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Fromage à Trois #1
Paris. Kærlighed. Ost.
I en tåge af hjertesorg efter bruddet med den mand, hun troede, at hun skulle giftes med, ser Ella kun en løsning: at bestille en enkeltbillet til Paris!
Med et knust hjerte og en 30-års fødselsdag, der nærmer sig med stormskridt, frolader hun Melbourne. Ella begiver sig til verdens mest romantiske by for at fordrive tiden med at spise ost og drikke vin.
Det varer ikke længe, før hun bliver gode venner med den lokale ostehandler, Serge. Han stiller Ella overfor hendes livs største udfordring.
Samtidig besnæres hun af den charmerende restaurantanmelder, Gaston, der er alt, hvad hun kan ønske sig. Men hvad sker der, når parisermagien letter, og Ella må træffe et valg?
Med et knust hjerte og en 30-års fødselsdag, der nærmer sig med stormskridt, frolader hun Melbourne. Ella begiver sig til verdens mest romantiske by for at fordrive tiden med at spise ost og drikke vin.
Det varer ikke længe, før hun bliver gode venner med den lokale ostehandler, Serge. Han stiller Ella overfor hendes livs største udfordring.
Samtidig besnæres hun af den charmerende restaurantanmelder, Gaston, der er alt, hvad hun kan ønske sig. Men hvad sker der, når parisermagien letter, og Ella må træffe et valg?
262 pages, Paperback
First published August 23, 2018
22 people are currently reading
548 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Brownlee
9 books64 followersVictoria Brownlee is an Australian-born food writer. She's spent the best part of the last decade eating her way around the world, including a two-year stint in China where she was the Food & Drink Editor at Time Out Shanghai. In 2016, she traded dumplings for cheese, and stopped off in France for seven years. She's now back in Melbourne and is quietly contemplating her next move. She has an MA (Publishing and Communications) from the University of Melbourne, Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
September 4, 2018
The absolute best part of this book is the cheese. I am not even joking. This writer has an incredible talent for using surprising and mouth-watering descriptions to evoke the many, many French varietals. Also, her passion for Paris: its dialect and joie de vivre spark through each and every page. This is an immersive story and as the heroine slowly falls in love with the city again and again, you will feel everything from the sun glistening on the Seine to the eruption of outdoor cafes.
Everything atmospheric and dialogue-driven is pitch perfect. This is a writer who evokes dialect so, so well.
I also truly enjoyed seeing Ella reroute her life and recognize that she has a propensity for some poor choices unworthy of her passion and adaptability.
The only issue I had with this book involved the short page time of one of the two romantic leads. He was such a fascinating character but only made a few cameos and was never truly developed ---so, upon Ella's realization that he was the one, everything moved quickly. This was particularly a shame because the characters were all well-drawn out and his story, especially, seemed so well matched to her own. He's delightful, we just don't see enough of him.
In testament to this book's allure, I did go out and procure some of the varietals mentioned and some French wine while reading which I think might actually be required for the experience.
Everything atmospheric and dialogue-driven is pitch perfect. This is a writer who evokes dialect so, so well.
I also truly enjoyed seeing Ella reroute her life and recognize that she has a propensity for some poor choices unworthy of her passion and adaptability.
The only issue I had with this book involved the short page time of one of the two romantic leads. He was such a fascinating character but only made a few cameos and was never truly developed ---so, upon Ella's realization that he was the one, everything moved quickly. This was particularly a shame because the characters were all well-drawn out and his story, especially, seemed so well matched to her own. He's delightful, we just don't see enough of him.
In testament to this book's allure, I did go out and procure some of the varietals mentioned and some French wine while reading which I think might actually be required for the experience.
October 26, 2018
Paris, Food, Cheese.
Need I really say more? seriously?
The name of the book itself should make you want to read this book.
A very enjoyable read. Fromage a Trois is a breath of fresh air... it makes you feel like you've taken a journey right alongside Ella. You feel like you are experiencing every single thing Ella does and my lord is it good.
Like I said, Paris. Food. Cheese...... Need I say more? lol
Need I really say more? seriously?
The name of the book itself should make you want to read this book.
A very enjoyable read. Fromage a Trois is a breath of fresh air... it makes you feel like you've taken a journey right alongside Ella. You feel like you are experiencing every single thing Ella does and my lord is it good.
Like I said, Paris. Food. Cheese...... Need I say more? lol
September 4, 2018
I just finished this book and I can't stop smiling. It was so cute! Funny and charming and heart-warming. I've been reading so much serious books full of despair lately that this one was just fresh breath of air I really needed. I immensely enjoyed this one.
After horrible break-up, Ella decides to move to Paris for a year to drink wine and eat cheese.
I practice my French on my lunch. Je t'aime, je t'aime, je t'aime, I repeated over and over again to my cheese sandwich
With Ella, I walked the streets of Paris, laughed all loud and what is the most important, I discovered so many new types of cheese to eat! I even googled them how they look like and wrote a list of those I really have to try.
Thank you so much Netgalley and Amberjack Publishing to letting me read this adorable book. I think I am going to get my own physical copy after it's published. (And you guys who have Netgalley accounts, go and download this one, it is in the Read Now section.)
This book made me very happy and for that, it deserves five stars.
After horrible break-up, Ella decides to move to Paris for a year to drink wine and eat cheese.
I practice my French on my lunch. Je t'aime, je t'aime, je t'aime, I repeated over and over again to my cheese sandwich
With Ella, I walked the streets of Paris, laughed all loud and what is the most important, I discovered so many new types of cheese to eat! I even googled them how they look like and wrote a list of those I really have to try.
Thank you so much Netgalley and Amberjack Publishing to letting me read this adorable book. I think I am going to get my own physical copy after it's published. (And you guys who have Netgalley accounts, go and download this one, it is in the Read Now section.)
This book made me very happy and for that, it deserves five stars.
March 10, 2019
This is the story of Elle, whose has broken up with her boyfriend and moved to Paris for a year for an adventure. She starts dating a handsome, suave Parisian, and she made a bet with her fr0mager that she can eat every single type of Parisian cheese in a year.
There's a lot that's really good about this story, and learning about all the different cheese is a lot of fun.
But the ending, for me, was a little disappointing.
She ends up with the right guy, but for the wrong reasons.
She ends up with the "leftover" boyfriend, when her #1 boyfriend cheats.
It would have been a little better ending (IMO) if Elle had learned to stand up for herself, wasn't ashamed of what she was doing for a living (washing dishes & writing social media content), and had consciously decided that she wanted to be with #2 boyfriend rather than being with #2 because #1 boyfriend had cheated.
So the journey through the book was good, but the ending de-elevated it.
There's a lot that's really good about this story, and learning about all the different cheese is a lot of fun.
But the ending, for me, was a little disappointing.
She ends up with the right guy, but for the wrong reasons.
She ends up with the "leftover" boyfriend, when her #1 boyfriend cheats.
It would have been a little better ending (IMO) if Elle had learned to stand up for herself, wasn't ashamed of what she was doing for a living (washing dishes & writing social media content), and had consciously decided that she wanted to be with #2 boyfriend rather than being with #2 because #1 boyfriend had cheated.
So the journey through the book was good, but the ending de-elevated it.
February 24, 2022
My favourite book to re-read over and over again! It never fails to get me out of a reading slump, and it always cheers me up when I’m feeling low. I 100% recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance and gives a long-term fresh start holiday vibe
July 16, 2021
Tu je tip do budúcnosti - nečítajte knihu preto, že sa na obálke spomínajú syry. Nemusí to dopadnúť dobre... Fajn, nebolo to len preto, tiež som si myslela, že mi to počas mojej krízy, kedy nezvládnem čítať niečo komplikovanejšie ako Roalda Dahla, úplne sadne do nálady. A tiež som dúfala v podobnú úroveň akú má Julie Caplin. Meh.
Začnem tým, že si nemyslím, že kniha je zlá. Nebolo tam nič, čo by ma vyslovene iritovalo, štvalo, či čo by som neznášala. Ale zároveň tam nebolo absolútne nič, kvôli čomu by som povedala, že kniha stála za prečítanie. Okrem syrov, nad tými som celú dobu slintala, ale nakoľko ku knihe nikto nepribalil ochutnávku francúzskych syrov, tak to nie je relevantný argument.
Neviem prísť na dôvod, prečo by som ju mala odporúčať, pretože hoci tu nebolo nič vyslovene zlé, všetko z bolo v iných príbehoch zvládnuté lepšie. Keď ide o romantiku spojenú s cestovaním, spomínaná Julie Caplin to robí lepšie. Kniha tiež mala množstvo podobných prvkov ako seriál Emily in Paris (dej aj stereotypy o Francúzoch), ale Emily je zábavnejšia. Táto kniha má priemerný romantický príbeh, nezaujímavé postavy (obľúbila som si akurát Clotilde). Ešte aj opisy prostredia boli také nemastné-neslané. Autorka ma nedokázala preniesť do Paríža. A tiež to nebol pre mňa pútavý príbeh, od ktorého by som sa nevedela odlepiť. Skôr naopak. Ešte aj jediná veľmi chytrá slovná hračka od predavača syrov "Hello, is it brie you're looking for" v melódií Hello od Lionela Richieho tu bolo preložené ako "Haló, hľadáte tu brie?", čo totálne zabilo celú pointu #premotivovanaslovencina (ale hlavne, že tu bolo množstvo nepreložených francúzskych slovíčok).
Žiaľ, táto kniha išla úplne mimo mňa.
Začnem tým, že si nemyslím, že kniha je zlá. Nebolo tam nič, čo by ma vyslovene iritovalo, štvalo, či čo by som neznášala. Ale zároveň tam nebolo absolútne nič, kvôli čomu by som povedala, že kniha stála za prečítanie. Okrem syrov, nad tými som celú dobu slintala, ale nakoľko ku knihe nikto nepribalil ochutnávku francúzskych syrov, tak to nie je relevantný argument.
Neviem prísť na dôvod, prečo by som ju mala odporúčať, pretože hoci tu nebolo nič vyslovene zlé, všetko z bolo v iných príbehoch zvládnuté lepšie. Keď ide o romantiku spojenú s cestovaním, spomínaná Julie Caplin to robí lepšie. Kniha tiež mala množstvo podobných prvkov ako seriál Emily in Paris (dej aj stereotypy o Francúzoch), ale Emily je zábavnejšia. Táto kniha má priemerný romantický príbeh, nezaujímavé postavy (obľúbila som si akurát Clotilde). Ešte aj opisy prostredia boli také nemastné-neslané. Autorka ma nedokázala preniesť do Paríža. A tiež to nebol pre mňa pútavý príbeh, od ktorého by som sa nevedela odlepiť. Skôr naopak. Ešte aj jediná veľmi chytrá slovná hračka od predavača syrov "Hello, is it brie you're looking for" v melódií Hello od Lionela Richieho tu bolo preložené ako "Haló, hľadáte tu brie?", čo totálne zabilo celú pointu #premotivovanaslovencina (ale hlavne, že tu bolo množstvo nepreložených francúzskych slovíčok).
Žiaľ, táto kniha išla úplne mimo mňa.
October 5, 2019
I like to say I have a diverse range of genre preferences but there are some genres that don’t get much attention in my reading list. Romance and Women’s Fiction are two of those genres. So, when I found this beautiful cover on Netgalley, I couldn’t stay away and requested the book on impulse.
To be honest, I was expecting to kind of like this book (come on, it’s based in Paris and talks about cheese), but I wasn’t expecting to like it so much! This book just checked all the correct boxes for me.
1. The Cover:
Aah, that cover is gorgeous. I like absolutely everything about it. The color, the font, the graphic- so easy on the eyes and so very pretty. I try not to, but I do judge a book by its cover and this one was simply too pretty to pass up. I kept glancing back at the cover, simply because it was so pretty. Honestly, I’m not ashamed to admit this, but I sent a picture of the cover to some of my friends to gush about how pretty it was. In fact, I am going to get a physical copy of this book too, because of that cover (and the story too, of course).
2. The Story:
Starting off, I got some Sophie Kinsella vibes about this book, and I mean it in the best possible way. Kinsella books are so much fun, and this was just as amazing! The book starts with Ella, our main character, going out to dinner with her boyfriend, with full hopes of being proposed to. Cut to, fifteen minutes later, her boyfriend is leaving Melbourne to “find himself”. She dumps him and decides to travel to Paris for a break from it all. And so, the story begins.
One of my favorite things about this book is the vibe. The tone of writing is so relatable and charming. Even in the initial scenes, the writing was heart-warming and sweet, which just kept getting better in the scenes in Paris. Ella’s life in Paris is again super-relatable- she shares the same worries and concerns with half the millennial population of the world- stressing about getting a job, renting an apartment, having to share her flat with creepy roommates. It was a lot of fun reading (and relating to) it. The structure of the story is also very easy to read. Victoria Brownlee has done a really good job with bringing Paris to the forefront. She really made me believe in her love for Paris, and it truly stimulated my love for everything French too. I couldn’t keep the book down for long stretches of time because of how charming it all was. Further combining that with the funny female lead who gets into the best comedy-of-error kinds of situation and it is too much fun!
3. The Characters:
The main character is clueless but totally adorable. Even when she was getting her heart broken and coming off as a bit manic, your heart still goes out to her. And to be honest, I felt her love for cheese and Paris through the pages. It is always delightful to read about characters who take a step to better their lives and despite some struggle, manage to make it in the end. I loved that about Ella. She is so believable as a character and as a woman who is prone to being clumsy about her life choices. Despite all the little situations she gets herself into, she’s still reasonably optimistic and kind to others. The read was made lovelier because of Ella and all her idiosyncrasies- her love for food and Paris. The supporting characters added certain layers to the story. Clotilde, Ella’s new French roommate has issues of her own she needs to wade through and Ella forges a nice relationship with her. Talking about love interests, there’s Serge, the Cheeseman, who runs a fromagerie that Ella frequents in the story, and is a charming example of a Frenchman without frills. On the other hand, Gaston fits the stereotype of the French lover- considerably virile and open to all kinds of experiences. I liked Serge so much more because of how real he seemed right from the very start. Ella and Serge developed a beautiful friendship that was again, so charming and fitting to the beautiful backdrop of Paris.
4. The Setting:
The book is set in Paris but here the city is almost like a character on its own. Paris has a life of its own, vitality, vigor, and a pulse. This book had beautiful descriptions of Paris and the Parisian life, and for a Francophile (a lover of France, not James Franco) like me, it was the perfect combination of beauty and charm. Paris, to me, is like another main character in the story. The descriptions of French life, of the love for cheese and wine, of Parisian architecture and people- everything made the book even more enjoyable.
5. The Cheese:
Quite undoubtedly, cheese is the hero of the book. Ella fell in love with Cheese and they lived happily ever after. Just kidding, of course. But seriously, the love for food and cheese is so in the pulse of the book and the food writing origins of the author is quite evident. I loved how cheese (and other food) was made the hero of the story, the other characters and plot situations revolving around that. Ella seeks comfort in Paris and cheese after a difficult breakup, she meets Serge through that love for cheese, she meets Chris and Clotilde in a café called Flat White, she strikes up a friendship with Gaston, a food writer. I haven’t yet encountered a scenario like this in other books and this was indeed, quite refreshing. I loved it.
There were some plotlines that felt a little underdeveloped and I would have also liked more importance and plot time given to the lead couple, but I liked this book nevertheless. If you are looking for a light read, with a relatable heroine, and if you love Paris just like I do, do read this one. It’s beautiful, and I’m not just talking about that cover.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
To be honest, I was expecting to kind of like this book (come on, it’s based in Paris and talks about cheese), but I wasn’t expecting to like it so much! This book just checked all the correct boxes for me.
1. The Cover:
Aah, that cover is gorgeous. I like absolutely everything about it. The color, the font, the graphic- so easy on the eyes and so very pretty. I try not to, but I do judge a book by its cover and this one was simply too pretty to pass up. I kept glancing back at the cover, simply because it was so pretty. Honestly, I’m not ashamed to admit this, but I sent a picture of the cover to some of my friends to gush about how pretty it was. In fact, I am going to get a physical copy of this book too, because of that cover (and the story too, of course).
2. The Story:
Starting off, I got some Sophie Kinsella vibes about this book, and I mean it in the best possible way. Kinsella books are so much fun, and this was just as amazing! The book starts with Ella, our main character, going out to dinner with her boyfriend, with full hopes of being proposed to. Cut to, fifteen minutes later, her boyfriend is leaving Melbourne to “find himself”. She dumps him and decides to travel to Paris for a break from it all. And so, the story begins.
One of my favorite things about this book is the vibe. The tone of writing is so relatable and charming. Even in the initial scenes, the writing was heart-warming and sweet, which just kept getting better in the scenes in Paris. Ella’s life in Paris is again super-relatable- she shares the same worries and concerns with half the millennial population of the world- stressing about getting a job, renting an apartment, having to share her flat with creepy roommates. It was a lot of fun reading (and relating to) it. The structure of the story is also very easy to read. Victoria Brownlee has done a really good job with bringing Paris to the forefront. She really made me believe in her love for Paris, and it truly stimulated my love for everything French too. I couldn’t keep the book down for long stretches of time because of how charming it all was. Further combining that with the funny female lead who gets into the best comedy-of-error kinds of situation and it is too much fun!
3. The Characters:
The main character is clueless but totally adorable. Even when she was getting her heart broken and coming off as a bit manic, your heart still goes out to her. And to be honest, I felt her love for cheese and Paris through the pages. It is always delightful to read about characters who take a step to better their lives and despite some struggle, manage to make it in the end. I loved that about Ella. She is so believable as a character and as a woman who is prone to being clumsy about her life choices. Despite all the little situations she gets herself into, she’s still reasonably optimistic and kind to others. The read was made lovelier because of Ella and all her idiosyncrasies- her love for food and Paris. The supporting characters added certain layers to the story. Clotilde, Ella’s new French roommate has issues of her own she needs to wade through and Ella forges a nice relationship with her. Talking about love interests, there’s Serge, the Cheeseman, who runs a fromagerie that Ella frequents in the story, and is a charming example of a Frenchman without frills. On the other hand, Gaston fits the stereotype of the French lover- considerably virile and open to all kinds of experiences. I liked Serge so much more because of how real he seemed right from the very start. Ella and Serge developed a beautiful friendship that was again, so charming and fitting to the beautiful backdrop of Paris.
4. The Setting:
The book is set in Paris but here the city is almost like a character on its own. Paris has a life of its own, vitality, vigor, and a pulse. This book had beautiful descriptions of Paris and the Parisian life, and for a Francophile (a lover of France, not James Franco) like me, it was the perfect combination of beauty and charm. Paris, to me, is like another main character in the story. The descriptions of French life, of the love for cheese and wine, of Parisian architecture and people- everything made the book even more enjoyable.
5. The Cheese:
Quite undoubtedly, cheese is the hero of the book. Ella fell in love with Cheese and they lived happily ever after. Just kidding, of course. But seriously, the love for food and cheese is so in the pulse of the book and the food writing origins of the author is quite evident. I loved how cheese (and other food) was made the hero of the story, the other characters and plot situations revolving around that. Ella seeks comfort in Paris and cheese after a difficult breakup, she meets Serge through that love for cheese, she meets Chris and Clotilde in a café called Flat White, she strikes up a friendship with Gaston, a food writer. I haven’t yet encountered a scenario like this in other books and this was indeed, quite refreshing. I loved it.
There were some plotlines that felt a little underdeveloped and I would have also liked more importance and plot time given to the lead couple, but I liked this book nevertheless. If you are looking for a light read, with a relatable heroine, and if you love Paris just like I do, do read this one. It’s beautiful, and I’m not just talking about that cover.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
October 6, 2018
I am so mad that I didn't like this book. It just wasn't something I was expecting.
When I requested this book from the publisher, the title was the thing that caught my attention. I love Paris and French and I just had this whole thing in my mind for how this story could have turned out and I wanted to read it.
I loved the idea of this book.
Ella was such a cool character in the beginning. Packed her things and left to a whole new continen, country and city. I give her points for bravery. I totally love her addiction of eating cheese and drinking whine. It's clishe but it's nice. But then she just didn't try enough in my opinion. She just saw the first man walking and liked him. I felt like she was miserable when the book presented her as really really happy and excited.
Also the man that she firsly likes, Gaston, even though he's really charming and French and all that jazz, he's also such a bad person. So into himself and so egoistic and treats Ella in such an awful way that I hated reading those chapters.
Even though the romance was kind of predictable I love that it was formed because of something both of them loved. I kinda wish that it had happened sooner because it just took too many chapters that I found very similar to each other.
I also have some gaps in the story especially the Jean-Pierre situation. It was so bizarre that I just got too confused. It just was something that I shouldn't be in the book.
Apart from all of that though, I enjoyed the book. I didn't like it but I had a fun time reading it. It provides such a sweet presentation of Paris life and food that I actually liked.
When I requested this book from the publisher, the title was the thing that caught my attention. I love Paris and French and I just had this whole thing in my mind for how this story could have turned out and I wanted to read it.
I loved the idea of this book.
Ella was such a cool character in the beginning. Packed her things and left to a whole new continen, country and city. I give her points for bravery. I totally love her addiction of eating cheese and drinking whine. It's clishe but it's nice. But then she just didn't try enough in my opinion. She just saw the first man walking and liked him. I felt like she was miserable when the book presented her as really really happy and excited.
Also the man that she firsly likes, Gaston, even though he's really charming and French and all that jazz, he's also such a bad person. So into himself and so egoistic and treats Ella in such an awful way that I hated reading those chapters.
Even though the romance was kind of predictable I love that it was formed because of something both of them loved. I kinda wish that it had happened sooner because it just took too many chapters that I found very similar to each other.
I also have some gaps in the story especially the Jean-Pierre situation. It was so bizarre that I just got too confused. It just was something that I shouldn't be in the book.
Apart from all of that though, I enjoyed the book. I didn't like it but I had a fun time reading it. It provides such a sweet presentation of Paris life and food that I actually liked.
June 5, 2019
I love Paris. I adore amour. So I doubly dig this charming romance set in the City of Light about Ella, nearing 30, and the two men who love her. Grab a goblet of Pinot and a wedge of the finest gourmet fromage plus crackers to snack on while you get happily lost in the pages. Ooh la la! 5/5
Pub Date 09 Oct 2018
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
#Fromageàtrois #NetGalley
Pub Date 09 Oct 2018
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
#Fromageàtrois #NetGalley
September 19, 2018
"Fromage à Trois" is a lighthearted read about a woman on a journey to find herself and her life after a particularly devastating break-up with her long-term partner. Believing it'll help her heal faster, Ella flees her native Australia for the whimsical, romantic streets of Paris. While I found the trope to be outdated, I still enjoyed the novel. A large credit goes to the characters, both Ella and her supporting cast, as well as the author's writing.
You get sucked in alongside Ella as she walks the streets of Paris, as she tries all the delicious and delectable cheeses, and explores love in different forms. I will say that there were a few cliche moments and I was slightly disappointed to see Ella jump from one relationship right into another. Nearly as soon as she reached Paris! So many things worked out for Ella, I didn't feel she experienced quite the struggle someone else would. She had some savings, she found a few jobs, made friends, etc. Things seemed quite easy for her and at the end, I thought that she was making a similar mistake like she began with.
Overall, though, I'm glad I read it. It was a breezy read and if you're looking for something to escape to, this would be a good bet. It'd make for a fun romantic comedy. Many thanks to NetGalley and Amberjack Publishing for an ARC.
You get sucked in alongside Ella as she walks the streets of Paris, as she tries all the delicious and delectable cheeses, and explores love in different forms. I will say that there were a few cliche moments and I was slightly disappointed to see Ella jump from one relationship right into another. Nearly as soon as she reached Paris! So many things worked out for Ella, I didn't feel she experienced quite the struggle someone else would. She had some savings, she found a few jobs, made friends, etc. Things seemed quite easy for her and at the end, I thought that she was making a similar mistake like she began with.
Overall, though, I'm glad I read it. It was a breezy read and if you're looking for something to escape to, this would be a good bet. It'd make for a fun romantic comedy. Many thanks to NetGalley and Amberjack Publishing for an ARC.
September 3, 2021
Najprv radšej to pozitívne. Kniha sa číta fakt rýchlo, autorka ma dobrý štýl písania, prečítala som ju vlastne za večer. Tiež sa mi páči aj obálka, je jednoduchá a pekne spracovaná. Takisto aj téma príbehu bola zaujímavá. Paríž je sen, rada by som sa tam raz dostala i ja. Prekvapivo sme tam ešte neboli. Autorka tu dokonca ponúka skôr netypické parížske uličky, ako tie známe pamiatky. Síce to bolo fajn, ale žiaľ ja som až taký nádych Parížu z toho necítila.
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Čím vlastne prechádzam už k negatívam tejto knihy. Prvý problém pre mňa predstavujú postavy. Z nich sa mi páčila iba spolubývajúca hlavnej hrdinky Clotilde, ktorá bola občas aj vtipná, milá a bola okolo nej celkom funny zápletka. Hlavná hrdinka Ella mi ale neskutočne liezla na nervy. Občas mala viac šťastia ako rozumu. Absolútne sa nespráva na svoj vek. Áno, bola odvážna, lebo sa po rozchode s frajerom vydala na rok do Paríža bez toho, aby vedela jazyk, aby mala kde bývať a mala prácu. Nakoniec bývanie a prácu zohnala, ale všetko to bolo preto, lebo mala viac šťastia ako rozumu, ako som už spomínala vyššie. Skoro stále som mala chuť s ňou zatriasť, aby sa začala správať ako dospelá a začala si všímať to dôležité okolo nej, čo úplne ignorovala, až do kým nedostala pucung od najlepšej kamarátky Billie.
Do jej života vstupujú dvaja muži – Serge predavač syrov a Gaston fešák v obleku. Obaja hlavní hrdinovia sú hrozne nevýrazní, nebolo na nich nič zaujímavé, všetko okolo nich je predvídateľne a hlavne od začiatku viete, ktorý bude ten pravý a prečo. Ďalšia otravná postava bola matka Elly, ktorá sa síce miestami dala pochopiť, ale miestami to bolo tak strašne mimo, ach.
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No za najhoršiu vec v príbehu považujem koniec. Ella zrazu z ničoho nič zistila, koho v skutočnosti miluje a je pre ňu ten pravý. Prišlo mi to falošné, unáhlené a vôbec som tomu neverila.
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Takisto ma hrozne nudili všetky tie opisy syrov. Viem, že to patrilo k deju a spočiatku to bolo zaujímavé dozvedieť sa nejakú navyše informáciu o syre, ale keď sa to dialo neustále v každej kapitole pomaly, išlo mi to na nervy. Takisto je v knihe dosť veľa nepreložených francúzskych výrazov a nie všetky sa dajú pochopiť z textu.
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Za mňa táto kniha naozaj nie a to hlavne kvôli postavám a zbytočným opisom jedla. Ale každý by si na ňu mal urobiť svoj vlastný názor.
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Čím vlastne prechádzam už k negatívam tejto knihy. Prvý problém pre mňa predstavujú postavy. Z nich sa mi páčila iba spolubývajúca hlavnej hrdinky Clotilde, ktorá bola občas aj vtipná, milá a bola okolo nej celkom funny zápletka. Hlavná hrdinka Ella mi ale neskutočne liezla na nervy. Občas mala viac šťastia ako rozumu. Absolútne sa nespráva na svoj vek. Áno, bola odvážna, lebo sa po rozchode s frajerom vydala na rok do Paríža bez toho, aby vedela jazyk, aby mala kde bývať a mala prácu. Nakoniec bývanie a prácu zohnala, ale všetko to bolo preto, lebo mala viac šťastia ako rozumu, ako som už spomínala vyššie. Skoro stále som mala chuť s ňou zatriasť, aby sa začala správať ako dospelá a začala si všímať to dôležité okolo nej, čo úplne ignorovala, až do kým nedostala pucung od najlepšej kamarátky Billie.
Do jej života vstupujú dvaja muži – Serge predavač syrov a Gaston fešák v obleku. Obaja hlavní hrdinovia sú hrozne nevýrazní, nebolo na nich nič zaujímavé, všetko okolo nich je predvídateľne a hlavne od začiatku viete, ktorý bude ten pravý a prečo. Ďalšia otravná postava bola matka Elly, ktorá sa síce miestami dala pochopiť, ale miestami to bolo tak strašne mimo, ach.
.
No za najhoršiu vec v príbehu považujem koniec. Ella zrazu z ničoho nič zistila, koho v skutočnosti miluje a je pre ňu ten pravý. Prišlo mi to falošné, unáhlené a vôbec som tomu neverila.
.
Takisto ma hrozne nudili všetky tie opisy syrov. Viem, že to patrilo k deju a spočiatku to bolo zaujímavé dozvedieť sa nejakú navyše informáciu o syre, ale keď sa to dialo neustále v každej kapitole pomaly, išlo mi to na nervy. Takisto je v knihe dosť veľa nepreložených francúzskych výrazov a nie všetky sa dajú pochopiť z textu.
.
Za mňa táto kniha naozaj nie a to hlavne kvôli postavám a zbytočným opisom jedla. Ale každý by si na ňu mal urobiť svoj vlastný názor.
November 2, 2018
‘I’d relearn how to live life as a solo adventurer. I’d take things as they came and make up a plan on the way.’
‘Fromage à Trois’ is worthy chick lit - lighthearted and entertaining. It’s a tale about Ella escaping to Paris after her dreams of marriage did not come to pass and her ensuing journey to rediscover herself. Many a cliched story like this has been told, so what invites the reader to this particular version?
‘... the makers of the cheese had known that I would move to Paris to mourn a breakup. It was as though they’d anticipated that I would start to fill the void in my broken heart with French cheese.’
Well ... we’ll always have Paris ;) One never really tires of a fictional journey to wander the streets of this city. Add into this an incredible and delectable selection of cheeses and this book really does provide that something different to this genre. The Instagram cheese journey is really something different and enlightening. Then there is a solid array of characters to make life interesting in Ella’s new venture. Overall, this is worthwhile writing and reading. Of course there are some moments that are cringe worthy and just drag the story down a bit but I try to overlook that and instead enjoy brief escapism on this whimsical and rather decadent ‘cheesy’ journey.
“Can you please write the name of the cheese and where it came from on a piece of paper for me?” I asked. “I’m interested in learning more about French cheese.”
This is a tale that will leave you with a good feeling - characters that engage you and an introduction to Parisian fromageries! You will be given a little of everything - romance, deceit, anguish and laughter - a little of everything except cheese! There is more of that than you can imagine!
“So what is it with you, Paris and cheese?”
‘Fromage à Trois’ is worthy chick lit - lighthearted and entertaining. It’s a tale about Ella escaping to Paris after her dreams of marriage did not come to pass and her ensuing journey to rediscover herself. Many a cliched story like this has been told, so what invites the reader to this particular version?
‘... the makers of the cheese had known that I would move to Paris to mourn a breakup. It was as though they’d anticipated that I would start to fill the void in my broken heart with French cheese.’
Well ... we’ll always have Paris ;) One never really tires of a fictional journey to wander the streets of this city. Add into this an incredible and delectable selection of cheeses and this book really does provide that something different to this genre. The Instagram cheese journey is really something different and enlightening. Then there is a solid array of characters to make life interesting in Ella’s new venture. Overall, this is worthwhile writing and reading. Of course there are some moments that are cringe worthy and just drag the story down a bit but I try to overlook that and instead enjoy brief escapism on this whimsical and rather decadent ‘cheesy’ journey.
“Can you please write the name of the cheese and where it came from on a piece of paper for me?” I asked. “I’m interested in learning more about French cheese.”
This is a tale that will leave you with a good feeling - characters that engage you and an introduction to Parisian fromageries! You will be given a little of everything - romance, deceit, anguish and laughter - a little of everything except cheese! There is more of that than you can imagine!
“So what is it with you, Paris and cheese?”
February 11, 2021
SPONSORERET ANMELDELSE
3,5 stjerner
Bogen er en virkelig skøn feel-good bog om den svære kærlighed og om at genfinde sig selv, fortalt i et legende og humoristisk sprog. Hovedpersonen Ella flygter til Paris med et knust hjerte, en lille opsparing, sine begrænsede franske sprogevner og en stor portion optimisme, og sidstnævnte får hun i den grad brug for, når hun kaster sig ud i både job- og boligjagt. Ella har været turist i Paris, men der er stor forskel på at være på besøg og faktisk bo der. Hun skal lære den franske kultur at kende for at forstå de kære franskmænd, og det kan være lidt af en udfordring, som også bringer hende i nogle ret pinlige og sjove episoder.
Det er meget modigt af hende at kaste sig ud i dette eventyr, men jeg synes også, at hun virkelig har brug for det. Hun sad fast i et liv, som ikke gav hende det, som hun ønskede sig.
Jeg er virkelig ikke fan af Ellas mor, som ikke laver meget andet end at kritisere sin datter og fortælle hende, hvad hun burde gøre. Ella er enebarn, om det er grunden til, at hendes mor blander sig så meget i hendes liv, ved jeg ikke. Jeg er imponeret over, at det ikke er gået ud over Ellas selvtillid og selvværd.
Dette er på ingen måde en dårlig debutbog, men et vist kendskab til det franske sprog og franske oste vil være en stor fordel. Der er for mange franske gloser heri til min smag, fordi jeg netop ikke forstår/snakker fransk. Derudover bliver snakken om ost også ret kedsommelig at læse om i længden, selvom jeg elsker hendes forhold til den meget sympatiske ostehandler Serge.
Man fornemmer tydeligt forfatterens kærlighed til Paris, og jeg kan heller ikke undgå at få endnu mere lyst til at besøge romantikkens by. Jeg er så klar til picnics ved Seinen og spise brunch på fortovscaféerne.
3,5 stjerner
Bogen er en virkelig skøn feel-good bog om den svære kærlighed og om at genfinde sig selv, fortalt i et legende og humoristisk sprog. Hovedpersonen Ella flygter til Paris med et knust hjerte, en lille opsparing, sine begrænsede franske sprogevner og en stor portion optimisme, og sidstnævnte får hun i den grad brug for, når hun kaster sig ud i både job- og boligjagt. Ella har været turist i Paris, men der er stor forskel på at være på besøg og faktisk bo der. Hun skal lære den franske kultur at kende for at forstå de kære franskmænd, og det kan være lidt af en udfordring, som også bringer hende i nogle ret pinlige og sjove episoder.
Det er meget modigt af hende at kaste sig ud i dette eventyr, men jeg synes også, at hun virkelig har brug for det. Hun sad fast i et liv, som ikke gav hende det, som hun ønskede sig.
Jeg er virkelig ikke fan af Ellas mor, som ikke laver meget andet end at kritisere sin datter og fortælle hende, hvad hun burde gøre. Ella er enebarn, om det er grunden til, at hendes mor blander sig så meget i hendes liv, ved jeg ikke. Jeg er imponeret over, at det ikke er gået ud over Ellas selvtillid og selvværd.
Dette er på ingen måde en dårlig debutbog, men et vist kendskab til det franske sprog og franske oste vil være en stor fordel. Der er for mange franske gloser heri til min smag, fordi jeg netop ikke forstår/snakker fransk. Derudover bliver snakken om ost også ret kedsommelig at læse om i længden, selvom jeg elsker hendes forhold til den meget sympatiske ostehandler Serge.
Man fornemmer tydeligt forfatterens kærlighed til Paris, og jeg kan heller ikke undgå at få endnu mere lyst til at besøge romantikkens by. Jeg er så klar til picnics ved Seinen og spise brunch på fortovscaféerne.
February 4, 2019
Ok, I'd give the cheese descriptions and frequency of cheese content a 4, but the overall character development and plot a 2. So its right in the middle.
Read
July 23, 2022Fun reading! Do you need a vacation or feel like you need a change in life? Are you a foodie? Well, dive into this romp of a story. Enjoy!
August 27, 2020
Precis vad jag behövde i dessa tider, att i sinnet resa till Paris och dejta snygga och ostälskande fransmän. En lättsam och trevlig bok men som hade kunnat förbättras i vissa aspekter. Den första halvan var fyra stjärnor men sen dog det av mot slutet och jag kände att det blev lite väl flummigt. Och slutet kom på väldigt snabbt i förhållandet till resten av boken. Men jag är definitivt intresserad av att läsa mer av den här författaren.
August 28, 2018
Thank you so much for this ARC!
After being on a mystery/thriller binge, reading Fromage a Trois was just delightful!
When starting the first chapter, it seemed, eh a little too predictable, but that quickly changed! The romance, the Parisian lifestyle and of course the cheese was a sweet escape. The last few pages of this book had me smiling (cheesing :)) from ear to ear.
So sweet, light and just an enjoyable read.
After being on a mystery/thriller binge, reading Fromage a Trois was just delightful!
When starting the first chapter, it seemed, eh a little too predictable, but that quickly changed! The romance, the Parisian lifestyle and of course the cheese was a sweet escape. The last few pages of this book had me smiling (cheesing :)) from ear to ear.
So sweet, light and just an enjoyable read.
August 20, 2018
This was a fun, charming read about a young Australian woman who takes off to spend a year in Paris, and ends up devoting herself to researching and tasting cheese. Lots of great descriptions and a real sense of what it must be like to live in Paris.
August 23, 2018
I agave this book five stars as I learned so much more about the French variety of cheeses and the ways that the French think about cheese. According to the book there are about 356 different types of cheeses, and the main character, Ella from Australia, sets out to taste a different cheese every day for a year in order to win a bet with her fromagier, Serge, who provides Ella the expertise as well as the cheese. Of course, romance is in the air, with Paris and Frenchmen. Ella is on the rebound from a failed love affair back home in Australia and finds in Paris new interests, romantic and gustatory.
July 4, 2020
Ella thinks her boyfriend of eight years is finally about to propose. But, no, he is taking off for a retreat, and, in frustration, Ella herself decides to leave Melbourne and head to Paris, though she has little knowledge of the language, has no place to live or friends there, and has no job.
Ella makes friends, finds a place to stay, and finds a job (don't try this at home, kids). And again she gets involved with a man who is oddly reminiscent of her Australian boyfriend.
None of the trois---not love, not cheese, not Paris---were enough to save the story for me. And if Paris can't save it....
Ella makes friends, finds a place to stay, and finds a job (don't try this at home, kids). And again she gets involved with a man who is oddly reminiscent of her Australian boyfriend.
None of the trois---not love, not cheese, not Paris---were enough to save the story for me. And if Paris can't save it....
July 14, 2021
Oh, là, là! Vedeli ste, že Francúzi majú viac ako tristopäťdesiat druhov syra? Austrálčanka Ella to rozhodne nevedela. A nevedela som to ani ja. O to viac ma potešila novinka z vydavateľstva Grada - Metafora, z pera spisovateľky Victorie Brownlee, ktorá sa kedysi tiež ako naša hlavná hrdinka sama zbalila a vydala objavovať krásy Francúzska. Kombinácia Láska - Paríž - syr sa zdá byť neobyčajne lákavá, poďme teda spoločne nazrieť, čo táto príťažlivá knižka-novinka všetko ukrýva.
Ella je dobrodružná duša na prahu tridsiatky. Pre lásku a rodinu je však ochotná obetovať všetko to dobrodružstvo, ktoré zažívala kedysi, keď cestovala. Miluje svojho priateľa a čaká, kedy ju konečne požiada o ruku. Akoby švihnutím čarovného prútika (a to poriadne zlomyseľného) sa jej starostlivo premyslený život rúca - prichádza o partnera, bývanie a premýšľa, čo urobiť so životom. Ako vhodné riešienie sa ukazuje vydať sa opäť na cesty, odísť do Paríža, ktorý kedysi navštívila a ktorý ju tak veľmi očaril. Napriek smútku, ktorý pociťuje, jej vízia cestovania dodá novú silu - Ella je plná snov, ideálov, túži po dobrodužstve a zmene. A tak sa vyberie do mesta, ktoré ponúka mnoho možností, do Paríža, kde uzavrie neobyčajnú stávku - ochutnať za rok všetky druhy francúzskeho syra.
Tak, ako Ellu očarí Paríž so všetkým, čo ponúka, tak veľmi mňa očarila táto knižka. Očakávala som príbeh ako každý iný, ničím zvlášť originálny, no zostala som veľmi príjemne prekvapená. Nie je to jedna z tých plytkých romancí, naopak, je obohatená o atmosféru Paríža, ktorá sa neťahá iba okolo známej Eiffelovky či iných známych turistických atrakcií, ale skôr jeho zašitých zákutí, kaviarní a obchodov.
Autorkinu snahu priblížiť nielen atmosféru, ale i francúzsky naturel som vnímala aj cez rôznorodé postavy - niektoré sprvu chladné, no skrývajúce dobré srdce a iné, zobrazené pomerne stereotypne ako typických milovníkov bez zábran. Autorke sa naozaj podarilo poukázať na rôzne druhy osobností - spoznávame tak Ellinho dlhoročného priateľa Paula, ktorého priateľstvo s akousi Jessykou z fitcrossu vedie ku konaniu, ktoré dokáže čitateľa pekne pobúriť a naštvať A široké spektrum postáv spoznávame aj v Paríži - milú, dobdrosrdečnú modelku Clotilde, sympatického predavača a majiteľa obchodu so syrom Sergea, ktorý sa s Ellou hneď spriatelí (a hneď si aj získa moje srdce), ale i Ellinho kolegu Chrisa, či temperamentného dobre vyzerajúceho Francúza Gastona, ktorý zosobňuje takého toho typického francúzskeho lámača ženských sŕdc. No zo všetkých najviac som fandila práve Elle. V mnohom som jej rozumela, dokázala som sa s ňou stotožniť a keby sme sa reálne stretli, určite by sme sa skamošili. Čo bolo sympatické bolo najmä to, že sa napriek nepriaznivým okolnostiam v živote nevzdávala, hľadala silu, ako ísť ďalej, nenechala si vziať svoje ideály a sny. Napriek všetkému som však mala neraz chuť zamávať jej pred očami, aby konečne uvidela to, čo neujde oku pozorného čitateľa... no všetko to napokon chcelo čas.
Je vidno, že autorka si dala záležať aj na detailoch - dozvedáme sa napríklad o mnohých druhoch syra a ich rozmanitej chuti. Vďaka Sergeovi, majiteľovi ,,syrárne" navyše spoznávame aj príbehy, ktoré sa za vznikom toho či oného syra skrývajú.
Romantická dejová linka sľubuje milostný trojuholník, no na moje veľké prekvapenie (a príjemné!) to nie je také to typické klišé, ako keď si v príbehoch hrdinka nevie vybrať, do koho je v skutočnosti zaľúbená a koho chce. Veľmi ma v tomto smere potešil práve koniec príbehu (hoci, po pravde, prijala by som, keby Ella k istému ,,poznaniu" dospela z iných dôvodov, než sa stalo... no viac sa dočítate v knižke).
Takže - Oui, oui, oui - celá knižka bola veľmi milá a poučná - nielen z pohľadu gastronómie, ale i akéhosi uvedomenia si vlastnej hodnoty. V neposlednom rade mi nedá nespomenúť vydarený slovenský preklad, vhodne popretkávaný francúzskymi výrazmi.
Ak hľadáte milú, zaujímavú oddychovku na leto, písanú čítavým a pútavým štýlom, takú, do ktorej keď sa začítate, hneď sa zamilujete a nepustíte ju z ruky, určite Vám túto knižku odporúčam. Ja som si jej čítanie naozaj užila, je to jedna z tých knižiek, čo zanechá veľmi dobrý, až hrejivý pocit na duši.
A ak už nedostanete chuť na syr po jej prečítaní, tak už neviem kedy inokedy. :)
Ella je dobrodružná duša na prahu tridsiatky. Pre lásku a rodinu je však ochotná obetovať všetko to dobrodružstvo, ktoré zažívala kedysi, keď cestovala. Miluje svojho priateľa a čaká, kedy ju konečne požiada o ruku. Akoby švihnutím čarovného prútika (a to poriadne zlomyseľného) sa jej starostlivo premyslený život rúca - prichádza o partnera, bývanie a premýšľa, čo urobiť so životom. Ako vhodné riešienie sa ukazuje vydať sa opäť na cesty, odísť do Paríža, ktorý kedysi navštívila a ktorý ju tak veľmi očaril. Napriek smútku, ktorý pociťuje, jej vízia cestovania dodá novú silu - Ella je plná snov, ideálov, túži po dobrodužstve a zmene. A tak sa vyberie do mesta, ktoré ponúka mnoho možností, do Paríža, kde uzavrie neobyčajnú stávku - ochutnať za rok všetky druhy francúzskeho syra.
Tak, ako Ellu očarí Paríž so všetkým, čo ponúka, tak veľmi mňa očarila táto knižka. Očakávala som príbeh ako každý iný, ničím zvlášť originálny, no zostala som veľmi príjemne prekvapená. Nie je to jedna z tých plytkých romancí, naopak, je obohatená o atmosféru Paríža, ktorá sa neťahá iba okolo známej Eiffelovky či iných známych turistických atrakcií, ale skôr jeho zašitých zákutí, kaviarní a obchodov.
Autorkinu snahu priblížiť nielen atmosféru, ale i francúzsky naturel som vnímala aj cez rôznorodé postavy - niektoré sprvu chladné, no skrývajúce dobré srdce a iné, zobrazené pomerne stereotypne ako typických milovníkov bez zábran. Autorke sa naozaj podarilo poukázať na rôzne druhy osobností - spoznávame tak Ellinho dlhoročného priateľa Paula, ktorého priateľstvo s akousi Jessykou z fitcrossu vedie ku konaniu, ktoré dokáže čitateľa pekne pobúriť a naštvať A široké spektrum postáv spoznávame aj v Paríži - milú, dobdrosrdečnú modelku Clotilde, sympatického predavača a majiteľa obchodu so syrom Sergea, ktorý sa s Ellou hneď spriatelí (a hneď si aj získa moje srdce), ale i Ellinho kolegu Chrisa, či temperamentného dobre vyzerajúceho Francúza Gastona, ktorý zosobňuje takého toho typického francúzskeho lámača ženských sŕdc. No zo všetkých najviac som fandila práve Elle. V mnohom som jej rozumela, dokázala som sa s ňou stotožniť a keby sme sa reálne stretli, určite by sme sa skamošili. Čo bolo sympatické bolo najmä to, že sa napriek nepriaznivým okolnostiam v živote nevzdávala, hľadala silu, ako ísť ďalej, nenechala si vziať svoje ideály a sny. Napriek všetkému som však mala neraz chuť zamávať jej pred očami, aby konečne uvidela to, čo neujde oku pozorného čitateľa... no všetko to napokon chcelo čas.
Je vidno, že autorka si dala záležať aj na detailoch - dozvedáme sa napríklad o mnohých druhoch syra a ich rozmanitej chuti. Vďaka Sergeovi, majiteľovi ,,syrárne" navyše spoznávame aj príbehy, ktoré sa za vznikom toho či oného syra skrývajú.
Romantická dejová linka sľubuje milostný trojuholník, no na moje veľké prekvapenie (a príjemné!) to nie je také to typické klišé, ako keď si v príbehoch hrdinka nevie vybrať, do koho je v skutočnosti zaľúbená a koho chce. Veľmi ma v tomto smere potešil práve koniec príbehu (hoci, po pravde, prijala by som, keby Ella k istému ,,poznaniu" dospela z iných dôvodov, než sa stalo... no viac sa dočítate v knižke).
Takže - Oui, oui, oui - celá knižka bola veľmi milá a poučná - nielen z pohľadu gastronómie, ale i akéhosi uvedomenia si vlastnej hodnoty. V neposlednom rade mi nedá nespomenúť vydarený slovenský preklad, vhodne popretkávaný francúzskymi výrazmi.
Ak hľadáte milú, zaujímavú oddychovku na leto, písanú čítavým a pútavým štýlom, takú, do ktorej keď sa začítate, hneď sa zamilujete a nepustíte ju z ruky, určite Vám túto knižku odporúčam. Ja som si jej čítanie naozaj užila, je to jedna z tých knižiek, čo zanechá veľmi dobrý, až hrejivý pocit na duši.
A ak už nedostanete chuť na syr po jej prečítaní, tak už neviem kedy inokedy. :)
May 5, 2020
This one’s for the food lovers!
Ella, an almost 30-year-old Australian is about to be proposed to. At least that’s what she’s convinced of when she puts on her best dress, impeccable make-up and goes to meet her boyfriend for dinner at their favourite French restaurant in their hometown of Melbourne. The night not only doesn’t end with a shiny ring on her finger, it ends with a break-up. Her, now ex, boyfriend Paul goes on a mindfulness retreat to Thailand and Ella swears to separate herself from him and the 8 years she put into their relationship. A week or so later she finds herself in Paris with plans to start fresh in a city she fell in love with at the cusp of adulthood. A city where she fell in love with… cheese.
Sometimes you just know. From the first page of „Fromage à Trois” I knew I would enjoy this one immensely. I love food. I love coffee and wine. I love reading about it all, I love reading about people enjoying different kind of food, preparing meals, eating them, talking about it with other fine food enthusiasts. Match made in heaven, really.
While Ella isn’t what I’d call an especially reliable main character, she is quite naive and easily falls into traps of a certain glamorous lifestyle (you’ll know what I mean once you read the book, trust me), she is also very relatable. That relatability, eagerness to learn and passion for all things French (first and foremost: cheese!) made all her flaws lose in significance. She read great. I loved getting to know the real Paris (a city I have been to twice, once for a week and the second time for a day so I wasn’t all unknowledgeable), the one you will only ever know if you live there. It was a blast to walk the streets with her, be amazed by the corner bistros and cafes, have picnics in a park, drink copious amounts of wine that would go well with different kinds of cheese. It was wonderful to discover this city at an unhurried pace of someone who has the time and wants to take it slow. Take it all in small intakes, leisurely and with a whole lot of deep appreciation.
The atmosphere of „Fromage à Trois” is what makes this book and that is, I imagine, all thanks to the author Victoria Brownlee who has lived in Paris herself and knew firsthand how disorienting it could be for a foreigner with plans to stay but hardly any French.
That being said, the book was just very wholesome. The cast of characters was great. They were all different, each with their own quirk. They didn’t blur together like in some novels whenever friends of the main are concerned. I was genuinely interested in their presence. The romantic side of the book was terrific, too. It didn’t go as I expected but I was even happier for it. Let’s just say that a romance novel steering off course and not falling into traps of certain tropes is an excellent thing I don’t see that often. I was super happy with the love interest choices the author made but if I had one remark, I would say the last couple of chapters hurried things along a bit too much for my taste. It wasn’t anything drastic and I hear there is a sequel coming out real soon so I’ll get my fix of proper relationship development soon enough.
I don’t want to spoil the story, the endgame or berate Ella for this or that she could have done differently. Self-discovery is just that – once mistakes are made you learn from them and hope for a better future. Her story was like that and she came out of it stronger and wiser. Trust be told, I adored her. I related to her crushes, I seconded many of her observations, I walked her Paris alongside her and was glad for the lessons it gave me.
Everyone who likes this kind of character driven books, stories full of appreciation and love for food, stories for people who enjoy reading about spur-of-a-moment decisions which leave you dizzy but amazed by life – this one’s for you. Especially if can see yourself in a basically foreign city enjoying a cup of coffee and chanting ‘je t’aime, je t’aime, je t’aime’ under breath because the moment is just that simple yet magical.
If you’re one of those, read it, you’ll love it.
**massive thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
Ella, an almost 30-year-old Australian is about to be proposed to. At least that’s what she’s convinced of when she puts on her best dress, impeccable make-up and goes to meet her boyfriend for dinner at their favourite French restaurant in their hometown of Melbourne. The night not only doesn’t end with a shiny ring on her finger, it ends with a break-up. Her, now ex, boyfriend Paul goes on a mindfulness retreat to Thailand and Ella swears to separate herself from him and the 8 years she put into their relationship. A week or so later she finds herself in Paris with plans to start fresh in a city she fell in love with at the cusp of adulthood. A city where she fell in love with… cheese.
Sometimes you just know. From the first page of „Fromage à Trois” I knew I would enjoy this one immensely. I love food. I love coffee and wine. I love reading about it all, I love reading about people enjoying different kind of food, preparing meals, eating them, talking about it with other fine food enthusiasts. Match made in heaven, really.
While Ella isn’t what I’d call an especially reliable main character, she is quite naive and easily falls into traps of a certain glamorous lifestyle (you’ll know what I mean once you read the book, trust me), she is also very relatable. That relatability, eagerness to learn and passion for all things French (first and foremost: cheese!) made all her flaws lose in significance. She read great. I loved getting to know the real Paris (a city I have been to twice, once for a week and the second time for a day so I wasn’t all unknowledgeable), the one you will only ever know if you live there. It was a blast to walk the streets with her, be amazed by the corner bistros and cafes, have picnics in a park, drink copious amounts of wine that would go well with different kinds of cheese. It was wonderful to discover this city at an unhurried pace of someone who has the time and wants to take it slow. Take it all in small intakes, leisurely and with a whole lot of deep appreciation.
The atmosphere of „Fromage à Trois” is what makes this book and that is, I imagine, all thanks to the author Victoria Brownlee who has lived in Paris herself and knew firsthand how disorienting it could be for a foreigner with plans to stay but hardly any French.
That being said, the book was just very wholesome. The cast of characters was great. They were all different, each with their own quirk. They didn’t blur together like in some novels whenever friends of the main are concerned. I was genuinely interested in their presence. The romantic side of the book was terrific, too. It didn’t go as I expected but I was even happier for it. Let’s just say that a romance novel steering off course and not falling into traps of certain tropes is an excellent thing I don’t see that often. I was super happy with the love interest choices the author made but if I had one remark, I would say the last couple of chapters hurried things along a bit too much for my taste. It wasn’t anything drastic and I hear there is a sequel coming out real soon so I’ll get my fix of proper relationship development soon enough.
I don’t want to spoil the story, the endgame or berate Ella for this or that she could have done differently. Self-discovery is just that – once mistakes are made you learn from them and hope for a better future. Her story was like that and she came out of it stronger and wiser. Trust be told, I adored her. I related to her crushes, I seconded many of her observations, I walked her Paris alongside her and was glad for the lessons it gave me.
Everyone who likes this kind of character driven books, stories full of appreciation and love for food, stories for people who enjoy reading about spur-of-a-moment decisions which leave you dizzy but amazed by life – this one’s for you. Especially if can see yourself in a basically foreign city enjoying a cup of coffee and chanting ‘je t’aime, je t’aime, je t’aime’ under breath because the moment is just that simple yet magical.
If you’re one of those, read it, you’ll love it.
**massive thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
April 24, 2024
3,5/5
Istället för det förväntande frieriet, får Ella veta att hennes pojkvän tänker åka på retreat för att hitta sig själv. Så istället för att vara förlovad, finner sig Ella göra slut med Paul och sedan bestämmer hon sig för att åka tillbaka till Paris, bara för att komma bort från Australien och det liv hon haft de senaste åtta åren. Väl i Frankrike hittar hon relativt snabbt jobb och boende, även om det inte är vad hennes mamma önskade sig och efter att ha gått in i en ostbutik bestämmer hon sig för att prova alla franska ostsorter under det år hon ska vara i Paris. Och när hon också träffar matskribenten Gaston, då känns det som att allting håller på att falla tillrätta.
Paris. Kärlek. Ost. eller det mer humoristiska namnet Fromage à Trois som det heter i original, är australiensiska Victora Brownlees debutroman. En feelgood om att hitta tillbaka till sig själv efter att ha levt under många år under någon annans premisser. Och att inse att gamla hjulspår kanske är svårare att ta sig ur, än vad det verkar.
Persongalleriet är lagom stort. Det är Ella, och så de få runtom henne i Australien, och sedan de få nära vännerna hon får i Paris. Eftersom Ella också byter stad i början av boken, möter hon de här andra personerna på lika villkor som läsaren gör. Jag tycker om att följa med i Ellas utveckling och många är gångerna jag helst skulle vilja skaka om henne ordentligt för att få henne att inse vad hon håller på med. Och det gillar jag, för jag vill ju känna saker för karaktärerna i böckerna jag läser. Jag tycker om Serge, ostkillen och jag tycker om Clotilde (även om namnet kanske får mig att tänka på en tjock operatant snarare än en modell, men det är mina egna fördomar som spökar) och jag tycker om att störa mig på Gaston, Paul och Ellas mamma.
Språket är lättsamt och även om jag vet vartåt det barkar, tycker jag om att följa historien framåt. Översättningen är helt okej och också lättläst, förutom att det är för mycket franska ord för mig som inte kan språket alls. Ser fram emot att läsa nästa del i serien också.
Istället för det förväntande frieriet, får Ella veta att hennes pojkvän tänker åka på retreat för att hitta sig själv. Så istället för att vara förlovad, finner sig Ella göra slut med Paul och sedan bestämmer hon sig för att åka tillbaka till Paris, bara för att komma bort från Australien och det liv hon haft de senaste åtta åren. Väl i Frankrike hittar hon relativt snabbt jobb och boende, även om det inte är vad hennes mamma önskade sig och efter att ha gått in i en ostbutik bestämmer hon sig för att prova alla franska ostsorter under det år hon ska vara i Paris. Och när hon också träffar matskribenten Gaston, då känns det som att allting håller på att falla tillrätta.
Paris. Kärlek. Ost. eller det mer humoristiska namnet Fromage à Trois som det heter i original, är australiensiska Victora Brownlees debutroman. En feelgood om att hitta tillbaka till sig själv efter att ha levt under många år under någon annans premisser. Och att inse att gamla hjulspår kanske är svårare att ta sig ur, än vad det verkar.
Persongalleriet är lagom stort. Det är Ella, och så de få runtom henne i Australien, och sedan de få nära vännerna hon får i Paris. Eftersom Ella också byter stad i början av boken, möter hon de här andra personerna på lika villkor som läsaren gör. Jag tycker om att följa med i Ellas utveckling och många är gångerna jag helst skulle vilja skaka om henne ordentligt för att få henne att inse vad hon håller på med. Och det gillar jag, för jag vill ju känna saker för karaktärerna i böckerna jag läser. Jag tycker om Serge, ostkillen och jag tycker om Clotilde (även om namnet kanske får mig att tänka på en tjock operatant snarare än en modell, men det är mina egna fördomar som spökar) och jag tycker om att störa mig på Gaston, Paul och Ellas mamma.
Språket är lättsamt och även om jag vet vartåt det barkar, tycker jag om att följa historien framåt. Översättningen är helt okej och också lättläst, förutom att det är för mycket franska ord för mig som inte kan språket alls. Ser fram emot att läsa nästa del i serien också.
October 9, 2018
Australia
Ella, age 29, is heading for a date with Paul that she hopes will result in a proposal. They are to have dinner at Francine’s, their favorite French bistro. Ella and Paul have been together for 8 years. But instead of a proposal, Paul tells her he is off to find himself and he also tells her he never had marriage in mind.
Shocked and hurt, Ella realizes what a fool she has been to stay with Paul all that time so she decides to pack up and move to Paris for a year. She loves the city and knows it will be a good change for her.
She gets a small apartment and spends days just wandering around Paris and absorbing the wonderful ambiance. Realizing that her savings will not last long, she needs a job. Having failed at being a barista, Ella finds a job washing jobs in a cafe and finds she enjoys it.
One of her favorite things about France is the cheese. She finds a fromagerie and makes friends with the owner, Serge. Seeing how much she likes cheese, they make a bet that she must try 365 different cheeses over the next year, and if she is successful, he will take her out for a nice dinner.
She is invited to share an apartment with her new friend, Clothilde, a pretty french girl. As Ella’s French improves, she gets another job to help support herself. Through Clothilde, she meets even more people, one a handsome man named Gaston who is a food critic. Oh what a life she is living.
This book!! I loved every word and enjoyed reading it so much. Two of my favorite things in life are Paris and cheese. I lived in that beautiful city for 6 years and can honestly say that I lived to eat as much cheese as I could. I couldn’t just pass by a fromagerie, I had to stop and sigh and I dreamed of eating all of the cheese. OK. Getting past the cheese part, Ella is a terrific character who loves life. Her experiences in Paris are so exciting and brought back such great memories for me. If you were a cheese mouse in a previous life like I was, and if you love the City of Lights like I do, then this is a must-read for you. Enjoy!
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Ella, age 29, is heading for a date with Paul that she hopes will result in a proposal. They are to have dinner at Francine’s, their favorite French bistro. Ella and Paul have been together for 8 years. But instead of a proposal, Paul tells her he is off to find himself and he also tells her he never had marriage in mind.
Shocked and hurt, Ella realizes what a fool she has been to stay with Paul all that time so she decides to pack up and move to Paris for a year. She loves the city and knows it will be a good change for her.
She gets a small apartment and spends days just wandering around Paris and absorbing the wonderful ambiance. Realizing that her savings will not last long, she needs a job. Having failed at being a barista, Ella finds a job washing jobs in a cafe and finds she enjoys it.
One of her favorite things about France is the cheese. She finds a fromagerie and makes friends with the owner, Serge. Seeing how much she likes cheese, they make a bet that she must try 365 different cheeses over the next year, and if she is successful, he will take her out for a nice dinner.
She is invited to share an apartment with her new friend, Clothilde, a pretty french girl. As Ella’s French improves, she gets another job to help support herself. Through Clothilde, she meets even more people, one a handsome man named Gaston who is a food critic. Oh what a life she is living.
This book!! I loved every word and enjoyed reading it so much. Two of my favorite things in life are Paris and cheese. I lived in that beautiful city for 6 years and can honestly say that I lived to eat as much cheese as I could. I couldn’t just pass by a fromagerie, I had to stop and sigh and I dreamed of eating all of the cheese. OK. Getting past the cheese part, Ella is a terrific character who loves life. Her experiences in Paris are so exciting and brought back such great memories for me. If you were a cheese mouse in a previous life like I was, and if you love the City of Lights like I do, then this is a must-read for you. Enjoy!
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 24, 2021
Ako prvé musím vyzdvihnúť hlavnú postavu Ellu, ktorá si ma získala už od prvej strany. Bavilo ma sledovať je život. Bavila ma jej povaha. Ella sa rozišla s priateľom a preto sa rozhodla odsťahovať sa a to rovno do Paríža. Zamestnala sa ako čašníčka v kaviarni a blogovala o syre. Tu mi to troška prišlo nudné. Opisy syra a vína nebolo pre mňa to pravé orechové. Ostatné postavy sa mi až tak veľmi nepáčili, alebo skôr neboli výrazné a tak som si k nim nenašla vzťah. Prišli mi dosť prvoplánové a hneď ako sa zapojili do príbehu, vedela som čo s nimi bude nasledovať. Tak isto to bolo aj s romantikou. Scény a pokračovanie príbehu bolo dosť predvídateľné. Ale to čo sa mi nepáčilo na postavách vykompenzoval Paríž. Milujem ľúbostné trojuholníky, takže pri tejto knihe som si prišla na svoje. Hoc sa v knihe nacházalo pár „klišoidných“ vecí a scén, o zážitok ma to neobralo. Autorka krásne opísala mesto Paríž. Mala som tú česť, toto mesto vidieť aj ja, a rovnako mi učarovalo. Krásne uličky, kaviarne a celkovo atmosféra mi bola príjemná. Našlo sa aj pár negatívnych stránok miesta, ale zamerala som sa len na to príjemné. Príbeh sa čítal v celku príjemné, také svieže čítanie. Žiadny príbeh, pri ktorom musíte premýšľať. Len si sadnete, otvoríte knihu a užívate si malý kúsok Paríža.
September 2, 2021
Ak hľadáte oddychovku, ktorá vám toto kratučké leto predĺži aspoň o pár hodín, určite nevynechajte novinku Za láskou do Paríža od Victorie Brownlee. Prenesie vás do mesta lásky, nadýchate sa smradľavých syrov, vychutnáte si romantickú atmosféru popretkávanú občasným sklamaním a čaká na vás aj ľúbostný trojuholník, v ktorom síce bude jasný favorit hneď od začiatku, ako to pri takýchto knihách býva zvykom, no o to v nich predsa ide, nie? Mimo romantickej linky však dej nebol predvídateľný ani najmenej a práve to ma na nej tak bavilo - Victorii sa aj takéto jednoduché dielo podarilo zaobaliť do istej dávky tajomna a urobiť z neho niečo magické, neodložitelné a nezabudnuteľné.
Ella je presne ten typ hrdinky, ktorý si ihneď obľúbite – je ambiciózna, priama, ale občas poriadne stratená vo veľkom svete a s príšerným vkusom na mužov. Jej optimistická povaha ale nenechá vaše srdce chladné a som si istá, že si jej ročný výlet do Paríža vychutnáte aspoň tak ako ona.
Odporúčam najmä fanúšikom Julie Caplin, čitateľky si tu prídu na svoje. Za mňa krásny zážitok, ktorý si rada v budúcnosti pripomeniem druhou časťou, ktorá minulý rok vyšla v angličtine. 😍
Ella je presne ten typ hrdinky, ktorý si ihneď obľúbite – je ambiciózna, priama, ale občas poriadne stratená vo veľkom svete a s príšerným vkusom na mužov. Jej optimistická povaha ale nenechá vaše srdce chladné a som si istá, že si jej ročný výlet do Paríža vychutnáte aspoň tak ako ona.
Odporúčam najmä fanúšikom Julie Caplin, čitateľky si tu prídu na svoje. Za mňa krásny zážitok, ktorý si rada v budúcnosti pripomeniem druhou časťou, ktorá minulý rok vyšla v angličtine. 😍
September 4, 2018
Before I begin, I'd like to thank NetGalley & AmberJack Publishing for my ARC.
Everything about this book caught my eye. The title, the artwork, the colors, the description and the fact that this is Victoria Brownlee's debut novel.
Fromage a Trois is a treat for the senses. Brownlee does a magnificent job describing Paris... and CHEESE.. to the point where I found myself searching for flights to France! She's obviously an expert on both topics given the specific language and details she provides. I genuinely felt like I was with Ella on her adventures as she walked the streets of Paris and indulged in the Parisian lifestyle.
This story includes relatable and easy to follow characters with dynamic personalities. With all the references and themes around cheese, there was still room for the importance of relationships and time.
Ella, the Australian protagonist, is approaching 30 and finds herself single after being in an almost decade long relationship with Paul, the man she met during college abroad in Paris. Soon after, she goes on an impromptu solo adventure to Paris. There she begins a new journey surrounded by cheese, wine, love, and new opportunities - everything France is known to offer.
Although Ella eventually realizes why her and Paul didn't work out, she doesn't have regrets in having formed a relationship with him. Like all of our past relationships with friends and lovers, they'll always be a part of our development and help us understand ourselves better -whether we like it or not. Ella's story shows you that sometimes you have to take risks in order to find your place in the world and that it's never too late to start a new journey.
Everything about this book caught my eye. The title, the artwork, the colors, the description and the fact that this is Victoria Brownlee's debut novel.
Fromage a Trois is a treat for the senses. Brownlee does a magnificent job describing Paris... and CHEESE.. to the point where I found myself searching for flights to France! She's obviously an expert on both topics given the specific language and details she provides. I genuinely felt like I was with Ella on her adventures as she walked the streets of Paris and indulged in the Parisian lifestyle.
This story includes relatable and easy to follow characters with dynamic personalities. With all the references and themes around cheese, there was still room for the importance of relationships and time.
Ella, the Australian protagonist, is approaching 30 and finds herself single after being in an almost decade long relationship with Paul, the man she met during college abroad in Paris. Soon after, she goes on an impromptu solo adventure to Paris. There she begins a new journey surrounded by cheese, wine, love, and new opportunities - everything France is known to offer.
Although Ella eventually realizes why her and Paul didn't work out, she doesn't have regrets in having formed a relationship with him. Like all of our past relationships with friends and lovers, they'll always be a part of our development and help us understand ourselves better -whether we like it or not. Ella's story shows you that sometimes you have to take risks in order to find your place in the world and that it's never too late to start a new journey.
November 14, 2018
This book should come with a Lactaid or two as it is full of cheese! Cheese, the kind you eat, and cheese, the kind that exists in very very predictable books about love and life in Paris. Oh and the cheesy grin on the reader's face at the climax of the story. But seriously, there is no way a reader won't quickly figure out where the story is going to end up. And just like a wonderful cheese plate, maybe not with every kind of cheese there is in France, the joy is in the journey. Perhaps the best part of this book, other than an amazing celebration of cheese, is that the reader does know where the story will end up and can relax and enjoy the story. So grab some Lactaid, some good quality cheese, a bottle of wine, and enjoy the book!
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Amberjack Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Amberjack Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
September 15, 2018
I have to admit if it were not for the cover of FROMAGE À TROIS I likely would not have picked up the book. Yet I am glad I did because it was a delightful read that I raced through in one afternoon.
Sure, there is a touch of the cliché about a story of a woman who runs away from her life to start over in a new country but the two main things that elevated this book for me was the writing and the subject matter.
This is Victoria Brownlee's debut book and I enjoyed her easy writing style; it's descriptive and engaging.
In terms of subject matter, well it’s set in Paris, a favourite city of mine, and a large focus is on cheese – delicious and decadent French cheese! Several times in the book, people fail to understand Ella’s cheese mission. I had no issues whatsoever. I’ve even bookmarked all the cheeses mentioned so I can try them some time. Now only if I could find myself my own Mr. Cheeseman.
Review copy courtesy of Netgalley
Sure, there is a touch of the cliché about a story of a woman who runs away from her life to start over in a new country but the two main things that elevated this book for me was the writing and the subject matter.
This is Victoria Brownlee's debut book and I enjoyed her easy writing style; it's descriptive and engaging.
In terms of subject matter, well it’s set in Paris, a favourite city of mine, and a large focus is on cheese – delicious and decadent French cheese! Several times in the book, people fail to understand Ella’s cheese mission. I had no issues whatsoever. I’ve even bookmarked all the cheeses mentioned so I can try them some time. Now only if I could find myself my own Mr. Cheeseman.
Review copy courtesy of Netgalley
August 29, 2018
This was such an easy story to read because the main character, Ella, is so likeable. The soon to be 30 Australian shrugs off a broken relationship and heads for France for a year of adventure à la Française! And who can ban blame her? Her former boyfriend of almost a decade has decided he needs to "find himself", a statement that comes as quite a shock when she really expects a marriage proposal.
The idea of returning to live with her mum and carrying on in the same old job drives her to pack up her things and apply for a one-year working visa in France. What's the worst that can happen?
Finding a job is not easy, nor is finding somewhere to live. Life in France is much more expensive than she anticipated, especially in Paris. When she finds a room-share in an upmarket part of the city, she feels she has turned a corner. Sharing the apartment with a mother and son is not ideal, especially as the 40-year-old son seems to develop a crush on her. Another move is on the cards, and a new friend at the coffee shop offers her a solution -and a wonderful one at that.
Fortunately, despite a rocky start, the one constant in her life is cheese. and a bet with the owner of the fromagerie sets her a challenge to try all French cheeses during her year-long stay. This is a challenge she readily accepts, after all she's a cheese-a-holic and there can't be more than a hundred or so, can there?
Ella's life begins to revolve around cheese, but steadily she makes friends, finds a French 'boyfriend' and her job prospects multiply. She is living her dream life. Isn't she?
This is a feel-good story, with believable characters and a gorgeous cheese-filled insight into a Parisian lifestyle. There is romance, deception, fun, family, heartache and love - and more cheese than you can imagine. A really enjoyable light read.
The idea of returning to live with her mum and carrying on in the same old job drives her to pack up her things and apply for a one-year working visa in France. What's the worst that can happen?
Finding a job is not easy, nor is finding somewhere to live. Life in France is much more expensive than she anticipated, especially in Paris. When she finds a room-share in an upmarket part of the city, she feels she has turned a corner. Sharing the apartment with a mother and son is not ideal, especially as the 40-year-old son seems to develop a crush on her. Another move is on the cards, and a new friend at the coffee shop offers her a solution -and a wonderful one at that.
Fortunately, despite a rocky start, the one constant in her life is cheese. and a bet with the owner of the fromagerie sets her a challenge to try all French cheeses during her year-long stay. This is a challenge she readily accepts, after all she's a cheese-a-holic and there can't be more than a hundred or so, can there?
Ella's life begins to revolve around cheese, but steadily she makes friends, finds a French 'boyfriend' and her job prospects multiply. She is living her dream life. Isn't she?
This is a feel-good story, with believable characters and a gorgeous cheese-filled insight into a Parisian lifestyle. There is romance, deception, fun, family, heartache and love - and more cheese than you can imagine. A really enjoyable light read.
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