Want another one?

I just finished reading the book Lunch in Paris, by Elizabeth Bard. I wouldn't say it was the best written book I've ever read but I didn't put it down and finished it in two days. I was saying in one of my earlier postings that I have become obsessed with books in this genre, that being woman moves to France, mostly Paris, and recalls story of love, loss, overcoming personal challenges all the while falling in love with the city of light. Oh there have been so many books written like this it almost surprises me when I come across another one. This one was published by Harper Collins and is fairly recent, so it would have been after the famous Almost French. I wonder if Ms Bard read Ms Turnbull's novel and thought,"gee, I can publish a book too!"

I shouldn't be so critical because the truth is that these books have totally touched me, perhaps because it is so close to heart for me, or perhaps because I keep thinking, "Mel, you could write one of these books, surely it could be published too."

I read the latest one ferociously as I soaked up the Springtime sunshine, it felt so good to have the rays on my body,and I guess it felt good too to listen to Liz's voice. (I now feel like Liz is a good friend of mine, like I've spent years getting to know her. I often wonder if this blog does just that too? Wishful thinking?)

American girl moves away from her family, ok I'm Australian, but we both grew up in Jewish families, both planned our weddings from France (yes, this will definitely come up in a later blog!) and both love to talk and write about food and cooking and recipes. Quite a few things spoke to me in Lunch in Paris, one of the things that stood out the most though was the experience of making friends in a foreign country. Liz made me laugh as she joked about being "set up" and going on blind dates with other girls as a way of making friends. It's funny but so true. Since I've been in France, I have had to do the friendship thing too, and it's hard. At times it feels a little artificial and you feel as though you are taking things too quickly, cementing a friendship in just hours or days, which in normal life would happen naturally over time. But truly the act of putting yourself out of your comfort zone, leaving behind friends and family and making new acquaintances and some friends for life along the way, is a great lesson in life. I guess only time will tell whether these friends are the making of relationships or just a fling or bad affair.

So, I shouldn't go around bad mouthing Liz Bard or Sarah Turnbull, because their novels are great, and truth be told, maybe I'm a tad jealous. But who knows, maybe Penguin or Allen and Unwin want another one!

Merci,
Mel