The publisher's summary says it best:
Reims, France, 1805: Barbe-Nicole Clicquot has just lost her beloved husband but is determined to pursue their dream of creating the premier champagne house in France, now named for her new identity as a widow: Veuve Clicquot. With the Russians poised to invade, competitors fighting for her customers, and the Napoleonic court politics complicating matters she must set herself apart quickly and permanently if she, and her business, are to survive.
In present day Chicago, broken from her divorce, Natalie Taylor runs away to Paris. In a book stall by the Seine, Natalie finds a collection of the Widow Clicquot’s published letters and uses them as inspiration to step out of her comfort zone and create a new, empowered life for herself. But when her Parisian escape takes a shocking and unexpected turn, she’s forced to make a choice. Should she accept her losses and return home, or fight for the future she’s only dreamed about? What would the widow do?
The story has a dual timeline and perspective. Barbe-Nicole Clicquot lived during the 1800s in France and Natalie, her descendant, lives in the present era in Chicago. Each chapter alternates between their life stories. I have found in the past that when there are dual narratives, one seems to be much better than the other. Here we have two equally compelling narratives. When one chapter ended, I groaned because it was ending. However, when the next chapter ended I groaned again.
I believe that the book is going to be one of my top ten books of the year. It's a shame that the publication date is so far out because no one will be able to read it until after the second week of December. With holiday parties and such, readers may not have a chance to pick this one up until some time in 2025. I promise that the book will be worth the wait.
No comments:
Post a Comment