This compelling story of three generations of women, all widows, are determined to save the Chateau Fouch-LaBlanc Vineyard during the Nazi occupation of France during World War II. They know that nothing will be safe, which leads Gabrielle to hide their most precious vintage behind a wall. The wine, not yet champagne, she proclaims is their family's legacy - it will be their future. This is gripping story of survival during a challenging time in history that will grab your heart from the beginning to the end. Highly recommend.

I’ve always been drawn to WWII stories & movies, and The Widows of Champagne is the 2nd that I’ve picked up this year. This story of 3 generations of women figuring out how to make it through the war is at times heart-wrenching and at times frustrating.

Gabrielle is worried about her vineyard and its grapes, her grandmother Josephine’s dementia, and the looming German threat. Her mother Hélène is somewhat distant, constantly flitting to Paris and its glamour with Gabrielle’s sister Paulette; both refuse to acknowledge the changes on the horizon. All the men are gone – lost to war and illness, leaving only the women, the old, and the infirm. And the three generations of LeBlanc women.

Then the Germans arrive, and requisition their champagne, their home, and other – squickier – things. Now Gabrielle must worry about her family’s survival with the enemy in their midst. And as she, Josephine, and Hélène make their plans, none of them confide in another – to protect the others, of course.

The Widows of Champagne is layers upon layers of family loyalties and secrets wrapped in a dangerous time. As the widows do their best to protect the others, Paulette’s carelessness causes a rift, and you’re left wondering if the LeBlancs will make it through this war unscathed.

I enjoyed the family dynamics in The Widows of Champagne, though Paulette’s selfishness and carelessness was frustrating, and Hélène’s devil-may-care attitude was at times infuriating. I loved Gabrielle’s love for Josephine, and worried every time Josephine wrote something down that the Germans would find it. There’s drama and tension in spades in this WWII tale, so grab your glass of champagne and while away some hours with The Widows of Champagne.

drey’s rating: Excellent!

(link will go live 7/22)

The Widows of Champagne. Lovers of WWII stories will not want miss this book. Set in the heart of champagne country three widows must protect their livelihood as well as their lives as the Nazis conquer France. Grandmere Josephine’s dementia gives her good and bad days. Daughter, Helene harbors a dooming secret. Her two daughters are very different. Gabrielle is doing her best to keep the family winery open as Helene’s youngest is caught up in her ability to attract men, but incapable of distinguishing between truth and lies her flirtatious personality attracts. The story moves at a fast pace as war and occupation of the homestead map their future. Author Renee Ryan has done an excellent job defining the characters and keeping tension levels high. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

The Widows of Champagne tells the story of three generations of women of the fictional Chateau Fouche-LeBlanc Vineyard during the Nazi occupation of France from 1940 to approximately 1945. We meet grandmother Josephine who is struggling with confusion and forgetfulness; daughter-in-law Helene who had been married to Josephine's only son; and Helene's two daughters: Gabrielle, the eldest who loves the vineyard as much as her mother and grandmother, and the youngest daughter Paulette, who is self-absorbed and foolish, putting all of their lives at risk. When the Nazis occupy the Champagne region of France, each of the women makes their own choices - some good, some incredibly misguided. I was surprised to learn that top Nazis "requisitioned" homes from the owners and helped themselves to their owners' possessions as well as the wine from the vineyards. I'm a sucker for a happy ending and this book gave me that. No spoilers - but I do recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully written story about the sacrifices and risks people will take to protect what they love. The three Leblanc widows, Matriarch Josephine, her daughter Helene, and her granddaughter Gabrielle are the women behind Chateau Fouché-Leblanc, a centuries-old champagne dynasty. The outbreak of WW2 will find all three forced to make difficult decisions in order to survive. None of these decisions are easy. At least one of these women will carry the guilt of her actions with her for the rest of her life.

Woven into all of this is a message that some things are bigger than ourselves and that having faith that a higher power will win out can keep us from falling apart.

Ryan's writing is top-notch. What I loved about this book is that she doesn't wrap everything in a neat bow. With a recognition that war changes everything, characters don't magically heal and rifts aren't suddenly repaired.

Thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Widows of Champagne is about three generations of Leblanc women whose lives have been marred by loss and war. With the enemy literally at their door, each must choose a course of action. One will take a stand. One will cling to faith. One will strive to protect her secret. None of them will be the same when the war is over.

I appreciate Ryan's efforts to develop a complex family dynamic. The invisible scars these women bear provide great insights into their motives. Of the three Leblanc widows, I connected most easily with Gabrielle. A fighter, she refuses to stand by while the Germans plunder her family's land and legacy. Joining forces with her against their occupiers is grand-mère Josephine. During her ever-shortening moments of lucidity, she proves to be a valuable asset to her family and to the Resistance. When presented alongside her daughter and her mother-in-law, Hélène Leblanc comes across as shallow and aloof. It wasn't until more of her backstory was divulged that I began to soften towards her.

As someone who has read numerous World War II novels, set in various countries and on multiple continents, it's good to be reminded just how much I have yet to discover about this period. As it's presented, the invasion of Reims and the Reich's demands on area farmers provided many tension-filled moments. Add to this the sense of presence I felt within each scene thanks to the author's detailed descriptions and you have a story that engages the reader's mind and heart.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.