The Secrets of Sainte Madeleine

Not a fan, I thought it had promise but I got quite annoyed with the writing choices. As it is set over a wide period with many different characters it tends to skip over what should be quite traumatic events quite quickly, one minute someone is dying, the next everyone is over it. This meant for me that I couldn't really care for the characters and there are a few wives who just tend to agree with everything their husbands say as there just isn't time for any conflict, which made them seem rather one dimensional. Another character who should have had a storyline was just forgotten about for most of the story as he wasn't convenient, and that was the pattern for most of the book, people dying conviently to suit the plot. I think if you can overlook the flaws it would be the kind of book that you might pick up on holiday, and the descriptions of wine making and the setting is nice, I just felt like I needed it slowed down and shortened rather than it being at breakneck speed and very long.