The French House is a biographical novel of Veuve Clicquot. It tells how Barbe-Nicole struggled making champagne which was a male-dominated profession. I liked how the story also chronicles the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era. The only thing I did not like about this book was it seemed drawn-out. Nevertheless, it sheds light on a strong and determined woman who is truly a survivor. I recommend this for fans of Rebecca Rosenberg, Michelle Moran, and Stephanie Dray!

The French house transports you to 1800’s France in the midst of the French Revolution and Napoleon’s war, we find ourselves in the small town of Reims where vintners Moët and Clicqout make their now famous wines but back in the 1800’s they were just getting their start. The French house follows Nicole Clicqout the master behind the Veuve Clicqout champagne and how life can throw a lot at you but staying true to you and your passions can be what makes life worth living.

What interested me into this story was how the world’s greatest champagne house came to be. It’s based on a true story of Nicole Clickquot.

The story is set at the end of 18th century, briefly during the French Revolution, Bonaparte’s conquests, and Russian advances on Europe.

Nicole at nineteen is introduced to the whole process of picking the grapes to pressing and tending the vines, to the best grapes that are blended and produced for champagne. The man who introduces her to this process is Francois Clicquot. As a married couple, they manage the vineyards together. She shadows her husband for a couple years and learns every aspect of managing a vineyard. She becomes very successful at it. There are obstacles in her life that she needs to conquer.

The story of Nicole is very interesting. She is a strong woman, who succeeds to make her mark on history during a very challenging time, historically and for a woman. The scenes are vividly presented and are shown, not told. However, I found those scenes too descriptive, and maybe with less secondary characters the story would be better focused on Nicole. I didn’t connect with the character of Nicole. I wanted the plot to move much faster.

Fictionalized story based on the life of a strong woman who had a lot of courage and determination . Despite opposition and many setbacks she created the famous Veauve Cliquot champagne house in France . Fascinating historical fiction that delves into the growing and cultivation of grapes.


Pub Date: 23 Aug 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

The vineyards of the famous Clicquot family have come into the hands of young Nicole Clicquot after losing her husband. During the Napoleonic Wars, it is difficult to run a champagne cru and make ends meet, let alone fend off the problems posed by Moet and her desire to make Veuve Clicquot an outstanding vineyard. Excellent read and recommended.

It’s been a while since I read a good French historical novel. Set amidst the days of both the Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, Fripp takes readers on a memorable journey. Nicole, the determined young mistress of a vineyard and her intense attention to detail.
I loved all the drama, intrigue, and learning more about the wine industry during the tumultuous time frame.
Theresa was my favorite character. She was a scandalous figure and didn’t give a fig about what people thought.
I really liked the author’s note and that she was given charge Blanche to deep dive into their archives for her research.
Bottoms up!

🍾 I enjoyed "The French House," my first book by Helen Fripp! 4⭐

🍷 Nicole lives in the Champagne region of France during the French Revolution. Her parents and husband are winemakers. When disaster strikes, she must decide whether to live by society's expectations and give up the winery or to blaze her own trail and continue to be the head of the winery. Hint - ever heard of a little brand called Veuve Clicquot?

🇫🇷 I don't know anything about wine but I loved how the author wrote about winemaking in such a passionate, poetic way. Growing grapes and bottling wine was so central to the lives of Nicole and the villagers. We experience love, lust, grief, and heartbreak with Nicole over the decades. The story was a little less plot-driven in the beginning, but soon it became a great adventure and I couldn't put it down.

Thank you @readforeverpub and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. The French House releases 8/23!

⚠️ severe depression, possible death by suicide, infidelity, war

Shareability: lovers of historical adventure/intrigue novels with emotional depth

Spice: n/a

Pairs well with: champagne, goat cheese, and berries 🫐🍒

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book! I am not sure if it's an ARC however - looks like it has been published before?

Regardless - this was a fast, interesting read with an engaging heroine. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Stars: Loved learning about Nicole Clicquot, the feisty and smart woman who created the famous Veauve Cliquot champagne house in France shortly after the French revolution and created a champagne sediment removal system. I had never heard of her and truly enjoyed her story. Tinged with romance and sadness, adventure highs and lows and an interesting supporting cast of characters, I didn't put this down.

Wishes: I wish there had been less obstacles for Nicole. It got a little redundant after a while!

This (heavily) fictionalized story of Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, better known the world over as the powerhouse behind Veuve Clicquot is an enjoyable and riveting read.

This engaging story drew my attention from the start and kept me reading, completely invested in this book.

I wouldn’t read this if you’re looking for actual history, but the story itself is a fantastic read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever og Grand Central for the opportunity to read Helen Fripp's The French House. I loved it. "A breathtaking novel of courage and determination, inspired by the true story of the woman who built the world’s greatest champagne house—Veuve Clicquot.". If you love stories about strong women, this is a book for you.