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Celia Grey's got a pretty good life really. She is a former actress who had a degree of fame in the UK but now lives in the south of France with her writer husband, Dominic and they run a vineyard that Celia inherited from her parents. The vineyard is doing quite well now, after they have worked hard for the last 10 years to bring it back to life.
However, things haven't always been good. Celia's career was waylaid by a badly reviewed performance in one of her husband's plays whereas his career seems to have bounced back pretty well. She also had some hard times before she met Dominic, times that she hasn't ever even mentioned to him.
To celebrate, and yes, to drum up prospective business for the vineyard, they decide to throw a huge party. Celia is totally involved in the organisation, to the point of distraction. There's so much to do. The week before the party she is contacted out of the blue by a man claiming to be the son she gave up for adoption many years ago. The son she has never ever mentioned to her husband. On impulse, Celia tells David to come to the party and offers him a place to stay. How on earth is she going to explain this to Dominic, especially when there never seems to be a right time to have any kind of conversation with him.
Then David turns up with someone else, his daughter Gillian, and she and Celia find it very difficult to connect at all. Are David and Gillian truly who they say they are? And can Celia, David and Gillian ever build any kind of relationship after so many years apart?
The author did a great job of really ratcheting up the tension on several layers in this book. There is the tension from hosting such a big event, the tension of suddenly having two people turn up and become part of your life and wondering if they really are who they say they are. Then there are the weather situations in the book, with danger lurking at any moment.
I recently read a book called Adam & Evie's Matchmaking Tour by Nora Nguyen and in the Author Note she says
Books let our imaginations travel where our feet cannot.
and that quote right there sums up why I love to read escapist books like this one. There were scenes in this book where I could feel the Provencal sun on my face, I could see the Mediterranean stretched out before me as I stood on a cliff top, I could smell the lavender and the citrus. Sometimes, the escapist books I read can feel a bit lightweight, but this one was a much bigger, deeper story and I really enjoyed it.
I loved the way that Drinkwater wrote about the big events in the book. The main event of the book is a party where the author described having an alley of trees between which there is a table set with plates and glassware and platters loaded with local food. It's the kind of meal that looks as pretty as a picture and the food sounded absolutely amazing too! I would love to go and have this kind of meal one day, whether it be in the south of France, or just somewhere special near me! But there was also an almost casual party on a beach, where people came together to eat, drink and listen to music.
It was interesting to read all the details about the running of the vineyard, in particular about what happens when there is too much water. It's not something that I have really thought about before!
While I have been aware of Carol Drinkwater as an author, particularly of her Olive series which are memoirs, I had never read her. I am sure I have seen her on a couple of TV shows talking about her expat life living in Provence for many years.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I am so glad that I have finally had the opportunity to read this author! I will definitely be reading more at some point. There is quite a backlist of both fiction and non-fiction for me to read!
I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, with Foodie Reads hosted at Based on a True Story and with Paris In July hosted by Words and Peace. At 512 pages long, this also counts as a Big Book of Summer. Thanks to the publisher and Random Things Tours for the review copy. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below.
Rating 4.5/5
About the Book
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.
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.
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