The problem with this book was that it stayed with me as I started the next one! I just couldn’t seem to get the characters….and not just the main one…out of my head.

Stay-at-home wife and mum Nina’s life is shattered to smithereens when her husband, Finn, is tragically killed in a car accident. However, the gaping wounds of her loss have salt cruelly rubbed into them when she discovers Finn left her with millions of pounds of debt. Gone are her rich lifestyle and all its trappings, gone is the posh private school for her children, gone is her mansion of a house. With few, if not no, options left to her, she is forced to return to the council estate in Southampton, where she grew up and where her sister still lives, not only to try and make sense of what has happened but to work out how she is going to feed, clothe and house her family.

This is an excellent story with a plot and characters that ooze credibility on every page. It’s a story of tragedy and loss, enlightenment and achievement. It was my first date with this author, and I’m already lining up a few more. I’ve read many a good book, but few imprint themselves in my mind enough to distract me in my subsequent read, so, Ms Prowse, I can confidently say: job jolly well done.
( )

What if everything you thought about your life was based on a lie? One woman has to recreate herself after losing her soulmate, and also the life they lived. She thought she fitted in, but that was just another illusion. What would you DO when everything you believed in was exposed as a sham? Where would you start to rebuild? Do you have the resilience to face up to reality, not the fairytale that was woven for you? An excellent read about the life we choose to let ourselves live. ( )

Amanda Prowse is fast becoming my go-to author when I'm wondering what to read next as her books are always situated at the top of my reading pile; they really are the crème de la crème and never fail to deliver a real life story that tugs on your heartstrings.

The Art of Hiding was a bit different from Amanda's other books as the sadness hits right at the beginning when Nina's husband dies. I didn't even have a chance to get to know the characters so, although it was heartbreaking when Nina has to break the news to her sons, I was left dry eyed. I felt triumphant - I had beaten Amanda Prowse; finally, a book that wouldn't make me cry! I relaxed and drew myself into Nina's story: the turmoil of losing her house and moving to a pokey flat in Southampton, her boys having to leave their prestigious school, all the while having to cope with their recent bereavement.

Both Nina and the boys struggle to adapt to their new meagre surroundings, none more so than Nina's eldest son, Connor. Connor was set to be a shining star on his school rugby team and now he must start from scratch at a new school. It was Connor's love of rugby that ultimately made me cry at the after match party; my earlier triumph at not crying was deflated like a burst balloon, but I didn't care - my heart was bursting at the amazing scene painted by Amanda Prowse's beautiful words.

The Art of Hiding really makes you think about what makes you happy. It's not necessarily the treasured possessions that we surround ourselves with, it's the people with whom we share our life and experiences. Nina was just another of her husband's treasured possessions and she was so busy being a wife and mother that she ended up being a ghost of herself. It took the tragedy of losing her husband and going back to basics for her to really start living.

Yet again, Amanda Prowse made me cry but most definitely in a good way! Only Amanda Prowse could turn such a tragic situation into a heartwarming story of survival and reawakening. It's no surprise that I have awarded 5 stars and I'm sure that there will be many more 5 star ratings to come from other readers.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion. ( )

Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/




Right, I'm going, to be honest here and say that I really struggled with this book.
I'm obviously in a minority here in regards to how The art Of Hiding was perceived by myself as I've seen many positive reviews singing its praises and this is a well-written story it just personally wasn't really my cup of tea.
So I'm going to try and pinpoint what wasn't working for me as there was never one major thing that stood out specifically and also what was actually floating my boat.
So first things first I've never read anything by Amanda Prowse before, so was going in blind here.
Well, my initial impression was that The Art Of Hiding was really well written, the words flowed easily and the writing style was one that was easy to get lost in.
But here comes my main problem, the actual story itself, I found it a bit boring and somewhat one-dimensional.
I also wondered whether the author herself has ever lived on the breadline or was this her portrayal of what she thinks it would be like to be in that scenario.
I thought to myself why wasn't Nina McCarrick with no income not down the job centre and putting in an application, dare I say it for housing benefit.
She was meant to be on her arse after all.
It also annoyed me how living on the breadline was initially portrayed all doom and gloom and shitty childhoods, I didn't find it a realistic portrayal of how the other half lives it was very stereotypical in the way it depicted the rich and the poor.
I found it so hard to connect with the characters especially Nina who I found very whiny and almost childlike in some of her reactions.
Thank god for Tiggy, she was a breath of fresh air and also very forgiving considering the way she has been treated by her sister over the past few years.
I was so glad we had tiggy to add a bit of realism to this tale, I needed her as She was the one character I actually liked completely.
So a brief description of The Art Of Hiding is Nina McCarrick has the perfect life.
Until that is her husband Finn dies in a car crash leaving Nina and their Two sons in a mountain of debt and their whole lives unravelling.
Nina moves her boys back to the streets of Southampton where she grew up and The Art Of Hiding is really the story of how Nina and her children cope and grow as individuals as their world implodes.
As I said earlier I couldn't initially connect, but then a bit before the end I felt it and this is mainly what made me bump this up a star, I had a lump in my throat as Nina and her kids visit their former home with Tiggy, it was very poignant and sentimental and after pages of just reading, I actually started to feel the words written.
Overall though this book didn't make me feel good, On finishing, I felt rather sad and deflated and I like my fiction to leave me feeling rejuvenated, an emotional wreck, happy even sad, but not deflated and down that's a no-no.
I really do think I would enjoy other works of Amanda Prowse's as I really did like the writing style It was just the Art Of Hiding just didn't quite hit the mark for me.
I would like to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an arc of The Art Of Hiding By Amanda Prowse, this is my own voluntary, honest opinion.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/ ( )

Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/




Right, I'm going, to be honest here and say that I really struggled with this book.
I'm obviously in a minority here in regards to how The art Of Hiding was perceived by myself as I've seen many positive reviews singing its praises and this is a well-written story it just personally wasn't really my cup of tea.
So I'm going to try and pinpoint what wasn't working for me as there was never one major thing that stood out specifically and also what was actually floating my boat.
So first things first I've never read anything by Amanda Prowse before, so was going in blind here.
Well, my initial impression was that The Art Of Hiding was really well written, the words flowed easily and the writing style was one that was easy to get lost in.
But here comes my main problem, the actual story itself, I found it a bit boring and somewhat one-dimensional.
I also wondered whether the author herself has ever lived on the breadline or was this her portrayal of what she thinks it would be like to be in that scenario.
I thought to myself why wasn't Nina McCarrick with no income not down the job centre and putting in an application, dare I say it for housing benefit.
She was meant to be on her arse after all.
It also annoyed me how living on the breadline was initially portrayed all doom and gloom and shitty childhoods, I didn't find it a realistic portrayal of how the other half lives it was very stereotypical in the way it depicted the rich and the poor.
I found it so hard to connect with the characters especially Nina who I found very whiny and almost childlike in some of her reactions.
Thank god for Tiggy, she was a breath of fresh air and also very forgiving considering the way she has been treated by her sister over the past few years.
I was so glad we had tiggy to add a bit of realism to this tale, I needed her as She was the one character I actually liked completely.
So a brief description of The Art Of Hiding is Nina McCarrick has the perfect life.
Until that is her husband Finn dies in a car crash leaving Nina and their Two sons in a mountain of debt and their whole lives unravelling.
Nina moves her boys back to the streets of Southampton where she grew up and The Art Of Hiding is really the story of how Nina and her children cope and grow as individuals as their world implodes.
As I said earlier I couldn't initially connect, but then a bit before the end I felt it and this is mainly what made me bump this up a star, I had a lump in my throat as Nina and her kids visit their former home with Tiggy, it was very poignant and sentimental and after pages of just reading, I actually started to feel the words written.
Overall though this book didn't make me feel good, On finishing, I felt rather sad and deflated and I like my fiction to leave me feeling rejuvenated, an emotional wreck, happy even sad, but not deflated and down that's a no-no.
I really do think I would enjoy other works of Amanda Prowse's as I really did like the writing style It was just the Art Of Hiding just didn't quite hit the mark for me.
I would like to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an arc of The Art Of Hiding By Amanda Prowse, this is my own voluntary, honest opinion.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/ ( )