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Off the Wild Coast of Brittany
An unforgettable story of resilience and resistance set during WWII and present-day France on a secluded island off the coast of Brittany
Natalie Morgen made a name for herself with a memoir about overcoming her harsh childhood after finding a new life in Paris. After falling in love with a classically trained chef, they moved together to his ancestral home, a tiny fishing village off the coast of Brittany.
But then Francois-Xavier breaks things off with her without warning, leaving her flat broke and in the middle of renovating the guesthouse they planned to open for business. Natalie's already struggling when her sister, Alex, shows up unannounced. The sisters form an unlikely partnership to save the guesthouse, reluctantly admitting their secrets to each other as they begin to heal the scars of their shared past.
But the property harbors hidden stories of its own. During World War II, every man of fighting age on the island fled to England to join the Free French forces. The women and children were left on their own...until three hundred German troops took up residence, living side-by-side with the French women on the tiny island for the next several years.
When Natalie and Alex unearth an old cookbook in a hidden cupboard, they find handwritten recipes that reveal old secrets. With the help of locals, the Morgen sisters begin to unravel the relationship between Violette, a young islander whose family ran the guesthouse during WWII, and Rainier, a German military customs official with a devastating secret of his own.
Natalie Morgen made a name for herself with a memoir about overcoming her harsh childhood after finding a new life in Paris. After falling in love with a classically trained chef, they moved together to his ancestral home, a tiny fishing village off the coast of Brittany.
But then Francois-Xavier breaks things off with her without warning, leaving her flat broke and in the middle of renovating the guesthouse they planned to open for business. Natalie's already struggling when her sister, Alex, shows up unannounced. The sisters form an unlikely partnership to save the guesthouse, reluctantly admitting their secrets to each other as they begin to heal the scars of their shared past.
But the property harbors hidden stories of its own. During World War II, every man of fighting age on the island fled to England to join the Free French forces. The women and children were left on their own...until three hundred German troops took up residence, living side-by-side with the French women on the tiny island for the next several years.
When Natalie and Alex unearth an old cookbook in a hidden cupboard, they find handwritten recipes that reveal old secrets. With the help of locals, the Morgen sisters begin to unravel the relationship between Violette, a young islander whose family ran the guesthouse during WWII, and Rainier, a German military customs official with a devastating secret of his own.
464 pages, Paperback
First published March 9, 2021
143 people are currently reading
1589 people want to read
About the author
Juliet Blackwell
41 books2,912 followersJuliet Blackwell (aka Julie Goodson-Lawes, aka Hailey Lind) started out life in Palo Alto, California, born of a Texan mother and a Yankee father. The family soon moved to what were, at the time, the sticks of Cupertino, an hour south of San Francisco. Walking to and from kindergarten every day she would indulge in her earliest larcenous activity: stealing walnuts and apricots from surrounding orchards.
By the time she graduated middle school, the orchards were disappearing and the valley at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay had become the cradle of the silicon semi-conductor. A man named Steve Jobs was working in his garage in Cupertino, just down the street. Juliet's father advised his daughters to enter the lucrative and soon-to-flourish field of computers.
"Bah" said Juliet, as she went on to major in Latin American Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz (they had, by far, the best parties of any department). Rather than making scads of money in computers, she read, painted, learned Spanish and a little French and Vietnamese, lived in Spain and traveled through Europe, Mexico, and Central America. She had a very good time.
Juliet pursued graduate degrees in Anthropology and Social Work at the State University of New York at Albany, where she published several non-fiction articles on immigration as well as one book-length translation. Fascinated with other cultural systems, she studied the religions, folklore and medical beliefs of peoples around the world, especially in Latin America. Juliet taught the anthropology of health and health care at SUNY-Albany, and worked as an elementary school social worker in upstate New York. She also did field projects in Mexico and Cuba, studied in Spain, Italy, and France, worked on a BBC production in the Philippines, taught English as a second language in San Jose, and learned how to faux finish walls in Princeton, New Jersey. After having a son, moving back to California, and abandoning her half-written dissertation in cultural anthropology, Juliet started painting murals and portraits for a living. She has run her own mural/faux finish design studio in Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco, for more than a decade. She specializes in the aesthetic renovation of historic homes.
Finally, to round out her tour of lucrative careers, Juliet turned to writing. Under the pseudonym of Hailey Lind, Juliet penned the Art Lover's Mystery Series with her sister Carolyn, about an ex-art forger trying to go straight by working as a muralist and faux finisher in San Francisco. The first of these, Feint of Art, was nominated for an Agatha Award; Shooting Gallery and Brush with Death were both IMBA bestsellers, and Arsenic and Old Paint is now available from Perseverance Press.
Juliet's Witchcraft Mystery series, about a witch who finally finds a place to fit in when she opens a vintage clothes shop on Haight Street in San Francisco, allows Juliet to indulge yet another interest—the world of witchcraft and the supernatural. Ever since her favorite aunt taught her about reading cards and tea leaves, Juliet has been fascinated with seers, conjurers, and covens from many different cultures and historic traditions. As an anthropologist, the author studied and taught about systems of spirituality, magic, and medicine throughout the world, especially in Latin America. Halloween is by far her favorite holiday.
When not writing, painting, or haranguing her funny but cynical teenaged son, Juliet spends a lot of time restoring her happily haunted house and gardening with Oscar the cat, who ostensibly belongs to the neighbors but won't leave her alone. He started hanging around when Juliet started writing about witches...funny coincidence.
By the time she graduated middle school, the orchards were disappearing and the valley at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay had become the cradle of the silicon semi-conductor. A man named Steve Jobs was working in his garage in Cupertino, just down the street. Juliet's father advised his daughters to enter the lucrative and soon-to-flourish field of computers.
"Bah" said Juliet, as she went on to major in Latin American Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz (they had, by far, the best parties of any department). Rather than making scads of money in computers, she read, painted, learned Spanish and a little French and Vietnamese, lived in Spain and traveled through Europe, Mexico, and Central America. She had a very good time.
Juliet pursued graduate degrees in Anthropology and Social Work at the State University of New York at Albany, where she published several non-fiction articles on immigration as well as one book-length translation. Fascinated with other cultural systems, she studied the religions, folklore and medical beliefs of peoples around the world, especially in Latin America. Juliet taught the anthropology of health and health care at SUNY-Albany, and worked as an elementary school social worker in upstate New York. She also did field projects in Mexico and Cuba, studied in Spain, Italy, and France, worked on a BBC production in the Philippines, taught English as a second language in San Jose, and learned how to faux finish walls in Princeton, New Jersey. After having a son, moving back to California, and abandoning her half-written dissertation in cultural anthropology, Juliet started painting murals and portraits for a living. She has run her own mural/faux finish design studio in Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco, for more than a decade. She specializes in the aesthetic renovation of historic homes.
Finally, to round out her tour of lucrative careers, Juliet turned to writing. Under the pseudonym of Hailey Lind, Juliet penned the Art Lover's Mystery Series with her sister Carolyn, about an ex-art forger trying to go straight by working as a muralist and faux finisher in San Francisco. The first of these, Feint of Art, was nominated for an Agatha Award; Shooting Gallery and Brush with Death were both IMBA bestsellers, and Arsenic and Old Paint is now available from Perseverance Press.
Juliet's Witchcraft Mystery series, about a witch who finally finds a place to fit in when she opens a vintage clothes shop on Haight Street in San Francisco, allows Juliet to indulge yet another interest—the world of witchcraft and the supernatural. Ever since her favorite aunt taught her about reading cards and tea leaves, Juliet has been fascinated with seers, conjurers, and covens from many different cultures and historic traditions. As an anthropologist, the author studied and taught about systems of spirituality, magic, and medicine throughout the world, especially in Latin America. Halloween is by far her favorite holiday.
When not writing, painting, or haranguing her funny but cynical teenaged son, Juliet spends a lot of time restoring her happily haunted house and gardening with Oscar the cat, who ostensibly belongs to the neighbors but won't leave her alone. He started hanging around when Juliet started writing about witches...funny coincidence.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
January 20, 2022
Sisters meeting on an isolated island off the coast of Brittany after not seeing each other for ten years is where we meet Alex and Natalie.
Alex arrived unannounced and didn't tell her sister why.
Natalie was restoring a beautiful home but had to stop because her boyfriend returned to France and wasn’t planning to come back. Natalie is also an author of a popular book about this island and her love life which is now non-existent. She has to worry about the next book which was to be focused on the romance between her and Francois-Xavier.
Both sisters had secrets which they finally shared with each other.
While exploring the house, they found a hidden space in the attic that held an old cookbook, costumes, and beautifully embroidered linens. Why were these things hidden?
We then travel back to the island during WWII and meet the women left to fend for themselves after all the men had gone off to war.
The women weren't alone for long, though, because the Germans invaded the island, lived in their homes, took their food, and gave orders.
The characters will steal your heart and make you want to immediately book a plane to this island to soak up its quaintness.
As you begin to love the characters and the island, the two stories blend together through the cookbook that holds the secrets to the island's past..
A hundred-year-old resident also helped to reveal secrets.
Ms. Blackwell’s writing pulls you in and puts you right into the story line to enjoy what the characters are enjoying and what they are suffering through.
You may even learn some French and learn about French cooking and cooking terms.
If you are a fan of WWII, authors, lovely, isolated islands, hidden spaces, long-kept secrets, and Ms. Blackwell’s books, do not miss OFF THE WILD COAST OF BRITTANY. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Alex arrived unannounced and didn't tell her sister why.
Natalie was restoring a beautiful home but had to stop because her boyfriend returned to France and wasn’t planning to come back. Natalie is also an author of a popular book about this island and her love life which is now non-existent. She has to worry about the next book which was to be focused on the romance between her and Francois-Xavier.
Both sisters had secrets which they finally shared with each other.
While exploring the house, they found a hidden space in the attic that held an old cookbook, costumes, and beautifully embroidered linens. Why were these things hidden?
We then travel back to the island during WWII and meet the women left to fend for themselves after all the men had gone off to war.
The women weren't alone for long, though, because the Germans invaded the island, lived in their homes, took their food, and gave orders.
The characters will steal your heart and make you want to immediately book a plane to this island to soak up its quaintness.
As you begin to love the characters and the island, the two stories blend together through the cookbook that holds the secrets to the island's past..
A hundred-year-old resident also helped to reveal secrets.
Ms. Blackwell’s writing pulls you in and puts you right into the story line to enjoy what the characters are enjoying and what they are suffering through.
You may even learn some French and learn about French cooking and cooking terms.
If you are a fan of WWII, authors, lovely, isolated islands, hidden spaces, long-kept secrets, and Ms. Blackwell’s books, do not miss OFF THE WILD COAST OF BRITTANY. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2021
Brittany revelations!
Natalie Morgen and Alex are sisters who share a weird childhood. Their parents were survivalists and bought their children up to be able to carry on after Armageddon. The two are very different, as seen by the differing nature and abilities during their extreme childhood days.
Natalie becomes a successful blogger and writer of a runaway bestseller, “Pourquoi Pas? A Memoir of Life, Love, and Food.”
She and her love François-Xavier, pronounced Fran-swah Ex-ah-vee-ay (I loved that touch), a gorgeous looking French chef, move to Île de Feme off Brittany’s Côte Sauvage. They plan to renovate his family’s historic guest house and run a gourmet restaurant
When François-Xavier leaves to attend to business in Paris it’s supposed to be only for a short visit— it seems the swine has other ideas!
Nat’s reluctant to let his family know about François-Xavier’s desertion in case they renege on the guesthouse usage deal, especially as all her money has been sunk into getting the business started. Now Nat is facing writer’s block and she needs more funds. She’s panicking. And then the sister she’s had little contact with over the years turns up on her doorstep.
As Nat’s story continues it crosses back to that of a previous daughter of the house Violette Fouquet / Guilcher during World War II. We start to see the history of the island during the occupation. The men leave for England to join the war effort just before the Nazis arrive. The island women are left to handle the invaders. The island fronts a sea lane and is an important link for the German occupation of France.
I found myself completely captivated by the story of both ages as told from the perspective of the three women Nat, Alex and Violette.
The three face very different challenges, yet all are looking to find themselves. Over the years the island is held together by strong females, of Celtic heritage, where wise women and different gods hold sway. These three are sisters under the skin, bound together by their tenacity.
Once again family cookbooks, ignored by the enemy, give the women a way to move invisibly throughout the island during the occupation. And it’s those same recipes and cookbook that will fill the future.
An unusual story that speaks!
A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley
Natalie Morgen and Alex are sisters who share a weird childhood. Their parents were survivalists and bought their children up to be able to carry on after Armageddon. The two are very different, as seen by the differing nature and abilities during their extreme childhood days.
Natalie becomes a successful blogger and writer of a runaway bestseller, “Pourquoi Pas? A Memoir of Life, Love, and Food.”
She and her love François-Xavier, pronounced Fran-swah Ex-ah-vee-ay (I loved that touch), a gorgeous looking French chef, move to Île de Feme off Brittany’s Côte Sauvage. They plan to renovate his family’s historic guest house and run a gourmet restaurant
When François-Xavier leaves to attend to business in Paris it’s supposed to be only for a short visit— it seems the swine has other ideas!
Nat’s reluctant to let his family know about François-Xavier’s desertion in case they renege on the guesthouse usage deal, especially as all her money has been sunk into getting the business started. Now Nat is facing writer’s block and she needs more funds. She’s panicking. And then the sister she’s had little contact with over the years turns up on her doorstep.
As Nat’s story continues it crosses back to that of a previous daughter of the house Violette Fouquet / Guilcher during World War II. We start to see the history of the island during the occupation. The men leave for England to join the war effort just before the Nazis arrive. The island women are left to handle the invaders. The island fronts a sea lane and is an important link for the German occupation of France.
I found myself completely captivated by the story of both ages as told from the perspective of the three women Nat, Alex and Violette.
The three face very different challenges, yet all are looking to find themselves. Over the years the island is held together by strong females, of Celtic heritage, where wise women and different gods hold sway. These three are sisters under the skin, bound together by their tenacity.
Once again family cookbooks, ignored by the enemy, give the women a way to move invisibly throughout the island during the occupation. And it’s those same recipes and cookbook that will fill the future.
An unusual story that speaks!
A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley
March 29, 2023
This quote was mentioned several times in the novel “Life is not fair, and war is worse.”
February 12, 2021
Oh my heavens, this book is going to leave you spinning, but wanting more! It was fabulously written, and you become invested in the characters, each unique personality bringing something to the story. I absolutely loved this one, and will be recommending this one out to read!
February 28, 2021
Off the Wild Coast of Brittany, by Juliet Blackwell, takes readers to a fictional island off the coast of Brittany, Ile de Feme, both in present day and during the occupation of France during World War 2. Told with three narrators, the book tells the story of three women, Natalie, Alex, and Violette and their lives on the “island of women”.
There are many things I enjoyed while reading Off the Wild Coast of Brittany, especially the present-day story of sisters Natalie and Alex. Blackwell does a beautiful job of bringing these two characters to life and showcasing their love for each other. Despite a shared childhood off the grid with their paranoid, doomsday-prepper father, the two women found themselves very different people. When Alex appears on Natalie’s doorstep on Ile de Feme, they find themselves with a chance to be true sisters. Their journey to rediscovering each other and building a strong relationship was the highlight of the book. As they reconnected, their affection and respect for each other, originally based on growing up together, grew into a true sisterly bond and a strong friendship.
It was also the inhabitants of the present-day Ile de Feme that made Off the Wild Coast of Brittany an enjoyable read. They are a true cast of characters from the grumpy restaurant owner to the elderly healer to newcomer Jean-Luc. Together all of these characters made reading the present-day chapters a true joy as Blackwell gave them dynamic personalities that I was eager to get to know.
It was the historical portion of Off the Wild Coast of Brittany that eventually fell flat for me. While Blackwell’s descriptions of the island were lovely, the story of Violette never quite took off and the idea of an “island of women”, whose men left to fight the war, never gained the traction I had hoped it would. Instead, there’s an absence of vitality in Violette’s chapters that I found in Alex and Natalie’s. From Alex and Natalie, we get a sense of expectation as their stories unwind, an eagerness to keep reading. From Violette there was a heaviness that never found purpose.
It’s hard for me to rate this as I loved more than half of it, yet the letdown of the historical portions seems like a huge disappointment. Overall, I give Off the Wild Coast of Brittany 3.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an early copy in exchange for honest feedback.
There are many things I enjoyed while reading Off the Wild Coast of Brittany, especially the present-day story of sisters Natalie and Alex. Blackwell does a beautiful job of bringing these two characters to life and showcasing their love for each other. Despite a shared childhood off the grid with their paranoid, doomsday-prepper father, the two women found themselves very different people. When Alex appears on Natalie’s doorstep on Ile de Feme, they find themselves with a chance to be true sisters. Their journey to rediscovering each other and building a strong relationship was the highlight of the book. As they reconnected, their affection and respect for each other, originally based on growing up together, grew into a true sisterly bond and a strong friendship.
It was also the inhabitants of the present-day Ile de Feme that made Off the Wild Coast of Brittany an enjoyable read. They are a true cast of characters from the grumpy restaurant owner to the elderly healer to newcomer Jean-Luc. Together all of these characters made reading the present-day chapters a true joy as Blackwell gave them dynamic personalities that I was eager to get to know.
It was the historical portion of Off the Wild Coast of Brittany that eventually fell flat for me. While Blackwell’s descriptions of the island were lovely, the story of Violette never quite took off and the idea of an “island of women”, whose men left to fight the war, never gained the traction I had hoped it would. Instead, there’s an absence of vitality in Violette’s chapters that I found in Alex and Natalie’s. From Alex and Natalie, we get a sense of expectation as their stories unwind, an eagerness to keep reading. From Violette there was a heaviness that never found purpose.
It’s hard for me to rate this as I loved more than half of it, yet the letdown of the historical portions seems like a huge disappointment. Overall, I give Off the Wild Coast of Brittany 3.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an early copy in exchange for honest feedback.
May 19, 2021
Honestly, this book should've been about a hundred pages shorter. I was totally bored by the end. Also, the author kind of went off the rails in the end with the whole Nazi homosexual cross dresser plot twist and all the harping on global warming. Just didn't fit very well with the historical fiction part of the book imho.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2022
I enjoyed the charming and melancholic feeling of this island story. Something felt surface layer throughout, although I could feel truth seeping through. It was an interesting experience living in this novel for awhile. I was pleasantly distracted when I wanted to be by a light story, and surprisingly touched at moments of blunt honesty.
April 11, 2021
Looking forward to Juliet Blackwell's next historical fiction. This was excellent!
June 7, 2021
Natalie Morgen has written a book about overcoming her hard childhood growing up in a survivalist family and overcoming all of that. And it looks like she has the perfect life with her Prince Charming in Paris, who is a famous chef.
Natalie and her fiance decide to move to his home growing up, and renovate an old Inn and have a restaurant there as well. The Inn is on an island off the coast of France and a small village.
Meanwhile, Francoise disappears back to Paris with the renovations half done and the rest of her bank account.
Meanwhile, Natalie's sister, Alexandra arrives out of the blue and find Natalie sitting around in a mood, during the middle of the day smoking and drinking, while the hotel renovations are not being done.
Natalie is worried about what to do about money, her new book is not working, her money is gone and now she has a half renovated building in the middle of nowhere to figure out.
Meanwhile, there is a second story about the Nazi occupation of the island during WW2.
The second story comes up since Natalie and Alex find some old cookbooks and items hidden away and are trying to find out what happened during that time.
At the start of the war, all the fighting age men left and the women, children and old folks were left with the German soldiers occupying the island creating food shortages and very difficult times for the islanders.
A bit of history and a story of people helping people in tough times.
Natalie and her fiance decide to move to his home growing up, and renovate an old Inn and have a restaurant there as well. The Inn is on an island off the coast of France and a small village.
Meanwhile, Francoise disappears back to Paris with the renovations half done and the rest of her bank account.
Meanwhile, Natalie's sister, Alexandra arrives out of the blue and find Natalie sitting around in a mood, during the middle of the day smoking and drinking, while the hotel renovations are not being done.
Natalie is worried about what to do about money, her new book is not working, her money is gone and now she has a half renovated building in the middle of nowhere to figure out.
Meanwhile, there is a second story about the Nazi occupation of the island during WW2.
The second story comes up since Natalie and Alex find some old cookbooks and items hidden away and are trying to find out what happened during that time.
At the start of the war, all the fighting age men left and the women, children and old folks were left with the German soldiers occupying the island creating food shortages and very difficult times for the islanders.
A bit of history and a story of people helping people in tough times.
March 24, 2021
This was a really interesting 2 timeline story. In the present 1 sister is living on a small French island pretending that her boyfriend is still with her. She is an author contracted to write a 2nd book about her great romance and renovating an Inn. Unfortunately her boyfriend took off and the Inn is in shambles. Her sister comes to visit but neither tell each other what is really going on. We learn a lot about their interesting childhood as their father was a doomsdayer.
In the past all of the men leave the island to go to England with Charles de Gaulle. The women are left to maintain the island while being occupied by German soldiers.
In the past all of the men leave the island to go to England with Charles de Gaulle. The women are left to maintain the island while being occupied by German soldiers.
July 23, 2023
Historical fiction fans will find themselves swept away to the Brittany coast. Juliet Blackwell's novels are well-researched while crafting a moving storyline. Flawed but quirky protagonists take this novel from reporting on past events to changing lives in the present.
Featuring a dual-linear timeline, the past and present intertwine as both sets of sisters are facing their own battles. The first during Brittany's occupation and the other seeking shelter in the coast's shores. Will learning from the past unlock a brighter future?
Featuring a dual-linear timeline, the past and present intertwine as both sets of sisters are facing their own battles. The first during Brittany's occupation and the other seeking shelter in the coast's shores. Will learning from the past unlock a brighter future?
August 20, 2021
I really enjoyed this book, I loved the location of an island off France and the mix of present day with snippets of life during WWII. I really like how this author has set books in different parts of France, I hope there are more to come.
January 4, 2022
Pourquoi pas?
This book was an easy read even with its darker WW2 historical element. I loved the French and German language mixed in, and the island setting with themes of sisters, secrets and silvers linings was great. I pictured Brittany to be a wilder French version of Mackinac 🛳
This book was an easy read even with its darker WW2 historical element. I loved the French and German language mixed in, and the island setting with themes of sisters, secrets and silvers linings was great. I pictured Brittany to be a wilder French version of Mackinac 🛳
April 3, 2021
I didn't like this book. The modern part of the story was better than the historical parts but I found most of the plot relatively transparent. And the large mystery of the historical part was very unrealistic and fantastical. On thing I just don't understand about historical fiction and television is how there are so many people who "understand" homosexual lifestyle. If there were so many of these "understanding" people why was it illegal? Instead of showing how life really was for LGTBQ people (the few there where) they just fill the pages with people who cover for them and help them along.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2022
3.5 stars. Of what I have read of by Juliet Blackwell, I have thoroughly enjoyed. I did falter at a supposedly native Californian call San Francisco "Frisco", No!!! Other than that, I enjoyed the romance, the dual storylines and the atmosphere of the French island. Definitely a book to escape with.
May 31, 2021
This was trash. I was hopeful for some nerdy historical fiction romance that had minimal substance. But I read it so jokes on me.
March 28, 2021
This is a really good book taking place on an island off the Brittany coast during the German occupation in WWII and present day. It's a nice heartwarming story.
April 7, 2021
My favorite book that I’ve read so far in 2021, my first 5 star rating this year. Do you ever get to the end of the book, close it, and think “how satisfying?” Because that’s how I felt about this book. It took me on a journey with its characters, a journey I wasn’t ready to end, but it gave me a satisfying conclusion to the story for all of the characters.
Natalie is living in a building she’s been planning to open as a hotel. She wrote a motivational book about her life and her fans are invested in how things are going for her. She sold them her story of her happily ever after but it didn’t end there. Now Natalie us living in the run down old building, trying to restore it and nursing a broken heart because her Prince Charming has left her there alone.
Then Alex shows up. Alex is Natalie’s older sister. They haven’t been close but they share their offbeat childhood. I want to mention here that the book might imply that something terribly awful happened to them as kids. Someone might see that and think this book isn’t for then. Avoiding spoilers, I just want to say that the type of weird childhood that Natalie and Alex shared is not likely to be something that happened to most people who read this book. I also don’t think it’ll be upsetting to read.
When Alex shows up, Natalie feels intimidated at first. She feels like she can’t tell her sister how things have gotten in her life. But Alex is very strong and very supportive. She figures out immediately that Natalie needs help and she just immediately starts helping without being asked. I think we all need an Alex in our lives.
They also bring on a boarder who turns into a wonderful character himself.
Flashback to WWII when Violette is living in this building with her family and the German soldiers that have occupied the island. All the men from town have left to fight in the war, the island is almost entirely women and they are trying to take care of themselves and their neighbors through the hardship of war.
Violette meets a soldier named Rainer that becomes an interesting part of her life.
I can’t praise this book enough. I love historical fictional and this one is beautifully done. It’s well written, it’s characters are interesting and lovable, you have no trouble remembering who is who or what time period you are reading, every character brought into the story is given a real part in the book and there was a satisfying ending to the story.
I loved it. This is my favorite book by this author so far and I can’t wait to see what she’ll wrote next.
Natalie is living in a building she’s been planning to open as a hotel. She wrote a motivational book about her life and her fans are invested in how things are going for her. She sold them her story of her happily ever after but it didn’t end there. Now Natalie us living in the run down old building, trying to restore it and nursing a broken heart because her Prince Charming has left her there alone.
Then Alex shows up. Alex is Natalie’s older sister. They haven’t been close but they share their offbeat childhood. I want to mention here that the book might imply that something terribly awful happened to them as kids. Someone might see that and think this book isn’t for then. Avoiding spoilers, I just want to say that the type of weird childhood that Natalie and Alex shared is not likely to be something that happened to most people who read this book. I also don’t think it’ll be upsetting to read.
When Alex shows up, Natalie feels intimidated at first. She feels like she can’t tell her sister how things have gotten in her life. But Alex is very strong and very supportive. She figures out immediately that Natalie needs help and she just immediately starts helping without being asked. I think we all need an Alex in our lives.
They also bring on a boarder who turns into a wonderful character himself.
Flashback to WWII when Violette is living in this building with her family and the German soldiers that have occupied the island. All the men from town have left to fight in the war, the island is almost entirely women and they are trying to take care of themselves and their neighbors through the hardship of war.
Violette meets a soldier named Rainer that becomes an interesting part of her life.
I can’t praise this book enough. I love historical fictional and this one is beautifully done. It’s well written, it’s characters are interesting and lovable, you have no trouble remembering who is who or what time period you are reading, every character brought into the story is given a real part in the book and there was a satisfying ending to the story.
I loved it. This is my favorite book by this author so far and I can’t wait to see what she’ll wrote next.
April 12, 2021
Actually better than expected! A dual timelines WWII historical fiction novel set in a small island community off the Coast of Brittany France. I enjoyed the characters and stories in both timelines equally. It was especially nice to see representation of gay soldiers in WWII and their struggles with being themselves. The present day storyline was a good sisterhood tale and a coming to terms with a physical disability story. Highly recommend for any WWII historical fiction fans in particular fans of The girl from the channel islands.
CW: miscarriage
CW: miscarriage
May 25, 2021
I had high hopes going into this book based upon the synopsis I had read. However I found it to be very disappointing. It took me a week just to read the first 100 pages - I kept putting the book down and quickly lost interest. Once I got past the first 100, I was able to enjoy the story a little more than the beginning. I didn't enjoy the story and found it unbelievable and the characters, for the most part, unlikeable. I gave it 3 stars because I did enjoy the storyline of Alex and Jean-Luc, and enjoyed some of the historical descriptions of life on the island during WWII.
November 28, 2021
an island is the setting of Jennifer Blackwell's novel, Off the Wild Coast of Brittany, which she splits in time. the plot covers present day as well as the war years when the nazis occupied the island of fishermen who take their fishing boats to england to support the resistance under general chas. degaule. the present day plot involves an american author named natalie who comes to ile de femes with her boyfriend and chef born on the island. their plan is to renovate a former residence once occupied by nazis and open it as a hotel offering fine dining. natalie is under pressure to publish a follow-up to her very successful memoir that left off with her romantic departure with her boyfriend to the small island. the boyfriend returns to paris, and alix, natalie's sister, arrives unexpectedly and discovers her baby sister is stuck in a slump. among alix's many skills is that of a building inspector, and she immediately sees natalie needs help prioritizing jobs to get the house ready for occupants in a short period of time. at the same time a retired bureaucrat from paris arrives without room reservations and gladly pays natalie for an unfinished room. jean luc brings a willingness to help do odd jobs which spurs along the renovation progress. alix who introduces the second plot when she begins opening boxes and inspects the attic finding a hidden closet filled with clothing items. thus the lives of the former residents enters the narrative through young violette who lived in the house with her mother. violette is wed but three days before her husband joins the other men of the island leaving behind their families to fight with de gaulle in england. soon violette discovers she is pregnant when the nazis take over their island and nearly starve the locals. violette finds a friend in an officer who notes her pregnancy and arranges more food for her and her mother, the cook and housekeeper for many of the soldiers. both violette and rainer the officer harbor secrets that bind their friendship. to the others it appears they share a romantic relationship, but each seeks to keep peace and make the best of a bad situation. the women aren't allowed to be in groups bigger than three people, and they have to carry identification papers with them wherever they may go on the tiny island. without their husbands supplying the fish for their meals, the women and children must comb the beaches for clams and other shells and the seaweed to supplement their meals. the rations divvied out by the nazis are subject to confiscation by the soldiers who are well-fed. the women discover that exchanging recipes offers a means to communicate among themselves because the soldiers do not challenge what is in a woman's cookbook. coded messages are thus circulated among the women.
though natalie has recognition among the current islanders because of her boyfriend and the fact she can speak french, it is alix who has an ease with the strangers and connects effortlessly with them. mystery surrounds the history of the old house, and the juxtaposition of the two time-lines offers the reader the first clues in unlocking some of the mysteries. natalie with the help of alix must earn the trust of a cantankerous old woman who was a 13 year old apprentice to the island midwife during the occupation.
what's it like to be a soldier and occupy an island of all women and children? what's it like to be a mother of small children and watch them go hungry? what's it like to hide behind secrets?
though natalie has recognition among the current islanders because of her boyfriend and the fact she can speak french, it is alix who has an ease with the strangers and connects effortlessly with them. mystery surrounds the history of the old house, and the juxtaposition of the two time-lines offers the reader the first clues in unlocking some of the mysteries. natalie with the help of alix must earn the trust of a cantankerous old woman who was a 13 year old apprentice to the island midwife during the occupation.
what's it like to be a soldier and occupy an island of all women and children? what's it like to be a mother of small children and watch them go hungry? what's it like to hide behind secrets?
December 1, 2022
Content warnings: war, Nazis, miscarriage, butchering animals, affair, loss of eyesight
Violette Fouquet is a native of the Île de Feme, a French fishing village off the coast of Brittany. When World War II starts, the men leave to fight alongside the British and the women and children are left on the island. Nazi soldiers are eventually stationed on the Île de Feme, making an already hard life more difficult for the women on the island. Without boats, there is no fishing and without fishing, there is no food. The hearty island women will do what they must to survive.
Violette's unexpected ally is a German customs officer named Rainier who helps her by giving her extra food and delivering her letters that are confiscated by the Nazis. Through him, Violette realizes that not all Germans are Nazis and that some Germans also oppose the Nazi regime. Rainier is carrying secrets that could mean his death at the hands of the Nazis, and confiding in Violette eases his mind.
In the present day, Natalie Morgen has moved to the island with her boyfriend François-Xavier. Natalie's memoir details her life in France and her romance with the French chef. The couple returns to François-Xavier's hometown of Île de Feme and plans to renovate the guesthouse Violette's family ran during the war. To an outsider, her life is perfect.
But Natalie's life is a shambles. François-Xavier has left her and gone to Paris and she can't let the islanders know in case they kick her out of the guesthouse. Natalie's sister Alex shows up unexpectedly, and Natalie must eventually tell her what has happened and deal with her traumatic childhood. But Alex is hiding secrets of her own...
Both the WWII and present-day stories are interesting and separate, with the guesthouse being the common thread between the women. In many dual timeline stories, one arc is typically more interesting than the other. The women's stories are all compelling for different reasons and will keep the reader turning the pages.
Recommended for fans of historical fiction and women's fiction.
Notes: The Île de Feme is fictional, but based on the real Île de Sein.
There is an instance where a character says going blind is "worse than death" which some readers may find hurtful.
Representation: gay man, war widow, transgender side character, blind person
I received an electronic galley copy of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I received a digital audio recording of this title from Penguin Random House Audio as a librarian review copy. I read the latter edition.
Read the review here: https://guenevol.wixsite.com/novelmav...
Violette Fouquet is a native of the Île de Feme, a French fishing village off the coast of Brittany. When World War II starts, the men leave to fight alongside the British and the women and children are left on the island. Nazi soldiers are eventually stationed on the Île de Feme, making an already hard life more difficult for the women on the island. Without boats, there is no fishing and without fishing, there is no food. The hearty island women will do what they must to survive.
Violette's unexpected ally is a German customs officer named Rainier who helps her by giving her extra food and delivering her letters that are confiscated by the Nazis. Through him, Violette realizes that not all Germans are Nazis and that some Germans also oppose the Nazi regime. Rainier is carrying secrets that could mean his death at the hands of the Nazis, and confiding in Violette eases his mind.
In the present day, Natalie Morgen has moved to the island with her boyfriend François-Xavier. Natalie's memoir details her life in France and her romance with the French chef. The couple returns to François-Xavier's hometown of Île de Feme and plans to renovate the guesthouse Violette's family ran during the war. To an outsider, her life is perfect.
But Natalie's life is a shambles. François-Xavier has left her and gone to Paris and she can't let the islanders know in case they kick her out of the guesthouse. Natalie's sister Alex shows up unexpectedly, and Natalie must eventually tell her what has happened and deal with her traumatic childhood. But Alex is hiding secrets of her own...
Both the WWII and present-day stories are interesting and separate, with the guesthouse being the common thread between the women. In many dual timeline stories, one arc is typically more interesting than the other. The women's stories are all compelling for different reasons and will keep the reader turning the pages.
Recommended for fans of historical fiction and women's fiction.
Notes: The Île de Feme is fictional, but based on the real Île de Sein.
There is an instance where a character says going blind is "worse than death" which some readers may find hurtful.
Representation: gay man, war widow, transgender side character, blind person
I received an electronic galley copy of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I received a digital audio recording of this title from Penguin Random House Audio as a librarian review copy. I read the latter edition.
Read the review here: https://guenevol.wixsite.com/novelmav...
April 25, 2021
For fans of Jenny Lecoat’s “The Girl from the Channel Islands.”
This story takes places on a fictional island, Ile de Feme, off the coast of France’s Brittany region, the part of France that sticks out like a thumb into the Atlantic Ocean. It has one of my favorite plot devices too, dueling timelines.
Most of the book is centered in present day. Natalie Morgen is a best-selling memoirist. In fact, people travel to the island (accessible only by boat) just to catch a glimpse of her or have their picture taken with her. But Natalie’s like isn’t going according to plan.
Her partner, Francoise-Xavier, had abandoned her to return to Paris. There he plans to open a new restaurant. But on the Ile de Feme, Natalie is left with a guest house that is stuck in a partial rehab. He has absconded with their bank account, leaving Natalie almost penniless. She is thinking of chucking the whole thing and heading, well, she isn’t sure where. Fortuantely, her sister, Alex, arrives. She is a great handywoman and pitches in to help get some of the basic repairs done.
The two sisters have never really been close, but this affords them the opportunity to get to know each other.
Alex and Natalie find an old cookbook, more like a journal, in a concealed cupboard. It once belonged to a young woman named Violette, who has some interesting things to share. One is that she marries a man named Mark, who is besotted with her, yet she is in love with his brother, Salvatore. Quite the dilemma!
When the Nazis occupy France, all the men on the island take their fishing boats and head for England to join de Gaulle and the Free French. The women are left to fend for themselves. The Germans take over the entire island and many of the men are billeted in the islanders homes. Violette’s home is no exception, and she becomes friendly with Rainier, a military customs officer. As food becomes evermore scarce, Rainier helps out Violette and her parents obtain the necessary food supplies to keep them alive.
As much as this book is about relationships, it also about secrets. Everyone, past and present. on Ile de Feme has a secret---Violette, Rainier, Natalie and Alex.
Off the Wild Coast of Brittany is a good read. I loved the descriptions of the scenery, but I hated the abundance of French words that the author used that was overkill in my opinion. Therefore, receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
This story takes places on a fictional island, Ile de Feme, off the coast of France’s Brittany region, the part of France that sticks out like a thumb into the Atlantic Ocean. It has one of my favorite plot devices too, dueling timelines.
Most of the book is centered in present day. Natalie Morgen is a best-selling memoirist. In fact, people travel to the island (accessible only by boat) just to catch a glimpse of her or have their picture taken with her. But Natalie’s like isn’t going according to plan.
Her partner, Francoise-Xavier, had abandoned her to return to Paris. There he plans to open a new restaurant. But on the Ile de Feme, Natalie is left with a guest house that is stuck in a partial rehab. He has absconded with their bank account, leaving Natalie almost penniless. She is thinking of chucking the whole thing and heading, well, she isn’t sure where. Fortuantely, her sister, Alex, arrives. She is a great handywoman and pitches in to help get some of the basic repairs done.
The two sisters have never really been close, but this affords them the opportunity to get to know each other.
Alex and Natalie find an old cookbook, more like a journal, in a concealed cupboard. It once belonged to a young woman named Violette, who has some interesting things to share. One is that she marries a man named Mark, who is besotted with her, yet she is in love with his brother, Salvatore. Quite the dilemma!
When the Nazis occupy France, all the men on the island take their fishing boats and head for England to join de Gaulle and the Free French. The women are left to fend for themselves. The Germans take over the entire island and many of the men are billeted in the islanders homes. Violette’s home is no exception, and she becomes friendly with Rainier, a military customs officer. As food becomes evermore scarce, Rainier helps out Violette and her parents obtain the necessary food supplies to keep them alive.
As much as this book is about relationships, it also about secrets. Everyone, past and present. on Ile de Feme has a secret---Violette, Rainier, Natalie and Alex.
Off the Wild Coast of Brittany is a good read. I loved the descriptions of the scenery, but I hated the abundance of French words that the author used that was overkill in my opinion. Therefore, receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
April 24, 2021
Juliet Blackwell modeled her fictional island, Ile de Feme, after a fishing island in the region of Brittany. Relying upon supplies carried by boat from the mainland required some forethought and planning for the inhabitants of the island. But planning is something Natalie has always been good at. Raised in a survivalist home, she had learned to plan for every eventuality except one: losing the love of her life.
Natalie had been drawn to the island by dreams of opening a guesthouse with one of the island's native sons. Their plans to renovate and offer a top-notch lodging and dining experience had been all she had thought about. Their idyllic location and love story had helped her pen a best-selling novel which painted her life as all sunshine and roses. The absence of Natalie's boyfriend, however, creates an awkward situation for Natalie whose publisher is waiting for a sequel to her first book's success.
And then Natalie's sister, Alex, turns up unexpectedly. She is curious about the experiences Natalie has written about. And although they shared an unusual childhood, they took very different paths. Natalie is too ashamed to admit that she was jilted and tries to make excuses to her sister and the islanders. Alex, not one to let any grass grow beneath her feet, dives into the renovations with gusto. Through the work, the sisters develop a greater appreciation for each other.
Although the guesthouse is far from ready for guests, a desperate visitor begs to stay and he soon makes himself useful as a friend. Jean-Luc has his own hurts and disappointments but offers a fresh perspective on life and loss that encourages the sisters to live life more fully.
Woven throughout the story are characters that lived on the island during World War II. Readers will be fascinated by the lengths islanders went to defy the Nazi occupiers. And as Natalie seeks to learn about the events from the past, she learns to be honest and vulnerable with others and finds the courage to forge a new path for herself.
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Off the Wild Coast of Brittany from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.
Natalie had been drawn to the island by dreams of opening a guesthouse with one of the island's native sons. Their plans to renovate and offer a top-notch lodging and dining experience had been all she had thought about. Their idyllic location and love story had helped her pen a best-selling novel which painted her life as all sunshine and roses. The absence of Natalie's boyfriend, however, creates an awkward situation for Natalie whose publisher is waiting for a sequel to her first book's success.
And then Natalie's sister, Alex, turns up unexpectedly. She is curious about the experiences Natalie has written about. And although they shared an unusual childhood, they took very different paths. Natalie is too ashamed to admit that she was jilted and tries to make excuses to her sister and the islanders. Alex, not one to let any grass grow beneath her feet, dives into the renovations with gusto. Through the work, the sisters develop a greater appreciation for each other.
Although the guesthouse is far from ready for guests, a desperate visitor begs to stay and he soon makes himself useful as a friend. Jean-Luc has his own hurts and disappointments but offers a fresh perspective on life and loss that encourages the sisters to live life more fully.
Woven throughout the story are characters that lived on the island during World War II. Readers will be fascinated by the lengths islanders went to defy the Nazi occupiers. And as Natalie seeks to learn about the events from the past, she learns to be honest and vulnerable with others and finds the courage to forge a new path for herself.
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Off the Wild Coast of Brittany from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.
August 16, 2021
A story about secrets and courage.
We first see Île de Feme with Natalie, a successful author with a book that's so popular that readers specifically make the journey to the remote island to meet her. Unfortunately, the ending of her book promises a life that is unlike the one Natalie is currently living, and we see Natalie struggle with how to write the sequel that she's already been given an advance for. She's also in the midst of very large renovations for the guest-house she volunteered to help run, Bag-Noz, which is (a) in utter disrepair and (b) supposed to open in less than 2 months for the annual summer festival.
One of the readers who visits Île de Feme is none other than one of Natalie's sisters, Alex. Unlike Natalie, who never seemed to fit in with her father's ("The Commander") Doomsday prepping plans, Alex excelled at all the skills she needed to master. She takes one look at the guest house, and starts planning how to fix it in time for the festival. Alex throws herself into the renovations and island life, in part because she seems to be running from something. Throughout the book, we see her and Natalie reconnect and open up, not only about their childhood and past, but also their present.
Interwoven through their story is the story of Violette, a young woman on the island during World War II, who has her own secrets. German soldiers are soon stationed on the island, and Violette and the other island women are forced to live side-by-side with the enemy. Rainier, one such soldier, is billeted in Violette and her mother's house, and the two strike a friendship - one that's met with suspicion on all sides. Together, they forge a shaky path forward.
This book was told in alternating perspectives, between Alex, Natalie, and Violette. The vivid imagery and lively characters of Île de Feme kept the book interesting, even when the plot seemed to drag in a few places.
We first see Île de Feme with Natalie, a successful author with a book that's so popular that readers specifically make the journey to the remote island to meet her. Unfortunately, the ending of her book promises a life that is unlike the one Natalie is currently living, and we see Natalie struggle with how to write the sequel that she's already been given an advance for. She's also in the midst of very large renovations for the guest-house she volunteered to help run, Bag-Noz, which is (a) in utter disrepair and (b) supposed to open in less than 2 months for the annual summer festival.
One of the readers who visits Île de Feme is none other than one of Natalie's sisters, Alex. Unlike Natalie, who never seemed to fit in with her father's ("The Commander") Doomsday prepping plans, Alex excelled at all the skills she needed to master. She takes one look at the guest house, and starts planning how to fix it in time for the festival. Alex throws herself into the renovations and island life, in part because she seems to be running from something. Throughout the book, we see her and Natalie reconnect and open up, not only about their childhood and past, but also their present.
Interwoven through their story is the story of Violette, a young woman on the island during World War II, who has her own secrets. German soldiers are soon stationed on the island, and Violette and the other island women are forced to live side-by-side with the enemy. Rainier, one such soldier, is billeted in Violette and her mother's house, and the two strike a friendship - one that's met with suspicion on all sides. Together, they forge a shaky path forward.
This book was told in alternating perspectives, between Alex, Natalie, and Violette. The vivid imagery and lively characters of Île de Feme kept the book interesting, even when the plot seemed to drag in a few places.
July 10, 2024
Off the Wild Coast of Brittany is a wonderfully told story of change and the strength needed to adapt to life’s changes. This story reinforces that life does change, and those changes can come from many outside forces, such as war, illness, love and love lost, and the beliefs of others being forced upon a child/family/community. It can also come from within, such as the realization that you are no longer the person that others see you as being, the internal longing to be somewhere different and to experience a different life, and the understanding of who you are truly meant to be.
These changes can be daunting and it can take great strength, an unknown strength, to live through them and to overcome them, to decide whether to embrace the change and grow or run from those changes and never live the life you are meant to live.
Off the Wild Coast of Brittany tells us about the changes Natalie, Alex, Jean-Luc, Violette, Rainer, and those inhabitants of Ile de Feme must face and the growth they experience as they learn to embrace the life they have lived, their current life, and the life they are seeking to live after facing extraordinary changes.
We also learn about the secrets each character struggles with keeping and how finally relinquishing these secrets helps them to build bonds needed to make it through the changes they are faced with and live the life they so desperately long for.
There are so many aspects that I really loved about this story and it is so well-written. It perfectly joins the stories of each character’s life even though there are two different time periods depicted throughout the story. The imagery is written in a manner that allows the reader to imagine the island and its pathways, its stores and restaurants, and the inhabitants of the island. The WWII accounts told throughout provide a perspective not often seen while highlighting the importance and strength of women of this time and the challenges they faced.
These changes can be daunting and it can take great strength, an unknown strength, to live through them and to overcome them, to decide whether to embrace the change and grow or run from those changes and never live the life you are meant to live.
Off the Wild Coast of Brittany tells us about the changes Natalie, Alex, Jean-Luc, Violette, Rainer, and those inhabitants of Ile de Feme must face and the growth they experience as they learn to embrace the life they have lived, their current life, and the life they are seeking to live after facing extraordinary changes.
We also learn about the secrets each character struggles with keeping and how finally relinquishing these secrets helps them to build bonds needed to make it through the changes they are faced with and live the life they so desperately long for.
There are so many aspects that I really loved about this story and it is so well-written. It perfectly joins the stories of each character’s life even though there are two different time periods depicted throughout the story. The imagery is written in a manner that allows the reader to imagine the island and its pathways, its stores and restaurants, and the inhabitants of the island. The WWII accounts told throughout provide a perspective not often seen while highlighting the importance and strength of women of this time and the challenges they faced.
April 25, 2021
Juliet Blackwell (The Vineyards of Champagne) is highly skilled at writing in dual time periods, and her latest is no exception. In present-day France, on Ile de Feme off the coast of Brittany, author Natalie Morgen is working on renovating an old island home, Bag-Noz, into a guesthouse when her boyfriend Francois-Xavier abruptly moves to Paris. Natalie is now alone and without the financial resources to continue the renovations, and she believes that her popularity on social media will wane when her followers discover her breakup with Francois-Xavier.
Natalie is surprised when her sister Alex shows up on the island, as she has not seen Alex in almost 10 years. Alex, who harbors some of her own secrets, has followed Natalie’s literary success resulting from Natalie’s memoir about her upbringing with a survivalist father. As Alex works to help Natalie continue the renovations, she and Natalie form a tenuous bond which includes tourist Jean-Luc Quenneville who rents a room at Bag-Noz. https://sherimelnick.wordpress.com/20...
When Natalie and Alex find an old cookbook and photographs at Bag-Noz, they become interested in the home’s history, especially about the events occurring during World War II when German soldiers occupied the island.
Blackwell alternates present-day events with the tension-filled days of the German occupation of the island, gradually revealing the secrets of Bag-Noz when Violette lived there and how the islanders survived with little food and the ever-present threat of the German soldiers. Fans of historical fiction, especially that which focuses on alternate time periods, will be entranced from the very first page.
Natalie is surprised when her sister Alex shows up on the island, as she has not seen Alex in almost 10 years. Alex, who harbors some of her own secrets, has followed Natalie’s literary success resulting from Natalie’s memoir about her upbringing with a survivalist father. As Alex works to help Natalie continue the renovations, she and Natalie form a tenuous bond which includes tourist Jean-Luc Quenneville who rents a room at Bag-Noz. https://sherimelnick.wordpress.com/20...
When Natalie and Alex find an old cookbook and photographs at Bag-Noz, they become interested in the home’s history, especially about the events occurring during World War II when German soldiers occupied the island.
Blackwell alternates present-day events with the tension-filled days of the German occupation of the island, gradually revealing the secrets of Bag-Noz when Violette lived there and how the islanders survived with little food and the ever-present threat of the German soldiers. Fans of historical fiction, especially that which focuses on alternate time periods, will be entranced from the very first page.
May 3, 2021
A ferry crossing the choppy Atlantic from France’s Wild Coast of Brittany, Côte Sauvage, shuttles tourists onto the docks along the rocky shore of the island known as Île de Feme. Juliet Blackwell artfully guides readers from the dock on the present-day island with touristy souvenir shops and pubs with Wi-Fi to the seaweed covered steps of the lighthouse guarded by Nazi soldiers in July 1940.
Only a few steps from the dock sits the ancient three-story stone house Natalie Morgen is supposed to be renovating into a quaint guesthouse & restaurant with her famous boyfriend-chef, Francois-Xavier. The “pie in the sky” plans of Natalie, best-selling memoir author and social media sensation, have gone awry. The sudden & mysterious arrival of older sister, Alex, not seen for 10 years, adds to her financial stress and lack of writing “oomph.” The sisters, raised in a survivalist compound in California, have certainly survived but with their own set of emotional and physical issues to face. Juliet Blackwell expertly weaves current issues facing Nat, Alex and women today with the women on the Île de Feme in 1940. Based on Général de Gaul’s exhortation, all the men of fighting age sailed to England to join the Free French Forces fighting the Nazi invasion of France, while 300 Germans occupied the island. Violette, a young islander, introduces readers to the legend of the Gallizenae, the herbs and cures of the village healer, the German invasion of the island and how the women survived. Juliet Blackwell’s Off the Wild Coast of Brittany, presented in dual timeline with three narrators, examines the themes of allegiance to one’s country and family values, life altering physical conditions, isolation, independence and self-worth. An “island” view of World War II.
Only a few steps from the dock sits the ancient three-story stone house Natalie Morgen is supposed to be renovating into a quaint guesthouse & restaurant with her famous boyfriend-chef, Francois-Xavier. The “pie in the sky” plans of Natalie, best-selling memoir author and social media sensation, have gone awry. The sudden & mysterious arrival of older sister, Alex, not seen for 10 years, adds to her financial stress and lack of writing “oomph.” The sisters, raised in a survivalist compound in California, have certainly survived but with their own set of emotional and physical issues to face. Juliet Blackwell expertly weaves current issues facing Nat, Alex and women today with the women on the Île de Feme in 1940. Based on Général de Gaul’s exhortation, all the men of fighting age sailed to England to join the Free French Forces fighting the Nazi invasion of France, while 300 Germans occupied the island. Violette, a young islander, introduces readers to the legend of the Gallizenae, the herbs and cures of the village healer, the German invasion of the island and how the women survived. Juliet Blackwell’s Off the Wild Coast of Brittany, presented in dual timeline with three narrators, examines the themes of allegiance to one’s country and family values, life altering physical conditions, isolation, independence and self-worth. An “island” view of World War II.
June 3, 2021
Natalie and Alex are two of five sisters who were raised as survivalists by their strict, eccentric parents. Natalie left home as soon as she could and wrote a book about her experiences that became a best seller. She came to Ile de Feme, a tiny island off the coast of Brittany (France) to restore a guest house with her lover and to start another memoir detailing that process, but her boyfriend tired of her and moved to Paris to open a restaurant with another woman, leaving her with an unfinished renovation and a lack of funds.
Alex stayed with her parents longer but finally became disillusioned and traveled to the island to be with Natalie and for a change of environment. Neither sister at first suspects that the other might have a secret she hasn't shared. For me, hearing about island life--"if you didn't bring it with you, you weren't likely to find it here"--was the highlight of the book/ Natalie and Alex are characters with depth, who developed throughout the book.
The other timeline was World War II, when the island was occupied by German soldiers. Violette was a young, pregnant wife with a crush on her brother-in-law, whose new husband, along with most of the able-bodied island men, joined the French army to fight in the war. This part of the story focused on Violette who, along with all of the other adult women, wore a long black dress and distinctive headdress every day, and one particular German soldier with whom she struck up a special friendship.
Although this was not my favorite Blackwell novel, I felt it was well worth reading.
Alex stayed with her parents longer but finally became disillusioned and traveled to the island to be with Natalie and for a change of environment. Neither sister at first suspects that the other might have a secret she hasn't shared. For me, hearing about island life--"if you didn't bring it with you, you weren't likely to find it here"--was the highlight of the book/ Natalie and Alex are characters with depth, who developed throughout the book.
The other timeline was World War II, when the island was occupied by German soldiers. Violette was a young, pregnant wife with a crush on her brother-in-law, whose new husband, along with most of the able-bodied island men, joined the French army to fight in the war. This part of the story focused on Violette who, along with all of the other adult women, wore a long black dress and distinctive headdress every day, and one particular German soldier with whom she struck up a special friendship.
Although this was not my favorite Blackwell novel, I felt it was well worth reading.
June 10, 2021
Natalie Morgen has written a memoir about how she had overcome the harsh upbringing and now was living her dream, in love with a famous chef and working with him to rebuild a guest house that had been left to ruin on a small island off the shore of Brittany. While it was true when the book was published, her chef has left her and taken all her money. She's penniless and the guesthouse still is far from being open. The house isn't even hers, it's owned by family members of Xavier and she's afraid to admit what has actually happened. While she sits in the patio one bright sunny afternoon trying to figure out what she is going to do, her older sister, Alex shows up. Alex who could do no wrong in their father's eyes. She could repair or build anything and when she looks around the guesthouse, she comes to the conclusion, she can help Natalie. But Natalie doesn't really know why she is there, Alex isn't forthcoming.
Then a middle aged man appears on the island looking for a place to stay and Natalie reluctantly agrees he can stay in the guest house as long as he is aware it's a work in progress.
Natalie's editor is looking for her next book but Natalie doesn't know what to write, certainly can't write what is happening to her fairy tale ending because it's anything but!
When Natalie and Alex discover an old cookbook and learn a bit about the history of the island, they are intrigued. During WWII, the men all left the island to fight in the French Resistance and the Germans took over the island.
Lots going on in the story which kept me intrigued.
Then a middle aged man appears on the island looking for a place to stay and Natalie reluctantly agrees he can stay in the guest house as long as he is aware it's a work in progress.
Natalie's editor is looking for her next book but Natalie doesn't know what to write, certainly can't write what is happening to her fairy tale ending because it's anything but!
When Natalie and Alex discover an old cookbook and learn a bit about the history of the island, they are intrigued. During WWII, the men all left the island to fight in the French Resistance and the Germans took over the island.
Lots going on in the story which kept me intrigued.
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