a story of sorrow and surprise to a new widow, at times this was a little bit predictable and I was wishing that Nina would be a bit stronger especially towards her son, however she did turn it around and build real relationships with others including her sister.

Nina finds herself suddenly jolted out of her ideal life upon the sudden death of her husband. Not only has she lost hum, but she funds out he left her 8 million pounds in debt. So Nina, who was a full time mom with no real friends, must find a way to survive with her two boys. She moves bsck to the area she left upon her marriage and with her somewhat estranged sister, fights to rebuild. The story was a good, fast read. Nothing stunningly good or surprising, but a good book.

You know that feeling when you finish a good book & you can do nothing but sit there processing it, your mind whirling after reading something so...thought provoking?

That's exactly how I felt finishing The Art of Hiding. I started this particular novel in the evening as I curled up with a cup of tea, and I finished it just after midnight.

From the moment I started reading, Nina's journey enthralled me completely. My heart went out to her as I watched her trials, tribulations & heartache, and I cheered when she came through the other side, still standing, still fighting.

The main reason I loved this novel is that it highlighted exactly what it is like to be a woman who, under the pressures of life and her circumstances, forgets who she was. It makes you stop and think, who is the real you & are you truly happy?

Amanda Prowse doesn't just explore marital life & what it's like to be surrounded by pressure (consciously or not). She also delves into what it is like for teenagers & children to experience something so far from their typical life, and they're reactions to it. This added further depth to the overall plot, and I loved watching them become who they end up being at the end.

In addition to this, in this day and edge people are extremely concerned with how others in society see them, and how they are portrayed. This book dissects that way of thinking, and it really does make you stop and consider the different aspects of your own life.

It reminds us that the picture perfect life is in fact not perfect. Regardless of your situation life inevitably throughs us curveballs, and it is our strength, courage & determination to come out the other side that truly defines us.

Throughout this fantastic work of fiction I went through every emotion possible: I empathised, cheered, laughed, smiled and hoped that everything would be alright in the end.

I don't want to give anything away (personally I hate spoilers), but what I will say is I highly, highly recommend you buy and read The Art of Hiding. It is truly an amazing, captivating novel that will take your breath away.

'......the satnav told her it was 63.4 miles and would take her one hour thirty five minutes to reach their destination. Nina knew this was a lie; she knew that where they were headed was a million miles from where they had started, and that it might take years for them to arrive. '

The Art of Hiding is the first book I have read by Amanda Prowse. She is described as writing 'stories of ordinary women and their families who find their strength, courage and love tested in ways they never imagined' and as 'the queen of domestic drama'.

THE BLURB: 'What would you do if you learned that the life you lived was a lie?

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.

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.'

I liked the fact that this book was not predictable. At a couple of points while reading I thought 'Oh, here we go - she's going to walk into some high paid job for which she has no qualifications/she is going to have some other rich man fall in love with her and rescue her.' But as it turns out, she has to struggle along, applying for absolutely anything to earn money to put food on the table for her children, and making friends in, what is for Nina, the most unlikely places.

The Art of Hiding contains several good life lessons - friendship is far more important than possessions; and we should all be equipping our children with essential life skills - lessons we should all take to heart. And let us not forget to be kind to people less fortunate than ourselves; how hard is it really to offer a helping hand?

While The Art of Hiding didn't blow me away, it was an enjoyable read and if, in the future, I come across another book by Amanda Prowse I will probably pick it up.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page for an explanation of my ratings.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of this book. As an Amanda Prowse fan, I greatly looked forward to reading this book. I found it a bit challenging to get into the story but enjoyed the book. It was the usual type of book by this author in that I felt I was put through an emotional wringer. Very satisfying storyline.

I'm there's more than a few who can relate to the content of this book, for me it hit quite close to home! Lovely story, had me laughing and in tears many times, just because you are rich doesn't mean you don't suffer hardship. Likewise just because you are financially poor, doesn't mean you aren't rich. Absolutely love Amanda's books!

I found this book quite gripping at the beginning with a good storyline. Nina's been living a highlife having married an older and wealthy businessman called Finn McCarrick. Then have two sons Connor, 15, and Declan, 10, who have been in the local fee-paying school, Kings Norton, since they were 3. Finn has died in a car accident and the book opens on the day of his funeral. Everyone at the wake are part of Nina's current life with plenty of money except for Nina's older sister, Tiggy, who is sticking out like a sore thumb. Shortly after the funeral Nina finds that Finn has left her with huge debts so she is bankrupt. The rest of the book is basically the 'riches to rags' story.

I found the book quite clichéd and irritating in places – especially the assumption that all rich people are only interested in money and status and will turn their back on you as soon you can't equal them in financial status. And that all poor people are uncouth but the salt of the earth when you need help. The idea that the head of a private school would throw two grief-stricken children out within days of their father’s funeral due to unpaid school fees is simply nonsense. I know of situations where private schools have bent over backwards when families experience dire circumstances. I really dislike not only this clichéd thinking but writing of it just gives it unnecessary authenticity.

I did continue to the end but was hoping for some kind of turn around in the lives of both Nina and Tiggy so felt the book fizzled out a bit without any great conclusion. I was also disappointed in a lack of conclusion about what happened to Finn and why he was in that location.

A very moving and heartfelt story line. Nina the main character had her life turned upside down, but showed great strength in dealing with it.
It is a plot that unfortunately many people probably find themselves in nowadays. A beautifully written novel which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The story really gets going about a third of the way through, so stick with it. Although it's a sad story, of a newly widowed woman and her sons having to radically change their lives, you know from the beginning that there will be a happy ending. The style of writing is too schmaltzy for me, too many gushing adjectives, and predictable stereotypes. There are some interesting turns in the plot though, and Connor does become a very likeable character. Some unrealistic things annoyed me: a ten year old would not be at the same school as his sixteen year old brother (not in the state system anyway); and Connor is sixteen, it's June, but no mention of his GCSE exams. I was moved by the final chapter, but ultimately, there are better books of this genre out there.

I really enjoyed The Art of Hiding! It was a book that makes you think and you also have a good story.

Nina was living the perfect life or so she thought. She never bothered to ask about finances and Finn never shared that they were having financial trouble. After Finn dies her world falls in around her. This is a story of picking up the pieces after someone’s world falls apart. Nina is one tough woman. She just doesn’t realize it.

I love Nina’s sister Tiggy. She was so down to earth and all she wanted to do was help. She is the kind of person that could see light at the end of the tunnel. And, she was such a support for her sister.

I really felt for Nina and her boys. They had a lot of lessons to learn.

I loved this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

I liked this book a lot. It was very open and though provoking.

I liked the journey that the main character Nina had to go through when her healthy dies in a sudden accident. With his dead, she finds her cushy wealthy life is forever going to be changed. Her security was something she always coveted and now she has to start over, with her two kids.

Nina finds that her husband was hiding just how bad their finances were and finds her life upside down. Her sister is there to help and lean on but essentially she is alone. Her strength was commendable. What I struggled with on this one was some of the decisions made, the lack of action at times and the pace of the book was a little slow at times. Overall a good read.

This is a really good heartwarming read i really enjoyed it

Amanda Prowse tells a compelling and sensitively written story of Nina McCarrick and her two sons. From pamperdom to instant poverty they fight back to self-discovery through love, courage, and determination.

I found the start of this book quite difficult reading as it dealt with things too close to home. Bankrupcy, and suicide devastate this family leaving them to struggle to survive and fight to rise above their circumstances.
The second half was easier to read as predictably the family rally and the story ends on a positive note.
Enjoyable if rather formulaic, with a feel good factor that borders on the moralistic.

I'm a sucker for Brit lit, and loved reading the story peppered with lovely colloquialisms. This is a quick read that, if somewhat predictable, is also enjoyable.

I always look forward to reading Amanda Prowse's books as I know they will be a fantastic read. I thought she couldn't better her last book, The Idea of You, but I think this was even better. Amanda's books are always emotive, thought provoking and true to life. You can always relate to her books. This one was no exception, another emotional rollercoaster.
Nina has a fantastic life, two sons and a husband, Finn, who spoils all of them. Then he is killed in a car accident and Nina's world is turned upside down. As well as losing a husband she also loses everything, the book then follows Nina's journey of how she copes with all of this and pieces her life together. Full of wonderful characters this book will keep you enthralled. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

A book that helped me return from my reading lull, The Art of Hiding is the story of Nine and the dramatic way everything she once knew turns in an instant. I felt very connected to the main character and loved the descriptive writing style and really formed an affection to her almost immediately.
A real page turner and one I will definitely recommend to friends.

4 out of 5 stars to The Art of Hiding, a family drama novel published in July 2017 and written by Amanda Prowse. I adored this book and am so glad I read it; let’s get right into the review.

hiding

Why This Book
A few months ago, I’d finished reading ‘The Idea of You,’ by this author. I really enjoyed the book, and when ‘The Art of Hiding’ showed up on my NetGalley feed, I had to request it. I forgot that they approved my request until last week, when I went to select whatever was next to be published as my next book to start reading. I’d been so busy writing my own novel, I missed the publish date for this one. So I quickly read it in 2+ days to get caught up.

Plot, Characters & Setting
Nina McCarrick, a mid-30s mother of two boys, 10 and 14, lives a wonderful life on a beautiful Southampton, England estate. That is, until her husband unexpectedly dies and she learns all was not what he’d been telling her. Suddenly losing her life high up on the hill, she’s forced to turn to all her friends and family for assistance. One person takes her in, helping re-build a life for both Nina and the boys. Nina begins to learn the difference between losing your own identity and being part of a married couple. Sometimes, it isn’t a good idea to give up control of all aspects of your life, as when it comes crashing down, you’ll have no idea what to expect.

Approach & Style
I read this novel through Kindle Reader on my iPad over the course of two and a half days. It is about 300 pages long, divided into 15 chapters, all told from Nina’s perpsective in third person point of view. The language is simple but meaningful; it reads itself as you feel immersed in the world Prowse has created for her readers. You could probably read this all in one day over 4 to 5 hours if you kept focused, and it would definitely be an enjoyable read.

Strengths
Prowse tells intricate family stories full of complexity and drama; not so much with everyone around the main characters, but within their small family unit. I felt the same way about one of her other books, and I’ve now come to realize this is her style; this is who the author is and what she excels at.

Nina is easy to relate with, given she is a new widow and has young boys to care for. She has no job, her skills are mostly outdated according to anyone she runs into. You immediately feel a strong connection with the woman, wanting to see her succeed. She’s a wonderful mother. She doesn’t sugarcoat the truth either. She dances around it a bit, hoping not to devastate her children, but she also knows hiding their situation will do more harm than good.

It’s not a suspense story, yet I only put it down because it was midnight and had to wake up early the next morning. You feel as though the events unfold right in your own living room as you are reading, and simply do not want to miss a moment of the beauty and pain inside this family.

Concerns
Very little with this book. It wasn’t a huge and amazing story that captures a tremendous amount of ground. It’s simple and thought-provoking. I felt it could have used a little more clarity around the death of the father and the days leading up to it. At the same time, it all came as a shock to Nina, so why shouldn’t it come as a shock to readers, too. But in the end, I would have connected a bit more strongly if I had some current history. Just a smidge.

On occasion, the relationship Nina had with others felt a bit fake. I thought it was necessary to the plot in some places, but it was a little too much in other places. Sometimes the balance between her being a lonely and hidden wife versus a lonely and hidden widow losing everything wasn’t as clear as I’d have liked it to be. A few extra paragraphs explaining how she interacted with her ‘friends’ before she became a widow might have helped give it more substance and a range between the two people she needed to be during the course of the book. I also think her ‘lows’ weren’t low enough, meaning she needed to struggle more in finding a job, not being able to pay bills. There was some of this impact, but a few things were a little too hunky dory for my taste.

Final Thoughts
Amanda Prowse is quickly becoming 1 of my top 10 favorite authors. I actually marked five more of her books as ‘to-read’ today since I’ve read two and given then both 4’s. I’m going to search NetGalley after I post this review to see if I can get my greedy little hands on more. This woman can really write stories that straddle that line between heartbreak and the promise of a better day.

About Me
For those new to me or my reviews… here’s the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you’ll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I’ve visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.

The Art of Hiding is an example of true craftsmanship on the part of the author. There is not a lot of action here, but there is a quiet intensity to this book that, like a slow-burn, grows and grows until it engulfs you.

Nina thought she had it all. Her poor, struggling childhood was put behind her as soon as she married Finn, a successful business man, who wanted her to stay home and raise their children while he took care of everything else. They were the epitome of a wealthy family; huge house, nothing but the best for their two sons who attended a private academy, Nina only had to worry about her social calendar and floral arrangements for the house. Or so she thought...

Called at her older son's rugby match, Nina is informed that Finn has been in an accident. Reeling with grief, she is totally unprepared for what comes next. She learns that not only has Finn's business collapsed, but they are in serious, unsurmountable debt. Within days of losing her husband, she learns that she has lost everything; home, possessions, social standing, "friends". She and her sons are forced to start over from scratch. Something none of them are prepared to do.

How the three of them rebuild their lives is the heart of the story. There are many quiet lessons here, among them that challenges make or break people.

The title "The Art of Hiding" is perfect. We only see what we want to see; we only let ourselves be seen as we wish to be seen; and it is only through the distance of time that we understand the truth of our prior days.

This would make a perfect book club selection as there is much to think about and discuss. Who was hiding more, Finn or Nina? How much of herself did Nina give up to live the life she dreamed of? Who helped Nina the most in rebuilding her life? Which of the characters showed the most resilience? Why did Finn feel he couldn't share the truth with Nina? Was Finn's death really an accident?

A delightful read, and one I will remember for some time. Kudos, Ms. Prowse - well done!!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this wonderful book!