Fifteen Minutes by Amanda Prowse will take you on the wildest emotional adventure, all within the short confines of a novella.
Fifteen Minutes is Amanda Prowse’s first novella and if you thought that it might be impossible for Amanda to break our hearts and then put them back together again in the space of a very short novel, well, think again. The Queen of domestic fiction, heartbreak, hope and healing, has done it again.
The book focuses on a different character in each chapter, each person visited by Chen, a Master of Time, who gives them a gift of fifteen minutes more with someone they have lost. Chen visits six people and gives them the gift of more time, from an elderly woman who has lived with guilt for her whole life, to a grieving Father who lives with a ‘What If’ question, the common thread is the same – the characters are given the option of more time, and us readers hearts are broken, repeatedly, as we witness their time through the pages of the book.
Amanda Prowse knows how to write books that we fall in love with, and I thought it impossible with a book of this short duration, but she has done it again. A deviation from her usual style, this book almost feels like it could feature main characters from her previous novels, exploring the ‘What If’ question. But each story is fresh and unique and deeply philosophical.
The moments that define us are laid bare, the seemingly ordinary-ness of what we would choose if given the option to relive a moment in time is stark, surprising and natural all at once. For a collection of stories that ask us to suspend belief, they are also at the same time incredibly relatable. You cannot help but connect, reflect and consider – which fifteen minutes would you choose?
This is the first time I have experienced Amanda Prowse’s shorter writing and her ability to capture deep emotion in just a few pages is remarkable. Her characters are authentic, warm and linger long after the book has been finished. This collection will both break and mend your heart, and remind you that the most significant events in your life are often the ones you least expect.
About the Book
It gets us all in the end, time.
What if I told you that time was not as unyielding as you might have believed? What if I told you it was in fact a fluid, bendable thing and that there are gaps in it, if you know where to look.
Interested? You should be.
What if I told you that the makers of time made a small error, an oversight if you will that allows us to give time back.
Fifteen minutes to be precise – gifted to the most deserving, where they get to spend precious time with someone they have lost.
A chance to right a wrong, ask that burning question or maybe just be held, one last time…
I guess the question is, who would you choose or more importantly when?
About The Author
Amanda Prowse is an International Bestselling author whose twenty-eight novels, two non-fiction titles 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.
Photo credit; Paul Ward Smith
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This book can be purchased in our store either on its own or in a cosy Book Box.
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