Nina has everything she ever wanted and more in her life. She has a loving husband, two bright and bubbly sons, a humongous house and no need to work or worry about money. Nina spends her days running around for her family and looking after her two sons. Her perfect life stops being quite so perfect when her husband is killed in a car crash. Huge debts had been kept secret from her and her life as she knows it is about to be flipped upside down.

The story is well written and quick to read because of how well it flows. I enjoyed that Nina took thing in her stride and was determined to make sure that her boys were in a safe environment and one that she was familiar with. My favourite character was definitely Tiggy. She was far more well-developed and had flaws without coming across as being sugary sweet, which Nina did at times.

I thought how easily Nina found a place to stay and a job was highly unbelievable with no previous employment/skills. I also disliked how Nina lives with no idea of her own financial situation and could happily be left in the dark, essentially a prisoner in her own home and prevented from seeing/making friends. I can't imagine any female friends/family of my own ever allowing a man to dictate finances and not involve them in the conversation. This may actually happen in other people's situations, I just can't believe many women could ever allow it.

On the whole it was an enjoyable read. I couldn't connect completely with Nina as I couldn't identify with her, but still found myself rooting for her. All of the character's growth within the story is brilliant, especially Nina's teenage son Connor. I definitely want to read more stories by this author in the future.

“The Art of Hiding” by Amanda Prowse

What in your life are you hiding from? Meeting new people, an area you live in, a way of living, a loss of the ability to want or be able to feel comfortable in ones own skin?

For Nina McCarrick life circumstances changed several times growing up, from losing her mother, living with her grandparents, living where making ends meet was a daily struggle. When she meets Finn, at age 18, he promises to change her world so she will never have to live in fear or poverty again.For about 20 years this was the case. Yet, she was often hiding from neighbors or mothers where her children went to school, sometimes even from herself. Feeling most at ease at home. Until the day her husband dies unexpectedly and her whole world and that of her children is overturned in many ways overnight.

Nina has to move, find a job, pinch pennies, move back to the area she grew up and support and counsel her kids during all of the tumult and extreme challenges and changes they have to face. Underneath she questions how things got so bad, why her husband never told her and that he left her to deal with so much with so little time and skill.

Yet, Nina perseveres. She takes things hour by hour, day by day,leans on her sister and learns even more about life, how she changed when money was no object, and how she learned to find the “old strength driven Nina,” of her childhood, combined with the new Nina, who met every challenge head on and carried her boys through tumult and led them to be as polite, successful, happy and settled no matter as she always wanted for them despite whatever their life experiences and circumstances.

An eye opening novel of the act of hiding be it insecurity, a lifestyle, embarrassment, overwhelm, wanting to protect another from bad news or any number of ways, and the issues which can negatively affect not just yourself but those around us. It is also a novel about the strength and determination that we find within ourselves to survive and move forward in whatever way we need to for ourselves, our family, and for any number of reasons.

A page turning novel with well defined characters, realistic storylines, and one in which the reader connects quickly to the varied life circumstances and the manner in which each character reacts and is affected.

Rating: 4.7
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


** I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions in this review are strictly my own.

It took me two years to finish this book. Not because it’s dense or complex, but because it triggered me in so many ways. Nina’s story never happened to me, but still it’s one of my greatest fears: to wake up one day in complete poverty, two kids to raise, without even knowing how she got there. A nightmare.
I considered the fact that I finished the story as a sign that many of those triggers are now under control, which is a good thing. Being able to face your fears without looking away is probably a sign of growth.
The book itself is not a masterpiece, it won’t be known as a classic, but it makes you think, makes you evaluate your life, think of your plans, your what-ifs, your plan B. That to me is a great book.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Great story by Amanda Prowse. Thought provoking, great plot, really great read that I highly recommend to others!!

The Art Of Hiding is one woman's story of losing her "rich" husband and finding out they are millions in debt.  When her husband dies and his business implodes, she is left with two sons who have been raised in a stress free lifestyle and now she has to go back to her "poor" neighborhood where she was brought up and try to help her kids through the adjustment.  Prowse wrote about the actuality of grief, anger, adjustment and acceptance that people endure daily. A great representation of life with its ups and downs, but life must go on. Sometimes life can be a very harsh teacher. A well written book.......I was given an Ecopy by NetGalley and this review is in my own words.

Poor girl becomes rich wife, becomes poor mom. Except for the rich part, that's the story of my life! Almost sounds boring. But for some reason, I truly enjoyed this read. It is well-written. The characters felt real to me. Even though they were British and rich. The troubles were scary. I could relate. I've never owed that much money, though I don't have a conversion table handy after midnight. But I have owed more than I had. It had forced changes in my behavior and where I was to live. As the main character learns in a very hard way.

A teenage boy for a son. Been there three times. I can relate. And this mother was far more patient and sweet about it all than I could be. Wish I could have been that sweet. But my kids would have, oops, did laugh at me when I approached their rebellions that way. And it wasn't a good laugh. At least we were in her head as she thought through her responses.

This review isn't doing the book justice. It was good, I loved it. I stayed awake a long time finishing it. It wasn't fantasy or adventure or murder-mystery. It was a peek into someone else's life and how she manages to get through and thrive. And I think this is the kind of book teens should read, especially girls. Though women (and men) will relate and learn throughout the story.

I wish I had less pain and more brain. This review sounds horrible. Believe me. It was worth the read. I loved it!

Netgalley gave me the ARC of this book. Thank you!

The Art of Hiding has been on my Netgalley list for far too long, so my apologies to the author and publisher for that. It was absolutely worth the wait though!
This is a thought provoking story. One which certainly made me think about what I would do if I found myself in Nina’s position, but I guess none of us know unless we have had to face such devastation.
Nina is a very relatable and likeable character. She’s a housewife/stay-at-home mother with two sons and a husband who earns enough for her to take care of their large home. We don’t have a large home, but I have been lucky enough to be able to stay at home to bring our two children up and I will always be grateful for that. We had to make sacrifices for me to do so, in the early years, but we always managed, and things have become more comfortable as time has gone on. My children are now grown up and I have been back in work, part-time, since October and I totally related to Nina’s frustrating job search. Having a large gap in employment makes it so difficult for mothers to get back in to work. It’s quite ridiculous really. Everyone wants experience but no-one wants to give you any! Even cleaning vacancies wanted NVQ level two and at least two years experience. Twenty years as a housewife apparently isn’t sufficient!! I did have to smile to myself when being a cleaner is mentioned in Nina’s desperation to find a job, because who would seriously be a cleaner if they had any other choice?? Me! I’m part of a lovely housekeeping team in an elderly residential home, very near to where I live, and I couldn’t be happier. It always frustrates me when it’s portrayed as a last resort, if all else fails job, but that’s just a personal thing.
Anyway, I did really feel for Nina. I can’t even begin to imagine how I would move on from losing my husband so suddenly and finding out my whole life as I know it will be no more. I guess, like Nina, my children would give me the strength to face independence with courage and determination. I can only hope I would be so strong. She is quite an inspiration.
The boys are lovely characters also. They made me smile a lot throughout this story and my heart truly went out to them.
I liked Tiggy too, she’s a bit feisty.
This book is a character driven tale of devastating loss and finding a light at the end of a seemingly long, dark tunnel. The emotion, at times, is almost palpable and I think this family’s story will make most readers think about their own lives and what is really important to them.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for my review copy via Netgalley.

Thank you for the advance review copy, I have really taken a liking to Amanda's writing, she never disappoints! Enjoyed reading, would recommend!

Everything Amanda Prowse writes touches your heart. The characters are so well formed, so real, that even if you haven’t found yourself in the circumstances they are in, you can relate. You feel everything they are feeling: their pain, their struggles, their hope, their joy. And when the story is done you don’t want to leave them. They stay with you.

Nina McCarrick is a pampered, privileged wife. Her husband Finn has assured her that he will take care of everything, and throughout their marriage he always has. This means all Nina has to focus on is their home and family. Her days are filled with decorating the perfect house, planning the perfect meal, chauffeuring her two sons to their various activities and socializing with other moms just like her. This is all lovely – until Finn is killed in a car accident and Nina discovers that things aren’t as rosy as Finn painted them. He hasn’t really been taking care of everything. As if the loss of husband and father isn’t enough, suddenly there is no money for the house and schools they have always counted on, and Nina has to learn how to provide for herself and her boys. She is nearly overwhelmed with grief – and with anger. Did she even know Finn at all? How will she help her sons through the loss of their father and everything they’ve ever known?

The Art of Hiding is a wonderful story No serial killers or car chases or political intrigue, but a thoroughly engrossing story of a woman who must face a terrible loss and a frightening new reality and find out what she is made of.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for providing a copy of The Art of Hiding for my unbiased review. I recommend it and everything Amanda Prowse writes without hesitation.

This is a very thought provoking story about Nina who was born into poverty, but married a rich man and managed to transform her life. She lives in a large house with her husband and two sons, Connor and Declan. Her sons attend an exclusive private school and Nina has all the trappings of a successful life. Until the day Nina's husband is involved in a car accident, and now her life changes very quickly.

I really enjoyed this book and exploring Nina's story. I enjoyed the writing which lead to a very pleasing reading experience. The story is very hard hitting and explores some serious topics, but I found it to be a really enjoyable read. It ended in such a positive way, and shows how everyone had changed by the events during the book.

I also found Nina's sister Tiggy, such an amazing character. She was the perfect sister in Nina's life when she needed her.

An emotive, thought provoking read where yet again Amanda Prowse has wonderfully crafted a story with realism, plunging the depths of human experience to give a story of one woman’s journey of loss and love and coming to terms with leaning everything she thought she knew about her life was a lie…

When Nina’s husband is tragically killed in a car accident, the perfect life she thought she had starts to unravel.
Alone, widowed and faced with a mountain of debt, Nina swiftly 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, with her two sons, return to the rundown Southampton council estate, and the sister she thought she had left far behind to try to rebuild her life piece by piece.

Overwhelmed and at her lowest, Nina knows the boys need her. She will have to do whatever it takes to save them, and herself. 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.

Another great read that I highly recommend to readers who enjoy stories that encapsulate everything family and the dynamics that entails.

**Arc provided courtesy of Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.**

It's a nice suspence novel. The plot and the characters draw you in, and you keep reading. I really wanted to see how it'll end and I am glad I kept reading.

Nina's husband, Finn, dies suddenly, leaving Nina and their 2 sons essentially destitute. Nina learns, in this slow-moving and quite predictable story, what is really important in life.

Though I enjoyed reading this story, I was quite certain of the ending from the "get-go". This book would be enjoyable to woman, mostly, and to those who need to read a little, put the book down, and read a little more, as the story is a little sluggish.

I am sorry for not reviewing fully but I don’t have the time to read this anymore. I believe that it wouldn't benefit you as a publisher or your book if I only skimmed it and wrote a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for not fully reviewing!

Brilliantly written story about a mother who finds herself in a desperate situation having lost her husband and finding out that the family business has gone bankrupt. She has her boys to look after and care for and needs a job asap but having lived a relatively sheltered life up until now, she has no skills or experience to offer which makes her search drawn out, having to deal with lots of rejections on the way, while she is frantically whatever little money she has dwindling away faster then she'd like.
This book artfully describes what makes a real family and makes you think of the real priorities in life, is it money and privileged upbringing or is it teaching your kids the importance of being there for others, perseverance and faith? Yes, life is hard but with the right attitude and determination, you can pretty much get through anything it throws at you! And as a bonus, your character may even be shaped and chiselled so that you come out as a better person on the other end.

This book started with great potential but seemed to plateau very quickly. I kept expecting a twist but it never came. A nice story but needed more.

This was the first book I've read from this author and I enjoyed it very much. It was very well written and the characters were well thought out.

I loved The Art of Hiding because it was a riches to rags story that uncovered that the main protagonist had come from a poor family, so had gained wealth, gotten used to it then had to learn how to live without luxuries again. The level of detail could only have come from someone who had lived this experience or extensively researched the issues behind it and I thought it was a compelling read. The relationships between the characters were portrayed extremely well and it felt like they all came to a realisation that it's not what you've got in the bank that counts but what sort of person you are. A great story arc, well told with the magic in the inter-relationships and the dialogue that was simple but very effective. 5 Stars.

DNF.



I didn't like this book at all. Nina, is so annoying. Can't stand that her oldest doesn't share his life with her, is embarrassed by her, etc. The typical teenage stuff, and yet, takes it to heart way more that she should.



Then there is the whole thing about her being stuck so so far into a shell. Doesn't got out anymore, it's so bad that she doesn't get invited to anywhere anymore. Birthday parties, wedding, cookouts, etc. Everyone just gave up on inviting her.



Up to this part, the book was just bad. The writing, I couldn't get behind anything that was going on. Everything was all over the place. Then after Nina's husband died, things barely changed.



I just couldn't deal with it anymore after only a few chapters.

I really enjoy Amanda Prowse's writing and loved The Idea of You, so I couldn't wait to read this one. I actually read it last year and read it for a second time with Audible Narration. I really enjoyed it the second time around. Nina is living a good life, she as a fabulous home, her boys attend the prestigious Kings Norton School and life is great. Until that fateful day she is watching her son play rugby and she get a call that her husband was in an accident. Safe to say Nina's world comes tumbling down in the worst possible way, her husband dies and she loses EVERYTHING.

She lost her home, her money and the boys schooling, you see it all comes to light that her life was far from perfect behind the scenes - her husband was responsible for the finances, and racked up debt to the tune of around £8million! How could she not have know the situation? I have heard about people having one deal with the money and the other the house, but in Nina's case it was more living beyond his means for her husband - his business was going bust and he took out mortgage to the hilt in order to try keep it aloft.

Evicted from their home with the clothes on their back and a few meagre possessions since everything else was taken by bailiffs to cover the cost of the debt Nina and her son's head back to her roots and live near her sister Tiggy. She managed to move into her aunts old flat that has just become vacant - a relief for her to have a roof over her head, but not so much for the boys who were used to luxury and space.

This was a trying tale of a riches to rags story with the underlying sense of control from her husband that only came to light after the many interaction with her sister Tiggy. Nina is forced to penny pinch for the first time in her life since leaving "poverty" at the age of 18 when she met her husband. It really put into perspective for her, how we flower budget for the home was now the same price as her rent on the poky wee flat she had to live in.

I really enjoyed this book from Prowse, I was invested in Nina and watched as she lost everything and build herself back up again.