The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux by Samantha Verant

Publisher: Berkley
Expected Publication date: September 8th 2020
Pages: 352

French born American Sophie Valroux is working as a chef at one of New Yorks top restaurants, Cendrillon. She get's in a conflict with the head chef, who accuses her of adding something to a recipe,  which is truly sabotage to her from the other chefs, who now blame her that the restaurant lost on of its three Michelin stars. and this is widely reported in the media. Sophie can say her dream career as a chef goodbye.
When she is right in the middle of this mess, she learns due to a phone call that her beloved Grandmere, who lives in France has suffered from a stroke a few days earlier, and is in bad health condition, and takes the first flight she can to France. This is where she partly grew up, and she discovered that her Grandmere has turned her childhood home in a succesfull chateau, complete with two restaurants, guest rooms, and a true French vineyard. Here she meets someone from her past, who gives her the cold shoulder because he never heard from Sophie again when she left for America. And there are more people who see her more like an intruder then a good guest. But her grandmother and more people are very fond of her, and for a reason. Grandmere feels that her time is running out, and tells Sophie that no one but she will inherit the chateau, with the promise that she will make it a success, as her grandmother trusts her abilities as a chef as she was the one who supported Sophie in the past to go to culinary school. During the first week, Sophie's organizing and cooking abilities for a dinner with 100 guests are put to the test, and in the meantime she has to make peace with the past and with her life back in New York, who want her back in Cendrillon, but she decides her future, with a new love in her life, is in France.

Altough we are just half past this year, I think I can say that this book is one of the best that comes out this year! I was drawn to read it because of the lovely cover, and what is inside is just a jewell!!
The story line and the plot are just outstanding!! Sophie goes from feeling like a total loser (which she isn't of course) to the winner of everything that went in her way. From the moment she is picked up of the airport by Remi, who she was childhood friends with but lost touch with, (due to Sophie's coldhearted mother who committed suicide) he gives her the cold shoulder, but slowly on, she finds out why and then a romance between them starts slowly, which was very cute and truly added to the story where everything was woven into perfectly together. The backdrop in the French countryside was very realistic, you could just imagine it in front of you as the author described it into detail, just as the French way of living and the exquisite cuisine, and the dishes that Sophie prepares in the end for the big dinner party. What also was magical was the interactions between Sophie and grandmere, who was just the kindest grandmother you can imagine, as they talked about the past, and grandmere's wishes for the chateau in the present. Although the discussions were sad because grandmere was slowly passing away, they women were honest, and the result was that the wounds of the past were finally allowed to heal.

I loved loved loved this book, and highly recommend it, don't miss it when it comes out this September!!