This new novel from popular author Carol Drinkwater is sure to be this summer’s must-read book.
The action starts with Celia and Dominic throwing a huge party to celebrate their fabulous life... a perfect marriage and a perfect life on a thriving vineyard in Provence.
So far so good. But when Celia is contacted by a man claiming to be the son she gave up for adoption decades ago, she invites him to the party too.
It is only when he actually turns up in the flesh that questions begin to be asked. Dominic in particular is far from convinced that the newcomer is truly Celia’s son. And what about the woman friend he has brought along? Who is she and where does she fit in?
Originally famous for her role in All Creatures Great and Small, Carol Drinkwater and her husband Michael have lived in France for decades, and she has become famous all over again with her autobiographical series about running an olive farm. She has recently been seen on TV in Channel 5’s ‘Carol Drinkwater’s Secret Provence’.
This latest novel is a perfect summertime read, full of French scents and sounds which carry the reader straight into the heart of the French countryside. The story grips from the first page, and there is a refreshing ending that Carol says she hopes readers will find uplifting.
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Definitely a perfect companion for those long lazy days in a hammock, a sun lounger or even the shade of an olive tree in Provence.
Join Us at the Table
Annie Sargent,
Independent, €22.13;
ISBN: 979-8570987180
Join Us at the Table is subtitled Easy French Recipes Anyone Can Make at Home. Not only are they all easy to make but the collection includes plenty of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.
Written during Covid by a Frenchwoman living in the US, it really does evoke the scents and tastes of France. The introduction itself takes you to France, with its evocations of family meals and home cooking. It is easy to understand why her podcast, Join Us in France, is so popular.
The recipes are very easy to follow, use easy-to-find ingredients and include lots of substitutions and options according to what you have available and who you are cooking for. Ideas range from something off the beaten track like tarte aux blettes to classics like soupe à l’oignon gratinée, and there are plenty of beautiful illustrations to help you get it right.
The recipes are listed in two ways; first as salads, fish, appetisers, regional specialities, etc, and then again by dietary requirement; vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, etc. This makes the book very easy to use if you are catering for people who can’t/don’t eat everything.
Another attraction is that this is not a weighty tome. There are only a few recipes calling for meat, and most are things like tarte flambée (a close cousin of pizza), ratatouille and clafoutis (a cherry pudding) all of which are ideal for relaxed summer cooking and entertaining.
French Dictionary Colouring Book
Lingo Mastery,
Longo Books, €14.77;
ISBN: 978-1951949495
This French Dictionary Colouring Book is a great idea for all the family. Learners of all ages and at all stages of French will enjoy lazily colouring in bits from each page as they learn the easy vocabulary and grammar they are illustrating.
There are so many ways to learn French that it can be confusing, and for many people the challenge is memorising enough vocabulary to be able to converse with French people, even at a beginner level.
But colouring in items as you learn them makes this task a little easier because it makes it so visual. And there’s no reason why a family couldn’t share this book and learn together.
The book presents 1,500 words divided into subjects such seasons, mammals, adjectives, astronomy, emotions and pets, and there are also fun quizzes to do in order to check your progress.
So if you’ve already tried repeat-after-me audio, memorising regular verbs from a chart, weekly conversation classes, and watching French clips on YouTube, this could be the answer.
Creative, relaxed and companionable, perhaps this is the summer you and your family will spend colouring your way to French proficiency.
