Jump into the rarefied air that is Northern Beaches motherhood – a hilarious, infuriating world filled with judgemental mothers’ groups, pressure to keep up with the Joneses, and spouses with wandering eyes… After several all-too-public work faux pas, Stella finally joins the throng of local mothers who swear by importing au pairs to help them regain their work-life balance. Stella’s mother-in-law, Elise, ponders the ethical murkiness of this solution – but navigating her own demons leaves little time or inclination to meddle. As for young au pair Ava, how better to escape the fresh grief of losing your mother than by heading to the sun, sea, and self-tan perfection of a Sydney summer? A Recipe for Family is perfect for days where the strictures of our lives grate a bit more than usual.
Reviewed by Donnay Torr.
