Three-and-a-Half-Heartbeats - Amanda Prowse

Three-and-a-Half-Heartbeats is yet another fantastic read from the very talented Amanda Prowse. Not only is it a great story but it's helping to raise awareness of the disease sepsis with ALL proceeds going to the UK Sepsis Trust.

Grace and Tom Penderford are a happy couple, living in Hertfordshire with their three-year-old daughter Chloe and a close family but when Chloe goes into hospital for a routine operation their world is torn apart.

Having lost their daughter under such tragic circumstances their marriage is pushed to the limits. Tom was a stay at home dad while Grace went out to work everyday and following them through their grieving process and the roller coaster of emotions  is heart-wrenching. We also see the effects on other family members including Graces' sister who is desperate for a child of her own.

Amanda Prowse is one hell of a story teller and this is a book that will touch even the hardest of hearts. Never one to shy away from dealing with raw emotions and tackling subjects that a lot of people would shy away from, this is a beautifully written, poignant read which will have you smiling one minute and then reaching for the tissues the next. Each chapter has a small piece of information about sepsis at the top, giving the reader an insight into signs to look out for and statistics on this terrible disease, for example, chapter 7, "Sepsis claims 37,000 lives every year in the UK. 37,000. . ." that's a frightening statistic, but a clever and unobtrusive way of making the reader aware whilst still being absorbed in the story.

This is a book that will stay with me for a long time and is currently only £1.20 (correct at the time of posting) so please consider buying a copy knowing that ALL proceeds are going to a good cause.