Book Review: The Widows of Champagne by Renee Ryan


Publisher: Love Inspired Trade
Release Date: July 27, 2021
Genre: Historical WWII Fiction

For readers of Lilac Girls and The Lost Girls of Paris comes a captivating novel of resilience, as three generations of women battle to save their family’s vineyard during WWII.

Champagne, 1939

Gabrielle Leblanc Dupree is taking her family’s future into her hands. While she should be preparing for a lavish party to celebrate two centuries of champagne making, she secretly hides Chateau Fouché-Leblanc’s most precious vintages behind a fake wall in the cellar in preparation for the looming war. But when she joins the resistance, the coveted champagne isn’t the most dangerous secret her cellar must conceal…

A former Parisian socialite, Gabrielle’s mother, Hélène, lost her husband to another war. Now her home has been requisitioned by the Germans, who pillage vineyards to satisfy the Third Reich’s thirst for the finest champagne. There’s even more at stake than Hélène dares admit. She has kept her heritage a secret…and no one is safe in Nazi-occupied France.

Josephine, the family matriarch, watches as her beloved vineyard faces its most difficult harvest yet. As her daughter-in-law and granddaughters contend with the enemies and unexpected allies in their midst, Josephine’s deep faith leads to her own path of resistance.

Across years and continents, the Leblanc women will draw on their courage and wits, determined against all odds to preserve their lives, their freedom and their legacy…

PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon | B&NGoodreads | Bookbub | Google Books

My Review 🖤

I am lucky enough to still have one of my grandmothers with me, as well as my mother, so reading a story about three generations of women really resonated with me, though I'm not sure the three of us would be as brave as JosephineHélène, and Gabrielle.  Their endurance in the face of pure hatred is admirable, and how they all did their part to fight this horrible war, while also looking out for one another is truly inspiring.

Being the daughter/granddaughter, I obviously identified with Gabrielle the most.  It's one thing learning and taking over the family business, but it's a whole other thing to try to fight for said business, while also trying to fight to protect your family.  There were parts that made me cringe, while the anticipation of what may come next gave such suspense I could not put it down.  

Though there is predictability, I do see this being a more realistic historical fiction than others novels that are out there, which I greatly appreciated.  It has a very authentic feel, really putting you into the story in a unique way.  Though I had guessed the twist near the end, I was still delighted that it was something promising amid so much heartache, and was the perfect thing to uplift my own spirits.  I don't know about you, but reading anything about World War II always brings me down.  

This character-driven novel is superbly written, but I will say it was a slow build for me.  At first I struggled to get into the narrative but once the Nazi's come bearing down on Champagne is when it really started to pick up, and from then on it was hard to put down.

I definitely recommend The Widows of Champagne for anyone that loves history, and wants to see another point of view of this war through the eyes of three generations of women that bare their hearts and fight the good fight, not only for their family, but for the vineyards, and for France.

My Rating: ★★★

About the Author

Renee Ryan grew up in a small Florida beach town. Surfing didn’t work for her, but that didn’t keep her from watching others tackle the waves. To entertain herself during those countless hours of “laying-out”, she read many of the classics. It wasn’t until the summer between her sophomore and junior years at Florida State University that she read her first romance novel. Hooked from page one, she spent hours consuming one book after another while working on the best (and last!) tan of her life. 


Two years later, armed with a degree in Economics and Religion, she explored various career opportunities, including stints at a Florida theme park, a modeling agency, and a cosmetic conglomerate. She went on to teach high school Economics, American Government and Latin in between coaching award-winning cheerleading teams. Several years later, with an eclectic cast of characters swimming around in her head, she began seriously pursuing a writing career. What better excuse to avoid housework and ignore clocks? 


Connect with Renee: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


*I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Love Inspired Trade through NetGalley. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own.

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