Together at the Table : A Novel of Lost Love and Second Helpings a book written by Hillary Manton

Together at the Table : A Novel of Lost Love and Second Helpings a book written by Hillary  Manton Lodge is a delicious, yummy book.

I requested it at Blogging for Books and sent me via NetGalley a lot of time ago and I am sorry for the delay.

I think that books tell also the moments we are living in, and maybe I waited 'til now unconsciously for various reasons. The disappearance of my dad, this "Together at the Table."

Our family in fact is also famous for being social and we love to spend good time with friends and relatives and our lunches and dinners became memorable sometimes for number of people.

As it reminds a very great quote in Lodge's book by Cesar Chavez:

"If you really want to make a friend, go to someone's house and eat with him....The people who give you their food give you their heart."

The book starts with the departure of the mom of the protagonist Juliette.

Juliette suffers a lot for this loss and at the same time she needs to cope with the end of a relationship she started with a doctor via internet.

She was seriously taken by this relationship but at a certain point she preferred to give up, and a reassuring Adrian, the cook of their restaurant entered in her life.

Neil will reappear at some point in her personal story.

Juliette plenty of questions in her mind about her real feelings for Adrian and for Neil.

In particular she discovers the truth when Adrian who maybe wanted to try to understand if seriously loved by her, proposed to Juliette of marrying him.  Thanksgiving. Juliette wasn't ready for it, although she thought with Adrian her life would have been complete. She could see her future with him, but her mind and heart were still in one direction: Neil.

The book is also stunningly interesting and truly yummy! for the wonderful recipes that the author shares with all of us.


There is just another question: at the end will all the protagonists be together at the same table?

The book is truly rich of good values and good sentiments.

The book is the third one of the  The Two Blue Doors: A Table by the Window, and Reservations for Two.


I thank Blogging for Books and NetGalley for this book.


Anna Maria Polidori