Foreign Fruit by Jojo MoyesMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Time Taken To Read - 5 days
Blurb From Amazon
When a group of bohemians take over an Art Deco house in the 1950s seaside town of Merham, Lottie Swift and Celia Holden are as drawn to its temptations as the rest of the town is appalled. They set in place a chain of events which will have longstanding and tragic consequences for all.
My Review
The book starts off with Lottie Swift and Celia Holden, set in a small town in the 1950s. Lottie lives with Celia's family and is treated as Celia's sister although the whole town still see her "for what she is". The girls do everything together until Celia leaves for London and meets the man of her dreams. When she returns home Guys presence threatens everything Lottie holds dear.
The story flips forward 50 years to Daisy, life was perfect until her partner decides he can't handle life with a baby and walks out on them and their business. Daisy pulls herself together to work on the Art Deco house in the small town Lottie and Celia resided in, that caused so much controversy, and soon the past and present catch up.
I found this story really slow to get started with a big build up on the main characters, Lottie and Celia. Just when it finally got going we flipped to present day when I really wanted to keep going with the girls. The story with Daisy starts up really quickly though and I enjoyed reading how she dealt with her partners departure. The story is really well written and Jojo Moyes does really well to link the two together. I would have liked to have seen the book be a bit thicker to be honest and get more clarification on Celia and what happened than what was given, although they say a great author always leaves the audience wanting more and I do love her books so I guess it is a win win. I was a bit disappointed with how the book ended but this is a personal preference as the people who have also read it seemed to really enjoy it. 3/5 for me and I will continue working my way through her books.
Sounds like a good one,I hadn't heard of this author before.
ReplyDeleteI've heard so much about JoJo Moyes but I haven't heard of this title. Hopefully I'll give one of her books ago in 2013!
ReplyDeleteMarie
http://www.girlvsbookshelf.blogspot.com
I am a little bit hesitant to read her early books because I have loved her last 2 so much and I noticed in The Horse Dancer that her writing has evolved and improved. I do have Last Letter from your Lover though so will give that a go!
ReplyDeleteI too would have enjoyed reading more about their earlier lives as it was a time and place that I grew up in.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review.
Ann
Thanks for the review Lainy. I have read two of her recent novels and would like to go back and read her earlier books sometime soon. I think I'll probably try Last Letter from your Lover next.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Lins x
One I'd like to read. However your 3 star rating makes me think I should borrow from the library rather than buy it.
ReplyDeleteForeign Fruit is a very amazing book. I have read it and Its story and writing are so good. Jojo Moyes is one of my favorite authors. Now it's time to avail Taxi Stratford upon Avon for more information.
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