Every time I hear about a new novel from Amanda Prowse I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Over the years I have had the pleasure of reading many of Amanda’s novels and she has most definitely become one of my favourite authors. The Food of Love is, in my opinion, one of her finest and most unforgettable novels that she has written to date and I’m delighted to be able to share my review of this masterpiece with you today.
Within The Food of Love we are introduced to the Braithwaite family which consists of Freya and her husband Lockie and their two children, Charlotte and Lexi. After many years of marriage, both Freya and Lockie are still very much in love with one another and Freya believes that she has a very close relationship with her two daughters who at first glance both seem to be doing well. However, when Freya receives a telephone call from Lexi’s headmistress her whole world is turned upside down, things are not as perfect as they at first appeared to be.
Before reading this book I made a point of not looking at any spoilers so can safely say that what was revealed came as a massive shock to me. As with all of her novels, Amanda has dealt with a very real issue, which in this case is anorexia, that I’m sure is one that affects so many people’s lives. The way she approached her subject matter throughout the novel was quite simply superb and I felt that she treated it with the utmost respect and it was clear that she had taken the time to research her subject matter in very great detail. I found it particularly interesting to read about the psychology behind eating disorders and appreciated the fact that we went on a journey with the family from diagnosis through various forms of treatment.
There were a couple of other things I loved about this book, with the first being the way in which Amanda has created a family who you can’t help but fall in love with and feel connected to. I felt as if I was a part of their story and really felt their emotions whilst reading the book, from sadness to happiness to frustration and everything in between. I also really loved the way in which this book was written and thought that the way in which the chapters were structured was exceptionally clever. Whilst the first parts of each chapter dealt with the main part of the story, the second parts were a countdown to an event that was only revealed right at the end which certainly gripped me and had my thoughts racing in all directions wondering what was going to happen.
The Food of Love was undoubtedly one of the most emotional and powerful novels that I have read in a very long time. I found it to be an irresistible read that has made me feel grateful to have the life that I do and can safely say that with each book she writes, Amanda’s writing seems to be going from strength to strength. This book was absolutely no exception to that and I didn't hesitate to award it five shimmering stars! All that's left for me to say is that I highly recommend this book and am already really looking forward to reading what Amanda writes next - hopefully I won’t have too long to wait!
