Champagne Widows

First Woman of Champagne, Veuve Clicquot (Champagne Widows Novels)

By: Rebecca Rosenberg

Narrated by: Katherine Anderson

"EDITORS CHOICE HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY

This engrossing historical novel by Rebecca Rosenberg follows Veuve Clicquot, a strong-minded woman determined to defy the Napoleon Code and become a master champagne maker.

In 1800 France, twenty-year-old Barbe-Nicole inherits her great-grandfather's uncanny sense of smell and uses it to make great champagne, despite the Code prohibiting women from owning a business. When tragedy strikes and she becomes a Veuve (widow), she must grapple with a domineering partner, the complexities of making champagne, and the aftermath of six Napoleon wars. When she falls in love with her sales manager, Louis Bohne, she must choose between losing her winery to her husband to obey the Napoleon Code, or losing Louis. In the ultimate showdown, Veuve Clicquot defies Napoleon himself, risking prison and even death.

If you enjoyed books like 'The Widow of the South' by Robert Hicks or 'The Paris Seamstress' by Natasha Lester, you'll love 'Veuve Clicquot'.

©2021 Rebecca Rosenberg (P)2024 Rebecca Rosenberg

Critic reviews

“This effervescent historical novel paints a richly detailed portrait of the enterprising Veuve Clicquot. The twinned plots of Clicquot and Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise and fall are filled with detail that give life to this far-off time. The prose is light, yet detailed, and peppered with moments of wry humor. Napoleon's characterization is well-crafted and give his character new life. Clicquot’s character is charming, and readers will love getting to know her. Rosenberg has a superb eye for blending humor with drama.” —Publisher’s Weekly BookLife Prize

Love the main character!

I received an audio arc from the writer; all opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed the story as well as the audio presentation of Champagne Widows. Not only was I entertained, I also learned a lot about life in the Napoleonic wars. Barbe-Nicole is a fabulous character. And I love that there was a headstrong woman in history who strived for more than men let her have. Katherine Anderson brings her to life in a voice that harkens to the time and place. It really brought the story to life.
I enjoyed this so much that I want to read Rebecca Rosenberg's other works!

Wonderful story of a woman before her time

Barbe-Nicole inherited Le Nez, a powerful sense of smell, from her great-grandfather. Rejecting all the suitors her mother presents her with, Barbe-Nicole is reunited with her childhood crush François Clicquot, who has returned from Napoleon's war. She marries him despite his mental illness and together they start a winery where Barbe-Nicole used her sense of smell to mix the wines. When François passes she partners with someone else in the winery, but does not remarry since the Napoleon Code says her winery would belong to her husband.
This was a story that showed the lengths that she went to to get her wine out to the public during the war and the chances she took defying even Emperor Napoleon.
The narrator was fantastic.

OUTSTANDING HISTORICAL FICTION!

The audio edition of Champagne Widows written by Rebecca Rosenberg and narrated by Katherine Anderson has just recently become available in April 2024 and it is not to be missed! This is a fictionalized treatment of the life of The Veuve Clicquot whose company is still successfully producing Champagne today.

The events occur during the very turbulent French Revolution and wars lead by Napoleon Bonaparte which nearly bankrupt the economy of France. Now, on top of all that, add in the very sexist business regulations that placed a woman's inheritance and property under her husband's control and it's amazing this woman, who was widowed before she was thirty years old with her young daughter to raise, was able to become a well respected Champagne producer throughout Europe.

I thought this audiobook was very well written by Rebecca Rosenberg and was especially well voiced by Katherine Anderson whose French accent I would gladly listen to over and over again!

I strongly recommend this audiobook for informative and entertaining listening. I look forward to reading and listening to the other book in Rebecca Rosenberg's Champagne Widows series,