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Reviewed by Makeda Cummings for Readers' Favorite
Lorrie Parise's 25902: Homemade with Love is a long look back at a house that meant everything to a family. Lorrie starts at the point where she has to leave, and from there she rewinds into how her parents, Alice and Fidel, made it happen in the first place. It wasn’t easy. They were repeatedly turned down when applying for a bank loan, due to how they were perceived. Then comes a turning point. Fidel’s employer, Mr. Amberg, steps in with a personal loan, and suddenly, the dream is back on track. After that, things get busy—planning with a student architect, hauling materials, dealing with measles and mumps mid-project, and still finding the courage to move forward. The house ends up holding everything, including celebrations, arguments, and grief. Now that it’s being passed on, it really makes you pause for a moment and think about everything that happened within those walls and what it all meant.
Lorrie Parise's 25902: Homemade with Love feels very much like someone talking you through their family’s history over time. The writing is simple but captivating because the focus stays on what happened and who was involved. The events jump around depending on the section. The construction events unfold quickly, while the memory-heavy parts stretch out longer. This authentic blend draws you deeper into the details. The most heartfelt moments are when the family is actually doing something together, like building their house or handling a new life challenge as a unified team. You see their dynamic clearly, especially between Lorrie, her siblings, and her parents. If you’re a fan of memoirs about perseverance and family bonds, this one will warm your heart from beginning to end.
