The Boy Between Book Review

About the Book: Josiah (Josh) Hartley was 19 years old with the world at his feet. A new university student, he had his whole life ahead of him. Without warning, Josh's mental health rapidly deteriorated to the point where he planned his own suicide. 

Of course, Josh's situation is not unusual - many young people struggle with mental health issues. Not only did Josh suffer, though, so did his family. His family feared the day Josh might succeed in taking his life. 

Amanda Prowse, bestselling author, found herself grappling for ways to help her son.

In this book, Josh talks about his experience with depression, and Amanda shares her perspective of being a mother watching her beloved son struggle so hard with this illness. This is the book they wish had been around in their darkest days. 

My Thoughts: Wow. This book is a breath of fresh air in that both Josh and Amanda openly and honestly share their experiences. In a world where mental health is often not discussed, I know it couldn't have been easy for either of them to be so vulnerable. 

As someone who has Major Depressive Disorder myself, I could relate to some of Josh's experiences. But I don't think you have to struggle with depression to find his experiences relatable. I think so many people can relate to the lack of motivation he talks about experiencing. COVID has affected all of us to some degree, and I cannot tell you how many people I've talked to who say they do not feel motivated these days. I believe many of us can also relate to feeling isolated right now. 

I have read other books by those who have struggled with mental illness before, and I always find their experiences interesting to read. However, this book is unique because Amanda shares her experience as a mother watching her son struggle with depression. 

I feel like Amanda is too hard on herself at times. I know that she feels badly because she didn't always say or do what she thinks was the "right" thing, but to be honest, I would have loved to have parents who strived so hard to try to help me with my struggles. Amanda has been there for her son through it all, trying her best to help Josh any way she knows how. Her love for her son is obvious and touching.

I believe this book could be great for people who are struggling with depression as well as their loved ones. This book could help facilitate conversations about mental health that are so desperately needed today.

Meet the Authors

Amanda Prowse: Amanda Prowse is an award-winning International bestselling author, best known for her contemporary fiction novels. A radio broadcaster and TV presenter renowned for her empathetic and emotional books, she is known in the UK as the Queen of family drama. Her books have sold over eight million copies in dozens of languages around the world. 

Connect with Amanda Prowse on her website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. 

Josiah Hartley: Josiah (Josh) Hartley is the son of Amanda Prowse who has co-authored with his mother to tell the story of his journey through life so far. Born in England, Josh was fortunate enough to attend one of the country's elite public schools from an early age and was awarded a place at one of the UK's top Universities where he planned to work towards a medical doctorate. But just at the moment when he should have been having the time of his life, he started feeling nagging tugs of self-doubt which spiralled into a depression during which time he planned his suicide. Luckily, his family intervened and after a roller coaster couple of years, he is alive and well and sharing his story to help other families who find themselves in the same position to navigate through these difficult times. 

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FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of, "The Boy Between: A Mother and Son's Journey from a World Gone Grey," by Amanda Prwose and Josiah Hartley for a fair and honest review. Receiving the book did not influence my opinions in any way. All opinions expressed on Fur Everywhere are my own.