It began as a simple flirtation . . .In September of 1963, Scott Stoddard, an American graduate student, is traveling to Switzerland, when he meets the Countess de Rovere, a French divorcee; he is smitten, and she is intrigued. What begins as a little coquetry soon becomes a serious love affair, much to the consternation of the Countess’s ex-husband and mother, not to mention the Countess’s … Countess’s friends of European high society. A meeting of equals poses problems enough, but what about one between two people who seem to have so many differences? And when a man of traditional attitudes couples with an independent and self-confident woman, something’s got to give. It won’t be the countess. As their liaison transcends an affair that cannot be dismissed, they all agree that something must be done.
An Improbable Pairing is a historical romance that chronicles the enduring themes of a young man’s coming of age and the rebellious love of the mismatched. This pas de deux, set in the golden years of 1960s Paris, Geneva, Gstaad, and Cannes, provides an insider’s peek into the worlds of haute couture, three-star gourmet restaurants, and lavish hotel suites—the domains of rank and privilege. But society’s privileged resist when an interloper threatens to upset their cozy structure.
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I was given this book for an honest review. What a delightful surprise. I was not looking forward to read this historical novel, boy, am I glad I read it. I have not enjoyed a book so much in a very long time. This novel takes you to the hotels, shops and restaurants throughout Paris, Geneva, Gstaad and Cannes. The vivid descriptions made you think that you were there. It is a story about two star crossed lovers coming from two very different backgrounds and all of the obstacles they has to endure in order to stay together. You ad the feeling that you were going through everything with them. The book is delightful, enjoyable and entertaining. I hope there will be a sequel so I can see how they faired.
Romance in 1960″s Europe. Older French Countess and younger American man. The settings and descriptions actually transport you back to that time. An enjoyable story but not one that will stay with me. I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
I received this through an ARC contest.
I admit I didn’t get very far in the story. I’ve never been to France and don’t understand a lot of the words that were in italics or had the extra punctuation marks. I spent a lot of time on my e-reader dictionary. The story seemed to flow well. I don’t like leaving harsh feedback. It wasn’t for me I guess.
An Improbable Pairing by Gary Dickinson
January 2019
Historical Fiction
I received a digital copy of this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review from NetGalley and Greenleaf Book.
“An Improbable Pairing is a historical romance that chronicles the enduring themes of a young man’s coming of age and the rebellious love of the mismatched.”
In Sept 1963, Scott Stoddard, an American graduate student, travels abroad to study in Geneva, Switzerland. En route via cruise ship, he meets many interesting people. He becomes fascinated with a glamorous older French divorcee who happens to be Countess de Robeve. When he arrives in Geneva, Scott finds himself mingling amongst socialites. It isn’t long before he is more engaged socially than academically much to the disappointment of his parents.
The story was initially entertaining but soon felt to drag with all the detailed descriptions of the elite lifestyle. The relationship that develops between Scott and Désirée, the Countess, never completely felt “real” to me. Of course, they are “an improbable pair” who encounter scrutiny and judgement when their affair becomes public.
Ultimately, I felt unsatisfied as I finished the book. It seemed to have me questioning the authenticity of the characters. I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I thought I would.
I’ve been on a bit of a historical fiction kick lately, so I was looking forward to reading something set a little closer to today than what I had been reading. Unfortunately, this book just didn’t do it for me. Overall, it’s ploddingly slow. I’ve been known to watch golf on TV and I still found this akin to watching grass grow.
While I don’t have to like/love the characters of the books I read, I do have to be able to connect with them on some level. However, I was never able to get that with either Scott or Desirée. Scott is a bit of a tool and Desirée just comes across as vapid and somewhat manipulative. Frankly, neither really had any redeeming characteristics that made me want to get to know them, or their story.
The writing itself is not horrible, but it’s all “tell” and almost no “show”. Some of the dialogue is a bit too “back and forth” without any additional descriptive text that would help color the scene. On the other hand, I felt the author spent way too much time focusing on irrelevant details, such as what was ordered for dinner (is the fact that the brook trout was steamed with lemon butter sauce and served with steamed potatoes – excuse me “pommes vapeur” – really necessary?). Every time the characters got ready to sit down to a meal (which they did A LOT), I steeled myself for another veritable menu reading in my future. Unless the book is specifically about or centered around food/dining, there is no need for that much detail. Finally, there was no discernible character growth or development for either of the main characters. At the end of the book, I was frankly left wondering why we were told their story at all.
*copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*