Delightful romance that takes you on an emotional journey that has you cheering and crying for the main character. Thomasina has felt for a long time that she doesn't fit in. At school she was never asked to join in or had any real friends. Borned with a birth defects made her a little different from the other children. They called her Hitch from a cleft lip surgery that went wrong. Now in her twenties she still living at home on her family farm. Her days seem simple full of chores and sameness day in and day out.. Her parents still she her as a child. Yet she knows what she wants. "I know I want a boyfriend " "I know I want my kitchen". All this changes when Grayson Potts is a guest at the family's bed and breakfast. Grayson is someone who understands her totally and understands what it like to be along. Fallow along as these two young people learn to stand on their own two feet and voice their wishes. Amanda Prowse thank you for writing a love story where two people with learning disabilities find love and find happiness. As a mother with two Asperger's sons it made my heart sing.

I liked the premise of this book. I'm a sucker for the supposed "ugly duckling" getting her happily ever after, especially with someone as perfect for her as Grayson is. I loved the realistic challenges and triumphs this book portrayed. All in all, a good read!

Hoo Boy...this is not necessarily the type of book that I thought I would connect with, but having read other books of Amanda's...I decided to give it a whirl. THIS WAS SO VERY GOOD. I loved the characters; the push and pull of living an everyday life and yet wishing for more spoke to me on so many levels. The flawed humanity, the love of animals, the uncertainty of what was to come; all of this and more pulled me in, and this was one of those books that provided a truly satisfying wrap-up.

Thomasina was born different. A cleft lip, a twisted hand and a foot that makes her limp. She does have a greatest parents and brother whom love her very much. It's the other people. They're the ones that call her unpleasant names and tease her. Bullying is always so hurtful.
She's twenty-four, still helping on her family's farm that has been there's for generations. She's lonely. She wants a boyfriend, a home of her own, independence.
Then Grayson arrives, he's staying in their guest room at their B&B. He is there to attend a meeting to do with the banking he works at.
Thomasina and Grayson form a connection. They seem to be able to fill the empty spaces that each has.
This is a story of love, forgiveness, determination and strength. Mostly it's a story of family. Wonderfully written, tender, lovely. A must read!

A love story with a difference, a main character that you root for.A heartwarming and emotional read. Once l got into this book l didn't want to put it down. Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to enjoy this book.Amanda Prowse is a great author.

Thomasina “Hitch” lives and works on her family farm. She was born with several birth defects that have led her to a lonely life. She has so many dreams but has not been able to fulfill them. Then Grayson Potts comes to stay at the farm. He is a little on the strange side, but is very interested in Thomasina. He listens to her and encourages her to open up more. Thomasina’s journey takes many twists and turns, but it is wonderful to see her conquer some of her fears and goals towards the life she wants. I fell in love with this heartwarming and courageous character!

This book is a gentle, perhaps predictable, love story of two gentle young people from disparate backgrounds who both have disabilities. Hers are physical, his are emotional. She is country girl who lives on the family farm, he is city born and bred. Her family is loving, if over-protective, his mother is bitter and controlling. Both feel they want more out of life, but don’t know how to change their circumstances.They meet when he arrives at the farm as a bed and breakfast guest who is to give a talk in the nearby town. They feel an instant attraction that quickly becomes a bond as they encourage each other to reach out for the lives they want, rather than the lives that they feel trapped into living. Both begin to gain self-confidence, but then circumstances intervene. Will they be able to succeed in living the lives they have only dreamed about, or will the complications destroy their new self-confidence?

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Thomasina is a young woman who knows many things. She knows that she was born with a variety of physical deformities, as if she were built from plans held upside down. She also knows that she has been bullied all of her life. On the positive side, she wants to be loved, have her own kitchen, travel, and lead a normal life.

When she meets Grayson, she finally realizes that she can not only be accepted, but be loved for her strong personality and character traits. She can be beautiful to someone. This gives her the strength to take her future into her own hands and be successful.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

These are the things I know...

I know my name is Thomasina "Hitch" Waycott.

I know I'm not like everyone else.

I know I was born a little bit different, like someone held the instructions upside down or lost a part when they opened the box.

I also know that words are powerful things and they have weight.

I know certain words have sat in my stomach for as long as I can remember and weigh so much that when I'm in a crowd or I meet someone new they pull my shoulders down and my head hang forward so I can only look at the floor.

Tard.

Fuckwit

Rabbitmouth

I know I want to see other countries.

I know I want to go to New York

I know I want a boyfriend

I know I want my own kitchen

I know I want to paint my nails instead of having them caked in mud.

I know I want to own clothes that are pretty

I know I want to own sparkly red shoes that I will never get to wear but I can look at whenever I want

What I don't know is just how different I am and I also don't know how I can find this out.

And I know that some days I'm happy and others days I m sad, but that's the same for everyone, isn't it?

I found some things out myself reading this. I know that I love the way the English have words, My lovely, bloody useless, I am in a bit of row, arse, and the list can go on. Thomasina lives on an English farm/bed and breakfast with her parents. Thomasina is different as she was borne with defects that affect her looks. How much do we perceive others in how they look and even how they act when we don't know the whole story? In reading about Thomasina and her family you right away see a real connection. Life is hard but happiness is paramount. Thomasina is happy for her brother has he is chasing his dreams in the United States. However, she can't help but feel that her own life has no purpose. No life. Her parents have always protected her when it has come to her disabilities but they missed out innocently on what life really means.

I found that I know that to live you must take risks. Every good story has a foe and Thomasina's foe is her cousin Emery. He has tortured her with words that are hurtful and harmful while maintaining a working relationship with her parents. How does Thomasina get past the life sucking words of Emery to a confidence that will give her life. She has her chickens that she calls the girls, and her faithful dog, but what she doesn't have is a boyfriend or even a good girl friend.

I found that when someone believes in you, your whole life can change. Grayson has his own prison walls. A promise he made to his father as left him to care for his alcoholic mother. When Grayson stays at Thomasina's bed and breakfast, their differences to everyone else becomes what attracts them to each other. Grayson sees beautiful in Thomasina and Thomasina sees faithful in Grayson. Their coming together answers the question what love is.

The narration is engaging has your are captivated by Thomasina. Her struggles, her victories and her passion for life. Life in the simplest forms of raising chickens, making mistakes, owning those mistakes and taking the plunge. I was sorry to see it end. Highly recommend.

A Special Thank You to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

This story had me from the beginning. I loved the story about Thomasina (Hitch) Waycott and her struggle in life to be accepted. People made fun of her her entire life but she had a heart of gold. This is her story and it was fantastic.

Every book I have read by this author I have loved. She is an author that writes with so much passion you become apart of her books. So when The Things I Know by Amanda Prowse I just had to find a shady spot on my garden and open my kindle and read her book. Wow.......She did not disappoint.

I loved all the characters within this book and this book is my favourite so far.

BIG Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

Amanda Prowse captures Thomasina beautifully, from the descriptions of her physical differences to the traumatic way she has been treated and spoken to her whole life- by the community, the school bullies and to an extent her family, who try to shield her from hurt but effectively imprison her as a result.
When Grayson enters her life, quirks and all, the gentle unfurling of a friendship and then a blossoming romance keep you on the edge of your seat in a "will they- wont they- what is he playing at" way and the way his background story is revealed is so naturally interwoven into Thomasina's story that you feel that you know them both.
When Thomasina finally finds her voice I almost cheered out loud for her!
I loved every single word of this book!

I loved this book. There were so many great things about it. I loved that the characters were not "picture perfect". I loved that they were so real and human. I loved the honesty and the directness and how they had real life issues. I read the entire book in less than 2 days. I received a copy to read and review from Netgalley and I am lucky to have been able to read this ARC because it was just a breath of fresh air. I loved this book and would love to know more of what happens next. I want for Thomasina and Grayson to live happily ever after and I would love to be there when the story unrolls.

Hitch is one of my most favorite characters in a long time. A sweet story about love and hope. Belief and overcoming obstacles.

This was such a wonderful and inspirational read, and I totally fell in love with Thomasina, such a beautiful character, with a beautiful heart and incredible strength.

Amanda writes amazing stories straight from the heart and she gets you every single time.

An endearing feel good tale with almost old fashioned characters. Thomasina has physical disabilities and Grayson social ones but they find a way to overcome a lifetime of discrimination and fall in love. Sympathetically written about ordinary folk without the airs and graces so the reader can identify with the characters and empathise.. I have enjoyed Amanda's writing in the past and this book did not disappoint, in fact I think I have enjoyed this one the most.

I have read, and enjoyed, a number of Amanda's books in the past and whilst the story was involving and the characters interesting I have to admit that the nickname 'Hitch' really irked me from the very beginning. It felt like a bully name that would be used - not a term of endearment that family members would be using. Unfortunately for me it detracted from the story.

Another great read from Amanda Prowse.This is the story of Thomasina who lives and works on her parents farm.
She is a bit different from other people but still has hopes and wishes to be loved,see New York and own sparkly red shoes.
Grayson Potts comes to the farm as a paying guest and guess what?
Grayson is different as well but this doesn't stop them falling for each other.This shows that there is someone out there for everyone and no one should give up on their hopes and dreams.

A thought provoking and emotional book about a young woman starting to make changes to her life. I loved the evolution of Hitch / Thomasina and her relationships with her family and friends.

Mainly set on a farm in the West Country this novel celebrates what it means to be different, to never quite fit in and what it means to feel like an outsider. Both central characters fall into this category, Thomasina (Hitch) who lives on the farm with her family is physically disfigured with a cleft palate and what I presume is a club foot. These are things that have affected her throughout life so far,thwarting any ambition, rendering her unlovable in her eyes and with hardly any friends. Grayson Potts is also different in that he is highly intelligent but socially awkward and lives alone with his alcoholic mother in a tiny depressing flat in London from where he commutes daily to his job in banking. When these two individuals meet unexpectedly with Grayson staying in the farm’s B&B their lives start to take on new meaning. There is a strong moral message to this novel highlighting that it doesn’t matter what you look like on the outside it’s whats inside that truly matters and that we all have a valid place in this world despite our differences. In a world where people have become self obsessed and place huge importance on looking a certain way it is perhaps a timely reminder that we shouldn’t be so shallow, so unkind or so dismissive of people that don’t ‘fit’ the mould. The storyline itself is very simple in that the farm is failing to make money and the family is on the verge of selling out to the detested Buttermore clan. Can Thomasina see beyond her physical disabilities and realise her dreams and save the day alongside Grayson?? In a way this easy to read but rather twee novel reminded me of the tv serialisation ‘The Darling Buds of May’ as the city interloper, Grayson, quickly falls in love with country life and maybe Thomasina too? Both characters were extremely likeable and the setting added to the comforting nature of this novel. Perhaps country life was somewhat romanticised and of course the storyline was very predictable. Whilst a light, heartwarming read this was perhaps a little to syrupy sweet for my taste. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this.