“A French Wedding is a sumptuous novel that will, literally take you away. It’s a delightful escape to the French seaside that I, for one, never wanted to leave.”—Elin Hilderbrand, bestselling author of The IdenticalsA French Wedding is a delicious novel about six college friends reuniting on the coast of Brittany to celebrate one of their own’s fortieth birthday. With sumptuous food and plenty … With sumptuous food and plenty of wine, the table is set for tricky romantic entanglements, fiery outbursts, and a range of secrets. Readers who loved The Vacationers and The Little Paris Bookshop will devour this irresistible novel.
Max is a washed-up rock star who’s about to turn forty and feeling nostalgic for his university days. All he says he wants for his birthday is to host his old friends at his house in the French countryside for a weekend of good food and reminiscing. But he has an ulterior motive: Finally ready to settle down, this is his chance to declare his undying love to his best friend, Helen.
Max’s private chef, Juliette, has just returned to her hometown after a nasty breakup and her parents’ failing health move her to sell her dream restaurant in Paris. Still reeling, Juliette throws herself into her job, hoping that the peace and quiet it offers will be the perfect cure for her broken heart.
But when Max’s friends arrive, the introverted, dreamy Juliette finds herself drawn out of her orderly kitchen and into their tumultuous relationships. A weekend thinking about the past spurs more than one emotional crisis, as the friends take stock of whether they’ve lived up to their ideals. Together for the first time in years, it’s not long before love triangles, abandoned dreams, and long-held resentments bubble over, culminating in a wedding none of them ever expected.
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I loved this book! The food descriptions and the landscape–both in Paris and in the countryside–felt like a trip to France. There was a surprise at the end which is always nice, too.
I loved the characters and the story in this book! A group of friends who have known each other for years have gotten together for one of their birthdays. There are glimpses into the past as well as glimpses of what is happening in their lives in the present time. There are intricate relationships between them. They think they know each other well, but do they really? The story is about friendships, love, and parenting. I was mesmerized by the characters, both by their pasts and what happens to them now.
With France as the background, how can any story go wrong. The food, the scenery, the people . . . ah, the people. Although the story is set in France, not one character is French. There is a host of characters, most of them friends since college, come to Douarnenez to celebrate Max’s 40th birthday.
I should back up a bit, though. The story begins with Juliette, bistro owner in Paris, up and coming chef, whose world comes tumbling down. She misses an important interview with a food critic because her mother is dying in Breton, her lover calls off their affair. The reader is told all of this, but the next thing we know Juliette has moved back to her childhood home, her father is now dead, too, and she works for Max, a successful musician, dope addict, and alcoholic. It is she who prepares the house, the food, everything for the arrival of his friends, to celebrate with him, whom he’s known since college.
They are a rowdy bunch, joined by Rosie’s husband, Hugo, who isn’t part of the group, her daughter, and Helen’s sister. Things get wild, they reminisce, and it is clear that the old group love each other very much. Secrets are revealed, hearts are broken and mended, and the final crisis in their lives turns everything inside and out.
Although the way the author leaves gaps of time and story is a bit frustrating, this is a lovely book to read, enjoy, and be glad one’s own life is a bit less complicated.
I really liked all the different characters in this book.
This author draws you in. sets a dreamy mood, and smatters in some truly wonderful descriptions of French food. The mood stays with you.
I was disappointed with this book. I did not care for most of the characters and I wanted to feel like I was in France.
It is a lovely book with interesting characters. It was a delight reading it and the ending was rather a surprise. Worthy book.
I read this book a month ago and I cannot recall one thing about it. So not very memorable.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters draw you in, and there are some twists & turns along the way to the surprise ending.
The characters were interesting, although not always likeable. Liked the surprise ending.
I found it difficult to relate to any of the characters in this book, with the possible exception of Juliette. I also found it difficult to differentiate between the characters. After I read about 35% of it, I’m afraid I abandoned ship.