Author: Rosy Thornton
Rating:
1/2Who Should Read It? The writing is beautiful, and the descriptions are lovely, so if that's what you need to love a book, check this one out. Especially if you love France!
What I Have to Say:
I've got to be honest - it took me AGES to get into this book. A book like this, I should normally read in three days, and this took me three weeks. I just literally NEVER thought about it when I wasn't reading it, and I could never bring myself to sit still for long enough to ever truly get into it. I never grew to care about the characters, and the intrigue was hard for me to find. I don't know if it was the book's problem or if it was my problem.
In any case, I finally managed to control my jumpy urges and read the last 100 pages in one sitting, and, overall impression, despite the fact that I never really GOT INTO it, persay, I liked it. The intrigue did finally pick up a little bit towards the end, and I was finally able to find a plot. It was quite touching, and while the relationship never felt real to me, and the man in question was not one I would care to know and certainly did not like, it was still quite lovely.
Catherine Parkinson has just sold her old home in England and packed up and moved to rural France, where she plans to start a business as a needle woman. It has its poignant, funny moments, and the occasional moment that is so disturbing I almost wish I would have skipped on reading it. It was pleasantly written with beautiful descriptions that left me with an overwhelming desire to visit Southern France the next time I make my way to France. Thornton really does have a way with descriptions, and her writing style is such that, even though I didn't really love this book, I won't hesitate to read others of her books.
Summary: A rural idyll: that's what Catherine is seeking when she sells her house in England and moves to a tiny hamlet in the Cévennes mountains. With her divorce in the past and her children grown, she is free to make a new start, and her dream is to set up in business as a seamstress. But this is a harsh and lonely place when you're no longer just here on holiday. There is French bureaucracy to contend with, not to mention the mountain weather, and the reserve of her neighbors, including the intriguing Patrick Castagnol. And that's before the arrival of Catherine's sister, Bryony
Cover Story: It's cute, and it fits the book well. I especially love the baguettes in front of the door. Mmmmmmiem, baguettes! Yum!
Disclosure: This book was sent to me for review by the author. This in no way affected my review.
5 comments:
Bummer. The cover is gorgeous.
So you like it, and then you don't like it. Interesting :)
This sounds like a number of other books that I've read in which a divorcee or widow moves to a new town, starts a new business makes new friends and falls in love again. I think an author would have to do something really extraordinary to make sure a story stand out and it doesn't sound like this author accomplished it.
It happens to me sometimes too where for most of the book its just ok and then near the end the story starts looking up.
too bad this is not a better book-the cover looks promising. I just returned from the land of croissants. I had a glorious time in Paris-taking cooking classes and eating tons and tons. What else do you do in Paris-eat and go to museums.
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