Summer is here and it’s the perfect time to spend a lazy afternoon reading. This month’s selections will take you from the battlefields of the French Revolution to the kitchen battles between chefs who can make the fanciest French food.
Our first selection is Along a Breton Shore by Arlem Hawks. This epic tale of the French revolution will sweep you into the lives of those who lived and fought in that time period. The author includes a glossary of French and Breton terms as well as historical notes. The thoroughness of the author’s research makes every scene rich in detail and really fleshes out the story and the setting. Maxence Etienne is fighting for the Republique, but fighting for the cause hasn’t gone exactly as planned. He moves forward with his assignments, but when he is asked to execute a young woman named Armelle, he instead lets her go free and finds himself imprisoned. Armelle risks everything to help him escape and they begin a journey of self-discovery as they try to find a place of safety with friends and family. As danger surrounds them at every turn, tentative friendship turns to feelings of love as they do what they must to survive. But when they finally reach their destination, will they be able to stay together? Or will the war and forces beyond their control keep them apart?
Maxence has suffered much during the war. He’s lost his passion for the cause as friends have died and he experiences emotional pain and survivor’s guilt. His conscience won’t let him execute Armelle, but that decision changes his life forever. Readers will love Maxence’s sense of duty paired with compassion as he navigates a war that has taken so much. He is stoic at the beginning, and afraid to open up his heart. Armelle is headstrong and optimistic even in the face of loss and she finds a way past all of Maxence’s emotional defenses. She has suffered loss as well, but she is determined that her family will one day be reunited and she’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen. In order to do that, she travels to Saint-Malo with Maxence where they both hope to find some semblance of safety. Their relationship growth is slow and believable as they learn to trust and build a foundation for a love that could last—if they survive. The journey is fraught with danger, and the author expertly weaves in the themes of family and sacrifice and the need to belong—and how those things look different in the middle of a war. The writing is beautiful and descriptive, and even the scenes of war are handled well. There is plenty of history woven throughout the book and the historical notes also add an extra perspective into the careful research the author has done. This heartfelt story of love and survival will leave readers inspired by the courage and strength of the human spirit even in the most difficult circumstances.
Along a Breton Shore by Arlem Hawks, published by Shadow Mountain Publishing, 393 pages, available in ebook, hardcover, and audiobook.
The second book is How to Kiss Your Enemy by Jenny Proctor. This is a contemporary romantic comedy about two chefs who have an old rivalry from when they were in culinary school. Lennox has had to work hard and he is now the chef of his own restaurant. Tatum is the daughter of renowned chef Christopher Elliot and it seems like she’s been handed every opportunity for her entire life. Lennox isn’t sure why she’s leaving her fancy French restaurant in LA to come and work for his family, but he’s sure that it’s going to complicate his life—and it does. Their competitive spirits flare up immediately and sparks are flying. But underneath the animosity, there is a thread of something more and when that starts to unravel, things really heat up.
Lennox has had his heart broken in the past and he is guarded, especially around Tatum Elliott. But even though they bicker over vegetables, he respects her abilities in the kitchen. Tatum is trying to find herself and what she truly wants out of life away from the spotlight of her father’s fame, as well as navigating being around Lennox again. She’s never forgotten how Lennox wasn’t impressed with her famous father and was always honest—maybe a little too honest—in his class critiques. Being around him and his family brings out some unexpected feelings and her realizations about her own family and future provides just the right balance of seriousness and humor. Her dog Toby is a scene-stealer and really helps to build the connection between Tatum and Lennox. There is a lot of fun banter and laugh-out-loud moments, with sparkling chemistry as their relationship deepens and grows. Beyond that, there is a strong family theme and what it truly means to love someone as both Tatum and Lennox have to deal with problems of the past before they can move forward. There is some mild innuendo, but the author does a wonderful job of intertwining romance and rivalry, food to die for, family, humor, and love.
How to Kiss Your Enemy by Jenny Proctor, published by JPC Publishing, 313 pages, available in ebook and paperback.
After winning $10 in a second-grade writing contest, Julie Coulter Bellon knew she wanted to be a published author someday. That dream came true and she is now an award-winning author of thirty books. She is also a podcast host for Authors Off the Page and Book Chat with Julie.
