What a lovely story of loss and healing and new beginnings. It's a beautifully poignant and hopeful book that I really enjoyed reading!

The Promise of Provence (Love in Provence Book 1) by Patricia Sands

9781503945647

466 Pages
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Release Date: October 6, 2015

Fiction, General Fiction (Adult), Women’s Fiction, Divorce, Stalker, Romance, Friendships, Holocaust Memories

Kathrine Price arrives home on her twenty-second anniversary planning a romantic evening. When she sees the note next to the twenty-two pink roses stating their marriage is over, she is devasted. She never saw this coming. After the divorce is finalized, she moves back home to live with her elderly mother. For Christmas, her mother gives her a wooden box for her memories and a letter to be read after her death. The letter describes her mother’s experience during World War II. After her mother’s death, she decides she needs to get away. She decides to do a house exchange. First, she goes for a weekend to Chicago, then she plans for a two-week holiday in France.

The story is emotional, has a steady pace, developed characters, and is written in the third person point of view. This is about relationships – friends, mother/daughter, husband/wife, and lovers. I enjoyed reading this book and was curious to see what was in store for Kate in her future. It is a beautifully written book and I hope you enjoy it too.

This book delivers the kind of sheer reading enjoyment that keeps readers turning the pages. It is a story of loss, healing, and finding oneself to start over. It is a story of hope and encouragement.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A bittersweet story of Kat, a 55 year old from Canada, whose husband leaves her on their anniversary for another woman. She moves in with her elderly mother, and they connect in a sweet way until her death a short time later. A lot of upheaval, makes a complicated time for her. Her cousin turns her onto the idea of a house exchange, and she gives it a try for two weeks to the south of France. During this time she meets the widower Phillipe, and sparks fly, but in two weeks she returns home. Coming back she loses her job, and decides to go back on another exchange to a nearby area of France, and she meets Phillipe again. This time she is there for three months, and nature takes over. I enjoyed this story, and the details of the places and the foods made me feel like I was there. Didn't see the need for Nick, but not too big of a deal. All the talk of tomato salads, made me give it a try, with a little olive oil and goat cheese. Yum! No recipes in the book, but the details were enough. Highly recommend this book, and see this is the first of a trilogy. Felt complete though, so if you cannot read the others you are not left hanging. Fun author and book.

This was an incredible read. I was so wrapped up in the description of Provence , I felt myself strolling along. This is the first in a three book series, I look forward to reading the other two.