Bestselling novelist Amanda Prowse knew how to resolve a fictional family crisis. But then her son came to her with a real one…
Josiah was nineteen with the world at his feet when things changed. Without warning, the new university student’s mental health deteriorated to the point that he planned his own death. His mother, bestselling author Amanda Prowse, found herself grappling for ways to help him, with no clear sense of where that could be found. This is the book they wish had been there for them during those dark times.
Josiah’s situation is not unusual: the statistics on student mental health are terrifying. And he was not the only one suffering; his family was also hijacked by his illness, watching him struggle and fearing the day he might succeed in taking his life.
In this book, Josiah and Amanda hope to give a voice to those who suffer, and to show them that help can be found. It is Josiah’s raw, at times bleak, sometimes humorous, but always honest account of what it is like to live with depression. It is Amanda’s heart-rending account of her pain at watching him suffer, speaking from the heart about a mother’s love for her child.
For anyone with depression and anyone who loves someone with depression, Amanda and Josiah have a clear message—you are not alone, and there is hope.
Amanda Prowse is an International Bestselling author whose twenty five novels and seven novellas have been published in dozens of languages 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. Her books, including the chart topping No.1 titles 'What Have I Done?', 'Perfect Daughter', 'My Husband's Wife', 'The Girl in the Corner' and ‘The Things I Know’ have sold millions of copies across the globe.
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 also 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. Described by the Daily Mail as ‘The queen of family drama’ Amanda’s novel, 'A Mother's Story' won the coveted Sainsbury's eBook of the year Award while 'Perfect Daughter' was selected as a World Book Night title in 2016.
Amanda's ambition is to create stories that keep people from turning the bedside lamp off at night, great characters that ensure you take every step with them and tales that fill your head so you can't possibly read another book until the memory fades...
Praise for Amanda Prowse:
A powerful and emotional work of fiction' - Piers Morgan
'Deeply moving and emotional, Amanda Prowse handles her explosive subjects with delicate skill' - Daily Mail
Uplifting and positive, but you will still need a box of tissues' - Hello!
'A gut-wrenching and absolutely brilliant read' - The Irish Sun
'You'll fall in love with this...' - Cosmopolitan
'Deeply moving and eye opening. Powerful and emotional drama that packs a real punch.' - Heat
'Magical' - Now magazine
A keen environmentalist and animal lover, Josiah (Josh) Hartley lives in a remote farmhouse in the West Country with his two idle and arrogant French Bulldogs, Dottie and Beau. Happiest following the music scene in Bristol, at a festival or watching rugby with his mates, Josh enjoys the outdoor life and often heads to the sea to surf and sit on the beach watching the sun go down.
After a stint at the University of Southampton, another at the University of Bristol and one planned suicide, Josh decided to write about his descent into mental illness and the depression that held him in its grip for the past few years. The Boy Between carries the overriding message that things can and often do get better. It is a book of reflection, raw, honest and full of hope - the proof being that Josh is still here and excited about what comes next. He’s ready to catch any opportunity that life throws his way; quite athing for someone who only a few years ago was living in a world gone grey, ready to disappear from the face of the earth…
First, I want to thank Josiah Hartley, Amanda Prowse, Little A, NetGalley and BOTBSPublicity for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.
Josiah Hartley and his mother Amanda Prowse are incredibly brave to open up their hearts and share both sides of their very personal stories in The Boy Between. This book focuses on some very important issues such as Depression, Anxiety, Sucide and the effects it has on the family. Their hope is that with writing this book that it will bring awareness and help someone in a similar situation.
Josh dedicates this book for all those who are living with depression. For all those who are thinking or have thought of suicide might be the best option. Josh is proof that there is life to be lived with depression-though it might not always feel like it.
Don’t give up. Talk it through, write it down, run, dance, read, paint, sleep, play,etc.
Right off the bat you knew this book was going to pull hard on your heart strings. I was tearing up actually in Josh’s prologue.
So many times I wanted to reach into the book and give both him and his Mom a huge hug! I hated reading that they were both suffering.
Never have I read a book where there was a second prologue. To me that was very unique and special.
Josh’s writing is very deep, insightful,Inspirational and made you think. I was blown away by it. I must admit and am ashamed to say I had not heard of his Mom until this book. I am an avid reader too. This being said I must read more of her stuff. I also hope Mandy and Josh team up again as they worked well together.
One thing was for sure is the unconditional love Mandy had for Josh and there was nothing she wouldn’t do for him. I just loved that part.
My heart went out to Mandy on how she kept wanting to fix him and give him a pill to make it all better. I recently had a tragedy with my loved one in my life and I have said those exact same words! But like Mandy I too have to realise that this is as normal as normal will be. Not that we like it or not.
Mandy and Josh brought awareness to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. It isn’t a syndrome talked about much and seems painful.
I loved how pictures of Josh, Mandy and the family were included in the book. It made it more personal.
In the beginning of each chapter there was a meaningful quote from some well known celebrity such as Gildna Radner, Maya Angelou, Obama, etc.
Josh does a great job of educating us on Depression, Suicide, Mental Health, etc. He wants you to know you are not alone there are others out there that suffer too.
1 comments:
Thanks so much for your support and for closing off the blog tour today Heidi x
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