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jo_bookworm's review against another edition
4.0
This is the debut novel from this author and when I picked it up, I knew little of the subject matter and the history of Champagne. And if truth be known I am not a big fan of it - the drink not the book.
The book is simply fizzing with romance, intrigue, war, grief and the history of one of the most well know brands known across the globe.
Nicole as a young girl liked nothing more than running around the village and knew all the locals to chat to, she became friendly with people below her elevated position and when she finds the man she wants to marry it isn't about what her parents want, it is about what she wants.
That is how Nicole finds herself married to Francois Clicquot and wandering through the vineyards they both decide to make this their present and their future. But this idyll is short-lived when bade weather, bitter grapes and poor harvests along with war in far off lands where their product was popular causes problems.
Suddenly alone, Nicole finds herself as the Veuve and is determined to make a success - but she has some barriers to face and not just the vineyards, but exploding bottles, gossiping neighbours, close rivals, war and missing salesman.
Helen Fripp weaves the Napoleonic Wars of the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century into the story at time as the background to the events of Nicole and the other main characters; Xavier; Louis; Natasha and the enigma that was Teresa who brought a rather different view of how women should behave in these times.
At other points the Napoleonic Wars were very much in the foreground and I learnt as I wandered how a war seemingly fought a long way away, came to these remote French villages where there was no desire for war just to live peaceably and with everyone they love. War doesn't make that possible and times there was some horrific scenes which took me right back to these times.
Through it all Nicole had a determination not seen by many and should be recognised as a strong woman very much in a man's world who somehow overcame it all and became a force to be reckoned with and recognised.
I adored this book, it reminds me of my great love of historical fiction and was an part of history which I knew little about and also even less about the great Champagne houses. How wonderful to discover that a woman was behind one of the greatest much to the chagrin of most. Historical fiction is of course just that but what it does and this book does it in abundance is open your eyes and the world up to reading much more about these fabulous women who have shaped history, who have made an impact and should be recognised much more. It reminded me why I love history.
A great read and I will certainly be looking to learn more from Helen Fripp in the future.
The book is simply fizzing with romance, intrigue, war, grief and the history of one of the most well know brands known across the globe.
Nicole as a young girl liked nothing more than running around the village and knew all the locals to chat to, she became friendly with people below her elevated position and when she finds the man she wants to marry it isn't about what her parents want, it is about what she wants.
That is how Nicole finds herself married to Francois Clicquot and wandering through the vineyards they both decide to make this their present and their future. But this idyll is short-lived when bade weather, bitter grapes and poor harvests along with war in far off lands where their product was popular causes problems.
Suddenly alone, Nicole finds herself as the Veuve and is determined to make a success - but she has some barriers to face and not just the vineyards, but exploding bottles, gossiping neighbours, close rivals, war and missing salesman.
Helen Fripp weaves the Napoleonic Wars of the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century into the story at time as the background to the events of Nicole and the other main characters; Xavier; Louis; Natasha and the enigma that was Teresa who brought a rather different view of how women should behave in these times.
At other points the Napoleonic Wars were very much in the foreground and I learnt as I wandered how a war seemingly fought a long way away, came to these remote French villages where there was no desire for war just to live peaceably and with everyone they love. War doesn't make that possible and times there was some horrific scenes which took me right back to these times.
Through it all Nicole had a determination not seen by many and should be recognised as a strong woman very much in a man's world who somehow overcame it all and became a force to be reckoned with and recognised.
I adored this book, it reminds me of my great love of historical fiction and was an part of history which I knew little about and also even less about the great Champagne houses. How wonderful to discover that a woman was behind one of the greatest much to the chagrin of most. Historical fiction is of course just that but what it does and this book does it in abundance is open your eyes and the world up to reading much more about these fabulous women who have shaped history, who have made an impact and should be recognised much more. It reminded me why I love history.
A great read and I will certainly be looking to learn more from Helen Fripp in the future.
smilesgiggle's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! An incredible historical novel about a woman who refused to be anyone other than herself. I have a massive book hangover.
I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Nicole refuses to be young lady - she runs with the boys, breathes the soil and falls madly in love. Together Francois and Nicole lay the foundation for a timeless vineyard.
After his death, Nicole refuses to quietly live in the country. The vineyard becomes her life focus, her obsession to overcome all obstacles.
All the feels.
I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Nicole refuses to be young lady - she runs with the boys, breathes the soil and falls madly in love. Together Francois and Nicole lay the foundation for a timeless vineyard.
After his death, Nicole refuses to quietly live in the country. The vineyard becomes her life focus, her obsession to overcome all obstacles.
All the feels.
aharper07's review against another edition
4.0
The french house is a historical fiction about a woman during the French revolution trying to save her vineyard after her husband's passing.
.
This isn't my normal Era for historical fiction. I was intrigued by the plot and thought it would be a nice read. However, it took me over 200 pages to get to the point of not wanting to put it down. A lot takes place.
.
I enjoyed how strong and determined Nicole was. I enjoyed the friendships Nicole makes, especially during a Revolution. I did not like how slow paced it felt in the start. It felt like there was a lot of people going behind others' backs.
.
There was minimal romance, as Nicole does get married during the course of the book and small other romances as well. Relations are mentioned but not open door.
.
Overall, I did like it, I just might not read it again, as mentioned above it took me a bit to get invested.
.
Available by Forever Publishing: August 2022
.
This isn't my normal Era for historical fiction. I was intrigued by the plot and thought it would be a nice read. However, it took me over 200 pages to get to the point of not wanting to put it down. A lot takes place.
.
I enjoyed how strong and determined Nicole was. I enjoyed the friendships Nicole makes, especially during a Revolution. I did not like how slow paced it felt in the start. It felt like there was a lot of people going behind others' backs.
.
There was minimal romance, as Nicole does get married during the course of the book and small other romances as well. Relations are mentioned but not open door.
.
Overall, I did like it, I just might not read it again, as mentioned above it took me a bit to get invested.
.
Available by Forever Publishing: August 2022
sweetordinary's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I've been interested in challenging myself to read a wide variety of books and genres. With my interest of stories based upon historical events in video format, I figured historical fiction would be one of the first genres I try exploring more as a reader. I found this story one of the first in the genre to grab my attention. The female main character that's facing societal challenges and constantly responding to doubts all in effort to build a lasting empire (a business one, in this case) completely intrigued me.
While I found myself loving how beautifully written the story is, there were times that I struggled to keep reading. The flow of the book is a steady slow pace primarily centered around the plot. The areas where I struggled had a large part to do with the speed of that moment in time. I wish those moments moved faster.
The other aspect that proved to be a struggle was the lack of character development. This might be something that is more common to see in historical fiction as the stories presented in this genre focuses more on the plot than the characters. In genres I'm used to reading (exs. fiction, fantasy, dystopian, etc.) rely heavily on character development and pushing the story forward. In this book, it always felt I wasn't reading about a character growing through challenges and learning who they are as a person, business woman, mother, friend, etc. Instead, it felt I was reading about different sides of this fully formed person. I found this to make it difficult to wholeheartedly love or connect with any of the characters especially when an event or situation highlighted a side of the character that I disliked. Those moments broke the spell of being in the story's world for me.
I believe if you are a fan of historical fictions that focus on females going against the society's status quo of their time, I recommend giving this book a try. If you are like me and interested in stepping into a new genre like historical fiction, be prepared for a plot focus and minimal character development. Maybe include this story as one of many historical fictions you try reading.
While I found myself loving how beautifully written the story is, there were times that I struggled to keep reading. The flow of the book is a steady slow pace primarily centered around the plot. The areas where I struggled had a large part to do with the speed of that moment in time. I wish those moments moved faster.
The other aspect that proved to be a struggle was the lack of character development. This might be something that is more common to see in historical fiction as the stories presented in this genre focuses more on the plot than the characters. In genres I'm used to reading (exs. fiction, fantasy, dystopian, etc.) rely heavily on character development and pushing the story forward. In this book, it always felt I wasn't reading about a character growing through challenges and learning who they are as a person, business woman, mother, friend, etc. Instead, it felt I was reading about different sides of this fully formed person. I found this to make it difficult to wholeheartedly love or connect with any of the characters especially when an event or situation highlighted a side of the character that I disliked. Those moments broke the spell of being in the story's world for me.
I believe if you are a fan of historical fictions that focus on females going against the society's status quo of their time, I recommend giving this book a try. If you are like me and interested in stepping into a new genre like historical fiction, be prepared for a plot focus and minimal character development. Maybe include this story as one of many historical fictions you try reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Classism, Death, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Grief, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and War
The author does a beautiful job constructing the historical context of the time period. As such, characters consistently engaged in normalized conversational topics of the era that may trigger some readers. What took me off guard when reading it was the level of detail regarding the passing of one of the key character's early on in the story. I recommend taking a few moments to make sure you are aware of the time period, the societal norms of the time, and common beliefs.lilaclicoricetissie's review against another edition
4.0
Hey mama, look at me, I’m on the way to the promise land (AC/DC)
--or at least, I’m on a very lucky streak :D last month Edelweiss gave me The Wasteland and now Netgalley is trying to one-up on it with The Champagne Widow by H. Fripp.
First thing first, the cover. Isn’t it a thing of beauty?
It caught my attention right away : a pretty drawing, colorful without being too in-your-face, it told me all I needed to know about TCW at a glance. Perfect. I really want to stop for a moment here and compliment the artist who drew it: it’s very cool, I love it!
Now, the story itself.
[Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups]
--or at least, I’m on a very lucky streak :D last month Edelweiss gave me The Wasteland and now Netgalley is trying to one-up on it with The Champagne Widow by H. Fripp.
First thing first, the cover. Isn’t it a thing of beauty?
It caught my attention right away : a pretty drawing, colorful without being too in-your-face, it told me all I needed to know about TCW at a glance. Perfect. I really want to stop for a moment here and compliment the artist who drew it: it’s very cool, I love it!
Now, the story itself.
[Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups]
hillarysbookhaul's review against another edition
4.0
The French house transports you to 1800’s French in the midst of the French Revolution and Napoleon’s war, we find ourselves in the small town of Reims where vintners Moët and Clicqout make their now famous wines but back in the 1800’s they were just getting their start. The French house follows Nicole Clicqout the master behind the Veuve Clicqout champagne and how life can throw a lot at you but staying true to you and your passions can be what makes life worth living.
go_jan's review against another edition
4.0
I guess this classifies as romance to a backdrop of history around the time of the French Revolution and Napoleon's campaign.
srivalli's review against another edition
4.0
4.3 stars
The book is based on the true story of none other than Nicole Clicquot, the woman who ran the world’s greatest champagne house, Veuve Clicquot, when the world thought the business was no place for a lady. Of course, I wasn’t aware of this when I requested the book. The blurb and cover were enough to attract my attention.
The book deals with the life of Nicole Clicquot since she was 11 years old (1790) until the time things start to look hopeful after Russia defeats Napolean and decides to open the trade borders with France in 1815.
We see Nicole as a girl, a young lady with a spark in her eyes, a wife, a mother, a widow, and most importantly, an unrelenting businesswoman. She worked in the vineyards as a worker and took the business to new heights as a successful boss.
Of course, times were hard and even brutal. Things hit a new low, but Nicole continued. I’ve read about the great woman on Wikipedia and loved her grit.
Coming to the book, it’s a mix of facts and fiction. We have Louis, the real-life loyal salesman of the company, along with various fictional characters. The love shared by the husband and wife and their mutual love for the vineyards were taken from real life, the author said.
We see an array of characters, and a good number of them have been well developed. Theresa, Xavier, Natasha, Madame Oliver, Emile, Alexei, Moet (along with Nicole and Louis) have depth and appear quite real. They have flaws, they have positives, and their actions align with their personalities.
The descriptions of the vineyards, the growing vines, the champagne-making process are vivid and wonderful. I enjoyed them a lot. Some made me want to try champagne and see if it would really be as it was described in the book (I’m a teetotaller).
A lot happens in the book, and it can be overwhelming if you read it all at once. I mean, it felt like so much had happened, and I saw that I reached only 50% of the book. That’s both an advantage and a disadvantage.
This is one of those books you have to read in installments. You won’t mind putting it down to take a breather and pick it up the next day. But yes, you will pick it up.
Overall, The Champagne Widow is a lovely book with more grief and struggles than laughter, but it is worth reading if you like women-centric books, especially with a war backdrop.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bookouture and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#TheChampagneWidow #NetGalley
*******
Read the full review here.
The book is based on the true story of none other than Nicole Clicquot, the woman who ran the world’s greatest champagne house, Veuve Clicquot, when the world thought the business was no place for a lady. Of course, I wasn’t aware of this when I requested the book. The blurb and cover were enough to attract my attention.
The book deals with the life of Nicole Clicquot since she was 11 years old (1790) until the time things start to look hopeful after Russia defeats Napolean and decides to open the trade borders with France in 1815.
We see Nicole as a girl, a young lady with a spark in her eyes, a wife, a mother, a widow, and most importantly, an unrelenting businesswoman. She worked in the vineyards as a worker and took the business to new heights as a successful boss.
Of course, times were hard and even brutal. Things hit a new low, but Nicole continued. I’ve read about the great woman on Wikipedia and loved her grit.
Coming to the book, it’s a mix of facts and fiction. We have Louis, the real-life loyal salesman of the company, along with various fictional characters. The love shared by the husband and wife and their mutual love for the vineyards were taken from real life, the author said.
We see an array of characters, and a good number of them have been well developed. Theresa, Xavier, Natasha, Madame Oliver, Emile, Alexei, Moet (along with Nicole and Louis) have depth and appear quite real. They have flaws, they have positives, and their actions align with their personalities.
The descriptions of the vineyards, the growing vines, the champagne-making process are vivid and wonderful. I enjoyed them a lot. Some made me want to try champagne and see if it would really be as it was described in the book (I’m a teetotaller).
A lot happens in the book, and it can be overwhelming if you read it all at once. I mean, it felt like so much had happened, and I saw that I reached only 50% of the book. That’s both an advantage and a disadvantage.
This is one of those books you have to read in installments. You won’t mind putting it down to take a breather and pick it up the next day. But yes, you will pick it up.
Overall, The Champagne Widow is a lovely book with more grief and struggles than laughter, but it is worth reading if you like women-centric books, especially with a war backdrop.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bookouture and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#TheChampagneWidow #NetGalley
*******
Read the full review here.
thenovelabby's review against another edition
4.0
There were so many things I loved about this book. Most importantly, I love a story about a badass woman entrepreneur who defies all expectations and makes herself a success, especially one that’s based on true events. The French House follows the story of Barbe-Nicole Clicquot, the woman behind the famous Veuve Clicquot champagne. Nicole was going to run the vineyard with her husband, but she’s tragically widowed just years into their marriage. Everyone expected her to give up and sell the vineyard (it wasn’t “proper” for women to do business, everyone said), but she refused. Ultimately, she built a champagne empire.
Fripp’s writing totally transported me to 1800s France, and I loved how much I learned about the winemaking process throughout. Fripp perfectly captures Nicole’s spunk, spirit, and determination.
There are only two very small reasons this isn’t a 5⭐️ read for me. First, there is one relationship of Nicole’s that is central to the book that I was a little disappointed not to find any true evidence of (at least that I could find). I won’t spoil it, and I still loved reading the ins and outs of that relationship, but I was just a little bummed to find out that relationship wasn’t as crucial in the real Nicole’s life. Then second, I definitely grew attached to the title “The Champagne Widow,” which I thought fit the story a little better than “The French House.”
But those are two tiny things that don’t take away at all from how amazing this story is. Read this book, and when you’re done, join me in a champagne cheers!
Fripp’s writing totally transported me to 1800s France, and I loved how much I learned about the winemaking process throughout. Fripp perfectly captures Nicole’s spunk, spirit, and determination.
There are only two very small reasons this isn’t a 5⭐️ read for me. First, there is one relationship of Nicole’s that is central to the book that I was a little disappointed not to find any true evidence of (at least that I could find). I won’t spoil it, and I still loved reading the ins and outs of that relationship, but I was just a little bummed to find out that relationship wasn’t as crucial in the real Nicole’s life. Then second, I definitely grew attached to the title “The Champagne Widow,” which I thought fit the story a little better than “The French House.”
But those are two tiny things that don’t take away at all from how amazing this story is. Read this book, and when you’re done, join me in a champagne cheers!
roshreviews's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Ok, I did try to like this book with all my heart; historical fiction is one of my favourite genres after all. But sometimes, even the best of reading intentions don't work in making the book click. Looking at the other ratings and reviews, I am much in the minority. So please take this review with a pinch of salt and do give the book a try.
The French House is set in post-revolution France, where Napoleon was on his rampage and the European political situation was unstable. (Thank you, publishers, for changing the title. The earlier name had a huge spoiler.) Nicole Clicquot has big dreams along with her husband François of having a successful winery. But passing times bring greater tribulations and she soon finds herself dealing with the chauvinist members of society who can't palate the idea of a woman handing a business successfully.
Nicole Clicquot might be known to you as Veuve Clicquot, one of the first ever successful businesswomen and owner of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, a French champagne house founded in 1772 and existing even today as a specialised premium champagne producer. Madame Clicquot was also renowned for inventing the riddling table process to clarify champagne in 1816 and creating the first known blended rosé champagne in 1818. She was an independent thinker in spite of the era she was born in and is a woman to be admired and emulated.
However, the book must be judged not for what it tells us about Madame Clicquot but on how it does so. And sadly, the "how" didn't work for me. The book is a debut work and it shows. The author tries to include everything possible to provide a valid historical fiction and in the process, creates a great deal of clutter. Many of the secondary characters appear and disappear randomly. Some of the side-tracks were not relevant to the main story at all. Nicole's character in the book seems to go back and forth in her decisions, without any justifiable reasons. Natasha's and Clementine's characters are underexplored, Teresa's is over-utilised. Xavier's and Louis' characters seem to change as per the whims of the author. I could not identify with the rationale of even a single character.
This could have been a fantastic story, not just because of the uncommon era it is set in but also because it brings to us a powerhouse of a woman from the forgotten past. But I guess I picked this up at the wrong time because everyone else seems to be going gaga over the book.
If you want a look into the fictional life of a great woman from history, you could certainly give this book a try. I regret that it didn’t work for me, but from the other reviews, it does look like it could be a pleasant reading experience if picked up at the right time.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the Advanced Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The French House is set in post-revolution France, where Napoleon was on his rampage and the European political situation was unstable. (Thank you, publishers, for changing the title. The earlier name had a huge spoiler.) Nicole Clicquot has big dreams along with her husband François of having a successful winery. But passing times bring greater tribulations and she soon finds herself dealing with the chauvinist members of society who can't palate the idea of a woman handing a business successfully.
Nicole Clicquot might be known to you as Veuve Clicquot, one of the first ever successful businesswomen and owner of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, a French champagne house founded in 1772 and existing even today as a specialised premium champagne producer. Madame Clicquot was also renowned for inventing the riddling table process to clarify champagne in 1816 and creating the first known blended rosé champagne in 1818. She was an independent thinker in spite of the era she was born in and is a woman to be admired and emulated.
However, the book must be judged not for what it tells us about Madame Clicquot but on how it does so. And sadly, the "how" didn't work for me. The book is a debut work and it shows. The author tries to include everything possible to provide a valid historical fiction and in the process, creates a great deal of clutter. Many of the secondary characters appear and disappear randomly. Some of the side-tracks were not relevant to the main story at all. Nicole's character in the book seems to go back and forth in her decisions, without any justifiable reasons. Natasha's and Clementine's characters are underexplored, Teresa's is over-utilised. Xavier's and Louis' characters seem to change as per the whims of the author. I could not identify with the rationale of even a single character.
This could have been a fantastic story, not just because of the uncommon era it is set in but also because it brings to us a powerhouse of a woman from the forgotten past. But I guess I picked this up at the wrong time because everyone else seems to be going gaga over the book.
If you want a look into the fictional life of a great woman from history, you could certainly give this book a try. I regret that it didn’t work for me, but from the other reviews, it does look like it could be a pleasant reading experience if picked up at the right time.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the Advanced Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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