Tag: Book Review

The Belle Hotel by Craig Melvin

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Today I’m delighted to be hosting the blog tour for The Belle Hotel by Craig Melvin.  A tale of the rise and fall of Charlie Sheridan through the historical rich last quarter of the twentieth century.

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13 October 2008. Welcome to the worst day of Chef Charlie Sheridan’s life, the day he’s about to lose his two great loves: his childhood sweetheart, Lulu, and the legendary Brighton hotel his grandfather, Franco Sheridan, opened in 1973.

This is the story of the Belle Hotel, one that spans the course of four decades – from the
training of a young chef in the 1970s and 80s, through the hedonistic 90s, up to the credit
crunch of the noughties – and leads us right back to Charlie’s present-day suffering.

In this bittersweet and salty tale, our two Michelin star-crossed lovers navigate their seaside hangout for actors, artists and rock stars; the lure of the great restaurants of London; and the devastating effects of three generations of family secrets.

There is something rather special about this novel. Not only is it full with great recipes but it’s also a great walk through major historical events of the last 30 years of the twentieth century.  We begin a little closer in 2008 with Charlie in dire straights and having quite possibly one of the worst days of his life.  He has three hours to find £10,000 or Belle Hotel will be repossessed and he’ll be left with nothing, not even the other love of his life, Lulu.  At this stage I must admit I thought Charlie a bit of an arse and couldn’t see why on earth I would be routing for him to save himself but before long Melvin takes us back to where it all began with Charlie’s grandfather, Franco.  And oh what a story he has weaved.

This is clearly an author who knows about food and the restaurant/hotel business. It’s not an easy life and the job is most definitely a lifestyle – not the kind of job you can leave behind when it’s time to clock off.  I found Franco Sheridan is an immensely likeable character and one who knows how to charm.  He is already late on in his life when we meet him in 1973 (a very good year – the year I was born).  His story is incredibly intriguing.  We join him when he is head steward on the Brighton Belle train serving the one and only Sir Lawrence Olivier, or Larry as Franco calls him, as he travels to and from London.  Before long Franco, (with a little help from Larry) opens Belle Hotel and has his sights on earning the restaurant a Michelin star.  Always reaching for the top, Franco passes on everything he knows to his grandson Charlie.  Franco tells Charlie he was born a chef and expects only the very best for him and the Belle Hotel.  The pair are completely driven but when Franco suddenly dies Charlie finds it hard to fill his shoes.

A novel full of flavour and interest, we watch Charlie living the dream with women, drugs and the attention that someone being on top invites. Famous names litter the pages with  guest appearances from Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, Noel Gallagher, Jamie Oliver and the Carry On cast to name but a few.  Sizzling with sex, drugs and good food this is a scintillating read.  I wondered on more than one occasion how Charlie was ever going to pull himself out from the hole he had dug but I admit I was rather cheering for him towards the end and hoped that he found away.

About the Author

1-3Craig Melvin holds an MA in Creative Writing from Sussex University and is a restaurant consultant in London and Brighton.  He was mentored by Albert Roux at catering college and has worked in the restaurant and site business ever since.  He also runs www.lunarlemonproductions.com with his wife Mel.

 

 

 

You can also find Craig:

on Twitter: @ccmelvin

on Instagram: @melvincraig

on Facebook: Craig Melvin Brighton

Hotel Belle is published by Unbound, the world’s first crowdfunding publisher, established in 2011.

‘We believe that wonderful things can happen when you lear a path for people who share a passion.  That’s why we’ve built a platform that brings together readers and authors to crowdfund books they believe in – and give fresh ideas that don’t fit with traditional mould the chance they deserve.’

Again I am totally impressed by the quality that Unbound publishes.  Hotel Belle  is a super read and gives an intriguing insight into the (at times seedier side ) of life as chef trying to stay at the top.

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You’re Being Ridiculous! by C.E.A Forster – memoirs of a foster carer

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Today I would like to share with you a memoir by C.E.A. Forster. The author is a foster carer and she has decided to share her stories within the pages of her book, You’re Being Ridiculous!

A new authorial voice relaying true stories that are likely to both horrify you and make you laugh out loud. Events and conversations are told with pace, humour and humanity as the author shares with you her memories of the situations she has lovingly endured while at the mercy of her numerous foster boys. It is heart warming, heart breaking and heartfelt in equal measures. It is a memoir of sorts but it is definitely not a misery memoir.

http://ceaforster.com

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Synopsis
C.E.A. Forster is youngish, conceivably pushing middle age, although she would argue as to where that line is drawn, and she is just wanting to share with you the trials, tribulations and sheer joy of her time as a foster carer.
She writes of the sounds of bystanders that she can still to this day hear ringing in her ears, tutting at her apparent inability to control the children in her care and of the mayhem that follows theme everywhere, along with her repeated admonition to them of “you’re being ridiculous!”.
Claire has experienced this awful questions in the most public of places concerning the differences between boys and girls and has been informed by a six year old on the habits of mating Turtles. Have you ever heard of pee wars? Have you ever crash landed in a World War II plane and lived to tell the tale? Not to mention some of the topics discussed at the dinner table that would make even the most bold of us blush.
Claire won’t mind you laughing at her or with her and she will leave you knowing, in no uncertain terms, just how much she grew to love these boys and how they will always have a special place in her heart. She hopes that maybe one day they will come back into her life to remind her of their own memories.

You can feel the love and compassion Claire has felt for each and every one of the children that have shared her home. It is not a light undertaking being a foster carer, to provide a safe haven for these troubled young souls who for whatever reason have found themselves in need of temporary shelter.

Each child that she talks about within the book has obviously had a massive impact on her life and we can hope the their stories each have happy endings but one thing we can be sure of is that for a brief time they were able to be with someone who shared with them her zest for life, sense of humour and who was willing to love and care for them unconditionally, providing them with a brief respite before they moved on to whatever the future has in store for them.

Claire decided to share her life and her home with children who were in need of care, love and an escape from the difficulties they faced. She is very considerate and discrete in her narration. This isn’t about the horrors and heartbreak that the children may have come from. It’s not about the effect their young experiences have had on them but it’s about nurturing and helping those fragile beings so they leave a little brighter and a little happier than when they arrived. This book is a celebration of her decision to become a foster carer and the kindness and love she has been able to provide these children during the time they are with her. The children may have only been with Claire for a short time but I can tell she will always carry a little of them with her and I imagine that they will carry something of her too.

A light-hearted, funny and yet at times sad book, this was a pleasure to read. As a parent I can understand some of Claire’s more cringe-worthy encounters but she seems to have addressed some tricky (and at times very embarrassing moments) with a cool, calm head. Any parent will tell you that you learn on the job and no two children are ever the same. For a foster carer this can be even more of a challenge as they have such little knowledge of the small but powerful personalities presented before them and are left to constantly think on their feet.

I feel that it is wonderful to know that there are people such as Claire out there ready to be there for these children, whatever circumstances they may be coming from.

Thank you Claire for inviting me to read and review You’re Being Ridiculous!

You can discover more about Claire by visiting her website here or follow her on Twitter @cea_forster