Review by Booklist Review
Goaded by the insulting presumptions of her unfaithful ex-husband, Natalie leaves the final details of the sale of their house to him and hops a plane to Paris. Last-minute plans leave her in a posh boutique hotel, with a verbal misstep giving the impression that she's a widow, not divorced. At a bouquiniste along the Seine, she finds a copy of a book with letters in both French and English from the widowed Barbe-Nicole Clicquot (of Veuve Clicquot champagne fame) to her great-granddaughter. Though their lives are not parallel, the widow inspires Natalie to expand her conservative life, accepting the flirtatious companionship of a handsome wine merchant and the friendship of one of the hotel employees. The letters tell the story of a woman defying convention during the Napoleonic era, coping and plotting to ensure the success of her champagne venture. Readers will see danger for Natalie long before she does, but both women succeed in the end. The combination of history and contemporary narrative makes for a compelling read worthy of relationship-fiction collections.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
MacIntosh debuts with a fizzy story of an unmoored woman who finds solace in a cache of historical letters. When Natalie Taylor's 20-year marriage ends in divorce, she isn't sure how to move on. Casting about for a new beginning, she flies from Chicago to Paris, where she buys a collection of letters written by Barbe-Nicole Clicquot, who inherited her husband's champagne business in early 19th-century Reims, to her great-granddaughter, Anne. Barbe-Nicole's description of her struggles and resilience as a woman business owner provides Natalie with a path forward. She meets handsome wine merchant Gabriel and puts together a chic French wardrobe with help from her hotel's concierge. MacIntosh alternates Barbe-Nicole's accounts of life in Napoleonic Reims with Natalie's fast-moving romance with Gabriel, which is complicated by Natalie's discovery that he's not the highly successful wine merchant he purported to be. The author also cleverly draws parallels between Barbe-Nicole and Natalie as they cope with the loss of their husbands and their similar feelings of isolation when facing life's difficulties without input from their spouses. This feel-good story hits all the right notes. Agent: Barbara Poelle, Word One Literary. (Dec.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
DEBUT A year after her divorce, Natalie is trying to put her life back together. On impulse, she flees Chicago for Paris and checks into an expensive boutique hotel, where she is befriended by Sophie, a hotel employee who gives her recommendations for a hairdresser, places to shop, and special things to see in Paris. In a book stall by the Seine, Natalie finds a volume of the collected letters of Barbe-Nicole Clicquot, the woman known for creating one of France's premier champagne producers in the early 19th century, after the death of her husband and collaborator. Natalie dives into the book and comes to admire the Widow Clicquot's life. At a café, Natalie bumps into a man who is also staying at her hotel. He turns out to be a wine expert who knows Paris, and he wines and dines Natalie until her head spins. But when he disappears, Natalie realizes she has been conned. She musters the courage to go after him and gains some self-confidence in the process. MacIntosh writes a fascinating story about women of the past and the present, with chapters alternately narrated by Natalie and Madame Clicquot. VERDICT This intriguing and engaging blend of real history and fiction includes well-rounded characters. General fiction readers will enjoy this recommended novel, and so will fans of French wine. A good pairing with the recent 2023 biopic Widow Clicquot directed by Thomas Napper.--Joanna M. Burkhardt
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