Bookworm: Love Falls by Esther Freud

What a mix.

I started this book and was a little surprised, mainly because of the person who lent it to me. This piece of fiction at first seemed a very easygoing read and almost like it was going to be a piece of chick lit. I was wrong.

I'm finding it hard to write too long a review here as I don't want to spoil the reading experience for anyone else. Let's just say this book is not what it first seems.

Love Falls is one of those books that you can't stop reading. It's very addictive. The characters are intriguing and although there are quite a few they are manageable to learn more about and see how they grow.

On reading the title and some of the blurb, again you could be tricked into thinking this book was going to be a predictable and sickly romance. Not at all.

I loved the descriptions of the surrounding Tuscany and the delicious culinary delights being enjoyed. It made me hungry and wanting to go on holiday. Freud's descriptions are very powerful and I often found I was losing myself in Lara's world and the Italian environment she found herself in.

There are lots of times in the book I found myself uncomfortable and felt the key people mentioned were very odd. In fact with Kip I found I didn't really like him a lot of the time, which I don't imagine is necessarily what Freud intended.

Good bits
Strong descriptions
Intriguing characters
Not what it seems
Addictive
Easy to read

Not so great
Felt the ending was disappointing, I was expecting something more to happen
At times I felt a little confused as to who was linked to who and what was real and what was simply being hinted at
Felt one of the events that happens in the book was brushed over

Overall I'd definitely recommend the story to others. As others have said Freud's style does 'whisk you away' and the book does have an 'unsettling' feel to it. I've just noticed another book Peerless Flats by Esther Freud which I may try too.

I've still got four books in my reading pile to get through first though. Oh and my Dummies Guide to Blogging! Hm...maybe it'd be wise to consult that one first?...