The Champagne War
Fiona McIntosh
Reviewed by Helen
This is a book that held me enthralled from start to finish, beautifully written, this one takes us to France at the start of World War 1 and lets us get to know Vigneron Jerome Mea and champenoise Sophie Delancre as we journey with them during the hard days of the war, it is a moving and emotional journey.
It is summer in the south of France and Sophie has just met the love of her life, yes it was love at first sight and what a match a Vigneron and her being a champenoise this is sure to be a long and loving life together growing grapes and making champagne,. But sadly war breaks out within days of their marriage and Jerome goes off to war to keep Sophie and France safe, when Jerome goes missing presumed dead Sophie is devastated but remains strong and works so hard to ensure that the champagne will continue to be made, life is very hard but Sophie shows her strength and caring character and does all she can as the bombs and guns are going off not far from them.
Charles Nash is a chemist working in England he decides to join up when the Germans starting sending poisonous gases killing many soldiers rather than be part of the team that will retaliate, he is an excellent shot and is made captain he is in the trenches fighting with his men, it is hard to not want to die yourself as you see so many others dying and after a battle that just about takes him out he ends up in an underground hospital in France, here he meets the beautiful Sophie he is soon moved to her mansion in Epernay where she also helps with the wounded and with her help he soon becomes strong again and also loses his heart to her.
Sophie is struggling with feelings for Charlie she has never given up on Jerome coming home and with her brother in law pushing in a nasty way, Sophie needs someone to lean on and Charlie is there for her, she must make up her mind, it is hard loving two men and when Jerome’s blood stained jacket is found she finally reconciles that she will never see Jerome again, Charlie has never loved anyone before and Sophie means everything to him he is understanding about her husband and dives in and helps with the champagne making and life appears to be moving forward and the end of the war is very close.
This story has a lot of ups and downs and I felt their struggles as the war goes on around the beautiful people of Epernay and Fiona McIntosh has made these characters real, alive, filled with emotions as I turned the pages. A wonderfully written historical story that showed what people went through, their strengths, their feelings, I loved it there were many tears during this one and heartbreak as well as joy and happiness and all of these come together in a story that I would highly recommend.
Thank you Penguin Random House for my copy to read.
It is summer in the south of France and Sophie has just met the love of her life, yes it was love at first sight and what a match a Vigneron and her being a champenoise this is sure to be a long and loving life together growing grapes and making champagne,. But sadly war breaks out within days of their marriage and Jerome goes off to war to keep Sophie and France safe, when Jerome goes missing presumed dead Sophie is devastated but remains strong and works so hard to ensure that the champagne will continue to be made, life is very hard but Sophie shows her strength and caring character and does all she can as the bombs and guns are going off not far from them.
Charles Nash is a chemist working in England he decides to join up when the Germans starting sending poisonous gases killing many soldiers rather than be part of the team that will retaliate, he is an excellent shot and is made captain he is in the trenches fighting with his men, it is hard to not want to die yourself as you see so many others dying and after a battle that just about takes him out he ends up in an underground hospital in France, here he meets the beautiful Sophie he is soon moved to her mansion in Epernay where she also helps with the wounded and with her help he soon becomes strong again and also loses his heart to her.
Sophie is struggling with feelings for Charlie she has never given up on Jerome coming home and with her brother in law pushing in a nasty way, Sophie needs someone to lean on and Charlie is there for her, she must make up her mind, it is hard loving two men and when Jerome’s blood stained jacket is found she finally reconciles that she will never see Jerome again, Charlie has never loved anyone before and Sophie means everything to him he is understanding about her husband and dives in and helps with the champagne making and life appears to be moving forward and the end of the war is very close.
This story has a lot of ups and downs and I felt their struggles as the war goes on around the beautiful people of Epernay and Fiona McIntosh has made these characters real, alive, filled with emotions as I turned the pages. A wonderfully written historical story that showed what people went through, their strengths, their feelings, I loved it there were many tears during this one and heartbreak as well as joy and happiness and all of these come together in a story that I would highly recommend.
Thank you Penguin Random House for my copy to read.
5 stars
Published November 3rd 2020 by Penguin Random House Australia
