The Art of Hiding was a slow start for me, but by the end I was in love with the characters & once again crying from Prowse's writing. I tend to wait a bit to post a review, so I can let everything settle in my head. In that, I realized that the beginning was hard for me to get through, because I was so frustrated with Nina. I was having a really hard time connecting with her. And then the move happened & the book started to take a turn for me. I wanted to see her succeed & see her worth, which thankfully she did. It just took awhile to get there. I almost didn't finish this book because of the. But knowing how much I loved the last Prowse book I read, I pushed through. And I'm glad I did. I'm all stuffed up, now from crying, but I'm so glad I finished!

Great story. Makes one wonder what they'd do if faced with the same situation. Made me rethink what really matters.

I just couldn't find a way to motivate myself to finish this book

This is quite a different start for an Amanda Prowse, but the comfortable family with the right kind of coffee grinder is evident. In this instance it all gets turned upside down.
Whilst the present appears to be worse, it does show the past to have been not so perfect after all. Some descriptions of poverty are really spot on. But it seems odd that a poor child can not consider the cost of her luxury lifestyle in adulthood/
I found the last third of the book a bit of an anti-climax. It is difficult to detail without revealing the ending but I found the reaction of a smug, spoilt rich boy is hard to swallow as is that of the bolshie sister, Tig, but for the most part it an enjoyable book

This was a lovely story of a family tragedy and a family rebirth. Fascinating story showing what can be achieved if everyone pulls together and believes. Some very appealing characters and a compulsive storyline. Great read.

This book was very interesting to me, it poses the question: Can you entirely trust someone? The main character, Nina, has to find that out the hard way when her husband, Finn, is killed in a car accident.

This book was very well developed, and I enjoyed the transformation that Nina goes through, and the people that helped her get there.

This is my third Amanda Prowse book, and I loved it. Highly recommend!

This author sure knows how to write a brilliant story. She’s got such a unique way with words that captivates me from start to finish.

Nina McCarricks life falls apart when her husband unexpectedly dies. She realises he had been lying to her for years. Broke and heart broken she needs to be strong for her sons Connor and Declan.
Can she pull through for her sons and herself?

I really enjoyed this and read it in one day. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

Well written but not my favorite style or theme. It was a bit depressing throughout most of it but the ending was endearing.

This is another book I had as an advanced review copy last year and didn't get around to reading - so I started it on a flight and enjoyed it from the start!

Initially I was a bit spooked - the main character is the wife of a construction company owner - like me (but unlike me she isn't involved in the business at all - which is fairly fundamental to the story)  Her boys go to a school called Kings Norton School - and Kings Norton is the suburb of Birmingham where our construction company is based.  Whilst the school itself sounds quite like where our son goes (rugby is EVERYTHING!)   Then it turns out that Nina grew up in Portswood in Southampton - which is where I lived when I was at Uni (although I am slightly concerned how many novels this is now appearing in as a rough place to live #itwasaceintheearly90s) Let alone the fact that characters are called Tiggy and Fin(n)  - which are one of my friend's kids' names..........

It starts off as sad - if a little predictable - when the husband, Finn, is killed in a car crash.  It is then evident that he's been keeping money troubles hidden from his family - and at the time of his debt he was £8million in debt.

Nina then has to sort herself out and stop being the SAHM whose most important decisions was what arrangements the florist was to deliver that week, to the survival of her and her kids.

I thought it a bit odd that she didn't ask for any state help - surely there would have been some benefits / a hostel etc available to her - but that gets completely skirted over and she heads off back to her sister and  Portswood (honestly - it was a great place to live as a student - and Jesters, the nightclub us students used to frequent, even gets a mention!)

The story then follows Nina's relationships with her sister and her sons as she learns to stand on her own 2 feet for the first time ever.  I enjoyed the relationship between Nina and Tiggy and how it changed over the course of the book.  Similarly Nina's relationships with her two sons evolve quite significantly - and I found that quite emotional at times.

In another weird parallel universe thing, Nina ends up involved with a care home for the elderly.  Until 8 weeks ago I wouldn't really have had a clue about such things - but my Nan is now a resident of a fabulous one - and so it resonated even more. 

Overall this was an easy read that I enjoyed - although I am still quite spooked by all of the overlaps with my life!!

A bit different from the books I usually read and all the better for that. I thought it was going to be a typical chick-lit journey, but no it took off in another interesting direction.

I have never read any of Amanda Prowse's books so didn't know what to expect. It did not disappoint. I loved it. I was hooked from the start and did not want it to end. A very well written engrossing story.

This is one of my favourite authors. Her books are always interesting and well written. Nina has two sons Connor and Declan. her husband has just died in a car accident and Nina discovers he left 8 million pounds of debt! The family have to leave their large home and luxury lifestyle and move back to the council estate in Southampton where Nina grew up. Tiggy, who is Nina's sister, is there to help the family with the massive changes they face and she and Nina become close again. How will the family cope in the real world? Read on!

This was a well written tale of a mother whose world is turned upside down by bereavement. She thinks she's lost everything (big house, private school fees, life in a "posh" area) and thinks her sons lives are ruined (as does her eldest). She moves back to her childhood neighbourhood and gradually finds that a less privileged life benefits them all.

I loved this book, but then I'm a big fan of Amanda Prowse's other work, so I had high expectations. Amanda has a style of writing that fully engrosses you in her stories. You want to get to know the characters. She is capable of keeping the reader enthralled throughout the story and like any good book, you don't always want it to end!

Couldn’t get far through this one. Not for me, I’m afraid.

I made it to 44% and just couldn't take it anymore! The same thought pattern repeated over and over, no real dialogue, and only the author jumping from one day to the next to move the story along.... This book is the perfect example of over-showing with very little telling.

I rarely don't finish a book but couldn't get into this.The lead character really irritated me and the book just didn't hold my attention

There were some great lessons in this book and overall it was a good read. However, as someone who has always had to work and been pretty in tune with my situation, I didn't really connect with the characters.

The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse

July 2017
Fiction

I received this digital unproofed ARC from Union Lake Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

When I began reading this book it immediately made me think of another book I had just read. The genre is completely different but it did take me several chapters to reconcile that in my mind. The story begins with the tragic death of a woman’s husband under questionable circumstances.

Themes in his novel touch in the importance of family working together through the ups and downs of life. The main character, Nina, learns through tragedy and loss what is truly meaningful in her life. The title describes how we can often hide our insecurities and fears by focusing on unimportant things. A big house and fancy car may be elegant but in the end it doesn’t represent the morals and values of the people who own them. Sometimes, hiding behind materialistic things can mask the confusion pain of confronting our greatest fears.

A well written novel, with believable characters. I would recommend the book.