Ruth Kelly
When Ava Chiltern’s world falls apart, the only ray of
sunshine is that she has unexpectedly inherited a small vineyard in Provence. But she knows nothing about wine, is terrified of venturing
out into the world alone, and is not sure whether she really wants to ‘start
over.’
If you need your own fix of French sunshine and culture this
summer, sit back with a glass of vin rouge and wallow in a warm-hearted,
romantic and spirited debut novel from award-nominated journalist Ruth Kelly.
 |
| SPIRITED DEBUT: Ruth Kelly |
The Little Vineyard in Provence – with its stunning backdrop
on the Cote d’Azur and a cast of cleverly created and imagined characters – is
Kelly’s first book under her own name after ghostwriting the stories of both
celebrities and ordinary people.
And it’s well worth packing this little beauty in your
suitcase as you head off beach or pool-side on your own summer escape.
Ava Chiltern is devastated that her marriage to childhood
sweetheart Mark has become nothing but a lie. She has discovered that for the
past five years her husband has been squandering their money on gambling and
dodgy deals that have now left them thousands of pounds in debt.
To make matters worse, Mark has walked out, leaving Ava and
their prickly, selfish 18-year-old daughter Sophie to fend for themselves, with
their house repossessed and no money. But
just when Ava couldn’t feel any lower, she receives the news that her 93-year-old
French grandfather has died.
When Ava was a child, she used to spend magical summers
picking grapes at his vineyard in Provence before a rift with Ava’s mother tore
the family apart. But now the grandfather she adored but hadn’t seen for over
30 years has left money to her sister Olivia, and his home and entire vineyard,
Chateau Saint-Clair, to Ava.
Fearful of giving up on all she has ever known, Ava is
encouraged by her do-or-die best friend Emilia to go back to the place where
she was once happy and to ‘seize the day’ and suddenly, she feels something
extraordinarily foreign to her…‘genuinely, heart-skippingly excited.’
Still unsure whether it would be madness to walk away from
her marriage and take a chance on a place she fell for as a child, Ava heads to
Provence and discovers the chateau and vineyard are now sad, unloved and in
need of rapid repairs.
But with the lure of fresh coffee and croissants for
breakfast, a glass of red with the handsome local waiter Jacques who makes Ava
feel young again, perhaps this really could be the start of a new chapter in
her life.
Kelly’s entertaining debut is overflowing with intrigue, family
feuds, mystery and new beginnings as Ava takes her first tentative steps
towards happiness and independence amidst the wines and vines of enchanting
Chateau Saint-Clair.
Despite its distinct French-style flavour of romance, fun
and drama, this is a story written with unexpected emotional depth and a warm
understanding of the dynamics of family life as we watch Ava mature from
dithering, dependent wife to a confident and daring businesswoman.
Add on a vast horizon of sun, sea, blue skies and gallons of
delicious Chateau Saint-Clair, and the scene is set for the perfect holiday
read.
(Trapeze, paperback, £8.99)
No comments:
Post a Comment