The Light in the Hallway by Amanda Prowse

☆☆☆☆☆
ebook, 329 pages
Published November 11th 2019 by Amazon Publishing UK
About the Book:
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?

Amanda Prowse has been a kind of hit and miss author for me. While I adored Three-and-a-Half Heartbeats, A Christmas Wish was a disappointment. I am happy to say I really loved The Light in the Hallway. The chapters were a bit long as many of them had flashbacks, to Nick's childhood, in 1992. Although this book is about a man and his teen son losing their wife/mother to cancer, it was also a very funny book. Some of the shenanigans Nick and his two buddies get up to, in 1992, made me laugh out loud.

Nick and Olly will stay with you long after you turn the last page; it's not the plot that makes this book a page-turner, it's the knack Amanda Prowse has for rich characterization. Prowse writes with sentimentality, but her writing is poignantly true-to-life. The events that take place in the Nick and Olly's family feel like things that might happen to any family (death, falling in love, unemployment, debt, domestic disagreements...). However, they are written with copious details in a way that makes them interesting and, often, witty.

The characters all find a way into you heart, and the story is an endearing one, that although ordinary, becomes extraordinary through beautiful writing and detailed, lifelike character development. This was my first Prowse book in a long time, and will definitely not be my last.

Thank you NetGalley, Amanda Prowse and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

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