Life as Planned

by Amanda Prowse

From bestselling author Amanda Prowse comes a spellbinding story about two sisters, one choice—and a lifetime of consequences…

For identical twins Remy and Ashleigh, everything changes with one childhood decision. A simple act of love that unwittingly alters the paths they will both walk—an act of love that will echo through decades…

As the years unfold, their lives take dramatically different courses. Ashleigh soars through a glittering London career with the perfect house and family, but beneath her success lies a gnawing her whole life is built on a lie. Meanwhile, Remy stays close to home, finding joy in simple pleasures, yet forever feeling the weight of being ‘the other twin’—the one who didn’t shine.

Both sisters long for the uncomplicated closeness they once shared, but can they find their way back to each other? And after a lifetime shaped by that single childhood choice, is it too late to become the people they were meant to be?

This emotionally compelling story asks challenging questions about paths not taken, and about making peace with the life you have, rather than the one you might have expected.

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, Historical Fiction, Historical, Family, Chick Lit, Contemporary

428 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 6, 2026

About the author

Welcome to my Goodrerads page. If you love relatable, emotionally driven, character lead fiction that shines a light on family life and the trials and tribulations that affect us all, then you’re in the right place!

My name is Amanda Prowse, now nearly sixty, I started writing in my mid-forties. I divide my time between London where I live by the river and our farm in the West Country.

I’m passionate about the representation of women. My characters range in age from six to ninety-six and come from all walks of life.

The women in my stories face adversity head on, they grab opportunity by the handful and run towards the horizon, often doing so with a large dollop of humour.

My stories sometimes punch you in the gut with their realism but also leave you with a glimmer of hope – and the feeling that you are not alone. Tales that will make you ugly cry and laugh out loud – sometimes on the same page!

I’ve sold millions of books, translated into dozens of languages all around the world. Described by the Daily Mail as ‘The queen of family drama’ my novels have won awards, including the coveted Sainsbury's eBook of the year Award and I’ve had two books selected as World Book Night titles; 'Perfect Daughter' in 2016 and 'The Boy Between' (co-written with my son Josiah Hartley) in 2022.

I’m a huge supporter of libraries and am a proud ambassador for The Reading Agency. My ambition is to create stories that keep people from turning the bedside lamp off at night, great characters that ensure you take every step with them and tales that fill your head so you can't possibly read another book until the memory fades...

I’m a passionate advocate of ageing naturally and gratefully, and see every wrinkle, every line, every blemish on my face as a badge of honour – remembering always what a gift ageing is. This part of my wider belief that when women support women, magical things can happen.

When the time comes – this is what I’d like written on my headstone:

‘Wrote great stories, made a cracking roast potato…’ – what more could I ask for?
Praise for Amanda Prowse:

‘Amanda Prowse is “The Queen of Family Drama”’ – Daily Mail

'You'll fall in love with this...' – Cosmopolitan

'Powerful and emotional drama that packs a real punch' – Heat

‘Heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measure’ – The Lady

'Deeply moving and emotional’ – Red

‘Amanda Prowse handles her explosive subjects with delicate skill’ – Daily Mail

‘Captivating, heartbreaking and superbly written’ – Closer

‘Amanda Prowse is the new Amanda Prowse’ – Mr Prowse

‘Uplifting and positive but you will still need a box of tissues’ – Hello!

List of Amanda Prowse works in order (oldest at top, newest at the bottom)

NOVELS

Poppy Day
What Have I Done
Clover’s Child
A Little Love
Will You Remember Me?
Christmas for One
A Mother’s Story
Perfect Daughter
The Second Chance Café (was 'The Christmas Café')
Three and a Half Heartbeats
Another Love
My Husband’s Wife
I Won’t be Home for Christmas
The Food of Love
The Idea of You
The Art of Hiding
Anna
Theo
Kitty (was ‘How to Fall in Love Again; Kitty’s Story’)
The Coordinates of Loss
The Girl in the Corner
The Things I Know
The Light in the Hallway
The Day She Came Back.
An Ordinary Life
Waiting to Begin
To Love and Be Loved
Picking Up the Pieces
All Good Things
Swimming to Lundy
This One Life
Ever After
Life as Planned
The Way Home (publishing August 2026)
Holding On Tight (publishing January 2027)

MEMOIRS

The Boy Between
Women Like Us

NOVELLAS

The Game
Something Quite Beautiful
A Christmas Wish
The Ten Pound Ticket
Imogen's Baby
Miss Potterton's Birthday Tea
Mr Portobello's Morning Paper
I Wish…
A Whole Heap of Wishes
A Wish for Forgiveness
Fifteen Minutes

COMPILATION OF FIRST SEVEN NOVELLAS
Something Quite Beautiful

Notes on Books.

All books are standalone stories, but some do share characters who pop up for cameo appeara

Reviews

[Shelley's Book Nook]

My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
The Book Review Crew Blog

4.5 Stars

Amanda Prowse writes a very poignant and emotional story about twins Remy and Ashleigh. The twins' lives are drastically changed by a childhood choice. Years later, the difference between them is apparent: Ashleigh has a big career and family success in London, and Remy feels she is in the shadow of Ashleigh's success and feels she is the twin who is "less than."

Amanda Prowse is the reigning queen of family drama. The book follows the twins through the decades with plenty of emotional depth and deals with the choices we make. The book asks some important questions about paths we decided not to take and dealing with the ramifications of the lies we tell. Prowse writes relatable characters, and the sisters' relationship is raw and honest. They both wish they still had the same closeness as when they were children, even though secrets and jealousy are in the way. This is a very complex family relationship. I like how the author showed the fast-paced life of London against the slower pace of Remy at home.

The most important part that I took away from the story is forgiveness. Above all else, these sisters love each other and are trying to make peace with their past. It's an important reminder that it's never too late.

Even though the pacing in the middle of the book slows down to a crawl and there is a lot of internal dialogue to digest, this is a lovely read that makes you think. It's about how one moment of your life can leave a lasting impression and linger through the decades. It is handled with Prowse's sensitivity, and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Kristie]

This is a very heartfelt story about two sisters and how the decisions they make pull them apart, but their love for each other pulls them back together. It was emotionally charged and their struggles felt very realistic. There was a strong theme of forgiveness, as well as family, love, relationships, self-image, and healing. I did find one sister more likable than the other, but I could also relate to the less likable character in some ways, which helped me to feel for her situation too.

At times, the language was a bit repetitive, but it makes sense within the story. When something weighs on a character, they will think about it often and those thoughts are repeated in the story. However, there were times when I felt repetition this slowed the story a little for me.

Overall, this was a slow moving, emotional read and I recommend it for readers who really want to get into the nitty gritty with their characters. 4+ stars

I listened to the audio version narrated by the author. I really enjoy Prowse's narration. I feel that she knows exactly how she wants her characters represented and how to relay those emotions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Donna Weber]

Rounded to 4 Stars “If a thought starts with “if only” or “I wish” then strike it through and don’t dwell on it. Enjoy the moment, the air in your lungs, pain-free movement, movement at all! The changing seasons, a belly laugh, the sound of your children’s voices, birdsong, sunshine on your face, the shade of a tree!”

“And books – read all the books. All the books! And above all, be thankful for every day that you see a rising sun, for one day it will be your last, and in that moment you’ll understand one thing – how very quickly it has all passed.”

[Dwon]

Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for an advanced copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest review!
This was a beautiful, heart warming, gut wrenching story about life, love, relationships, loss, and personal growth. I loved every second of the audio book and i didn't want it to end. I will admit i was skeptical when I learned the author would be narrating, but she honestly did an amazing job. I think this story could be enjoyed whatever your preferred way of consuming books might br
I can't believe this is the first book I've read by this author. I guess my tbr is about to grow lol

[Pam]

Simply? This novel needed editing. It likely could have been several hundred pages shorter. With each chapter that chronicled the sisters' lives? We didn't need verbatim that told us what the chapters said before. I was also challenged to understand the progress of the story line, as when (SPOILERS) Remy was pregnant and brought her child home to her parents, before we got the story line that explained how that happened. Why did it take an interminably long time for anyone to explain why Remy took the exam for Ashleigh, and at the end of day, why did it even matter?

Like a few other novels I've read of late, I feel as though the authors need to introduce social expressions to be aligned with current events, such that Evie (Ashleigh's daughter) is gay and gets married to a 'woman,' to the consternation of her grandmother. And yet we hear nothing from her father. And why is that even an issue in a book written now? But then, of course, we also do not know what her decision factors were that set her on the path to be LGBTQ, other than she kept saying she had to babysit for her step-siblings? Umm.. where was the story line that led us to her hiding (??) if that's the word, her preferences? Just 'all of a sudden, ' she's married to a woman, and grandma doesn't like it.

The understory of Ashleigh sleeping with Jamie (Remi's ex)? Totally unnecessary. Honestly it would have made more of a story line if it had been a stranger? And keeping Jamie in the narrative for as long as he was? Ick. Get past it. Lots of people have divorces where they need to manage blended families. We didn't need page over page of why he was still in the picture.

The other grating factor of two doves formed from one egg, repeated, again, and again, and again? Give it up. We know they were twins from the beginning and that's how their parents saw them and considered their interpretation of the girls' lives. But please, as a reader? I don't need to hear this time and again.

It was okay. I honestly didn't think I would finish the book, because I kept hoping for something that was of interest as they aged. It didn't appear.

[Claire P]

4.5* The book takes you through the journey of identical twins where a secret decision made by them age 10 takes them on completely different paths and the consequences of that. I really enjoyed the flow of the book and the perspectives of both sisters.

[Hannah Green]

Absolutely beautiful book.
I haven’t given a 5* in a while but I will be for this book. I couldn’t put it down, the pages flowed so easily and every sentence of the book it could simply be your own life. Whilst I’m not a twin, I could easily see Remy’s and Ashleigh’s relationship as my own sibling relationship or a relationship with a best friend.

Amandas style of writing is so easy to read, fall in love with and simply adore. Thank you so much for the lovely pleasure of reading “Life as Planned” early

[Catherine (catisbookedup)]

4.5 stars
If you enjoyed The Names by Florence Knapp then there's a good chance you will also enjoy this one.
A split decision made by one of the twins when they were 10yrs old has repercussions thats will affect them both for the rest of their lives. We follow the identical twin girls Ashley and Remy throughout their entire lives dipping in and out as their lives are split into different paths. and different outcomes.
A touching story that will leave you feeling a range of emotions throughout just like real life. Which sister you associate more with is up to you. Personally I felt for Ashley a lot.
Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Brilliance Publishing who provided me with the audiobook via NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

[Lynne Rekindledbooklover]

4.5⭐️

I love Amanda Prowse’s writing. So easy to read and engrossing. Always such lovely stories full of heart.

Full review to come.

[Max Stickney]

This book felt like a broken record. I never want to hear about that darn school again.

[Katie]

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ARC of this audiobook.

This book was a little bit slow only because there is a lot of detail between the twins' lives. There was also a lot of repetitive words and sentences. I think you could cut down some of the chapters if that was taken off.

The author did a great job bringing up emotional situations, but I wish she showed us more depth and emotion. I didn't feel anything deep for the twins, but I felt as a spectator on strangers lives until probably 80% in. The ending was perfect, even though it was so so sad.

I didn't understand why the twins were so stressed out about a dang test they took at 10?

A negative was how long the chapters were. I would prefer more, shorter chapters than 1 chapter being almost 2 hours long.

I liked the narrator.

[Jen]

I came across this book unexpectedly on TikTok and thought, meh why not? And wow!! I went in blind and was met with a beautiful, touching story illustrating the wonderful and hard complexities of familial relationships, friendships, and more. A tale of what would've, could've, should've happened and the way a single choice changes lives.

[Kristin]

This was a character development heavy book that took me a bit to get into, but once I did, I was invested in the twin girl main characters. When they’re 10 years old, they make some decisions that truly alter the course of their entire lives. The chapters are each decade of their lives, and the way their stories are woven together from the past to the present is beautiful. The whole story made me think about how small decisions do change the trajectory of life, and secrets always come to light. And, yes, this is another Kindle Unlimited that I happened upon because I wanted to alternate between Audible and my Kindle.

[Claire Robinson]

I listened to this book on audible and it was ok but not the best of Amanda Prowse.

[Emma Jessop]

This is a warm and emotional read that really makes you reflect on what happiness actually means. It’s a great story that shows you don’t need the best of everything or lots of material things to become the happiest version of yourself. The characters feel real and relatable, and the message about redefining success and contentment stays with you long after you finish. A thoughtful and uplifting read!

[Marie Giacobbe]

It's true life goes by too quickly.

[Joyce tuffs]

Not for me.

I usually enjoy Amanda Prowse books but I could not get into this story. It seemed to drag on to much. Hope the next will be better.

[aves ౨ৎ]

such a beautiful story that really shows that one small decision can shape the entirety of your life.

we follow remy and ashleigh, a set of twins, as they grow up and experience completely different lives as a result of a choice that remy made for them when they were 10.

this is very character driven, and its exploration of growing up, love, grief and family is so beautiful. i really enjoyed seeing how remy & ash’s relationship changed and grew throughout the years.

i think that the choice that was made when they were kids wasn’t that big of a deal, and so that made me disconnect from the story and characters, especially when they told their family, as i thought it was a bit silly!

i loved the overarching message, that life moves so fast and we should treasure those we love, and the life we live, above everything, and it really made me feel so lucky 🫶🏼

“treasure every second. no one really tells you just how quickly it goes by. but it does! we all need to appreciate the now and waste less time!”

[Tracey Martin]

What a gorgeous way to begin a story. From the very first pages I was swept away down memory lane with mentions of Cindy Dolls, White Musk perfume and Heather Shimmer Lipstick. I adore a hit of nostalgia, and for me this was done to perfection.

Life as planned is a beautifully heartwarming novel about twins Ashleigh and Remy, and how one spur of the moment decision made at the age of 10, made out of love, sends them down completely different paths. That single moment shapes the rest of their lives.

Following the sisters over 70years, we see how that choice leads to decades of guilt, resentment and fractured bonds.

The characters felt incredibly real. The relationships deeply relatable. I was especially drawn to Remy, I connected so strongly with her worries for her anxious daughter Harper which are achingly familiar.

I felt the story was quietly powerful, raw, emotional and thought provoking, capturing how complex family and love can be.

[Jilly]

Amanda Prowse at her very best. This emotionally compelling story is about two sisters, one choice and a lifetime of consequences. It poses challenging questions about paths not taken, and about making peace with the life you have, rather than the one you might have expected. It gave me a lot of things to think about regarding my own life and the choices that I have made but also choices that were made for me. I loved it. 5 stars.

*************************************

For identical twins Remy and Ashleigh, everything changes with one childhood decision. A simple act of love that unwittingly alters the paths they will both walk—an act of love that will echo through decades…

As the years unfold, their lives take dramatically different courses. Ashleigh soars through a glittering London career with the perfect house and family, but beneath her success lies a gnawing her whole life is built on a lie. Meanwhile, Remy stays close to home, finding joy in simple pleasures, yet forever feeling the weight of being ‘the other twin’—the one who didn’t shine.

Both sisters long for the uncomplicated closeness they once shared, but can they find their way back to each other? And after a lifetime shaped by that single childhood choice, is it too late to become the people they were meant to be?

[Claire]

This is a very cleverly written, emotional story of the lives of twins, who begin life very close, but grow and change and very much lead their own lives.
The story covers poignant times in their lives, from something that happened in childhood that would stay with them, and potentially change the course of both of their lives, right through until old age.

The story is told from both twins point of view and follows them into adulthood, through tragic events, marriages, children, careers and the breakdown of various relationships.

There is a lot of emotion carried through this book, between all the different characters and it’s interesting to see the differing points of view from the two main characters.

Both of the twins grew on me through the book as did their children as they grew older. Also Midge and the twins parents, they are all there through thick and thin, even if it doesn’t always come across that way.

All in all a really lovely read. It’s rare you get to see so much of a characters life, so it was something different to experience this style of story. It was moving, thought provoking and heart warming.

[Kamber Derosier]

Life as Planned by Amanda Prowse

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Life as Planned was such an emotional and moving story. The characters were developed slowly and completely as Amanda Prowse does so well. The story follows identical twins, Remy and Ashleigh from the age of 10 and into adulthood, getting each of their perspectives. A secret they have kept from the age of 10 will follow them and eat away at their relationship for years to come. I laughed and cried and rooted for one or the other of them at different times in their lives while being frustrated with them in others. I felt for these women and their families as I became intertwined in their story. I listened to an audio version and was so thrilled with Amanda’s gift for narration. She did a spectacular job. I would definitely recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and the author for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own. Publication date: Jan 6, 2026

[Aղցela W.]

This was a pretty good read that I also listened to on audio. Identical twins Remy and Ashleigh lives are changed with one childhood decision. An act of love that alters the paths of both of them act of love that will echo through decades. As the years go by their lives take dramatically different turns. Ashleigh has a career in London with a house and family, but beneath her success is all lies. Meanwhile, Remy stays close to home, finding joy in simple pleasures, yet forever feeling the weight of being "the other twin" the one who didn’t shine. I really enjoyed this book it was my first time reading this author. This book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling. I also liked that the author narrated this book. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Yi Toong Yee]

This book almost brought me to tears man, wow.

Read this book at every opportunity and with a 6 hour train journey, there was no better time to finish the book.

The themes were very similar to the other Amanda Prowse book I read, but this felt more personal as it explored sisters (granted they were twins and I’m not a twin)

Following the lives of the twins after one spur of the moment decision changes the trajectory of their entire lives was so interesting to read and I loved seeing how it all played out.

It made me think about my own life. What if I didn’t take the test to get into my secondary school? What if I went to the local school like my sister? Makes me wonder how differently my life could’ve panned out but also made me really grateful for the life I have now and the relationship I have with my sister, I can only hope this continues for the rest of our lives and we don’t drift apart like I’ve seen with siblings in my family.

[Sharon Hills]

fabulous story of how we our lives change through time and how families differ.

Another emotional roller coaster by Amanda Prowse. Beautifully narrated and such well thought out characters and plot. Loved the way this went through time and how the one decision made affected the course of the twin’s lives.

[Ines Gillig]

A truly beautiful story that makes you reflect on life and how quickly time flies. It made me emotional 🥲

[Gina Baldyga]

3.5 stars. I really enjoyed following these twins from age 10 to age 80; specifically the passage of time and different life stages were captured so well. However, some parts were repetitive in terms of language and emphasis, which made it feel a little long.

[Anna Lanzi]

My sister is my best friend. I talk to her every single day so this book was so relatable and heartbreaking.

[Liz]

This book was a blast from the past, I'm a child of the 80's too.

[Meryl]

So much whining, rehashing the same thing over and over.