The French House
Helen Fripp
Published March 2021 by Bookouture
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The vineyards stretched away in every direction as he plucked a perfect red grape, sparkling with dew. “Marry me,” he’d said. “We’ll run these vineyards together.” But now he is gone. There is no one to share the taste of the first fruit of the harvest. And her troubles are hers alone…
In sleepy little Reims, France, grieving Nicole Clicquot watches her daughter play amongst the vines under the golden sun and makes a promise to herself. Her gossiping neighbours insist that the rolling fields of chalk soil are no place for a woman, but she is determined to make a success of the winery. It’s the only chance she has to keep a roof over her head and provide a future for her little girl.
But as the seasons change, bringing a spoiled harvest and bitter grapes, the vineyards are on the brink of collapse. Without her husband’s oldest friend, travelling merchant Louis, she’d truly be lost. No one else would stay up all night to help count endless rows of green bottles deep in the cellars, or spread word far and wide that Nicole makes the finest champagne he’s ever tasted. One magical night, as a shooting star illuminates their way under a velvet sky, Nicole gazes up at his warm smile and wonders if perhaps she doesn’t need to be quite so alone…
But when Louis shrinks from her touch after returning from a long trip abroad, Nicole fears something is terribly wrong. And as an old secret about her husband – that only Louis knew – spreads from the cobbled village streets all the way to the Paris salons, her heart and fragile reputation are shattered. Was she wrong to put her trust in another man? And with Napoleon’s wars looming on the horizon, can she find a way to save her vineyards, and her daughter, from ruin?
Fans of Chocolat, Carnegie’s Maid, Dinah Jeffries and anyone longing to sip champagne under the stars will adore this stunning historical read, inspired by the true story of how Nicole Clicquot blazed her own path to build the world’s greatest champagne house: Veuve Clicquot.
My Review
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I know little about The French Revolution as I was never really a history buff. I know even less about Champagne or how it is made. So this book is probably an odd one for me to choose, but one of my goals for 2021 is to reach into genres that I normally wouldn’t read. The cover was so gorgeous that I felt compelled to raise my hand when the blog tour offer came in. I’m so glad that I did!
This historical fiction centers around Nicole Clicquot, the Widow of Reims, the real-life owner of Veuve Clicquot, the world’s most popular Champagne house in the early 1800’s. The tale covers her struggles to keep her Champagne line afloat after the loss of her husband. Facing both challenges abroad (no export options during the war) and at home (enemies, weather and so much more) Nicole braves it all for her daughter and the memory of her beloved husband.
The story has so many wonderfully beautiful moments. The setting, the friendships, the courage of a woman and the beautiful writing made this a pleasurable read. There were a few slow spots throughout the story and overall, the book can feel a bit depressing as Nicole faces continued challenges, one after another. It’s best to be prepared as this is not a happy or joyful book. But I learned so much about this trailblazing woman that it made it all worthwhile.
Author Bio:
Helen loves historical fiction, and in her writing, she’s fascinated by the women throughout history who have made their mark against all the odds. She finds researching the architecture, art and customs of the time really inspirational, and the tiniest detail can spark an idea for a whole chapter. Her female characters rail against the social constraints to which they are subject and often achieve great success, but they are of course flawed and human, like the rest of us. It’s the motivations, flaws, loves and every-day lives of her characters that she loves to bring life, against sweeping historical backdrops – and she will find any excuse to take off and research a captivating location or person for her next story.
Her first novel is set in the Champagne region in France, and she is currently working on her next one, set in late eighteenth-century Paris. She spent a lot of time in France as a child, has lived in Paris and spent a year with her family in a fishing village in South West France, so that’s where her books have ended up being set so far. Who knows where next!
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