Thanks to Net Galley &Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
Have read several of Amanda Prowse’s books and the never disappoint.
Nina had lost her husband in a car crash, but Nina is unaware that her whole life is about to crash around her. Finn her husband had financial proroblems unbeknown to Nina, so very shortly after the tragic accident Nina discoveries that she and her two young sons, Connor and Declan are not only penniless but about to be made homeless as the bailiffs are at the door.
Nina and the boys return to her hometown, where her sister still lives and has to rent her aunts old flat. What a dramatic change for Nina and her boys, their family home was large, spacious, extravagant and money was plentiful, the fridge always full of food, fresh flowers throughout the house. The flat is small, cramped, dark, cold and damp. There is money only for essentials. The boys will have to go to the local school which will be vastly different from their old private school,
This story shows the family struggling with grief for a husband and dad, struggling with their new circumstances, but together the three of them learn that possessions are just that, it’s family, truth and love that matter.

I received a free copy of this ebook from Netgalley & the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I read and enjoyed Amanda Prowse's THE IDEA OF YOU last year, so when this popped up on Netgalley, I had to request it.

When Nina's husband dies and some pretty damaging truths come to light, her life is turned upside down. I really liked reading Nina's journey. This is not just a story of a mother supporting her sons through a bereavement, but the story of a mother finding who she is outside of being a mother - and in fact finding out what really matters.

Another fab read from a great author.

This book made a very compulsive read. Heartbreaking at times but showing how a strong character, although somewhat dampened through love, can return and pull through. A book of hope, showing that money doesn't necessarily make a happy and rewarding life. Not the ending I expected....

I loved watching Nina face adversity, fear, panic and pain as her life fell apart piece by piece. I also cried along with her as she tried to find a way to start over and fight the hurdles life thew in her path. Her story is full of twists and turns and runs the emotional spectrum. A great and uplifting read.

I thought this was a very easy-to-read novel, but it never really captured my imagination nor did I feel the need to pick it up and read it to see what was going to happen next. It was quite slow-moving and uninvolving, and I would not recommend it highly to anyone else.

Nina loses almost everything. Her husband dies. Then she find out his company is bankrupt and she is being evicted, her sons are kicked out of their private school, and and most of her possessions are taken. She moves with her two sons back to the poor neighborhood where she grew up. Ironically, it is at this location that she realizes what is truly important and finds the strength and the courage to rebuild her life. Great story. Very inspirational.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amanda Prowse for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The plot follows Nina McCarrick who is a stay at home mum, that is until the day her world is distroyed and her husband died in a tragic accident. The book follows the way Nina as she deals with the loss. Nina suddenly finds that their finances were not as good as she had been lead to believe she had been kept sheltered from the reality of her husbands financial situation and she loses everything. Having to relocate from her large, idyllic family home, removing her beloved boys form their private school, all 3 are thrown into a new life. I won't go into too much more on the plot, What I will say is the book is exciting and although it has a very sad start the story is of joy, and new beginnings and I highly recommend reading it.

The Art of Hiding is the story of Nina & her perfect life until her husband dies in a car accident and she finds that her life isn't as it seemed. I liked this story but things seemed to work out just a little too easy for Nina. Conflicts were resolved quickly with little struggle. The story seemed too much like a lot of other books that have been published previously.

This particular subject matter has been revisited many times by authors over the years. At first, I nearly put down this book. The beginning felt like a carbon copy. But then, the characters came alive for me. The plot had interesting twists and turns. It was moving. It felt as if the characters were real. But it will be along while before I revisit this subject matter.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. A very compelling and heart tugging story. Nina believes she has the ideal life. A great husband, two boys and a life of luxury. Suddenly her husband dies and she quickly has a reality check. Her husband had hidden the fact they were deep in debt. Losing her home and moving back near her sister proved to be challenging and a time of revelations. Through the story we watch Nina grow stronger and more resilient with each turn of events. Unputdownable!

Ultimately I was satisfied with this book, but more relieved than anything. It felt predictable and cliched despite the author beong able to capture character and action well. In a sense it is a "romantic" novel as it is an easy read and does not challenge the reader. Its themes of redemption/personal fulfilment/rebuilding self are important ones.

Even though I finished the book but it was really hard to do so, Kept me interested enough to finish it but I did not feel completely connected with the story or the characters. Unfortunately did not work for me.

Nina is a mom to two privileged sons who attend a prestigious private school and have every material item they could possible need. She is wife to Finn, a businessman who has taken her from a life of small means and introduced her to a beautiful world where she can have anything she wants-beautiful clothing, an exotic car, a mansion with everything you can imagine inside of it. Nina's job is only to take care of the family. So, it is a complete shock when her husband suddenly dies in a car accident and leaves her absolutely penniless. After the funeral, Nina and the boys watch their possessions being carried away, while having no idea whatsoever that they were in such dire financial straits, Her husband hid everything. What follows is Nina and the boys moving back to her hometown, which is an extreme downgrade from the town they came from. The boys must go to public school. They move into a tiny flat with used furniture. Nina must pawn possessions and look for a job of some kind all the while dealing with the loss of her husband and the kids' sadness of losing their father and anger about their change in lifestyle. This is a great book. Definitely recommended!!

Yet another good read by Amanda Prowse. Read very quickly Heartwarming tale about a tragedy that though desperate attempt time, really changed Nina and her family and makes them realise what's really important in life.

🌟🌟🌟Stars
Right I'm going, to be honest here I really struggled with this book and it was only the last few chapters that bumped this up to a three star.
Until then It was a two all the way, so sorry.
I'm obviously in a minority here in regards to how The art Of Hiding was perceived by myself as I've seen many positive reviews singing its praises and this is a well-written story it just personally wasn't really my cup of tea.
So I'm going to try and pinpoint what wasn't working for me as there was never one major thing that stood out specifically and also what was actually floating my boat.
So first things first I've never read anything by Amanda Prowse before, so was going in blind here.
Well, my initial impression was that The Art Of Hiding was really well written, the words flowed easily and the writing style was one that was easy to get lost in.
But here comes my main problem, the actual story itself, I found it a bit boring and somewhat one-dimensional.
I also wondered whether the author herself has ever lived on the breadline or was this her portrayal of what she thinks it would be like to be in that scenario.
I thought to myself why wasn't Nina McCarrick with no income not down the job centre and putting in an application, dare I say it for housing benefit.
She was meant to be on her arse after all.
It also annoyed me how living on the breadline was initially portrayed all doom and gloom and shitty childhoods, I didn't find it a realistic portrayal of how the other half lives it was very stereotypical in the way it depicted the rich and the poor.
I found it hard to connect with the characters especially Nina who I found very whiny and almost childlike in some of her reactions.
If I had to choose a character I liked the most it would have to be the sister Tiggy she was a breath of fresh air and also very forgiving considering the way she has been treated by her sister over the past few years I was so glad we had tiggy to add a bit of realism to this tale.
So a brief description of The Art Of Hiding is Nina McCarrick has the perfect life.
Until that is her husband Finn dies in a car crash leaving Nina and their Two sons in a mountain of debt and their whole lives unravelling.
Nina moves her boys back to the streets of Southampton where she grew up and The Art Of Hiding is really the story of how Nina and her children cope and grow as individuals as their world implodes.
As I said earlier I couldn't initially connect, but then a bit before the end I felt it and this is mainly what made me bump this up a star, I had a lump in my throat as Nina and her kids visit their former home with Tiggy, it was very poignant and sentimental and after pages of just reading, I actually started to feel the words written.
Overall though this book didn't make me feel good, On finishing, I felt rather sad and deflated and I like my fiction to leave me feeling rejuvenated, an emotional wreck, happy even sad, but not deflated and down that's a no-no.
I really do think I would enjoy other of Amanda Prowse's work as I really did like the writing style It was just the Art Of Hiding just didn't quite hit the mark for me.
So, In conclusion, this is a well-written story hence the three stars, It personally wasn't quite for me, yourself well we are all diverse in our likes and dislikes so give it a go, I would so love to hear your take on this.
I would like to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an arc of The Art Of Hiding By Amanda Prowse, this is my own voluntary, honest opinion.

This book was suggested by Netgalley, and I admit I was pretty interested based on the synopsis. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into the plot or characters. It felt like a slow start, and my attention didn't hold. Regrettably, it was a did not finish (DNF) for me.

Amazing story from start to finish. I really enjoyed reading this author's work. No problems with continuity, or plot bunnies

Nina McCarrick had it all. Until she didn't. 

She had a loving husband, two adorable boys, and a gorgeous house. After a childhood riddled with sadness and poverty, the loss of her mother at a very young age, and the struggle to rise above her family's low station, Nina has finally achieved a life of comfort and ease and family love. 

But then she is struck by tragedy again. The death of her husband in a car accident shakes her to her core. And on its heels, the news that her husband had put them into a huge amount of debt, and that life of ease is suddenly nothing more than a memory. 

With nowhere else to turn, Nina and her sons returns to her sister and the life she grew up in. From that point, Nina knows it's up to her to create a new life for her sons and for herself, to find healing and hope and a home again. And that is going to take all her courage, strength, and confidence as well as the support and renewed friendship with her estranged sister Tiggy. 

Amanda Prowse, author of The Idea of You (as well as a host of other novels) is back in The Art of Hiding. Her writing sparkles with life as she describes the day-to-day experiences of an ordinary woman's life. The way her characters deal with hardship is realistic and inspiring, and her novels are a lovely escape from our own challenges for awhile. Recommended. 



Galleys for The Art of Hiding Were Provided by Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley.com, with many thanks.

As a reader this is my second Amanda Prowse book and I confess that I was unable to finish my first. So with some scepticism nay trepidation, that I embarked on the story, and I am happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised. I found the writing style just short of Liane Moriarty but with a simple depth that gave characters that little something for the reader to hold on to.

A rather bland beginning made me think I was in for a routine mumsy book about raising spoilt children, but with the change in family circumstances came my change in interest. It's only when you try to understand the gravity of the situation, attempt to empathise with the family changes, that this story will have meaning. Having personally experienced sudden loss of circumstances and finding myself in a fairly similar situation I was able to feel the emotions in the pit of my stomach. But isn't that was books are all about? The reader's own choice is for that very reason - to find something they can relate to. Thank god this wasn't some drab inane story about a working class mum in an upper class playground and for that reason I praise the author.

Sadly the praise stops there due to silly flaws in the author's research for example when Nina, Connor and Declan move in to the flat, apparently the internet connection just appears and they don't have to pay for it! Also, I'm guessing due to own lifestyle perhaps our author has never heard of the welfare system? These facts may be deemed unnecessary to plot but actually they remove our protagonist from real life. This is a real shame as I found the story itself compelling.

The art of hiding has hiding at the very crux of this story ... Finn was hiding his debt, his anxiety, his stress, and Nina was hiding herself "under a bushel" and from her sister Tiggy.


Themes: deception, pursuit of perfection, private education, poverty, grief, friendship, relationships, managing expectations, being true to yourself

I thought it had downloaded to my kindle but I can't find it!! Lost book - gutted as I really wanted to review this one!!