JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

The Champagne War by Fiona McIntosh

In the summer of 1914, vigneron Jerome Méa heads off to war, certain he’ll be home by Christmas. His new bride Sophie, a fifth generation champenoise, is determined to ensure the forthcoming vintages will be testament to their love and the power of the people of Épernay, especially its strong women. But as the years drag on, authorities advise that Jerome is missing, considered dead.

When poison gas is first used in Belgium by the Germans, British chemist Charles Nash jumps to enlist. After he is injured, he is brought to Reims, where Sophie has helped to set up an underground hospital to care for the wounded. In the dark, ancient champagne cellars, their stirring emotions take them both by surprise.

While Sophie battles to keep her vineyard going through the bombings, a critical sugar shortage forces her to strike a dangerous bargain with an untrustworthy acquaintance – but nothing will test her courage more than the news that filters through to her about the fate of her heroic Jerome.

Set during World War I, Fiona McIntosh’s The Champagne War is a sweeping saga about lost love, legacy, survival and and of course, champagne. Set amongst the gorgeous sun-kissed vineyards of rural France, and the tumultuous battle grounds in Belgium, Fiona’s latest novel follows a newly married couple torn apart by war.

This is my first time reading a Fiona McIntosh book, which is a little baffling considering how much I love historical fiction. The premise is exactly the kind of read I knew I’d love, and I was not disappointed.

Fiona’s prose is delectable. Written in third person, Fiona captures each character’s voice and personality with ease. Dialogue is rich and realistic, and the pacing maintains consistency throughout. Setting is a huge part of the book, like most historical fiction. Fiona guides you through France and Europe, exploring the different facets of the war and how people in different locations were affected by the fighting.

“In the time she’d stood here, how many men had been hit by bullets? How many men had died from artillery? Or shrapnel wounds? A new battle was now raging in Belgium. Flanders was aflame again, and the French soldiers were bogged in trenches alongside their allies.”

At its core, The Champagne War is a love story between Sophie and Jerome. It’s about hope and perseverance, and the strive that one has to return home to their loved ones. But The Champagne War is also about Sophie’s independence and determination to continue managing her vineyards even during such a tumultuous time. She’s a wealthy woman, and intelligent, and even during the war she works hard to produce the champagne she loves so much. Even if it means striking a bargain with someone she despises.

The Champagne War highlights the far-reaching effects of war and its unfortunate soldiers. It’s not just about the men on the battle grounds — it’s also their family and friends, their loved ones, and their children. How must they go about their lives when war is raging? When they’ve lost someone they care about? Sophie spends many years in disbelief that Jerome has died in battle. She fights for evidence. She fights for the truth. But when the gorgeous Charlie crosses her path, and she feels attraction towards him, she feels deep guilt. She feels like she’s abandoning her husband, even though he’s been gone for many years. How many other women felt like this?

“Sophie let out a sighing breath and forced herself to stand, shake out her tense shoulders, and move on to another task. She knew the time was fast approaching to let Jerome go, let him live on in her memory…through his vines and the champagne with which she would honour him.”

The presence of champagne and its significance in the book adds a bountiful joy to the story. It’s clear that a lot of research went into writing this book, from the locations to the war, to the details around growing, bottling, and producing champagne amidst all that chaos. Fiona brings authenticity to the novel, and readers will appreciate all the insights into the vineyards and the champagne.

“The woman in front of Sophie looked over her shoulder and caught her attention. For over two hours they had been riddling the champagne bottles, angled into the shelves they called pupitres. It needed focused diligence to carefully turn thousands of bottles one eights forwards from yesterday’s position.”

Recommended for fans of historical fiction, romance, and sweeping sagas tracking generations. Readership skews female, 20+

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Champagne War
Fiona McIntosh
November 2020
Penguin Random House Publishers

The Orphan of Good Hope by Roxane Dhand

Transport yourself from the canals of Amsterdam, across the waves, to the rough-and-tumble frontier town at the Cape of Good Hope.

In 1683 life is gruelling for the young women in Amsterdam’s civic orphanage. The sole light in Johanna Timmerman’s existence is her forbidden love for Frans, an orphan in the boys’ section who has a smile like sunshine. Then he is gone, whisked across the globe to the Dutch East India Company’s nascent colony at Good Hope.

Floriane Peronneau’s privileged world is pleasant and fulfilling until she discovers that it is all built on lies. Far from being the devoted gentleman he seems, her husband Claes is a womanizing degenerate who has led them to the edge of ruin. And the forces are closing in on him.

While Johanna’s love drives her to make a shocking bargain to secure passage to the Cape, Floriane is caught in a terrifying game of cat and mouse. The two women’s lives could not be more different. Yet, on the long, dangerous voyage to the southern tip of Africa, they will become the best of friends – and co-conspirators . . .

Roxane Dhand’s historical fiction novel The Orphan of Good Hope is a sweeping saga about family, inheritance, truth, friendship and fighting for what’s just. Featuring multiple settings and grandiose locations, The Orphan of Good Hope features two strong female protagonists as they fight for their place in a world dominated by dishonest men.

Setting is a leading strength in Roxane’s novel. Initially, we’re engulfed in the canals of Amsterdam; readers will feel enticed and seduced by the European location. Johanna, in particular, feels most at home here. She’s hopeful and uplifted by those around her, and she’s falling in love with fellow orphan Frans. There’s a lot ahead of her.

Whilst we do spend a portion of the book in South Africa, the time spent aboard the ship is where Johanna and Floriane’s journeys really flourish. Here, there’s opportunity. Johanna is determined to pursue the connection with her love interest, and Floriane endeavours to extricate herself from her cheating, thieving husband.

I do think there was more scope to incorporate the weather. In all locations, most scenes are set indoors but there still felt like a distinct lack of temperature or scenery embedded into the chapters. How did the bitter snap of Amsterdam make the ladies feel? And how does this compare the windswept journey aboard the ship? Did they feel more free? And in South Africa, the heat? The landscape? I felt like Roxane never really focused on any of these elements, and it was a missed opportunity to set the locations apart.

“Almost eight years ago, Johanna had made this journey in reverse, but her memories were no help now. She followed behind as they turned right on Kalverstraat, crossed over Dam Square with its town hall and weighing house, and traipsed across a humped bridge to where people, crowds of them, shouted and jostled on the greasy cobbles.”

Split into three parts, The Orphan of Good Hope is written in intimate third person POV, allowing the reader to move between Johanna and Floriane’s perspectives. Johanna is young, but intelligent. She’s mature and measured. She takes chances; she’s distracted by love and the future, but she’s also cautious about her surroundings and her unknown future. Floriane, on the other hand, is older but a little daft. She’s oblivious to her husband’s secrets, and a little slow to catch on. It likely stems from her privilege in society. Whilst she eventually forges a path for herself, determined to leave her husband behind, it did take a bit of time to warm to Floriane. She’s not as relatable.

At times, the POV was a little stilted — the transitions weren’t always seamless — particularly because for most of the novel, Floriane and Johanna were in the same location so it was a little tougher to initially tell the two perspectives apart.

Despite this, I did really enjoy The Orphan of Good Hope. I always gravitate towards historical fiction, particularly any that have strong female protagonists. The exotic locations drew me into the story, and the plot and twists kept me turning the pages. I was determined to find out how Floriane and Johnana’s stories would resolve, and what their lives would look like at the end of the book.

“He crept away without interrupting them, but anger was boiling within him. Backed into a recess at the side of the ship, Claes concealed himself in darkness and chewed on his lip till blood seeped into his mouth. Slipping his hand inside his coat, he fingered his short-bladed dagger in its sheath at his belt.”

Layered within the story are hints of violence, betrayal, mystery and danger. Women weren’t safe in the 1600s, no matter where they were. Men couldn’t always be trusted, and Johanna has to be incredibly vigilant and aware of her surroundings, the threat of danger looming, forever on the cusp.

Floriane also finds herself in some potentially dangerous situations, particularly when she’s working against her husband and trying to catch him out for his thievery and dishonesty. Roxane builds tension with slow and measured scenes — The Orphan of Good Hope is a slow-build, a historical novel simmering with intrigue and possibility.

“Time on board ship passed slowly but, still, days eventually turned into weeks, and there were even moments when time got away from Johanna.”

Recommended for fans of historical fiction, and sweeping sagas with a large cast and a faraway setting.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Orphan of Good Hope
Roxane Dhand
September 2020
Penguin Book Publishers Australia

The Minute I Saw You by Paige Toon

When Hannah meets Sonny, she’s irresistibly drawn to him: he’s sexy and confident, but only in town on holiday. That’s fine with Hannah – she doesn’t do long-term relationships. And luckily for her, neither does Sonny.

But as summer hots up and their chemistry shows no signs of cooling, they start to question their reasons for shutting each other out.

Are they both too broken to find love? And if they tear down the walls between them, will they still like what’s on the other side?

The Minute I Saw You by Paige Toon is a heartfelt romantic comedy about falling in love and all the complexities that come with it.

This is another enjoyable romantic comedy from Paige; The Minute I Saw You feels like the literary equivalent of a warm hug. There are definitely moments of darkness and heaviness in this story, particularly around sexual abuse and the characters using sex to mask deeper issues. But at its core, this novel follows a budding romance between two people who could not be more perfect for each other.

Additionally, the supporting characters are just as engaging as Hannah and Sonny. They add an added layer of humour and joy to the story.

“His lips lift up into a half-smile and he throws me a sideways look. He makes very little eye contact when he’s low, I’ve noticed, so when it does come, it sparks a small jolt inside my ribcage.”

This is the second Paige Toon novel I’ve read, and there’s certainly an escapist feel to her writing. The stories are heartfelt but also light and welcoming, inviting to all audiences. Whilst this book is undeniably for adults — it’s very sexy — I can see the readership being as young as twenty.

Dialogue is one of the strengths of this novel — it’s realistic and relatable, and captures each character’s voice with ease.

The storyline itself feels fairly predictable. The plot follows the boy-meets-girl premise but also includes the boy-has-issues-he-needs-to-work-through-before-they-can-be-together narrative device. It’s not entirely original, but Paige has woven a story together with characters that feel unique and refreshing, and a delight to get to know.

“After a while he asks if I’d mind him putting his headphones on and listening to music. I start to flick through my magazine, but it’s hard to concentrate. I feel as though a chasm has opened up between us.”

Setting is another strong element to this story, taking us through the idyllic English countryside where everyone runs into each other on the street, and time spent together feels quaint and cosy.

The Minute I Saw You uncovers some intense emotional trauma for both of the main characters, but Paige manages this with sensitivity and compassion. Each twist to the story is intricately woven into the chapters, and will please readers.

Whilst sometimes the storylines felt a little far-fetched at times — particularly Hannah’s backstory — there is enough reliability in this story for a reader to immerse themselves in.

“My eyes widen and his do too. He retreats slightly to put more distance between us, but it only makes me want to close the gap. It takes an immense amount of willpower to hold back.”

Filled to the brim with romance, angst and characters you can’t help but love, The Minute I Saw You is contemporary fiction recommended for romance fans.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Minute I Saw You
Paige Toon
May 2020
Penguin Random House

Fool Me Once by Karly Lane

Farmer Georgie Henderson manages a cattle property in the New England region of New South Wales, but her dream has always been to buy back her family farm, Tamban.

When an unlikely meeting with Michael Delacourt at a rowdy B&S Ball sends them on a whirlwind romance, Georgie can’t believe it’s possible for life to be this good. For the first time ever, her dream of buying back Tamban takes a backseat to her happiness.

But her world shatters when she discovers the shocking secret Michael has been trying to keep from her.

Can Michael convince her they still have a future? And after having her heart so thoroughly broken, can Georgie ever trust anyone again?

Karly Lane’s Fool Me Once is rural romance fiction, set in remote New South Wales and exploring one woman’s journey to buy back her family farm.

At its core, Fool Me Once explores the concept of family and how that can be different for every person. Family is the father Georgie has lost, and who she desperately misses. Family is also her best friend Shannon, and her close bond with Harry and Matt, who she trusts and respects greatly.

Fool Me Once also showcases the importance of women in management roles (particularly within farming). Georgie is strong-willed and determined, and working to carve a career for herself in a male-dominated industry.

Rural romance has the ability to immerse you in another world, where communities rally together, loyalty within friendship and family are key, and the prospect of building a life on the land with someone else is exciting and enthralling.

“Georgie let out a long breath. How did he shake her carefully erected defences and common sense with just a look? She’d had her share of romances, but nothing serious and few that ever went anywhere other than the occasional movie or dinner.”

The setting will transport readers to the dusty, hot outback where lives are vastly different to our own. This is one of the biggest strengths in the novel, capturing the isolated and secluded Australian bush, but also illustrating that close bond that farmers share with their land and their select family & friends.

Georgie is relatable and readers will find sympathy in Georgie’s plight, and her determination to run a farm by herself and one day buy back her family farm.

Because its fiction, many romance fans will adore the methods that Michael goes to in order to win Georgie back, although personally I found him arrogant. He’s forceful at times, a little over-the-top with his emotions, and in real life I’m not sure how his actions would actually be received by a woman.

“He’d pondered what to do with the information for the past two days. The right thing would be to tell Georgie and get it out in the open. That’s what he’d decided to do, face to face, which was why he hadn’t waited until the weekend to come out.”

Stylistically, the book is written in third person but switches perspective between Georgie and Michael.

The intimate third person perspective allows us to see all sides of the story, and gain a deeper understanding for each character. We come to understand Georgie’s driven nature, her passion for the land, her vulnerability, and her gentle soul. We also witness Michael’s inner turmoil, his intense love for Georgie, and his determination to fix his past mistakes.

Fool Me Once demonstrates an appropriate balance between prose and dialogue, not bogging us down too much with exposition or description. Karly moves through some scenes at lightning speed, and it always felt appropriate for the story. The novel itself spans quite a long time period, and Karly manages the transition through time effortlessly.

“She smiled a sad smile and Georgie thought about the photos of the woman Harry used to have on the fireplace mantle. She hadn’t known Vera — she’d died more than thirty years ago — but she felt as though she had.”

Admittedly, as a first-time reader of Karly’s work, I found the story a little slow to start — the tension and pacing picked up as soon as Michael’s secret was out in the open, and since his secret is mentioned in the blurb I thought it could’ve been revealed a little earlier in the book to really propel us into the story sooner.

Additionally, the secret wedding in Hawaii felt a little unrealistic and unnecessary. Did it need to happen? If you take it out, the story could still function as the same. Michael still could’ve desperately tried to reunite with Georgie.

Seductive and satisfying, Fool Me Once is recommended for romance readers. There’s a lot of sex mentioned in the book — and deliberately corny pick-up lines — but I think young readers will also enjoy this. 16+

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fool Me Once
Karly Lane
May 2020
Allen & Unwin Book Publishers

The Hidden Beach by Karen Swan

In the oldest part of Stockholm, Bell Everhurst is working as a nanny for an affluent family. Hanna and Max Von Greyerz are parents to 7 year-old Linus, and 5-year old twins Ellinor and Tilde, and Bell has been with the family for over two years.

One early Spring morning, as she’s rushing out to take the children to school, she answers the phone – and everything changes. A woman from a clinic she’s never heard of asks her to pass on the message that Hanna’s husband is awake.

Bell is confused. She clearly just saw Max walking out of the house a few minutes earlier, but the woman mentioned Hanna by name…

When she gets hold of her employer, the truth is revealed: Hanna’s first husband fell into a coma seven years earlier, following a terrible accident. He has been in a Persistent Minimally Conscious State since and there was very little hope of further improvement. But now he’s awake. And life is going to change for them all.

Karen Swan’s latest release, The Hidden Beach, is a sweeping story about heartbreak, family, and starting fresh.

Young nanny Bell Everhurst finds herself spending the summer along the gorgeous Swedish coast, working with a family who are going through a dysfunctional time. Linus’ real father has woken up from a seven-year coma, and its disrupting the entire family. Soon, Bell is caught in the middle of the nasty battle between Linus and his bitter, angry father.

“Bell felt the silence expand as they each recovered. Away from the distraction of the confusion and chaos in that room, in the calm of this corridor, it was filled with something heavy — something that had been said and couldn’t be unsaid. She felt a rush of anger that Hanna had allowed this to happen.”

Setting is always one of the strongest parts of Karen’s novels, and in The Hidden Beach, the story is set amongst the beautiful archipelagos of the Swedish coast. The novel breathes ‘summer holiday’, and Karen takes us on a journey through coastal cliffs, secluded beaches, waterfront parties, yachts and mansions overlooking the ocean. Readers will get swept up in this tale of romance and mystery.

Stylistically, Karen’s novels always contain a lot of prose and description. Some readers will like this, some won’t. I don’t mind all the explanation because it helps establish setting and situation, but at times it does feel like it’s bogging you down a little.

“But the room remained empty and still. Vacated. Long ago abandoned. To reach for otherwise was a futile exercise in hope over experience, because if Life had taught him anything, it was that anything could happen. That fate was capricious and cruel. And no one could be trusted.”

Perfect to read by the beach or on an airplane, The Hidden Beach is an engrossing tale that will sweep you up and transport you on a journey.

There are moments of warmth throughout the story, and heart. Bell truly cares for the family she works for, and tries her best to help Linus through this difficult time in his life.

Bell also finds romance of her own in the story, and whilst it may not be the perfect beginnings of a relationship, Bell handles the situation with maturity and consideration. She’s a strong protagonist, and one that many readers will like.

“The stood for a moment taking in the scene, looking for friends’ faces and deciding where to stand. A fiddlers’ group was playing, smorgasbords were set out on tables around the edges, young and old were talking and laughing…Bell scanned the crowd looking Hanna and Max.”

Admittedly, a couple of things struck me as unrealistic. The main one is that Linus — who is supposed to be 10 years old — often reads too wise for his age. He’s quite observant for his age, and understands what is happening between his mother and his two fathers. Every time Linus said something that didn’t quite fit his age, it was incredibly jolting and takes the reader away from the story.

Another element that I found a little hard to accept was how quick the story wrapped up. The pacing of the novel is measured and quite slow, but the climax of the story and the resulting final couple of chapters felt really rushed and therefore underdeveloped..

Recommended for fans of romance and family sages.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Hidden Beach
Karen Swan
May 2020
Pan Macmillan Publishers