I love Amanda Prowse's writing and this is another beautiful book.

well written and a wonderfully touching story.

Nora is a lovely character that feels like she is lacking something that makes her feel secure in her life.

This story is about her finding herself a little bit again and starting to love who she is.

Heartwarming

I think many women will relate to Nora. She married Gordy, a British Army Officer, and she moved every time he moved. Along the way, she focused more on what she should do for her husband rather than thinking about what she wanted out of life. As they were leaving Cyprus to move to England.
A tragedy happened, and she became the guardian of her seven-year-old nephew, Ted. She knew she had to do it, and she did. What she discovered, was what she and her life could be, when she was looking at it through her nephews eyes. Sometimes it changes everything.
I received an ARC from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley.

I haven't read much by Amanda Prowse, but I was really impressed with this book. You can tell in this book that she has first hand knowledge of military life, especially being a military wife. The social demands put on the wife of a higher ranking soldier is fairly unique and I could certainly see from having been there myself, that her knowledge and feelings were right on.

In the book, Nora is feeling like her husband's military life has sort of gone on without her--that she doesn't really matter. He has just brought up the discord between them when Nora is notified that something has happened to her little sister and she needs to go take care of her young son. The two sisters are the result of a dysfunctional family at it's worst and their relationship is almost nonexistent. Taking care of Ted is quite the challenge for Nora, but in the process she discovers what real friendships and relationships can be.

This beautiful book deals with trust, love, opening your heart and allowing others close to you.

I was gifted a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

A powerful story that highlights the the side of mental illness that is often not spoken about in books, those one plans to leave behind. Nora, an easily dislikable character, has built a wall around herself to protect her from those could could possibly hurt her, even those who love her. Her wall creates a crack in her marriage that has been crumbling and looks like it is about to shatter. When she gets a call saying her sister, Kiki, has attempted suicide, she is to become the caretaker of her nephew while Kiki in in the hospital. Amanda Prowse touches a sensitive topic from the perspective of those left behind and how their world also can shatter in an instant. While a beautifully written piece, my distain for Nora kept me from fully loving the book. Prowse does too good of a job creating a dislikable character that I could not get pass this. I think many others would enjoy this book, but overall it was not for me.

Oh! Another fantastic novel by Amanda Prowse!! "Picking up the Pieces" is amazing, sad, interesting, conveying depression in the most empathetic way and filled with incredible characters. Lonely people, buoyed by the love and support of family and friends. Despite hard beginnings, this book brought individuals inflicted by despair, insecurities, and troubled marriage, through day-to-day life, in a glorious manner into the light. I really enjoyed this book. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the early review copy. All opinions are my own

A delightful story. Nora Brightwell and her husband Lieutenant colonel officer Brightwell Gordy are heading back to Westbury Wiltshire from Cyprus. She get the call to say her sister Kiki is in hospital and she becomes legal guardian to her nephew Ted and starts to see herself in Teds eyes. Not wanting children of her own, she makes a bond with Ted who is his own character, and she makes friends that are always on hand for her she was never living in one place long enough to make friends. This book reflects on family situations and brings her and Kiki closer and also to her husband Gordy too.
This book was such a joy to read, that will pull at your heart strings more than once. loved it 5 stars.

This was such a raw and heartfelt story,i felt dealing with a very difficult subject. I loved the character development i was pulled into the plot i loved hNora transformed throughout the book it grip me . The topic of attempted suicide was handled with such care and I know is a personal story for Amanda Amanda you write this so well All in all, this was an engaging, thoughtful and so good another heartfelt read my Amanda love it all

Another heartwarming book from Amanda Prowse.
I normally read crime books but I can never resist books by this author.
Nora is struggling in her marriage to Gordy and just as he mentions the possibility of a divorce, she receives a phone call.
Her sister, Kiki has tried to kill herself and Nora is asked to look after her nephew, Ted.
Due to her childhood, Nora never wanted children and is scared of the prospect of looking after Ted. She goes to him and is surprised how much she cares for him in his time of need.
Nora takes him to spend time with Gordy while his mum recovers and the child starts to reignite the spark between them.
This is a brilliant book that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This was such a raw and heartfelt story, dealing with a difficult subject. I loved the character development and how Nora transformed throughout the book. The topic of attempted suicide was handled with care and I know is a personal story for Amanda. All in all, this was an engaging, thoughtful and well written story.

TRIGER WARNING FIRST: This book telling story about depression, mental health and suicide.

Nora feel overwhelmed, not happy, preoccupied with her own thoughts and reflections all of that because of childhood trauma. It is effect her marriage, 18 years and close to the end. Until her younger sister reach out with shocking news. It is give her new perspective and chances to be better person.

This book is heavy especially for people who through this probleme. Beside that briging enlighment too. You are not alone. You matter.

Thank you to NetGalley for provide this book, it is pleasure to review this book.

#PickingupthePieces #AmandaProwse #Amazon #AmazonPublishing #AmazonPublishingUK #Lake Union Publishing #NetGalley #ARC

I’d like to thank Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Picking Up The Pieces’ by Amanda Prowse in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Nora and her husband Gordy, an Colonel in the British Army, are packing up their belongings in Akrotiri to move to Wiltshire in the United Kingdom but when she hears that her sister Kiki is in hospital she leaves Gordy to deal with their move and returns home to look after Kiki and her six-year-old nephew Ted. Not having had children of her own, Nora is nervous about being in sole charge of Ted but her life is soon enriched as Kiki’s friends welcome her into their group and Ted becomes an important part of her life as he gives her his love and trust.

‘Picking Up The Pieces’ is another beautiful family drama written by this very talented author that tells of Nora as she faces challenges and new responsibilities that come with caring for a child that she never believed she’d be capable of. The story is slow and gentle dealing sensitively with the issue of mental health and its treatment, and a child’s perception of an adult. It’s a heart-warming story that’s perfect to lose oneself in on holiday or even wrapped up in a blanket in front of a fire on a cold winter’s day.

Adore this author and read most of her books. Another wonderful book by the author. She always manages to get to the very heart of what makes the human tick . All aspects of relationships are covered including the ones we experience with ourself.in this case mental health

Nora didn't expect to end up caring for her nephew Ted but her sister Kiki- well, no spoilers. Nora and Kiki were ophaned young and they've both been somewhat adrift. Nora is a military spouse who has moved multiple times and not built strong relationships with anyone even, really, her husband Gordy, Now, though, things have changed, Prowse has a way of pulling the reader into a story and making you care about the characters and that's true here. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

If you are looking for a book that gives you all the feels then look no further.
Writing about topics that she has experience in, namely mental health and army wife life, Amanda Prowse has woven another beautiful, heart-warming and brilliant book with an amazing cast of characters who you feel a deep connection to.
It is a story of family, friendship, love and new beginnings and I highly recommend it!

Nora is married to Gordy, who has just been promoted to Colonel of the British Army, they are currently stationed in Cyprus and will shortly be relocating back to the UK, but she feels like her life has no meaning and doesn't know where her marriage is heading, then Gordy announces it may be best to call it a day, she is still reeling from this revelation when she receives a call from the UK about her sister Kiki being rushed to hospital and Nora is needed to take responsibility for her seven year old nephew Ted. Having no children of her own and not having the best relationship with her own parents when she was a child, or a close bond with Kiki due to their age gap, Nora is unsure whether she's capable of being the right person for the job, and she also needs to figure out what to do to save her marriage...

In Picking up the Pieces Amanda writes about two subjects, of which she has first hand experience, and deals with them sensitively and compassionately. As with all her other books she puts pen to paper and creates characters that are so authentic they come to life on these very pages and become real to her readers. This story follows two sisters who are struggling with life in different ways and much of it stems back to their childhood before they lost their parents and the effect that has had on them since, even though on the face of it they appear to be happy, this just proves that you never know what's going on behind the smile. I took an instant liking to Nora and the way she stepped up for her sister and nephew, even though she was floundering, I absolutely adored Ted and the love that Kiki's friends had for her and Ted, and even enveloping Nora into that love too. This beautiful book played on all my emotions, smiling one minute and crying the next, because this is what Amanda's books do to you and I absolutely loved it, another top notch read from this amazing author.

I'd like to thank Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

😓Beautiful story of family tested🤗

I found Prowse's powerful story of two sisters sensitively done, exploring the depths of depression and a child's lasting memories of a family tragically broken. Nora and her much younger sister Kiki have never shared their impressions and insecurities about their childhood which was suddenly upended by the deaths of their parents. When Nora faces marital problems and races to support Kiki and her young son Ted after Kiki barely survives a suicide attempt, Nora has an attitude refit and spearheads a new start for their relationship.

Nora's transformation, especially as she grows close to young Ted and tackles the problems in her marriage, was what kept me glued to the novel. Prowse created a character who survived a lonely childhood, ignored by her parents, and built high defensive walls that, ultimately, distance her from Gordy, her military husband, and stifle friendships. By the book's close, she's so changed; it's inspiring.

Excellent, thoughtful read.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Yet another beautifully written story from Amanda Prowse, written with compassion and sensitivity about a tricky subject of lives, love & loss

This story takes a close look at the lifelong effects of childhood neglect. Kiki and Nora's parents lived a Bohemian lifestyle and were the center of each other's worlds, leaving little time or attention for their daughters. When they died in a car accident, the girls were separated as Nora went to school and Kiki lived with one of their grandmothers.

Now they're adults, trying to make sense of their own lives and dealing with their own mental health issues. Nora is on the verge of a divorce she doesn't want, but she's kept everyone out for so long, she doesn't know how to let her husband Gordy in, which is all that he's asking for.

Then Kiki attempts to take her own life, and Nora must step in to take care of Kiki's young son Ted while she's in the hospital.

This seems to be the wake-up call they all need to reevaluate what they want out of life and how to rebuild their family into something meaningful.

Overall, it was a good story, although difficult to read because of how much pain everyone was in. I'm not a huge fan of intense stories, which this certainly is. But it has a good message about love and belonging and how important friendships are.

Thank you to Amanda Prowse, Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Amanda Prowse, Picking up the Pieces, Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing 2023.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

Amanda Prowse writes novels that are readable, have some engaging characters, and often include some social commentary. Generally, I am happy to read them, providing as they do a pleasant whiling away of an afternoon or two. However, Picking up the Pieces provides quite a lot more than usual. Every plot line is charged with issues that demand thinking though, each character has something new to say as the narrative progresses, and the satisfying ending is woven so well from what has come before that it is provides a genuine outcome for the characters. Rather than being predictable and contrived to achieve a happy ending based on wishful thinking the narrative remains realistic and thoughtful to its conclusion.

Two sisters, born many years apart, experience their lives with their parents very differently. Both are traumatised – the elder because she was neglected, the younger because she has no recall of her parents who died in a car accident when she was a baby. The prologue features Leonora (Nora) who awakens in the home in which she is fearful, sees evidence of her parents partying and its aftermath of vomit, empty bottles, prone figures, and drugs. A calm authority figure rescues her, and his admonition to expect pleasure resonates alongside her feeling unloved and unwanted by her mother, and her substitute, her grandmother.

Those feelings impact on Nora’s her life with Gordy, her ambitious army husband, her potential friendships, relationship with her sister, Kiki, and ability to adapt happily to a lifestyle that leaves her to her own devices. Here, the impact of army life and the requirement to continual move from locations overseas and within the UK becomes a theme that turns the story from the personal to a more general understanding of the complexities of army life for spouses. The intricacies of married life are also mined, including questions about both Gordy and Nora’s role in her failure to adopt a career of choice.

Depression is also dealt with, through Kiki, again bringing the personal together with the general difficulties of understanding and dealing with depression. Kiki’s hospitalisation leads to Nora having to learn to deal with her nephew, Ted, his irresponsible father and negotiating with mums at the school gate. Nora moves awkwardly into a different world.

Negotiating the changes in Nora and Gordy’s lives, which includes separation and potential divorce, coming to terms with the past, and caring for Ted, and eventually the sisters’ joy at receiving a painting from the past is an engrossing story. Alongside is the story of the kindness of Senor Agosti, from his meeting with Nora in the prologue, and his determination to ensure that the sisters receive their father’s painting. This is another intriguing storyline.

Picking up the Pieces is a thoroughly satisfying read. The plot lines are woven together well; the characterisation is layered and believable and the way in which social commentary becomes an essential part of the fabric of the narrative is admirable. For me, Amanda Prowse has really excelled on this occasion.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Born to Bohemian parents, Nora is left feeling that her parents have forgotten about her existence.

She gets wed to someone who’s in military in order to have some security. But after a while, due to how she felt as a child, she keeps herself away from others.

But when her sister Kiki comes to a critical point, Nora has to step in and then starts to think about what she’s believed and whether she misunderstood things.

Finally, she begins to understand that being around people, connecting with them and sharing things which make life worthwhile.

The author has written a beautiful book, that has dealt with some hard issues like
mental health and connection.

I recommend this book.