I just love everything by Alexander McCall Smith. What can I say? And this was yet another treat. ( )

Digital audiobook performed by Timothy Ackroyd

This is the second book featuring Paul Stuart, the “renowned Scottish cookbook writer.” He’s trying to write about the Philosophy of Food but his muse has left him. His home situation isn’t helping, so when his eccentric cousin Chloe suggests he accompany her to France, where she’s rented a cottage in a small village, he agrees.

Much as in the first outing (My Italian Bulldozer), there is not a central plot to move the story along. Rather, Paul just stumbles into situations in the village; he meets new and interesting people among which are the twin-sister owners of the cottage he and Chloe are renting, as well as the local eatery widely known as the second-worst restaurant in France. Paul begins to learn more of Chloe’s colorful (and barely believable) background; he befriends the very pregnant waitress, and gets involved in the lives of several of the local residents.

What I like about this book and several of McCall Smith’s other works are the characters. I enjoy peeping into their lives for a bit and watching the goings on from afar. I’m interested and entertained but can easily drop it for a time and then come back when I start to wonder “whatever happened to …?” Because this is only book two in the series (if I can even call it a series at this point), I have no idea which, if any, of these people will reappear in future installments. But I’d be willing to read more of Paul’s adventures in food.

Timothy Ackroyd does a fine job of performing the audio. There are a lot of characters to handle, and he is up to the task. ( )

General info

Paul is a successful food writer who struggles with a little bit of a writer’s blog. Then cousin Chloe comes into the picture and offers him a chance to spend some time in the French countryside to try and get past the writer’s blog. This is the start of an interesting, a little bit funny and a very heartfelt story.

Things I liked

It was an interesting story as a whole but there are certain aspects that are especially to my liking. I especially like the people living in the village. I also really like Chloe’s character. She is a very interesting woman and she makes the story more interesting really.

Things I did not like

The beginning in my opinion is a bit slow and I was a bit doubtful if I would actually enjoy the book. It turns out it gets a lot better as the story goes on. Another part was the ending. To me it felt like it ended a little bit too soon but maybe there’s going to be another book soon that continues this book.

Conclusion

I really enjoyed this book. It is interesting an interesting story and it lifted my spirits whenever I was reading it. It has a happy ending and all in all it’s a very heartfelt story.

* ARC received from the publisher through First to Read ( )

McCall Smith’s series which began with My Italian Bulldozer, is right at the top of my list for his best writing. When Paul Stuart is invited to spend time in a French village near Poitiers with his “remarkable cousin Chloe” he accepts. He is trying to write a book on the philosophy of food and a quiet village should bode well for this accomplishment, except it doesn’t. As usual, McCall Smith involves the reader in what should be a mundane story but comes alive with the characters. Eating at the village restaurant, which most locals consider the “second worst restaurant in France”, both he and Chloe become far more involved in village life than they expected. Both get roped into helping at the restaurant and as the owner becomes less and less interested in the restaurant, Paul begins helping the former waiter and nephew of the chef/owner in recreating the restaurant. Of course, there is more. The waitress has a baby in the kitchen and then must be hidden from her boyfriend who has come back to claim the baby. Chloe, in her 50’s recounts the husbands she’s had, and their landladies are concerned Chloe is not who she says she is. Like the television Seinfeld Show, McCall Smith can take a story about nothing and turn it into something interesting. ( )

A food writer in Scotland, ostensibly writing The Philosophy of Food on a tight schedule, is lured away to France by his cousin Cleo. A charming little story with an abundance of characters. My complaint is the filler essays on food philosophy. One could say those essays are necessary for the book he agreed to write, but, while interesting, don't enhance the plot. Maybe this whole new series is to use up bits and pieces the author has on file? ( )