The Girl in the Corner by @MrsAmandaProwse ~ Contemporary Fiction #FridayReads #AudiobookReview

Author: Amanda Prowse

Performed by Amanda Prowse

Published: December 2018 byLake Union Publishing

Category: Contemporary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Romance, Audiobook, Book Review

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.

Rae-Valentine met her best friend, Dolly, at their college induction day when they were both sixteen. Extrovert Dolly, with her loud voice, was the complete opposite of unassuming Rae, who wasn’t blessed with a high level of self confidence and felt eclipsed by her older sister.

As well as personalities, their lives were very different. Dolly’s family were the well to do owners of a successful and thriving restaurant business while Rae’s family lived in a small house and lived an ordinary, sedate life. All that changed for Rae when she was introduced to Dolly’s brother, Howard.

Twenty five years later Rae and Howard were celebrating their silver wedding anniversary when Howard made a devastating confession, causing Rae to begin to take stock of her life. She and Dolly went on what should have been Howard and Rae’s anniversary trip to Antigua. During Rae and Dolly’s heart to heart talks and reminiscences Rae realises that somewhere along the way  her dreams of travelling and learning to be a chef had been suppressed and she had taken the path of least resistance after marriage and a family. Rae began to question not only her friendship with Dolly, who didn’t want Rae to upset the dynamics between them all, but also her marriage and her place in the family. 

I loved the vivid descriptions of Antigua—the sights, beaches, food and drinks—sounds like paradise, even if Rae couldn’t fully enjoy what should have been her and Howard’s romantic getaway. 

As her numbness began to fade and her limbs stopped trembling, she felt the oddest of sensations, as if someone had turned on a tap deep in her gut and all her hope, optimism, love and respect for the man had started to drain away, and it was happening quicker than she would ever have thought possible.

All the emotions and feelings of being taken for granted Rae held in check over the years rise to the surface and take on a new significance. For twenty five years Rae has devoted herself to her husband, children, parents and extended family and feels defined by those relationships. I really wanted Rae to be more assertive and not so hesitant but confrontation filled her with dread. Rae has always been the quiet one, the one who keeps the peace and stays in the background. It takes a good amount of introspection on Rae’s part, after her emotional battering, before she is able to come to a firm decision.

Amanda Prowse writes perceptively and thought provokingly about ordinary people and their emotions, who live ordinary lives and are easy to relate to, experiencing situations that could affect anyone—broken trust, life choices, loss, friendship and family. Rae and Howard have never discussed their own family’s issues in any depth. Listening to the book and the author’s own interpretation of her characters added an extra layer and made them more realistic, with humour offsetting the more serious issues. 

Will reconciling with Howard, being able to forgive if not forget, be a step Rae feels unable to take or will she choose the familiar and once again put her dreams on hold for the sake of family? 

I chose to listen to the audio of The Girl in the Corner based on a copy kindly supplied by the author.

Book links ~ Hive | Amazon UK | Amazon US

About the Author

Amanda Prowse is an International Bestselling author who has had twenty novels published in dozens of languages. Her chart topping No.1 titles ‘What Have I Done?’, ‘Perfect Daughter’ and ‘My Husband’s Wife’ have sold millions of copies around the world. Published by Lake Union, Amanda is the most prolific writer of bestselling contemporary fiction in the UK today; her titles also consistently score the highest online review approval ratings across several genres.

A popular TV and radio personality, Amanda is a regular panellist on Channel 5’s ‘The Jeremy Vine Show’ and numerous daytime ITV programmes. She makes countless guest appearances on BBC national independent Radio stations including LBC and Talk FM, where she is well known for her insightful observations and her infectious humour.

Author links ~ Website | Facebook | Twitter |