Saturday 15 September 2018

Book Review: FROMAGE À TROIS by Victoria Brownlee


ABOUT THE BOOK


Meet Ella, on the brink of turning 30 and full of regret for a life only half lived. 


In a haze of heartbreak after splitting up with the man she thought she was going to marry, she makes the only decision that seems rational and buys a one-way ticket to Paris, embarking on a pilgrimage of food, wine, and joie de vivre.

After arriving, Ella struggles to grasp the nuances of French manners and friendship. She soon finds herself caught between two men who inhabit opposite ends of the Paris food scene, getting wined and dined by one, and inadvertently making a bet to try every type of French fromage with the other.

As the seasons change, Ella realizes that there’s more to life in France than champagne and cheese. At some point the Eiffel Tower stops sparkling and she needs to decide where her heart truly lies.


MY THOUGHTS

I have to admit if it were not for the cover of FROMAGE À TROIS I likely would not have picked up the book. Yet I am glad I did because it was a delightful read that I raced through in one afternoon.

Sure, there is a touch of the cliché about a story of a woman who runs away from her life to start over in a new country but the two main things that elevated this book for me was the writing and the subject matter.

This is Victoria Brownlee's debut book and I enjoyed her easy writing style; it's descriptive and engaging.

In terms of subject matter, well, it’s set in Paris, a favourite city of mine, and a large focus is on cheese – delicious and decadent French cheese! Several times in the book, people fail to understand Ella’s cheese mission. I had no issues whatsoever. I’ve even bookmarked all the cheeses mentioned so I can try them some time. Now only if I could find myself my own Mr. Cheeseman.

Review copy courtesy of Netgalley


ABOUT THE AUTHOR


I'm a writer and editor, covering food, travel and lifestyle. Originally hailing from Melbourne, Australia, I'm now based in France, having recently relocated from China where I was the food and drink editor at Time Out Shanghai. 

https://www.victoriabrownlee.com

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