Amanda Prowse writes stories about things that could so easily happen to anyone of us. In this book just as you say to yourself ‘oh good’ something happens to make you rethink. I’m amazed how Amanda churns out book after book, in such a short time, and each and every one of them is excellent

Written with Prowse’s trademark tear jerking passages, at first I wasn’t convinced by this novel. I liked the characters, but just didn’t feel enthralled. I’m glad I stuck with it, however, as it was magical.

"The Girl in the Corner" by Amanda Prowse is my first by this author, but it definitely won't be my last. I requested this book based on a Twitter post by someone who was so excited to see it on NetGalley, and I'm so glad I did. This is the story of Rae-Valentine, who is married to Howard - her first boyfriend, her best friend Dolly's brother, and the love of her life. On the evening of their 25th anniversary, Howard reveals a secret to Rae that makes her question her marriage and her place in the Latimer family. She begins to wonder if she has spent her whole life doing everything for everyone else instead of doing what would truly make her happy. How do you define happiness anyway?

Rae takes Dolly on the anniversary trip Howard planned, and in light of the new information Rae has, she begins to see the cracks in all of her relationships. She wonders whose side Dolly will be on and has to decide whether she wants to rebuild her relationship with Howard or finally pursue what she has come to realize was HER life's desire that she put on the back burner because her family made her happy. When Howard shows up at the resort, Rae feels forced into making a decision about their relationship that she hasn't necessarily had enough time to make.

This book is an emotional roller coaster. There is plenty to laugh about. Rae's friendship with Dolly is heartwarming at times and tense and embarrassing at others. Even I wondered where Dolly's loyalties would end up. And there is plenty here to make you think about your own family dynamics and tear up. The ending took me by surprise and I loved it!

This title should be on your must-read list!

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This title is expected for publication in December 2018.

Amazing book. Loved it from beginning to end.
Well written which kept me captivated throughout.
I will definitely be reading other books by this author

This book was tough to get into as I had a hard time respecting or identifying with the protagonist. However, once she found her voice and became stronger,I loved the book. Sequel please!

Amanda Prowse never let's her readers down. This book had me hooked from the first page until the very end.
The characters are so realistic and I warmed to them instantly. I could instantly relate to Rae; never really sticking up for myself and allowing others to dictate how my life choices.
Throughout the book we read about Rae; her life, her dreams and the family around her.
As you travel through the book, you travel through her life to find out if she'll always be the 'girl in the corner.'

Amanda Prowse has a style of writing that brings her characters to life. She builds them up in such a manner they feel like your family/friends and in turn you feel their emotions.

The Girl in the Corner is a lovely story of love, loss and trust and how rediscovery is possible at any stage in life. This book contains an important message about ensuring you are living the life you want to live and are happy and creating lasting memories to look back.

What a lovely story, I loved Rae Valentine and would love to see her and her red backpack in a other story as she reminded me of the lovely Poppy Day.

Loved this book! I always enjoy Amanda Prowse's books and avidly want for her next release. This did not disappoint at all. I loved the characters and was hugely entertained. A great contrast of emotions while reading, from laughter to being on the verge of tears! Her books always feel as though you could step right into them as the characters and plots are so realistic.

Loved this book as with all her books. Love the writing style, characters. Would highly recommend this book to anyone.

It took me a while to get into this book but when I did I couldn't put it down and as always I was an emotional wreck at the end.

I loved the first chapter of this book when quiet, unassuming Rae-Valentine meets Dolly - loud, confident and soon to be Rae's best friend. They meet at college and become inseparable: giddy teenagers laughing their way through life and finding everything 'hilaire'. I was sorry not to read more about this part of Rae's life but the book moves quickly from here to Rae's 25th wedding anniversary and the revelation which is to shake her life.

It took me a good while to get back into the book., possibly as I found it painful reading about Rae's heartache. She finds herself in a situation that many of us could experience, in that she has defined herself as a wife and mother, as well as a fixer for the family business, and in her 40s she is suddenly left wondering what happened to her dreams and aspirations. So while she wouldn't change anything as she loves her family to bits, she is starting to get a niggling feeling that she missed the boat somewhere along the line. Can she be an individual as well as part of a family?

After the crisis has hit, Rae and Dolly find themselves on a holiday of a lifetime in Antigua, and it is here that Rae hopes to find the space she needs to clear her mind. There are some lovely lighter moments often provided by Dolly. I was sorry not to 'see' a bit more of Antigua, but other than a brief shopping trip the girls don't seem to get beyond the beach and I guess what Rae needed was somewhere to unwind. So, finding herself in paradise, the question is, will Rae decide that her home life is actually very blessed, or will she do a Shirley Valentine?

If you enjoy a book which explores a personal journey, this is a book for you.

Amanda's books always have characters you can relate to. They have conversations you want to join in with and problems all women are familiar with. You feel you'd recognise them in the street.

At sixteen, Rae was the girl in the corner, shy and lacking in confidence. Then she meets loud and blowsy Dolly and falls for her quieter brother, Howard, marrying him in a cloud of romance. Fast forward twenty-five years and she has a contented life, a comfortable home and is the heart of the family, though sometimes feeling like the family gopher. Then Howard drops a bombshell.....

How will Rae cope with this devastating news? Can she forgive her husband? Will Rae and Dolly's friendship survive? Beautifully descriptive writing about everything from Rae's feelings to the sights, sounds and heat of glorious Antigua, make this a book to savour.

Love the piece at the start of the book about women supporting women. Without our friends and family, where would we be? A book for any woman who has been that girl in the corner. Enjoy!

I received a copy of this book through netgalley.
A well written storyline,characters are real life,and you have the feeling it can happen to anyone,you can associate with the characters.

I loved this book. I devoured it over three sittings and was caught up in the emotions of it. It is a lovely story of love, loss and trust and whether a relationship can withstand a breach of trust. It shows that you need to live your life to its full, in your way and be happy.

I liked Rae and her larger than life friend, Dolly. It was interesting to think about what makes a good friend and what value a friendship should have when times get tough.

Good luck to Rae - I would like to hear more about her adventures.

An easy read but sadly Amanda’s novels have become rather predictable.

I found the characters irritating and all a bit Shirley Valentine.

I have read and enjoyed nearly all Amanda's books but this one didn't hit the spot for me. It is a good easy read but not one of my favourites although I did enjoy reading about Rae-Valentine and Dolly and how their friendship developed.

No where near as good as her previous book Co-ordinates of Loss in my opinion and I don't think I would recommend this one and overall I liked it but didn't love it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

"Before that I was just a girl in the corner, faded into the background, and it wasn't nice; no one wants to be like that, like furniture!"
A well written story about family, loss, and finding your way no matter how old you might be.
Rae was always the "go to girl". She had the ideal life, family and best friend.
But... something went wrong on the night of her twenty fifth anniversary party. Rae finds out from her husband that her life hasn't been as perfect or as pure as she has thought.
Rae needs to find herself and break out of "the corner"!
Will she? Can she?
I truly enjoyed this novel and love Amanda's books!

Always love Amanda prowse novels and this did not disappoint!
Loved rae to bits, really connected with her as a busy mum trying to make everybody else happy never putting herself first. Have laughed and cried while reading this, five stars.

I could certainly relate to Rae - a middle aged woman who’s got many roles in her life and fulfills them all at the expense of her own personal dreams and happiness.
She’s a daughter, a sister, a best friend, a wife, a mother and that’s just on her side of the family.
She’s the person that everyone turns to knowing that she’ll always be there to drop everything and run to their side.
It take a wake up call from her husband to make her evaluate her life and look at what she really wants.
Well written with a balance of humour and sadness.
A must read for anyone of a certain age whose struggling to be everything to everyone.

As I have come to expect from Amanda Prowse, this book is character driven and as you read, you really do feel that the characters are living, breathing people that you completely relate to. The women are particularly vivid in their portrayal and I was quick to identify the Rae Valentine and Dolly in my own family.
This book raises questions how much of ourselves we give to our relationships and, on occasion, how much we give up for them and how much we find ourselves hiding behind them.
Every family has its own dynamics and this novel perfectly explores how that molds who we become, whether or not it is the same as who we thought we would be. It is seemingly a gentle read but raises some thought-provoking issues.

A 5* again for Amanda Prowse's new book The Girl In The Corner, which although I have the paperback on pre-order for 20th December, I could not wait to read it and so have downloaded it via NetGalley and read it already.

"Rae-Valentine and Howard were childhood sweethearts. They’ve shared twenty-five peaceful years since they were brought together by Dolly, Howard’s larger-than-life sister. But now, on the night of their wedding anniversary, Howard reveals a shocking betrayal that leaves Rae reeling. When Howard comes looking for reconciliation, Rae has a choice to make: keep the peace, as she always has, or put herself first for once and find out who she really is.".

This is an absolutely delightful tale of truth for all those women who have never got over the fact that they were 'the girl in the corner' at every school disco, birthday party, family event or even just being the quiet middle child in their own family home, and I can actually identify and empathise with all of the above situations. In fact Amanda has once again written this book and aimed it straight at my heart. Oh my goodness Rae-Valentine could have been me desperately searching the room looking for someone, in fact just anyone, to approach her and make her feel as if she can be seen.

There are plenty of laughs along the way, mostly from Dolly who I would love to be my friend for an evening (anymore than that and I am sure I would die from laughing or embarrassment!). My favourite moments were at the check-in desk and I still giggle to myself now sometimes about her insistence on "What flavour pizza was it?!). However, Dolly was first and foremost Howard's sister and this irritated the hell out of me because she literally was the only friend Rae-Valentine had and was wavering over where her loyalties lay.

The family characters that plump out the story were great and I wanted to shake Rae-Valentine's parents and make them wake up and see her and TELL her how clever and smart they thought she was and that they knew she was special, knock her sister Debbie-Jo off her pedestal especially as she had started her self-doubt by telling her that if you are not the star who stands out in the middle of the room you might as well be like furniture, the girl in the corner, hug her children Hannah and George for being so lovely, but don't get me started on Howard!!! I changed my mind along the way of what advice to give Rae-Valentine if I was her friend, but my over-riding thought was don't settle for "this will do" because life is short so you need to live it to the fullest and take chances. She craved a title that was more than daughter, wife, mother, auntie,dogsbody, she wanted to be defined by something other than her relationships, she wanted a title that was hers and that she had earned, not acquired, like traveller or chef.

I can always empathise with the characters in Amanda's books but Rae-Valentine really got to me and this could have been my story in places, I howled in places and re-read several of the pages/chapters because I could see myself in her so much. It reminded me of the moment I knew my own marriage was over 15 years ago, it wasn't the fact he wasn't 'making me happy' anymore that was the problem, it was the fact living with him was 'making me unhappy'.

The Girl In The Corner is a story of how someone can find themselves at any age and it is never too late to be the person you were always meant to be before life, love, loss and loyalty came and tripped you up. "Before that I was just a girl in the corner, faded into the background, and it wasn't nice; no one wants to be like that, like furniture!" The ending was superb, another Mandy Masterpiece.

Rae-Valentine and Howard were childhood sweethearts. They have shared twenty five years together since they were brought together by Howard’s sister Dolly. On the night of their wedding anniversary Howard makes a shocking confession which leaves Rae-Valentine feeling betrayed. Heartbroken, she takes Dolly on her anniversary trip to Antigua and Rae starts to realise that all her choices have always been made for her and she starts to question her marriage and her friendships. When Howard comes looking for reconciliation she has a choice to make, keep the peace or finally put herself first for once.

A beautifully written book with out loud laughter at times, however I also found it very a very emotional read and I admit I was in tears at times too. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing Uk for an advanced copy of the e-book for my honest review.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. Rae-Valentine is celebrating her 25th wedding anniversary when her husband reveals a shocking secret. Instead of going on his anniversary gift of a trip to Antigua with him, she takes her best friend, his sister. Now she has a chance to step back and re-evaluate the direction her life is taken, and maybe make some changes. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I've loved Amanda Prowse since first reading Poppy Day. The girl in the Corner does not disappoint. Rae-Valentine will stay with me for a long time. A must read

The Girl in the Corner is a myriad of stories meshed into one single narrative. It's about a wife who Immersed herself in her husband's family, only to discover he's a serial cheater and everyone but her knew it. It's about her domineering best friend, estranged older sister, her children, and the death of one of her parents. Rae finally finds her voice at the end of the book, after her husband's endless deceit has been revealed. She walks out of her life to discover what is ahead in her new life. She progresses from being a wallflower to a willful woman.

Amazing heartwarming and emotional story. The authorauthoraways delivers a fantastic story with lovable characters

Amanda Prowse has never disappointed, and this book is no exception. She is the master of taking very true to life situations, adding very believable characters, and coming up with something completely compelling.

Rae was the ‘invisible’ girl, content to watch from the sidelines, until she meets her best friend Dolly who is the antithesis of her, full of life and daring. Rae can’t believe her luck, and even more so when Dolly introduces her to her brother Howard who completely sweeps her off her feet. She can’t believe she has married in to this rich, dynamic family where her sister in law is also her best friend, and they all work together.

Moving on to their 25th wedding anniversary and Rae’s world is turned upside down. Can their marriage survive the storm? Does she want it to? Totally compelling reading.

Haven't all of us at some time felt like the girl in the corner? The one left behind, the one without the confidence to put themselves forward, the one who always puts others before herself. That's Rae-Valentine Pritchard.
Shy, reserved Rae-Valentine meets larger than life Dolly Latimer at college and from that day forward their lives are entwined through the marriage of Rae to Dolly's Brother Howard who in Dolly's eyes is perfect and can do no wriong.
Dolly and Rae remain best friends for over twenty years until Howard makes a shocking confession on the day of his and Rae's Silver Wedding Anniversary.. From this day forward things can never be the same in the Latimer family and Rae finds herself torn between heart and head and doesn't know which way to turn. Should she , for once, do what's the best thing for her or act in the interests of the stability of her family and her relationship with the pushy Dolly?
I loved Rae's character and I found myself rooting for her to put herself first for a change and at the same time i wanted to shout at her and shake her and bring her to her senses.
This is a story of friendship and love and finding the balance between being who people expect you to be and loving yourself enough to be who you really want to be.
Another fantastic read from Mrs Prowse.

Wow! I was blown away by this book. An honest look at life and marriage where people can settle because they think it makes life easier rather than being true to themselves and shining. This book was great read and I was sad to come to reach the end of the book.

Superbly written, another winning read from this fantastic author who brings the characters and locations to life with her brilliant descriptions. Rae-Valentine, was always at everyone's beck and call but she was happy with her life even though she secretly knew that she hadn't reached her full potential or fulfilled her dreams. Little did she know that on the evening of their silver wedding celebrations her husband would blow her world apart with a confession that couldn't be unsaid or forgiven. I read the book in two sittings and it has been one of my most memorable reads of the year.

When and how do you turn into a shadow, a girl in the corner? After 25 years of a seemingly happy marriage, Rae-Valentine is used to "doing" for everyone else - until several life changing events help her to realize that it is time to stop pleasing everyone else, and to step out of the corner.

Thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
As always excellent attention to detail this is a book that will stay with me for years to come.
Can highly recommend

Amanda Prowse knows how to tell a story and to get you really involved with the characters. This is no exception. I really enjoyed this read and had a heartfelt longing for the main character to come through life's adversity's. I would recommend this book and everything Amanda Prowse has written.

Whenever I read an Amanda Prowse book I feel a connection with the characters, they feel like family and friends because it is the normality that shines through.
This book is no exception.
It is another emotional, true to life story told in a realistic and well written style.
Highly recommend it!

I have read all of Amandas books so far and they never disappoint.Rae is an ordinary housewife who seems to have it all but does she.I loved this book and always look forward to a new Amanda Prowse book.Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

I enjoyed reading Rae’s story, the quiet girl who everyone takes advantage of. I really wish that there was an epilogue or more of her journey after she left Howard (spoiler alert!) I would love to read the sequel to this story if there is one!

I’d like to thank Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for letting me have a copy of ‘The Girl In The Corner’ by Amanda Prowse in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Rae-Valentine and Howard are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary when Howard reveals that he’s had a two-week affair with Karina, one of the waitresses in his family business, and that he loves Rae dearly and wants her to forgive him. Rae takes Dolly, her best friend and Howard’s sister, to Antigua on what should have been their anniversary holiday and Rae realises that although she loves her family dearly she’s always been the one to fetch and carry for them all and has never fulfilled her dreams of becoming a chef and travelling around the Greek Islands. Can Rae forgive Howard or is there still time for her to spread her wings and put herself first for a change?
I’ve read a large number of books written by Amanda Prowse and thoroughly enjoyed them but I thought ‘The Girl In The Corner’ was a bit slow and was written in rather an old-fashioned style. I did enjoy it but not as much as some of her others. I thought that Rae was deliberately allowing people to treat her as their servant and at times I wanted her to tell them to do it themselves. Nevertheless, the story was poignant and part of it had me in tears, it was well-written with likeable characters and had a fitting conclusion. I’d like to read a follow-up of what happens to Rae in the future.

Brilliant story, believable characters, you will not be able to stop reading, guaranteed unputdownable! Anyone who reads this will at some point identify with Rae, I was disappointed with her at one point but eventually she had the strength and confidence to do what she had to do.

The store of Rea, a shy 16 year old girl who always feels she is in the background hiding in a corner. Fast forward 20+ years and Rea now married with children still feels she is in the background unseen by her family and friends. On the night of her 25th wedding anniversary her husband shared a secret that shatters there life and Rea is unsure of how to carry on.
This story is one of regular everyday life. We all have experienced the good, the bad and the devastation life can bring but how we choose to continue is our choice and our choice alone and Prowse’s writing to tell Rae’s story is superb. The stories ebbs nicely through and some points are filled with with some surprises you don’t expect. A beautiful written story about normal everyday problems which Prowse manages to get to the heart easily and eloquently.

This is my third or fourth novel by Prowse and I will continue reading her books as they have all been moving and beautifully written.

The Girl in the Corner, Amanda Prowse

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: , Women's Fiction, General Fiction (Adult) 

Usual grump – Women's fiction as a genre, just why? Men read all sorts of stories too....why alienate them?

Anyway, I enjoy Amanda's books, she writes tales that make me think “what would I do in that situation”, has characters and settings that feel very real.
I didn't enjoy this as much as some of her other stories though, the settings and characters were terrific as usual, but the story – I felt that for so much of the book I was waiting, waiting for something to happen, waiting for the other shoe to drop, and it wasn't until very near the end that it did. I'd have liked a bit more of what happens then, instead of the brief opening into Rae's future we see.

Its a tale that happens way to often, wife ( or husband) thinks everything is wonderful, and then finds out that their adored and loyal partner has been playing away...what next? Carry on regardless for the sake of the family? Try to forgive and move forward? Or divorce/separation? I always think, how could I trust that person again? That kind of betrayal is so hard to get past, I'm not sure I could forgive and move on. I think that would be a hard barrier for me, the one I can't forget.
Can Rae move forward though? And in what direction? She really needed to talk it through but Dolly is Howard's sister, and though they've been best friends for so many years, Dolly has divided loyalties. It meant Rae looking at her life introspectively, looking at not just her and Howard's relationship, but all the family ties, at what happened to the Rae who wanted to be someone but instead became the person supporting everyone else. Its got a huge potential for looking at what could happen if she decided differently, and I so felt for her in her having to decide without the soundboard of Dolly to help her.

Of course nothing happens in isolation and looking back we can see where the routes for different paths were going, where what one person perceives isn't necessarily the truth – a great example of that was Rae's view of her childhood and family relationships, where what she thought of events and decisions was how it seemed to her, but not what her parents intended her to feel. That sounds tangled, you'll need to read the story to understand I think...What Rae sees as her parents not supporting her ambition to be a chef turns out to be her parents fearing that way led to hard work and no reward for Rae, whereas they wanted what they saw as the best for her, that she was clever enough to work in an office, the pinnacle of achievement in their eyes. She thinks they're unsupportive, that her sister is the one they support, but what they intend is to make Rae be the best she can, and office work in their eyes is something their clever daughter can aspire to. As adults looking back we can see that what we though wasn't necessarily what was intended.

Like I said, I enjoyed this story, but didn't love it, its not one I'd reread. I just felt for so much of the story I was waiting for the next section, that so much of the book covered the same ground while Rae mulled over what had happened and what she should do – I'm sure that's very real, what people in her situation do but for me it wasn't very entertaining reading.

Stars: Three, another very real story from Amanda but not one of my favourites. Still, that's just my opinion and I can see that its a perfect story for other readers.

ARC via Netgalley and publishers

This book brought a range of emotions from anger, sadness and what would be the correct emotion to describe wanting to cheer someone on shouting “you go girl!”?
I was so angry that Rae had no-one to turn to and how Dolly thought it was ok to push her into sorting things out with Howard. Any real friend would want to go hunt him down and do terrible things to him but because she’s his sister she wasn’t looking out for her friend's interests at all.
What Rae had to deal with made me feel so sad, no-one wants the rug pulled from under their feet, and the book certainly makes you feel grateful for everything good that you have in your life.
Overall, a really well-written book about a woman that needs to re-find herself and takes you, the reader, along for an emotional journey.

Rae-Valentine is on a path of rediscovery. Sometimes you can “come of age” later in life. These characters are so realistic and believable., that youwill feel as if you know them personally. Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Well I have no idea where to start, another fantastic read by one of my favourite authors, the characters are lovely, the storyline was great, had to take my glasses off to wipe the tears because I couldnt see the pages.
I loved it, bring on the next one Mrs Prowse

Amanda Prowse is one of my favorite authors.I loved this book warm emotional heart wrenching.Have a box of tissues nearby,#netgalley#amazonpublishinguk

It always takes me a few days to get over reading an Amanda Prowse novel; mainly because she not only gets you in all the feels, she is so good at telling real life, touching, and moving stories that you cannot put down. I always know there’s a fantastic story ahead, despite being pretty confident each time that I will undoubtedly shed a tear at some point.

The Girl in the corner is a novel that explores many things. First and foremost, although it is Rae-Valentines story, it was about family for me. She has gone through life being loved, and blessed with a wonderful husband, close best friend, and children of her own, all from a young age. Yet she has always felt a bit lost, even if she didn’t realise it, like she was never quite good enough; the girl in the corner who didn’t quite deserve it.
Rae and her best friend in the world, the one who introduced her to her husband (and just happened to be her friends brother) are joined at the hip. Rae is shy from the off, always hiding behind her sister growing up and she meets an outgoing, loud and confident best friend she can hide behind. This dictates her life; marrying into a loud and outgoing successful family and settling into the role of wife, mother and general rock for the family and business - always there when anyone needs anything.

I think there’s a bit of all of us in Rae in some way, not quite sure if we followed the right path. She feels slightly unfulfilled and unappreciated at times despite seemingly having it all... until on the evening of her wedding anniversary party, she gets told a secret that shatters her world, and makes her re-evaluate her whole life. She begins to realise how the outside world views her, and doesn’t like what she sees. Following the revelations, she takes a trip with Dolly, her best friend, and begins to feel like herself again when their husbands turn up to “surprise” them. The story then takes some twists and turns along the way, leading Rae to make some serious life changing decisions....albeit late in the day.

There are some sad moments, particularly surrounding family and loss, and some moving moments, again surrounding family, love and acceptance.

This was a beautifully written, easy to read novel. It didn’t grip me quite the same as some other Amanda Prowse novels, however - wonderful writing, brilliant characters; each with their own issues, and her usual skill of making you feel like you are part of the story, made for another great novel that I highly recommend.

Rae-Valentine is a pretty strong and determined woman...which she needs to be following childhood sweetheart and husband Howard's betrayal of her.
The characters in this book are extremely well written and like-able (or hate-able for Howard!).
I became easily ensconced in the story and was equally happy for and angry with Rae as she made decisions about her future and the future of her marriage (if she had been on my TV I would have been shouting at her a lot, particularly whilst in Antigua!).
She made some decisions I really didn't agree with (the sign of excellent writing in my opinion to provoke a strong emotional response to a fictional character!) but ultimately she triumphs and her final decision sits well with the background of her character. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Another excellent and very relatable read from accomplished storyteller Amanda Prowse. Rae -Valentine has always felt like the girl in the corner, timid, shy and unnoticed by those around her. As a child she was in the shadow of her talented older sister Debbie-Jo and as a gawky and gauche teen she hid behind her flamboyant friend Dolly. Despite a disastrous double date Dolly sets Rae up with her brother Harry, and soon the teenage sweethearts are walking down the aisle. Twenty five years later, and on the night of a party celebrating this momentous anniversary, Harry shatters not only Rae's world , but also her sense of self worth. Unsure whether their relationship has a future, she heads to Antigua for a little breathing room , to try to clear her head.
As always the real strength and heart of this book, like so many others by this author, lies in how well crafted and empathetic her characters are. While Rae, as the protagonist, is an obvious example, there are some touching moments later in the book which really highlight both the strengths and flaws of characters like Rae's parents and the indomitable Dolly.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book ,the characters are very believable and brought to life beautifully ,The story is about love ,betrayal and finding out who you really are and new beginnings .This story is an emotional roller coaster with a few laughs on the way .Brilliant . Many thanks to the Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my preview copy .

Amanda Prowse in fine form with thoroughly believable characters who you're able to strongly picture in your mind. I was rooting for Rae-Valentine all the way through this book - never once seeing her as downtrodden but knowing that her moment must come. .At the very end I could have jumped up and cheered! Highly recommended. I want to be that woman.

Another great book by Amanda Prowse. Some great characters in this and I really felt for the main character Rae. Again the author really demonstrates some of the realities of family dynamics especially in this novel where the characters are so intertwined.
This book also made me want to go on holiday and I loved the ending. It made me cheer!!!!!