Nancy Coons

I picked this novel up mainly because I was intrigued with the title…and it’s about food. What can be wrong with a novel that centers on a travel writer exploring the regions of France?

American-born Meg Parker is a travel writer who lives with her husband and two children in the Lorraine region of France. Her home office is a fruit cellar where she keeps her mementos of her grandfather. Plugging away on yet another guidebook, she receives an offer from her publisher to write a book about French history. She’ll have to work with a photographer, but that’s okay.

Meanwhile Meg’ husband is Nigel is out drinking with his friends more often than not. Her kids are whiny. It doesn’t take much for Meg to agree.

The photographer assigned to the project is Jean-Jacques Cahbol. From the first e-mail, the relationship explosive. J-J as he’s known to his friends has one vision for the book, Meg has a completely different view. Meg is a rather uptight American, while J-J has a devil-may-care attitude about life.

As the two hop around France, they enter a torrid love affair that leaves Meg questioning what she really wants in life. Peppered with France’s gastronomical history and wine, the graphic love scenes make for some interesting reading.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.… (meer)