To Lahore, with Love - Hina Belitz (Blog Tour)

Date of Reading: 19/03/2020

Author: Hina Belitz

Publisher: Headline

Publication Date: March 19, 2020

Rating: 3/5

(This review is part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours)

About the book:

Addy Mayford has always struggled with her identity. Brought up in a household of stories, food and faith by her Irish mother and Pakistani Nana, she feels constantly torn between the two sides of her upbringing. Since the death of her father, she's found contentment cooking delicious recipes from his home city of Lahore, despite the protestations of her mother that being a chef is no career for a young woman. It's only with the love of her gorgeous husband, Gabe, that she's truly found happiness.

When Addy stumbles across a secret that shatters her world, she desperately needs to escape and is drawn to the sights of Lahore and the family she's never known. Waiting for her there is Addy's final acceptance of who she is, and a long-buried family secret that will change her life forever.

A truly feel-good and heartwarming novel for readers of Sofia Khan is Not Obliged, the Amir Sisters novels and Ruth Hogan

Review:

      Reading this book reminded me a lot of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's epic novel 'The Mistress of Spices'. Both share a central theme: food can work miracles, it can change a person's mood and even affect their decisions. The only thing to know is how to tap that power. Here is a piece of good news then; each chapter begins with a secret recipe which is helpful in tackling various life situations. They do have some cute names too, beginning with Commitment Cake to Amorous Chilli Chocolate and Calm-Making Cauliflower. So if you desire to enhance your culinary skills, this will surely appeal to the chef inside you and if you are a foodie like me . . . well, be prepared to appease your stomach some way.

       The story deals with Addy's journey of self-realisation; brought up by her Irish mother and Pakistani nana, she is truly a product of east and west. With her cooking powers, she manages to get Gabe to propose to her but now that safely guarded marriage is crumbling. With Nana and best friend Jen, she undertakes a journey to Lahore in search of the answer to something everyone asks: Why did this happen to me? All our religions say that everything happens for a reason, but will we ever accept it without proof? Will Lahore change her life? That's all the story is about.

      Apart from the rushed ending where so many things happened which are not completely relevant to the plot, this novel had me glued to the kindle. The pages just flew by and before I know it, ninety percent of the story is over. I loved the way Lahore came alive in the novel, thanks to the author's brilliant writing skills. Altogether an engaging and powerful read, that left me with a growling stomach. 

Meet the author:

HINA BELITZ is an author and renowned equal rights lawyer. Born in Pakistan to an Indian father and a mother of Iranian, Afghan and Indian descent, Belitz was brought up in Hampshire – a place starkly different to her parent’s home city of Lahore, and where she was the only Asian person in her school. Her debut novel, SET ME FREE, was critically acclaimed and led to her being interviewed by Morgan Freeman and starring in a National Geographic documentary about love. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications including the Guardian and the BBC.

A lot of the narrative in TO LAHORE, WITH LOVE has its roots in Hina's own life experience. She writes pieces on: Normalising Asian stories, food and identity, diversity in literature, careers and women, surviving heartbreak, fertility and growing up in the English countryside, amongst other topics. Follow Hina on Twitter: @Hina_Belitz