contact with a woman at the funeral who claims to be her mother. This adds to the turmoil of Victoria’s emotions as she struggles to cope with her grandmother’s loss and incorporate this new figure into her life.
This book was constantly grabbing my attention. I always wanted to keep reading to learn more about Victoria’s backstory and her new mother figure emerging in her life. We are able to see Victoria working her way through the different stages of grieving, and how one may attempt to cope with that. Her emotions are easily felt and understood by the reader.
A major secret held for years can cause havoc or bring together family. I cried while reading this story. The struggles and despair were strong as author Amanda Prowse dug deep into the emotions of the characters. A great read.
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book from NetGalley and finally had a chance to read it. It was amazing. It made me cry, feel sad, feel happy, give life some deep thoughts but in the end the story was perfect.
The story is all about Victoria….raised by her grandma because she was told her mom was dead. Until the grandma passes away when Victoria was a teenager and she finds out everything her grandmother told her was a lie. Her mother was alive and shows up on the day of the funeral.
All kinds of emotions are entwined in this story. Hate, anger, love, surprise and trust. How far would you go to protect someone? A must read and you wont be disappointed. #fourstars #netgalley
4.5 Stars.
Amanda Prowse’s books are becoming a ‘Go To’ when I need a compelling read with original storyline, relatable characters and situations that tug at the heartstrings. Again, I was not disappointed with this read. In fact, this might be my favorite.
You will fall in love with Victoria, newly graduated 18 year old. Ready to start a gap year of traveling with her best friend, Daksha. She lives with her adorable Grandmother, Prim, who raised her after her mother died as a small child, in the old family home. To really say more would do a disservice to you as you read this book. Victoria is your typical 18 yo, feeling her way, acting out when put in hard situations when life hands her a major curve ball or two. Relationships, whether love, family or friends, are complicated and hard. Victoria learns to navigate her newly found status with bumps along the way and by learning some very hard lessons.
Thanks to Ms. Prowse, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.
18 year old,Victoria, her whole life in front of her, comes home to a life altering event, and for the first time in her life ends up feeling totally lost, alone, angry and confused. The choices she makes will show her who to really trust.
Such a wonderful book! Beautifully written, poignant, I loved the true to life characters.
4 stars…tissue warning!!
The Day She Came Back
by Amanda Prowse
I can see why Author Amanda Prowse has an amazing following. This book is a beautifully written and definitely character driven and I loved this book. This book is definitely an emotional read with a deep and emotional storyline that I was completely immersed into. Really happy to have had the opportunity to read Prowse – book is so well written I loved reading this. Thank you for the emotional charged story that had an amazing dialogue, Prowse is the master of human relationships and all cure for all wounds.
This is my first time reading this author and wow. This story is about Victoria who finds out after her grandmother passes that the mother she had been told died is alive and well. Victoria learns through a series of letters what transpired before she was born to make the situation what it became. The tears flowed reading about Sarah’s addiction and heartbreak.
A moving story of a young woman who learns at her beloved grandmother’s funeral that the mother she thought had died when she was an infant is very much alive and now wants to reconnect with her. Victoria had lived her eighteen-year-old life believing she was raised by her wonderful grandmother Prim because her mother had died when she was only three months old. This fact was her identity and she still grieved that loss all these years later. Most of the novel deals with Victoria’s adjustments to learn her mother is alive, to determine why her cherished grandmother lied to her, her false assumption that she has no family, and her long-time crush on a popular high school boy.
This well-written novel with likable characters is a step above predictable chick-lit. If you’re looking for an emotional story that will have you dabbing a tissue at your eyes as you consider what it means to be a mother and what you will do for your child’s happiness, you will enjoy The Day She Came Back. Thanks to Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for a digital advance reader’s copy. All comments and opinions are my own. #TheDaySheCameBack #NetGalley
Amanda Prowse is a wonderful author who through her beautiful story telling manages to take you along the journey with the characters. I am never disappointed. We are first introduced to Victoria and her beloved grandmother who raised her when her mother died. Or did she? Victorias life is filled with tragedy and sorrow so when her beloved grandmother passes away she yet again has to deal with all of the emotion that comes along with mourning the death, except there is much more. She discovers secrets that rock her world and everything she knew and believed. Love, heartbreak, family secrets, trust, lies, drama and all kinds of feelings are explored and trust me you will feel each and every one of them. As I do each time I finish anything by this author I eagerly await for the next one.
Emotional Story Of Love And Loss
This is an unforgettable work of Women’s Fiction. It involves generations of a family whose secrets come to light only after the death of the grandmother. Those who are left behind, primarily the granddaughter, discover some life-altering lies and must learn to deal with them. It is a very emotional story that will take some time to digest. The author has put some book club discussion questions at the end. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
The day she came back is an emotional journey you will take with Victoria/Victory. The story starts out with her losing her Grandmother “Prim” who raised her since she was a baby. Prim leads her to believe her mother died when she was 3 months old. At Prim’s funeral Victoria discovers her mother is not dead. This book is the journey of discovery, who her mother is, who Prim was and why they lied to her and most of all who she is? Not who she thought she was but who she really is. Great coming of age story. Join in Victory’s travel thru discovery, love and understanding of who she is. I was given this ebook in exchange for a unbiased review and this is solely my opinion.
Excellent story of a woman coming of age, finding her own path in life, after her world was completely shattered. It was heartbreaking and joyous to read about Victoria becoming an adult and learning to deal with the upheaval in her sheltered, lovely life.
This book was definitely a page turner for me. I wanted to race to the end, and also at the same time, I did not want the story to end. I loved it!
I want to thank Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for the pleasure of reading the advanced reader copy of this book. My review is my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.
What an emotional journey of discovery. Amanda Prowse has once again given us a beautifully written story of love, loss, and self-discovery. Thank you for my requested copy of an ARC and all opinions are my own.
I find this authors is a hit or miss for me. This one didn’t resonate with me as much since I had a hard time connecting with the characters. However it is well written it is a very emotional story and it is a second chance story which makes it better.I’m not one that likes long drawn out angst and because of that I think that’s what took me out of the story the girl and her way of dealing with the nice and deceived from her family. Then I have to remind myself that she was only 18. Other than that good story it just didn’t grab me as much as some of the authors other books have.
The Day She Came Back by Amanda Prowse is a bittersweet contemporary novel about love and hard choices. It is beautifully written and will lodge in your heart and soul.
Love is the most powerful force. A maternal love will do whatever is required to keep children or grandchildren safe. When love is our motivation sometimes seemingly impossible choices are made.
The reader witnesses the beautiful bond between a grandmother and her granddaughter. Their love radiates from the pages of the novel.
Loss hurts. When death comes stealthily with no time to say goodbye, guilt remains. It is guilt for what we did or didn’t do. Guilt will eat us up. We need to let go of guilt and focus on our memories.
We all need good friends – good friends who will see us through the good and the bad times. False friends leave a bitter taste.
A major theme is of restoration of relationships. As tentative steps are taken, the reader reads on with baited breath.
We see the destructive power of drug addiction. How lives are consumed by desire for the next ‘fix’ regardless of what their priorities should be.
There are hard choices to be made in the name of love. The reader sees the pain these tough choices can cause and we can empathise with the feelings of all the characters involved.
Amanda Prowse is a new author to me. I loved The Day She Came Back and her style of writing. The novel was beautifully written and has left me with love and hope in my heart.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
The Day She Came Back is another wonderful story from author Amanda Prowse. Her publisher has written, “. . . Amanda writes stories of ordinary women and their families who find their strength, courage and love tested in ways they never imagined.” And her superpower is that she makes these ordinary women extraordinary, the women you want to meet, the woman you want to be.
Victoria has led an ordinary life, rather small and narrow, but has felt loved, happy and protected. Raised by her elderly grandmother, Prim, with only one really close friend, Daksha, an ordinary job in a shop, and the usual teenage girl crush on the jock at school, Flynn, who doesn’t even know she exists. School is over, she’s eighteen, and looking to expand her horizons, starting with a year of travelling and adventure with Daksha. Victoria is happy. Well, happy enough. Her mother is dead, and Victoria never knew her. She’s dreamed of that mother she never knew, of a miracle where her mother just shows up and says, “Hey, I’m your mother. I’m not really dead after all. I’m here, and I love you.” But that’s not going to happen. Or is it?
Victoria is in town kind of flirting with Flynn who has suddenly noticed her. She delays going home because this time with Flynn is so new and scary – and a little bit exciting. But when she finally get home and pops to the garden room ready to tell Prim all about it, she discovers Prim in her favorite chair, passed away.
Prim is literally the only family Victoria has. Daksha is possibly the best friend ever and her family is there for Victoria, but it’s not quite the same. Flynn starts paying a lot of attention to her, but she’s afraid to enjoy it, wonders why he says he likes her now, and has no experience whatsoever with the hazards of young love. And most shocking of all, she sees a woman lurking at the edge of Prim’s funeral. A woman who comes to the house afterward and says, “Hey, I’m your mother, I’m not really dead after all. I’m here, and I love you.”
What happens next in this book is a heart-wrenching, heart-warming journey with Victoria as she works her way through all of this. It’s part coming of age, part learning to grieve, part finding out about secrets that could change her life forever. Having her mother now – if this woman is in fact her mother and not just someone trying to take advantage of her – is wonderful, right? Yes, certainly, maybe, but then why would Prim have told Victoria her mother had died? Prim was always, always, always there for her, but if she lied . . . ?
Wonderful story, wonderful characters, wonderful author, made me laugh and cry and love Victoria so much. Thanks to the author and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of The Day She Came Back. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it. All opinions are my own.
OMG, this book is awesome. The best ever by Amanda Prowse and that is saying a lot. She’s a wonderful author and this book is pure magic. Pure poetry in it’s own way. Such a touching book. A big 10 tissue box read.
Highlights from this book:
AND JUST LIKE THAT SHE SAW THE THREAD DETACH ITSELF AND FLOAT AWAY, NO MORE THAN A HAIR ON THE BREEZE: LIKE HER, UNANCHORED AND AT THE MERCY OF THE ELMENTS TO BE CAST THIS WAY AND THAT WITHOUT CONTROL OR SAY. THE VERY THOUGHT WAS TERRIFYING. SHE CLOSED HER EYES AND LET HER HEAD FALL FORWARD, HER LIMBS NUMB, HER MIND BLANK SAVE FOR THE THUD OF A HEARTBEAT IN HER EARS AND THE SOUND OF BLOOD RUSHING THOUGH HER VIENS AND HER BREATH AS LOUD AS IF SHE WRE UNDER WATER.
‘…HATE AND RECRIMINATION ARE BIG THINGS AND IF YOU LET THEM FILL YOU UP IT BRINGS YOU THE OPPOSITE OF PEACE BECAUSE IF YOU HATE IT TAKES ALL OF YOUR ENERGY-AND THAT’S SUCH A WASTE; HOW CAN YOU LIVE LIFE WEIGHED DOWN LIKE THAT?’
This book will absolutely steal your breathe away. You won’t want to put it down for anything. It starts out strong and only increases with each page. A truly heartfelt story that will have you crying those big ugly tears that only an Amanda Prowse novel can do. This story about a grandmother, mother and daughter is in my opinion told to perfection. Just such a touching and beautiful story.
You will not want to like some of these people but you will. You will love them in fact. They will touch your heart in ways you never saw coming. This book really honestly took me on a high of the best kind. My eyes are so swollen and red from the sad and happy tears I shed while reading. The story of a girl who was raised by her grandmother. Whose mom died. But the twist of this one is one that leaves you wondering, how can anyone do that to a child? You may not understand at first. I sure didn’t. But you will. You will read the letters between mother and daughter and it will help you to face anything. You will feel both’s pain and both’s loss. A mother who gave up her daughter for her granddaughter. A mother who gave up her daughter for her mother.
I could totally understand Victoria’s pain in many ways. Wondering how her mother could have done the things she did. How she could have chosen the path she did. How a grandmother could have done this. What possessed them to lie. To create such a story for a child. The why’s are many and will be answered completely. Victoria is young and alone when she finds out that her mom is not dead but very much alive. Her whole life has been a lie. She feels so betrayed. How can anyone be so cruel?
Sarah had deep problems and her mom, Primrose, knew only one way to help her. One way that would work out the best. Sarah went on her way and eventually lived her life. To the best of her ability she did things that would help her in the long run. She didn’t give up on life. She fought to live. Prim only did what she did out of true love for both her daughter and her granddaughter. I honestly believe that.
This is a very emotional story and it’s told completely. From the beginning to the end no stone is left unturned. All of my answers plus a few more were answered. I loved how this story played out. How the ending was so perfect for everyone. The ending, before the Epilogue, was done so good. It truly was so touching. It had me bawling though. It was just one of those scenes you see that make your heart turn a few flips and you think aw yes, that is how it should be.
This is my favorite book by this author. Her books are always emotional but this one is just….
Thank you #NetGalley, #AmandaProwse, #AmazonPublishingUK for this ARC. This is my own true review.
It’s a 5 star book and the very highest recommendation ever…
Extraordinary! The Day She Came Back by Amanda Prowse was extraordinary in every way. I loved this book. Let me count the ways.
First, the characters are fabulous. Primrose was the grandmother everyone would love to have. Although, she is in her eighties, she stays young, vibrant and loving. She is the mother figure for the main character whose name is Victoria. Victoria is her 18 year old granddaughter who lost her mother as an infant. There are other characters in the book that you either love…or don’t.
Second, I really liked the story line. I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like it. It takes place in Epsom in Surrey, England about 13 1/2 miles south of London. I think what really captured my interest is part of the book took place in Oslo, Norway. My grandmother came to the states from Norway when she was six years old. I got a glimpse of the country I always wanted to visit.
Third, the family home Victoria and Prim grew up in was called Rosebank and was an added character in the book. This house has been in the family for many years and was built by Victoria’s great grandparents who also hand dug a little lake in the back yard. That home came alive for me. I wanted to visit and roam through all the rooms.
Fourth, this book had all the feels. So many emotions were explored including friendship, love, anger, hurt, fear, loss…its all in this story. If you love books that take place in other countries and time periods, you can’t go wrong in picking up a copy of The Day She Came Back.
Fifth and finally, this book was written by Amanda Prowse! This is the third book I’ve read by her and I have fallen hard for every one of them. If you haven’t read any of her books, I highly suggest that you do. She has written a lot of books so, I have to get a move on! Happy reading!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review.
My Mom is Alive
Victoria lives a happy life with her Grandmother. She was told that her mother died of a drug overdose when she was a baby. She has just finished school and is looking forward to going on a trip to visit places around the world until their money runs out. One day she goes shopping with her best friend and when she comes home her grandmother has died of a heart attack. At the funeral a strange lady appears and again in her grandmother’s garden. Victoria goes outside to talk to her and the lady says she is her mother.
Victoria is very confused and upset. She not only is grieving for her grandmother who has been a mother to her all her life, but now must find out if her mother is really alive and if she was lied to all her life.
This is a book about a young lady suffering from a loss, trying to figure out how to live alone, and learning that the mother she thought was dead for eighteen years is alive. She must adjust to these changes while learning to accept her mother in her life.
I liked that she had her best friend, and her grandmothers friend to help her. This is a book about love, trust, friendship and family secrets. It was an emotional read and so worth it. I would recommend this book.
Thanks to Amanda Prowse, Amazon Publishing UK, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy in return for an honest review.