Review of Passport to Provence
3 posts
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Passport to Provence" by Hannah Leigh.]
With romance novels, one thing is very certain, and that is the story is predictable right after you read the blurb. Such is the case as well for the book “Passport to Provence” by Hannah Leigh. You can nearly understand the story inside out, and it is at such a time that the author’s writing flair comes into play. For me, it’s the writing, the connection that the author manages to create in their readers with the characters, and the overall emotional value that makes you want to read the book until the very end.
This is a story about Lila Bennett, a teacher, and Mathieu Laurent, a widowed vineyard owner who is always grumpy. When Lila moves to Provence to honor a teaching contract, nothing much goes as she had planned. For one thing, she leaves all her important teaching paraphernalia on the train and makes some awkward first encounters. She hasn’t even had time to settle down yet, and things have already started going haywire. She soon realizes that Provence is a quiet village, where everyone knows each other, and everyone has very keen eyes. She soon understands that she does not quite fit in here yet.
On the other hand, we have Mathieu, under whose roof Lila is staying. Mathieu's home is one that runs on routine and control, and Lila here seems to be disrupting that, though unintentionally. Mathieu isn't unkind, but he is grumpy and gets easily agitated. His young daughter, Camille, is also very guarded.
As the weeks go by, the tale gradually develops from a mere culture shock to something much deeper. It is not merely a matter of adapting to a new country but also of a grief that is not yet fully healed. It is about the fear of finding yourself wanting something permanent when you have already convinced yourself that you are merely passing through. Want to know what happens next in the story of Lila and Mathieu? Does Lila adapt? Does Mathieu become more easygoing, or does the reverse happen? Read this romance novel to find out.
There were many positive aspects of this book. For example, I enjoyed how Lila assisted Camille with a school assignment on family, which also led to a conversation about Camille’s mother, Elise. This was a very emotional aspect of the book because it addressed all of their thoughts about a particular issue and resonated with me on a personal level. The bond that developed between Lila and Camille was also so beautiful, especially when Camille opened the box that contained her mother’s things and showed them to Lila. In addition, the sections about Lila’s inner conflict with the London interview and the fun she had at the Harvest Moon Festival were very engaging to read.
On the whole, this is not a high-drama romance novel. It is clean and modern. It is more character-driven and emotionally charged. I also felt that the alternating narrative between Lila and Mathieu was a great way to structure the story. It made the story engaging, and it did not feel dull for a single minute. I just loved the writing style. It was very natural and smooth. Nothing felt out of place. The language was also very simple and easy to understand. On the whole, I just loved the fact that this book kept me engaged from start to finish, and this is what I want or expect from a romance novel. This book delivered, and I completed it in almost 5 to 6 hours. Therefore, taking into account the fact that I just loved this book, as evident from the above points, I feel that this book is definitely worth five out of five stars.
I recommend this book to anyone and everyone who enjoys a good romance story every once in a while.
******
Passport to Provence
View: on Bookshelves |
With romance novels, one thing is very certain, and that is the story is predictable right after you read the blurb. Such is the case as well for the book “Passport to Provence” by Hannah Leigh. You can nearly understand the story inside out, and it is at such a time that the author’s writing flair comes into play. For me, it’s the writing, the connection that the author manages to create in their readers with the characters, and the overall emotional value that makes you want to read the book until the very end.
This is a story about Lila Bennett, a teacher, and Mathieu Laurent, a widowed vineyard owner who is always grumpy. When Lila moves to Provence to honor a teaching contract, nothing much goes as she had planned. For one thing, she leaves all her important teaching paraphernalia on the train and makes some awkward first encounters. She hasn’t even had time to settle down yet, and things have already started going haywire. She soon realizes that Provence is a quiet village, where everyone knows each other, and everyone has very keen eyes. She soon understands that she does not quite fit in here yet.
On the other hand, we have Mathieu, under whose roof Lila is staying. Mathieu's home is one that runs on routine and control, and Lila here seems to be disrupting that, though unintentionally. Mathieu isn't unkind, but he is grumpy and gets easily agitated. His young daughter, Camille, is also very guarded.
As the weeks go by, the tale gradually develops from a mere culture shock to something much deeper. It is not merely a matter of adapting to a new country but also of a grief that is not yet fully healed. It is about the fear of finding yourself wanting something permanent when you have already convinced yourself that you are merely passing through. Want to know what happens next in the story of Lila and Mathieu? Does Lila adapt? Does Mathieu become more easygoing, or does the reverse happen? Read this romance novel to find out.
There were many positive aspects of this book. For example, I enjoyed how Lila assisted Camille with a school assignment on family, which also led to a conversation about Camille’s mother, Elise. This was a very emotional aspect of the book because it addressed all of their thoughts about a particular issue and resonated with me on a personal level. The bond that developed between Lila and Camille was also so beautiful, especially when Camille opened the box that contained her mother’s things and showed them to Lila. In addition, the sections about Lila’s inner conflict with the London interview and the fun she had at the Harvest Moon Festival were very engaging to read.
On the whole, this is not a high-drama romance novel. It is clean and modern. It is more character-driven and emotionally charged. I also felt that the alternating narrative between Lila and Mathieu was a great way to structure the story. It made the story engaging, and it did not feel dull for a single minute. I just loved the writing style. It was very natural and smooth. Nothing felt out of place. The language was also very simple and easy to understand. On the whole, I just loved the fact that this book kept me engaged from start to finish, and this is what I want or expect from a romance novel. This book delivered, and I completed it in almost 5 to 6 hours. Therefore, taking into account the fact that I just loved this book, as evident from the above points, I feel that this book is definitely worth five out of five stars.
I recommend this book to anyone and everyone who enjoys a good romance story every once in a while.
******
Passport to Provence
View: on Bookshelves |
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