Flipping Through Pages #12 - A Good Year (A Book Review)

France is always nice this time of the year.

"Wine enters through the mouth,
Love, the eyes.
I raise the glass to my mouth,
I look at you,
I sigh."

WB Yeat’s iconic lines reverberate in my mind even as I journey with Max Skinner, formerly ruthless trading partner, into Provence where life is easier and more pleasant than the cold hard streets of London. Southeastern France holds many beauties, and we are given an armchair to lounge on even as we see our protagonist adapt to life there.

It’s a slow moving story of settlement and being a fish out of the proverbial water as Max inherits his late uncle’s estate complete with an estate and vineyard. There is intrigue and good fun, whether it be Max trying to court the local restaurant author, his friend Charlie encouraging him to start a wine business or a mysterious American woman with claims on the house.

All of these threads would suck you in thinking there is a thriller to be understood, but just like the laidback location the story seems more concerned with you being eased into this world than being thrown in on the deep end of some criminal quagmire.

The characters themselves are quite pleasant and most of them get enough time to unveil the shroud of mystery, becoming flawed but wonderful human beings in the process. Whether it is Max trying to rediscover himself after a corporate life filled with worries and worksheets or Roussel the caretaker of the vineyard who resents but gradually warms up to Max’s presence in a changing world.

The author takes every effort to make you feel as welcomed as Max, whether it be by good food, wonderful weather, beautiful scenery and near the end, the flutters of love. This is home now.

A subplot is there for some action, but it’s more of a sidequest in the grand mission of relaxation. So grab your glass of red wine, take a sip and journey away.

So, I give it 7 out of 10

+Wonderfully rich scenery

+A brilliant protagonist

+A lackadaisical vibe that suits the reader

-Some of the more intriguing threads resolve too easily

-Supporting characters could have done with more development