Review of The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux

 

Verant, Samantha.  The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux.  Berkley, 2020.

Sophie Valroux has worked at Cendrillon NYC for five years and is currently serving as chef de partie.  She dreams of one day being one of the few female chefs who run Michelin-starred restaurants.  Unfortunately, her dream takes a downturn when her chef ex-boyfriend, Eric, sabotages her food while a food critic is in the restaurant.  Not only is Sophie fired, but her reputation is ruined, as the news spreads throughout newspapers and the Internet.

 

Devasted and humiliated, Sophie goes through depression and loses interest in her love of cooking.  Sadly, she discovers that her beloved Grand-Mere’ Odette, who lives in France, has suffered a stroke.  Sophie flees New York and arrives in Champvert, in southwest France, where her grandmother lives.  The luxury Chateaux de Champvert, which her grandmother owns, is much larger than she remembers as a little girl.  The estate boasts two restaurants, a vineyard and winery, and a staff that is nearly all women.

 

While working at the chateaux, Sophie rediscovers her love of food and cooking.  She reconnects with a childhood friend, Remi Dupont, who becomes much more than a friend.  When her grandmother has a relapse, she tells Sophie that she wants her to run the chateaux and that it is her birthright.  Sophie must now decide if she will carry out her grandmother’s wishes or take a coveted job offered to her in New York City.

 

Samantha Verant’s debut novel is an ode to family, friendship, food, and second chances.  Because the author lives where her novel mostly takes place, she has drawn on her background to include lush descriptions of France and its culture and food.

 

The reader can see Sophie growing as the book progresses, from her downfall until she begins to love food, creativity, and cooking once again.  She becomes more and more confident in herself, both as a person and as a chef, and proves just how resilient she really is.  This plot resonates because, even today, it seems that women chefs have to work harder than men to make a name for themselves in the culinary world.

 

There are French words and phrases sprinkled throughout the novel.  As an added bonus, the author has included recipes in the back of the book for readers to try.  And there is a sequel in the works!  Sophie Valroux’s Paris Stars is slated to be published on October 19, 2021!

 

The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux is a delightful foray into culinary fiction.  Hand it to readers who enjoy romance, travel novels, and watching The Food Network.  I recommend it for public libraries, and I give it four out of five fleur delis!

 

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Books for allowing me to read and review this book.

Review of The Big Door Prize by M.O. Walsh

 

Walsh, M.O.  The Big Door Prize.  Putnam, 2020.

 

A new machine has made an appearance at Johnson’s Grocery Store in Deerfield, Louisiana, and lots of people are standing in line to use it. For only $2 and a mouth swab, users receive a blue slip of paper with their life station printed on it.  After reading their results, citizens of the town are buying new clothes and supplies to change what has long been their jobs.  Suddenly, the mayor of Deerfield thinks he should be a cowboy; the school principal wants to retire and become a carpenter; a local musician wants to be a magician; and a high school student thinks he is going to be a major-league pitcher.  It seems like the whole town has gone crazy!

 

Douglas Hubbard, the history teacher at Deerfield Catholic, and his wife, Cherilyn, were high school sweethearts and have been happily married for years.  However, after Cherilyn uses the DNAMIX machine, she thinks she is “royalty” and is no longer content to be just a housewife and make crafts in her kitchen.  On a whim, Douglas buys a trombone and starts taking lessons, but not because the machine gave him the idea.  In fact, the machine told him he was a “whistler” and a “teacher”, which is disappointing to him.  Douglas doesn’t know why Cherilyn is suddenly acting strangely, but he also doesn’t know that she used the machine.

 

Deuce Newman, the town photographer, has had a crush on Cherilyn ever since high school and is still mad that she married Douglas instead of him.  He is hoping to change that result because the DNAMIX machine tells him that he is “royalty”, just like Cherilyn. 

 

There are more subplots involving revenge, a possible school shooting, a gang rape, a Catholic priest, a free taxi driver, a local band, and Cherilyn’s mom, who has the beginnings of dementia.

 

The Big Door Prize is M.O. Walsh’s second novel, and it is humorous and delightful.  It has an old-town nostalgia feel similar to books written by Fannie Flagg.  The book is character-driven, filled with quirky and charming characters and multiple subplots that mesh finely together at the end.

 

Each chapter of the book begins with a cute, engaging title that foreshadows what will occur within that chapter.  The novel is well-paced and the action will keep readers turning the pages.  The book raises an interesting question of what a person would do differently in his life if he has a choice and a second chance.

 

The Big Door Prize received starred reviews from both Publishers Weekly and Booklist.  Give this book to readers who enjoy humorous fiction, books with intriguing characters, and fans of Louisiana novels.  I recommend it for public libraries and give it four out of five fleur de lis!

 

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for allowing me to read and review this book!

Review of Thin Space by Jody Casella

Casella, Jody.  Thin Space.  Simon and Schuster, 2013.

Marsh Windsor loses his twin brother, Austin, in a car accident in which he is the driver.  He feels extreme remorse and guilt over what has happened and wishes he had been the one to die, instead.  After getting out of the hospital, Marsh begins to hunt for a “thin space”—a type of doorway where living people can enter the world of the dead and where the dead can return.  Mrs. Hansel, his neighbor, told him that she had a thin space in her house before she died.  Marsh’s goal is to find a thin space, go through, and change places with his dead brother.

Marsh has been looking for a thin space by going barefoot because that is the only way to pass through.  He has given up all his activities at school and is getting in a lot of fights.  His school counselor, Mrs. Golden, who also lives on his street, has taken an interest in him and his altered personality.

When a new family moves into Mrs. Hansel’s vacant house, Marsh feels like this is his ticket to get in and look for the thin space.  Maddie, his new neighbor, tries to help him by doing research on thin spaces because she would like to see her late father again.

The pair eventually find a thin space right when they are about to give up.  However, Mrs. Golden has already found the space and has crossed over to see her dead husband.

Thin Space, the author’s debut novel, starts out as realistic fiction and ends up being a paranormal story.  The novel is extremely character-driven.  The guilt and grief that Marsh feels for the part he played in his brother’s death is so thick that they practically ooze off the page.  He is insanely obsessed with finding a way to reach his brother in order to avenge his death.

Marsh’s new neighbor, Maddie, is a strong female character.  Although she seems vulnerable, she is more than able to take care of herself.  She urges Marsh to keep up his search, even as he is wavering.

There is a huge twist that happens at the end of the story that I did not see coming.  As I look back, all the signs were there, but I missed every one of them!   Additionally, the last line of the book is genius!  I highly recommend this novel for high school and public libraries.  I give it five out of five fleur de lis!