Review: A Perfect Vintage by Chelsea Fagan
Thank you Orsay Press for my copy of A Perfect Vintage! All thoughts are my own.
Now, I’m going go out on a limb and say something controversial: I didn’t like The Idea of You when I read it. I know, I KNOW. It’s a book that gets talked about all the time, and people often say it’s a slump buster. Since it’s such a favorite, I think people are always searching for something similar and it’s a tough book to find a read-a-like for! But finally my friends, I think we have something for you: A Perfect Vintage by Chelsea Fagan.
I will say, I enjoyed it much more than The Idea of You. It had similar aspects, like an older woman and a younger man falling for each other, but I loved the setting so much more and felt like it was grounded a bit more in reality. This book challenges things like ageism, the importance of financial security, and the reality of being a woman.
I really think if you loved The Idea of You (and even if you didn’t) you’ll enjoy this book.
Synopsis:
“Lea Mortimer has everything under control. As a highly sought-after consultant specializing in transforming dilapidated French country estates into boutique hotels, she relishes her freedom as a single, childfree woman. And her life is full, occupied as much by her impeccable historic renovations as by the aristocratic -- and often exhausting -- French families she works for.
But after the heated divorce of her closest friend and cousin Stephanie Bryce, Lea finds herself taking Stephanie and her college-aged daughter to the Loire Valley in France for the summer. As they tag along for Lea’s latest work assignment, despite their best intentions, they threaten to complicate the tightrope act of launching the hotel on time. And when Lea unexpectedly falls for the much-younger son of her boss, she quickly learns the beauty and danger of losing control.
As affairs bloom in the idyllic chateau, wars of inheritance play out between the family, and betrayals threaten even the most solid relationships. Lea realizes that it's not just a broken heart she's risking, but her entire, meticulously-constructed life blowing up in her face.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Setting—The Loire Valley of France at a chateau? Dreamy! It felt like summer.
The Focus on Women—The conversation around the double standard of age gap relationships when it comes to men and women was very satisfying and also had to remind me to check some of my internalized misogyny.
The Cover—I know this is shallow and were not supposed to judge a book on it’s cover, but I have to say, the cover is perfect. It perfectly captures what is in the pages and it’s by my favorite artist, Elizabeth Lennie!
What Didn’t Work For Me:
Slow, Long Chapters—I felt like things dragged a bit, especially in the first 40%. I needed more tension, because once we got to the inciting incident between Theo and Lea, it all made sense.
Prose Felt Forced—Similarly to above, it felt like we were reaching for the poetic, French romance. This is just a super picky thing from me though and I think it’s cause I read too much (lol).
Character Authenticity: 3.5/5 Spice Rating: 1.5/5 Overall Rating: 3.75/5
Content Warnings:
toxic relationship, domestic abuse, alcohol, emotional abuse