A few years ago, for no reason at all, I happened to pick up Sarah-Kate Lynch's novel Blessed Are the Cheesemakers and completely loved the wonderful story, the quaint setting and quirky characters. When I read her second novel, By Bread Alone, I enjoyed it (especially the bread baking), although I didn't love it as much as the Cheesemakers. I was excited to pick up her most recent novel, House of Daughters, to see if it would live up to my expectations. Lynch's novels all have foreign settings-this one taking place in the Champagne region of France. Food and/or wine also always play a big role in her novels, and obviously Champagne is the focus here. Clementine, a middle-aged, single woman and her grumpy, alcoholic father are vignerons (that's fancy talk for winemaker) and produce their own champagne. When Clementine's father passes away, Clementine thinks she will be left the vineyard to run on her own, but when her lawyer turns up to inform her that her father has left the vineyard to her, her estranged half-sister and another half-sister she was unaware of, Clementine's world is turned upside down. Although they do not warm to each other immediately, the sisters begin slowly by focusing on the vineyard. The future of the vineyard is uncertain as each sister confronts her own issues and they learn to accept each other.
Lynch has written another wonderful story. Great settings are something Lynch does very well. Her descriptions of the French vineyards and the caves where the wine is stored will transport you to France. And with her descriptions of the changing seasons, I could almost feel the frost in the air as I read. Although somewhat predictable, the characters are interesting and endearing and the plot kept me hooked. I believe Lynch has two other books I have not read, Eating With the Angels and House of Joy, which I will have to track down.
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