This is a coming-of-age novel. Life can be tough when you are 14. Liv's father walked out on the family when she was two; her mother is an alcoholic; she is being bullied at school. Her elder sister leaves university to look after her but will she manage to convince social services that Liv would not be better in care? This novel reads well and held my attention throughout. The issues dealt with are those faced by so many teenagers and, although tough, are well handled here and the book has a positive tone. There are several baking recipes weaving through the text and these helped to lighten the tone. They provide a foil for the intensity of the narrative and reveal love in harsh times.
