Gabrielle Sheridan

I read just 10 pages of this book before I decided it was too awful to continue. French words such as ‘saucisson’ were randomly scattered. I then came across a French word I had not encountered before - ‘saladerie’. If there is such a thing in French cities these days then that is great. There was no such thing in rural French villages in the 1930s. If the author means charcuterie then proper research would have given her that. Another howler was our heroine serving day-old and homemade baguette to her husband for supper. The French buy fresh bread daily. Even tiny villages have a boulangerie. Day-old French bread is pretty much inedible as it is made without preservatives and will be rock hard. The careless age mistake of the younger sister also occurs in these first few pages. Where were the proof readers and editors? I have seen more thorough critiques of this book and I am so glad I didn’t spend any more of my life reading it. Don’t waste any of yours.