The Champagne Letters

By: Kate MacIntosh

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell, Jackie Sanders

Mme. Clicquot builds her legacy as the maker of France’s best champagne while, in the future, a modern divorcée looks to her letters for inspiration in this vibrant historical fiction novel that is “sheer, sparkling perfection” (Susanna Kearsley, New York Times bestselling author).

Reims, France, 1805: Barbe-Nicole Clicquot has just lost her beloved husband but is determined to pursue their dream of creating the premier champagne house in France, now named for her new identity as a widow: Veuve Clicquot. With the Russians poised to invade, competitors fighting for her customers, and the Napoleonic court politics complicating matters, she must set herself apart if she, and her business, are to survive.

In present day Chicago, broken from her divorce, Natalie Taylor runs away to Paris. In a book stall by the Seine, Natalie finds a collection of the Widow Clicquot’s published letters and uses them as inspiration to step out of her comfort zone and create a new, empowered life for herself. But when her Parisian escape takes a shocking turn, she’s forced to make a difficult choice. Should she accept her losses and return home, or fight for the future she’s only dreamed about?

“The Champagne Letters, which sparkles like the finest champagne, will inspire you to reach both for a glass of bubbly—and for the things you really want out of life” (Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author).

Critic reviews

"Narrating duo Cassandra Campbell and Jackie Sanders team up for this charming dual-timeline story of strong women with a love of champagne. In soft French-accented tones, Jackie Sanders becomes Barbe-Nicole Clicquot, widow of the creator of Veuve Clicquot champagne. She recounts her difficult life as a vintner during the Napoleonic Era through letters to her granddaughter. In contemporary times, bright-voiced Chicagoan Natalie Taylor, voiced by Cassandra Campbell, seeks to reinvent herself in Paris after her abrupt divorce. Natalie discovers Clicquot’s letters and through them finds strength to meet life’s new challenges. Campbell’s hard-edged French accent for characters in the present complements Sanders’s melodic French tones for the widow and her compatriots in the nineteenth century."

Stunning

I knew nothing about this novel when I picked it up. Well, something about France and champagne. But I knew this author could pull of a masterpiece, even if she was writing in a new genre and under a new pen name.

I wasn’t disappointed.

Who can’t relate to Natalie? Or at least empathize with her? Discovering her husband of more than twenty years is having an affair? Leaving that marriage with half of the belongings and downsizing from a house to a condo? Knowing those around her, including her best friend Molly, all feel sorry for her?

She needs out.

If only for a break.

So she heads to France. A misunderstanding lands her in a lovely hotel room with a new friend who is dedicated to helping her start fresh. So what if all this is based on that misunderstanding? Natalie’s entitled to some happiness, right?

As she’s perusing a book store, she finds the letters of Barbe-Nicole Clicquot. A widow whose story began more than 200 years ago. Yet whose experiences as a widow, making her way in the world, are so relevant and near to Natalie’s own journey of self-awareness. Barbe-Nicole defined herself as a wife for years. Natalie did everything to be the best wife to the husband she later discovered had cheated. Both women found themselves alone at times in their lives they didn’t predict. And while Natalie has modern conveniences and the women’s movement to thank for her relative independence, Barbe-Nicole was very much stuck in the patriarchal world where women were defined by the men in their lives.

She fought against that her entire life.

When Natalie’s fresh start turns into more, a reader might be forgiven for expecting the story to go a certain way.

Ah, but Kate’s got something up her sleeve.

I won’t say more except I couldn’t have been more pleased with the end of the story. How both women – Natalie and Barbe-Nicole – forged their own paths. The book left me breathless.

Cassandra Campbell and Jackie Saunders were truly two phenomenal narrators. From Natalie’s subtle American to Barbe-Nicole’s lyrical French accent, I was swept away by the talents of the women. From Napoleon’s France through to modern day Paris and the French countryside, I enjoyed a rich tapestry that made me want to visit this wonderful country.

This book is a must listen. I know I’m a better person for having done it.

Love!

A love a story with strong female characters. The twists were very good! I don’t mind past and preset storylines.

A great reading

The story was descriptive and enjoyable . I really liked the reader, she did a great job with the French accent and also emphasizing emotions of the characters.

Enjoyable historical novel

I enjoyed the strong female characters set in two time periods. This is an easy novel to listen to.

Twist love the champagne info

This book is really fun - if you love champagne and are interested in history, you will love this book! To me, it is even better because of the duel timeline with great twist and turns - you’ll The Winemakers Wife too!