New Horizons

The French Cookery School by Caroline James is a positively delightful contemporary novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

All the characters were well drawn, realistic and likable. They were an eclectic mix who traveled from England to the French cookery school. There are larger than life characters, salt of the earth characters, a brow beaten woman, a newly widowed woman and more, plus a Michelin starred chef and the owner. Everyone has a back story.

We witness that branching out alone after losing a partner to cancer, takes much bravery, as the late partner’s dream is realised. As he lets a little light in, he finds the strength to live again.

The reader cannot help but like a bubbly northern lass who always has a smile and a kind word. She is hoping for a long-held dream to become a reality.

Our hearts break for a character who has been forever squashed by her husband who is a philanderer and a gambler. She fears the future. She is also caught in the grip of anorexia. A near miss helps her to open her eyes to the possibility that the second half of her life can be better than the first.