Book Review: Finding Freedom (ARC)

Title: Finding Freedom: A Cook's Story; Remaking A Life From Scratch
Author: Erin French

Source/Format: Celadon Books; Paperback ARC
Publisher/ Release date: Celadon Books; (Expected) Apr 6, 2021

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

From Erin French, owner and chef of the critically acclaimed The Lost Kitchen, a TIME world dining destination, a life-affirming memoir about survival, renewal, and finding a community to lift her up

Long before The Lost Kitchen became a world dining destination with every seating filled the day the reservation book opens each spring, Erin French was a girl roaming barefoot on a 25-acre farm, a teenager falling in love with food while working the line at her dad's diner and a young woman finding her calling as a professional chef at her tiny restaurant tucked into a 19th century mill. This singular memoir--a classic American story--invites readers to Erin's corner of her beloved Maine to share the real person behind the "girl from Freedom" fairytale, and the not-so-picture-perfect struggles that have taken every ounce of her strength to overcome, and that make Erin's life triumphant. (read the rest on Goodreads)

What I Thought:

Finding Freedom is Erin French’s story and journey about not only finding freedom, but also rediscovering  herself in the process. Ironically from Freedom, Maine, she found ways to overcome the storms of her life. And in doing so, she also made more friends and family along the way.

The first few pages open casually, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. French introduces the reader to herself while she is hard at work. In part one, she often went back and forth from her young adult life, to her time as a teen, and then to her childhood. This made it somewhat repetitive. However, subsequent chapters in each part (chronologically starting in part 2) pertained to specific events in her life. At this point the book flowed freely and at a better pace. Eventually, I found that it was hard to put down. And, before I knew it, I had finished it. 

In the end, Finding Freedom is a riveting yet inspiring memoir. French takes the reader through her trials and tribulations; sometimes feeling devoid of hope. Slowly, but surely, she takes back control of her life; and, most importantly, never stops dreaming. This memoir may make you laugh, cry, and hungry… very hungry. I recommend checking out Finding Freedom, especially if it seems interesting to you. Or maybe if you would like to know more about the woman behind The Lost Kitchen.

*I received this book from Celadon Books for this review.

Thanks For Reading!