Scan barcode
A review by mmarlborough
From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home by Tembi Locke
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Wow. This memoir is a powerful open wound about grappling with grief and trying to understand the hole left in your life by the person you loved most. While tragic, there is so much hope here: about family, legacy, and roots.
American actress Tembi and Sicilian chef Saro meet in Italy, with a whirlwind romance filled with love and food. The pair fall in love and build a life together in Los Angeles, but Saro’s family will not accept Tembi because she is Black. Their love is strong and they build a happy life and marriage despite these odds. Just as Saro’s family comes around, he is diagnosed with cancer. Tembi describes getting to know her in-laws while her beloved is dying, parenting while losing her husband, and forging a lasting relationship with her Sicilian family.
I teared up multiple times while reading this. Locke is a phenomenal writer. Her raw prose beautifully encapsulates her journey. The framework of food and cooking works well as a bridge to Saro and his Sicilian roots (I quickly realized I couldn’t listen to this while hungry though!) I can’t wait to watch the Netflix show of this beautiful and heartbreaking love story and I hope Locke continues to write.
✨Trigger Warnings: Death, Racism, Cancer, Infertility
American actress Tembi and Sicilian chef Saro meet in Italy, with a whirlwind romance filled with love and food. The pair fall in love and build a life together in Los Angeles, but Saro’s family will not accept Tembi because she is Black. Their love is strong and they build a happy life and marriage despite these odds. Just as Saro’s family comes around, he is diagnosed with cancer. Tembi describes getting to know her in-laws while her beloved is dying, parenting while losing her husband, and forging a lasting relationship with her Sicilian family.
I teared up multiple times while reading this. Locke is a phenomenal writer. Her raw prose beautifully encapsulates her journey. The framework of food and cooking works well as a bridge to Saro and his Sicilian roots (I quickly realized I couldn’t listen to this while hungry though!) I can’t wait to watch the Netflix show of this beautiful and heartbreaking love story and I hope Locke continues to write.
✨Trigger Warnings: Death, Racism, Cancer, Infertility