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The Provence Cure For The Brokenhearted. Bridget Asher (2011)

by Bridget Asher(Favorite Author)

3.72 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0749009934 (ISBN13: 9780749009939)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Allison & Busby

review 1: This book is so high-concept that you can predict the entire story without even reading the cover blurb - it's all there in the title. A grieving (yet young and attractive) widow will rediscover love in a beautiful old house in the beautiful Provence landscape while a colourful cast of eccentric characters drop witticisms and pearls of wisdom. There will be a cute kid, wise old mentor and French people who verge uncomfortably on racial stereotype. Not that I mind formulaic if it's done well - and this generally is. Although you can imagine the Hollywood movie adaptation playing out in practically every paragraph, it's an enjoyable ride which combines an engaging, well paced story with resonant themes. Yes, it is very predictable (I groaned inwardly when the narrator d... moreescribed the two boys she played with as a child in Provence, because it was so obvious that she would soon be falling for the one she didn't like) but the pleasure for the reader lies in the individual scenes, particularly the dialogue and characterisation. One of the themes of the book is the idea of turning points in life and relationships; for example, Heidi describes the 'turning point' moment when she realised she loved Henry. There was a parallel moment for me when I went from feeling ambivalent about the story to falling in love with it. My turning point occured when Heidi and Julien are discussing whether dealing with bereavement or divorce is more traumatic. It could have been a blandly formulaic bonding moment between two damaged people destined to fall in love, but the characters transform the scene into something more interesting. "Let's compare our misery. Find out which of us has it worse..." Heidi suggests. The ensuing contest in misery-one-upmanship is both entertaining and profound in its exploration of the nature of grief and loss and the way it develops the characters. What also sets this book apart from a plethora of similar romances is its treatment of grief. Heidi's bereavement could so easily have been a mere plot device to get her to France and true love, but her love for Henry and her sometimes overwhelming grief pervade the whole narrative. Henry is as important as any of the living characters and the opening statement about grief being a love story told backward sets this up from the start. The novel explores grief, loss and love with a depth unusual in this genre. Heidi's realisation that she has lost not just her husband but his version of herself, and Abbot's heartbreaking confession that he would have chosen his father over her are particularly poignant and memorable moments. The romance between Heidi and Julien seems a little underdeveloped in comparison, but I think adds to the realism - the writer shows just how difficult it is for a new lover to compete with the years of intimacy that are the legacy of a past relationship. Some aspects of the novel were a little disappointing, though. The writing style is unpretentious to the point of blandness - there's nothing wrong with it, and the whole book is very readable, but I would have liked some stylistic flourishes and more atmosphere created through the language. It also suffers from a lack of dramatic tension - I enjoyed it as a series of entertaining and thought-provoking vignettes rather than being engaged by the overall narrative arc or concerned about what would happen to the characters.
review 2: I am normally not a huge fan of romance novels, but made an exception here. Although there is an undertone of romance, this book is mostly about healing. Heidi, Abbott and Charlotte all face what they believe to be insurmountable sorrow and pain and struggle to move on with their lives. While repairing the house in Puyloubier, the new surroundings and new people in their lives help them come together as a family and find that new love and happiness is not beyond their grasp. I would recommend this book to reluctant romance readers. less

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