I loved the descriptions in this book, as they conjured vivid images as I read. The storyline was intriguing, not your normal family drama fare. Lately I have seen a lot of book reviews talk about whether a main character is likeable or not – I don’t necessarily feel likeability is a deal-breaker for my protagonists. However, in this one the main character, Victoria, is extremely likeable and you truly want to root for her. I will for sure look for other titles by this author, as I feel her prose is soothing and it seems (from reviews I’ve seen of others) her style is consistent, and she has a large fan base because of this. It is nice to read a book that is sweet without being saccharine, that has some suspense without sticking to the tired formulas used by so many other authors.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book last year..

Another great book by a fabulous author who always delivers a story that tugs at your heart strings. I would 100% recommend this to everyone

Please....
Please.....
Pass me the tissues and a nice cup of tea.

I so know once I pick up one of Amanda Prowse books, more often than than not my heart is in for a break. This author can take the ordainary people and given some extraordinary circumstances and the reader is just sucked totally invested.

I imagined Prim, I imagined all of them including the house.

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You get so many emotional thoughts over this scenario that you are asking “why” “who would do that” “I wouldn’t do that”.

As things start to unravel you just can’t help but see everyone’s side, everyone’s point of view.

How would you feel if someone was you’re whole life and they lied to you?


This book did make me cry. I couldn’t help chatting to my hubby about this. His reaction was “sound good and I’d watch it if it was a movie or drama” (he doesn’t read much)

A story I’ll remember.

I took one star off because in some parts it was a bit repetitive.

Oh how I love Amanda Prowse books

This book is such a good lighthearted read with some really likeable but damaged characters

Highly recommended

I love Amanda Prowse’s writing and The Day She Came Back did not disappoint! Extremely well written and great character development. The dynamics of the story make it easy for me to recommend this one to all my reader friends

Amanda Prowse has been a favourite author of mine for many years, so I had been eagerly awaiting a new book from her.
One thing i adore about this authors writing style is the ways in which she tackles difficult topics that many others would shy away from.

Victoria is raised by her grandmother Prim following the death of her parents when she was a baby. However, when she is 18 and her grandmother passes away, and a stranger approaches Victoria at the funeral and introduces herself as her mother, she finds herself doubting everything she believed to be true, and questions her entire relationship with her grandmother.

Through a series of truly heart breaking, emotional letters, the truth is brought to light. This book handles the incredibly dark, awful matter of drug addiction, and in turn the long lasting effects it has on all of those around the addict.

The characters are so incredibly realistic and endearing, it is impossible not to feel all of their emotions alongside them. This entire book was thought provoking, beautifully written and incredibly emotional, and one in which I everyone should immerse themselves in.

Great read and she nailed it with the mixed up teenaged girl going from nerd to smart mouth in zero to sixty. It takes a little to get into the book but once you're into it -hard to put down. Book cover gives good story synopsis. Characters are complex and very believable, so much so you might even want to "backhand" that smart mouthed teenager.
Read and enjoy! I was provided an advanced reader copy and was under no obligation to review the book. The opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to the author,publisher & NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

I really enjoyed the basis of this story. It's hard to think about what you might do in this situation. I just wish there was more focus on the development between the mother and daughter and less on the boy relationship and party scene.

This was a lovely story, one of love, family and forgiveness. It explores the lengths that people will go to to protect those they love. These characters were well written, realistic, believable and had sufficient depth, I felt I got to know both Victoria and her mother very well. I felt I was given great insight too into Prim's character and her motives for doing what she did. Understandably Victoria is hurt, angry and emotional over being kept in the dark and being made to live a lie for most of her life. She acts out at first but gradually begins to see the error of her ways and sees it in herself to forgive her beloved grandmother who put her, before all others, including herself. This is another great read from Amanda Prowse. I highly recommend it.

I have read a number of Amanda's previous novels and this one did not disappoint. Well written, full characters and a few twists along the way.

I love her writing and this was no exception. Beautifully written and great story. I love how she develops her stories.

Fast paced book and I really enjoyed it. Good story line and I think people are gonna love it. I would definitely read again and recommend

The Day She Came Back,’ is another emotive story from Amanda Prowse centred around Victoria whose only relative (her grandmother Primrose) passes away early on in the book. At the funeral, a woman turns up claiming to be Victoria’s mother. What if Victoria’s whole life has been a lie? What if she does have a mum? Why would her beloved Primrose have told her that her mother was dead?

Despite the secrets and lies, Prowse manages to create a fantastic character in young Victoria and a narrative filled with a rollercoaster of emotion. One of my favourites from Amanda Prowse. Recommended.

Another brilliant family drama from Amanda Prowse. An incredibly emotional read, Prowse writes brilliant contemporary fiction and is now a go to author.
4 stars

A good read. I would recommend this book.
I received this from Netgalley as an ARC for an honest review.

Amanda Prowse at her best. This read made me laugh and cry, and brought my own childhood memories flooding in my head. Victoria has been raised by her grandmother, Prim, in a grand house in England, as her mother dies of a drug overdose when she was a baby. They have a very loving relationship. She has a best friend, but feels socially awkward with her other peers. She has a crush on one of her peers, Flynn. Then the unthinkable happens and she is left alone at the age of eighteen. Her world flips upside down and everything she has always believed is proved false. Victoria’s struggles with loss, friendship, first love, grief, and new beginnings are told with such brilliance that I felt as if I was right there with Victoria. So much for a sheltered 18 year old to experience. Everyone should be able to identify with Victoria’s dilemma. Another brilliant read by Amanda Prowse who has become one of my favorite authors. Many thanks to Amanda Prowse, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for affording me the delightful opportunity to read The Day She Came Back.

It took me some time to get into this book,but once I did, I did not regret it. I loved the storyline. This is the first book for me by this author

Alone. No one left who belongs to her. No one left to share memories of her youth and plans for her future. Victoria's grandmother has died and left her alone. She misses her desperately but has no idea how she will face each morning with no one to say "good morning". Emotionally bereft, Victoria moves through the group of well wishers that have attended Prim's funeral. She is approached by a woman she does not recognize. She will soon learn that not only is she not alone, her life's story is not as complete as she thought.

As this young woman's emotions swing from disbelief to anger to acceptance, readers are taken along on her journeys. Amanda Prowse gives us an inside view of how a "for her own good" lie can affect the core beliefs of anyone. You feel the grief as Victoria faces the bleak picture of her future alone and her anger when she finds that everything she believed of herself is based on a lie. Her actions, all coming from a place of pain and disbelief, make a mesmerizing story.

I've read Prowse's books before but don't remember this extreme reaction to the story. This is a GOOD book.

18 year old Victoria lives with her grandmother Primrose or ‘Prim’ as she’s known. She’s brought her up since her mother died when she was a baby. She’s looking forward to travelling with her friend Daksha once they’ve saved up over the summer.

Tragically her grandmother dies and she’s left rattling around in the house on her own; luckily her friend and her parents are able to help sort out the arrangements.

At the funeral and after at the wake a woman turns up who seems to know the handy man Prim used. The woman makes contact but can she really be who she says she is?

I really felt for Victoria as her whole life she had been lied to by the one person who she cared for the most. It didn’t make me dislike Prim but I don’t know why she didn’t tell her the truth.

Victoria was shown as a vulnerable and immature girl of 18, exacerbated by the fact that Flynn took full advantage of her and treated her like dirt in the end.

Sarah was a likeable character but I don’t think she did enough to get her daughter back. If it had been me I would’ve fought forever. I’d have never given up.

There was a lovely epilogue at the end showing what happens to Victoria when she’s older, but I would’ve like a bit more guts from Sarah.

This is my first Amanda Prowse novel and I can see why people enjoy them. This one didn’t quite hit the spot for me but I’d definitely read more.

Found this book uninspiring and flat. Were it not for mentions of Instagram and selfies, I might even have believe this was a historical circa the first half of the 20th century so much everything was smoothed out and almost bland... Could not connect and thus couldn't enjoy this read