Another Amanda Prowse smash! I found this a little slow to start with and struggled to warm to Nora and get to grips with the flashbacks and parrallel sorry but once I’d straighten that in my head, I feel in love with Nora! A brilliant story with great characters who all grow and develop and I thoroughly enjoyed it

Nora is at a crossroads. Military wife facing another move, no self worth but much self doubt, marriage becoming stale. Though not close with her sister, she runs to her side when she’s needed and finds a whole new understanding of herself. The importance of family and communication is highlighted.

No one writes heart warming, human emotion like Amanda Prowse. Her books are just so easy to curl up with. Prowse deals with heavy issues in this book; parenting, mental health, marital issues, family dysfunction in a clear, precise manner. Strong relatable characters that suck you in their lives and you become part of.

Thanks to Ms. Prowse, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone

Amanda Prowse never disappoints me. Picking Up the Pieces was another book that delivered. I found the book a little slow to get into. Once I did, I couldn’t put it down. I read the majority of the book yesterday and before that it took me about three days to get thirty percent into the story. It had a bit of a double timeline and it kind of made me drag my feet. I certainly see the reason for the other timeline and we really needed it for the background of the story. It played a part in the ending which I totally loved.

Nora is the older sister and becomes the legal guardian of her sister Kiki’s son Ted. Nora has never had children and decided not to ever be a mother after the way she was raised. She goes into the situation taking care of Ted completely unprepared. She is also dealing with a move and the demise of her marriage. Nora is married to a military man and has moved a lot in her time with him and has never had a stable life. Ted brings a lot of change into her life. She learns from him that she is capable and lovable and deserving of that love. She learns to open up to her sister’s friends that are there to help her out. The little community rallies around Nora and Ted. I love the eclectic characters that are part of Ted’s life.

The setting of the story is in Cypress to start and then moves to the UK. I really enjoy books that take place in areas other than the United States. I learn a little about the country and I often get the urge to do some research on my own. I have some English and Scottish in my DNA and have really taken an interest in books set in these areas. Have you had the same thing happen to you?

If you love family stories that deal with some pretty hard subjects, I highly recommend this book to you. I enjoyed learning about some of the subjects this book dealt with. Although I had some knowledge of some of the subjects, this book gave me little details that I wasn’t totally aware of or at least brought them to the front of my mind. If you are already a fan of Amanda Prowse, you definitely want to read this book. If not, give this one a try. I think you will like it. Until next time…Happy Reading!

Dont forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, #Netgalley and #LakeUnionPublishing. Thank you! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

My full review will be posted everywhere as soon as I finish reading this one.

I can say that this is another very emotional story of love and loss by the fantastic Amanda Prowse. I’m never afraid to read one of her books. This one takes you to a place where you will feel the love and sadness coming off of Nora and her young nephew Ted. The emotions run high and raw. So many tears are shed reading this book.

Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC.

5 huge stars and it will be posted very soon and updated with a full review. I’m trying hard to get caught back up.

This was a sad and emotional read but reassuring. Nora is married to Gordy an Army officer. Their time based in Cyprus is coming to an end with Gordy's promotion when he drops the bombshell that he wants a divorce, minutes before Nora receives a phone call with devastating news about her younger sister. Quiet, introverted Nora has to dash back to UK to look after Ted, her sister Kiki's adorable young son. Nora has never wanted children and it's heartwarming to watch her relationship with Ted develop. She becomes involved in Kiki's circle of supportive school mum gate friends and this completely new dynamic takes Nora by surprise. We see her relationship with Gordy as it moves into the next phase. This really is a heartwarming book #netgalley #pickingupthepieces

Once again Amanda Prowse has gifted us with a beautifully written story about the human experience with respect and gravitas. While her own world is on shaky ground(falling apart really) Nora goes to help her sort of estranged sister and a nephew she barely knows. How much can one person handle when it all seems to be caving in? The author crafts a wonderfully emotional tale in which we learn about the whole of someone who must deal with past to move forward and find joy. It’s an emotionally satisfying story of someone going from just surviving to rediscovering the joy in just being alive.

I am a massive Amanda Prowse fan. Her books are written with compassion and understanding of human emotions in many different circumstances. For me the best thing about the books she writes, is that they are books that are so real, with real people. I always feel like I am part of the story, rather than just reading it.
I loved this book, the characters, the emotions and the style of writing. A really heartwarming book with bits that made me sad, some that made me smile and some that made me think.
Highly recommended.

Nora has never had the stability and unconditional love that many experience early in life. She is a military wife who is constantly uprooting and moving from her to there. She feels her marriage fizzling and doesn't know what to do. She then unexpectedly gets custody of her nephew and she finally begins to see what unconditional love feels like through the eyes of a child. She now wants to work more on her marriage and build her world that she can be proud of.

Another gloriously well-written novel by Amanda Prowse. What does life have in store for Nora and Gordy who love each other? This heart-warming story explores relationships, loneliness, the value of friendship, mental health issues and support. Books like this one make my reading days quite perfect and I strongly recommend grabbing yourself a copy of Picking up the Pieces.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

This is my first read by this author and it caught my attention as there was a lot of other readers excited about this next book!

I finished it a few days ago and wanted to think over my feelings on it before putting them into words.

My preferred genre is suspense/ thriller so this book is definitely a huge leap away from that. It is very character focused which I did find a bit of a struggle with at times.

I think there should be a TW as there is some very important but sensitive content. While I think these issues should absolutely be out in the open and discussed I’m conscious this could cause some readers distress. In saying that I did find it was written about in a thoughtful and sensitive manner.

Overall I did enjoy the book but would only recommend it to readers that enjoy books with character development and focus.

Thank you to #NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I struggled for the first little part of the book, but I’m so glad I continued reading as once it got going it was a beautifully written book. It was lovely the way the story entwined between the different characters. Also it was interesting to see how Nora and Kiki had tragically lost their parents, but they both saw it differently and also presumed they knew what the other one felt about it without actually talking to each other. I think it was well written around a difficult subject too. Kiki explained very well how hard things got sometimes and the pressures of life can suddenly be overwhelming. This book covered some tricky subjects like bereavement, family, relationships and mental health issues very nicely. Another great read from Amanda.

What a great book! In this story, Amanda Prowse has captured a fractured family and their struggle to pick up the pieces and not only survive but thrive. The characters were genuine and relatable. The small, side stories were relevant and added to the overall story. As a former Social Worker, I appreciated the rawness and honesty of mental health struggles. I highly recommend this book! Thanks #NetGalley #LakeUnion

I will read any book that Amanda Prowse writes! She is an excellent writer who writes beautiful, thoughtful stories. Picking Up The Pieces introduces us to Nora, an army wife whose husband has moved up in status, which requires moving physically every two years. Nora feels that she has no value and has a difficult time making friends. Her life changes quite abruptly when she needs to support her sister by taking care of sister Kiki’s eight year old son, Ted.
Prowse deals with the topic of mental health in a very natural and helpful way. She shows us that many people have a veneer of a big smile which can mask so many important feelings and yet the story was not heavy and sad. Prowse knows how to balance important moments in a very real way. She shared sadness, loving and joyful moments in a very real way. I loved this beautiful story which made me think of many loving people I know..
Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Finding family

A wonderful, deep, satisfying romance, this book was so hard to put down. I haven't read any of Ms Prowse's books before, but will certainly find more of her books asap.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time-constrained e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

Picking Up the Pieces is a great title for this novel. There are quite a few pieces to be picked up. Nora is really not feeling fulfilled or happy in her marriage and it seems her husband is exactly the same. She has had a tough upbringing that has left her rather stand offish and not trusting of people, especially friendly overtures, her early childhood also put her off having children because she felt she wouldn't make a good mother.

Her sister - much younger - is struggling unbeknown to Nora. Kiki was just a toddler when they lost there parents and life was even stranger still from then on. Depression dogs Kiki and in spite of great friends and a beautiful young son, she is just not coping. When Nora gets a call to come and take care of Ted because Kiki is ill, its one of the biggest challenges she has faced.

I found this a really page turning book, staying up at night to finish it. I loved the characters and their struggles. The themes of mental illness, loneliness, marriage difficulties, childhood wounds on the one hand and friendship, kindness, and on the other,  being willing to be honest and explore really difficult issues.  My heart went out to Ted, I loved how Nora grew and changed.

All in all a memorable read. 4.5 stars

Amanda Prowse returns with another emotionally rich novel. Nora was raised by neglectful parents who died young, leaving her and her much younger sister to be raised by grandparents. Decades later, Nora is married to a career officer, while--she thinks--her sister is happily raising her young son. But as Nora prepares for yet another move with Gordy, he drops a bombshell. He thinks they should talk about divorce. Before they can, though, Nora receives more shocking news--her younger sister is in the hospital and Nora must serve as guardian for her nephew, Ted.

As Nora walks into a new life, in which she has to help a young boy navigate tremendous uncertainty, she becomes fond of Kiki's friends and adores Ted. And when she and Ted visit Gordy, she sees another side of her husband, who would clearly have been a terrific father.

Amanda Prowse has such an amazing gift for creating stories that suck you right in and don't permit you to stop reading until the very last page. #PickingUpthePieces #NetGalley

How does one rebuild when everything in their life is falling apart? “Picking up the Pieces” is a lesson in believing in yourself, trusting others, and finding your way back home. . Sisters Kiki and Nora are forced to reunite and find some sort of family connection by looking beyond what they always believed about the other. I loved this book and the emotions it evoked

This is a beautiful, touching story of healing and love.

Nora’s growth in this story is breathtaking. Her and Gordy’s love is beautiful. They are going through a rough patch and my heart ached watching them navigate their marriage; but what a beautiful love they share.

I loved watching the relationship between Nora and her sister, Kiki, and her nephew, Ted, blossom and bloom. The struggles they had to overcome to get them to where they need to be were heartbreaking, but the relationships and bonds stunning.

Amanda Prowse writes with such beauty and depth that you feel so many emotions throughout these journeys. I felt everything these characters were going through. There are many sad and tearful moments but also so many heartfelt and beautiful moments.

I loved the writing of this story. The glimpses of the past and, the story within the story, it is just fantastic. A story of rediscovering family, friends, and love, and of second chances. It’s a heartfelt, beautiful story that left my heart smiling.

Another wonderful novel by Amanda Prowse. Nora has built emotional walls so high, that now her marriage is in trouble. Then she gets a call that her sister has tried to commit suicide and she is needed to look after her young nephew. Nora finds that the events of her own childhood have caught up with her and if she is to be happy again, she must deal with her own past.

WOW! I really loved this beautifully written book! This is the first book that I have read by Amanda Prowse and I really felt it on a personal level. Even though my life is quite different from Nora’s I could very much relate to her!

Nora had a rough start to life with bohemian parents that were so in love with each other and thought of her more of a nuisance. She felt unloved and replaced once they had a second child when she was twelve years old. Tragically, her parents died in a car accident soon after her baby sister, Kiki was born. Nora was shipped to a boarding school while Kiki was raised by their grandmother. Life changes for her once she meets her husband, Gordy where she truly feels loved.

Fast forward 18 years, their marriage is rocky. There is no communication, the love for each other has fizzled and she is always irritated with Gordy. When they are in the middle of an argument, he mentions divorce and Nora gets a devastating call that her baby sister has attempted to take her life. Nora has to go take care of her nephew until her sister is released from the hospital while trying to figure out the future of her marriage. Their life is truly changed forever!

What a heart-warming story with realistic characters! I couldn’t put this book down! I think that in today’s society having a mental illness is often shamed and not often talked about openly. I thought it was very powerful that Kiki’s mental illness wasn't kept secret and that her close friends openly discussed it and provided the support that both Kiki & Nora needed. I feel like we need more books with this kind of openness.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Amanda Prowse for the Advanced Readers copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!