Review By Kayleigh
I adored this effervescent and fierce novel about women’s determination.
Favourite Quote:
“Guess there’s no telling what a woman can accomplish,”I said.
“Exactement!” Sophie gave a curt nod, and I felt absurdly proud of myself, as if I’d come up with the answer to a tricky question. “Never stand in the way of a determined woman, she said, thrusting the bottle in the air like a salute.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Perfect for fans of bubbly wine and Kristin Harmel, this historical fiction novel follows Mme. Clicquot as she builds her legacy, and the modern divorcee who looks to her letters for inspiration.
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 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?
Listen, Veuve Clicquot was my first real champagne I ever tasted, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I always keep a bottle ready for celebrations, because hey, sometimes just getting through a Monday deserves some celebrating. I’ve been fascinated by the widow who built one of the most renowned champagne houses in the 1800’s ever since. The Champagne Letters has only continued to fuel my admiration for the widow.
I loved this book. It is possibly one of my favorite reads of the year. The book is about two women, separated by centuries, facing challenges as they have to rebuild their lives on their own: one from a death and one from a divorce. The story is split between 1805 and modern day. In 1805 the widow Clicquot is reeling from the loss of her husband and what that will mean for her livelihood and future during a rather chaotic time in French history. In modern day, Natalie is reeling from discovering her husband’s affair after 20 years of marriage and subsequent divorce. On a whim, she decided to escape for a break in Paris, where she not only discovers the widow behind “the good” champagne, but also her own mettle.
The two women deal with their own ups and downs. Both have to go through trials to discover what they actually stand for, on their own two feet. There is action and mystery in Natalie’s timeline, and I really enjoyed where the plot takes the reader. The book really focuses on women in middle life, and how we have to balance our aging, society’s expectations and our own complicated feelings with leadership, self-identity and risk-taking. I loved Kate’s exploration in female friendships and the expectations we place on other women in our life. Neither Natalie nor Barbe-Nicole, the widow, are perfect. Both have flaws that they explore and acknowledge during the book. The goal isn’t to be perfect, it’s to be worthy of ourselves and our own lives, they both discover.
This is a book to read, savour and then share with the other women in your life.
Thank you, Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC in return for an honest review.
