This was a cute, easy read, but nothing extraordinary. It lacked depth for me, but my biggest issue with it was believing the main character was the age he was (mid-30s), which is also my age. He read like an old man, closer to retirement age than his 20s and I had to keep reminding myself of it. I can appreciate that we are all different, but it really started to irk me over the course of the book. 

A good read if you're looking for something light to pass the time and wraps up nicely in the end.

Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced copy for my honest review.

Love this story! This author has never disappointed me. Nick is at a loss. A love story of Nick and Kerry and after a tragedy can you find his was. Emotional and joy at the same time.

I always eagerly await anything Amanda Prowse does and this did not disappoint. It took me a bit longer than usual to get engrossed but once i did then I was hooked. It really explores relationships through the grief process and there were lots of twists and turns. lots of sad moments but as always uplifting too.

Such a good story. I loved every minute of it.  Grieving takes many forms and this book chronicles ones father's journey.

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? In the aftermath of tragedy, can Nick and his son find themselves again?

This book really does focus on love and death. We start with the death of Kerry and then follow Nick as he tries to navigate his way through life without her, handle his son Oliver and cope with the looks judgement that comes from living in a small place. The love comes in abundance, between all the characters and the reader to the book, I fell in love with this read and thoroughly enjoyed this family centred read.

Throughout this, Nick is trying to continue living his life, as a result Prowse has the characters do things that you may not agree with, I found myself disagreeing with a lot of the actions, especially at the beginning, but that is the point of this read. It got me thinking about how to behave, particularly after death, and makes you consider all the different possibilities, Prowse's characters all behave and react differently and it is this that makes the book.

A read such as this feeds off wonderful, loving characters so it is a good job Prowse has created such a cast. They all have their quirks, you will like some more than others as is only right, but at the end of the day they all have their hearts in the right place and getting to know them only enhanced my reading.

'The Light in the Hallway' is a very emotive and at times, desperately sad read. However there is a lot of love in this and the right balance of laughter. Amongst all this, you will find the hope and possibly, the light in the hallway.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy.

Loved, loved, loved this novel.  From tears to smiles this one runs the gamut of emotions with each one tugging on your heartstrings.  Loved the flashback chapters that added so much depth to the main characters-especially Nick.  Eric, Olly,  and Bev were such likable characters.  I felt like I was right there with them and found myself talking to them on more than one occasion.  This is definitely a feel good  novel with a heartbreaking beginning and heartwarming ending.  Don’t miss out on this one.  Many thanks to Amanda Prowse and NetGalley for affording me the delightful opportunity to read this one.

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.

Disappointing.

After losing his wife to a long drawn out illness, Nick Bairstow is left to pick up the pieces. He lives in a small town where tongues love to wag and works for the town’s primary industry. Nick has made sacrifices in his life and he feels stuck in the life choices he has made. When the chance for happiness presents itself, he is conflicted.

Nick comes off as weak and ineffectual. He is a rather naïve character who doesn’t have a strong sense of himself. The story moves back and forth in time from present day to the time when Nick is a ten-year old boy. There are connections made to the present each time the story moves back in time however I didn’t get the sense this was necessary. 

This is your average romance novel. There is nothing standout. In the past I have read a Prowse novel I didn’t at all care for and one that I liked. Though I wouldn’t say this is her worst novel to date, it’s average at best. If this is your thing, give it a read but my recommendation is to skip it.

BRB Rating: Skip It.

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.