The food of Love by Amanda Prowse

Synopsis

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 work by best selling author Amanda Prowse, one ordinary family tackles unexpected difficulties and discovers that love can find it's way through life's darkest moments.

Author: Amanda Prowse

Publication Date: 1st December 2016

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

I bought me own copy of he book to read and review

My Review

I wanted to read a book that I knew I would pick up and love from page one.  I have read a number of Amanda's previous and current books and this one has been sitting in my to be read pile for quite some time so I knew that this would be a good read.

As predicted this gripped me page one and I was instantly drawn into Freya's world and family.  Their busy chaotic family home is filled with love, laughter and warmth.  Freya spends her days writing about food and cooking up fabulous dishes for her family and her husband Lockie is a photographer but before long the cracks start to appear as Freya is called into the school. A teacher is concerned about her daughter Lexi.  Lexi had fainted at school and with the lack of food in her body and the extra exercise she was undertaking she was becoming worryingly thin but hiding this under piles of baggy clothes.

As the extent of the situation is revealed things start to spiral out of control.  Freya blames herself for not noticing the signs but is determined that she can fix things.  She is Lexi's mother and mothers can always fix things but it soon becomes clear this situation is bigger then she can handle.

Lexi becomes withdrawn and more and more secretive and conniving in finding ways to starve and purge herself.  so much so that even with Freya's attempts to help the pounds increase this is creating the opposite in Lexi and the weight is still dropping to a dangerous level.

When Lexi becomes seriously ill she has to be admitted to feeding clinic where a feeding tube has to be inserted.  After six weeks she is released home but she has yet to hit rock bottom.  Only on the verge of death does a serious decision have to be made for Lexi.

This story was heart breaking to read but at the same time I struggled to put the book down. Amanda does not create characters she creates people and offers us readers their struggles which are all to vivid.  As much as my heart went out to Lexi who was starving herself my heart reached out further to Freya who was living a mother's worst nightmare.  

A mother's love is like no other and as a mother you believe that you will always keep your children safe but what if you can't?  Some things are too big for us mother's to resolve on our own much as we want to.  The decision to bring in the outside help is one of he hardest to make especially when everything around you is falling apart.

I could write about this fabulous book all day but all I can say is just read it.