The secrets of sainte madeleine

by Tilly Bagshawe

Sweeping through the 1920s to WWII and beyond, this is the story of the Salignac family – the loves that bind them, the secrets that threaten to divide them, and the chateau that will always call them home.

Deep in the French countryside, inside the walls of a family chateau, a remarkable legacy awaits . . .

From the international bestselling author comes an escapist, glamorous tale spanning generations & sweeping from Burgundy to Greece and beyond . . .

ONE FAMILY - THREE GENERATIONS
SOME SECRETS NEVER DIE . . .

Elise would do anything to inherit Sainte Madeleine, the vineyard that’s been home to the Salignacs for generations. Only Laurent Senard, a distant cousin, is a rival for her heart – yet when a family rift sends her on a new and dangerous path, she risks losing them both . . .

Alexandre, Elise’s brother, can’t bear to see their capricious father put the vineyard – and Alex's birthright – in jeopardy. He leaves to carve out his own fortune in the rich hills of Napa, California. But will turning his back on the chateau be his biggest mistake?

Laurent Senard’s love for Elise was planted at Sainte Madeleine long ago. But with the shadow of war sweeping over Europe, Laurent must leave France to fight. Through the years of longing, secrecy and tragedy that follow, he vows to find his way back – if only it isn’t too late . . .

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary

512 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2022

About the author

Matilda Emily N. Bagshawe was born on 12 June 1973 in England, UK. She attended local all-girls Catholic schools near her family home in Surrey. She was a single mother at 17, but she won a place at Cambridge University and took Persephone, her ten-month-old baby daughter with her. As a journalist, she went on to enjoy a successful career in London, and contributed regularly to The Sunday Times, Daily Mail and Evening Standard, before turning her hand to novels. Her first book, Adored as Tilly Bagshawe, was a smash hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 2005, and she hasn't looked back since.

Tilly is married Robin Nydes, a US businessman, and the couple have two sons together, Zac and Theo. The family divide their time between their homes in London and Los Angeles. Tilly is also the sister of the writer and politician Louise Bagshawe.

Reviews

[Pattie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each time I picked this book up I was so excited to be reading it! As you might guess…it’s been awhile since I’ve actually enjoyed reading a book as much as this one!

Thanks, Tilly!

[Pheadra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this through my online book club and must admit it was a struggle to keep reading. Starting in the 1920s and spanning over 50 years this family saga filled with despicable characters and implausible incidents not to mention more deaths than a serial killer crime story, failed to engage me.  I lost interest early on and felt the story was at least 20% too long. I found the storytelling waned between being overly simplistic and overly melodramatic but the good news is not everyone felt similarly and there were readers who loved it. 2 and a half stars.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starting in the 1920s and spanning over 50 years, THE SECRETS OF SAINTE MADELEINE sizzles with its tale of lost love and second chances. It introduces the Salignac clan who are proud owners of a rich vineyard in Burgundy, France. When the goings get tough early on into the story, the egotistic, irresponsible alcoholic patriarch has no choice but to sell off the many farms around the vineyard, a decision that does not bode well for the family, especially the middle son who ends up making a fast getaway to the States. Soon the younger daughter follows suit, landing up in Paris, eventually marrying a wealthy but domineering Greek playboy whom she comes to hate. That leaves the introverted and misunderstood older son who just happens to be gay and who finds himself having the hots for the local priest. All this is just a smidge of what awaits the reader. Add an impossible love affair between a French woman and a Nazi officer, the lost of a child from a fatal disease, the execution of a wannabe lover for high treason... and you got yourself one juicy family saga you won’t want to miss.

Tilly Bagshawe has certainly made a thorough research, since the novel is filled with many insightful historical moments (mostly of war and politics) which naturally add a touch of realism to the already engaging plot and subplots. As expected, the narrative is top notch, as are the characters who may be abundant in supply but always remain authentic and transparent. Even the chateau of Sainte Madeleine is a character on its own, with its magnificent splendor; the many acres of vineyard surrounding it and its in-book alliance to The Legend of the Butterfly allegory (beautifully told, I might add). Suffice to say the reader is in good hands with this epic, well-paced, fascinating novel. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

For a fuller review: https://sleaze-factor.blogspot.com/20...

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable but very long.
50 years between the Salignac and Seward families over the place of Sainte Madeleine.
This novel moves very slowly. It does cover a lot of topics though: from Love, Death, Betrayal, Family.

The characters are likeable mostly. Overall it is a peaceful read but the pace of this read does not suit me.

Review: https://clife.blog/2023/01/30/book-re...

[Karen Farrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fabulous book which spans many decades and follows the lives of, predominantly, the Salignac family. It is a true family saga with the ups and downs of life and the effects on each family member. The main female character, Elise, had me shouting and screaming at her (obviously in my head) for her incredibly selfish and childish ways and then absolutely rooting for her and on the verge of tears when things were bad. The story had some great highs and lows but was a good read and I wanted to carry on reading to find out what happened. I am hoping that there may be a follow up to this book which follows the younger members of the family and the fortunes of Sainte Madeleine

[Marjan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat een heerlijk boek , Bourgogne , wijn , romantiek , oorlog … ik heb genoten

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A family saga than spans 50 years. Full of deceit, betrayal and love. I felt it was a bit longer than necessary as it didn’t seem to decrease in pages as I read! I needed a bit more to keep me engaged as some parts felt like a chore to read.

[Nicola Mackenzie-Smaller · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.
This is a chunky, family drama set over 50 years of a wine-making family’s life in Burgundy and California.
Sainte Madeleine is the family chateau, and exerts a passion in its inhabitants which drives them to make some very dramatic decisions. This book is well-written but stuffed full of family saga tropes (doomed love, tragic accidents, misunderstandings on a ridiculous level) which drive the story forward but might leave the more cynical reader rolling their eyes. For the most part, I like a family drama and enjoyed this, though found myself irritated by the author’s treatment of the gay brother’s relationship with the village priest, after which he was basically imprisoned in an asylum.
The settings are lovely, the historical background explored to about the right level for this type of book, and plenty of things to enjoy if family sagas are your bag.
Read with The Pigeonhole.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
For the most part an enjoyable read but I felt it was too long and drawn out.
This spans fifty years of the Salignac and Senard families and Sainte Madeleine.
War, death, love and betrayal, this family saga has it all.
Most of the characters are likeable but there is one particular person who grated on me with their selfishness and sense of entitlement who was prepared to trample over others on their quest to get what they wanted.
Read over 11 days with my bookclub Pigeonhole, many thanks and to the author for sharing her work.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing beats a family saga that sprawls generations…this was a fantastic read set in the vineyards of Burgundy & Napa.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a fan, I thought it had promise but I got quite annoyed with the writing choices. As it is set over a wide period with many different characters it tends to skip over what should be quite traumatic events quite quickly, one minute someone is dying, the next everyone is over it. This meant for me that I couldn't really care for the characters and there are a few wives who just tend to agree with everything their husbands say as there just isn't time for any conflict, which made them seem rather one dimensional. Another character who should have had a storyline was just forgotten about for most of the story as he wasn't convenient, and that was the pattern for most of the book, people dying conviently to suit the plot. I think if you can overlook the flaws it would be the kind of book that you might pick up on holiday, and the descriptions of wine making and the setting is nice, I just felt like I needed it slowed down and shortened rather than it being at breakneck speed and very long.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly recommend this book. A family saga over three generations set in France, London, USA and Greece before and after WW2.. The characters were engaging, the story engrossing and culminated in a satisfying ending.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though it took me a while to get into this book it did present the full effects of family drama and dysfunction and all the ways we try to compensate for these situations. Without getting in to a whole review of the family, suffice to say there were some partings and comings together in ways that worked and in other ways that didn't. Always the main focus was the Villa called Sainte Madeleine and the vineyards in France which was the family home. How that was home, changed over the years but there was always a yearning for Sainte Madeleine and to be a part of it.
The story holds a lot of generational family dysfunction with the trials and tribulations and dramas that take so many twists and turns. Some expected some not. Through it all Sainte Madeleine was always home and the place to be.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read 80% of the book and so far I just am finding most of the characters very forgettable. I am hoping the last 20% at least brings my reading review up to a 3 star. The story its self is interesting but it lacks the character writing to be riveting. I particularly disliked the main female character Elise, that in its self is not a good start.
I finished the book and I will give it 2.5 stars. But I don't think I will be reading TB again. I just hated Elise. She was so selfish and nasty that I could not see how a character like her could keep someone like Laurent in love with her or anyone liking her at all. I Understand where TB was coming from with the character of Elise but it just did not work for me.
Kobo ebook

[Samantha Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The setting of this book is absolutely magical, and the atmosphere and butterflies add that extra spark. I find reading about wineries and places in France super interesting as of recent, so this book definitely hit the spot.

It was cool seeing the kids age and grow there own families and seeing how Sainte Madelaide had its ups and downs with different people running it.

My only problem is that I didn't like the character Elise. She was super cute as a child but as she grew older I felt she had so many selfish moments. But I was super fond of Laurent and Alex.

[Ann Hutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book, Beginning in 1920's France, the Chateau Sainte Madelaine is home to the Salignac family and continues to be so into the 197o's. Set in Burgundy, the Salignac winery is very much a family affair and is famous for it's Grand Cru wines. Their lives were beset with problems, war, mental health, alcoholism and loss, and they each had their own way of dealing with the problems. If you like a slow paced meander, I would definitely recommend it,

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an extraordinary novel which took the reader through intergenerational relationships embedded in a winery in France. Cleverly immersed in historical myths facts and a touch of poetic licence. A must read for those who want to journey through a life time of trauma, celebrations, life and death within a very real context.

[Julie Beckett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this family saga with the Sainte Madeleine wine estate at the centre. But I found it hard to keep track of who owned what percentage of the place, as it changed a few times, and wasn’t explained fully at the end. I didn’t want to have to keep flicking back through the pages to find the relevant parts explaining it, hence the 4 stars.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read. Not over complicated but with a large enough set of characters to keep the reader interested. I haven’t read anything by this author before but will now be searching out her previous work.

[Emma Summers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely family saga spanning generations and continents. Set in a vineyard in burgundy I enjoyed the story, the descriptions of the scenery and the characters, it just felt a bit too long, it dragged a little in the end.

[Monique Melis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this family epic which spanned France to California and lots of wine making. It brought a lot of interest characters to life. Maybe not a book I will remember forever but really enjoyable reading (on a long flight to HK).

[Lauren Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent summer read! Tilly back to her best. So many loveable characters & stories tangled like the vines.

[Caroline Wabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic lovely read

I could not put this book down! I wish there was another coming! The characters were so real and well just amazing

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very average. Definitely not gripping.

[Roulla · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing read!!! Highly recommend if you are a fan of Lucinda Riley

[Colette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story

Loved this book. Full of adventure, trust, family betrayal, greed and mostly love. Bought 2 copies and mother thoroughly enjoyed it also

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The usual family saga of love war deception death etc. Catherine Cookson Josephine Cox style of story.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading it ages ago and it found its way to my reading pile. Picked it up today and finished it. Some intense characters but enjoyed the latter part of this book.

[Sue Fisher]

Not my cup of tea so did not get very far so would be unfair to rate it.

[Alison Tilleray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good family saga although I grew to dislike the female lead character.