Netgalley gave me this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a lot of great reviews, but it was a miss for me. I just couldn't get interested, it felt weak and I just couldn't relate to any of the characters.

Nina has almost the perfect life, a loving husband, two beautiful sons, an opulent home and masses of free time. But then her husband Finn is killed in a car crash. Dealing with this is hard enough but she quickly finds out their idyllic life was built on a lie. Finn was millions of pounds in debt and now they have nothing. Nina has no choice but to return to the rundown Southampton estate she grew up on. As she struggles to support her son's through the myriad of changes in their lives she struggles to come to terms with what she has lost and the realisation that maybe she hadn't known her husband at all.

Amanda Prowse has a talent for turning normal life into a really good read. I've said this before but I probably would never have picked her books before but this is now my third in a year. And they are excellent reads. This one didn't have me in the same floods of tears that the last two did but I think that's because it was (despite the subject) a lot more positive throughout. Nina starts off been a quiet housewife who baulks at even speaking to anyone but she has to step up after 20 years of been basically controlled by her husband, because although it's clear he loved her it's also clear he couldn't cope with her having a life away from him such as a career or her old friends. It's an interesting idea of a controlling relationship that isn't actually abusive - it's more limiting than abusive. I did wonder when she went back home why no one asked her if she'd looked into benefits! Seriously, her sister Tiggy and Toothless Vera would have been savvy enough to suggest this - yes ok it would have removed some of her desperation which is a big part of the story but it also took this a little out of the 'real life' setting for me. But it's a small thing, and the only real criticism I have of the story. Another winner from Ms Prowse.

I have really mixed feelings about The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prose. I really wanted to, but I just couldn't fully connect with the main character. I had no compassion to feeling anything towards Nina, or her boys sometimes, and their life turning upside down. Nina came across as aloof, supeficial and a tad boring, which is such a shame as if I'd have connected with her, the whole reading experience would have gone a lot differently. The storyline was great, the riches to rags scenario, but how it was portrayed was sometimes a little insulting to poor people.

The blurb says this - Bestselling author Amanda Prowse once again plumbs the depths of human experience in this stirring and empowering tale of one woman’s loss and love - but in reality that was not my perception of this book. It was hard to be stirred and empowered when the main character annoyed me a fair bit, the protrayal of rich people a little OTT in arrogance and snobbishness, leaving the book as a mediocre read for me

All in all, it was an ok read, not the best and by far not the worst, just not meaty enough for me to keep me glued in the story. I received a copy of The Art of Hiding from Netgalley and would give it a 2.5 star rating.

Nina finds herself and her 2 young boys having to cope with the sudden death of her husband, Finn, in a tragic car accident. Tiggy her estranged sister arrives to offer to stay and give whatever help she can. But she lets Nina know that she thinks she has changed since being with Finn.

Somewhat off centred by this, Nina tries to renormalize post funeral, despite their raw distress only to learn that Finn had left outstanding debts of £8 million and was bankrupt. In fact she is to be evicted from their home and the boys ejected from their private school. The niggly question of whether this was an accident has to be ignored as she is faced with recovering her dignity and rebuilding their lives on a shoestring.

In essence the story is about re-discovering herself and finding contentment in a simple life. In all the story is engaging, easy and entertaining to read. The characters are relatable, likeable and clearly develop, as they have to readjust after such a predicament. Nina does get a bit annoying towards the latter end, rationalising everything her sons say, assuming the reader cannot determine and interpret this themselves. It is very predictable, but this is a minor whim, considering how well knitted the story and characters within are. Tiggy probably makes for the most interesting and multidimensional character and I would have liked to have learnt more about her. It is an enjoyable journey and one that makes you stop and be grateful for what you have and to pause from what we all are guilty of doing, which is spending too much time thinking of what we desire not need. Definitely one for also encouraging you to reflect upon and take stock of your own life.

I moving story that tells the story of a family that was broken alert and managed to pull back together. The struggle of everyday life and the strength that it takes to live it.

I enjoyed this book but I will admit I was very frustrated by the fact that Nina knew absolutely nothing about the household finances. While the story was frustrating at times, I was rooting for Nina and her children to end up happy.

"I thought I had more time"
As a reviewer I have praised books for plot, for characterisations and for descriptions of surroundings, this book made me realise that I needed to add another category: emotion.
The author had me right from the start as she described exactly how it would feel to lose a beloved husband, then watch, as the life you thought was yours, splintered before your eyes, until you weren't even sure you knew that husband at all. Unfortunately though, Nina McCarrick couldn't just hide under the covers, she had two very sad boys to bring through this catastrophe with her.

I really felt for Nina at every turn and Ms Prowse perfectly describes the dilemma between Nina's own emotions and her love for her boys, who needed her support more than ever. She is forced to return to a downtrodden area of Southampton and struggle to do everything she could to restart their lives together.
Her sons, Connor, who's 15, and 10 year old Declan, are great kids (thankfully) and Declan, in particular, has an upbeat attitude and a quirky sense of humour:
'I don't mind where we live, Mum, but I don't want to go anywhere really cold, like the North Pole.' (loc 1906).
The boys must make the difficult move from a private school to the state system. I know someone who did this and it's not easy.

My one criticism of this book would be the portrayal of the wealthy people who had children at the private school were Connor and Declan had studied since early childhood. Some wealthy people are very nice, honestly. But Nina's circle were the meanest, self serving people I've ever come across!

I actually read this book without looking at the synopsis, which in my opinion, gives too much away. Of the three Amanda Prowse books I've read, this was definitely my favourite.

Also read:
The Food of Love (4.5 stars)
Poppy Day (4 stars)

Although a work of fiction this book represents the actuality of grief, anger, adjustment, and acceptance that people endure daily. A great representation of life with its ups and downs. How the simple acts of caring and acceptance changes the once unacceptable to acceptable. Great read

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC digital copy of this book.

Nina is a rag to riches story. She grew up poor, married rich, and now spends her days being a mom, wife, and home keeper. That is until she gets the call all wives and husbands dread. Her husband has died in a car accident. And in the midst of trying to navigate life after, Nina finds out they are broke. Completely bankrupt.

She then uproots herself and her two boys to her hometown. They go from living in a mansion to living in small flat. Not only is Nina finding herself needing a job for the first time in her adult life, she is dealing with the emotions of her sons. This is a story of moving on after your world is swept from underneath you.

The Art of Hiding was well written. I enjoyed the protagonist and found myself imagining how it would feel to be in Nina's situation. Very well written and will be recommending to friends.

Proves that we don't know anybody as well as we think we do. Everybody has a secret some, are just more life defining than others. I liked the way the author handled the very delicate, often volatile interaction between mother and son and the two sisters. I also shows that people can conquer adversity as long as they play to their strengths and take their family along with them.

A big thank you to Amanda Prowse, Lake Union, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book is a little out of my comfort zone, and that's okay-because I LOVED this story! There were so, so many life changes of the heroine that were easily parallel with my life: the sudden loss of a supportive loved one; being strapped for cash; being forced to uproot your child; looking for a job and feeling too old or unqualified I ran the gambit with her. And the ending! Oh what a tear jerker and I don't often let myself cry with books. Prowse, you not only found my heartstrings, you played them like a Stradivarius. Kudos on another well written novel.

This is one of those books I wasn't sure about at first. Almost sacred to start it and no reason why.. Perhaps because I was would it would be depressing.
Wrong. It was griping. The author has a way with words that hold you in thrall and made me not want to put the book down until I read those two words, the end.

The Art of Hiding is a drama story about a woman who learns her that her charmed life was not what she thought it to be. Nina came from a poor area and had little money and all that changed when she married Finn McCarrick. Since then she became a homemaker and has lived the perfect life. She has a big house in an upscale area, everything she could possibly want, and their sons, Connor and Declan, go to an expensive private school. Her perfect life is shattered when Finn dies in a car accident. Shortly after the funeral, Nina learns that Finn had been hiding their very big financial troubles. They haven’t been paying the private school fees, they are in debt by a huge amount of money and the debtors will be taking their house and possessions. Since Finn managed all the money, Nina had no idea that they were in such debt and is unprepared to deal with her current situation. She and her boys have to take their few remaining belongings and move into a small apartment in the poor area where Nina grew up and where her sister, Twiggy, still lives. Nina has not worked in years and has no college education and now she is struggling to find a job. The boys have gone to same school their whole lives and now they have to attend a new school. Worrying about income, budgeting, cost cutting, and trying to lift the boys’ spirts become a daily part of Nina’s life. She does have the support of Twiggy and the sisters start to reconnect after the distance and Finn had kept them apart. Nina learns that in becoming the perfect wife to Finn, she lost some of herself. The family has to adjust to their new lifestyle and maybe in the process can have a happier life.
The story has great characters and well-described settings, but got slow about halfway. The story had a fast pace until they moved into the apartment. At that point most of the story was about Nina’s endless job hunt and the boys moping, which got boring. I also found that Nina had no idea about the debt a bit hard to believe. Although she did not manage the money, that high amount of debt is very hard hide. The characters were well written. Nina realistically dealt the huge changes to her life and was worried about her boys more than anything. The boys and Twiggy were also well written with distinct personalities. The author did a good job describing the house, apartment, and neighborhoods. The story has no violent and no racy scenes. The story does not have a cliffhanger ending. I disliked another book by the author, The Idea of You, but I gave this book a chance and liked most of this book. Fans of family and marriage dramas would enjoy this book.

I could not put this one down! I found Nina and her situation so relatable and became so emotionally connected to this book. I loved the entire book from start to finish.

When your life falls apart and your hero is no longer, the only one remaining to rescue you, is yourself. Unfortunately, Nina learns this lesson all too well when her husband dies and her life, as well as her children's, are irrevocably changed. A bit depressing, but also inspiring, Prowse paints Nina's story in a way that both warns against giving away your dreams and yourself, yet also uplifts as she mantras you can do anything you set your mind to do. Realistic in true Prowse form, this is one to keep you on your path, whatever that may be.

Review by Estella for Love Romance Books Blog

Nina McCarrick lives the perfect life, until her husband, Finn, is killed in a car accident and everything Nina thought she could rely on unravels.

Alone, bereft and faced with a mountain of debt, Nina quickly loses her life of luxury and she begins to question whether she ever really knew the man she married. Forced to move out of her family home, Nina returns to the rundown Southampton council estate—and the sister—she thought she had left far behind.

But Nina can’t let herself be overwhelmed—her boys need her. To save them, and herself, she will have to do what her husband discouraged for so long: pursue a career of her own. Torn between the life she thought she knew and the reality she now faces, Nina finally must learn what it means to take control of her life.

I enjoyed going on this journey with Nina and her two sons. I loved the growth of the characters. It was very easy to relate to, emotional, lovely, and it made me stop to think about life. This book was beautifully written and had very relatable characters. This was the first book that I have had the pleasure of reading by Amanda Prowse, I look forward to reading more by this author.

This was a book that had me determined to get to the end quickly! I couldn't wait to find out how Nina and her children's lives were going to turn out. I could feel her confusion and frustration of being left in the dark by her husband. I could feel her fear as the life she knew unraveled so quickly. Tiggy was a great character, the family member that says it like it is, but will always pick up the phone when called. I found the characters to be well written and they quickly became people that I was interested in.

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Amanda Prowse is one of the few authors that I don’t bother reading the blurb for, I know that I want to read her book and will enjoy it so I tend to go into them blind. And I quite like that, it means that there’s no judgement or preconception about the book that I am about to read.

I’m not sure whether that was a good idea for The Art of Hiding though. I found myself frustrated at times by how predictable it was, but reading the blurb I now see that I would have known it before I read the book if I’d read the blurb. Because once Nina’s husband died it was pretty obvious that her wonderful lifestyle with her huge house, nice car and private school for her kids wasn’t going to last, and sure enough it didn’t.

Having grown up in poverty Nina can’t help but feel like a failure when she ends up back in the council estate that she grew up in, suddenly aware of how much she relied on her husband, he handled all the finances and she hadn’t had a job since her eldest son, now a teenager was born.

As usual for an Amanda Prowse novel, The Art of Hiding is an easy read that takes the reader on a journey into somebody else’s world. All of the characters are well written I felt able to identify with them all. Although she annoyed me a bit I was definitely rooting for Nina as she manages to pull herself together. I particularly enjoyed her relationship with her elder son and how it evolved through the story,

Not her best book but The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse is still a really good read.

The problem with this book was that it stayed with me as I started the next one! I just couldn’t seem to get the characters….and not just the main one…out of my head.


Stay-at-home wife and mum Nina’s life is shattered to smithereens when her husband, Finn, is tragically killed in a car accident. However, the gaping wounds of her loss have salt cruelly rubbed into them when she discovers Finn left her with millions of pounds of debt. Gone are her rich lifestyle and all its trappings, gone is the posh private school for her children, gone is her mansion of a house. With few, if not no, options left to her, she is forced to return to the council estate in Southampton, where she grew up and where her sister still lives, not only to try and make sense of what has happened but to work out how she is going to feed, clothe and house her family.

This is an excellent story with a plot and characters that ooze credibility on every page. It’s a story of tragedy and loss, enlightenment and achievement. It was my first date with this author, and I’m already lining up a few more. I’ve read many a good book, but few imprint themselves in my mind enough to distract me in my subsequent read, so, Ms Prowse, I can confidently say: job jolly well done.

Couldn't put this book down. A story of riches to rags, the characters were so well described I was drawn into their lives. Would definitely read another book by this author.