The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse ★★★★

Nina McCarrick’s life literally changed overnight when her husband died in a car accident. He was a successful building contractor and sole provider for his wife and two sons. Though Nina came from extremely humble beginnings, her sons had never known anything but a highly affluent lifestyle. And, she’s not worked in almost twenty years and now faces destitution because of the financial ruin left by her dead husband.

It’s often said you don’t know what you’re made of until you’re tested and Nina certainly gets her share of exams. She only has a short amount of time to bury her head in the sand before she has to deal with her sons’ well being. I felt the stages she went through were realistic, especially as she also had to look inward to examine her own contribution to her circumstances. I loved her sister, Tiggy, who served as her reality check about herself. Nina’s metamorphosis was laudable without being trite. Her accomplishments were fitting and her children’s reactions and behaviors were true to the design of their characters.

This is a tough story that I found myself cringing from at times but always engaged. Nina’s triumph and those of her children lifted my spirit. There are no trick devices here, just an honest portrayal of a woman pulling herself up by her bootstraps when life threw her in the ditch.

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(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review)