A Place to Call Home by Carole Matthews
Publisher: Sphere (10th Apr 2014)
Received a copy for review from the publisher, thank you!
Blurb:
In the dead of night, Ayesha takes her daughter, Sabina, and slips
quietly from her home, leaving behind her abusive husband and a life of
pain and heartache. Boarding a coach to London, Ayesha has her sights
set on a new life for herself and her little girl.
Hayden, a former popstar, has kept himself hidden away for years. In
all that time, he's opened up his home to just two people - Crystal, a
professional dancer with a heart of gold, and Joy, an ill-tempered
retiree with a soft spot for waifs and strays.
When Crystal asks Hayden if Ayesha and Sabina can stay with them, he
reluctantly agrees. As different as they may be, all these damaged yet
loving people quickly form an unlikely bond. So when enemies from the
past threaten their peaceful life, they will do whatever it takes to
save their home and each other.
I haven't got the chance to read Carole Matthews's earlier novels, well because there are one too many to catch up on, but I've read her recent ones, including Calling Mrs Christmas and Wrapped Up in You. I was really eager to read her latest, A Place to Call Home and when I got the chance to read it, I jumped at the chance!
Carole Matthews's latest book follows the story of Ayesha Rasheed who is living a life of pain and misery, enduring her husband's wrath and cruelty. When she gets her chance to break free from his vice-like grip, she flees to London with her eight-year-old daughter Sabina. Once in London, they are taken under the wing of Hayden, a former pop star alongside Crystal and Joy, and they form a bond so strong, they grow to love one another. Can Ayesha let go of her past and move on? Or does the thought of her husband lurking in the shadows still haunt her?
The thing about Carole Matthews's books is that they are wonderfully written from page one and the plot will immediately draw you in and allow you to be carried away with her words. I really enjoy reading Carole's books because they bring a certain warmth as you read her stories, especially her Christmas ones and A Place to Call Home is no different. Since the heroine, Ayesha is Indian, readers will read on the cultures and especially the cuisine! I loved reading about the food Ayesha cooks and it's not advisable to read it close to midnight. You could hear my stomach grumbling!
I could easily warm up to Ayesha and her daughter, Sabina. Ayesha, a barely literate woman, is an excellent protagonist and I was enraptured by her story right from the start. I liked how the book was narrated from Ayesha's perspective, as well as Hayden and Ayesha's husband, Suresh's, which paints a very beautiful and vivid picture of progress of the story. The other characters, Crystal and Joy were equally fantastic, and I've developed a soft spot for little Sabina or "Beanie"!
A Place to Call Home is a tender, heartwarming story of a mother's everlasting love for her daughter. It's also a story of new beginnings and leaving your past behind. My heart really went out to Ayesha as she had to struggle and fight for her and her daughter's freedom. Incredibly uplifting and a roller coaster of emotions, I wouldn't miss this one if I were you!
Rating: 8/10
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| Freida Pinto as Ayesha and Bradley Cooper as Hayden |
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