The Champagne Widow by Helen Fripp is a 2021 historical fiction release I found on NetGalley. I've never read anything by the author but champagne is one of my favorite beverages--and I've tasted and compared Moet and Clicquot and others--so I picked up a copy around the holidays. This week, I dove in. It took 4 days to finish the book. I read about a quarter each night before bed and enjoyed the writing style and overall story. Let's get into the details...

The tale occurs during the French Revolution, beginning shortly before 1790 and ending around 1815. Nicole Clicquot comes from an aristocratic family but she is one with the people and has a good heart and soul. As a child, she visits the local townspeople and watches them being slaughtered. She vows to stop it, but as a young ingenue in 19th century France, this isn't possible. As Napoléon rises to power, Nicole grows up and falls in love with Francois, dreaming of making their vineyard successful. Tragedy strikes. And she also rejects Moet's advantageous proposal, which kicks off a lifelong battle between their families, classes, and vineyards.

I'm a history buff, but I often forget a lot of details when I read so much. It was wonderful to revisit the French Revolution, learn more about the Russians who participated in conquering Europe during the early 1800s, and determine which side had the better ideals. Though the book isn't about politics, it covers a good amount of 'power' relationships between the French, Russians, and the rest of Europe. I also learned about some early champagne-making techniques, which were all fun aspects of the novel. Too bad I was already in bed when reading or I'd pour myself a glass to sip while reading.

As a story, it has merit. I felt like I was living two centuries ago, and I enjoyed the background setting and descriptions of people's homes, lands, and styles. At times, this was a bit excessive and I found myself skimming a few paragraphs to get back to the plot. At its core, this is not an uplifting book. Nicole suffers greatly in her feud with Moet, her crumbling marriage, and her lack of funds to promote her brand. But several people step in to help, most memorable-Alexei, Louis, Xavier, Natasha, a couple of French aristocrats with ties to Russian militants. There is a deep sadness in the story, and you really want Nicole to succeed, especially for her daughter, Clementine's, future. It ends on a positive note, which we should all know given the successful brand is still around today.

I felt the book was a little long in some spots... mostly because it was less about plot and more about revisiting her setbacks and emotional concerns. Some of these sections were slow and occasionally caused me to lose interest. I was able to stop each night as opposed to thirsting to stay up later. It's not a bad thing... as I enjoyed the book, and it is nice to relax and read rather than have suspense all the time. I'd recommend it to others who enjoy this topic in history, even-paced historical dramas, melancholia and hardship, and eloquent writing. I would also read another book by this author.