Taste of Life

Food defines who we are in society. Think of any occasion and food is there. Hillary Manton Lodge in her book Together at the Table uses food as she examines the intricacies of human relationships. Juliette D'Alisa has opened a restaurant with her brother Nico and trying to recover from the death of her mother several months before and the break-up with her boyfriend Neil. She is opening herself up to a new relationship with sous-chef Adrian from the restaurant. Juliette feels she is moving forward albeit slowly. She is also planning on taking a trip to Paris to learn more about her grandmother and her family. Adrain is planning a birthday party for her but Juliette requests a quiet day. But this birthday is anything but a quiet event. To make matters more complicated, Juliette discovers Neil is back in town dredging up memories and emotions. The book includes recipes that are mentioned by the characters throughout the book. This book is the third one in the series "Two Blue Doors." I liked this book with the indepth characters and plot. However, I wish I had read the first two books first as it was hard to know who was who and understand what had occured in the previous two books. So I would suggest reading the series in order. This one does not stand alone, it builds upon what has already occured. Food brings us together as a society, as a family, and creates emotional ties. So try giving Together at the Table a taste today. I received this book for free to review from WaterBrook.