The Things I Know was a great story about courage, strength, and finding your happiness. Thomasina Waycott was born with a few challenges like a claw foot, a cleft palate and lip problems. While others teased and bullied her, Thomasina’s family fiercely protected her. Working on the Waycott farm with her parents, Thomasina yearned for new adventures. She also wanted someone to share her life with. When Grayson Potts stayed at her farm for a few days, they both felt the commonality of not exactly fitting in with others and quickly felt at ease with each other. But Grayson’s life and job was in London with his demanding, alcoholic and manipulative mother, while Thomasina had her beloved animals to care for and the endless farm work. Their chance of love and happiness slowly slipped away. However, Thomasina was determined to spread her wings…with or without Grayson.

This was the first book I read by this author. It was very realistically written with memorable characters that you root for throughout the story. The main character reminded me of another book that I loved, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Both were strong courageous women with many problems in their life, but they persevered. Since this author writes stories along this theme, I will definitely add her books to my list.
An ARC was given for an honest review.

The Things I Know by Amanda Prowse is a book about a woman that was born with a cleft pallet and lip along with a deformed hand and foot. She is a wonderful characters. You want to be a friend to her from the beginning. She has so many dreams for her life and feels stuck. We get to watch her fight for her life and develop into the woman she always dreamed of.

The writing in this book flows easily and absolutely carries you away. I felt drawn into the story and had a hard time putting it down. The book allows you to see the life and struggles of someone with a handicap. You learn how to accept them and communicate with them when you meet them and how to let them be their own person. I wanted to hug and cheer for this woman so many times during this story.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone to read. It is fiction but, there is a lot to be learned from this young woman. She is my hero!

Such an emotional read! I'm a huge fan of Amanda Prowse and The Things I Know is exactly what you'd expect from her.

Full of conflict, drama, heart, family and humour, this book is written so perfectly that I flew through it in one day.

Thomasina / Hitch Waycott was born different but she had developed coping mechanisms to deal with her limitations – she was slow but determined, physically not perfect but with enough love for the world and goals for herself to compensate. Nothing was going to hold her back; if her parents were overprotective it was out of love. While she took care of the farm animals, cleaned the farmhouse rooms that were rented out as a B&B, and cooked for family and guests, she wasn’t satisfied with her life. She wanted to travel, to see the world and do all the things that other women did.

Grayson Potts was also different. Physically and socially he was a bit awkward but he was brilliant when it came to numbers, patterns, problem solving. When he comes to stay at the Waycott Farm he and Hitch connect and discover they are kindred spirits in many ways.

I have never read anything by Amanda Prowse – my loss, soon to be rectified. I fell in love within a few chapters. Hitch talked to Grayson like she had never talked to anyone else and he responded like no one else ever had, assuming she would understand what he was saying. She said “his words were like poetry” and I found the author’s words to also be poetic prose. I had to force myself to close my Kindle to go to sleep or I would have been up all night.

I have enjoyed other books by Amanda Prowse and The Things I Know did not disappoint! This is the story of Thomasina also known as Hitch who was born with physical disabilities that set her apart from others and make her the target of bullying. She has dreams of leaving the day to day drudgery of her life but not sure how it will happen until she meets Grayson. A beautiful story of two people helping each other to become the persons they long to be. They grow and blossom because of their love for each other.

Thank you, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley, for my ARC. This is a story about being different and how people cope with feeling they're not like others. Hitch, Thomasina was born with some physical problems, a cleft palette which altered the line of her lips, a hand and foot that were crooked. Grayson was perhaps on the autistic spectrum and talented with calculations and forecasting. Both had lives they felt restricted them, and both wanted to break out and test themselves. When they met they only saw the good in each other, not the anomalies other people saw. A lovely story with two likable main characters.

Thomasina ‘Hitch’ Waycott loves living and working on the remote family farm and B&B. But she also wants more. To see the world. To own her own home. To fall madly in love.

But those are fairy tales, and if her life is a fairy tale, then she’s the ugly duckling. Her deformed lip, her crooked limbs, and her weak heart have kept her from taking chances. But that’s about to change.

When Grayson Potts comes to stay, he’s unlike anyone Thomasina has ever met. He’s aloof, eccentric and exceptionally kind. He’s also totally unconcerned with the physical flaws that have always defined Thomasina.

The two form a bond that neither has had before. It’s possible that it could become something more, but Thomasina also wonders if it’s too good to be true. By putting her heart on the line, Thomasina may open herself to heartbreak. But she may also open herself to so much more.


Thomasina and Grayson grabbed my heart. A sweet, sad, love story that will bring a few tears and smiles.
Such a book comes along rarely and this one had me loving the pair.

Thanks, to NetGalley for the advance copy to review.

What a delight! I picked it up and was so bummed when I had to put it down. When I picked it up again, I finished it in that sitting. Thomasina and Grayson were fabulous. I loved their personalities and connection and how they grew together. I would have liked to have seen some of her actions in New York, but it was a great story with a great message! A Must read!

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I maybe the only person but I found the beginning of the book a trifle slow and wondered if it was worth persevering. I am glad I did because by the end I was sorry to finish.

Tells the story of Thomasina and Grayson who meet when he stays on her remote farm near Bristol. They are both unusual characters and in different ways both lovable and stuck in a rut. There story develops slightly predictably but nevertheless enjoyably. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read it

This is the first of Amanda Prowse’s books I’ve read and I’ll definitely read more of her books. This is a sweet story about 2 people who have dealt with being different from everyone else all their lives. They meet and are drawn to each other but have to fight their very different lives to be together.

I received an advance copy on Netgalley for an honest review.

I have read and loved several of Amanda Prowse’s books. They are so full of raw emotions and will leave you breathless. I’ve shed many tears while reading some of the best books ever. That being said I am very sad to say that this one just didn’t do it for me. It fell way short of my expectations. I didn’t like any of the characters other than Thomasina/Hitch and Grayson. I liked Jonathan a little. Hated Emery even later on. Thomasina’s mother seemed way to cold and Grayson’s was just awful. Kind of over the top cruel to do such a turn around later. Thomasina’s dad seemed like a very nice man that truly cared about his daughter but the mother was just to cold in my opinion. Thomasina should have been very protected by her mother but to me she seemed to just brush her away when she tried to tell her things. Not like a mother at all.
This book was very well written and easy to read with the exception of using the “shit” word way to much. I don’t mind ugly words at all but that one finally got to me. I feel absolutely awful that I didn’t really love this book but I have to be honest. I just didn’t get out of this book what many others obviously did. It fell short for me.
I didn’t have any emotions one way or the other. Nothing. It was just an ok book that you need to read for yourself to decide what you think. It could very well be just me.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #Amazon Publishing UK and #Lake Union for this copy in exchange for my review.

I give this book 3 stars.

"Hitch" is physically different than other girls. She lives on a farm in England with her family. She desperately wants to leave and see the world outside rural England and have a life. When Hitch meets Grayson, their love story is wonderful. Grayson doesn't see Hitch as anything but wonderful. I truly loved their love story and the characters are wonderful. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

This is a sweet story of 2 people who find each other after dealing with adversities in each of their lives. Thomasina (Hitch) Waycott and Grayson Potts meet quite by chance when Grayson is a guest at the Waycott Farm where Thomasina’s family runs a farm and bed & breakfast. Thomasina is a hard worker. She was born with a physical disability. Grayson is a bit different, he thinks different than other people, he reacts to things different from other people. These differences these two young people have is what draws them together, they understand the adversities they have both had to face. This is a sweet story of how Thomasina and Grayson fight through the paths that has been chosen for them and forge a new path to greater independence and self-worth.

Thomasina ‘Hitch’ Waycott loves living and working on the remote family farm and B&B. But she also wants more. To see the world. To own her own home. To fall madly in love.

But those are fairy tales, and if her life is a fairy tale, then she’s the ugly duckling. Her deformed lip, her crooked limbs and her weak heart have kept her from taking chances. But that’s about to change.

When Grayson Potts comes to stay, he’s unlike anyone Thomasina has ever met. He’s aloof, eccentric and exceptionally kind. He’s also totally unconcerned with the physical flaws that have always defined Thomasina.

The two form a bond that neither has had before. It’s possible that it could become something more, but Thomasina also wonders if it’s too good to be true. By putting her heart on the line, Thomasina may open herself to heartbreak. But she may also open herself to so much more.

****
As usual with Amanda Prowse books, you are always virtually guaranteed a quality read, and this book is no different.

You can feel Amanda's warmth and love for her characters shine through, which makes this another excellent read. As recommended as ever.

The Things I Know is a sweet, simple story of Thomasina's learning courage and independence in her life on the farm. Born with numerous birth defects, she worked closely with her family, and a verbally abusive cousin. A quirky stranger enters her life, and brings to Thomasina the affirmation that she had been looking for her whole life.

This story lacked the complexity that I prefer in novels. It was rather slow moving, and quite predictable. The ending was satisfying. I would recommend this book to those who are looking for a very light reading experience.

Many thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read The Things I know.

Life is hard for Thomasina 'Hitch' Waycott as she farms with her over-protective parents.

Amanda Prowse is a truly remarkable writer. She delves into the very soul of humanity and lays it bare for her readers but she does so with such sensitivity and love that even a book like The Things I Know, which has the physically disabled Thomasina and the somewhat autistic Grayson Potts, never feels exploitative. Rather, the reader is shown just how much an individual can achieve in spite of perceived difficulties as long as they have their self-respect and some love and support. The Things I Know gives a powerful and effective message about how our flippant attitudes can harm others either intentionally or unwittingly and how bullies of any kind must not be tolerated. As usual when I read Amanda Prowse I found the occasional tear escaping because she manages to imbue every moment with emotion.

Indeed, the themes of The Things I Know are quite awe-inspiring and frequently touching. Love, identity, duty, responsibility, family, work, friendships and relationships permeate every aspect so that there is something here every reader can relate to. I loved the way in which Thomasina dropped her nickname Hitch in favour of her full name as she began to unhitch herself from the well meaning chains of family and responsibility. Thomasina may have physical disabilities and constraints, but she is a woman to be reckoned with. I felt she had become a real-life friend by the end of the book and The Things I Know celebrates difference wonderfully. 

I've read several of Amanda Proswe's books and feel that her quality of writing has achieved an even greater depth and resonance through the descriptions and dialogue in The Things I Know. Speech is so natural and her attention to detail brings each scene alive in the mind's eye making for a very visual and auditory read. I loved this aspect because it placed me so close to Thomasina in every scene. I had been transported to the farm just as much as those guests staying for bed and breakfast. The plotting is perfect too so that I ended the book feeling uplifted, soothed and totally satisfied, not least because the things Thomasina knows which pepper the book are vivid, moving and frequently the hopes and fears so many of us experience in our own lives.

The things I know about The Things I Know are:

It's a fabulous story

It is written with love, humanity and care

It is emotional and satisfying

I loved every word.

There's a danger that a prolific and favourite author will become stale or repetitive. However, Amanda Prowse writes with such freshness, authenticity and skill in The Things I Know that I feel honoured to have read the book. I adored it and cannot recommend it highly enough.

The Things I Know # NetGalley
Amanda Prowse. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a delightful read! This is the first book of Amanda Prowse I have read and can’t believe I have missed her writing. She has the most delightful style of writing and it is easy to follow the story. It is not burdened by an abundance of characters that are hard to keep up with. She uses characters who are flawed with human frailties and makes them become alive. I truly enjoyed every page of this book. I can see how she is so popular with the UK readers. I definitely will be looking for more books by this author. It, in my opinion, deserves 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book for an honest review.

Another corker by Amanda. A story if two main characters that do not feel they got in with the norms of society. .. And then they find each other, love blossoms but they face difficulties along the way.
The characters are so well written and you will fall in love with the both of them, they are warm and full of heart. .
The story is addictive and be warned you will not be able to put this down.
A great read that feels like a mug of hot chocolate on a cold winters night. . I thoroughly reccommend this one.

This is a lovely, well written book that deals with some tough issues. O really enjoyed it and would recommend.