I am delighted to be featuring Carol Drinkwater's latest novel, One Summer in Provence today which is published today by Corvus on July 3rd. I have enjoyed several of her previous novels and you can read my revews here: The Lost Girl | The House on the Edge of the Cliff
A season of surprises...
Celia Grey appears to have the perfect life: married to
Dominic, the man of her dreams, and living on a glorious, thriving vineyard in
the south of France. To celebrate their good fortune, she decides to throw a
huge party.
When she is contacted by a stranger who claims to be her
long-lost son, David, the newborn she gave up at twenty and has never spoken of
since, Celia impulsively invites him for the weekend of celebrations - without
mentioning it to her husband.
Despite his surprise, Dominic graciously welcomes David and
his unexpected companion - but secretly he harbours doubts. Is David really
Celia's son? And who is the mysterious young woman travelling with him?
Only Celia can decide how far she will go to hold everything
together, to keep her perfect life from unravelling...
One Summer in Provence is a story of betrayal and belonging,
and of discovering love in unexpected places.
My Thoughts
Life in Provence shimmers with a brittle cheerfulness when you first meet Celia, an aging ex-actress with a few secrets in her past. Her relationship with her husband, Dominic, has weathered a few storms but you sense that she has learnt how to maintain their relationship by knowing when to back away and leave him to his writing. There seems to be unfinished business around a play which he wrote and she starred in which drew terrible reviews and came at a difficult stage in their marriage. They took the opportunity to move to France to a vineyard which Celia inherited and built a new life there, learning the craft as they went.
When Celia receives a shocking letter from David, she is thrown as to how to respond and can't seem to find the right time to break some life-changing news to Dominic. There seems to be a lot unsaid in their marriage, especially around relationships in the past. Secrets however, cannot stay buried for ever. You meet a rich cast of characters in the story, who are brought together at the vineyard. You are unsure for a long time as to whether they are reliable and whether you can take what they say at face value. At times, they seem to be putting on a show, hiding parts of their past. The only ones who appear grounded are the locals who seem to have taken Celia and Dominic to their hearts.
This is a quality read which weaves together a web of secrets and slowly lets you uncover the true picture. Family, such a hole in Celia's life for so long, takes on a new significance and she comes to appreciate the depth of feeling to be got from true friendships.
In short: a summer of surprises
About the Author
Carol Drinkwater is a multi-award-winning actress, writer
and film-maker, best known for her portrayal of Helen Herriot in the classic
BBC television series All Creatures Great and Small. She is the author of
twenty-five books, both fiction and non-fiction and including the bestselling
Olive Farm memoir series set in the south of France. Her latest TV work is a
six-part travel/lifestyle programme commissioned by UK's Channel 5, Carol
Drinkwater's Secret Provence. Carol lives with her husband in France.
Praise for Carol Drinkwater
‘Carol Drinkwater is such a wonderful, warm, heartfelt
author, a true pleasure’
Jenny Colgan, bestselling author of THE BOOKSHOP ON THE
CORNER
‘I was hooked from a start threaded with mystery and menace,
and it kept me gripped’ Dinah Jefferies, on THE HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE CLIFF
‘Given extra resonance by the beautifully drawn French
landscape. Emotional and tenderly written’ Elizabeth Buchan on THE HOUSE ON THE
EDGE OF THE CLIFF
‘A beautifully woven and compelling tale of passion, love
and intrigue’
Rowan Coleman on THE HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE CLIFF
‘Vibrant, intoxicating and heart-warming’ Sunday Express on THE OLIVE FARM
‘She writes so well you can almost smell the sun-baked
countryside’ Bella
on THE OLIVE FARM
‘The perfect holiday read that manages to keep you guessing
the whole way through’
Living France on THE LOST GIRL
‘Secrets, tragedy, hidden pasts and family secrets all set
in glorious Provence - I loved this’
Santa Montefiore on THE FORGOTTEN SUMMER
‘This atmospheric read will whisk you straight to the South
of France as you become immersed in the tale of secrets and heartbreak’
Marie Claire on THE FORGOTTEN SUMMER
‘Lovely, mouth-watering, page-turning. Packed with the
sunshine, scents and savours of the South of France. Enough to make you rush
straight to the Eurostar.’ DAILY MAIL on THE FORGOTTEN SUMMER
‘A moving story of love and friendship’ Kate Mosse, on AN
ACT OF LOVE
Thanks
to Carol Drinkwater, Corvus and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for a copy of the book and a place on the Blog Tour.
Check out the rest of the Tour!
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