Kate MacIntosh's debut novel, The Champagne Letters, fizzes with Parisian adventures, narrow escapes, and women determined to create their own second chances.
Still reeling from her divorce a year ago, Natalie Taylor flees the chaos of moving boxes for a spur-of-the-moment trip to Paris. On arrival, a mix-up leaves the hotel staff with the impression that Natalie is a widow--grieving her husband's death instead of the demise of their marriage. Too embarrassed to correct this mistake, Natalie nonetheless finds solace in her Parisian adventure and in the company of Sophie, a young widow who works at the hotel and who introduces Natalie to another, more famous, widow: Barbe-Nicole Clicquot, the force behind the Veuve Clicquot champagne empire.
MacIntosh alternates between Natalie's 21st-century experiences, which include poring over a collection of letters from Barbe-Nicole to her great-granddaughter, Anne, and Barbe-Nicole's first-person narrative of steering the house of Clicquot through tribulation and triumph. Barbe-Nicole begins each letter with some sage (sometimes salty) advice to Anne, then recounts her long struggle to recover from her husband's death and assert her authority as the owner of the Clicquot vineyards. Barbe-Nicole narrates her fight to remain independent in the face of massive societal pressure: her parents and others urged her to marry again, to give up the vineyards, to focus only on caring for her daughter. Though Barbe-Nicole worried over her own deficiencies as a mother, she became increasingly determined to make her champagne the best in the business, and to circumvent Napoleon's blockades and the other harmful effects of his rule.
As Natalie explores Paris on her own and with Sophie, she quickly becomes enamored of both her new surroundings and a handsome Frenchman, Gabriel, who provides the perfect distraction for Natalie's wounded heart. But, like Barbe-Nicole, Natalie must face her past in order to move forward into her future. MacIntosh gives Natalie a classic rom-com tour of Paris (new clothes, fine wine, delectable pastries), but also delves into the end of Natalie's marriage and the ways she has played it safe--too safe--in her personal and professional life. When a few of Natalie's Parisian risks turn out to have unforeseen consequences, she digs deep to find the courage and chutzpah to reclaim what she's lost. Her growing determination mirrors Barbe-Nicole's fierce resolve to outsmart Napoleon, fix the problem of sediment in her wine bottles, keep her daughter safe, and retain her independence--even more precious than her famed 1811 champagne.
Bubbling with intrigue, surprises, and rich historical detail, MacIntosh's debut is a toast to courageous women past and present. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams
Shelf Talker: Kate MacIntosh's sparkling debut novel fizzes with intrigue, Parisian adventures, and the courage of two women determined to make their own luck.