Laura MadeleineCritiques

Historical fiction at its very best. As the heat shimmers off the pages, travel back in time to a mystery as exotic as its location.

Set in two different times, told by two very different points of view, it takes us down two different paths, paths that ultimately end up crossing in ways that are both as unexpected as they are satisfactory.

Tangier, 1978 – Samuel Hackett, a down on his luck writer, living hand to mouth as he takes in the local culture whilst waiting for inspiration to strike. As luck would have it, fate steps in and hands him a real life mystery in the form of an old fashioned leather writing case. Needing money fast to pay his rent, his only option is to sell his prized possession, his Hermes typewriter, to his friend and shop owner, Abdelhamid, and it was this friend that sold him the writing case. From that case the only clues he has to go on are the initials A.L that are engraved on the case, a small silver key and a leather tag, both of which were tucked away inside the case and the 50 year old calendar also contained within. With some help from his local friends and a new associate, an English journalist, Ellis Norton, he starts to investigate who the case belonged to, and as he begins to uncover details it fires up his imagination, turning the case and the cases owner into a novel of his own.

1928 – Alejandra Exposita, Ale for short, a young kitchen porter, apprentice chef lives and works at the Hosteria del Potro, doing everything in her power to blend into the background. The other women that work there are paid for more than just serving drinks, so being a young, female virgin is not something she wants the punters to notice. Although life mightn’t be ideal at least she has a roof over her head and food in her belly making her more fortunate than some. That is until one evening an incident occurs at the hotel leaving one of the male customers dead at the hands of the owners daughter. With the finger of blame pointed to her she has no choice but to disappear. Disguising herself as a man, a haircut and change of name, Alejandra is reborn as Alejandro del Potro. And after an encounter with a well healed English gentleman, Arthur Langham, Ale follows him across the boarder and manages to instal herself into his life with a surprising outcome.

As the story switches between Ale and Sam, they take us on their own personal journeys and as each situation plays out it becomes apparent that their stories are interwoven with some surprising turns of events, of which keep you in the dark right up until the very last pages. This is a clever, complex, multi layered historical mystery with characters that come to life off the pages, you can feel the heat simmering as you are transported all the way to Tangier and the unlocking of the mystery surrounding the 50 year old writing case.

This is a must read for fans of historical suspenses, historical romances, women’s fiction or fans of really great stories! So in essence, for everyone!

The story is set between two different times, Annie in England in 1993 and Ceci Corvin in 1943 high in the mountains in the South of France.

The chapters flow between Annie and CiCi, each living different lives. Most of CiCi’s story is set in the past when she was a young woman living in Saint-Antoine working in the family bakery. But with the arrival of hundreds of jews and other foreigners being brought to Saint-Antoine her life changes forever.

1994 Annie hasn’t seen or heard off her grandmother for years, an argument between Annie’s mum and her grandmother caused a rift in the family and they have never seen CiCi since that day. Annie’s mum has been unwell and made her realise life can be fragile and short, so she made the decision that she would like to try to find her mother and heal the past. It’s not long until Annie finds her and it is from there the story really picks up.

Annie wants answers about her own past, who her grandfather was, why her Grandmother left such a beautiful place for Paris and London. She knows there are reasons but they have always been a secret only her grandmother knows.

Now that CiCi is an old woman and is not in the best of health herself she is over the moon at being reunited with her granddaughter but she also knows she needs to open old scars and finally share her secrets. She wants to go back to where it all started for her – Saint-Antoine, but not alone. So both women leave Paris and begin a journey that will stay with them forever!

It is so beautifully written that your imagination comes to life, the setting of Saint-Antoine is easy to envisage and you can almost smell the freshly baked bread alongside CiCi.

It is a story about a forbidden love, family, trust, unlikely friendships, heartbreak, the uncertainty of war and of hope!

The closing chapter felt like a sucker punch in the chest from Conor McGregor hahaha, it made my chest constrict and my heart swell, in a good way of course! Beautiful and packed with emotion. The women are crafted flawlessly, so real and easy to like that their emotions flow off the pages and into mine! Even my Ice maiden heart felt its heartstrings being pulled!

I could not have found a more perfect book to end 2017 on!

If you are a fan of Kate Morton then this is a MUST read, you will fall in love with The Secrets between us.

This is the first book you should read in 2018!

Would I recommend this book? Hell Yeah! A million %!

The Secrets between us was published today 1st January 2018 and can be purchased right now from

Amazon UK for the bargain price of 99p ebook! So go grab your copy quick whilst this amazing offer lasts!

Happy reading and Happy New Year
Welcome to 2018

An Echo of Scandal is a story rich with detail and a strong sense of place. I thought it was a fantastic read.

It starts with a murder and so it gets off to something of a flying start. Alejandra is a young woman with no back story and no sense of where she comes from. She lives in a brothel but does not want to end up a whore, and so she learns to cook. She manages to survive doing that until the fateful night when the story begins.

Set mostly in Tangier, the story flits between 1928 and 1978 in alternating chapters. The later story features Sam Hackett, an American writer looking for inspiration and it is a chance find that gives him the spark he needs to write again. How the two stories are linked starts to gradually unfold in the most engrossing fashion to bewitch and beguile the reader with a tale so incredible and so brilliant.

I adored Laura Madeleine's writing for several reasons. First of all, I loved the cocktail recipes at the beginning of Alejandra's chapters. I love to drink cocktails but don't know much about making them and the mention of jiggers and ponies as units of measurement seemed very authentic and so enticing. Secondly, this is a book that puts a lot of emphasis on food and drink and how they can be used to almost spellbind a person. It's a book full of sensations and I just loved the descriptions of the food that Ale was cooking.

But more than anything, this is an author who is able to create an enchanting story that I found myself pulled back into time and time again. It's by no means an easy life for Ale and later for Sam, and the harshness of life and the sharp contrasts in how people lived are portrayed beautifully, along with the streets of Tangier in both time frames. Each time one character's chapter ended I felt reluctant to leave them, every single time! It's a gorgeously evocative book and I thought it was wonderful.

f you are looking for a page turner of a book look no farther! I literally could not put Laura Madeline’s The Confectoner's Tale down. This book is full of intrigue, romance, and sweet delicious caramel and chocolate. Seriously find your favorite chocolate truffles while reading this book because it will make you hungry. I couldn’t help but find myself routing for Gui as he made his way through the streets of Paris into the kitchen door of Patisserie Clermont. I was just as intrigued to learn the shaded past of Petra’s late grandfather. Thank you St Martin's Press for sending me this delectable book. Can’t wait for Laura Madelines next book.

This book was right up my alley because it had a decades old family mystery, France and England as settings, and yummy descriptions of pastries. The action goes back and forth between a granddaughter in 1980s England digging into the past of her now deceased grandfather and a young man in early 1900s France who is captivated by the confectioner's daughter.

While the author might not be on the same level as Kate Morton, the story held enough interest and I ended up finishing it up in one evening. My only real criticism of the book is despite the fact the grandfather plays such a big role in the story line, some key moments just felt unsatisfying. He almost felt like an underdeveloped character. Overall, it was an entertaining read and will leave you craving some sweet treats.

I won a free copy of this book in a giveaway by Book Mama Blog . I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.

You can find this review at LenaMayBooks

Inside a Paris patisserie in 1909, a boy falls in love with a girl. Add a scandal, drama, and mouthwatering pastries. Fast forward eighty years where an academic discovers a picture from her late grandfather’s collection with the words, “Forgive me” scrawled on it. “A Confectioner’s Tale” will bring you inside of Paris as the scandal unfolds while alternating timelines with the present day academic who is determined to reveal her grandfather’s secret.

As a former pastry chef I can’t help but be cynical of a patisserie in any story line. However, Laura Madeleine is absolutely stunning in her debut novel. The imagery she has painted for this 1900’s Paris patisserie is flawless. I found myself in love with character Gui and his journey to discover how to create the perfect pastries.

While this is a story about forbidden love, it simultaneously tells of a passion for pastries. From croquembouche to religieuse, “A Confectioner’s Tale” will leave you with a delightful and dazzling craving for a true Paris patisserie. I urge you to pick up this book and dive into a world so few have traveled.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

It is 1919, the War now over, the Spanish Flu having run its course and what poses as Emeline's life is in total shambles. Does she acquiesce to the will of her uncle or flee as far away as she can to heal her wounded soul? Fifty years later, a young solicitor is charged with finding the evidence to support accusations of Emeline's ill mental health or her demise in order that the estate she and her now dying brother inherited can be be liquidated by his greedy children. The solicitor, by chance, discovers Emeline's diary and is struck by the circumstances in which she found herself. His conscience is heavy. Does he have the strength of character to do the right thing?

This tender story of loss, grief, sorrow, fear, anxiety, love and healing was lovely and well told. The primary character was well developed. However, in my opinion, the secondary character could have stood a bit more development in order that the reader better understood his motivations.

The descriptions of Catalan cooking were rich and savory - thoroughly delighting the senses. The settings were so well described that one could taste the tang of the Mediterranean breeze across one's tongue or feel a shiver as "La Tramontana" blew down from the snow covered mountains. I was transported in time and place through the rich prose of this story. Well done Ms. Madeleine!

I am grateful to author Laura Madeleine, publisher St. Martin's Press and Goodreads First Reads for having provided an advance uncorrected proof of this book. Their generosity, however, did not influence this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Where the Wild Cherries Grow by Laura Madeleine
Source: Netgalley and Audible purchase
My Rating: 5/5 stars

Yet again, Laura Madeleine has written a book that drew me in and didn’t let go until the very last page! Yeah, between Audible, insomnia, a damn good book, a serious disregard for adulting, I blazed through this book in a single sitting and regret nothing 😊

In 1919, Emeline Vane is in the midst of her own personal war. Though the Great War has ended, Emeline has lost most of her family and is on the verge of losing her family home. In a moment of panic, shear desperation really, Emeline abandons her remaining family member, a beloved younger brother, for the south of France and a life beyond her wildest imaginings. The train ride to what is commonly referred to as the end of the world, is both terrifying and liberating for Emeline. In fact, it is during that train ride Emeline meets a kind young man who reminds her, in her new life, she can be anyone she wants to be. With that, Emeline Vane disappears, and Emilie Fischer is born.

From the moment she arrives, Emilie is certain she has found her true home and, in her determination, will work hard, learn all she can from the kind woman who has taken her in, and become an accepted member of the small community she now calls her home. Emilie’s days are filled with hard yet satisfying work, an education beyond her social class, and acceptance she never had at home. She knows, with all confidence she will never return to her old life which means being accepted by the members of the small, tight-knit community. Through food, good food, Emilie is brought into the community, their families, and traditions. With every new experience, every new recipe, Emilie becomes more attached to her new home. That attachment is made all the more real by her growing feelings for a young fisherman, a man who brings more joy to Emilie’s life than she ever could have thought possible.

Fast forward fifty odd years . . . .

Bill Perch is an up and coming solicitor who has been asked to find Emeline Vane. Emeline’s extended family has an opportunity to sell off the old family estate, but before they can do that, they must prove Emeline is, in fact gone for good. What begins as a first case, great opportunity, quickly turns into an obsession that leads Bill, much like Emeline to hop on a train and solve the mystery of the missing woman. What Bill discovers is not just to fate of Emeline, but a life beyond what his family expects and far more exciting than he could have ever imagined.

The Bottom Line: I have always loved a past meets present book, and Where the Wild Cherries Grow absolutely delivers on that front! Emeline is a character you want to like, you want to succeed. From her introduction right on through to the epilogue, I was invested in Emeline’s story and couldn’t stop reading/listening to this book. While Bill’s story is all about revealing Emeline’s life, and is necessary to the overall plot, I found myself breezing through his chapters in order to get to more of Emeline’s story. Beyond the full-bodied characters, Where the Wild Cherries Grow has a rich setting, beautiful though not overwhelming descriptions, and a pacing that is perfectly to suited to the unfolding nature of the plot. There is just enough mystery, just enough romance, just enough of everything to make this a perfect read and certainly an early favorite for 2018!

3.5 It is 1919, the war over, but for young Emmaline Vane, her life will never be the same. She has lost much, her grief overwhelming, her Uncle and young brother the only two left. Her Uncle wants to sell the ancestral home, debts to settle, and money so they can start new lives. Worried about the mental state of Emmaline he makes a decision that will set Emmaline on a different path, one far away to the end of the world.

1960, a young solicitor is given the task of proving Emmaline dead. This charge will set him on s different path, one in which he surprises even himself. Two timelines, two very different people.

This is a very readable, tenderly written book. Very flavorful descriptives. The setting of part of this is France, the last town before Spain, a town rich in the bounty of the sea. Catalin cooking, it's decriptions and traditions, so mouthwatering, a place that becomes important in Emmalines life.

Would have rated this higher because I did enjoy it, but the characters past, especially the 1969 story. The back story of the young solicitor was not really presented enough for me to understand his motivations, Emmalines story was much more fleshed out. The ending of course ties the two threads together, and although one outcome was expected, there was still much to learn, not previously discovered.

ARC from Netgalley.½

This was a great book - mystery, romance and dual time line. All items that when they work well together create a wonderful story -- and they definitely worked well together in Where the Wild Cherries Grow.

The historical part of the story is told by Emeline Vane in 1919. Her mother has just died and she isn't handling life well. Her uncle wants to send her to a mental hospital to get better -- or is he really concerned and just wants to get her out of the way so that he can sell the huge family home? She escapes from the train to start a new life in France with a mother and son who own a restaurant. Can she find happiness in a new life as a working person after living such a rich life growing up?
Fifty years later, a law firm is contacted by the family who wants to sell the house but need to prove that Emeline is dead. Since no one has heard from her in 50 years, the new solicitor, Bill Perch is handed the job and starts to try to find out what happened to her.

This is a lovely well written novel about love and family - not just family by blood but the people who take care of you and love you most.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Where the Wild Cherries Grow by Laura Madeleine is a historical novel that takes readers from 1969 to 1919. In 1969 William “Bill” Perch is a solicitor’s assistant at Hillbrand and Moffat Solicitors. Mrs. Mallory and her brother need the firm’s assistance in locating Emeline Vane. Emeline is one of the estate’s heirs, and she has been missing for fifty years. They are unable to sell the derelict manor house until they can prove that she is dead. It is up to Bill to locate Emeline or proof of her death. Bill travels to the family estate in Norfolk where he discovers an old diary of Emeline’s along with other papers. Through Emeline’s words, Bill feels a connection with this woman from the past. Bill knows that she disappeared at the train station in Paris and this is where he begins. The journey to uncover Emeline’s whereabouts starts Bill on a new path and a chance for rich, full life.

Where the Wild Cherries Grow is a dual timeline novel. The story is told from Bill and Emeline’s point-of-views in alternating chapters. Ms. Madeleine has a nice descriptive writing style. The pace is a little slower than I normally like, but it does go with the story. The author provides vivid descriptions that allow the reader to visualize the scenes (brings the scenery of France alive). The food depictions will have your mouth watering. Emeline and Bill are well-developed characters. I found them to be real and fit into their time periods. I found the slang from 1969 to be entertaining (made me chuckle). Readers experience Emeline’s journey and I can certainly understand why she took off. Life was very different for women in 1919 especially if they were under the age of majority. Where the Wild Cherries Grow is a unique tale that will keep you reading to find out what happened to Emeline.

A lost woman, an estate in shambles, a diary, and the South of France. Who doesn't love all of these things...especially a diary.

Bill Perch was left to the task of finding Emeline Vane by searching the run down family estate for clues about what happened to her. When he arrived, he found trees growing out of the roof and a total mess. Where is Emeline after all of these years, and why has Hallerton House been left in such a state?

When Bill entered the house, he did find a room of boxes and papers and began his search there. When he dug into a floor board and found a diary with Emeline's name on it, he knew his search was most likely over, and that he hit the jackpot. Bill was happy but also sad because he truly and unfortunately had become attached to Hallerton House and Emeline.

I was very curious to see what Bill would find in those musty papers and diary, and if he could find out where Emeline went. For me, looking through old papers would be such fun.

I always enjoy books that move back and forth in time and have treasures to search through as the pieces of an earlier age are put together to get to the truth or mystery.

WHERE THE WILD CHERRIES GROW was an incredible read for me. I became engaged with the characters and the setting.

Oh to be there on Bill's journey and to be with Emeline, Clemence, and Aaro to smell the delicious aromas, taste the food, and see the beautiful landscape. The description of the food will have your mouth watering.

Ms. Madeleine has a smooth, beautiful writing style that pulled me in and kept me intrigued with the story line.

The ending was marvelous. 5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.

Come rovinare una storia che potrebbe essere molto bella. E non c'entra che a me i ping-pong nel tempo.
È che quando i fatti del 1919 sembrano più moderni di quelli del 1969 vuol dire che proprio non ci siamo.

When a biographer gives a lecture at a college in London, one attendee is especially interested in the subject matter and the writer. The biographer, Hall, is excited to discuss a recent discovery he's made while researching the great writer, Jim Stephenson, a scandal he's just starting to uncover. But, Stephenson's favorite granddaughter is in attendance and begins a race against Hall to uncover the scandal and try to keep him from exposing it. Petra Stephenson discovers a love affair for the ages and struggles to decipher her grandfather's role in it.

Nearly 80 years prior, a young man roams Paris looking for work when he comes across a wonderfully-smelling bakery and the beautiful woman who is the owner's daughter. Homeless Gui needs work so he can find a place to live and send money home to his mother. Working-class Jeanne runs her father's bakery, yet yearns for more adventure than her privileged life offers. When Gui starts coming around, their eyes catch each other and they both imagine what life together could be like.

Their forbidden love blossoms behind the back of Jeanne's father, yet doesn't go unnoticed by others who feel their class difference is indecent. Gui suffers greatly for their affair, and eventually the two are broken up by a nosy reporter who oversteps his bounds of friendship with Gui.

I found the historical part of the story far more interesting than the modern-day pieces. It's not the most exciting story, but it kept my attention for the most part. I was happy to have won a copy of this book via Library Thing.

A nice easy read after a disappointing election week. An unlikely match of star crossed lovers and class cross over. And who better to remind us of class distinction than the British! And one of my favorite background cities, Paris.

The Confectioner’s Tale by Laura Madeleine
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 4/5 stars
My Review:

For the wealthy in 1909-1910ish Paris, the place for the most delectable, most elegant, most impressive, most delicious treats could be found at one place and one place only, the Patisserie Clermont. The confections that come from the kitchen of the Patisserie are as much art as they are food and it is no wonder Gui is drawn to the site.

Gui fully expected his life to be nothing more than hard labor as a railroad worker but his expectations were radically altered the night he met Mademoiselle Clermont. In what will eventually be a moment that haunts him for nearly a decade, Gui bargains for a job at the Patisserie so that he may learn the trade and be closer to the woman he is so fascinated by. In the weeks that follow Gui works harder than he ever has in his life and learns everything he can about the confection business. The work is grueling, the standards are extraordinary, and it is all worth it for those stolen moments with Mademoiselle. In those stolen moments, the most unlikely pair develop a real affection for one another but their stations in life prevent even a casual friendship let alone a love affair. Their only hope to be together is to run and though they have a plan in place, circumstances beyond their control threaten their love and lives together.

Meanwhile, in the modernish world . . . .

Some 80 years later, a young scholar, Petra begins digging into the life of her famous (and recently deceased) grandfather only to find a picture with the words “forgive me” written on the back. Unwilling to think the worst of her grandfather, Petra starts down a road she just can’t give up despite the advice of nearly everyone around her. Her research leads to dead end after dead end until that one glorious moment when the way is clear and the answers are within her reach. What Petra finds is a side of her grandfather she never knew existed. His friendship with a young French couple in pre-war France, his misguided belief in his involvement in their separation, and his life-long attempts to make amends for the sins he committed as a young man.

The Bottom Line: I was drawn to this title for several reasons: 1) the gorgeous cover, 2) the title and, 3) the meeting of past and present. What I got was a sure delivery on the gorgeousness of the cover, the promise of the title, and the beautiful blending of the past and the present. For me, this story is all about Gui and Mademoiselle Clermont, how they overcame so many obstacles to eventually reach their HEA. The fact that you don’t find out how their story ends until the very last pages of the read had me holding on and flipping pages furiously hoping this story would have the HEA it deserves. The writing style is very much in the vein of historical fiction which makes it something I knew would appeal to me. My only, very tiny complaint is that sometimes the pace gets a bit slow but those moments are few and far between. In all, The Confectioner’s Tale is a sweet read on nearly every level.

3.5 Two stories, eighty years apart, in present day a young woman searching for answers relating to a scandal in her recently passed away, beloved grandfather's life. Her grandfather name os J.,Stevenson, so imagine my surprise when the past story picks up in Paris and narrated by a young man named Gui. All becomes clear as the story progresses and it was a aha moment for me when it connected.

A well known patisserie in Paris, a young man who is given the opportunity to learn to be a chef, some beautiful sweet creations and a forbidden love. A good story, well written, less light than the cover would leave one to believe. A good balance between past and present and both sections featured likable characters, actually one of the few books where I liked both parts equally.

Enjoyed this very likable story and one of my favorite things about it is that the ending rather surprised me. Didn't go for the strictly predictable ending.

ARC from Netgalley.½

A chance encounter, a patisserie, back and forth in time, and secrets that will keep you turning the pages.

We meet Guillaume du Frere in 1910 who started out as a railway man, met the daughter of the owner of a patisserie, and then saved her life. Saving her life took Guillaume away from the difficult railway work and into the sweet, hard-working life in a patisserie.

We meet Petra in 1988 who is writing a thesis and stumbles upon the files of her grandfather who has a secret that is well hidden but a secret that she wants to uncover.

THE CONFECTIONER'S TALE was a fun, breezy read for me even though it took a few chapters to get going.

I enjoyed the characters, the time travel, the delicious pastries, the mystery​ of what her grandfather had done, the love story, and a few other secrets.

Ms. Madeleine's writing draws you in, puts you in Paris 1910, makes your mouth water at the mention of the sweets, and seamlessly takes you to 1988 as you try to put together the pieces along with Petra to solve the mystery of what the words "Forgive Me" meant and what they had to do with her grandfather and his secret.

The beautiful cover adds to the sweetness of the love story as well as the intrigue of THE CONFECTIONER'S TALE.

ENJOY when you read THE CONFECTIONER'S TALE. 4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation in return for an honest review.​

The Confectioner's Tale is an interesting trip between the faraway past of 1910 or thereabouts and the not as distant past of 1988. This juxtaposition not only helps with plot points but it Makes the quest for information more intense. The heroine cannot go to a computer and get instant help from the Internet. She has to use microfilm to look at articles and search galleries by walking through the buildings. I loved living the past of 1910 and seeing what was discovered in 1988. I didn't get confused and the ending was quite masterfully done. All in all, it's a great book. This identical review is posted on www.netgalley.com

I thoroughly enjoyed this lovely book. It wasn't quite one of those books that just make you turn page after page, for me at least it didn't have that kind of excitement but wow was it beautiful! The gorgeous settings and delicious desserts to the sweet story itself. I will now be on the lookout for more books from Laura!

The Confectioner's Tale has lots to recommend it, a good plot, engaging characters, a great location in early 20th Century Paris and patisserie - lots of it.

In a dual timeline plot we switch between Paris in 1909 and England in 1998. The contemporary story involves Petra who is distraught that a biographer is researching her late beloved grandfather and is threatening to reveal his part in a Parisian society scandal in his youth as Petra refuses to believe this is true. Armed only with an old photograph taken in Paris and the words "forgive me" written on the back she sets put to discover for herself what, if anything, her grandfather was guilty of. This brings us to the other timeline of 1909 as we are introduced to Gui, a young lad from Bordeaux who has come to Paris to work on the Railways. Accidentally he finds himself one night outside the Patisserie Clermont and is drawn into helping and becomes obsessed not only with art of patisserie but also with the Patron's daughter Jeanne.

What follows is a great story of mystery, forbidden love and fabulous descriptions of Paris and the workings of a grand Patisserie. Gui and Jeanne are lovely characters that have you hoping that love can conquer all, despite the social ad cultural differences.

As a debut novel, this bodes well for the future and I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for forthcoming titles. I happily recommend this book and suggest you have chocolate eclairs to hand as an ideal accompaniment.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Petra Stevenson is still mourning the loss of her beloved grandfather when she discovers that he kept secrets from her. An old photograph of her grandfather as a young man has the word ‘Clermont’ written on the back. To add to the mystery this photograph had clearly been hidden, in an envelope marked ‘Forgive me’. Petra sets out to discover what this means.

Her efforts are thwarted at every turn by her grandfather’s official biographer – who is determined to unearth any scandal.

Interspersed with her efforts are flashbacks to the era of the photograph, and the interesting characters and how their lives intertwine.

An interesting read.

Unfolding through dual timelines, The Confectioners Tale by Laura Madeleine is a pleasant blend of history, romance and light mystery.

In the present (well, 1988), Cambridge PhD candidate Petra Stevenson is desperate to protect her adored late grandfather's reputation from being sullied by a biographer promising to reveal his role in an old scandal. Anxious to deflect any dishonour, and hoping to discover a more benign truth, Petra doggedly works to piece together events that took place in Paris nearly 70 years ago.

The alternating narrative is set during 1909 in Paris and slowly reveals the story of Guillaume (Gui) Du Frere, a railway labourer from Bordeaux, his forbidden romance with Mademoiselle Jeanne Clermont, the daughter of a famous Parisienne confectioner, and ultimately the scandal involving Petra's grandfather.

For me the strength of the novel lay in the historical timeline, I liked the characters of Gui and Jeanne, delighted in their meeting, their secret romance, and despaired when scandal threatened to destroy them. I also thought the author's depiction of early twentieth century Paris was evocative, and I enjoyed being behind the scenes of the Clermont Patisserie.

An easy, simply plotted story with a satisfyingly sweet conclusion, The Confectioner's Tale is a novel with general appeal.