The Little French Bistro

April 15, 2017
A suicidal German woman travels to the French coast, intending to drown herself in the sea, but the allure of a quaint seaside village leads her to continually delay her plans.Marianne Messman has had enough of her miserable life, especially her cold, controlling husband. After 41 years of marriage, she decides to escape her despair during a package trip to Paris by jumping into the Seine. To her great disappointment, she's pulled from the water by a homeless man and sent directly to the hospital. Stalwart in her resolve to end her life, Marianne absconds from the facility and travels west to Brittany, intending simply to walk deep into the sea. When she arrives in the coastal town of Kerdruc, a series of comical events leads her into a charming French bistro that caters to fishermen and tourists. Although Marianne doesn't speak French, she somehow ends up in the bistro kitchen, assisting the lovesick, distracted head chef. Within just a few hours at this quaint restaurant, Marianne is introduced to a bewitching cast of characters as well as sensual and spiritual aspects of life that were previously unknown to her. As she grows increasingly excited by new discoveries, which range from the exquisite delight of tasting fresh oysters to the pleasure of wearing brightly colored clothing, Marianne struggles with what to do about her estranged husband and her plans for the future. Translated from its original German, George's (The Little Paris Bookshop, 2015, etc.) engrossing novel is as much about indulging the senses with succulent dishes and dazzling sights as it is about romance and second chances. With a profound sense of place and sensuous prose, the novel functions as a satisfying virtual visit to the French Riviera. A luscious and uplifting tale of personal redemption in the tradition of Eat, Pray, Love.

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Starred review from May 1, 2017

Married at 19, 60-year-old Marianne Messman of Germany has had enough of her oppressive marriage. While on a trip to Paris with her heartless, controlling husband, Marianne jumps into the Seine to end it all. Furious when a bystander saves her, she flees the hospital with her clothes and her hospital tray placemat, a painted tile of Port de Kerdruc in Brittany. She takes it as a sign to head to Kerdruc to complete her mission. Instead of dying, she finds herself slowly, reluctantly being drawn into the lives of the eccentric, lovable citizens of Kerdruc--a hotelier, an artist, a fisherman, a young, love-struck chef--all of them sorting out their own hit-and-miss love lives while relying more and more on Marianne's nurturing gifts. Just when she recovers her will to live in this "end of the world" Breton community, her past life threatens to derail her nascent strength and confidence. VERDICT The author of The Little Paris Bookshop has done it again. The message of this beguiling, second-chance romance--a rich life is possible at any age--will charm readers with its ring of truth. [See Prepub Alert, 12/19/16.]--Beth E. Andersen, Ann Arbor, MI

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 7, 2017
George, author of The Little Paris Bookshop, returns with a refreshing and well-crafted novel set along the coast of Brittany in northern France, proving that it is never too late to change your life. Marianne Messmann is a 60-year-old German woman whose 40 years of married life have been dictated by her verbally abusive husband, Lothar. While on a trip to Paris, Marianne decides that she really has nothing left to live for and decides to end it all in the Seine. Even as she bemoans her rescue in a Paris hospital room, Lothar constantly criticizes her. She decides to start anew and walks out of the hospital and on to a new life. Marianne makes the journey to the coast of Brittany, where she is charmed by the village of Kerdruc. While there, Marianne works as an assistant to a chef, makes a host of new and unique friendships, and even finds love. Marianne is an easy character to identify with in her quest to find meaning in her life. The idyllic seaside village setting is evocative, and the supporting characters are memorable and believable.

May 1, 2017
Marianne has been stuck in a loveless and unhappy marriage for 41 years, spiraling deeper and deeper into a depression she can't even name. She runs away to Paris late one night, vowing to leap into the Seine and let the river wash her problems away. A quick-thinking bystander saves her life, and Marianne decides to flee to a seaside village in northern France. Still unsure of how her life is meant to unfold, she takes a temporary job as a cook in a seaside restaurant, savoring new tastes of life in the briny oysters and crisp wine. Other senses are also awakened when a kindhearted painter arouses feelings Marianne thought were lost forever. When her husband arrives in Brittany with new promises of undying love, Marianne is faced with her toughest decision yet. George envelops the reader in the sights, sounds, and smells of the coastal town, heightening Marianne's new experiences with lush descriptions of Breton life. Fans of Elizabeth Gilbert and Isabel Allende will adore this courageous story of new beginnings, second chances, and the power of self-love.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)