The Girl in the Corner

Amanda Prowse writes stories about things that could so easily happen to anyone of us. In this book just as you say to yourself ‘oh good’ something happens to make you rethink. I’m amazed how Amanda churns out book after book, in such a short time, and each and every one of them is excellent

Written with Prowse’s trademark tear jerking passages, at first I wasn’t convinced by this novel. I liked the characters, but just didn’t feel enthralled. I’m glad I stuck with it, however, as it was magical.

"The Girl in the Corner" by Amanda Prowse is my first by this author, but it definitely won't be my last. I requested this book based on a Twitter post by someone who was so excited to see it on NetGalley, and I'm so glad I did. This is the story of Rae-Valentine, who is married to Howard - her first boyfriend, her best friend Dolly's brother, and the love of her life. On the evening of their 25th anniversary, Howard reveals a secret to Rae that makes her question her marriage and her place in the Latimer family. She begins to wonder if she has spent her whole life doing everything for everyone else instead of doing what would truly make her happy. How do you define happiness anyway?

Rae takes Dolly on the anniversary trip Howard planned, and in light of the new information Rae has, she begins to see the cracks in all of her relationships. She wonders whose side Dolly will be on and has to decide whether she wants to rebuild her relationship with Howard or finally pursue what she has come to realize was HER life's desire that she put on the back burner because her family made her happy. When Howard shows up at the resort, Rae feels forced into making a decision about their relationship that she hasn't necessarily had enough time to make.

This book is an emotional roller coaster. There is plenty to laugh about. Rae's friendship with Dolly is heartwarming at times and tense and embarrassing at others. Even I wondered where Dolly's loyalties would end up. And there is plenty here to make you think about your own family dynamics and tear up. The ending took me by surprise and I loved it!

This title should be on your must-read list!

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This title is expected for publication in December 2018.

Amazing book. Loved it from beginning to end.
Well written which kept me captivated throughout.
I will definitely be reading other books by this author

This book was tough to get into as I had a hard time respecting or identifying with the protagonist. However, once she found her voice and became stronger,I loved the book. Sequel please!

Amanda Prowse never let's her readers down. This book had me hooked from the first page until the very end.
The characters are so realistic and I warmed to them instantly. I could instantly relate to Rae; never really sticking up for myself and allowing others to dictate how my life choices.
Throughout the book we read about Rae; her life, her dreams and the family around her.
As you travel through the book, you travel through her life to find out if she'll always be the 'girl in the corner.'

Amanda Prowse has a style of writing that brings her characters to life. She builds them up in such a manner they feel like your family/friends and in turn you feel their emotions.

The Girl in the Corner is a lovely story of love, loss and trust and how rediscovery is possible at any stage in life. This book contains an important message about ensuring you are living the life you want to live and are happy and creating lasting memories to look back.

What a lovely story, I loved Rae Valentine and would love to see her and her red backpack in a other story as she reminded me of the lovely Poppy Day.

Loved this book! I always enjoy Amanda Prowse's books and avidly want for her next release. This did not disappoint at all. I loved the characters and was hugely entertained. A great contrast of emotions while reading, from laughter to being on the verge of tears! Her books always feel as though you could step right into them as the characters and plots are so realistic.

Loved this book as with all her books. Love the writing style, characters. Would highly recommend this book to anyone.

It took me a while to get into this book but when I did I couldn't put it down and as always I was an emotional wreck at the end.

I loved the first chapter of this book when quiet, unassuming Rae-Valentine meets Dolly - loud, confident and soon to be Rae's best friend. They meet at college and become inseparable: giddy teenagers laughing their way through life and finding everything 'hilaire'. I was sorry not to read more about this part of Rae's life but the book moves quickly from here to Rae's 25th wedding anniversary and the revelation which is to shake her life.

It took me a good while to get back into the book., possibly as I found it painful reading about Rae's heartache. She finds herself in a situation that many of us could experience, in that she has defined herself as a wife and mother, as well as a fixer for the family business, and in her 40s she is suddenly left wondering what happened to her dreams and aspirations. So while she wouldn't change anything as she loves her family to bits, she is starting to get a niggling feeling that she missed the boat somewhere along the line. Can she be an individual as well as part of a family?

After the crisis has hit, Rae and Dolly find themselves on a holiday of a lifetime in Antigua, and it is here that Rae hopes to find the space she needs to clear her mind. There are some lovely lighter moments often provided by Dolly. I was sorry not to 'see' a bit more of Antigua, but other than a brief shopping trip the girls don't seem to get beyond the beach and I guess what Rae needed was somewhere to unwind. So, finding herself in paradise, the question is, will Rae decide that her home life is actually very blessed, or will she do a Shirley Valentine?

If you enjoy a book which explores a personal journey, this is a book for you.

Amanda's books always have characters you can relate to. They have conversations you want to join in with and problems all women are familiar with. You feel you'd recognise them in the street.

At sixteen, Rae was the girl in the corner, shy and lacking in confidence. Then she meets loud and blowsy Dolly and falls for her quieter brother, Howard, marrying him in a cloud of romance. Fast forward twenty-five years and she has a contented life, a comfortable home and is the heart of the family, though sometimes feeling like the family gopher. Then Howard drops a bombshell.....

How will Rae cope with this devastating news? Can she forgive her husband? Will Rae and Dolly's friendship survive? Beautifully descriptive writing about everything from Rae's feelings to the sights, sounds and heat of glorious Antigua, make this a book to savour.

Love the piece at the start of the book about women supporting women. Without our friends and family, where would we be? A book for any woman who has been that girl in the corner. Enjoy!

I received a copy of this book through netgalley.
A well written storyline,characters are real life,and you have the feeling it can happen to anyone,you can associate with the characters.

I loved this book. I devoured it over three sittings and was caught up in the emotions of it. It is a lovely story of love, loss and trust and whether a relationship can withstand a breach of trust. It shows that you need to live your life to its full, in your way and be happy.

I liked Rae and her larger than life friend, Dolly. It was interesting to think about what makes a good friend and what value a friendship should have when times get tough.

Good luck to Rae - I would like to hear more about her adventures.

An easy read but sadly Amanda’s novels have become rather predictable.

I found the characters irritating and all a bit Shirley Valentine.

I have read and enjoyed nearly all Amanda's books but this one didn't hit the spot for me. It is a good easy read but not one of my favourites although I did enjoy reading about Rae-Valentine and Dolly and how their friendship developed.

No where near as good as her previous book Co-ordinates of Loss in my opinion and I don't think I would recommend this one and overall I liked it but didn't love it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Starts off with 16 year old main character at college induction nervous about introducing herself to strangers. I couldn't feel connection with main character from beginning.

"Before that I was just a girl in the corner, faded into the background, and it wasn't nice; no one wants to be like that, like furniture!"
A well written story about family, loss, and finding your way no matter how old you might be.
Rae was always the "go to girl". She had the ideal life, family and best friend.
But... something went wrong on the night of her twenty fifth anniversary party. Rae finds out from her husband that her life hasn't been as perfect or as pure as she has thought.
Rae needs to find herself and break out of "the corner"!
Will she? Can she?
I truly enjoyed this novel and love Amanda's books!

Always love Amanda prowse novels and this did not disappoint!
Loved rae to bits, really connected with her as a busy mum trying to make everybody else happy never putting herself first. Have laughed and cried while reading this, five stars.

I could certainly relate to Rae - a middle aged woman who’s got many roles in her life and fulfills them all at the expense of her own personal dreams and happiness.
She’s a daughter, a sister, a best friend, a wife, a mother and that’s just on her side of the family.
She’s the person that everyone turns to knowing that she’ll always be there to drop everything and run to their side.
It take a wake up call from her husband to make her evaluate her life and look at what she really wants.
Well written with a balance of humour and sadness.
A must read for anyone of a certain age whose struggling to be everything to everyone.

As I have come to expect from Amanda Prowse, this book is character driven and as you read, you really do feel that the characters are living, breathing people that you completely relate to. The women are particularly vivid in their portrayal and I was quick to identify the Rae Valentine and Dolly in my own family.
This book raises questions how much of ourselves we give to our relationships and, on occasion, how much we give up for them and how much we find ourselves hiding behind them.
Every family has its own dynamics and this novel perfectly explores how that molds who we become, whether or not it is the same as who we thought we would be. It is seemingly a gentle read but raises some thought-provoking issues.

A 5* again for Amanda Prowse's new book The Girl In The Corner, which although I have the paperback on pre-order for 20th December, I could not wait to read it and so have downloaded it via NetGalley and read it already.

"Rae-Valentine and Howard were childhood sweethearts. They’ve shared twenty-five peaceful years since they were brought together by Dolly, Howard’s larger-than-life sister. But now, on the night of their wedding anniversary, Howard reveals a shocking betrayal that leaves Rae reeling. When Howard comes looking for reconciliation, Rae has a choice to make: keep the peace, as she always has, or put herself first for once and find out who she really is.".

This is an absolutely delightful tale of truth for all those women who have never got over the fact that they were 'the girl in the corner' at every school disco, birthday party, family event or even just being the quiet middle child in their own family home, and I can actually identify and empathise with all of the above situations. In fact Amanda has once again written this book and aimed it straight at my heart. Oh my goodness Rae-Valentine could have been me desperately searching the room looking for someone, in fact just anyone, to approach her and make her feel as if she can be seen.

There are plenty of laughs along the way, mostly from Dolly who I would love to be my friend for an evening (anymore than that and I am sure I would die from laughing or embarrassment!). My favourite moments were at the check-in desk and I still giggle to myself now sometimes about her insistence on "What flavour pizza was it?!). However, Dolly was first and foremost Howard's sister and this irritated the hell out of me because she literally was the only friend Rae-Valentine had and was wavering over where her loyalties lay.

The family characters that plump out the story were great and I wanted to shake Rae-Valentine's parents and make them wake up and see her and TELL her how clever and smart they thought she was and that they knew she was special, knock her sister Debbie-Jo off her pedestal especially as she had started her self-doubt by telling her that if you are not the star who stands out in the middle of the room you might as well be like furniture, the girl in the corner, hug her children Hannah and George for being so lovely, but don't get me started on Howard!!! I changed my mind along the way of what advice to give Rae-Valentine if I was her friend, but my over-riding thought was don't settle for "this will do" because life is short so you need to live it to the fullest and take chances. She craved a title that was more than daughter, wife, mother, auntie,dogsbody, she wanted to be defined by something other than her relationships, she wanted a title that was hers and that she had earned, not acquired, like traveller or chef.

I can always empathise with the characters in Amanda's books but Rae-Valentine really got to me and this could have been my story in places, I howled in places and re-read several of the pages/chapters because I could see myself in her so much. It reminded me of the moment I knew my own marriage was over 15 years ago, it wasn't the fact he wasn't 'making me happy' anymore that was the problem, it was the fact living with him was 'making me unhappy'.

The Girl In The Corner is a story of how someone can find themselves at any age and it is never too late to be the person you were always meant to be before life, love, loss and loyalty came and tripped you up. "Before that I was just a girl in the corner, faded into the background, and it wasn't nice; no one wants to be like that, like furniture!" The ending was superb, another Mandy Masterpiece.

Rae-Valentine and Howard were childhood sweethearts. They have shared twenty five years together since they were brought together by Howard’s sister Dolly. On the night of their wedding anniversary Howard makes a shocking confession which leaves Rae-Valentine feeling betrayed. Heartbroken, she takes Dolly on her anniversary trip to Antigua and Rae starts to realise that all her choices have always been made for her and she starts to question her marriage and her friendships. When Howard comes looking for reconciliation she has a choice to make, keep the peace or finally put herself first for once.

A beautifully written book with out loud laughter at times, however I also found it very a very emotional read and I admit I was in tears at times too. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing Uk for an advanced copy of the e-book for my honest review.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. Rae-Valentine is celebrating her 25th wedding anniversary when her husband reveals a shocking secret. Instead of going on his anniversary gift of a trip to Antigua with him, she takes her best friend, his sister. Now she has a chance to step back and re-evaluate the direction her life is taken, and maybe make some changes. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I've loved Amanda Prowse since first reading Poppy Day. The girl in the Corner does not disappoint. Rae-Valentine will stay with me for a long time. A must read

The Girl in the Corner is a myriad of stories meshed into one single narrative. It's about a wife who Immersed herself in her husband's family, only to discover he's a serial cheater and everyone but her knew it. It's about her domineering best friend, estranged older sister, her children, and the death of one of her parents. Rae finally finds her voice at the end of the book, after her husband's endless deceit has been revealed. She walks out of her life to discover what is ahead in her new life. She progresses from being a wallflower to a willful woman.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

Rae-Valentine Pritchard was sixteen when she became best friends with Dolly Latimer at college. Dolly hero worshiped her big brother Howard and decided that Rae would be his perfect girlfriend. Dolly`s matchmaking worked and Rae married Howard when she was eighteen.

Twenty five years later Rae was happily to Howard and they had two grown-up children Hannah and George. Howard had taken over the family run chain of restaurant's and Rae was run off her feet doing errands for the business as well as caring for her elderly parents

On the night of Rae`s twenty fifth wedding anniversary .Howard confessed to an affair with one of his waitresses. Devastated Rae took Dolly on a holiday to Antigua that Howard booked for their anniversary. During the holiday Rae realised that cracks had slowly appeared in their marriage. Rae remembered that she wanted to be a chef and contemplated leaving her marriage to start a new life. When Rae tried to discuss this with Dolly, she iadvised her not to think about the affair and hopefully she would forget. Upset Rae realised despite being best friends Dolly would always support her brother rather than her.

When Howard decided to join Rae in Antigua she was presented with the dilemma of staying in her safe, glamorous life or following her own dreams.

The Girl in the Corner had a great cast of characters. I liked Rae, Hannah, her parents and the exuberant Latimer clan. I liked Dolly who was overbearing but ultimately her actions were based on love. There were scenes in this book which were hilarious and me laugh out laugh. Such as when dolly asked for a bus ticket (you have to read the book to find out) and when she did a wee in the boat in the middle of the ocean,

I cried when Rae`s mum died after a stroke and it made me remember the moment my Mum died In hospital. The only thing I disliked was the abrupt ending based on what could of been a split of the tongue.

However I would love to read a follow up in Rae and Hannah`s stories in the future. I enjoyed this book but it was not as good as the coordinates of Love.

Amazing heartwarming and emotional story. The authorauthoraways delivers a fantastic story with lovable characters

Amanda Prowse has never disappointed, and this book is no exception. She is the master of taking very true to life situations, adding very believable characters, and coming up with something completely compelling.

Rae was the ‘invisible’ girl, content to watch from the sidelines, until she meets her best friend Dolly who is the antithesis of her, full of life and daring. Rae can’t believe her luck, and even more so when Dolly introduces her to her brother Howard who completely sweeps her off her feet. She can’t believe she has married in to this rich, dynamic family where her sister in law is also her best friend, and they all work together.

Moving on to their 25th wedding anniversary and Rae’s world is turned upside down. Can their marriage survive the storm? Does she want it to? Totally compelling reading.

The only author who can have me blubbing when I least expect it. What happens when our picture perfect image of life is shattered and we realise that beyond the catalyst , the picture was not nearly as perfect?
Rae-Valentine, the girl in the corner, realises life was not as rosy as it seemed and this comes with a realisation and the continued struggle to find herself - a search that has taken most of her life and has never really ended.
Wow! Loved it! Couldn’t put it down! Amanda Prowse books almost form part of the tapestry of our own lives, in so many ways. In their entirety or in some small part, we relate, we laugh and cry along with them.

Haven't all of us at some time felt like the girl in the corner? The one left behind, the one without the confidence to put themselves forward, the one who always puts others before herself. That's Rae-Valentine Pritchard.
Shy, reserved Rae-Valentine meets larger than life Dolly Latimer at college and from that day forward their lives are entwined through the marriage of Rae to Dolly's Brother Howard who in Dolly's eyes is perfect and can do no wriong.
Dolly and Rae remain best friends for over twenty years until Howard makes a shocking confession on the day of his and Rae's Silver Wedding Anniversary.. From this day forward things can never be the same in the Latimer family and Rae finds herself torn between heart and head and doesn't know which way to turn. Should she , for once, do what's the best thing for her or act in the interests of the stability of her family and her relationship with the pushy Dolly?
I loved Rae's character and I found myself rooting for her to put herself first for a change and at the same time i wanted to shout at her and shake her and bring her to her senses.
This is a story of friendship and love and finding the balance between being who people expect you to be and loving yourself enough to be who you really want to be.
Another fantastic read from Mrs Prowse.

Wow! I was blown away by this book. An honest look at life and marriage where people can settle because they think it makes life easier rather than being true to themselves and shining. This book was great read and I was sad to come to reach the end of the book.

Superbly written, another winning read from this fantastic author who brings the characters and locations to life with her brilliant descriptions. Rae-Valentine, was always at everyone's beck and call but she was happy with her life even though she secretly knew that she hadn't reached her full potential or fulfilled her dreams. Little did she know that on the evening of their silver wedding celebrations her husband would blow her world apart with a confession that couldn't be unsaid or forgiven. I read the book in two sittings and it has been one of my most memorable reads of the year.

When and how do you turn into a shadow, a girl in the corner? After 25 years of a seemingly happy marriage, Rae-Valentine is used to "doing" for everyone else - until several life changing events help her to realize that it is time to stop pleasing everyone else, and to step out of the corner.

Thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
As always excellent attention to detail this is a book that will stay with me for years to come.
Can highly recommend

Amanda Prowse knows how to tell a story and to get you really involved with the characters. This is no exception. I really enjoyed this read and had a heartfelt longing for the main character to come through life's adversity's. I would recommend this book and everything Amanda Prowse has written.

Whenever I read an Amanda Prowse book I feel a connection with the characters, they feel like family and friends because it is the normality that shines through.
This book is no exception.
It is another emotional, true to life story told in a realistic and well written style.
Highly recommend it!

I have read all of Amandas books so far and they never disappoint.Rae is an ordinary housewife who seems to have it all but does she.I loved this book and always look forward to a new Amanda Prowse book.Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

I enjoyed reading Rae’s story, the quiet girl who everyone takes advantage of. I really wish that there was an epilogue or more of her journey after she left Howard (spoiler alert!) I would love to read the sequel to this story if there is one!

I’d like to thank Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for letting me have a copy of ‘The Girl In The Corner’ by Amanda Prowse in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Rae-Valentine and Howard are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary when Howard reveals that he’s had a two-week affair with Karina, one of the waitresses in his family business, and that he loves Rae dearly and wants her to forgive him. Rae takes Dolly, her best friend and Howard’s sister, to Antigua on what should have been their anniversary holiday and Rae realises that although she loves her family dearly she’s always been the one to fetch and carry for them all and has never fulfilled her dreams of becoming a chef and travelling around the Greek Islands. Can Rae forgive Howard or is there still time for her to spread her wings and put herself first for a change?
I’ve read a large number of books written by Amanda Prowse and thoroughly enjoyed them but I thought ‘The Girl In The Corner’ was a bit slow and was written in rather an old-fashioned style. I did enjoy it but not as much as some of her others. I thought that Rae was deliberately allowing people to treat her as their servant and at times I wanted her to tell them to do it themselves. Nevertheless, the story was poignant and part of it had me in tears, it was well-written with likeable characters and had a fitting conclusion. I’d like to read a follow-up of what happens to Rae in the future.

Brilliant story, believable characters, you will not be able to stop reading, guaranteed unputdownable! Anyone who reads this will at some point identify with Rae, I was disappointed with her at one point but eventually she had the strength and confidence to do what she had to do.

The store of Rea, a shy 16 year old girl who always feels she is in the background hiding in a corner. Fast forward 20+ years and Rea now married with children still feels she is in the background unseen by her family and friends. On the night of her 25th wedding anniversary her husband shared a secret that shatters there life and Rea is unsure of how to carry on.
This story is one of regular everyday life. We all have experienced the good, the bad and the devastation life can bring but how we choose to continue is our choice and our choice alone and Prowse’s writing to tell Rae’s story is superb. The stories ebbs nicely through and some points are filled with with some surprises you don’t expect. A beautiful written story about normal everyday problems which Prowse manages to get to the heart easily and eloquently.

This is my third or fourth novel by Prowse and I will continue reading her books as they have all been moving and beautifully written.

The Girl in the Corner, written by Amanda Prowse, is a hauntingly captivating book that will have you laughing one moment and tearful the next. This book is cleverly written intertwining, friendship, love, humor and on the darker side deception, envy, and betrayal, giving the reader a book they will be unable to put down. The Girl in the Corner is a very realistic fictional story of one woman's journey of self-examination.
The main character, Rae-Valentine, a quiet girl, who felt unseen and inadequate throughout her teenage years, and then at sixteen she meets her soon to best friend, Dolly Latimer, who has a boisterous and domineering personality. That's when everything changes. Dolly fixes Rae up with her brother Howard. Rae not only falls in love with Howard but she also falls in love with his entire family and how different they are from her family. Fast forward twenty-seven years, Rae and Howard, surrounded by their two children and their families, are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. After the party Howard delivers the ultimate betrayal leaving Rae questioning her whole life.
There is so much about this book that I savored. Amanda Prowse writes so beautifully, and her characters have a real sense of authenticity, enabling the reader to develop a deep heartfelt connection to them. It was a pure joy reading how the girl in the corner found her true voice.
***I kindly received an ARC of this book by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked or required to leave a review to read this book. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. This review is my honest opinion .***

The Girl in the Corner, Amanda Prowse

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: , Women's Fiction, General Fiction (Adult) 

Usual grump – Women's fiction as a genre, just why? Men read all sorts of stories too....why alienate them?

Anyway, I enjoy Amanda's books, she writes tales that make me think “what would I do in that situation”, has characters and settings that feel very real.
I didn't enjoy this as much as some of her other stories though, the settings and characters were terrific as usual, but the story – I felt that for so much of the book I was waiting, waiting for something to happen, waiting for the other shoe to drop, and it wasn't until very near the end that it did. I'd have liked a bit more of what happens then, instead of the brief opening into Rae's future we see.

Its a tale that happens way to often, wife ( or husband) thinks everything is wonderful, and then finds out that their adored and loyal partner has been playing away...what next? Carry on regardless for the sake of the family? Try to forgive and move forward? Or divorce/separation? I always think, how could I trust that person again? That kind of betrayal is so hard to get past, I'm not sure I could forgive and move on. I think that would be a hard barrier for me, the one I can't forget.
Can Rae move forward though? And in what direction? She really needed to talk it through but Dolly is Howard's sister, and though they've been best friends for so many years, Dolly has divided loyalties. It meant Rae looking at her life introspectively, looking at not just her and Howard's relationship, but all the family ties, at what happened to the Rae who wanted to be someone but instead became the person supporting everyone else. Its got a huge potential for looking at what could happen if she decided differently, and I so felt for her in her having to decide without the soundboard of Dolly to help her.

Of course nothing happens in isolation and looking back we can see where the routes for different paths were going, where what one person perceives isn't necessarily the truth – a great example of that was Rae's view of her childhood and family relationships, where what she thought of events and decisions was how it seemed to her, but not what her parents intended her to feel. That sounds tangled, you'll need to read the story to understand I think...What Rae sees as her parents not supporting her ambition to be a chef turns out to be her parents fearing that way led to hard work and no reward for Rae, whereas they wanted what they saw as the best for her, that she was clever enough to work in an office, the pinnacle of achievement in their eyes. She thinks they're unsupportive, that her sister is the one they support, but what they intend is to make Rae be the best she can, and office work in their eyes is something their clever daughter can aspire to. As adults looking back we can see that what we though wasn't necessarily what was intended.

Like I said, I enjoyed this story, but didn't love it, its not one I'd reread. I just felt for so much of the story I was waiting for the next section, that so much of the book covered the same ground while Rae mulled over what had happened and what she should do – I'm sure that's very real, what people in her situation do but for me it wasn't very entertaining reading.

Stars: Three, another very real story from Amanda but not one of my favourites. Still, that's just my opinion and I can see that its a perfect story for other readers.

ARC via Netgalley and publishers

This book brought a range of emotions from anger, sadness and what would be the correct emotion to describe wanting to cheer someone on shouting “you go girl!”?
I was so angry that Rae had no-one to turn to and how Dolly thought it was ok to push her into sorting things out with Howard. Any real friend would want to go hunt him down and do terrible things to him but because she’s his sister she wasn’t looking out for her friend's interests at all.
What Rae had to deal with made me feel so sad, no-one wants the rug pulled from under their feet, and the book certainly makes you feel grateful for everything good that you have in your life.
Overall, a really well-written book about a woman that needs to re-find herself and takes you, the reader, along for an emotional journey.

Rae-Valentine is on a path of rediscovery. Sometimes you can “come of age” later in life. These characters are so realistic and believable., that youwill feel as if you know them personally. Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Well I have no idea where to start, another fantastic read by one of my favourite authors, the characters are lovely, the storyline was great, had to take my glasses off to wipe the tears because I couldnt see the pages.
I loved it, bring on the next one Mrs Prowse

Amanda Prowse is one of my favorite authors.I loved this book warm emotional heart wrenching.Have a box of tissues nearby,#netgalley#amazonpublishinguk

It always takes me a few days to get over reading an Amanda Prowse novel; mainly because she not only gets you in all the feels, she is so good at telling real life, touching, and moving stories that you cannot put down. I always know there’s a fantastic story ahead, despite being pretty confident each time that I will undoubtedly shed a tear at some point.

The Girl in the corner is a novel that explores many things. First and foremost, although it is Rae-Valentines story, it was about family for me. She has gone through life being loved, and blessed with a wonderful husband, close best friend, and children of her own, all from a young age. Yet she has always felt a bit lost, even if she didn’t realise it, like she was never quite good enough; the girl in the corner who didn’t quite deserve it.
Rae and her best friend in the world, the one who introduced her to her husband (and just happened to be her friends brother) are joined at the hip. Rae is shy from the off, always hiding behind her sister growing up and she meets an outgoing, loud and confident best friend she can hide behind. This dictates her life; marrying into a loud and outgoing successful family and settling into the role of wife, mother and general rock for the family and business - always there when anyone needs anything.

I think there’s a bit of all of us in Rae in some way, not quite sure if we followed the right path. She feels slightly unfulfilled and unappreciated at times despite seemingly having it all... until on the evening of her wedding anniversary party, she gets told a secret that shatters her world, and makes her re-evaluate her whole life. She begins to realise how the outside world views her, and doesn’t like what she sees. Following the revelations, she takes a trip with Dolly, her best friend, and begins to feel like herself again when their husbands turn up to “surprise” them. The story then takes some twists and turns along the way, leading Rae to make some serious life changing decisions....albeit late in the day.

There are some sad moments, particularly surrounding family and loss, and some moving moments, again surrounding family, love and acceptance.

This was a beautifully written, easy to read novel. It didn’t grip me quite the same as some other Amanda Prowse novels, however - wonderful writing, brilliant characters; each with their own issues, and her usual skill of making you feel like you are part of the story, made for another great novel that I highly recommend.

Rae-Valentine is a pretty strong and determined woman...which she needs to be following childhood sweetheart and husband Howard's betrayal of her.
The characters in this book are extremely well written and like-able (or hate-able for Howard!).
I became easily ensconced in the story and was equally happy for and angry with Rae as she made decisions about her future and the future of her marriage (if she had been on my TV I would have been shouting at her a lot, particularly whilst in Antigua!).
She made some decisions I really didn't agree with (the sign of excellent writing in my opinion to provoke a strong emotional response to a fictional character!) but ultimately she triumphs and her final decision sits well with the background of her character. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Another excellent and very relatable read from accomplished storyteller Amanda Prowse. Rae -Valentine has always felt like the girl in the corner, timid, shy and unnoticed by those around her. As a child she was in the shadow of her talented older sister Debbie-Jo and as a gawky and gauche teen she hid behind her flamboyant friend Dolly. Despite a disastrous double date Dolly sets Rae up with her brother Harry, and soon the teenage sweethearts are walking down the aisle. Twenty five years later, and on the night of a party celebrating this momentous anniversary, Harry shatters not only Rae's world , but also her sense of self worth. Unsure whether their relationship has a future, she heads to Antigua for a little breathing room , to try to clear her head.
As always the real strength and heart of this book, like so many others by this author, lies in how well crafted and empathetic her characters are. While Rae, as the protagonist, is an obvious example, there are some touching moments later in the book which really highlight both the strengths and flaws of characters like Rae's parents and the indomitable Dolly.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book ,the characters are very believable and brought to life beautifully ,The story is about love ,betrayal and finding out who you really are and new beginnings .This story is an emotional roller coaster with a few laughs on the way .Brilliant . Many thanks to the Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my preview copy .

Amanda Prowse in fine form with thoroughly believable characters who you're able to strongly picture in your mind. I was rooting for Rae-Valentine all the way through this book - never once seeing her as downtrodden but knowing that her moment must come. .At the very end I could have jumped up and cheered! Highly recommended. I want to be that woman.

Another great book by Amanda Prowse. Some great characters in this and I really felt for the main character Rae. Again the author really demonstrates some of the realities of family dynamics especially in this novel where the characters are so intertwined.
This book also made me want to go on holiday and I loved the ending. It made me cheer!!!!!

Oh my goodness Amanda Process never disappoints! Was thrilled to be able to read her latest novel! Must say it took me a little while to get into which is unusual, but was soon hooked. Amanda writes sensitivily and it was easy to live through Rae Valentine's emotional trauma. Tricky situation for her sister in law and best friend Dolly....time in Antigua together starts to clarify things for Rae but is complicated by Howard's arrival.
Was pleased to find that the story didn't end as I imagined it would.
A really enjoyable and satisfying read. Highly recommend. Stick with it if you find it a struggle initially.

This is the draft of the review that I plan to post on Amazon.co.UK when the book is released:

A shock revelation causes Rae-Valentine to reevaluate her life.

An emotional family drama. The story is absorbing. and well, analytical. The main characters are well drawn and believable.

This book would be a great winter sun holiday read.

Yet another amazing book from Amanda. I have now read every book and you don’t think there could be a better one and yet along comes The girl in the corner. I was so excited to get this early and the book did not disappoint me. Amanda’s characters are always believable and you can imagine in your minds eye exactly what they are doing or even facial expressions. Maybe everyone has a bit of Rae in them feeling a bit pushed in the corner at times which is why her actions keep you on tender hooks to see which way things will work out. Some tissues are always needed as Amanda does it again. This is a standalone story but if you haven’t read any other of Amanda’s books Why Not!! This book only took me 2 long car journeys to read it so once you star you can’t stop. All families are unique and those in this book have their strange ways but also traits that we can all relate to which is why this book is a must read.

A Girl in the Corner is an emotional book that will touch the core of your heart. It is about Rae-a shy girl/woman who allows everyone to run her life and has always been too afraid to go after what SHE really wants. Reading through her sad, trying experiences is heart breaking. You can feel her frustration at herself, at her husband and at her best friend, his sister. Rae has to find her inner power and strength to make choices that are hers and hers alone in order to achieve the life she really wants.

I really wanted to LOVE this book but I didn't. And I am very disappointed because I really love this author and previous reads. It was decent and I liked it but I just couldn't get into any of the characters or the story line. There were good parts, a few laughs but this book just didn't do it for me. My apology to the author.

A beautiful, descriptively written book full of poignancy, laughter and tears. This book is so realistic it could relate to many of us who go through the same experience in our every day lives.I absolutely love Amanda’s books , her understanding and empathy is second to none and her writing just flows through the pages. Thanks to TBC and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

There are a few authors who are bumped straight to the top of my to be read pile as soon as I am lucky enough to get a copy of their new book.
Amanda Prowse is one of those authors and yet again she hasn’t failed to deliver.

This story written in the third person is a tale of a woman who has always put her family first, but after being dealt a devastating blow when a betrayal is revealed on the night of her wedding anniversary, but will her family stand by her like she would for them.

As always this was an emotional rollercoaster, beautifully written, with great characters and a heartbreaking storyline.

Another wonderful book from Amanda Prowse. Well written and captures the dynamics of a loud extrovert family who fully absorb any quieter people, who enter into the family, to their way of life. The closeness of the boisterous family cover any cracks that are there but they are controlling and used to things going their way. I can certainly relate to Rae, the main character as the quiet girl married into this tumultuous family, she's in awe and wants to fit in with the family she's found herself in rather than follow her innermost voice and dreams. The doesn't question and is glad to be accepted. As a result she's put upon, always to be relied on and, although, much loved my everyone begins to question her role and future after secrets, threatening her comfortable security of marriage, are revealed.

Deserves to be another bestseller from this author.

Lovely, lovely story that needs to be read by everyone! This author has delivered a big hit yet again. Definitely recommended to those readers who enjoy reading this type of story.

I love the storyline of being the quiet one who eventually steps into her own confidence and adventure but only after alot of serious thinking.

I stayed up till the early hours to finish this book to see how it ends

This is a beautifully written novel which understands the complexities of family life and how the things we do make it work or collapse. 

Rae is sympathetically drawn; a mum who thinks she has married her one true love and had twenty five wonderful years with many more to come. She has sadnesses in her life but knows she can cope with most things with her husband Howard and her sister in law and best friend Dolly's support. Then her world falls apart and she is shocked to discover she knows as little about her family as they do her.

This is a tale of self discovery in which the heroine doesn't come out all guns blazing but instead takes the baby steps most of us would find the most manageable in these circumstances. There were many parts which resonated with me and in none of them did I find myself disagreeing with Rae's choices.  It made me cheer for and sympathise with her in equal measure and I felt happy for her at the end as she put her decisions into practice with a hard won confidence in her future and those of the family she loved.

I was able to read an advanced copy of the book thanks to Netgalley in return for an unbiased review and would recommend this to anyone who enjoys family based stories with considerately written characters, satisfying storylines, and a reason to cheer for the underdog.

Rae-Valentine met her husband through her best friend, Dolly. Dolly knew that her best friend and her brother would hit it off, and she was right. Rae and her husband have been married for twenty-five years and have two children together. After anniversary party, Howard drops a bombshell on Rae. His shocking betrayal leaves Rae reeling. She is shocked, hurt, angry and sad.

Shocked and heartbroken, Rae looks back on not only her marriage but the things she gave up when she got married at the age of eighteen. Needing some time apart to think, Rae goes on the trip to Antigua, not with Hoard as planned but with his sister and her best friend, Dolly. The two friend’s reminiscence and talk about their lives. Dolly can see that Rae is troubled and eventually the truth comes out.

This was a very fast captivating read that gripped me right away. Prowse knows how to grab the heartstrings and she does so in this case. I immediately felt for Rae and her situation. I was invested in learning what decisions/choices she would make. This is a book that while I was reading, I also wondered what I would do in that situation. What choices would I make? I appreciated that Prowse had Rae taking the time to think. I also found the conversations between Rae and Dolly to be realistic. There is shock, anger and hurt there as well. Rae needs the support of her best friend. A best friend who is the sister of the man who hurt her. Dolly is put in a situation to want to support her best friend while at the same time root for her brother. This made for some sticky and emotion filled exchanges. How will this affect their friendship?

This was a well written book about love, loss, friendship, family and following your dreams. A fast read that evokes emotion and left me questioning what I would do. I thought I knew how this book was going to end and I was wrong. Another book where I can say that I did not see that coming.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinion expressed in this review are my own.

Another couldn't put it down story from the wonderful Amanda Prowse. I've loved every one since I read my first, What Have I Done, almost 6 years

Rae-Valentine (love the quirky name), like all of Amanda's characters, could be any one of us at a cross roads in life and not knowing which way to go.

You had me sobbing again Amanda, but nothing beats a good cry and I didn't expect but loved the ending!

What sounded like a great story, sadly I really struggled, it's lacked something but I'm not sure what, I couldn't take to any of the characters and felt the story wasn't going anywhere.

Rae-Valentine and her husband married at 18. As a quiet shy girl marrying into the crazy, loud, wealthy Lattimer family, Rae is bedazzled by the lifestyle. Rae and Howard have a rock solid, dependable, loving marriage. And over the years, Rae falls into a routine, becoming the selfless, tireless, reliable, "answer to everyone's problems" mum, wife, aunt, sister and daughter, forgetting herself and her own needs in the midst of it all. Celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary, a bombshell is dropped on Rae that rocks her entire world, and her belief in herself. Can she come back from it?

I have to say I am an absolute whirlwind of emotion having finished The Girl in the Corner. This book made me laugh and made me cry several times. I am sure many passengers on my commute will admit, crying on the bus on the way home from work is not a good look!

I sometimes think that certain books come into our lives for a reason and when I started reading "The Girl in the Corner" that is exactly how I felt about Rae-Valentine's story on a personal level. I identified with Rae a lot and her story touched me in a way that I haven't experienced in a while. Her decisions throughout the book, how she handles the "bombshell", her need to find the way back to herself, to have a label other than "mum", "wife", etc., her feeling like a bit of a doormat and rebelling against that a little, is something we can all identify with from time to time. I enjoyed Dolly as a character too, but at times felt like I wanted to shout at her, "give Rae a chance to think for herself"!!

Ultimately though, Rae-Valentine is a kind, generous, care-giving person who is left reeling from the shock to her world, and without giving too much of the story away, Amanda Prowse has written a beautiful story that reminds us all to not lose hope, to stick with our dreams as it is never too late, to have courage and faith that it will all work out the way it is meant to, to remain true to ourselves and to celebrate that which we hold dear as it could all be gone in an instant. Loved it.

An absolute gem from one of my favourite authors. The characters are always so relatable and her books are always hard to put down.

Once again a fabulous novel from Amanda a story of love, betrayal,friendship and at the heart of the story family following on from Rae Valentine's silver wedding and finding out about her husband's affair Rae goes on a journey in which we learn more about her there's love,laughter and tears in this story lovely characters to whom we can all relate to from Dolly her larger than life friend and sister in law whom I just loved to conflict within the family which makes for a great book to snuggle up with on these bleak winter days another winner

As always Amanda Prowse didn't disappoint. This book isn't quite so powerful as some of hers, but even so I really enjoyed it. A good insight of a woman who has always been there and put her family first. When she finds herself in her 40s she seems to wake up and realise that she too has ambitions and aspirations. It's a case of when will it be her time and is she brave enough to make the right choice. A great read.
Thanks to NetGalley for my free copy.

Amanda always writes beautiful, thought provoking and haunting stories about real people in normal family situations and this book is no exception. Our heroine is Rae-Valentine, a girl that feels invisible and overlooked so metaphorically hides herself in a corner. However, her life changes when she meets the effervescent Dolly at typing school and is introduced to her big outgoing family who own a restaurant and her brother, Howard, who Rae falls madly in love with and they marry when Rae is only 18.

On their 25th Wedding Anniversary Rae finds out her husband has been having an affair and she is devastated, angry and unsure where her life is heading so she decides to go on the second honeymoon that was already booked, taking Dolly with her.

Amanda, I loved the interaction between Rae and Dolly and how a friendship changes when secrets come out and people feel manipulated. I so wanted to give Rae a big hug and I I really resonated with her.

The author deals with the aftermath of Rae finding out about her husband so sympathetically but also realistically. Rae is a woman, who could be any one of us, she marries young, raises three kids and is at the beck and call of her husband and his family. She has never been given a proper role in the restaurant but is the one they call up whenever they need anything. Her children never make time for a one to one with her and all this makes a feel inadequate and worthless. Amanda your insight into how people react when faced with adversity is superb!

This book is full of little twists and turns that I did not expect and the ending was perfect! Another stunner of a book Amanda. Go girl!

What a stunning read. If you've never been the girl in the corner then I salute you. I certainly have and boy did this book bring it home to me. It was a captivating read. So so true to life. I absolutely loved it.

Admittedly I haven’t read all of Amanda Prowse’s books but I’ve read enough to say that she’s up there amongst my favourite authors. Which is why I broke off reading one book and pushed another down my to be read list in order to read this.

Disappointingly for me there just wasn’t enough substance to the story to keep me interested. It didn’t go anywhere. It was like treading water. What, eventually, will Rae Valentine do about her future after her husband’s betrayal after 25 years of happy marriage? is basically the story.

Occasionally it would pick up. An argument between Rae and her best friend Dolly. Dolly who is also Rae’s husband’s sister. Obviously there were split loyalties where Dolly was concerned. I can understand that, but the fall out didn’t last. So much more could have been done with that story line but it just seemed to fizzle out and we’re back to Rae’s ruminations about her life and what to do about her errant husband.

I suppose that was partly what the book was about, the fact that Rae Valentine constantly allows people to take advantage of her, to say nothing and just live to please others and keep the status quo within her marital family. That’s fine, but it doesn’t really make for interesting reading, when we have to listen to Rae all over again, trying to convince herself that she mustn’t accept things the way they are any longer.

About 75% of the way through the book things did start to pick up and it finally captured my interest. There were some very moving moments towards the end. At this point I really did wish that Rae could somehow tell her so-called life long friend Dolly where to go. Dolly was so wrapped up in herself that she seemed to find it impossible not to wade in with her size 10 boots and ride rough shod over her friends feelings. She was completely incapable of sensitivity.

I enjoyed the end of the book, I was quite taken aback by the revelations at the end, which maybe highlights my own naivety. I just wish I could have enjoyed the whole story but sadly with this book I didn’t.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have just finished this book. I feel that it is a book that needs thinking about. 25 years of seemingly happy marriage. Then you find out that you have been living in a false sense of security. You find out that the husband you love and have put your life on hold for is not the man you thought He was. What to do with your life, try to make things better or follow your dreams.

A compelling heart wrenching read!
The main characters were well written and believable though I’m not sure the relationship between Hannah and Niamh added much to the plot. I loved the ending!

Amanda Prowse, WOW!!!! This book had great characters, people that I could associate with. This was a story of love, heartbreak and finding yourself. Some moments were funny and some really sad. I asked lots of questions whilst reading this book and all were answered by the end of the book. It is sad to let go of Rae but she has many adventures ahead. It would be lovely if there could be a follow-up of Rae's new story. I would definitely recommend this book and author to other readers

Another great read from Amanda Prowse. Honestly, I do not know how this woman turns out bestseller after bestseller. She's a machine! Rae Valentine has the most lovely life. Howard - a childhood sweetheart turned dream husband, and their lovely children. A beautiful home, and a successful business. Dolly - Howard's sister and Rae's fiercely loyal best friend, and Vinnie - Dolly's husband. All is well in Rae's world, until Howard delivers some devastating news, not only rocking his and Rae's relationship, but also threatening to ruin her relationships with those closest to her. What will Rae do? This is a crossroads you wouldn't want to find yourself at! Thoroughly enjoyed it.

I generally love Amanda Prowse's novels, but found this one less engaging compared to the others. The storyline was enjoyable and generally it was a good read, but I found some of the characters unbelievable in their lack of communication and inability to see what was before them. Once again, this is out of the ordinary for Amanda Prowse who tackles real life issues and problems head on with originality and flair.

This was an easy book to read with some twists right until the end. There were a few Americanisms in it, which, for some reason, irate fans me. The story didn’t knock me off my feet, but it kept my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing.

I struggled with the first half or so of this book because I could not connect with the main character and everyone else was annoying. It ended on a good note though, so stick with it. A mostly okay read!

A True inspirational book by Amanda Prowse. So much information, lots of emotion, I was smiling, crying, worried about the outcome, all sorts of emotions went through me whilst I read this book.
What I loved is the information contained in the book as well the way the relationships grew and fell apart and how their thoughts went where their lives went. It was beautiful

Rae-Valentine thought she had it all, even as she was doing it all and then her husband Howard confessed to an affair. Geez. She takes her best friend Dolly, who is Howard's sister, with her to Antigua, where she begins to rethink her life and expectations. I liked Rae, who realizes she's always been the one who put others first and in the spotlight, hiding her own desires. What a challenge for her to decide what to do- especially since Dolly has an obvious interest in the status quo. When Howard appears, well, that's when push comes to shove. There's some light humor here which leavens the sadness of fracturing long term relationships. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a quick read and you will root for Rae.

Rae-Valentine and Howard were childhood sweethearts and are celebrating their silver wedding . Rae's best friend is Dolly who happens to be Howard's sister.
Rae's world collapses when Howard admits to an affair and she goes on her anniversary trip to Antigua with Dolly in place of her husband. They talk, cry and laugh together but can their friendship survive?
Rae starts to question her role in life, her family and her marriage.
Then her mother dies and Rae is happy to be back within the fold of her family.
However there is a final twist and Rae has to decide who she is and how she wants to live her life.
Will she make the right decision?

I have really enjoyed all the books that i have read so far by this author and so pleased to have received an advanced copy of 'The Girl in the Corner' via Netgalley.

I was determined when i started to read this book, that i will not put a tissue box at my side. Amanda Prowse always has the ability to pull at my heartstrings! All was going well and near to the end... well, i should have known better. I am not going to write what the story is about, as i would rather one read the story for themselves. The ending did take me by surprise and was one that i wasn't expecting.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review, freely given.

Amanda Prowse has done it again her fantastic writing and realistic characters had me hooked on this book from beginning to end.

Rae Valentine was such a believable character I could relate to her circumstances and reactions throughout and she had me rooting for her throughout.

Rae was always the girl in the corner!! Shy and unconfident, taking second place to her older confident sister until she meets Dolly who becomes her lifelong friend, Dolly introduces her to her brother Howard and they fall in love and Rae marries into their more influential family.

Twenty five years later Rae feels she has life figured. Two beautiful children a successful husband and a fantastic lifestyle but something has happened to put it all in the balance.

The revelation means Rae has an important decision to make Will she be strong enough to follow her instincts? or will she be happier not rocking the boat and trying to mend her marriage.?

This book explores so many issues with such understanding these included - friendship, marriage, trust, family, loss, love and loyalty,

When life gives you lemons make lemonade is a saying which came to me whilst reading this book. The importance of fiends and family for support definitely shone throughout the book . Definitely one for anyone who has felt like the girl in the corner who has struggled to be everything to everyone but has lost their own identity along the way.

This book will stay with me for a long time, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for my chance to read this fantastic book.

Another amazing book by Amanda Prowse.

Rae-Valentine is a shy young woman embarking on her first day at college when she meets vivacious Dolly. The pair soon become best friends sharing cigarettes and secrets. Dolly sets Rae up with her brother whom she falls in love with and marries. After a fabulous 25th anniversary party Howard breaks some devastating new to Rae, leaving her reeling and needing to get away and sort her head out, so she goes to Antigua with Dolly who knows little of the problems Rae and Howard are facing. While in Antigua Rae decides where she wants her life to head but soon goes back to the normality of every day life.

Another great Amanda Prowse read although I hope there might be a sequel to this one.

I love Amanda Prowse books, and I relly enjoyed this one too. The story of Rae Valentine, fro. her first day of college, and meeting Dolly, through to her marriage. We skip forward to their 25th wedding anniversary, where after a wonderful night, Howard comes clan with a revelation that could drive Rae’s family apart. At times I wanted Rae to shout and scream rather than be compliant, but a second family trauma makes her reconsider her options. A final revelation towards the end ofnthe book makes Rae’s final decision for her, and I really loved how the story finished, allowing Rae to follow her dreams. Definitely recommend this book.

How many of us have realised suddenly that the life we thought good was, actually, a total fabrication and we have been living a sham? Rae discovered this when her husband confessed his unfaithfulness and shattered her world. Suddenly, she discovers life is monotonous and that there is a lot of living to do.
I found that some of the story seemed rather far fetched, particularly the author's view of age and the abilities of people over 70! She needs to do more research on this subject!!

An interesting book on complicated relationships and families. I don't consider 43 to be middle aged though and Rae seemed old before her time. Many women will relate to the exaggerated monotony of everyday life even though some of it did seem a little unrealistic. I liked the journey and the opportunities that presented themselves. Overall a good read for a winters day at home.

Easy read
Any girl who feels she is in the corner will relate to this story.
It is interesting how perceptions of ourselves is not how other people see us.
Many women can relate to how they do not speak up for themselves just to keep the peace and crave to be able to speak their minds without breaking up the happy home.
Way to relate to the characters.

This was a disappointing read, I found it difficult to get into and I just felt irritated by the actions of some of the characters. The main character Rae-Valentine, came across as much older than her mere 43 years of age. I could not believe that she described herself as middle aged! What nonsense. She also described her parents as suffering from decrepitude, a word generally used to describe the very aged and physically failing. Her parents couldn’t have been much more than early 70s, and these days that is no age at all. She felt the need to ferry them around to appointments, and order online groceries weekly for them, which they regarded as some kind of magical event - all of this was so stereotypically ageist, as if they were incapable of independent living.
The story was very contrived, even to Rae’s holiday crush, despite her devastation with her husband’s betrayal. Really?
The constant navel-gazing and introspection of Rae became very wearing, and I frankly could not wait to finish the book.
The ending was all very predictable regarding Howard. Rae’s final actions in response were so completely unrealistic, it was unbelievable. I’m sorry to say that this book left me cold.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an independent review.
Amanda Prowse is one of my favourite contemporary authors and yet again she manages to deliver an excellent read. What I like best about her books are that they are very ordinary subject matters written in an extraordinary way. The characters are always rich, real and easily relatable to, well written and their stories always draw me in from the off.
Another cracker of a book with a few scenes which particularly resounded with me and brought a few tears to my eyes.
Highly recommended. 5 *****

I received this book "The Girl In the Corner" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own.
This book was okay. I found the characters a bit annoying. I just didn't look forward to reading it each day.

The story is about Rae-Valentine who has been "beige" for all of her 16 years until she meets Dolly, who is an explosion of colour and noise, who introduces her to her brother and a whole, exciting new family.
Rae's sister, Debbie-Jo, is their parents' star and Rae feels that her place in the family is in the background, in the corner. She feels that her family resents her for "marrying up", especially as Debbie-Jo leaves it up to Rae to care for her parents and shuttle them around.
In her own marriage she is the "pleaser", always making sure everything runs smoothly for her husband, children and the family business. But she feels secure in her life.
But then everything is shattered by her husband's bombshell. She starts seeing everyone in a new light - her husband; her best friend - her sister in law; her role in supporting everyone's lives. In a way the bomb Howard dropped shook Rae out of the corner.
I wondered as the story progressed towards the end why it was continuing as I thought the pinnacle moment had already occurred and everything had been sorted out. Boy, did the ending blow me away.
An awesome read. Amanda Prowse has the ability to take you so deep into the story that you really see the characters. I saw Howard as "Howard" in the Big Bang Theory; Dolly I imagined as "Penelope" from "Criminal Minds" - just her outward eccentric appearance.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

First of all, have some tissues near by before you even open this book. I wish I’ve been warned what to expect from Amanda Prowse. The Girl in the Corner is the first book I’ve read by her and it’s written with so much emotion and care. So realistic and touching, which makes it incredibly powerful. Adored the story and purchased another 3 books by Amanda Prowse straight after.

This is the second book i have read by Amanda Prowse and i spent most of the book willing Rae to assert herself and be the person she desperately wanted to be. Without ruining the book for anyone, it took one of the saddest experiences for her to gain the backbone she had hidden. I enjoyed reading this and would like to thank the publishers and netgalley for letting me have the book to review. #girlinthecorner#netgalley

Amanda Prowse has done it again, another fab read which kept me engrossed from beginning to end. Highly recommend

Another great book from Amanda Prowse, the Girl in the Corner tells of family life with the story moving between the friendship of Rae-Valentine and Dolly and Rae’s marriage to Dolly’s Brother, Howard.

As the stories unfolded (yes, dear Reader there is always multiple stories in an Amanda Prowse novel) the Girl In The Corner, had me hanging on to every word until the very last page, and I found myself shouting advice to Rae-Valentine several times!

I really recommend The Girl In The Corner and give it 5 stars.

Rae and Howard - happily married for 25 years. Until the night of their anniversary party when Howard confesses to a two week fling with another woman. What should Rae do? Forgive or move on?

A great real life story which makes you wonder what you’d do in the same situation. Great read and a great ending

Another best seller from Amanda. I loved her style of writing. Its a book that many of us can relate to personally as we all have at one time sacrificed a lot us for other people and then left with a feeling that somewhere along the line we have lost a bit of ourselves and have trouble recognising the new person standing in front of us in the mirror.

Thanks Netgalley, Publisher and the Author. This was an entertaining love story with some great characters.

Another masterpiece by Amanda Prowse. The plot is simple, family, best friends and betrayal. The characters are rich and full bodied, thoroughly likeable and real. For me this is a tale of self discovery, and of female empowerment. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially the diverse relationships the main characters has with her different family members, her husband and with herself. A brilliant read and as with all of Amanda Prowse's books there is pain but always positivity. I didn't want this book to end..

Emotional read

I guess The Girl in the Corner by Amanda Prowse could be considered a realistic read, I just found it too much of a downer. Rae and therefore the book, waited way too long for her to find happiness.
I received an advance reader copy via Nethally.

Another great book by Amanda. I have loved all her books and this is no exception. A lovely storyline that shows sometimes it can be easier to go with the flow and be the one that doesn’t want to rock the boat but sometimes you just have to stand up for yourself even if it’s not what everyone wants or expects. How one moment can destroy love and friendships, I think we can all relate to that at some point. Bring on the next book.

The Girl in the Corner is a beautiful book about, love, relationships, chance, and choices. Sometimes we believe we are making our own choices and sometimes it feels as if choices are being made for us. This is a beautifully well written story about Rae-Valentine and Howard who were childhood sweethearts and are preparing to celebrate their 25th Wedding Anniversary when that very night Howard shares a shocking secret to Rae-Valentine.

Understandingly heartbroken, Rae-Valenitne takes Dolly, Howard's sister who fixed them up on what was supposed to be her anniversary vacation on her would-be anniversary trip to Antigua and it turns into a girls vacation. Howard arrives trying to patch things up, but is it too late?

This book gave me ALL THE FEELS! It is so well crafted and pulled me in from the first sentence. The characters are so complex and well defined. This book takes you places your heart doesn't want to go but are so glad they went there. I highly recommend this book .

I’ve yet to read a book by this author that I didn’t like. This one didn’t disappoint. Lovely storyline and lovely characters. I loved it. Highly recommend this one.

The Girl In The Corner by Amanda Prowse

Yet another wonderful page turner by this wonderful author, Amanda Prowse.
I was hooked within mere pages, wanting to read the story of the rather exotically named Rae Valentine, who had an extremely unexotic life.
Much like a lot of women out there, Rae Valentine finds herself in an almost prescribed role of wife, mother, carer, cook, cleaner, general dogsbody, then a shock admission from her husband sends her life spinning off axis.
Will she forgive him?
Will she sink back into that corner, content to be an observer, and the good old Rae Valentine expects, or will she finally take her own steps into the centre of the room?
Beautiful, believable writing, hinting at a life we can relate to, a person we probably know, and an ending that has left me wanting Amanda to get writing on a sequel!


Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This title is expected for publication in December 2018.

HOW DOES SHE DO IT?! Amanda Prowse has once again written a wonderfully evocative book that feels as though she has delved into my soul, creating characters and scenarios that will speak to so many women out there. Be warned that the tears will fall and for me personally, a scene at about 60% into the storyline absolutely broke me.

Rae-Valentine is a woman that I know many of us will relate to. The “girl in the corner”, the people pleaser who hates confrontation and is always there for her family, putting their happiness at the top of her priorities. But Rae-Valentine discovers something terrible on the night of her 25th wedding anniversary that sends her off on a journey of “self rediscovery” with her very best friend Dolly. And as she relaxes, looking back at the decisions she has made during her life, she re-evaluates the person she has become versus the woman she thought she would be.

Every woman will take something from this insightful domestic drama. Amanda Prowse has an in-depth understanding of how women react to the various ups and downs of married life and is able to portray the full spectrum of emotions that come with relationships. She creates relatable and realistic characters and is able to weave convincingly authentic plots around them. But what she does best is being able to pull out all those feelings in her readers that they didn’t even know were hiding in them! And this is why she is the First Lady of contemporary women’s fiction! For me personally, it was like looking at my own experiences reflected back at me and that hit me hard! I think that’s why I wanted more for Rae, for her to break out of her mould and create the life that would mean putting herself first-with or without the people who have always surrendered her.

I loved this book. It’s probably my most favourite that Amanda Prowse has written in recent years and I had a major book hangover when I finished it. Plus very red eyes!

Highly recommended by me!

Really enjoyed this book - definitely could empathise with Rae - Valentine and many of the relationships issues involved. Good narrative with a twist in the tale at the last moment.

I am sorry to say that I found this book very disappointing. It is a story about the minutiae of family life but is really just a few characters repeating the same thoughts and feelings many times through out the book. I would not have continued if I hadn't agreed to read this for Netgalley. I feel that nothing happens and I just wanted to get it finished.
Hard for me to recommend this.

Well I quite liked it. But I didn’t love it.
Rae Valent8ne describes herself as the quiet, shy socially anxious girl in the corner. Then she meets the vivacious Dolly on her first day in college. And eventually marries Dolly’s brother Howard and she ge5s absorbed into Latimer family life. Which she loves. But then she finds out Howard has cheated so goes on holiday with Dolly to decide what she wants. Etc etc etc. It’s too too long. It’s not a happy book. I usually enjoy this authors writing but this one? Not so much

Loved this book About a mother who loved her family did everything for her family to be devasted by a secret . A book about love, loyalty & friendship and how one secret can spoil everything .

Something a little different from Amanda but it still had her honest, heart warming yet heart breaking feel to it.. probably why I loved it as much as I always love reading her books! A 180 twist topped it off.

Fabulous book. I bumbed The Girl in the Corner up my Netgalley TBR list realising that the Kindle version was released a couple of days ago ahead of the paperback on 20th December. So very pleased that I did. Thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Amanda Prowse is so gifted in the way she presents characters. I felt I knew them, and felt for them throughout. Highly recommend The Girl in the Corner.

This is a typical Amanda Prowse book, full of domestic issues and intrigue. At the start I felt that it was not her usual style but it soon became a gripping story full of well defined characters. The story covers aspects of family life, love, deception, death and above all friendships. The story is centred around Rae Valentine from her school time, through her marriage , having children and discovering that her life is not what she really thought it was. I loved the descriptions Rae's life as they are so real and I consider that a lot of people will relate to her.
Great book, highly recommend to all.

I’ve read quite a few Amanda Prowse novels and once again she seems to have hit a winning formula l did enjoy the book but felt the characters a bit dated in their outlook and maybe a little staid it might be an idea to get back to a more cutting edge style as l feel they are descending into safety. I will try another when offered (thanks netgalley) but only it can be less Mills & Boon - sorry

Another fantastic story from this author - makes me so glad I still have plenty of her books still to read. I won't spoil the story but this is a bittersweet tale of love and deception all mixed up in the melee of family life. Started off with wanting the main character to get a grip as she seemed lost in the past dwelling on her life but soon felt sorry fro her as the wronged person. Eventually she turned into the lion that roared - hope she did finally get to her Greek islands. Highly recommended as are the other books I have read by Amanda.

The Girl in the Corner by Amanda Prowse is a contemporary read that in typical Amanda Prowse fashion has a roller coaster of emotion oozing from the pages. There’s ups, there’s downs, with plenty of family drama to go around.

When Rae-Valentine was sixteen she met her lifelong best friend Dolly when the two ended up partnering up. The two girls couldn’t have been any more different from one another but that was exactly what drew them together when told to pick a partner. Dolly was ever the outgoing one with Rae as shy as can be but when Dolly offered to introduce Rae to her brother making plans to one day take their friendship into family who knew it would come true?

Now, Rae and her husband, Howard, are celebrating their twenty fifth wedding anniversary with Dolly right there by both of their sides. The couple has led a comfortable life with Howard working in the restaurant business with his family and Rae raising their children. But what should have been one of the happiest nights of their life quickly took a turn when Howard admitted to having an affair with a young waitress at the latest restaurant opening.

As usual with an Amanda Prowse title tissues may just very well may be necessary at some point during the book. The story takes a family and looks at marital break down from every possible angle and most will admit there is no right or wrong answer as to what Rae should/could do in that circumstance, this makes every turn of the page extremely thought provoking as you go on the journey with Rae. I couldn’t help but question every conversation and every move but just like a backseat driver isn’t at the wheel I had to patiently wait for Rae to come to her conclusion and was hooked the entire time.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I went into this book blind. Obviously I'd read the blurb before requesting the book, but I knew nothing of the writing style of Amanda. I'm very pleased to say I wasn't disappointed.
We start when Rae - Valentine is 16 and she meets Dolly. Personally I love Rae's name! It's unique and so unlike anything I've ever heard before. I actually think the name had me hooked from the start. She soon meets Howard, her now husband, if you can call him that?!
It soon became apparent that poor Rae had doormat tattooed on her forehead and everyone treated her as such. Rae and Howard had just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and on the night she found out he had been having an affair. He felt guilty so told her. She did a whole lot less than I'd do to him, I can assure you! I felt connected to Rae and liked her inner thoughts and the way she was thinking.
I became invested in her and want her to do what is best for her for a change rather than putting the family first. Doing right by the family! I would do anything and everything to please and help my family, but if it meant losing who I was as a person I don't think I'd be able to do it. Rae sacrificed everything to become who she is today. But it's about time they all take a step back and let her become the person she always wanted to be.
This truly was an eye opening read for the woman who want a voice and to be heard. It's just unfortunate that it took something like a betrayal, an affair and loss of trust to become the woman with a voice and to be heard.
Amanda's writing style was magnificent and I love it! The Girl in the Corner moved at just the right pace. I knew what was happening at all times and I loved the ending! I'll definitely have to look out for more from Amanda.

Believeable characters and plot line. I identified with the characters and cared what happened to them, Just the thing for reading by the side of the pool or just wanting to escape the winter weather.

This is the emotive story of Rae finding herself after always living her life pleasing others. She finds out her husband, Howard has committed an indiscretion which rocks her world and makes her question her life. Her best friend, Dolly is also Howard's sister and she tells Rae to 'just move on'. Rae discovers she is not just the girl in the corner but has lots to give and her own life to lead. I loved this book and I really connected with the main character. Amanda Prowse at her best. Would recommend. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

I am a great fan of Amanda Prowse having found one of her books, Poppy Day, here on Netgalley. Rae seems to have it all. A lovely husband and a nice family. It was a real roller coaster ride. Her trip to Antigua with her bestie Dolly, who was a real scream, sounded idyllic. When her husband of 25 years appeared I was torn between her forgiving him and just getting out of her marriage while she could. However, these decisions are difficult to make and over time all seemed well until the final twist which came as a shock . Another amazing read from Amanda Prowse.

Rae-Valentine has what seems to be the perfect marriage. In an almost rags to riches tale she marries her best friend’s brother – and is thrown into the kind of luxurious, glamorous, whirlwind life she always felt was beyond her. Decades later, things start to go horribly wrong for Rae. Amanda Prowse has this incredible gift of taking everyday lives and making them leap off the page at you. Her characters are all so wonderfully real. In other hands, her stories could be mundane. But Prowse lays her characters bare, shows us their inner thinking and with the lightest - but most genuine - touch proceeds to dissect their lives. She gives us glimpses into their very being. And just as I thought I knew exactly where The Girl in the Corner was going, she threw a total spanner in the works. The ending surprised and delighted me! The book is all about relationships - with our best friends, sisters, husbands and children. How do these relationships fare when really tested? And do we even recognise when they have become destructive rather than good for us?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as it was down to earth and realistic. Rae - Valentine is a quiet unassuming young girl when she meets Dolly at college. Dolly is her exact opposite, the loud and outgoing party type and she and Rae become firm friends with Dolly pushing her towards her brother, Howard, which soon results in wedding bells. Rae remains the steady, reliable wife and mother until her world is turned upside down on the day of her 25th wedding anniversary by a confession from Howard that will change her life forever, forcing her to examine herself and what she has become. Fabulously written in such a believable way, touching on subjects everyone can relate to. A definite yes from me!

Another incredibly thoughtful book by Amanda Prowse, one of my favourite authors.

Rae-Valentine is a woman who got married early, to be a part of the Latimer family, who were loud, wild and miles away from her own dull, stuck-in-their-ways family. Her sister-in-law is Dolly, whom she met when she was 16, and Dolly is her best friend as well as her relative. Rae's life is SO enmeshed with those of the Latimers, she has tended to be slightly outside the orbit of her own family. She is the "go-to" lady, the one who is always there for others and who always fixes everything for everyone. But what about HER hopes and dreams? Is she destined to always be the girl in the corner?

There were so many things that resonated with me, with this book. I have always been the girl in the corner too, the boring one, the one that was easy to dismiss. But, just like Rae, I started to find my feet in middle-age and it has been hard but good ever since.

I loved the character of Rae: she was real, she was such a nice woman and I was cheering her on, all the way. The story developed in a way that was unexpected, but I loved it!

I would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially women who were "the girl in the corner" in their younger days :)

5 well-deserved stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing.

I absolutely loved this book. The characters are very relatable and I found that this plot could happen to anyone. I look forward to reading more by this author. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love Amanda Prowse and have thoroughly enjoyed lots of her previous titles so was looking forward to this one. I am very pleased to say that this is bound to be another best seller and is in the true Amanda Prowse style.

A shy, quiet, sixteen year old Rae-Valentine meets Dolly, a loud, bubbly character and they instantly become the best of friends. Rae also ends up marrying Howard, Dolly’s older brother. Fast forward twenty five years and Dolly and Rae are still best friends, as well as sister-in-laws. Rae has the perfect life but then Howard drops a bombshell. He has had a two week fling with a waitress from his work. Rae’s life is turned upside down and she really doesn’t know what to do. Can she stay with Howard ?

The story tells the story of how Rae deals with the aftermath of her Husband’s confession. There are highs and lows, and expect some tear shedding !! This is a fantastic insight into marriage, family, betrayals and so much more. The characters are absolutely fabulous and you will find yourself becoming so engrossed in all of their lives.

If you love Amanda Prowse, you will thoroughly enjoy this book. If you haven’t read any of Amanda’s previous titles, then what are you waiting for !?

Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Great book, Easy read with suprise ending. Great novel about family life in London. Great characters. I would definitely recommend this book to family & friends.

I read this in one sitting - it was my alone time on the train, I really enjoyed the book it was really absorbing & a great read.
The characters were a little cliched, Dolly being over the top, Howard such the chiselled hunk - and Rae, put upon and a jolly good sort. But, as the story developed I did warm to Rae and Dolly, and it felt more real - and I was really happy with the way things worked out in the end.

The girl in the corner by Amanda Prowse.
This was a lovely read. I loved Rae and Dolly. How Dolly spoke with Rae was funny. Looking forward to reading more from Amanda Prowse. 4*.

I love Amanda Prowse’s books and always look forward to reading her latest novel. I enjoy her heart-warming stories and her writing style. ‘The Girl in the Corner’ is about childhood sweethearts Rae-Valentine and Howard who have shared twenty-five seemingly perfect years together, however just before their Anniversary trip to Antigua Howard tells Rae a shocking confession. Reeling from Howard’s heart-breaking betrayal, Rae takes best friend Dolly on her Wedding Anniversary holiday to Antigua. The friends have a lovely time eating, drinking, and chatting; Rae has a total beak from her ‘real life’. Howard then appears wanting to reconcile with his wife but Rae has experienced life without Howard and has made some dramatic life decisions herself.
I read this book over a weekend and could not put it down, I love Amanda’s writing style and the narrative from Rae’s perspective flowed nicely. The characters were likable and realistic and I was rooting for Rae-Valentine from the start. I was hooked from page one and the heart-warming narrative kept me turning the pages well into the night.
Another five Star book from Amanda Prowse, which I definitely recommend.

3.5⭐️
Another hit from Amanda Prowse, if you’re a fan you’ll definitely enjoy this one. I enjoyed it but found it was a little harder than usual to relate to. The main character frustrated me a little but then that’s probably the intention! Rae-Valentine has always been in the shadow of the more dramatic, louder members of her family. She puts everyone else first and is taken for granted by them. When she learns about a betrayal it makes her see the light and find out what’s most important in life.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this E-copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a difficult book to review without giving too much away.
Rae Valentine has always felt inferior and allowed others to take the lead. After 25 years of married life Rae is beginning to find her voice, beginning to roar.
The characters are wonderful and the love within the family is real. At many points I was fully engaged with the plot and characters, laughing, crying and hoping with them. At one point the plot seemed to stutter, but them Wham, another situation occurred.
I have read several books by Amanda, all different but all very good.

This was an ok read but I was left feeling like nothing much really happened. Even the ending seemed rather rushed when something actually began to happen. The best bit about it all was the plot line involving the rediculously names Rae-Valentine’s parents nd sister. I say rediculously names because we were taught Rae’s parents were shy and retiring yet they came up with two of the most assuming names possible for their daughters. Not that that matters, presumably they liked the names or felt they were offering a different sort of life or whatever. I digress. In truth, I was a little disappointed.

Wow another great read from Amanda. Yet again a thought provoking read too. Rae thought her life was the best. With a great husband, two lovely children and a loving family who could ask for more. After a lovely family party to celebrate her wedding anniversary Rae was on cloud nine. Just one conversation with husband Howard sees her life quickly crashing down around her. Is one mistake in all these years worth tearing her world apart for. Rae is in turmoil as she weighs everything up and try’s to work out what to do for the best. Has she been living a lie all these years, or was it just one stupid mistake not worth ripping her world apart for. I really felt for Rae as she tried to work out what was happening with her life, and where did she go from here. Lots of twists and turns along the way as she try’s to do the right thing.

Rae-Valentine finds her life's work; her marriage and the family business she troubleshoots is not what she believes, at her Silver Wedding Anniversary party. Feeling worthless and rudderless she refuses to go on her expensive anniversary holiday until her husband suggests she goes without him, but with her best friend Dolly, his sister.

The trip allows Rae to examine her life choices, but were they her decisions or just her only option? Experiences on the holiday, people she meets and deep heart-to-hearts with her best friend reveal some uncomfortable home truths. The ultimate question, is it too late to change things and live her own life?

Rae-Valentine and all the book's characters are authentic and relatable, as are the situations they find themselves in. This is a story of realisation and self-belief that resonates with the reader and makes an everyday situation, a readable, page-turning story.

I received a copy of this book from Lake Union Publishing/Amazon Publishing via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The Girl in the Corner was beautifully written! I enjoyed the way that Rae was depicted, along with her friendship with Dolly and her relationships with her family. Rae and Dolly have been friends since they were sixteen. Rae married Dolly’s brother, Howard. Now, with grown children, the women are finding their way with their current relationship and the demands of everyone in their families. Rae finds out that Howard has betrayed her. The characters Rae and Dolly are depicted in an honest way. Author Amanda Prowse brings us Rae’s real life and real emotions as the storyline progresses. I really enjoyed the way that Rae’s life was depicted so thoroughly, and not just simply glossed over as her life changes in so many ways. This was a wonderful novel about women, marriage, family, and friendships!

Wow!!! I was not expecting that ending.
If you want a book about friendship, love, loss and betrayal, look no further than The Girl In The Corner. Another great book by Amanda Prowse.

A captivating story which pushes the boundaries of friendship and loyalty. Rae Valentine, the leading lady in the story, will strike a chord with so many women. Putting everyone and everything before herself she doubts her own strengths and anxiously tries to please everyone and smooth the waters.
With colourful characters and a plot that so many women go through I found myself thinking, “go on , find the strength!” and I was delighted when the plot turned the way I hoped.
Excellent story which I loved reading, thank you Amanda!

Our heroine Rae-Valentine met Dolly her BFF at typing college where Dolly declared that she wanted to marry her brother's best friend, Vinnie. Dolly does indeed do this but not before setting up Rae with her brother Howard. who Rae marries at the tender age of 18. Howard and Dollys family, the Latimer's own several restaraunts so Rae from a humble background starts living a life of more luxury. However, she has always felt she was "the girl int he corner", not pretty, not put first, not powerful and of whom no one takes notices of her needs. This stems from Rae's relationship with her older sister, Debbie Jo as aspiring singer cum actress cum dancer who always hogged the limelight at home and taunted Rae as the "girl in the corner".

After a "surprise" silver wedding anniversary party where Howard gives Rae a diamond necklace and tickets for a trip just for the two of them to Antigua. Howard confesses that he has recently been unfaithful (with a waitress, for a 2 week period). Heartbroken, Rae goes to Antigua with Dolly to decide where her marriage is headed. However, tensions rise to the surface as Dolly seems to be in taking her brother's side. So, Rae goes off alone and flirts and receives nuggets of wisdom from a young bar man and takes a good long look at how she came to be a pushover for everyone in her life.

When Howard comes looking for reconciliation, Rae has a choice to make: keep the peace, as she always has, or put herself first for once and find out who she really is.

This book really wasn't for me. I hated the twee names of the female characters, it was really one dimensional and dragged a flimsy premise out for what seemed like ever. A book by numbers.As soon as it was mentioned that Howard ran the family restaraunts it was obvious that temptation would be to hand, but not to Rae. It reminded me of a really bad Kay Mellor style female drama. Flimsy and not worth the time spent on it.

Really good read. Took a bit of time to get in to it but it was really interesting with full character depth. Makes you think about life and how you would handle some situations and a great end. Thank you for the ARC

I absolutely loved the first book that I read by Amanda Prowse (Perfect Daughter) so I was really excited when I got an advanced copy of her latest book. It was a good read and one that kept me entertained throughout but I was always looking for something to happen. There were lots of pages of text that just didn't hook me and it felt more like Prowse was trying to describe a movie scene than one in a book.

There's family drama, there's secrets, romance, emotions flying around...but it still fell flat, until one particular moment where it felt like Prowse poured her heart into making the scene come alive. Empathy and understanding is in abundance throughout this book that's for sure - and Prowse crafts her characters carefully to bring them to life. It just wasn't my favourite book of hers but definitely won't stop me reading more..!

I'm shocked, I'm completely blown away by this book. Some of Amanda's work is heavy going or a subject that is sensitive or taboo and she handles them so well. This is such an amazing breath or fresh air from the tragedy and drama, or is it?
There are so many times in my life that I have felt like the Girl in the Corner and it really does resonate with me. It's funny and witty and a little sarcastic in all the right places. It's also got a great amount of trauma and once again Amanda has managed to perfect the right level of real-life accuracy. I completely fell in love with all the characters, but Rae-Valentine, such a powerful and resilient woman just had me captivated from the very beginning. I found myself willing her on, wanting her to step out from the corner and simultaneously trying to put myself in her shoes and wondering what I would do if it was me.
There's a situation around page 100 that had me simultaneously cringing and crying with laughter. I managed not to cry until the last few chapters, but alas Amanda got me again with such an emotive and powerful ending.
I have to say that I also absolutely loved the cover, it's stunning and the picture doesn't really do it justice. For an author who said she was only going to write 20 books, thank heavens she didn't stop, book 21 is wonderful and I can't wait to read book 22!

I really enjoyed this book, which certainly has you thinking about what you would do in a similar situation. Rae has the perfect marriage, or so she thought, which comes tumbling down with her husbands infidelity. The characters are very real, with real issues and Rae transforms from the girl in the corner to someone who realises she has her own life to lead and an awful lot to give, The ending came as a real surprise to me. Most enjoyable.

Rae-Valentine has always been the girl in the corner, trying not to be noticed. At a young age overshadowed by her all singing, all dancing older sister and then later by her loud over the top best friend Dolly. Shoot forward then to the evening of Rae's 25th wedding anniversary, she feels she has it all, a beautiful house, doting husband, great children, but a revelation to her later that night but someone near and dear to her brings it all unstuck.
Will Rae find her voice and come out of the corner? Or will she continue to allow herself to be defined by the people around her?
A very believable book with a lot of humour that balances out the grief and sadness.
Thank you Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publication and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Rae-Valentine appears to have everything; the perfect marriage, a wonderful family and a fabulous life, until the night of her 25th wedding anniversary when her husband Howard reveals something that blows her perfect world apart and makes her question everything she's done in her life so far. After his revelation Rae flies off to Antigua, her anniversary holiday with Dolly, Howard's sister and Rae's larger than life best friend to try to come to terms with what she's been told and try to decide how, or if indeed, she can get past it.

This is a story of love, relationships and friendships and what betrayal can do to all of these. I think many women can relate to being that 'girl in the corner' at some point in their life, I know I can! Sometimes things happen and we question if we had trod a different path would it still have happened, but it's the path we choose that determines how we live our lives, be it right or wrong and that is what Rae had done, she chose to become a Latimer and live that life, not realising until way down the line, it wasn't really the path she wanted to follow, the question she now needs to answer is 'does she follow her head or her heart?'

I've loved all of Amanda's books and this was no exception, Rae really resonated with me and I was urging her all through the book to put herself first for once. I loved her character and really hope we see more of Rae-Valentine and her adventures in a new story. I would like to thank Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for the auto approval and will post my review on Goodreads and Amazon.

Rae and Dolly have been friends since they met in college, Rae eventually marrying Dolly’s brother (Howard) and enjoying a happy marriage. The story is about Rae who has always been the shy ‘girl in the corner’ character who accepts that she will always be considered second best (in her parents’ eyes) to her sister Debbie Jo. When married with a family, putting their needs first rather than following her own desire to study to become a chef, being at the beck and call of her family and husband Howard’s business partnership.
Rae is a ‘nice’ well developed character, but as a reader, you want her to become stronger, more independent and consider herself for a change. Following Howard and Rae’s anniversary party, Rae finds out something about Howard which shakes her world and motivates her to re-consider her future.

I found the book to be a relaxing, enjoyable read, but quite slow in places with little happening to move the story forward. I loved the humour between Rae and her gregarious best friend Dolly, it reflected how important true friendships are. The book moves between humour and tragedy so empathatically, showing how skillful and talented the author is.
The book is about relationships, discovery, and betrayal within family and friends, and I didn’t expect the ending which came out of the blue. I loved this book and would definitely recommend.
#TheGirlInTheCorner #NetGalley

Review posted at Amazon 27/12/2018
https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/create-review/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_wr_but_top/thankyou?asins=B07FJWRVD7&channel=glance-detail-thankyou

A little bit of a slow start for me, but I did enjoy the book, once complete. A mix of relationships, loss, friendship, and making decisions on whether to stay or go.

Having been the 'girl in the corner' myself, this book was totally relateable and real to me. Luckily I can't relate to the marital issues! So what would you do if you found out that your husband of 25 years had had a throwaway fling with a younger woman? Probably, you would react in the same way as Rae-Valentine does.

An easy to read, emotional, contemporary fiction of love and betrayal that just flows beautifully throughout and which demonstrates why Amanda Prowse has just made it to the Christmas Amazon Kindle chart bestseller's top spot.

Huge congratulations to Amanda Prowse on the early success (once again!) of this book and many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this ARC for which I have given my voluntary and unbiased review.

Thank You to Netgalley, Amanda Prowse and Amazon Publishing UK for giving me the oppertunity to read this book.

This book was very moving at times and had me reaching for the tissues. I Dont really know what to say about this book without repeating the many versions of the outline.

I did like this book, I thought that the story telling was good and Amanda made you feel like you were there with the characters, kind of like a spirit watching everything unfold.

The story is very life like and I can feel and imagine someone's life actually being like this.

all in all it wasa good read.

Rae-Valentine has always felt overwhelmed by people and places in her life, right back to her early childhood when her gregarious sister took centre stage and all the limelight. Never one to rock the boat she heads off to secretarial college on the advice of her parents, even though she would rather have gone to catering college and learned to cook. There she meets Dolly who's loud and confident and singles Rae out from the class to be her new best friend. Opposites attract and all that. Dolly is desperate to date her brother's best friend so pairs Rae up with her brother so they can double-date - and the rest is history. They click instantly and get married soon after, aged just 18.

25 happy years and 2 kids later, Rae and Howard are still together and celebrating their silver wedding anniversary with all the family. That is until the party's over and Howard breaks down with a confession which rocks Rae's whole world. With a trip of a lifetime to Antigua booked, Howard insists that Rae goes ahead with the trip accompanied by her best friend Dolly, citing work commitments with the family restaurants as the reason for him not being able to go.

On this trip Rae spends many hours looking back over her life, wondering how things have ended up the way they are. Why can't she be brave like everyone else and reach for her own ambitions? Why can she not be selfish just for once and stop being a doormat for everyone to wipe their feet on? She realises she needs to get a backbone - but doing it is far more difficult than making the decision. Especially once she's back in the routine of the UK and at the family's beck and call.

What will it take for Rae to finally step up and speak out? Can she do it or is she destined to watch her dreams slip from her fingers time after time until it's too late?

I definitely recommend this book to women across the age groups - you will at times want to give Rae a good shake and a strong talking to, at others you will want her to tell Dolly to butt out and others you will just want to hug her and share a box of tissues as you have a good old weep together. By the end of the book I loved Rae-Valentine but it was one hell of a journey through the pages of her life to get to where she needed to be.

Thank you once again Amanda Prowse for making me ugly cry in public!

EXCERPT: This evening she looked at the lit windows of the tall houses, standing like sentinels in a proud curve, and wondered, as she often did, about the lives that went on behind them, picturing the people she nodded to or greeted during the course of the day.

'Morning Mrs Williams! ... Yes, it is a bit chilly; stay warm. '

'Hello Mr Jeffries. How are you today? ... Oh, I'm so glad to hear it. If you need anything, you know where we are. '

'Well, hello Fifi - aren't you full of energy today!' Rae loved to pet the cute little Shih-tzu and would smile at Fifi'sowner, the quiet young woman who never responded with anything other than a brief nod and a stony silence, her eye contact non-existant.

Yes, she wondered about the lives of these people, her neighbours with whom she lived cheek by jowl, bumping into them in their pyjamas as they put the bins out, listening to them row, cry, sing. . . She knew so many intimate details of their lives, but not their first names or their favorite colors or even why Fifi's mum was so painfully shy. It was a strange and wonderful situation and one that she felt was peculiarly British; she considered the possibility that if the residents of Lawns Crescent had slightly less stiff upper lips and more open arms, she might have answers to all the above.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: The Girl In the Corner is the poignant tale of a woman who has always been there for her family. But will they be there for her?

Rae-Valentine and Howard were childhood sweethearts. They’ve shared twenty-five peaceful years since they were brought together by Dolly, Howard’s larger-than-life sister. But now, on the night of their wedding anniversary, Howard reveals a shocking betrayal that leaves Rae reeling.

Heartbroken, she takes Dolly on her would-be anniversary trip to Antigua and the two women drink and dance and talk like they haven’t in years. But in the break from real life, Rae realises her choices have always been made for her, and suddenly she’s questioning not only her fragile marriage but also her one-sided friendships. Is she really the pushover everyone else sees?

When Howard comes looking for reconciliation, Rae has a choice to make: keep the peace, as she always has, or put herself first for once and find out who she really is.

MY THOUGHTS: I usually love Amanda Prowse's writing, the way she makes the reader run the gamut of their emotions, but The Girl in the Corner felt a little flat to me. Even though I think that most of us have, at some time, suffered a lack of self esteem, I still found Rae hard to relate to. It took me 90% of the book before I felt anything for her and I am still not sure why. . .

It is a perfectly good story. A story many of us are familiar with, either through our own experiences, or of those of friends. It is a story of love and betrayal, of friendship being tested by circumstances, of grief in many forms, of choices made and not made.

The characters didn't seem as well formed as in books I have previously read by this author. And I detested their names! I did shed a tear in one place, but overall this was not a memorable read.

😐😐😐

THE AUTHOR: Amanda Prowse was a management consultant for ten years before realising that she was born to write. Amanda lives in the West Country with her husband and their two teenage sons.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Girl in the Corner by Amanda Prowse for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

. . . . .

Amanda’s books always tug on the heartstrings with well rounded characters and oodles of emotional turmoil. It covers family relationships and friendships and betrayal. It makes you question what you would do. She has a wonderful writing style that makes you relate to the characters and immerse youself in the storyline.

I always look forward to a new novel by Amanda as she writes with such passion and warmth and this story is no exception.

Rae-Valentine has always felt over shadowed thus the title The Girl in the Corner, by those around her so when her best friend Dolly arranged for her to date her brother Howard she never thought for one minute that he would fall in love with her and marry. Their two families couldn’t have been more different yet somehow Rae appeared to fit in to her new vivacious life.

On what should have been one of the best nights of her life, a surprise 25th wedding anniversary, arranged by her Dolly and Howard, a confession from Howard changes her life forever. A trip to the beautiful island of Antigua with Dolly offers some hope to repair her marriage but instead it opens Rae’s eyes and mind to her life and the possibility of change. Her openness and newly found confidence causes a rift with Dolly, as Dolly is showing that her loyalties to her brother.

This story explores how a woman who has always been led by others find her voice and take control over her own life to eventually become the person she always dreamed of.

My thanks to Net Galley for the digital ARC of The Girl in the Corner. This is my own opinion of this book.

I make no secret of the fact Amanda Prowse is my favourite author and I eagerly devour all of her books and have re-read many. I was excited to get my hands on The Girl In The Corner but had been saving it for my Christmas treat. I wasn't disappointed. Once again, Amanda has produced a gripping page turner which I couldn't put down.

This is an emotional contemporary tale of love and deceipt which captivated me from the start. As usual with Amanda's books, there are a great cast of characters who I could empathise with. I really felt for Rae and became so emotionally connected with her character on her rollercoaster journey. There were parts which made me smile and also cry too. I didn't see the twist at the end coming. Fabulous! I would give it more than 5 stars if I could.

I can't recommend any of Amanda's books highly enough - I have loved them all. I am so pleased she writes so quickly as I can't wait for the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a corker! Amanda does it again. I absolutely love all that’s Amanda’s written. Corker of an ending! It’s NEVER too late!

With thanks to Netgalleyand the publishers for the loan of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The girl in the corner by Amanda Prowse was a story of a marriage lasting 25 years and how the family and friend dynamics change when the wife is told the evening after celebrating 25 years of marriage that the husband had been unfaithful.
It is an insightful story and Rae, the girl in the corner has to come to turns with his infidelity. Or does she?
Highly recommended.

Another book from Amanda Prowse that you will not be able to put down and you will yourself definitely needing a box of tissues. Rae met Dolly as a teenager and they became best friends. Dolly was the outgoing person that Rae wanted to be. Dolly introduced Rae to her brother Howard, who she then married. Rae has a great life, a loving husband, children and family but she knows she has never fulfilled her dreams. At her silver wedding anniversary party Howard makes a startling confession that leaves Rae feeling betrayed and heartbroken. She then has to decide whether to stay the girl in the corner or lead her own life. The story explores how a woman who finds herself after being in the shadow of others and becomes the woman she always dreamed she would be. A highly recommended read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I have read a few of Amanda Prowse’s books and loved them. They usually bring out many emotions, many tears, for me. This one didn’t do that. It was good don’t get me wrong. But it was also just not the kind of book I would usually read. There was no connection for me to the characters.

Rae- Valentine let people make to many decisions for her that she should have made for herself. Especially after her husband of 25 years dropped a bomb in her lap on the night of said anniversary. I did not like him at all. I personally didn’t think he sounded sincere once he came to where Rae and Dolly, Howard’s loud sister, were on holiday. A holiday that was meant for Rae and Howard. He thought Rae would just forgive him that quickly... That is beyond belief in my opinion. Rae was a bit of a pushover though. She sorta of stood up to Dolly but then would back down again every time. She needed to tell them all where to go and how quick to get there. I would have respected her way more if she would have stood up to Howard and Dolly more. Then to find out that Dolly who was her best friend since the young age of 16 knew the secret, or part of it, that Howard was keeping, made her even more of a jerk. Even though Howard was her brother, Rae was her very best friend and deserved more respect from her.

Then something happens that is sad, that part did make me cry, and Rae decides it’s time to get over the anger and forgive Howard. It’s not been that long by the way. But of course she finds out more things and then she decides it may be time for her to do things that she has always wanted to do. But will she? You’ll have to read the book to find out but I have to say I gained a bit of respect for her near the end. The way she interacted with her children, especially her daughter’s new love, gave me hope for Rae. That her sister, Debbie-Jo was very self centered and totally thought the world centered around her. I didn’t like her either. The only one I liked a bit was Dolly. Dolly was loud and overwhelmening but she was herself. She didn’t play games most of the time. I think she truly thought she was protecting Rae-Valentine by keeping secrets.

I gave this book 3.5 stars only because it just didn’t keep me up reading or show the emotions that Amanda Prowe’s other novels have. I think it’s worth reading and do recommend you read it and judge for yourself. It was just not exactly my kind of story.

Thank you to NetGally, Amanda Prowse, Lakeside group, Amazon Publishing UK and Lake Union for letting me read this in exchange for my very honest review.

After reading several of Amanda Prowse books I feel highly honoured to receive a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review.

Rae-Valentine meets extrovert Dolly at college, they become friends for life even though she is the opposite of quiet Rae. Dolly is adamant that Rae will love her brother Howard so she arranges a double date which leads to marriage.

Howard and Rae are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary and Dolly has helped arrange a party that has all the family there.

After the party Howard admits to having a 2 week affair with one of the waitresses at their family restaurant. They had to pay her off so she would not tell anyone!! But now the genie is out of the bottle can their marriage survive such a betrayal of trust.

As usual Amanda Prowse is not afraid to delve into the nitty gritty of emotions, it makes you see their marital difficulties from other people’s options and how it effects the whole family.

A beautifully written book about friendship, marriage and trust that will keep you enthralled and pull at your heart strings.

I was the girl in the corner, being the youngest and quietest of 8, growing up you would often find me in the corner reading. My favourite short story was “The mouse that roared” and believe me if you rile me I have learned to roar before scuttling back to my book!!!

A must read book with a surprising ending.

This book centres on the life of Rae Valentine and how she ends up living her life in the shadows in relation to her best friend Dolly and then all of the other people in her life. This includes her husband, who is Dolly's brother, who she meets when she is 16 years old.

Rae starts to question her life when her husband Howard reveals that he has been unfaithful to her. This rocks her world and she is not sure of anything as a result.

A highly enjoyable read.

Another good read from Amanda Prowse. In this story, Rae is absolutely broken when her husband confesses to having had a brief affair with a much younger woman. To try and get her head straight, she goes off on holiday to Antigua with her sister in law. But will she be able to forgive her husband, or is she really prepared to walk out on everything she knows and start again? A good story with an ending that surprised me! Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

Rae-Valentine is living what many would describe as an enviable life. She lives in an upper middle class suburban home, has 2 older children, and a well off husband who helps with his family line of restaurants. At a party celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary her husband Howard reveals a shocking betrayal that leaves Rae's life in tatters. She departs on a 2 week getaway to Antigua to clear her head. She brings along her best friend (and also sister in law) Dolly. During her time away she starts to reevaluate her life and it's purpose. Upon her return she is thrown right back into the mix of her everyday mundane activities and still craves more for herself. She needs to decide whether she wants to try and save her marriage, or put herself first for once and see what's out in the world.

I had a hard time with this book because I didn't like any of the characters! I especially couldn't stand Dolly. She was loud, obnoxious, selfish, and inconsiderate. Howard annoyed me for obvious reasons, but I also didn't even really like Rae. I understand how she felt pulled in different directions but when she was hosting a party she was actually annoyed when people were asking her for drinks. That's what happens when you host something! I just didn't care for her. I did like how the book ended, I just felt like the whole middle part could have been skipped and she should have left him right in the beginning. She never thought to ask if there had been other women and then was caught off guard when she discovered that? Really?? I liked how in the end she was able to just pack up and go, although for someone who was resentful of being on call for the restaurants she didn't seem to have a difficult time taking that money to go "island hopping". That's not something people are normally able to just get up and go do spur of the moment.

I like Amanda Prowse's writing style and will definitely continue to read her books.

A whole series of emotions in one book . I could relate to Rae being the girl in the corner . I cried many tears with her throughout the story and I rejoiced with her at the end of the novel .

Perfect chick lit! I loved the premise and the characters were well developed! I recommend this for anyone looking for a light and fun read!

Loved this story and Amanda Prowse has done an excellent job at capturing you into the story so you feel the highs and lows of the characters.

The main character in this wonderful story is Rae-Valentine. As a young girl, she forever feels like she is the girl in the corner, hiding away, unlike her outgoing dancer older sister and her crazy best friend, Dolly. After marrying Dolly’s handsome brother, Howard, on the evening of Rae's 25th wedding anniversary, she feels she has it all- living in a beautiful house, two wonderful children, and a comfortable life. When it all comes crashing down that night due to being given information about her husband she never thought she would hear, Rea feels once again like the girl in the corner, being forgotten by those she loves.

Following that evening, Rae has some hard decisions to make and the tale of her finding herself is very, very good. I loved this book and so happy I had the chance to read it by receiving a copy from NetGalley. It’s my first Amanda Prowse book and I can’t wait to read more. Highly recommended!!

Completely gripping from the first few pages. I could easily identify with Rae-Valentine and could see some of her life mirrored in my own.

This is story about being the person you want to be, to try to live the life you want, and not for those more pushy relations.

Rae-Valentine is a quiet sort of girl, bit of a wall flower, eager to please, lacking in confidence. Her parents appear to favour her older sister, her best friend is rather bolshy and the complete opposite and her husband is her best friends brother.

She has married into a whole different life to what she has grown up with and when one day she hears her husband confess to a brief affair, her life is sent off kilter.

This is a book of self discovery, the majority of which is on a holiday to Antigua.

There are some hilarious moments in this, as well as some that brought me almost to tears,

Like the majority of the books I have read by Amanda Prowse, it was an addictive read, hard to put down, and is definitely a book worth clearing time in your schedule to read in one sitting.

Thank you to Lake Union and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This is my first Amanda Prowse book, and won’t be my last. Rae’s story was woven together so well that it draws you in without you really noticeing, and before you know it you’ve been reading for 2 hours straight. I couldn’t decide how I wanted Rae and Howard’s story to end. I won’t talk about the story any more as I don’t want to leave spoilers. Just read it

Unfortunately I have stopped ready 20 pages as I found the plot uninteresting, slow and boring. The character and this special something the book should have was missing here.

Having read several of this author's previous titles, was keen to read this. Once again Ms Prowse's writing does not disappoint. Thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Rae & her family & her whacky loud best friend Dolly. The story begins with a girls only trip to Antigua, where I, as the reader longed for Rae to have a holiday romance with the handsome bar tender, but this is interrupted by the sudden arrival of her husband. Back home Rae tries to forgive her husband for his recent affair & almost does until - not the ending i was expecting, but kept me hooked right until the final paragraph

This author has been recommended to me several times and finally got to read one. Im so glad i have , I loved it and after a while I I was glued to the pages. Be prepared to feel like a human emotional yoyo ...now someone pass me her next book please.

Brilliant book with laughter, love and intrigue. I was glued from the first page to find out the truth. My feelings for the characters changed throughout the book as I learnt more. Very well put together and look forward to more from this author. GREAT book.

This is my second Amanda Prowse book after Poppy Day, which I loved.
The Girl In The Corner wasn't quite as much my cup of tea, and I wish the main protagonist could have found her spine a good deal earlier, but it was still impactful writing and an all too credible plot. Genre readers will love it.

When You open all books written by Amanda Prowse you know they are going to be excellent. touching read.
So The Girl in the Corner came out to read I had to put it on my reading list. This book is beautifully written. and an easy read with brilliant characters throughout. Each character had their own issues and fitted well within this book. Amanda has a great way of making you a part of her books. You will find some moving sad parts of the book so you may need some tissues handy.

I would highly recommend her books especially this one. I just loved it.

Thank you Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this fantastic book.

So. I never cry at books. But blow me, this is the second book EVER I have cried at, and the first one I cried at was also an Amanda Prowse book!

This is the story of Rae who is quite under-confident and who puts everyone's needs before her own, until a major upset causes her to re-evaluate her life. I don't want to go into any more detail as I want readers to go on Rae's journey with her.

This was, as is usual with an Amanda Prowse book, written from the heart, and makes you pause and think about your own family and smile when you see similarities.

Another 5* highly recommended read from me!

Wow! Twists and Turns throughout the entire book! I didn't want it to end, especially after more was revealed. I enjoyed reading about the progression of Rae-Valentine and she finds her confidence and turns into a strong independent woman. A very fast read encompassing, love, loss, best friends, family and how they all intertwine for better or for worse.

I seem to either love Amanda’s books, or feel let down by them. I liked the beginning of this, and loved the ending, but the rest seemed to go on forever with just the one theme of whether or not the cheated-upon wife should forgive her husband. Having said that, a few of my book-loving friends have said it’s their favourite book of Amanda’s so far, so what do I know?

Wow another an amazing novel from Amanda Prowse. How does she continue to write such heart wrenching stories that are so true to real life that you can’t help but feel heartbroken for poor Rae. The story flowed well and kept you gripped and guessing till the end. Covering everyday stress and strains of real life. Thank you Amanda.

Rae’s story is one of heartbreak, friendship and finding yourself, and although her journey is painful at times, it’s also about finding strength from within, being kind to others, but being kind to yourself as well. Easy to read, The Girl in the Corner is compelling and capture’s the reader’s attention.

I'm a massive Amanda Prowse fan and was very excited to be approved for this book. But there was something about it that left be a bit cold and unmoved. The character of Rae wasn't very fleshed out and Dolly was just annoying. It seemed incredible to me that Rae had never previously questioned the role she played in the lives of her family and friends because they were so important to her until a major crisis hit, then she completely changed her whole attitude about what was important to her.

I've now started reading Coordinates of Loss by the same author which is excellent, so hopefully this disappointing read is just a blip from a normally highly readable writer.

I was so excited to read this book. I have enjoyed many novels by Amanda Prowse as she does domestic drama so well. This one feels a little different and actually, I decided very early on that it was my favourite of all of her published works. It was the characterisation that clinched it for me on this occasion. I was instantly able to empathise with the protagonist, Rae-Valentine, and enjoyed watching her get stronger throughout the challenges of her marriage and family life. Her best friend, Dolly, was drawn incredibly well and I fell in love with her straight away. She had me in stitches in several places throughout the story which added a lightness and comedy that complemented the more serious struggles the characters were facing. Even the background characters felt very full and real, particularly Rae-Valentine’s mother. I would highly recognise this book to anyone who likes their fiction to feel real, raw and authentic and enjoy being made to consider, ‘Mmm…what would I do in this situation?’

This is a compelling easy to read story of friendship, family, love and heartbreak. Wonderfully written with great characters and the authors gift of pulling the reader into the emotional mindset of the characters.

Difficult to review without spoilers but read it and see what the happens when the quiet, accommodating Rae Valentine finds her world is blown apart on what should be one of the happiest days of her life, and what the realisation that her life, marriage and friends are not as she thought results in.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the copy of this book - the opinions expressed in this review are as always, my own.

This book just wasn't for me at this time. I had a hard time getting into the story. This is the first book I have read by this author and I would certainly try another one. It just didn't capture my interest.

This was disappointing.
The world appeared grey and the characters bland.
The whole story was just very slow.
Not for me.

Amanda Prowse never fails to keep you entertained. I always love the depth of her characters as if I know them. A moving book about relationships and how fragile they can become. You can only ever really trust yourself. Can you ever rely on someone to not let you down? I couldn’t put this book down.

I have read a few of Amanda Prowse's book before this one and have always found them easy to read - not particularly challenging and great for holidays - as a teacherI struggle to read fiction during the school term. I have to confess I didn't really like Rae to start with - she seemed to be quite a sap and too much of a people-pleaser for my liking. But I had a feeling that would change during the book and I was right - the character developed into a much stronger outspoken woman who showed her independence and bravery, and started putting herself first, much to the chagrin of her husband and some of her friends.

An enjoyable holiday read, worth grabbing if you are at the airport and would like something that isn't too taxing.