Maya spends her days dreaming of a perfect life; a life filled with love, success and pleasure. She tries to find fulfilment in the pursuit of men and money, and when this doesn't work she looks for comfort in chocolate. But this just leaves her feeling empty and lost. Then Maya meets a mysterious stranger and is set on a spiritual journey to discover what she's been missing all this time...
A sweet and touching fable about love, courage and enlightenment, Men, Money and Chocolate reveals what is possible when you open your heart to the spiritual secrets within the material world. This tale of transformation shows you how to love a man without losing yourself, find work that fulfils your heart and enjoy chocolate as a source of pleasure instead of pain.
Maya Fitzgerald hasn't got it all going for her. Stuck in a job where she has no motivation to work there anymore, with no love life running her way and with financial debts piling up high into the sky. Maya is not a happy woman at all...Oh yeah, and she's a few pounds overweight.
Maya feels like she is forever stuck in her mother's cafe, feeling low and down about herself, Maya can't help but snack on chocolate truffles and slices of strawberry cheesecake. All whilst trying to hide her 'cake' belly under her apron.
But one day a kind old lady names Rose, walks into the shop and asks for Maya to join her for cake and tea and tea. Rose suggests way's that Maya could be a lot more happier if she didn't doubt herself all the time. She needs to see herself for who she really is and to think with her heart and not with her mind.
Maya soon gets help and advise from many different people. There's Sophie the psychic, Rose and her goo, loving cousin Faith. Maya has her ups and downs on this joyous rise and makes a few mistakes along the way, but who doesn't?
Men, Money and Chocolate by Menna Van Praag, is a heart warming tale about following you heart and not your mind, and of a young woman trying to find herself again and re-living her hopes and dreams.
At first I thought the books was a little bit of a 'Oh woes me, my life is so bad' kind of book. But once you get into it, you cannot put it down (Or so I thought) because you want to know if Maya will become her dream and fulfil her life in many ways. Or if she will stay in her mother's cafe forever, and will she ever find love?
I think Menna did an excellent job on writing this book and may just pick up some more of her work. I thoroughly enjoyed it all the way to the end, and as I said before, the beginning is a bit hard to get into, but once you get past that it's wonderful.
To me, I found it a very relaxing read and very helpful in ways, as I too wish to write my own novel one day. So it helped me to gain more confidence and inspired me not to give up and to follow my dreams. It is a great book that makes you think of things differently and to have a new outlook on life and dreams themselves.
If you're feeling a little down, fancy something different to read or even a kind of spiritual book. Give this book a go!
I gave this book 8 out of 10
