How far must you run to leave the past behind in order to find love? In Where the Wild Cherries Grow by Laura Madeleine, it is 1919, and the end of the war has not brought peace for Emeline Vane. Lost in grief, she is suddenly alone at the heart of a depleted family. And just as everything seems to be slipping beyond her control, in a moment of desperation, she boards a train and runs away. Her … train and runs away.
Her journey leads her to a tiny seaside village in the South of France. Taken in by café owner Maman and her twenty-year-old son, Emeline discovers a world completely new to her: of oranges, olives and wild herbs, the raw, rich tastes of the land. But soon secrets from home begin blowing in on the sea waves.
Fifty years later, Bill Perch, a young solicitor on his first case, finds Emeline’s diary, and begins to trace an anguished story of betrayal and love that will send him on a journey to discover the truth.
What really happened to Emeline all those years ago?
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There is nothing that so enchants the imagination like a dual period story of ghosts and loss, empty old houses, decadent sensory details, and rich shores of color in faraway lands. WHERE THE WILD CHERRIES GROW is an absolute buffet of these novel ingredients.
The story of the reluctant protagonist of 1969 is every bit as interesting, compelling, and moving as the tale of the heroine of 1919. The reader will not be able to turn pages fast enough as the lives of the solicitor charged with proving a woman dead so the family might sell an old house, and the journey of a woman fleeing the family who wishes to lock her up rather than seek her healing, converge on the shimmering shores of Cerbère–the last French town before Spain.
The contrasts of William’s and Emeline’s lives before their travels move from black and white to luxurious color, waisted frames to healthy bodies, hollow spirits to those overflowing with life. In spite of bad decisions and missteps, these characters triumph and find redemption, and the conclusion of the novel is both surprising and deeply satisfying.
At times reminiscent of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE to BEAUTIFUL RUINS to LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE, WHERE THE WILD CHERRIES GROW is a rich, memorable story with a cast of characters the reader won’t soon forget.
A lost woman, an estate in shambles, a diary, and the South of France. Who doesn’t love all of these things…especially a diary.
Bill Perch was left to the task of finding Emeline Vane by searching the run down family estate for clues about what happened to her. When he arrived, he found trees growing out of the roof and a total mess. Where is Emeline after all of these years, and why has Hallerton House been left in such a state?
When Bill entered the house, he did find a room of boxes and papers and began his search there. When he dug into a floor board and found a diary with Emeline’s name on it, he knew his search was most likely over, and that he hit the jackpot. Bill was happy but also sad because he truly and unfortunately had become attached to Hallerton House and Emeline.
I was very curious to see what Bill would find in those musty papers and diary, and if he could find out where Emeline went. For me, looking through old papers would be such fun.
I always enjoy books that move back and forth in time and have treasures to search through as the pieces of an earlier age are put together to get to the truth or mystery.
WHERE THE WILD CHERRIES GROW was an incredible read for me. I became engaged with the characters and the setting.
Oh to be there on Bill’s journey and to be with Emeline, Clemence, and Aaro to smell the delicious aromas, taste the food, and see the beautiful landscape. The description of the food will have your mouth watering.
Ms. Madeleine has a smooth, beautiful writing style that pulled me in and kept me intrigued with the story line.
The ending was marvelous. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
This was a really quick book. I enjoyed the story but think the author could have added a few more chapters. The ending seemed a little rushed
Where the Wild Cherries Grow by Laura Madeleine is a historical novel that takes readers from 1969 to 1919. In 1969 William “Bill” Perch is a solicitor’s assistant at Hillbrand and Moffat Solicitors. Mrs. Mallory and her brother need the firm’s assistance in locating Emeline Vane. Emeline is one of the estate’s heirs, and she has been missing for fifty years. They are unable to sell the derelict manor house until they can prove that she is dead. It is up to Bill to locate Emeline or proof of her death. Bill travels to the family estate in Norfolk where he discovers an old diary of Emeline’s along with other papers. Through Emeline’s words, Bill feels a connection with this woman from the past. Bill knows that she disappeared at the train station in Paris and this is where he begins. The journey to uncover Emeline’s whereabouts starts Bill on a new path and a chance for rich, full life.
Where the Wild Cherries Grow is a dual timeline novel. The story is told from Bill and Emeline’s point-of-views in alternating chapters. Ms. Madeleine has a nice descriptive writing style. The pace is a little slower than I normally like, but it does go with the story. The author provides vivid descriptions that allow the reader to visualize the scenes (brings the scenery of France alive). The food depictions will have your mouth watering. Emeline and Bill are well-developed characters. I found them to be real and fit into their time periods. I found the slang from 1969 to be entertaining (made me chuckle). Readers experience Emeline’s journey and I can certainly understand why she took off. Life was very different for women in 1919 especially if they were under the age of majority. Where the Wild Cherries Grow is a unique tale that will keep you reading to find out what happened to Emeline.