This story of a middle-class mid-life crisis had plenty of interest for the reader, and yet I was constantly visited by the thought that, if all the sections concerning food were removed – the cooking, the barbecuing, the loading of forks, the pushing it round one’s plate and smearing it on faces, the whole thing could be reduced to a pamphlet. A very entertaining pamphlet, admittedly.

While most of the focus is on day to day family life – the bickering that goes on between teenagers, and low level marital discord, some fairly meaty issues are brought in when the central character researches her family history, and there were some quite gripping sections in the middle. This element of the plot blows itself out quite early, though, and domestic matters regain supremacy.

I enjoyed the book for its accessibility – it’s rooted in reality, and light without being hopelessly predictable. There is gentle humour with the occasional laugh out loud moment (I liked the pencil case, and the ‘liquorice incident’). At times, though, the writing felt a bit laboured. I haven’t seen much of this author’s work in the UK though I would certainly read her again if I did. Hoping for a bit less mastication next time. ( )