Amazing Grace

OMG! OMG! OH-MY-Goodness-Gracious-Amazing-Grace! Move over Bridget Jones, there's a new gal in town and her name is GRACE! I absolutely ADORED this uplifting, inspirational and moving book from the fabulous Kim Nash! This is not normally a genre I read, but I was immediately drawn to Grace and hooked from page one!

A thought-provoking, feel-good and laugh-out-loud fun read, it evoked all the emotions...I was seriously #uglycrying at times and laughing the next minute.

My full review will be posted for the blog tour - but I have to say, I am hooked on Grace and highly recommend this amazing read!

I am super excited to share my thoughts with you today for Amazing Grace by Kim Nash who I have to say has been very supportive and helpful with my blogging for the past 3 years. Not only that, she has been supportive to other authors. There has been many a time when Kim has said to me message the author a link to your review, it’s their debut and they are really nervous….Louise Jenson is one that especially springs to mind. Now it’s my turn to do that to Kim….. So here is what I think

My thoughts

First of all I have to say that I can't believe this is a debut novel it read like the author has been writing for years. Amazing Grace is so exceptionally fantastic all you chick lit fans are going to love it because I certainly did. What can I say but this book is not only absolutely amazing, it’s funny and heart melting. Kim must be the only person I know that can make me laugh and then make me cry in a matter of minutes. All in a good way of course taking me on a whirlwind of emotions.

We follow single parent Grace on a journey to find happiness after years of being with Mark. A character that I just wanted to punch in the face! Then along comes Vinnie the hottie gardener...OMG ladies you are going to love him. Grace finds herself in a situation that she doesn't know what to do for the best.

OMG what a page turner I devoured this in one sitting I simply couldn't read it fast enough.

I bloody loved Grace she is definitely amazing. Being a single parent myself I could totally relate to her and also the fact that she doesn't have her mom in her life to call when she needs some advice….I know that feeling all to well. Not only is Grace realistic but the whole story is.

Kim has an incredible talent of making you connect with the characters where I found myself routing for Grace and I also found myself screaming at her saying OMG woman what the hell are you doing! Talk about going through the motions. I love it when a story has that effect on me.

This is the best Romantic Comedy I have read in a long time and Kim wants to be really proud of herself. It is beautifully written story that will seriously melt your heart and will stay with me forever giving it all the stars

Once in a while, a book comes along that you fall head over heels in love with and which you utterly adore and this is that book.

The author has created a protagonist who is down to earth, relatable, likeable and I absolutely loved her. In fact there were just so many things I loved. From her son Archie, her dog Becks, her dreams and aspirations. Hell, I wanted to be her!

By the end of the novel I felt like the characters were dear friends. I laughed, cried and had a whole array of emotions going on. The author touches on the subject of grief and boy do some things really hit home when reading this novel. Whilst you may be wrong in thinking it is going to be a bit morbid, it is far from it, as this really is a light hearted read that really packs a punch.

Vinnie is a fabulous love interest of who, will have all readers wanting one in their lives. He really is a dream boat and I found myself helplessly falling in love with the idea of him. Monica, Grace’s friend, now I’m not sure whether I should use the term loosely as her help with getting Grace on the dating scene is something I certainly would not be grateful for. It does make for some hilarious reading though. If anything it made the two women’s friendship more authentic.

Amazing Grace is this years must read! It is fun, witty, emotional, romantic and full to the brim with all different types of love. It totally stole my heart and with out a doubt will be one of my top reads of 2019. An outstanding debut from an author whose books I can not wait to see more of.

This is the story of Grace Carnegie. Grace lives in the Staffordshire village of Little Ollington, with her son Archie and her dog Becks (of course named after David Beckham!). Following the break-up of her marriage to Mark, Grace has devoted every second of her time to Archie, Becks, her job working for an Estate Agents and renovating her house. Grace hasn’t had an easy time with her mum dying and then her marriage falling apart but her best friend Monica thinks it’s time she starting getting out and meeting people...namely men! After a few disastrous dates, organised by Monica, Grace opens the door to Vinnie, a 6ft 2 hunk of a landscape gardener who has come to trim her trees and they both feel an instant attraction. Grace though has to deal with her ex-husband first when he begs her for another chance. What should she do?

I have been eagerly waiting to read this book since I was first told about it. Not just because the blurb sounds absolutely delightful but because if the author has put even a fraction of her personality into it then this book was always going to be a winner! As I began reading I was instantly transported into Grace’s world and I found that I just didn’t want to leave it, not even when the book came to an end. Grace is an absolutely wonderful character and she is definitely the kind of character that almost everyone would be able to relate to in some shape or form. Grace’s life describes the lives of so many women who are having to juggle motherhood, work, being a wife and still having to find time for themselves, alongside having to put up with their husbands having affairs or not paying them any attention. This is what makes Grace the perfect character, she’s so realistic that you can put yourself right there in her shoes.

I loved all the other characters also, with the exception of Mark, the ex-husband! Nobody likes their ex-husbands (am I right because I know I certainly don’t!!) and Mark was definitely the biggest idiot of the lot! I disliked the man with a passion with how he had treated and continued to treat Grace, and hoped and prayed that Grace would eventually pluck up the courage to tell him what she thought of him. I did though understand that the most important thing in Grace’s life was her son Archie, and if it meant she had to have Mark in her life to keep Archie happy then perhaps that’s what she needed to do. Grace’s best friend, Monica was fab-u-lous, if not a tiny bit scary!! I think if she was giving me a make-over I’d probably cry with how forthright and blunt she could be, but it was obvious that her heart was in the right place and she loves Grace to bits!! Without Monica’s help though we wouldn’t have been party to, what I felt, was the funniest thing I’ve read all year!! I won’t spoil it by saying what it was but it was safe to say that poor Malcolm the Vicar will never be the same again!

Of course I do need to get onto the subject of Vinnie the landscape gardener and local hunk! I could lower the tone and make references to how he “trims her bush” or “lays her slabs” but to be honest most of them have probably already been said in the book! He is though a fantastic character and is frequently referred to throughout the book as a “hottie”, which I think is the complete understatement of the year!! He’s kind, caring, considerate and romantic – what more could you want! Vinnie though is hiding a secret, but you don’t get to find out what that is until well into the book, keeping you gripped throughout the entire story.

This book is most definitely high up there on my list of my most favourite books of the year, if not stealing the top spot. I loved every single word and was genuinely sad when I got to the end. It had some surprises which I wasn’t expecting (the medium), it had me crying by bucket load (Grace’s mum) and laughing out loud (far too many times to mention!). Vinnie made my knees go weak, Grace had me cheering when her self-confidence appears and Mark had me wanting to slap him…again! I think I need a short spell of recuperation now as my heart has beaten faster, flipped over and broken several times throughout this book!

I would never in a million years say that this was a debut book, but it is and it really really worked!! If this is what the first book is like, bring on the next!! If you want a feel good, laugh out loud, romantic story which will tug at your heartstrings, then look no further!! I cannot recommend this book enough! Fab, fab, fab!! Five stars (although it deserves so much more).

A heartwarming, funny, tender debut. Grace is endearing, warm and utterly likeable. The truth of a mother's love shines through every word.

I love Grace and want to be her pal!

Grace is a single mother, juggling all the plates that single mothers have to. What comes through more than anything is her love for her son, which sometimes brought a tear to my eye.

As well as dealing with an arrogant ex-husband, a son who is growing up and a best friend (the hilarious Monica) who has decided she needs to get out more, Grace is also dealing with the loss of her beloved mother. More tears from me…

This novel makes you laugh and cry, but overall, it makes you root for Grace. She is so likable and realistic that you definitely want her to get the life she deserves. This a fantastic debut novel and I can’t wait for the next one!

This is a real feel good romance comedy with added thrills and spills that tbh would be hard not to be uplifted by
Grace is now a single Mum to Archie ( who she dotes on ) but her ex Mark is always there in the background, sometimes being charming, more often than not being selfish but Grace copes, she has her dreams of course, a new man, a bookshop and a slimming club she can run where people aren’t shouted at for eating the wrong thing occasionally.....but will these dreams ever happen???.........
Enter Vinnie, who comes to look at landscaping her garden...her dreams may be starting to become a reality...
The book had me laughing out loud at Grace’s blind dates before Vinnie appears and also at the Slimming club she attends and yet also was very touching re her relationship she had/has with her Mum, her Mum features a lot in the book with advice and memories and the issue of grief is tackled really well
Its a happy ( mostly ) book that as said will make anyone and everyone feel good and a great debut from this author who writes to include the reader and describes events and feelings as we all would recognise
Really enjoyed it
10/10 5 Stars

Life is full of events. A dentist appointment, a lunch with friends, a bad hair day, Mondays (I really hate them), a few free hours, or a work crisis.
Do we pay enough attention to those things? Do we remember to grab pieces of happiness whenever they appear?
Those were my thoughts a few hours after finishing Amazing Grace by Kim Nash. I was lying in bed at four in the morning, thinking about where my life was, pondering about the choices I’d made, all the while feeling soothed, warm and cosy in the remnants of the world I’d just stepped out of.

Grace is single mum to Archie, living in a beautiful house with her furry best friend Becks, and surrounded by lovely neighbours and a couple of good friends. Heaven? Not really. Scarred by the failure of her marriage with Mark, Grace has lost confidence and now puts her son at the centre of her world, forgetting herself in the progress. Does this sound familiar? It did to me. It rang so true that my heart ached for Grace. Raised by the strongest woman I know, who has always put my happiness first and never thought twice about putting me first, I felt tears prick at my eyes. Grace reminded me of my mother, and of so many women with big hearts and dreams trampled on by men who don’t realise just how lucky they are. Grace is so relatable that jumping into her life was like putting slippers on. Thanks to a hilarious, emotional, and smooth writing style, Kim Nash invites you to a familiar setting, and then she transforms it. Not with magic spells, but with positivity, humour, wisdom and hindsight. When you let life take over and become passive, it is easy to forget you are the boss, and that’s it is your job to find your path.

Of course, it is easier said than done. We all need a little help and I just loved being reminded that by opening our eyes, we can find what we need, right in front of us. Or in Grace’s case, on your doorstep (more on this later!). Reading Amazing Grace was like talking to friends, bathing in their enthusiasm and receiving buckets of energy springing from the pages. Like waves from the ocean of life, this novel is filled with all fate can throw your way – good and bad – but it never lets you forget that there’s light in the darkest times, as long as your heart is at the right place.

Romance is not a genre I read a lot because I usually find them too predictable and way too maudlin and pink. Amazing Grace is different. Amazing Grace is a rainbow. How would you react when a god-like guy rang your doorbell in every sense of the way, knocking you off your feet, and leaving you dreaming… Just for five minutes because you’re not someone who can attract such a guy, are you? Oh, I wanted to shake Grace and hug her at the same time. Then I realised I often think the same. Kim Nash brings Grace’s issues with subtlety, contrary to some old shrimp during the first chapter – and with understanding, taking us through the motions of what it’s like to have been ripped off your confidence. Grace can count on Monica. Are there powerful enough adjectives to describe this storm of a friend? I don’t think so! I want a Monica! The flamboyant lady has great ideas for Grace and she’s not ready to let her off the hook once her plans are on! Follows what must be my favourite string of online dating!!! From one disaster to the other, Grace is reminded that she is a jewel just waiting to shine, and slowly but surely, I watched her get out of her shell, like a turtle escaping her cosy comfort zone, and I discovered new sides of Grace, the funny, brilliant, and how-so-cute woman who had been hiding away.

Comes into the picture one of the yummiest guys I’ve met! Meet Vinnie, a charming and down-to-earth gardener who doesn’t need more than seconds to realise Grace should be more than a client… I don’t fall for guys in books. Well, I do, but it takes a lot to convince me. You know I prefer thinking the boyfriend/husband killed the cat!!! But here, Vinnie made me melt faster than ice cream in summer. I need to thank Kim Nash for setting very high standards for the next guys who will come into my life!!!!
But. Yes, there is a but. If no one can deny the spark between Grace and Vinnie, Grace is first and foremost a mother, and her new relationship with Vinnie, along with the changes she has made in her life, are bound to affect her son Archie. The author deals with parenthood and more particularly single-parenthood in an strong, beautiful way. I am not a mother, but I could understand Grace’s choices, her doubts, and her need to protect Archie. As if things weren’t complicated enough, when her ex-husband Mark comes back into the picture, begging for another chance at family life, Grace faces big decisions. Grace’s struggle between being a woman and a mother, doing what would be best for Archie, or for her, was so difficult to watch that I felt my heart being pulled apart, knowing what I wanted Grace to do, and what her mind was telling her to. Grace’s life could be ours and this made us close very fast. Until the very last page, I laughed with her, I worried with her, I thought with her.

This novel has given me strength and a big smile, a smile sometimes tinted with salty tears, and lots of happy thoughts to cherish.

Amazing Grace is uplifting, funny, and just what you need – the G&T on a Friday night, the cherry on top of your dessert, the perfect dress that doesn’t make your bottom look bigger than it is. Kim Nash offers us the warmest of debut novels!

I absolutely adored Amazing Grace, it's such an uplifting story that will make you smile, absolutely loved Vinnie what an adorable man, I enjoyed this book that much I just had to pre order a copy,

An absolute recommended read.

Grace and Mark separate after he is unfaithful to her. His deception shatters her, but if the truth be told, their love for each other has been destroyed by his dismissiveness and selfishness, but she has put up with it because of their young son Archie, the light of her life. She feels squashed and worthless but nevertheless she gets a job in an estate agency, buys a lovely home to ‘do up’ and so her life goes on. Imagine her surprise when she is nominated for an award at work, honouring her innovativeness and the ideas she has introduced into the business. It nourishes her self-belief and makes her feel worthwhile as a human being. But how can she attend an award ceremony? She has let herself go a bit, she is despondent and leads quite a sedentary life except from walking Becks, her dog and often lone companion. She feels embarrassed, dowdy and frumpy.
Her best friend steps in and arranges a total makeover for her, showing her that with her new wardrobe, her curvaceous body is desirable, her new style is chic, applying makeup is easy and a new hairdo finally changes her completely. Wow, she becomes the ‘New Amazing Grace’ and, with a little added self-belief she begins to heal, has more confidence and even tries Internet Dating, although she feels sceptical and very apprehensive about it. But when even her husband is pleasantly surprised when he collects Archie for an access visit, she lifts herself up and agrees to give it a go. Is it for her though? she thinks ahead of her first date. Well, she won’t know if she doesn’t try it. So the plans are laid.
Then, amongst the disaster of unsuitable dating introductions, a knock at her door introduces her to gardener Vinnie. He’s absolutely gorgeous and at last she feels a fizz of attraction and begins to wonder whether her life can change as quickly as her makeover and newly acquired fledgling self-confidence. She daydreams about Vinnie and waits to see what will happen. This is Grace’s amazing story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent debut novel by Kim Nash. It’s a sizzling, magical, romantic story about new beginnings, love and loss, grief and being true to oneself. It is enhanced by humour, gorgeous characters and a vivid and beautifully written style, with a small nod towards loneliness and attraction. I loved it and it swept me along, turning the pages eagerly and looking forward to finding out what would happen. I was keen on it at the very beginning, absorbed by the lovely storyline, but as I read on it became more and more special and engrossing. I loved the ending, I loved Grace, Vinnie, Becks and Archie and was so happy that I was given the chance to read and review the superb novel which I received through my membership of NetGalley and from publisher Hera Books, all in return for an honest review. This is my 4.5* review. Believe me this is a very lovely, heart-warming and unforgettable novel. All the opinions are my own, uninfluenced thoughts. It is highly recommended, beautiful romantic escapism.
‘

Every once in a while I need a serving of something sweet, funny, heart-warming and cozy in my life--and this book is a lovely package of those things.

Grace's life has shifted out from under her due to her cheating ex-husband, and she finds herself stuck in a rut as a single mom who spends evenings and weekends at home watching TV. Luckily she has an awesome friend who helps lift her up and out of that rut--right on time, too, just as she runs into a hunky love interest.

I think all women have found themselves at a point in life where we feel unattractive, unlovable, and lost. Watching Grace pull herself out of that and find a way forward will help you believe you can, too. If you're looking for a feel-good book to curl up with on a rainy afternoon, I recommend hanging out with Grace.

Grace is a single mum sharing the care of son Alfie with her ex, Mark, who goes out of his way to make life difficult for her; always asserting his control and managing to make her feel guilty, unhappy and worthless.

The theme of a mother’s love comes across loud and clear in this book and
Grace would do anything for Alfie, including sacrificing her own happiness. Thankfully, with a bit of heavenly intervention, nice things begin to happen for Grace. Her old friend Monica takes her and her wardrobe in hand. New pal Ruth helps her to realise her idea of setting up a new group and a knock at her door introduces her to gardener Vinnie, who might just hold the key to opening her heart to happiness, if she is able to let him.

I really enjoyed this feel-good, tear-jerker that is an amazing mix of cosy romance, and a celebration of motherly love and fantastic friendships. The characters were strong and the notes from Mum gave it that something a bit different and added an extra layer of emotions to the end of some of the chapters.

It was also a book that helped me remember that we need to think of our own needs from time to time as well as those around us, and don’t forget girls; the good guys will never make you feel guilty for making a correct decision!

This is a great debut novel, I can’t wait for Kim’s next book.

Really funny and light. A welcome departure from my usual genre. I really enjoyed it. Thank you for the chance to review.

Loved Amazing Grace.Grace grabbed my heart when Grace walks in on her husband kissing his secretary her happy ever after life falls apart.Grace has a son to rais Grace is a survivor and this wonderful story takes us along with her as she heels how love shows up.Such a lovely read I willl be gifting this book to friend who also love a really delightful .read #netgalley #Herabooks

Amazing Grace, A heart warming feel good romantic comedy, Kim Nash

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Romance, Women's fiction

Gah, once more, Women's Fiction – just why? Men read and write romance, don't lets exclude them.
Anyway, this proved to be a fun read, I wouldn't call it comedic, but it certainly had some lighthearted moments. The characters felt very real, like people I could know, and that's important for me to enjoy a story.
Mark, what a complete ar se. Sadly there's a few like him, think their job, their needs take precedence over everything, and like a fifties throwback they assume their wives and kids should take a back seat. He cheats, gets caught and thankfully Grace gives him the heave-ho.
I found it a bit slick how easily a woman years out of the job market swept into a perfect job, and can manage a mortgage too on the perfect house. Real life is a bit tougher than that, at least here in UK it is. She's picking herself up though, and building a new life for her and Archie.
Monica, her friend, encourages her out of her safe zone of job, Archie and home into a new look and updated wardrobe, and signs her up for internet dating. I loved the dating experiences, could see them being very accurate. Of course romance when it comes is from an entirely coincidental contact, via Vinnie who comes to see her trees that need cutting back.
I loved Vinnie, a perfect gentleman and so good for Grace. He was a real treasure, genuine, kind, good to Archie and perfect for Grace. The garden transformation made me so jealous, even though its fictional!

Its a cute story, predictably once Grace has someone Mark gets jealous and tries to interfere. Fat club, been to them like many ladies and Kim is spot on. I gave up on one where a huge discussion evolved over whether a tin of tuna was half a fat gram or quarter of a fat gram. Life is just far too short! A club like the one Grace and ruth started would be perfect.
I didn't like the snippets from beyond, where her deceased mum is talking, didn't see the relevance at first, and later when it became relevant it still jarred on me a bit. Its not that I don't believe, more it just didn't feel right to me.
I guess my biggest disappointment was the ending though, its a huge drama, and that was great and then...next page and wham, we've moved waay forward. I wanted a bit more wrapping up of that drama.
Also there's a secret Vinnie is holding which is taunted all the way through, brought up at relevant times and seems something that could be big, huge, a deal breaker, but when we get to last few pages it almost feels like the author though “oh, what shall I do about xxx? Oh I know, this will do...” the big reveal, the answer, just didn't fit the mystery and secrecy of it for me, I expected something much bigger, much better.

Stars: Three and a half, its a fun read, very easy to follow and at times very real but there were a few minor points that didn't feel right to me.

Arc via Netgalley and publishers

Oh My Goodness this book is superb and my poor emotions have gone through the wringer, crying and laughing to myself one moment to anger within the turn of a page. This author has a story that is so very realistic and one that can be related to.

Grace has gradually got stuck in a rut after the breakdown of her marriage. Her son Archie spends the odd evening and weekend at his Dad’s house. During these times loneliness creeps in for Grace, weight goes on, clothes are black and shapeless…then the intervention by her friend Monica.

It seems that things after this intervention tart to fall into place, or is it because Grace starts to feel confident? A phone call to landscape gardener Vinnie sees a spark of interest flicker back to life in Grace again. Mark, her ex, however, is not going to make things easy.

The characters in this book are just brilliant, the dilemmas are very real and the scenarios they find themselves in are also ones that I found it very easy to relate to. The uncertainties of new relationships combined with the guilt of old add tension.

There are so many thought-provoking moments in this book. They start from the dedication at the very beginning of the book, yep even before I even got to the start of the story I knew I was going to like this book. In fact, I didn’t just like it, I bloody loved it, every single word.

I did mention emotions, anger yes that was there and also a surprising little comment from a young boy, and there are some very special moments in italics, these you will discover for yourself. But these had me reaching for the tissues time and again.

It was one of those books that just wrapped me up immediately and held me in its embrace. It is a stunning, beautifully written story about Grace and life, she discovers she needs to love herself more, occasionally put herself first, to take a chance on life, start to live and to stand up for herself.

This is a book I would absolutely and most definitely recommend.

Lovely debut novel from Kim Nash. A real feel good romantic comedy that gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling. Every girl needs a man like Vinnie in her life! Can’t wait for her next book.

Amazing Grace is the debut novel by Kim Nash and what a beautiful novel it is too. Our protagonist in this novel is Grace who is a single mum to her adorable son Archie. Grace is on a learning curve as her life has changed since leaving her husband who still lingers around like a bad smell in the background, she is now working but she still has her own dreams and goals too. Grace is thrown back in to the daunting dating world by her best friend but can Grace find a man worthy of her heart and who her little son Archie would agree with?
Grace is a very down to earth and realistic character which only made me love her even more, she soon felt like a friend who I wanted to see grab the happy ever after she deserved for her and her son. She is a devoted mother, Archie is the centre of her world and the bond between them both shines through in this novel.
Archie was such an adorable little lad who has clearly been brought up well, some of his little ways made me chuckle especially when grilling the potential new man in his mum’s life to make sure his intensions were honourable!

What I found refreshing was the witty tone in this book especially from the rather painful dates that she finds herself on! The worries that we face in the world of dating and intimacy after being in a long term romance and how hard it is to let the barriers down so as not to get hurt again is shown so well in this book. As well as romance, grief is also a strong part of this book and I found it really touching the parts written from Grace’s mum and found comfort in the idea that our loved ones could still be around watching over us. Her part in this novel were so tender and beautifully written.
The story was quite simple and wasn’t farfetched it was a believable situation that touches on day to day struggles that we all face at some point in our life.
I think the majority of readers will swoon over the handsome Vinnie who is an A-star gentleman who we all could do with in our lives!
The pace of this book flowed perfectly holding my attention right up to the very last page but then I sat and felt so sad having to let the characters go. This was an enjoyable storyline and I enjoyed my journey with Grace as she finds herself and paves out a new life for her and her son. I look forward to reading future books by this author.

A brilliant début novel by the equally brilliant Kim Nash!
What an emotional rollercoaster this story is! I have experienced any possible variation of the largest spectrum of emotions ever put on paper. The author cleverly manages to keep your attention alive throughout the whole story; even if you know there is going to be a happy ending the plot is far from predictable. Expect laughter and tears (I'll say no more about the latter as I don't want to give anything away, but be prepared to be surprised) and a much needed revenge ( and relief! ) when the protagonist finally voices what you'd been yelling her from the beginning ( or maybe it's just me LOL ).
So uplifting. Definitely recommended.
I had the great pleasure to be able to read this book through NetGalley, before it was published. Many thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley.
#AmazingGrace #NetGalley

I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book. This is definitely a book you should read while you're feeling down and suffering the loss of a loved one. There are so many friendly and cheerful characters in this book that it's a little unbelievable at times (I only wish that more people were like this).
The plot itself is good and I believe the author herself is a positive person which shines through in her writing. I particularly enjoyed the dialogue between Grace and her best friend Monique.

I really enjoyed this book and I would highly recommend it. It has a great story line, excellent main characters and it is a real page turner. I read this book in one sitting and the hours just flew by!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I loved this book and read whilst I had the flu and it was exactly what the doctor ordered. Made me feel better but not the flu !!!!!!!!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange of a review.
This book is very happy and sweet. Almost too happy. I'm not sure I've ever know a person to be as happy and positive and as perfect as Grace is!! They book is great don't get me wrong but at times you just shake your head and say to yourself no one is that perfect all the time. Lol
I liked it though, I really did.

I was really looking forward to this novel, and as soon as I saw it being promoted on Twitter I couldn't wait to read it! This is Kim Nash's debut novel and it was so amazing. It has a fantastic, unputdownable storyline, great fun characters and I just couldn't stop reading it! I was so sad when it ended as it was just so lovely and heartwarming.

There is so much positivity in this book! If you need something to pick you up, then this is it. A heartwarming and thoroughly lovely story full of characters that you can't help but adore, cheering them on when life bowls a googly. Little Ollington sounds like a place I would love to live. A fabulous debut!

A charming and relatable tale. You find yourself rooting for Grace & willing her to make the right choice

Can this wonderful book really be a debut novel ! ! I loved it . It is a light hearted read with some laugh out loud moments and others when I wanted to cry my eyes out ( mostly at horrible man Mark) There is no emotion as strong as a mothers love, and that shone through the whole story. This brilliant book is too good to miss.and deserves far more than five stars

5 Star review of Amazing Grace by Kim Nash
What an absolute gem Amazing Grace is. I was also shocked to learn that this was the author Kim Nash’s debut book.
This book is a journey of self discovery, of digging deep and finding out what you are truly made of.
Grace is devastated to find out that her husband Mark has been having an affair and now finds herself a single mum to son Archie. She has taken a battering to her pride and yet is determined to move on with her life.
The descriptive writing of Grace’s blind dates had me laughing so much it hurt. I loved the relationship she has with her son Archie and I was over the moon when Vinnie, a landscape gardener expressed his interest in Grace.
Her conversations with her deceased mother reminded me of ones I have with my own so that was bittersweet.
I thoroughly enjoyed Kim Nash’s writing style and Little Ollington sounds like a beautiful place to live. A heart warming story that although sad at times, made me smile and laugh. I will certainly be looking at future books by Kim Nash.
I received a copy of this book through the publisher via Netgalley.

Graces life is tipped upside down when she catches her husband cheating. The future she thought she had is snatched away and replaced with something that grace doesn’t recognise

Then she meets Vinnie and he shakes up her life all over again.

What will Grace do? Choose familiarity? Choose love? Choose her child’s happiness over her own?

I enjoyed this story very much!

It was heart-warming and true to life. The characters were brilliant, I loved getting to know them and I thought that they all worked very well together.

The author had a lovely writing style and it really had me rooting for the “good” guy!

Five stars from me, very highly recommended and thoroughly enjoyable

Grace balances single motherhood and her job in an estate agents with her personal hopes and dreams.

Oh what a lovely, romantic and uplifting story. I so enjoyed Amazing Grace because Kim Nash writes from the heart and understands exactly the anxieties, self-doubts and challenges all women can relate to. Grace is a universal Everywoman and it was a delight to meet her. I genuinely feel that reading Grace’s story has given me more self confidence and appreciation of my own life and I find it hard to think of any woman I know unable to find an aspect of themselves in Grace’s personality.

I loved the way in which Kim Nash shows through Vinnie that not all men are lying, manipulative, charlatans. Mark, on the other hand, I could quite cheerfully have hit very hard with a blunt object. He made my blood boil and I thought his casual treatment of Archie was unforgivable. As for Monica - we all need a Monica in our lives!

There’s a smashing plot to Amazing Grace. It made such a refreshing change to leave aside twisting psychopathic killers or high octane thrillers and read a story about an ordinary woman with an everyday lifestyle written with honesty, emotion and a considerable amount of humour! I sniggered along when Grace made a fool of herself, rejoiced when Grace stood up for herself and shed a quiet tear several times when she thought about her Mum.

Although Amazing Grace is what might be termed chicklit or a light read, there are some meaningful themes explored throughout. For example, several characters are experiencing grief, Archie is on the cusp of adolescence and isn’t always able to deal with life, Grace needs to realise she alone is responsible for her own happiness and aspects of love, family, ambition and friendship are all presented sympathetically and authentically in a way that touches the reader's heart.

I’m really hoping Amazing Grace isn’t the last we hear about Grace. I’d like to know what happens to her after the end of the book and I certainly don’t believe Monica has finished dishing out advice just yet! Amazing Grace is a smashing story and I really recommend it.

Omg what an amazing debut novel from Kim Nash!!!
This story has all the feels you want and expect in a great read, it’s a beautifully written romantic comedy that will leave you crying happy tears...
Grace thought her life was complete, a happy marriage and a wonderful son but sometimes life is not all it seems and truth be told her marriage was far from perfect and she only stayed married because she wanted what her parents had and she believed a child needs both parents but it’s only when her husband cheated on her for the second time she realises it’s time to move on. Grace and her son Archie move into a beautiful home and adopt a rescue dog and it’s now time for their life’s to start over. Her best friend decides a makeover is needed so it’s new clothes, new hairdo and new makeup for Grace but will that be enough for her to love herself or will a stranger named Vinnie show Grace just beautiful she really is ........
This book stole a piece of my heart and I’m not sure I will ever get it back so I’m left wondering what’s next for this very talented author will it be another emotional rom com or just a romance, one thing I’m sure off what ever she decides to write it going be great because she has a flare for giving us characters and stories to fall in love with . Looking forward to reading more from this author.

Life is tough for newly divorced Grace, as she moves to a new home with her son Archie. It's her dream 'forever' home even though it requires a lot of fixing-up and takes up a lot of her time. However, all work and no play makes Grace a dull woman and best friend Monica has plans resulting in alarming and funny consequences.

Ms Nash has written a female character who you want to root for and wish a happy conclusion to her upheavals. I like how Grace and her current life are so relatable even if some aspects are far beyond my own personal experiences. The self-doubt and vulnerability she carries around as she begins to rebuild her new life after her divorce shine through. It's sobering, but the humour injected into the narrative lifts it to a more acceptable comedy of errors, even if she doesn't create all the calamities herself.

This novel has an action-packed and busy narrative and is a bit too excessive in places for my personal taste. As a single mum, life assaults Grace with many problems and issues...far more than necessary. However, I do admit it is more to do with my personal expectations within a storyline, so I feel confident many readers will disagree with me and heartily enjoy this story crammed with action and hilarity.

Amazing Grace is a funny, entertaining début novel by Kim Nash. It has a loveable heroine, a cast full of quirky supporting characters and a dog to boot. It's a quick read and perfect escapism for a cosy night in with a glass of wine or a summer cocktail by a pool.

3.5 stars

***arc generously received courtesy of Hera Books via NetGalley**

An amazing and heartwarming book that will make you laugh, move to tears, and root for the characters.
It's an engaging and entertaining book, a easy read that touch some very serious theme, and real page turner.
I can't wait to read other books by this author because this one was so good.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I think a lot of you will recognize the feeling : You have heard about a book you are really, really looking forward to read and then suddenly it's about to happen. The publication date is announced and the count down can begin. BUT what's even better is that you are able to participate in a blog tour and you get the ARC. Woohoooo. Double partytime! :) :)

You get comfy on your sofa and before you know it you have finished the book. Hours have flown by without your realized it because you were so taken by the story.

This book has everything a feel good book needs : heaps of love, funny bits, sad bits and a wonderful happy ending. 

When I do an author interview, one of my questions is 'Do you sometimes base characters on people you know?'. I have a inkling the author would say 'yes' to this one. :)

I also believe that some parts were based on situations she has been through. The way they were written ... I can only mean they came straight from the heart.

Please do not keep us waiting too long before we can devoure your next one. (No rush LOL) 5 stars.

Thank you, Kim Nash and Rachel's Random Resources.

Kim the Bookworm is Kim Nash the author!!
OMG I absolutely loved it!
It had me in tears several times, happy tears too, just so touching.
Beautifully written from the heart.
I was so looking forward to reading this book. I love Kim as a blogger and she shouts from the rooftops about books, sharing the booklove.
I knew it would be fabulous from the start. Totally hooked me in. I felt like I was reading about myself at times, especially with all the household things to do and not being able to relax. Firstly let me say that I need ‘a Monica’ to come and sort out my wardrobe and give some guidance, just as she did with Grace. I loved their relationship, just up-front with each other they made me laugh so much. Monica wasn’t much of a matchmaker though!
Grace’s son Archie was a little star. I loved the football part, as a Mum with a son it’s something I can relate to. And of course Becks the dog. Another thing I can relate to being a working and dog-owning Mum.
Vinnie was a proper hunk, and Grace getting to know him and his family was just lovely.
Her ex, Mark, was trouble and being awkward, trying to upset her plans.
What touched me most were the words spoken by her Mum, totally had me in tears.
It is just so beautifully written and I finished the book on my lunch break, snivelling in my office….happy tears though.
It is a funny, romantic and emotional read and I can’t recommend it enough.
All my reviews are quite short and concise as I'm here to show off the book rather than my own writing ability.
Thanks to Hera Books and NetGalley for the review copy in which I give my honest opinion.

Wow, what an absolutely adorable book Amazing Grace is! I have LOVED it!
If you are looking for a beautifully written, cosy, feel good, sometimes laugh out loud romance then you won't go far wrong with this book.
Grace is such an instantly likeable character, (I have to admit I totally read this book picturing the author as Grace!) as are most of the characters in this book (including Becks!) with the exception of Mark, Grace's ex-husband. I'm sure we've all known, or know, a Mark! He is so full of self-importance and it's obvious he had a lasting affect on Grace's self-esteem despite her new found independence. I really can't cope with selfish men who seem to think that women should be grateful to be with them even though they do nothing to suit anyone but themselves. I did find myself wanting to scream at my paperwhite when Grace considers the possibility of taking him back!! I could totally understand Grace's need to make their son, Archie, happy though. Us Mum's do have a tendency to put our children first which is how it should be, but we do have to remember to look after our own well being also. This book highlights this perfectly.
Grace and Archie's relationship is just adorable and it's true, our babies soon grow up so we really do have to cherish every moment. My two are 18 and 17 now and not at all excited when I return home these days! Lol! It's a good job Bella is (my Shih Tzu!) ;-)
Vinnie is just gorgeous and I'm not at all surprised Grace falls for him so easily. They so reminded me of when me and my hubby met and I found their romance totally heart-warming. When you know, you know! His family is so lovely also. They really are a lovable bunch. They all share the sadness of losing a loved one and help each other to move on from such devastating grief.
I found the messages to Grace from her mother particularly emotional. I'm lucky to still have my Mum and can't bare to think how I would cope without her in my life, so my heart went out to Grace in that respect. Life is short, cherish each other every day.
Amazing Grace is a fabulous character led story of love, loss and finding new happiness. I will be more than happy to recommend.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for my review copy via Netgalley.

I have known Kim for a few years and had I known JUST how good a writer she was I would have been nagging in her ear a lot earlier. For a debut novel this book was absolutely amazing. Many people that know me are well aware I have no fear of criticising books even if the authors are people I consider friends. However, I am in absolutely NO position to criticise anything is this book as I absolutely loved it.Grace is a great lead character and in truth I think thousands of women will identify with her. She is a single mother who is constantly juggling childcare with work as well as trying to appease her (frankly loathsome) ex-husband. Archie is a lovely boy who is growing into that awkward stage of still wanting cuddles from Mummy but questioning quite a lot of what she does. Grace is self-depreciating and warm character that you just want to do well no matter what.Grace's friend Monica was a brilliant addition and think every woman in the world could do with a friend like that! The book takes us on Grace's journey as she tries to start taking control of her life and making decisions that will benefit her as well as Archie. One of the most poignant thing about this book is the exerts where Grace is talking to her Mum who she lost to Cancer many years before. I think this element of the book is done with such finesse that it's sad and poignant, yet reads like a positive experience (if that makes sense).I also had a slight girl crush on Vinnie, the man who makes an appearance in the book very early on. He and his family are amazing characters and they all play their part in this storyline. This was most definitely a positive and feelgood read. For a debut novel Kim has absolutely knocked it out of the park. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a new author in this genre.

*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Kim Nash’s debut novel, yes please!!!

Amazing Grace tells the story of single mum Grace. The role is new for her, but I just love her relationship with her son Archie. They were so sweet together and I have to say Archie was probably my favourite. He was adorable and had some very memorable scenes.
Anyway, let’s get back tot he story. Grace meets Vinnie and they start dating. Archie needs to improve as well of course, but there was always his dad too, who eventually tried to win Grace back.

She had conversations with her deceased other, which added a really emotional and touching part to the storyline.

Kim Nash’s writing style is great. I felt like being there with the characters. Her writing is full of details, feelings and magical moments. The story is uplifting, warm and inspiring, loved it!!

And, I just adore the title of this book!

4.5/5

Wow I'm a mess.....perhaps I shouldn't have read this gorgeous book prior to flying off to get married without my Mam and Dad - if you could see me now I'm almost buried under a mountain of tissues. This book couldn't have had more heart if it tried....I was bubbling by 8% and haven't stopped since but I just had to pick up my pen to tell you all how much I loved this book.

The story line was simply beautiful, I was pulled in in an instant and couldn't put the book down for even one moment. Grace was instantly likeable and I thoroughly enjoyed travelling on this journey with her, quietly watching her grow in strength as the book played out and I whooped for joy at several moments along the way. What a great character she really shone in her leading role and was the perfect character at the helm of this story. Archie by far was a stand out little star. His love and strong relationship with Grace was a joy to behold and I found myself grinning from ear to ear at his cheeky chappy ways - what a little scene stealer.

But I must say that my absolute favourite element of this story was the heartfelt speeches from Grace's Mam that weaved their way beautifully through the narrative. They elevated the story and added huge waves of emotion that caused me to crumble under a tissue mountain.

Amazing Grace is a perfection personified and I fell in love with every single word. I know for a fact that this story will stay with me for many years to come because of how much it resonated with me on a personal level. Bring on book two.... I shall be right here waiting patiently.

Amazing Grace truly is amazing! I was so excited to read this debut from Kim Nash and it didn’t disappoint one little bit!

Grace was a wonderful character, the sort of woman we would all love to have as a friend. She came across as a “real” woman-curvy, fond of a G&T and happiest cuddled up at home with son Archie and doggie Becks. Her ex husband has treated her badly but she is tempted to go back to him when he asks just so that she will have Archie back in her life full time again. But the appearance of hunky gardner Vinnie, who seems to have been sent straight from a Diet Coke advert, throws a small trowel in the works!

Kim Nash has created a wonderfully authentic life for her very likeable heroine Grace. This book is just so beautifully written that every part of her story was vividly brought to life as we cheered Grace on towards the “happy ever after” that she so deserves. I think each and every one of us will identify with some part of Graces situation and that’s what makes her so authentic! When her friend Monica goes in to organise her wardrobe (my dream job btw as I’m always doing this for friends and family!) the comments regarding her underwear could have been made by me!! I did laugh thankfully and that humour continued all the way through Amazing Grace and, to be honest, it was much needed to counteract some very poignant moments throughout the rest of the book.

What I adored most about Amazing Grace was the stylish way in which Grace’s mum was brought into the narrative. I wasn’t sure when I first read her POV but by the end I came to love this perspective as it made Amazing Grace a uniquely crafted experience for the reader.

I can’t wait to read more from Kim Nash! Her beautifully expressive prose brought tears to my eyes-both with laughter and with sadness-and I thoroughly enjoyed the emotion journey she took me on.

Definitely an author to watch out for in the future!

It’s rare to be totally hooked from the opening pages, but as Grace faces another Archie-free day, greets Becks the dog, and wonders quite what she’s going to do with her life, I knew I was going to love this book. There’s a real talent in creating characters who are so real that you feel you could bump into them when you leave the house or in the nearest cafe: although our experiences are totally different, there was just so much about Grace and her day-to-day concerns that was totally relatable that I took her to my heart in an instant.

As Grace begins to find her own way, the “fat club” was just wonderful (and something I have experienced – the ritual humiliation, the nursery stickers and the infuriating catch-phrases!), and her on-line dating experiences brought back many uncomfortable memories (thanks, Monica…). But then something happens that every singleton – whose greatest excitement is a new pair of Tesco pyjamas – dreams of, when the man of her dreams knocks on her door, and he rather likes the look of her too.

Every character in this book is wonderfully drawn. I loved the way Archie was sometimes a small and vulnerable child but at other times became Grace’s champion and defender – his interrogation skills were wonderful to behold, and so well observed. Her husband Mark is selfish, manipulative and totally obnoxious – but never becomes a caricature, just an uncomfortable and unwelcome presence and a threat to the hoped for happy ending. I liked Vinnie very much – but that element of suspicion that Grace has, that maybe there’s something he’s not telling her (fuelled by her previous experience of Mark’s deception), is really well done. The minor characters are excellent too – Monica as the friend everyone needs, Vinnie’s sister Ruth, the friendly neighbours. At one point in the story they all come together at a really lovely party – I felt like I was there, and really wished I had been.

While it’s undoubtedly a romantic comedy, with both gentle humour and some more madcap moments that have you in stitches, I loved the emotional elements every bit as much. There’s a strong theme of a mother’s love – a beautifully drawn relationship between Grace and her young son Archie, filled with love, and the great sadness that Grace no longer has her mother to turn to in times of trouble. There’s no heaviness here, but the love is palpable – and I often found myself quite tearful as my heartstrings were gently pulled by the clever writing. The author’s emotional touch is quite perfect – laughter changes to sadness, and then back to that quite lovely lightness again, with total ease and absence of effort.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this book is that it’s a debut: the writing is really accomplished, and there wasn’t a single moment on Grace’s journey to happiness when I thought anything could have been done better. There was a point in this book when I felt I was really living it rather than simply reading it – as Grace teeters on the edge of a life-changing decision, I really wanted to talk to her in the hope I could make her see that it was wrong for her in every way. And as I approached the book’s end, I didn’t want it to be over – and that’s a real sign that the author’s drawn you into the world of her characters.

Moving, uplifting, totally convincing characters – desperately sad at times, but also very, very funny. I really loved this book, and look forward very much to seeing what Kim Nash does next.

An enjoyable romance with Grace taking one step at a time to improve her lonely life.
Very readable with the feel good factor.

Amazing Grace by Kim Nash

Grace is a single mum with an obnoxious ex and a very low self opinion but thanks to her old friend Monica and someone special who enters her life she begins to expect a lot more for herself and so begins the emotional and spiritual journey that she embarks upon.

I know I’m enjoying a book when only 9% in I am sitting there crying whilst reading it. It caught me a few more times as well but also made me laugh out loud a lot too.

Amazing Grace really struck a chord with me because Grace had lost her mum and the feelings of grief hit me right in the heart as I have also lost my mum so could really empathise with her. It was obvious that Kim was speaking from the heart when she wrote this because she also understands the pain of losing her mother.

I’m a very spiritual person and believe that our loved ones stay close to us even after they’ve passed away. So found it quite beautiful that at the end of each chapter we hear loving messages from Grace’s mum as she comforts her daughter and let’s her know that she will always be with her. Those pieces were very moving and I wish I could see messages from my mum like that to know what she was thinking.

Grace’s son Archie was an absolute joy and the closeness of their relationship was lovely to see. She raised an intelligent and loving boy.

Vinnie was such a hunk but Grace had to make a difficult choice concerning him and ultimately had to put her sons happiness first.

Amazing Grace was a comforting, emotional and joyful read and I can assure you that both you and your guardian angel will love it.

Amazing Grace is the story of Grace who is separated from her husband and is trying to re-build her life along with her ten-year-old son Archie and dog Becks. She’s ambling along in life – she has a nice house and a job she enjoys but she’s not feeling very fulfilled and her life is lacking some sparkle. Then one day Vinnie arrives and it might just be that Grace is going to get a chance at happiness.

I loved Grace from the minute I started reading this book. She’s so easy to identify with and I was rooting for her to get her happy ending from the start. She’s such a warm person and someone who wants to do right by the people she loves but she ends up spreading herself a little thin at times. I also adored her friend Monica who decides to help Grace makeover her life with a new wardrobe and some matchmaking!

Grace’s ex-husband Mark is such an arrogant, smarmy man and Grace is left agonising over whether she should forgive his affair and give him another chance because in doing so she’d no longer have to share custody of their son and she could be with Archie all the time. I was hoping she would give herself time to think about this became Grace is clearly way too good for Mark. I’m not a violent person but he really made me want to slap him at times in this book!

Vinnie on the other hand is a wonderful man who seems to just want the best for Grace. I have to admit that I was a little suspicious of him for a while as he seemed almost too good to be true. I soon decided that he was genuine and I was rooting for him and Grace to get together. I loved seeing Grace getting to know him though and finding her feet on the dating scene again. It’s not easy putting yourself out there after a long-term relationship and Monica’s ‘help’ wasn’t always the most useful (although some of the dates did make me giggle!).

Amazing Grace has some really moving, heartfelt moments throughout as Grace is still very much missing her mum who died a few years previously. I really felt for her as she so badly wanted to hear her mum’s voice or to ask for some advice. There is one moment in particular with Grace and her mum that made me sob when I read it but it was healing, happy tears. I really could identify with Grace, I still miss my mum so much and Kim Nash captures the loss of a mother so beautifully and poignantly. Amazing Grace retains its lightness throughout – Kim has such a deft way of writing heartache that shows the reality of it without it ever feeling heavy.

Kim has a huge talent for writing characters that feel so real – everyone in this book feels like someone I might bump in to. It takes real care to make even the more peripheral characters memorable but Kim does it brilliantly! The older couple that she met in the park for example are so vivid in my mind even now, and they were only in the book for a few pages.

Amazing Grace is one of those really special books that I will treasure. It made me snort with laughter, and it made me shed a few tears but most of all it made me feel happy, smiley and comforted – I adored every single second that I spent reading it. It’s an amazing book, one I would recommend to absolutely everyone. Amazing Grace is one of my favourite books of the year and I now can’t wait to read whatever Kim writes next!

A lovely, feel-good rom-com that will warm the cockles of your heart. As the mum of an eleven-year-old son, I could readily empathise with Grace as she suddenly feels ancient compared to the other school mums. I have to say that I have a good few years on her though so imagine how old she made me feel? Her best friend is a breath of fresh air and the kind of friend we all need in our lives. I also appreciated the messages from Grace's mum from the other side - perhaps we've all hoped for that when we've lost someone close, even if the conversations are just in our head?
The characterisation is excellent and at times I found myself wondering how Mark ever became a head teacher as he is such a jerk! I couldn't believe how much his behaviour annoyed me. Vinnie, on the other hand, well - a girl can dream, eh? Seeing his sister and the cafe made him a well-rounded character and even the dog, Becks, has a personality all of his own. An excellent debut novel.

Grace's world revolves around her 10 year old son, Archie, determined to make life the best she can for him. She dotes on him and misses him terribly when he goes to stay at his Dad's. Grace needs to get a life of her own, and has some 'help' from a friend, resulting in some hilariously disastrous dates.
But Grace has her eye on Vinnie, and quite frankly, who wouldn't? Kind, thoughtful, and seriously hot, Vinnie could be the answer to her prayers. But how is another man going to fit into her life without causing disruption to Archie?

And then there's the ex-husband, who wants the family back together. That would mean Archie has his mum and dad, and Grace wouldn't have to suffer when Archie was at his dad's...

We all know the ex, is a controlling, selfish twat, and Vinnie is hot stuff! But poor Grace is torn between forging a new life for herself and making everything perfect for Archie.

It's a lovely story of a mother trying to balance her absolute love for her son with the need for her to have her own life. The relationship she has with Archie is adorable, but I was screaming at the pages whenever Mark was lurking around - surely Grace couldn't sacrifice everything for him? I genuinely thought this could go either way, because if anyone can make the best out of a situation, it is Grace.

It is fabulously written, with an emotive storyline that kept me reading through the night - just another chapter, oh, just another one... I was hooked!

I can't wait to read more from Kim Nash!

Of course, one of the risks of agreeing to a review a book for a friend and colleague is the danger that you won’t enjoy it and will have to work out how to review it honestly and tactfully at the same time. Thankfully, this was not an issue here because I absolutely loved Amazing Grace.

The main character in this book, Grace, was someone I related to immediately on a personal level, she was so convincingly drawn. A single parent following divorce, she is now trying to juggle job, life, friends and solo parenting her son, Archie. She has let herself go a bit and the last thing on her mind is finding a new man, especially when the old one is still trying to convince her to have him back. The dilemmas that Grace faces are ones that I, as a divorcee single mother myself, recognise only too well. Trying to balance parenthood with maintaining a sense of self, alongside the constant worry about whether you are doing the best thing for your children and that insidious, ever-present sense of guilt. Kim has captured all of this perfectly in the book, it speaks loudly to any woman who has found themselves in this situation.

There are so many characters to love in this book, each of them drawn clearly and convincingly. I am sure you will recognise someone you know amongst the meddling friend, the helpful neighbours, the unsuitable men, and the many others who people the pages. Kim obviously has a real eye for drawing out character traits and balancing realism with a healthy dash of humour which made reading about them a delight.

The story is a fairly simple one, but that is not a negative. It is what makes the story so believable, what will make you see some reflection of your own life somewhere between the pages. Most of us are not spies, or policemen, or criminals, of glamorous jet setters, but our lives, our problems, are no less interesting or taxing because they are played out on a small scale. For every individual, the stakes are the same. In the end, we all just want to be happy and this goal is what will link every reader to Grace and make them invested in her story.

What I was most surprised about was how incredibly moving I found the book, and Kim’s writing. I found myself very close to tears in parts, which just indicates how deeply the story touched me. There were other parts where I was screaming at Grace when I feared she was going to make the wrong decision or when she did something silly that looked like it was going to cause a problem for her. Luckily I managed to keep all of this drama internal so people around me didn’t think I was going mad, but these characters were totally alive to me whilst I was in the world of the story, which is quite an achievement.

This is a beautiful, warm, funny, charming and intensely touching book that I would not hesitate to recommend, whoever had written it. I could not be more pleased that it happened to be Kim.

When a relationship ends there is a hole left but it is one where the real you has been hiding and it is time to waken it up. Grace thought she had the perfect marriage but her cheating husband had thought differently. So Grace was starting life over now with just their son Archie and the family dog Becks.
This is Kim Nash’s debut novel and it is truly amazing. I loved Grace straight away because I connected with his on every single level. The heart-break of betrayal followed by the uncertainty that you simple can’t do this on your own. The person she wanted to talk to most, her mum, had sadly died years before and she needed her more than ever now. Oh how I knew that feeling too, it is one that you have to experience to realise the sadness you feel. I loved that the author found the mystical possibility of her mum being there at her side, it really brought a tear to my eyes and a smile.
The story has some absolute wonderful little cheeky moments of double meaning delights in the exchanges between Grace and Vinnie that made me laugh. Vinnie is a character that made me go weak at the knees as well as he did for Grace. Grace wasn’t going to go into a relationship straight away with someone though, she had to dip her toes in this pool of men before jumping in with both feet. Her bestie signs her up for a dating agency which is hilarious. there I was this time crying with laughing.
There were so many cringeable moments in the story, with the choices that Grace made, all for self-sacrifice for what she thinks will make Archie happy because he is Grace’s constant love in her life, no matter what else happens. I really liked how his feelings and fears were explored in the story too, not something that many stories do.
This book felt like the author knew my inner thoughts and feelings as she had connected to every single one that I had experienced myself. A beautiful story with brilliant characters, but with one that is truly Amazing!

Well, where do I start? I don’t read a lot of rom-com or romance or comedy or anything else that can be called light and fluffy. So perhaps I’m not the target audience for Amazing Grace by Kim but I was very excited to read it.

Grace is a character that I could relate to in many ways. She’s a single mother with a boy called Archie, her ex husband is a manipulating, cheating b*&%!*d. Grace’s self esteem is pretty low, all she wants is the best for her son but she constantly doubts herself.

She has a best friend who tries to help her get back on her feet after her divorce, getting her to pay attention to what she’s wearing and dragging her to the hairdresser. This friend also joins her up to a dating app and organises a few dates her her which are all rather disastrous. I’m not sure that I’d ever forgive my friend for setting me up with the men she found though, talk about disastrous! And also rather hilarious.

But then enters Vinnie, gardener extraordinaire who happens to be rather handsome and single. Grace is full of doubt, perhaps Vinnie is too good to be true, or maybe she should go back to the useless ex? But gradually Grace is able to let her defences down and trust herself to do the right thing.

I really loved Grace as a character, she’d been through a lot but she was still fighting and trying to make the best life she can for herself and her son. She was such a believable and likeable character and I loved reading about her as she slowly grew in confidence and reaped the rewards of her hard work.

Grace is also grieving the death of her mother, and her mother is a big part of the story as she regularly talks to Grace. This was the one bit that I wasn’t really sure about, but it worked well in the book and helped to give Grace the strength to keep going and do the best she can do.

Amazing Grace is an excellent debut novel, Kim Nash has created some wonderful characters who are believable and warm, people that you can imagine being your friends. The book was easy to read, it made me laugh and I probably spent a lot of the time reading it smiling, I’m sure that it will bring a tear or two to many as well.

I enjoyed my break from thrillers and crime books and I am looking forward to reading more from the author.

Kim Nash is very special to me. She’s one of the very first book publicists I made contact with when I first became a reviewer!! I’m absolutely thrilled that she’s now become the published author of this absolutely lovely book – the first of what I hope will be many more!

I think I smiled from the beginning to the end of Amazing Grace. And I know I definitely want to find a Little Ollington of my own so I can go and live there. Kim’s descriptions make the place sound so welcoming and homey. Of course it would also be nice if there was a Vinnie thrown in for good measure too!

Grace is just getting her life back together and getting used to being a single mom to her little boy Archie. She adores her dog Becks, her gorgeous cottage and her kind neighbours. Her best friend Monica always has her back (often with hilarious results – especially when it comes to dating). She’s great at her job even if she doesn’t realise how good she really is, and how much she’s appreciated. Although she’s more or less content with her life, she does feel that something’s missing. She has dreams of opening up a book shop of her own one day but thinks that she could never do this on her own as she just doesn’t have the confidence in herself.

One of the biggest causes of all her self-doubt is her ex, Mark. Grace is practical enough not to romanticise what they had, but she does miss the man she’d fallen in love with and married all those years ago. And she does miss having a companion. It’s lonely when Archie’s at his dad. She hasn’t yet found a way to keep herself busy on those weekends and eating Chinese takeout and lounging around in tatty old pyjamas isn’t quite doing the job.

Until hunky landscaper Vinnie turns up on her doorstep and Grace’s romantic landscape starts to look a lot more positive! But does the course of true love every run smoothly? Hell no!! There are ups, downs, hiccups and hilarity aplenty in their path and who knows what the outcome will be?

Grace is just delightful, and readers will love her! Nash has created a character who so many will identify with: someone who just wants things to turn out ok for herself and people she cares about. She doesn’t expect too much, she tries her best, is sometimes funny and sometimes and epic fail – and that’s ok too! She’s just like all of us (especially those of us who adore our 4-legged children)!

There’s so much in this book to love. Especially touching are the occasional encouraging messages that come from Grace’s mom, who’s no longer with her, but whose presence Grace still feels so strongly. The people we lose are never really gone when we think of them so often and ‘talk’ to them, as Grace does with her mother. She feels her support and her love so strongly and this gets her through so many of her challenges. I adored these moving heart-to-hearts.

I just have to mention one little touch that I loved (among many, obviously). Towards the end of the book, Grace notices Archie settled in a corner, reading a book and she comments that he’s a bookworm, just like his mom. I loved this reference to Kim herself (intentional or not) and her own nickname that everyone on social media knows her as: Kim the Bookworm!

This book gets 5 heart-warming stars from me. Settle down and get comfortable with a cup of tea and your favourite biscuits, Amazing Grace is the type of book that will warm you up from the top of your head, right down to your toes.

Amazing Grace is simply AMAZING!

Kim gNash’s debut is possibly the most relatable book I have read this year! Grace is a single mom and as a single mom myself I found her struggles so authentic. That constant worry that your kid is missing out on something because they don’t have two parents in the home, the constant attempt to be everything to everybody, and the complete loss of who you are. Grace is a real woman, living in the real world, dealing with real problems... isn’t that refreshing! Life is messy, but it is also Full of humor and heart and hope. Kim brings an honest portrayal of life to the pages of this book.

Grace is left to pick up the pieces after she discovers her husband Mark cheating. She stays strong for the sake of her son Archie and with the help of her dog Becks. Her BFF Monica is also by her side gently encouraging her to jump into the dating world again. Grace’s experiences with online dating were simply hilarious. I was cringing, then laughing, then cringing, and then crying because I was laughing so hard. Who hasn’t gone out on a really bad date? Just thinking about the dates in this book is making me smile. It’s not all laughs though, the book also touches on grief. Grace lost her mother many years ago and misses her still every single day. I love the way Grace’s mother was incorporated into the story it was so beautiful, and I hope with all my heart that this is true. I am very fortunate to still have my mom, but I hope I will still be able to feel her presence after she is gone. The romance in the story is so sweet and swoony. Vinny is seriously the perfect man and if I ever were to meet him I might be willing to give love another chance. Unfortunately I believe men as perfect as this probably only exists on the pages of books, but I guess I could be wrong?

Uplifting and heartwarming with just enough tension to make it authentic. This is just one of those stories that will make you smile and feel good about the human condition! Absolutely recommend!

*** many thanks to Hera Books for my copy of this book ***

Given all the excitement surrounding this book and of course that gorgeous cover, I was excited to sit down and this, a book about Grace, mother of the lovely Archie, owner of the adorable Becks (her dog!) was totally up my street!

. On meeting Grace, who’s forgotten how to be herself since her self esteem was smushed into the group by ex Mark, I was thrilled. I loved Grace, who is ever positive, albeit feeling dull. I totally empathised with her remembering years gone by, the things she wore, the confidence she used to have and it made me think about how grey you can feel at times, and how sometimes you just need something to shake that up. Luckily her best friend stepped up to the mark and before we knew it we were seeing a whole new Grace. Of course to go with that Grace was put into the world of speed dating, with disastrous results and then I was kind of wondering if her friend knew her at all!

I’ll admit that I would have liked a warning on the sad parts of the book, even a mention of her her deceased mum speaking to her or the use of the word ‘tears’ as I would have been better reading this another time. I’ve a few friends going through the loss of parents at the moment and what with tiredness and a few family things this kind of brought me back to thinking about (sobbing about, which, in all fairness is commendable to the author) Dad. A lot of people accept and sometimes enjoy going through a range of emotions in a book, but to be honest at this time I would have preferred something that was non stop sunny and these passages just tipped it for me at times.

Saying that I did really enjoy this book, with its chortle out loud humour, lovely romance, drama, but above all the fun sparkly element. Thanks so much to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources and Hera books for the book in return for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

Kim Nash's debut is a realistic take on the everyday life of a single mom with a sprinkle of romance to bring the cheerful and perfect ending. Reading this has been like living through Ibsen's 'A Doll's House' all over again. Here, in a very modern scenario, Grace is confronted with the same choices as Nora -- should she sacrifice her happiness for the love of her child or should her needs be prioritized? Years must have passed by, but for a woman, it is still hard to make a decision when it involves her kids.
What touched me most about the book is the way Grace is led by her mother's spirit and her vocalisations given at the end of each chapter is really quite beautiful and tear-jerking. The role of the mediator was unsettling since I don't believe in that stuff, but the firm belief that our dear ones are watching over us from heaven is something anyone can share.
On the whole, the book has left me brooding. Reading Grace's story has made me realise the hopeful side of this earthly life. If you have good friends and encouraging siblings any murky water can be waded through with ease.

Favorite Quotes:

I’ve been on eighty-seven dates so far but have still not yet found the girl of my dreams. There’s been something wrong with every single one of them.

Derek, here’s a tip from me. On your next first date, treat your lady like a princess. Turn up on time, be nice to her, buy her a drink, ask her about herself and don’t talk about poo.

To be honest, even if David Beckham woke me up saying he wanted to roger me senseless in the middle of the night, I’d slap him and say, David, don’t bloody wake me up.

He treats me with kindness and respect, something that you don’t appear to have for anyone, not even your own family. And I suggest that if you ever want people to like you, go look those words up in a dictionary.

My Review:

Amazing Grace was a fun and lively read and the publishing debut for this talented weaver of words. I just love finding new authors to fangirl! The storylines were creative and eventful, yet easy to follow and fairly well-balanced in emotional tone between periods of angsty indecision and Grace’s gradual personal transformation as she waded through tense encounters and confusing exchanges with her ex-husband, rueful reminiscences of her mother, parenting issues, a thrilling new love interest, and other-worldly influences; until she finally found her own voice and regained her long-lost sparkle.

Ms. Nash’s writing was pleasantly engaging and evocatively detailed with shimmers of delightful humor that occasionally found me barking out a laugh. She has definitely earned a spot on my Ones to Watch For list. And an interesting addition to my Brit Word List was “big girl’s blouse,” which the Urban Dictionary defined as British slang for “a wimpy, emasculated and weak man. In particular, one who complains immoderately.” Hmm, I used to work with one of those… Retirement is oh, so, sweeet!

I can't believe this is a debut novel! Kim Nash has written a heartwarming story about being strong enough to make your own choices and changes for a happier life.

Life for Grace changed when she discovered her perfect life had a serious flaw because her headteacher husband, Mark, is having an affair with his secretary. Now divorced, she's a single Mum whose life revolves around her son, Archie, and she's doing her best to make a new life for them both. However, when a handsome gardener, Vinnie, arrives to sort out her conifers she's tempted to let him sort out much more - and the attraction is mutual! Archie still dreams of his parents getting back together so when Mark begs her to give them another chance to be a family, should she give him another chance or move on to give new love a chance?

This is a truly fun romantic comedy, with great characters and laugh out loud moments. Grace's best friend, Monika, is determined to help Grace make a fresh start and the resulting make over and blind dates are just some of the hilarious events in this well written romance. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and can't wait to read more by this talented author.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

Amazing Grace is a refreshing debut novel from author, Kim Nash. When I first heard about this book I was immediately excited to read it. While it can be categorized as chick-lit or romance, there is so much more to the story.

Grace is a divorced, single-mom who has just entered the dating world. After some hilarious first-date mishaps, she starts to form a relationship with Vinnie. Meanwhile, her ex-husband, Mark, is trying to win her back so they can be a family again with their son Archie. Romance, yes…but that is just the tip of the story.

There are so many layers to Grace, which is why I fell in love with her from the beginning. She believes she is insecure, but actually she is quite confident and caring. Still recovering from her mother’s death and divorce, she has amazing strength….she just needs that push to find it!

At the beginning of my review I mentioned that this book is chick-lit/romance, but so much more. And it is. It’s a story about a mother trying to discover who she really is while still trying to be the best mom she can be. It’s about a woman discovering her inner dreams and ambitions. It’s about a woman learning to be a woman again, allowing herself to love and trust, and to be loved.

Amazing Grace is a light-hearted, yet emotional book. It is so well-written that it is hard to believe this is the author’s first book! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait to see what Kim Nash comes out with next!

Kim Nash has written a delightful romcom about a single mum, Grace, stepping out of her comfort zone and putting herself first, just a little bit. I loved Grace's effervescent friend, Monica, (I think we all need a Monica in our lives), how she initially shook Grace's life up abit, totally revamping her look and putting her back in the dating game, with very comical results. I was literally laughing out loud at these scenes that the author had created with some fabulous one-liners that some dates think are perfect to their would-be suitors! ;)
Grace's morale and self-esteem has taken a little battering since her split from her husband Mark. With shared custody of their ten year old son, Archie, Grace's dreams of family life are shattered but Grace tries her best to make her home with her son a happy one.
When Grace opens her heart to let love back in again she's surprised how different she feels to this new friendship to what she had felt when she was married. But life is still full of confusing and complicated emotions and Grace's heart is tested.
I loved how the author added poignant words of wisdom from Grace's late mother amongst the chapters. These words were comforting and uplifting. Having experienced this profound grief myself I totally appreciated the poignancy of these comments and the scenes they were written in.
Amazing Grace is a thoroughly enjoyable story. It is warm-hearted, fun and so beautifully poignant.
Amazing Grace is such a beautiful, heartfelt debut novel by Kim Nash, I can't wait to see this author go from strength to strength.

Oh my goodness! Let me tell you I had been waiting for this book from the minute I knew about it and oh boy this was absolutely fantastic! Brilliant characters, a whole mixture, some you love and some you will absolute hate. Every word I read I could just hear Kim herself reading it to me and I absolutely loved her style of writing. She really makes you feel all the emotions that are in this book, honestly I laughed and cried throughout. So many times I found myself grinning away! This is Women's Fiction at its best! If you get the opportunity to read this then please - you will not be disappointed. A fabulous debut Kim and I can't wait to read more from you!

I loved this book. It is a great read. It's a heart warming, feel good book with some parts that made me laugh. I loved Grace and how she turned her life round. Vinnie sounds like a great person and wish I had one in my life. It was so relatable and fills you full of hope. Highly recommend this to read, a great debut book . Look forward to Kim's next book.

I was given this an ARC of this novel from Hera Books in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions of this novel are my own.

Let me start of with this, I HATE rom-coms. There are only some rom-coms I like, and that is because they focus on other things besides the romance between the characters, like the movie “Fifty First Dates” does. But this novel was such a great story that I couldn’t help not loving it with all of my heart.

The synopsis: Grace is a newly single mom who went through an awful divorce with her husband after she found him cheating. Trying to raise her ten-year-old son on her own, while holding a job and trying to have some kind of life outside of that is difficult, and even more so with the fact that her mother is not around to help her. But when she meets Vinnie, Grace starts to realize that she is more than capable of doing everything she needs to, and also is more than allowed to have things for herself as well.

This novel explores family, love, and self-acceptance. It focuses more on Grace’s growth as a woman than anything else, which I loved the most about this novel. It wasn’t a “knight in shining armor fixes everything” kind of romantic novel, but was more of a “I need to learn to love myself and here is also the knight in shining armor that is helping me understand that” kind of romantic novel. The entire time I sat and read this novel, I had either tears falling down my face or felt my heart swell with happiness for Grace. I felt like I understood Grace in a lot of ways, having had a hard time with loving myself for who I am in the past as well.

The family and friendship dynamics within this story were absolutely wonderful as well. Grace’s relationships with everyone were real and raw, and everyone felt like they were real people. Grace’s relationship with her son Archie was incredibly adorable, and how she loves each person with everything in her body is just so heartwarming and real to me, as I tend to do that with the people I care about. Each person that Grace interacted with felt different from the next, which made the story more enjoyable as each person was distinctive.

While I despise rom-coms with a heated passion, for their unrealistic expectations that they set for all of us who aspire for romance and being swept off our feet, this story felt more grounded and possible, with the fact that the romance was almost secondary to the story of Grace’s transformation. It was organic, and steeped in need to better oneself as opposed to for someone else, which I think is the best way to get the reader. It teaches them the lesson of “loving yourself before you can love another” and that once that happens, everything else falls into place.

I truly enjoyed myself in this story, and feel like I’ve found a new appreciation for the relationship I’m in, because I realized that Vinnie is exactly like my boyfriend, and I couldn’t feel happier with that notion.

Easily relate to Grace and if you’re lucky, everyone will have a Monika in their life! Lots of laughs, feel good moments, but also some sorrow, I’m not ashamed to admit it had me in tears. Not going to go into more detail, I don’t want to give it all away, but what I will say is this... it’s a bloody good read! Solid 4 stars from me!! Well done Kim.

Grace is a young single mum, she adores her ten year old son, Archie, and takes Becks her labradoodle for long walks in the woods. However, having to cope on her own hasn't been easy for Grace and dealing with the emotional scars left over from her marriage to her domineering ex-husband has sort of prevented her from trying to have a meaningful relationship with anyone else. That is until her friend, Monica, persuades Grace to try the dating scene with disastrous results, and then she meets Vinnie...

What then follows is a lovely story by an author who really knows just what's needed in women's fiction. There are an abundance of strong characters who tug away at your heartstrings, a delightful dog who makes you want to slip on your walking boots and head to the forest, and the most gorgeous leading man, who makes your heart skip a beat every time he appears on the page.

There's lots going on and it's not all hearts and flowers in this romantic tale as there's more than enough angst supplied by the dastardly ex-husband, who you really hope will get his comeuppance! But throughout it all is Grace who really is amazing and who is such a warm and lively character that you can't help but warm to her, and ultimately, want what's best for her.

Beautifully written from start to finish, Amazing Grace, is one of those proper stories which has a lovely beginning, a wonderful middle and an awe-inspiring conclusion. It's also a fabulous debut from a talented new author and I hope that this is just the first of many stories from her. I can't wait to read more

Since the breakdown of her marriage, Grace has forgotten that the first person she needs to love is herself. Her young son, Archie and her dog, Becks (named after David Beckham) are understandably the centre of her world but she has neglected herself. Her friend - the irrepressible Monica is fortuitously on hand to dispense some much needed practical advice. Her overhaul of Grace's appearance is a huge success but her attempts to fix her love life, less so...
It's just as well then that Grace has somebody else trying to guide her there and it means Amazing Grace becomes more than a romantic comedy. Grace's mum died twelve years ago but she still watches over her daughter and at times we hear directly from her. I must admit that there were parts of the book where I had to put my own scepticism to one side but that's fine, I have to do the same when reading a supernatural book so it never became a problem for me and I really enjoyed how the story featured a mix of humour and more poignant moments.
Grace's luck definitely seems to be turning when Vinnie turns up on her doorstep to - as she explains to her neighbour - have a look at her bush! The scenes where Grace accidentally comes out with an embarrassing innuendo are hilarious and so relatable. Fortunately, Vinnie isn't scared off and it's clear that he is equally as smitten as Grace is. Vinnie is gorgeous, kind and funny so it's not surprising that Grace quickly falls for him and Becks soon gives him the seal of approval. Likewise, Vinnie's family all welcome her and it's wonderful to see her begin to regain her self-belief. As a single mum, however, Grace can't just think of herself and has to consider Archie's feelings too. Vinnie also seems to be hiding something from her - after being so hurt by her ex-husband, Mark, can she really trust a man again?
The course of true love never runs smoothly of course, and before long Grace has a real dilemma on her hands. Mark wants to try again and she knows Archie would love to see his parents reunited but everybody around her can see how much she lights up when she talks about Vinnie. Readers will inevitably hope that she chooses the man who makes her happy but as a mum it's natural that she is prepared to put her son first - and Archie is such a lovely boy, anybody would want what's best for him. Unfortunately his father is less principled than Grace and is prepared to use his son to get what he wants. He is such a loathsome, narcissistic character but as it typical with people like this, able to turn on the charm when it suits him and even Grace begins to wonder if he really has changed.
Amazing Grace is such an emotive read, the light-hearted romantic moments are balanced by some really touching scenes which moved me to tears and there are a few parts which raised my hackles too - Mark certainly causes more than a few problems for Grace. Kim Nash writes with a truly empathetic perceptiveness which brings all of her characters to life and ensured that I became invested in their lives. Amazing Grace is an enjoyable, heartwarming and insightful book, I thoroughly recommend it.

I have been anxiously awaiting this gem of a book for what feels like forever so when it was finally time for me to pick it up I was beyond excited! From that cover alone I knew I was going to be reading a light and uplifting book which is honestly all that I’m the mood for lately, but what I didn’t realize what how emotional this one would be, my god it made me tear up too many times to count! I do mean that in the best possible way though, they weren’t tears of pure sadness but instead ones that came from a place of happiness and inspiration, this had a little bit of everything for everyone.

Grace is a newly single mom who’s son Archie is her whole world and while I’m not single myself, I could easily relate to her feelings about motherhood. She does everything for her son and her one purpose in life is to ensure that he’s a happy, well adjusted kid, but somewhere along the way she’s lost herself, her spark. Slowly but surely over the course of the book she begins to find herself again and starts to put her own needs if not before Archie’s, at least towards the top of this list. I really love stories where characters undergo a transformation, there’s something so beautiful about watching it happen and this one was really special. I want a friend like Grace in my own life and to me, that shows the author has done a fantastic job bringing their characters to life.

I said earlier this had something for everyone and it really does, there’s friendship, love, humor, romance and family and a unique and unexpected aspect that really moved me. Grace’s mother died years ago and she’s still grieving the loss but there was a clever little way the reader hears from her that was just so touching and sweet. Highly recommended for anyone who wants a book full of heart and hope, I wholeheartedly loved this and can’t wait to see what Nash comes up with next!

Amazing Grace in three words: Evocative, Hopeful and Beautiful

I've gotten to know this lady through social media and she is just incredible. So kind hearted and generous with her time
AND she writes too.....
Her debut Amazing Grace came into my hands recently and the decks were cleared to read it.
Hubby had to cook for himself and doggies were told to be quiet.
I started with so much anticipation for what was to come and I really wasn't disappointed.
I haven't read a huge amount of romance recently but I'm hoping to change that this year most definitely after reading this one.
I simply adored Grace and little Archie. What a beautiful relationship between mummy and son.
Grace is a strong character. She is trying to raise her little boy as best she can after splitting up from his dad, her husband Mark recently. There are so many times where she second guesses what she's doing and wonders if it's right but her priority is her son.
Grace has also lost her mum and struggles in her life without that special relationship.
We see her trying to find herself. While she grieves for her mum, try find the person she was before she became a wife, a mum.
Maybe she needs a little help....in the form of the lovely Becks, always on hand to give big, slobbery kisses.....doggy kisses....
Now who didn't love Vinnie...Were you swooning?
We meet Vinnie who is adorable and shows such kindness to Grace & Archie while he struggles with his own tragedy.
I was so hoping they would fall in love and live happily ever after, oh but that Mark is a bugger isn't he....
He doesn't want their family life anymore but doesn't want anyone else to have it either..
Amazing Grace is everything and more of what you want in a good romance...
I laughed, I cried and I swooned the whole way through the book.
A little part of me was sad to have finished it if I'm completely honest.
Brilliant and well worth your time..
I can't say enough good things about this one..
You will love it ❤

To The Author
Absolutely brilliant Kim, an amazing achievement.
You should be so proud of yourself ❤

Thank you kindly to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources, publishers Hera Books and author Kim The Book Worm for my copy of this book. Much appreciated...

What a wonderful book. Could really relate to the characters. Loved the story can't wait for another. As in the title was amazing.

4.5 STARS

Amazing Grace is a beautiful, uplifting book about hope and second chances!

Grace was living the dream, at least she thought she was. She had a wonderful home, a husband, and a son. Her life was turned upside down when she discovered her husband’s infidelity. Grace changed so much from who she was at the beginning of the book. Through much soul-searching, she forges a new path to discover the woman she was meant to be and possibly finding real love!

Vinnie and Grace are two individuals who deserve happiness. Yet, their journey wasn’t an easy one. People and secrets present quite the obstacles. However, it’s those obstacles that make their relationship even stronger.

While this is a love story between a man and a woman, it’s also a love story between a parent and a child, and the bond mothers share with their children ALWAYS…no matter whether they are still here on this earth or not. Readers will understand what I’m talking about when they see the relationship Grace had with her mother. It was just beautiful!

If you are looking for a truly remarkable book that will leave you with a warmness in your heart, you can’t go wrong with this one!!!!

What a fantastic first feel good story with colourful moments and lovely characters!

Grace is a bit uncertain of her talents and her assets. As a divorced wife, from her unfaithful men Mark, she is getting her life back on track. With her ten years old son Archie she is starting over.
Monica, her best friend, will get her back in the picture and after a hilarious makeover she arranged some dates by a dating app. Grace didn’t have any chance and Monica has to get rid of her profile. So back to the dull life with pajama parties and seat sessions after her work as an estate agent. As you know for everyone is their a right person. And even if Grace isn’t fully ready to trust a guy again, she has to admit that Vinnie, the gardener is attractive and intriguing. But can she give her heart safely to this man or does he have secrets?

Mark also is pleading to get a new chance, so it could be hard to make the right decision. Her adorable son Archie will love it when his mother and father would be together again. Grace has to choose between following her heart and take a risk or flow back in routine and be the perfect, unhappy wife again. Besides “the love issues” Grace had to deal with the mourning for her deceased mother.

From the start I knew this was a book that will get a place in my heart. Kim Nash has created beautiful personalities with funny and cheering journeys.
All the players in this book are well-developed. They are realistic portrayed with humour and real emotions and therefore Amazing Grace is a wonderful and uplifting romance novel. I am really curious if she will write another book, what I think is a very good idea and I wonder if it’s again such a lovely one.

https://indeboekenkast.wordpress.com/?s=Amazing+grace

What an outstanding debut. Amazing Grace is uplifting, funny and heart-warming. It is the perfect chick-lit story, you cannot even tell it is a debut it’s brilliantly written.

Amazing Grace is a story lots of readers can relate too. Parts had me laughing out loud! I loved Monica’s character, best friend to Grace and just a little crazy. I think we all have a friend close to being Monica.

I loved every minute of reading this. It didn’t disappoint me. A well deserved four stars from me and I would highly recommend it to you all. I look forward to reading more by Kim in the future. Fingers crossed.

I absolutely bloody loved this book! This gave me all the feels….from crying to laughing out loud.

The blurb gives you a really great oversight of this book, and I don’t want go give away anymore of the detail because this is a book that you really should read!

I have so much praise for this book; so let’s start with the characters…… Grace is such a beautiful soul! She has had her confidence knocked, her heartbroken and has lost all her self-esteem. She will do anything for anyone and absolutely adores her son. Thank god for her wonderful friend Monica, who helps to rebuild her (and is mildly annoying but loveable along the way – I’d kill her if she was my friend!). Vinnie sounds gorgeous and like the type of bloke everyone woman dreams of – a proper Prince Charming; Mark is an absolute arsehole (definitely a frog!) and I just wanted to punch him in the face!! Some of the minor characters are hilarious (and some also need punching in the face) and Vinnie’s family is amazing! There are so many people I’d love to meet in real life! Archie is adorable, and actually vaguely reminds me of my best friends son who is a little charmer at heart; and I love Becks!

The storyline is wonderful, heart warming and tear-jerking all at the same time. I was routing for Grace to do the right thing for her all the way through, instead of trying to please others all the time. At the end of each chapter there is a little note (I’m not saying who from or what they were about) but I was in tears more than once – an absolute beautiful piece to add to the narrative, and very close to Nash’s heart (I would imagine from the note at the beginning).

This book is honestly just beautiful. Many parts of it felt real to me, and it really does give you a sense of real life…what with the heart break, loss, day to day life, and struggles of a single mum. This is a fantastic, heartwarming tale of love, family, heartbreak, loss, second chances and realising dreams. 100% highly recommended by me!

I have been looking forward to reading this debut novel so much and finally, I got to settle myself down and enter the world of Grace Carnegie. I knew from the blurb that Amazing Grace would be my kind of book. I like to have my emotions pushed to their limits, I like to feel the small hairs rise on the back of my neck and that moment you feel your nose prickle just before the tears come. I felt all of this and so much more.

I loved the relationship between Grace and her son Archie, OMG does she love that boy! The account of Grace's introduction to online dating was cringeworthy, heartwarming and flipping hilarious. Then along came Vinnie, the gorgeous gardener and the answer to Grace's prayers, or is he just too good to be true?

The beautifully written messages from Grace's mum in heaven really tore at my heartstrings. I could feel the words of encouragement pushing Grace forward to a better life and giving her the confidence to step out of her comfort zone. I think these words especially will resonate with anyone who is suffering the raw pain of grief.

I loved that Grace was just a normal relatable person who anyone would love as a best friend. She likes a few gin and tonics, she's a few pounds overweight and her bra and pants don't always match, but that is just what makes her so refreshingly authentic!

Of course, this wouldn't be Waggy Tales without mentioning Grace's constant companion, her lovely dog Becks. He was often a shoulder to cry on when Grace was upset and lonely and stayed by her side throughout.

Overall a warm, delicately scripted story which stays with you long after you read the last page.

Amazing Grace focuses on Grace and her son, Archie. Both are trying to navigate through life since Grace’s split from her husband, Mike. They didn’t have the happiest of marriages so at the beginning of the novel, Grace isn’t feeling on top of the world.

Her self-esteem is really low but she is grateful she has her son. With the help of Archie, her friend, Monica and friends she meets along the way, Grace is hoping she can soon enjoy life again.

This novel took me a couple of chapters to settle into. This has nothing to do with the book or the effortless writing style. The element of the plot that focuses on Grace loosing her mother is something I found quite hard to read having lost my own Mum on this day in 2016.

Emotions certainly run high in this book. Having read this book and then the authors note, it is clear that this novel was written from the heart of the author (cheesy description but I can’t think of another way to put it,) and I soon found it comforting rather than hard to read.

It didn’t take long for me to see beyond this one element and get totally engrossed in the novel and Grace’s story.

I found I could empathise with her a lot. She has had changes in her life and she is trying her hardest to work her way through these changes. I did find her quite a frustrating character at times. I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her, especially when it came to her interactions with one particular character.

I wanted things to work out for her. By the end, Grace felt like a friend.

The supporting characters are wonderful. We could all do with a mate like Monica and Vinnie… oh Vinnie. How perfect do you sound.

The overall theme of this book is that life has many things to offer, you just have to have the courage to move forward and see the good in every day. That is what I took from it anyway.
Amazing Grace is a lovely debut novel and perfect for these longer evenings, a glass of something lovely and a comfy chair.

Meet Grace, working single mum to Archie and focusing on life getting back to "normal" after separating from husband Mark. Moving house, getting her ducks together and keeping focused on her boy and dog. Thankfully best friend Monica is on hand to help Grace focus on her, a new look, dipping back into the world of dating we follow Grace on a journey of self discovery and personal growth. In among all of this we hear wee snippets from Grace's mum who passed away but is overseeing Grace's life/struggles/choices/disasters and journey.

This is a debut although it really doesn't read like one. Grace is one of those characters I think any reader can relate to, we all have those self doubts, that moron ex, grief, loss and if we are lucky a few good eggs in our lives. This book draws you into Grace's world, everything that is important to her and the importance of including our own happiness in the things that are important to us.

There are some laugh out loud moments, oh how I cringed for her but did howl, bless Grace she is a wee chop. Family is everything to her and this allows for her ex husband to maximize his manipulative deplorable behaviour, I honestly wanted to smash his melt in at a few points. The passages from Grace's mother, for anyone who has lost a parent will struggle to get through some of them with a dry eye. Even for those lucky enough to still have their parents I think the passages are written so well you would need a heart of stone not to be touched.

The book takes you on a bit of a rollercoaster ride, infused with laugh out loud feel good with more than a few tender moments to kick you in the feels. Grace is a very human character and some of her choices/thought processes will resonate with some readers and others shouting no guuuuuuuurl. A fab step into the world of writing and I look forward to see what Nash will be bringing next, 4/5 for me this time.

I really enjoyed this heart warming, feel good easy to read romantic story. I was drawn into the story from the start. I liked the surrounding cast of characters but found Grace particularly easy to empathise with - I was willing her on and hoping she would have a happy ending. I really enjoyed her journey throughout the book. A story of relationships, family, grief, friendship, new beginnings and self-discovery. An emotional book which made me laugh and cry. I loved the letters from Grace's mum.

I highly recommend this book, so good I couldn't put it down. Can't wait for Kim Nash's next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Grace lives her life for son Archie and so when he goes to stay with her father every other weekend she is lost and lonely, apart from her gorgeous labradoodle Becks, then the gardener Vinnie comes into get life and he appears to be everything that her controlling selfish ex Mark isn't. She soon becomes involved in Vinnie's life and his family but Mark is not happy about that and Archie is secretly hoping that she will get back with his father. When Mark insists that he has changed and wants to start again will she believe him?

A lovely warmhearted book with great characters, Vinnie was gorgeous so how could she even consider going back to the awfall Mark! I loved the little messages from Grace's dead mother as well, perfect summer read.

Lovely feel good romantic story with a few laughs along the way. If you're a fan of "rom com", this one is for you! It's a perfect holiday read. Can't wait to read more from Kim Nash.

I loved this book. It’s romantic, up lifting and funny. So great to see a character with some backbone. Thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the story. I did think the input from the lead characters mum would be irritating but actually it moved me to tears. This is a perfect summer read and for those who love a happy ending.

I received a digital arc of #AmazingGrace from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first encounter with this author and I really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and there were some cracking lines in there! I would definitely read more by this author again and would recommend to anyone who likes women's fiction with some romance thrown in.

This is one of those enjoyable reads where you can get really invested in the story and you don't feel let down by the end. You have to feel for Grace as she battles the task of bringing up her son as a one parent family and there are some nice insights into her life. I particularly loved the humour which arises from the efforts of her friends to bring her out of her shell and back onto the dating scene. There are some genuinely laugh out loud moments to be found in her different dates. They are certainly a test of friendship!

There is a strong seam of romance running throughout the book and you are willing Grace to make the right choice. Halfway through the story, it did go off on a direction which took me by surprise but it manages to be moving without being overly sentimental. This is a great debut novel and a heart-warming read to savour.

In short: A feelgood romance with some genuinely funny episodes.

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
A very good read and one I can highly recommend to others.
I could not put this down.
Thoroughly enjoyable with an amazing cast of characters that you cannot help but engage with.

I really enjoyed this book and could not put it down! A must-read for a lazy afternoon! I can’t wait to read more from this author.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I have known Kim for quite a few years now. We met through Kim's day job at Bookouture and I was so happy for Kim when I heard she got a publishing deal. I requested a copy on Netgalley but I've only just made time to bump it up my TBR pile.

The story is about single mum Grace. Grace has been through a lot before this story and she goes through a hell of a lot more by the end. There were so so many times when I wanted to shake Grace. I can see how she ends up in the situations she does and from an outsider's perspective, it's always easier to see a rotten egg than when you're inside but my god she was infuriating at times. I did love Grace though, as much as I wanted to throttle her I wanted her to be happy.

This book is a story of friendship, finding yourself, handling grief and of course love. Grace has some amazing friends that really help her along her journey of self-discovery. Grace is braver than she will ever believe. I know because I have been that grieving daughter. I love the letters from Grace's mum.

Now I have to talk about the romance in this story. Vinnie, oh Vinnie. I instantly fell for Vinnie. I mean that could be because I know exactly who Kim based him on and I was already in love before I opened the book but I'd like to think that Kim just created the perfect man for Grace. He is everything she deserves and more. Vinnie is the perfect gentleman and I was rooting for these two from the beginning.

I can see that Kim has such potential as a writer and I am excited to see her journey. I can't wait to pick up her second book Escape to Giddywell Grange.

Really good! Lots of LOLs and tears!

**OMG! I cannot believe that these reviews haven't been done! I am so sorry they are so late!!!**

Amazing Grace is the debut novel by Kim Nash, and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Grace is a single mother trying to juggle the demands of a job, bringing up her son and looking after Becks the dog whilst struggling with the dilemma of deciding if she made the right decision to leave her husband despite him being the one who was unfaithful. To be honest as the book progressed, I wanted to yell at her at times over her indecision… only because her ex was a total git and she was better off without him. Some of the funniest moments are when she is forced onto the dating scene by her friend Monica who also thinks that Grace needs a total image overhaul. Her experiences make me really glad that I don’t have to go through any of that. Thankfully I don’t have any friends brave enough to even contemplate setting me up in that way (not if they knew what was good for them). Grace is clearly too nice to really take her friend to task over it though and instead decides to laugh about it with her.
When she meets handsome gardener Vinnie her luck seems to change. He really seems to bring Grace out of herself but is also hiding a bit of his own heartbreak that makes him wary of relationships. The book is not all laughs though as it also explores the grief over losing a parent/sibling and the ways people learn to cope and protect themselves.
Amazing Grace is a great holiday read for lovers of romcom/chic lit and I look forward to reading Kim’s next book.

Beautifully written debut with a character that really gets under your skin (in a good way!) and stays with you long after you have finished.

Adored this book and its lovely and not so lovely characters.

A lovely well written story and I'm looking forward to reading more.

Wow, this book is just beautiful. The story of a woman, my age, with a handsome little man, just muddling through. Her life has always been Archie her boy since her douche ex-husband Mark walked out on her. But when he’s not there, life is not fulfilling it’s empty, until one day she meets Vinnie!

I adored Vinnie, he is everything you want in a man, plus rumour has it that Kim had Alex O’Loughlin in her mind for him and well it helps Vinnie had the same surname 😉

As I messaged Kim whilst I was reading this I feel this book is like a slice of magic. It is the perfect book I needed to read. A book about second chance is always lovely to read especially as I know a few people that are so much happier second time around. Because you know what you don’t want and what you do want. I connected to Grace straight away, she is your everyday gal. I had the same fears and insecurities I have, body issues, age, loveability. Grace could be any one of us and I think that’s what makes this book beautiful. This story is something that I could imagine having a cup of coffee and chat with a friend and this being their life.

I have to say her best friend Monica is an absolute hoot! She had me cracking up so much and I really want to try swishing! (Read the book to find out!) she is the best kind of confidence boost that you need in your life. My only gripe she wasn’t in it enough!!! But I can handle that because as I said Vinnie is a knight in shining armour that everyone woman dreams of. Just the little things mean so much to me, not always the lavish show of affection. More the small things that a lot of people might take for granted, you have here with him.

Being so late to the game in reading this book, you can easily forget this is Kims’ debut novel. Already I feel she is established at what she does, and that she has been writing for years, not someone who at the moment only has two novels under her belt. It has been amazing to message Kim whilst reading this and finding out which bits are real. This has completely added to my reading experience and it makes this book a lot more special as a reader. This is going to making an appearance for sure by the end of the year as a contender for my book of the year. It has got everything I need right now. I have finished this book, tears in my eyes but a smile on my face and a heart filled with love….ok, where are my darker books I am getting way soppy!

Blasted out the park with this book, it’s my slice of magic and it’s a well-crafted novel already for Ms Nash. Now off to read her next one!

I don’t know quite why it took me so long to read Amazing Grace, the debut novel of publicist, blogger extraordinaire, champion of books and bloggers and all-round fabulous woman Kim Nash, but I am so glad that I have now read it. Her brilliant book chat every Tuesday on her Facebook page has seen me filling my Kindle with her guest’s books, it was only fair I filled it with hers too. I can’t remember the last time I read a book in one sitting, but I very quickly got caught up in this story and just could not stop reading it. It was a pure joy from start to finish, if hugely emotional in places too.

Amazing Grace tells the story of single mum Grace, who goes on quite the journey of self-discovery during this wonderful story. Grace is a fantastic character, I was instantly rooting for her and quickly became endeared to her. The relationship she has with her son Archie was magical, it reminded me of how close I was with my mum growing up and I wanted to tell Grace that it is possible for that closeness to be there during the teenage years as mine was and as an adult still is, with my mum. I finished this book imagining that Grace would go on to have the best relationship with Archie such was the closeness of the bond they had. Kim wrote such a fantastic and believable mother and son relationship and I think anyone who knows her will know that would have been easy because of the relationship she has with her own son. Archie was such a great character and really had a huge part to play in Grace going on that journey of self-discovery and really finding that true happiness that she both needed and deserved.

I have to say there was a standout character for me and that was Vinnie. I might have drooled a little bit when he first arrives at Grace’s house and continued to do so as his character began to play a more crucial role in the story. The relationship that develops between these two characters was a delight to read, but as always in these books, the course of true love doesn’t run smooth and so there’s more than a few obstacles for them to overcome during the story. The biggest obstacle being Grace’s absolute twat of an ex-husband, Mark. I don’t want to say too much about him but what a truly horrendous character. The best love stories have you absolutely desperate for a couple to end up with one another and Kim does a good job of throwing these curveballs in the way of our characters all the way through the story.

I really enjoyed the family and friendship element that really shines through the story and I loved how the cast of characters in the story all had their part to play in the journey Grace and Vinnie go on during the story. One such character was Grace’s mum who died before Archie was born. I did think that my own beliefs about death and the afterlife would mean I didn’t relate to or enjoy (for want of a better word) this part of the story but I have to say that I truly did. I don’t want to say too much but this is certainly an emotional story in places. Friendship also plays a huge part too, whether it's Grace's best friend getting her into some horrendously hilarious situations as our story opens, to the wonderful friendship she develops with Vinnie's sister. This is one of those stories where it is all about characterisation and Kim does a brilliant job with each and every character that we meet.

Amazing Grace is one of the best debuts I have read within the Women’s Fiction genre and I am so annoyed with myself for not reading it sooner. It has everything you could want from a story and more. There’s delightful moments, sad moments, hilarious moments, frustrating moments and pure joyous heart-warming moments. Amazing Grace really is just a beautiful story of family, friendship and falling in love. I finished it with tears threatening to fall but with a huge smile on my face. Kim Nash is obviously a woman of many talents and she has now added author to that list. It really is amazing to see people achieve their dreams but none more so than when it’s someone you know, albeit only over the internet. So it’s fantastic to see Kim having this success and writing such an enjoyable book in Amazing Grace. I can’t wait to read her next book, Escape to Giddywell Grange, which is already on my Kindle. I highly recommend Amazing Grace to those who are yet to read it. It is the perfect read in this current climate, and at only 99p on Kindle (at the time of writing) you really have no excuse not to pick it up.

In my younger days "chick lit" was my go-to genre but as I've got older I find it doesn't always appeal or that I have nothing in common with the characters. This can't be said for Amazing Grace, I may not be a recently bereaved single mum but could emphasise so much with Grace and her feelings as a parent. Saying that I am so glad I have never had to enter into the world of internet dating after the mishaps Grace encounters!!

A fun, uplifting book and very impressive for a debut.