Trevor McFarquhar lives a controlled, contrary existence. Traumatized by early childhood loss, the silence surrounding those losses, and then a sudden family relocation from the United States to France, he has no ambitions or dreams for his struggling Parisian bicycle shop or even for himself. Now in his late thirties, his romantic relationships are only casual—his friendships, few. He’s both … aloof and exacting, holding everyone to his own high standards while being unforgiving of their faults.
But then two things happen. The 1995 transit strike forces Parisians through Trevor’s shop door to procure bicycles, and his once-sluggish business suddenly turns around. To his surprise, he is pleased. At the same time, Trevor enters into a relationship that threatens to destroy his relationship with his entire family. Humbled and ashamed, his veneer cracks, and he emerges from his cocoon a different man, ready to reconnect, to rediscover possibility, and ultimately to redeem himself.
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I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Mary Fleming, and She Writes Press. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I can happily recommend Mary Fleming to friends and family. She is an author who understands family. And the art of regret.
By the time Trevor Macfarquahar was eight years old he had lost his sister, his father, and had moved with the remaining family – mom Helen and younger brother Edward – from New York to Paris. Though Edward flourishes in Paris, Trevor sees it all as yet another loss he cannot bear. His youth and adolescence are bathed in angst and his one desire is to return to the USA, to his country. His mom remarries a Parisian banker, Edmond Harcourt-Laporte and though Edward, who was too young to remember his sister and father, allows himself to be adopted by Edmond, to accept this ‘new’ family dynamic, Trevor can only see it as yet another heartless loss.
We peek into Trevor’s life when he is 37, alone by choice. An attractive man, Trevor has a policy of always maintaining two casual dating relationships so no one would expect too much or take him seriously. Luck does occasionally shine on him though he doesn’t recognize it as such – for years he worked for Nigel Jones who owned a bicycle shop called Melo-Velo on rue des Martyrs, repairing and selling new and used bikes, accessories, etc. On Nigel’s untimely, unexpected death, Trevor inherits the shop contents and lease on the building and an upstairs room that he adapts and uses for a bare-bones living space. Not exactly his cup of tea, not the life he envisioned for himself and at that point in time bicycles were in low demand, but it was familiar and without pressure, so he settled.
Once a month he joined his lawyer brother Edward, Edward’s wife Stephanie and their three children, and the occasional Harcourt-Laporte relative at his mother and stepfather’s home for a meal and talks, a family tradition that abruptly drops from his routine when Trevor allows himself to be seduced by his brother Edwards’ wife Stephanie. Seduced, and caught.
For five years, he was out of touch with all of his family. But there are more good luck moves he marginally notes. With several train personnel strikes and growing traffic snarls on the motorways of Paris, bicycling becomes fashionable again. The insurance company who owns his shop building gives him official notice – they will not renew his lease on the downstairs store when it expires. He will have to move, or sell the business. Last year that would have been an easy decision, but he was making a fairly good living now and he reluctantly seeks and finds a new building, moving the shop a 15-minute walk away, but maintaining the one-room living area above what was Melo Velo but is now a cell phone store.
Trevor also finds himself with what began as casual friendships but now are essential to his lifestyle. When the homeless guy, Michel, who begs in front of the grocery store across rue de l”Universite from the new bike shop gets picked up for a knifing incident and has to do jail time, Trevor allows himself to become the keeper of Michel’s dog, a black labrador very much in need of extensive expensive vet care, a loving and loyal companion that Trevor will have to turn back over to Michel. He names her Cassie and sees her through all sorts of parasite medications, and begins to wonder where he will hide her if/when Michel gets out of jail. In the meantime, she goes everywhere with Trevor and becomes very dear to him.
It began with the dog but didn’t stop there. Piotr is an undocumented illegal alien from Poland, a farm boy who begins working at Melo Velo parttime to help Trevor catch up on repairs and save enough to send to Poland for his girlfriend Wanda. The workload picks up, but with Piotr working full-time, Trevor has the option of some time for himself. Time to work on easing the regrets that so blockade his life and heart, especially over the last five years.
Cedric Merie is Trevor’s only really close friend, a relationship that began in grade school in Paris. Cedric and his wife Viviane live at Vernon and want more time with Trevor, need to introduce him to their new adopted son and to rejoice with them the soon-to-be birth of their own long-awaited child. Edward, now remarried and with another child, wants to meet. While at Cedric’s, Trevor again meets an artist named Bea Fairbank, a friend of one of his ex-lovers. He finds himself falling, but she knows him too well to take him seriously. He will have to show her that he has changed. But has he really? All of these new possibilities require Trevor to alter his responses and attitudes if they are to be successfully rebuilt relationships. Can he do it? Only time will tell.
“But she was trouble I wasn’t able to resist. The damn dog had worked her way into my heart with a skill of an Olympic fencer.”
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This is a contemporary fiction that will pull you directly onto the streets of Paris and make you feel like you are part of the Parisian culture. It was a slow and meloncoly start for me and the main character, Trevor, was a bit lack-luster at first, but in the second half of the book the story, and Trevor, woke up and I really enjoyed it… especially the ending! Fleming is a new author that writes such beautiful and lyrical prose that I look forward to reading even more books by her! It is a good read but be patient, it is worth the wait. Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours @shewritespress for this great reading opportunity!
This is a slow moving novel about life in everyday Paris. We get glimpses of the beautiful city when the main character walks or takes the Metro to other locations but instead of seeing the tourist side of Paris, we get a look at the way the residents live their lives.
Trevor is a 30-something year old man who works in his bicycle shop and lives in a tiny apartment above the shop He moved from the US to Paris with his mother and brother after a family tragedy. He still has issues around his life in the US and can’t seem to let them go and move on with his life. His main goal is to live a life without commitments — to his family, to the women he dates or to his job. He had dreamed of being a photographer when he was younger but now he doesn’t want to commit to it as his profession and is happy meandering through life and lazily running his bicycle shop.
When a transit strike in Paris makes his bicycle shop very busy, Trevor makes a major error in his life that will further estrange him from his family. After several years when he re-connects with his mother and brother, Trevor begins to change as he hears secrets from his past that have kept him from living a full life.
Even though this book is very slow-paced (sometimes too slow) watching Trevor change throughout the book is very interesting to read. Plus how you can you wrong with a book that leads you through the back roads and cafes of Paris.
Mary Fleming writes a beautiful Literary Fiction about Trevor McFarquhar, a handsome yet apathetic thirty something bicycle shop owner in Paris. Trevor was an interesting character to read, and though his life as he sees it, is as exciting as the color beige, a series of events provides an impetus for change in his monotonous existence.
As a child, Trevor moved from NY to Paris with his mother and brother to begin a new life after some tragic life events. Trevor lived his life as a person just passing through life – making no effort in his bicycle business – which he has kept stagnant for the last 10 years; keeping his love-life strictly casual with no strings attached; and tolerating his family life which he struggles to end during family gatherings.
Fleming’s prose takes us through everyday life in beautiful Paris, its back streets and cafes. You will love the characters and enjoy following their journey through life, handling the choices they make, and living through the consequences of their actions and how it plays out in a satisfying drama in the art of regret.
Mary Fleming has made a new fan in me. I don’t often read lots of literary fiction, but the premise of this story seemed to call to me. So, I decided to jump on it and read it. I’m so glad that I did! I got to follow Trevor’s journey and feel it as if it was my own.
Trevor’s character. Wow. What can I say about him? He was fantastic! I loved him. As someone who lives with regrets daily, I could feel every bit of Trevor’s inner turmoil. His past is tragic and his here and now is lived day to day as a bike shop owner. His relationship with his family isn’t what it should be, and it shows. I loved the way that felt while I was reading this. I needed that to feel the full effect of this beautifully written novel.
Poignant. Heartfelt. Deep. Raw. Those are just some of many words I would describe Fleming’s novel. From start to finish, I followed Trevor through the streets of amazing streets of Paris, and the road we call life, learning what regret is, learning that regret isn’t something to hang on to.This novel is beautifully penned, and I look forward to reading Fleming’s next book. This one is most definitely worthy of 4 stars, hats off, two thumbs up……well you get the picture! Don’t miss it. Order it today!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
This book was a unique look into the life of Trevor, an American transplant living a mediocre life in Paris. Trevor runs a bike shop and when the 1995 Transportation Strike leaves passengers stranded, Trevor finds a renewed interest in his otherwise failing bicycle shop. This book also serves as a coming of age story for Trevor and deals with family dynamics, death and romance. After making a poor decision that leaves him estranged from his family for over 5 years, Trevor also rebuilds his life and gets a new chance at love. In the end, I just really wanted Trevor to find peace and happiness.
Mary Fleming, Author of “The Art of Regret” has written an emotional and thought-provoking novel. The timeline for this novel is in the author’s present and also goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. The Genre for this novel is Fiction. The author describes her characters as complex, and complicated. The story takes place in France, but America is mentioned.
Trevor McFarquhar has had early trauma in his life. He lived in America and after his father’s death, Trevor moves with his mother and brother to France, where his mother remarries. Trevor fixes bicycles for a living and is barely getting by. There is family suspense, drama and deep secrets that has Trevor at times feeling isolated from his family.
This is a very slow-paced novel, that is often repetitive. After the first 25 percent of the book, the story moves slowly forward. After the 1995 transit strike, people are starting to buy bicycles, and Trevor is in a better situation, but questions what he wants.
At one point in the story, Trevor mentions regret in regard to his taking pictures. He often feels he doesn’t get to capture the vision of the picture, that it is too late. Will Trevor be able to move on? What secrets seem to be involved. I appreciate that the author discusses the importance of family, second chances, love, and hope.