Things are getting slippery for Stella. With her husband away she’s juggling a full-time job, a tricky stepdaughter and a relentless four-year-old – all while trying to find her footing in her spouse’s shiny world. Joining the throng of local mothers, she reluctantly hires an au pair in the hope that it will lighten the load.
Stella’s mother-in-law, Elise, thinks this is a rotten idea. An industrial chemist and staunch feminist, she finds the ethical murkiness surrounding the au pair solution difficult to swallow. But she’s promised her son not to meddle, has her own career battles to slay and ghosts of her own past to contend with.
For Ava, life in Sydney as an au pair could help fill the void left by the loss of her mother. With her family recipes in her hand, and hope in her heart, she sets off to reinvent herself in a place far away.
Three women, drawn together by impossible circumstances, will discover that the greatest comfort can often be found in the mess.
Tori Haschka is a Sydney-based author and food writer whose debut novel, Grace Under Pressure, was a big hit with BR readers, combining her love of food with a heartfelt portrayal of female friendship and parenthood. Haschka returns to similar territory in A Recipe for Family, a powerful and heart-rending story about how food connects us and assumptions divide us – and how true family can come from where you least expect it. It’s a wonderful read, perfect for fans of Meg Mason and Sally Hepworth.
Set in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, the novel follows three fabulous women – Stella, Elise and Ava – as they navigate mother’s guilt, judgement, expectations and grief. All three characters were extremely likeable and very relatable, depicting motherhood in its various forms. The novel also serves as a follow-up to Grace Under Pressure, with Grace Harkness making an appearance, although this can definitely be read as a standalone.
Utterly hilarious and wonderfully wise, A Recipe for Family is a joyful, modern take on parenthood and the perfect antidote for stressed-out mums everywhere. This weekend, order takeaway, ignore the kids, pop your feet up and dig into this delicious read. You deserve it.
Leave a Reply