Saturday 29 April 2017

The Food of Love - Amanda Prowse


A loving mother. A perfect family. A shock wave that could shatter everything.
Freya Braithwaite knows she is lucky. Nineteen years of marriage to a man who still warms her soul and two beautiful teenage daughters to show for it: confident Charlotte and thoughtful Lexi. Her home is filled with love and laughter.
But when Lexi’s struggles with weight take control of her life, everything Freya once took for granted falls apart, leaving the whole family with a sense of helplessness that can only be confronted with understanding, unity and, above all, love.
In this compelling and heart-wrenching new work by bestselling author Amanda Prowse, one ordinary family tackles unexpected difficulties and discovers that love can find its way through life’s darkest moments.


What did I think?

Just when I think I have read the best Amanda Prowse book ever, I pick up another and send the jury back out.  Amanda Prowse has an unparalleled understanding of a multitude of potential personal situations and really gets to grips with human emotions.  I didn't read any of the blurb before reading The Food of Love, and I guess I should have guessed by the title, but before picking it up I had no idea what this book was about.  What I could guarantee was that I would be in for an emotional read, so with tissues at the ready I turned the first page.

Freya and Lockie seem to have it all.  A longstanding marriage and two beautiful confident girls...or so it would appear on the outside. So when Freya is called to school about her youngest daughter, Lexi, she is astounded to be confronted by a concern about Lexi's weight.  Her daughter is happy and healthy, how rude of the teachers to insinuate such a thing!  The seed, however, has been sown and as Freya notices more about Lexi she sees what others can see...her daughter is dangerously thin.  So the battle begins...

Amanda Prowse has done it again!  Aside from the fact that she made me cry, which I have to say is pretty much a given, she has gone straight to the heart of the matter, ripped the heart out and laid it bare for all to see.  I really don't know how she does it, to choose a challenge in someone's life and lay it out so explicitly and emotionally.  Although it felt like the Sword of Damocles, and I almost dreaded the end of each chapter, I loved the way that each chapter ended with a countdown, and I didn't know what it was counting down to but whatever it was I was powerless to resist hurtling towards it at the speed of light.

The emotion and feelings in this book are oozing out of every page and at times I felt like my heart was fit to burst.  I think for me, one of the most powerful messages in The Food of Love is that we often don't see what is right in front of our eyes, especially when it relates to our loved ones.  I do believe that we actually see into each other's souls when we love someone so we don't see them fading before our eyes.  It shocks me now to look at photos of my loved ones in the last months of their lives, as I really didn't see them looking as poorly as they do in the photos.

I urge you to read this book; if you love someone open your eyes and look at them outside as well as inside.  I wish I could give more than 5 stars to give some idea of how amazing The Food of Love is but don't just take my word for it, read it for yourself (with a pack of tissues handy, of course).

I don't usually quote passages from a book, but one beautiful sentence stood out so much for me that I just had to share it here as a closing thought:

Beauty is on the inside, beauty is goodness and it is nothing to do with a number or a dress size or a shape.

Well said, Mrs. Prowse, well said indeed!

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:




Buy it from Amazon

No comments:

Post a Comment