The Prodigal Daughter by Prue Leith

Angelica grows up privileged. Much loved daughter of Giovanni and Laura she grows up in the world of restaurants and good food. Her father hopes that she would one day be the heir to his restaurant world but Angelica has other plans.


Her love of French cuisine drives her to Paris for an apprenticeship under the best. Here she enters into a relationship with her cousin Mario, someone who is detested by her father but whom she falls in love with. Trying to straddle the heavy load of her training and also keep up with an unsteady partner who will not work and who depends on Angelica for everything proves to be hard.
Despite her realising that her parents are right Angelica returns home to England to work with her family, hoping that being back in England will help Mario to be more responsible.

Whilst Mario's life takes a downward turn, Angelica's career is on the up and up. Becoming a food writer in addition to her restaurant responsibilities she ends up working for the BBC as well. Making another break from her family she enters into a partnership with her cousin to operate a pub much to the dismay of her father who hopes that she is now settled in the family business.

Details of the restaurant trade plus descriptions of the fabulous food both in France and England kept this book delicious and tantalizing! I understand it is part of a series and that makes me sad as trying to find the rest will prove to be very difficult here.

Sent to me by Netgalley for an unbiased review, courtesy of Quercus Books this was a wonderful read.