Pasta fanatic Faye Bonsu loves her job as Junior interior
designer at Cayhill’s - one of the top design consultancy firms in the City of
London. Her relationship with long term boyfriend Rocky Assante, is
deteriorating due to his heavy work load and Faye felt that:
“lost in a haze of
work, her high-flying investment banker boyfriend was fast becoming a stranger”
The story begins with Faye taking a break from her busy work
life to go to Hampstead Heath with her best friend Caroline and Caroline’s
daughter Coco. Surrounded by ‘yummy mummies…and shiny buggies’ Faye reflects on
her life situation as she watches children running around on the Heath and
families spread over colourful picnic blankets.
Faye feels her relationship with Rocky is not moving
forward. Approaching thirty she is now ready to settle down. The problem is,
Rocky gives no indication he feels the same way. His job involves long hours
and a lot of travelling leaving Faye to wonder what the future holds. Despite enjoying her career, which is heading
in a very positive direction, Faye has other aspirations and:
“continued to harbour
her secret dreams of a big family of boisterous, noisy children”
Friends and family, realising she is ready to settle down,
are urging her to put her needs first and talk to Rocky about how she feels.
However, Faye continues to send Rocky mixed messages about her feelings and
their relationship causing them to drift further apart. It seems like her
resolve to speak to Rocky about her frustrations disappear as soon as she sees
him.
“She just stared at
him, struck yet again by how utterly beautiful he was”
She is still drawn to him and although he is unreliable she
almost melts the minute she sees him, all her frustrations and annoyance pushed
aside.
“Rocky’s low drawl
sent familiar shivers juddering straight through her body”
When they both return to Ghana for the wedding of Rocky’s
sister Amma, Faye is wary of spending a whole week in the same house together
and her fears are realised as he becomes even more distant.
Although Faye struggles to confront her own relationship
issues she is busy helping others with theirs. Best friend Caroline and husband
Marcus have their own problems along with Caroline’s dislike for her mother-in-law
and Faye steps in to get them to see sense. Faye’s client Harriet Woollaston is
in a similar situation with her husband Jamie and Faye helps to bring the two
back together.
It is only after her return from Ghana that Faye begins to
reflect on her own desires, looking deeply into a past relationship to find
clarity.
from Pasta to Pigfoot: Second Helpings is a story about the complexities of relationships.
Many will empathise with Faye’s inability to discuss her own feelings,
resulting in an unhappy relationship. It is always easier to see the problems of others rather than one’s own.
It is an entertaining novel which reflects modern day living.
The juggling of career and family life and trying to achieve a happy balance
between the two. The characters are authentic and it is easy to get caught up
in the day to day struggles of their personal issues.
It is also a story about love – which is ultimately what
drives everyone forward. Love for friends; love for relatives and love on a more
personal level. We see the issues that arise between people once the initial
excitement has worn off but there is also the delight and hope of new love when
Lottie, Faye’s family housekeeper, falls in love with the dashing, aging actor
Sam Molloy who has recently moved into the street.
Cultural references to Ghana, the African food and way of life through Fay and Rocky's experiences also give added dimension and interest to the novel
Cultural references to Ghana, the African food and way of life through Fay and Rocky's experiences also give added dimension and interest to the novel
We thank Jacaranda Books for the review copy
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