My favorite part of the book was the description of the main character, Heidi, and her husband Henry. Henry had died in a car accident a few years earlier, but she still mourned his loss and missed him at every turn. The descriptions of their relationship were funny and inspiring.
I would have liked to see more of France, but the story was strong enough that it could have been set at a beach house in Maine or a desert house in New Mexico. Of course, I might not have read it then because of my France obsession.
The book does a nice job of showing Heidi slowly peel back layers and begin to heal herself and her 7-year-old son. A 16-year-old niece with her own problems adds to the angst. And, of course, the house in Provence has some magical qualities. Having traveled in Provence, I would think most any place there would.
One thing bothered me, and I feel really picky (my brother would say I'm like Jerry Seinfeld in letting one thing get in the way of my enjoyment). When Heidi is in Provence she wakes up and decides to call her mother back in the States. She says since it is 9 a.m. in Provence, it will be 3 p.m. at home. Really though, it would be 3 a.m. at home. So that bugged me. I felt like it was a little thing easy to fix by getting on a plane, flying to France and spending a few weeks there eating crusty bread and flaky pastries, thick, dark chocolates and luscious red wines. I would have been willing to make that sacrifice for my own book. Then I could have looked at the clock on my phone and written the times down correctly in the book.
Other than that faux pas, the book was lovely and made me sigh in disappointment that it was over when I came to the end and had to leave Provence for Ohio again.
10 comments:
This sounds like a decent read. I'm with you though, when I find a screw-up in a book or movie like that, I can't seem to move beyond it..LOL (anal here).
This book sound right up my alley!
It really is a compliment when you hate to see a story come to an end!
That really is sort of a dumb mistake and an editor should have caught it....I would think. It would bug me too. But hey...she was healing her heart....in Provence! Who cares what time it was somewhere else?
Hi Paulita,
This sounds like a delightful book and it can only bode well, when you don't want a book to end.
The story sounds like quite an emotional rollercoaster for the family, definitely one for my reading list and that cover art is quite captivating.
I stopped by your author site and was immediately captivated by 'Summer Of France', which is now also on my reading list. I would like to wish you every success with your career, you have made a fantastic start!!
If you like slightly sentimental books set in France, you may enjoy 'The Tapestry Of Love' by English author Rosy Thornton, it was a captivating, gentle read.
http://www.fiction-books.biz/reviews/my-thoughts-about-the-tapestry-of-love-by-rosy-thornton/
This is a link to my review, but the book is available for sale on Amazon.
Thaks for the great review and recommendation
Yvonne
Dan Brown made some huge mistates in The Da Vinci Code too-made you wonder if he ever came to Paris at all. However, I once called my husband at 2 AM his time from the States doing what your author did.
I have the book down to read, so thank you for the review. I made note of it after the Tuiesday post. I understand where you are coming from with the timings and it would bug me, too. Living in Europe, I probably would not have worked it out, although my sister is in Denver and I have to allow for the time there being eight hours earlier.
If you love stories set in France then you simply must read 'The Lantern' by Deborah Lawrenson .... that is if you have not read it already. You would love it.
Oh, I LOVE going places in books!
I'm currently in the Gila National Forest of New Mexico, where the author is a fire lookout for 5 months of the year (FIRE SEASON by Philip Connors). I actually got a map out to find where he is located (I think the author should have included maps and photographs in the book), and of course now I want to go hiking there.
I really enjoyed your review and this sounbds like an engaging story.
I would be irritated by that mistake with the time....with all the editing and re-reads things like that really irritate me. But the fact that you were disappointed when the book was finished says a lot! Thank you!
I can see a Hallmark moment for the book. :) A shame the editor missed that though. Maybe on the next reprint of the book, it'll be corrected.
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