This book shows the connection that Amanda Prowse has with family emotions at difficult times in their lives. Nick , the father, and his son Oliver must deal with the loss of the main woman in their life...both wife and mother. While Nick has his own grappling to do, he tries very hard to help his son deal with the loss of his mother. However, Oliver has never been able to deal with his mother’s illness let alone her death, and has some guilt built into his grief. The descriptions of the relationship between Oliver and Nick were spot on with two different types of grief trying to deal and continue on. As the two work through this with both the help and the hindrance of friends and family...we see them both grow in understanding (altho there are times that either one could use a knock on the head). Both main and peripheral characters were well defined, making for a very good story about loss, grief, compassion and most of all love. I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review, which this has been. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book. #TheLightInTheHallway. #LakeUnionPublishing. #NetGalley

The Light in the Hallway by Amanda Prowse is a sad yet powerful read. I found myself lured deep into this book. Losing a long-time loved one and coming to terms with the emptiness they left behind is huge. A husband and his son lost a special woman in their lives. Grief, loss, anger, and finding their way back to living is hard. Nick must find a way to pull himself out of the darkness and into the light. Not just for his sake but for his son's as well.

I cried so much. This novel was heart breaking and sweet at the same time. The characters go through a difficult loss. Their grief became my own. The father loved his son, Oliver in such a way he didn't know how to reconnect with him. It took time and another character to help both father and son see a new light. Healing was another theme in this book. The amount of time and effort for both father and son to heal was realistic. It was so easy to believe. I enjoyed reading this book.

Another amazing book by Amanda Prowse as she leads us through the highs and lows after a death of a spouse. While it definitely was a tear jerker, there was so much more to it than that.

I love Amanda Prowse’s books and I thoroughly enjoyed this one, she writes in a very realistic way that tugs on your heart strings and is very relatable. I always look forward to reading her books and I look forward to her next one. They are most definitely feel good books, just what is needed on a cold winters day.

This was such a wonderful book. There was some sadness, but, oh so much joy and happiness. The relationship between father and son - both generations - was so touching. There is such a gentleness throughout the story. That's why it's taken me so long to write a review. I savored every word, then went and read it again just for the chance to be sure I hadn't missed anything. (I hadn't. but didn't regret relishing this story all over again.) Highly recommend.

An amazing story of grief, guilt and new beginnings - didn’t want it to end. The Bairstow boys shine through and grow on every page

Emotional, real and different. A great read but a little frustrating at times. The Light in the Hallway takes us through what happens when a family experiences the ultimate heartbreak. From the first page I knew this book would be emotional. I cried reading the first chapter or two. I don't remember where this book took place but some of the terminology seemed old fashioned and I repeatedly had to remind myself that the main character, Nick, is my age. The things he said and the way he acted made him seem older than me. There are flashbacks throughout the story of Nick's childhood are sometimes funny but I didn't always love them. I felt like more of Nick's current story could have been added instead. I've read Amanda Prowse books before and have enjoyed them enough to read this one and future stories.

My first time reading Amanda Prowse and I found her writing to be emotional and heartwarming and I am looking forward to reading her other novels.

It certainly was a roller coaster of emotions throughout the story and I particularly enjoyed the story being told in the present with flashbacks to the past which enabled us to get a deeper understanding of the characters. Her characters are well written and very relatable.

I definitely wasn’t prepared for how emotional it was and was brought to tears numerous times throughout the story both happy and sad.

I absolutely adored this heartwarming, emotional and hopeful story. Even days after finishing it I can’t stop thinking about it.

I want to thank Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

I usually really enjoy Amanda Prowse’s stories but I struggled with this one. The characters were interesting but I got bored early on and struggled to finish this.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Nick marries young and loses his wife to cancer just as their son is leaving for college. Both he and his son have to find their footings and move forward.

Sad but hopeful novel.

Once again our Amanda has reduced me to tears on the Tube.

This is the story of Nick who is trying to find his feet after his wife dies and his son moves away to uni. But when you live in a small village, your business is never just your own and Nick feels that there are rules to being a widower, if only he knew what they were, he could begin to start living again.

A Light in the Hallway by Amanda Prowse is a heartfelt novel which explores love and loss...and how deeply it affects a family.

I have loved every book I have read by Amanda Prowse. She writes with so much passion that I can't help becoming a part of her stories. She is my go-to author when it comes to contemporary fiction, family drama, and emotion portrayal. When I saw that this wonderful author had written 'The Light in the Hallway' I just had to read her book. Wow, she did not disappoint!

At the beginning of this book, the reader is told Kerry is dying. Left behind are her mother, sister, husband, and son. Her husband, Nick Bairstow, is strong, but in pain. Son, Ollie, is unable to show his emotions, at first. Nick is trying to carry on with life and be supportive to Oliver who goes away to Birmingham University, but Ollie is also struggling to come to terms with losing his mother and feels like his dad is trying to move on too soon. Within a day, Ollie wants to come back home. Nick goes there to get him, only to find things are not what he expected. A year goes by over the course of the story... during which time the reader is privy to understanding the profound loss Kerry's death has had on her family.

Set in the small town of Burstonbridge, North Yorkshire and told through chapters from the momentous summer of 1992 and now, Nick's life is portrayed as a teenager with his friends... going through first love, becoming men, building friendships... each chapter revealing who he is today. Nick and Kerry were childhood sweethearts and at just 35 when she dies, his life is far from over... but how does his family react when he begins to date Bev?

This was another brilliant novel that I could relate to and it was also deeply moving. I felt great empathy for the characters, especially Nick. It was a beautifully written story about how fragile happiness can be and starting over when you've lost the only love you’ve ever known.

The story-line was gripping and the characters were extremely credible, likeable and so well-drawn by Amanda Prowse. 'The Light in the Hallway' certainly ranks very highly with me and I recommend it to fans and new readers alike. I know that books like this one make my reading days quite perfect.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

This book tells the story of how the protagonist, Nick, goes through losing his wife and childhood sweetheart, and how life goes on for him and his son.

The story goes back and forth between present day and Nick dealing with his grief and new life, and Nick as a child with two of his friends building a bike together. I don't think I ever really figured out the connection between the two. It was all kind of muddled and odd. I think the story could have easily just focused on the present and it would have made more sense.

The characters were fine, but I didn't connect to any of them in particular. I liked that flawed relationships and people were shown, because that made it more realistic, but there was really nothing about this story that grabbed me and made me love it.

All in all, it was just another fiction book. I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. I don't think I would recommend it to a friend, but it's not awful. It's just kind of there.

This book begins with Nick saying goodbye to his wife Kerry who is dying.
Once Kerry passes Nick has to learn how to cope with his own grief and also help those close to him including his teenage son Olly . This book will have you reaching for the tissues.
Thanks NetGalley

Wow! What an amazingly moving book, full of love, tears, laughter and every other emotion. And it is all so real and legitimate in the story that you can believe this as being true! A must read but have the tissues ready for parts.

The Light in the Hallway is my first novel by Amanda Prowse. This novel explores love, loss, and life after in a extremely realistic way. Ms. Prowse captures many raw human emotions and has such a way with words. She writes from the heart and was so spot on regarding the feelings of grief that you would wonder how she was able to be so accurate. It was really terrific to have the story written from a male perspective. The highs and lows and internal struggles were real. This is a very touching story. It also leaves you feeling hopeful that there can be life after loss.

I will say that I will be looking for the author’s other novels. I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another bestseller from Amanda as we expect, a brilliant story about life and where it takes you. These stories are always written with such feeling that you can almost feel the pain they are going through. A nice book to read over Christmas as everything turns out ok.

A heartbreaking read but so brilliantly written that it wasn't at all sad. When I started reading it I did wonder if I would cope with it as I've been through a similar experience of losing a spouse and having to bring up teenage children on my own. However this was written so sensitively with humour, empathy for Nick in his current life time after the death of his wife and an interesting and relevant backstory about his friendships in childhood.

I loved the story and couldn't put it down. Thank you Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Light in the Hallway
by Amanda Prowse
Pub Date 11 Nov 2019
343 pages
3⭐⭐⭐
Description:
When Nick’s wife Kerry falls ill and dies, he realises for the first time how fragile his happiness has always been, and how much he’s been taking his good life and wonderful family for granted. Now, he suddenly finds himself navigating parenthood alone, unsure how to deal with his own grief, let alone that of his teenage son, Olly.In the depths of his heartbreak, Nick must find a way to navigate life that pleases his son, his in-laws, his family and his friends—while honouring what Kerry meant to them all. But when it comes to his own emotions, Nick doesn’t know where to begin. Kerry was his childhood sweetheart—but was she really the only one who could ever make him happy?And in the aftermath of tragedy, can Nick and his son find themselves again?
⭐My Review⭐
The story moved and quite a slow pace and at times failed to keep my interest. It took me a very long time to get into it. The characters are all well written and very well developed. However to me they were not all that likeable. The story flips back and forth between two different timelines,1992 and present day ,with the story beginning in 1992 with three teenage boys, Nick, Eric, and Alex. Then we move to the present where Nick’s wife Kerry, is dying of cancer. Even though the story is very sad it did have a happy ending. I felt that Nick moved on far to fast and that the ending was tied up a little too neat. All in all this just was not a very good book to me. However I do want to read some of this authors other books. Many thanks to the Publisher , the Author , and NetGalley for a ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own.
♥️ About the Author ♥️
Amanda Prowse likens her own life story to those she writes about in her books. After self-publishing her debut novel, Poppy Day, in 2011, she has gone on to author twenty-two novels and six novellas. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages and she regularly tops bestseller charts all over the world. Remaining true to her ethos, Amanda writes stories of ordinary women and their families who find their strength, courage and love tested in ways they never imagined. The most prolific female contemporary fiction writer in the UK, with a legion of loyal readers, she goes from strength to strength. Being crowned ‘queen of domestic drama’ by the Daily Mail was one of her finest moments. Amanda is a regular contributor on TV and radio but her first love is, and will always be, writing.
#TheLightInTheHallway #NetGalley
The Light in the Hallway