This novel, just published, looks like one I'm going to have to read. Not that I'm brokenhearted or anything but how can anyone resist a story set in the place they live and love? Plus, I'm told the plot contains many things dear to my heart, including shocking confessions, nosy neighbors, enigmatic Frenchmen, old houses in small French villages, lavender, vineyards, warm winds and pistou! Have any of you read it yet? My lovely friends at Bantam Books/Random House have offered to send a gift copy to one lucky Provence Post reader. Simply leave a short comment by clicking "comments" below, tell us what Provence means to you and we'll pick a winner within a week or so. The rest of you brokenhearted folks will have to order the book on Amazon here.
This looks like a great book! I love the cover. Ahhh Provence! Sunshine, fields of flowers, following in the steps of Van Gogh, painting on location.......
Since a friend I adore chose Provence as the place to heal her broken heart, this book seems extra-tempting to me. And what a wonderful part of the world: the beauty, the architecture, the food and, for us shoppers, the ceramics. I hope your friends at Bantam Books/Random House know how tempting this book sounds -- and how addicting your blog is.
I love Provence and miss everything about that earthly paradise, The Campaniles, the lavoirs, the moss covered fountains, filds of lavender, wild growing thyme, the friendly people, that book may show it all. Wishing me luck.
Julie, what a fantastic book cover. The story line is right up my alley too. It has been a while since I read a book set in Provence. I loved A Year in Provence. I look forward to reading what you think of the book once you read it.
Provence is my dream of escape from hectic, crazy reality - a place to lose myself in the beauty of landscape,the taste of terroir, and the magical mix of flowers, gardens and those oh-so colorful French people. Reading about Provence puts a gentle twist on my dream of escape; life is hectic and crazy wherever we live it...but somehow it's hazily veiled and refined with thoughts of sunny Provence.
The day I moved here I fell in love with the color...the intense blue of the sky and the way the light, which seems so particular to this region, works it's magic on everything it falls upon. The color of the pines against the white rock, the red poppies that insist on their place in the fields, the yellow sunflowers that perfectly contrast to the lavender that grows alongside. The orange-red glow of the vines in the fall and the way the mountain St. Victoire changes it's color every day. The colorful people and the magic palette of the language. It's the whole package. And I would love to read the book.
... started many years ago when I watched "A Year in Provence" on PBS - oh, the wait to see the next season of the series. Of course, I bought the DVD and it is watched several times a year - especially in the grey, gloomy winter here in Bainbridge Island, WA.
Have six of Peter Mayle's books about Provence sitting on my bookshelf, as well as others that describe Provence lives and dreams.
"The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted" has an open spot on my "dream/to do" shelf.
Julie: Yes, I certainly hope I just...might win this one! Oh to be back in Provence; the smells, the colors, those hot summer afternoons: I long to feel it all again... Thanks for the great giveaway!
Provence is where I was born and I grew up. I now live in cold Canada, and miss my native home terribly at times. I'm headed back for a couple of weeks, this month. I always love to read how others see the place from where I came... It would be a delight to me to read this book!
This sounds like it has all the elements of a page turner that I won't be able to put down. And no doubt it will fuel the desire to travel there immediately.
Julie, Home is where the heart is and my heart breaks every time I have to leave Provence! I am thankful for your blog and any book that brings me back to that visual smorgasbord!
It's odd even the word Provence automatically conjurs up many images which unlike other 'cliches' are absolutely true. Provence and everything Provencal get's under your skin, it is all about the smells, the tastes, the beauty - working in the profession I do helping clients find their dream property in France is a pleasure. I never have to sell Provence - it sells itself. It looks such an interesting book, very exciting! nicola x
As I sit here in rainy Seattle, I dream of the lavender, the little stone houses, the warm and sun drenched streets and people of Provence. A place to heal not only broken hearts, but to bask in the beauty and joy of one of the most incredible regions of La Belle France. Reading this could get me through the rain!
Provence to me ...in the words of Shakespeare "No sooner met but they looked; no sooner looked but they loved;no sooner loved but they sighed...." As you like it
I first came to Provence in 1969 when I spent my junior year in Aix-en-Provence; it was a year that profoundly changed my life. I will forever carry a bit of Provence in my heart and my garden always contains a pot of lavender.
Ouh là là ! Quintessential Provence ? There are so many places, feelings, sounds, smells, tastes... it is a mixture of impressions. Mine would probably be... garlic (healthy, too) and herbs of Provence in my vinaigrette for mesclun (young spinach leaves, different kinds of salad, roquette [what's it called in english ?]...).
Crimson poppies sway in the wind near silver spindles of grain, Vitrine vines aglow after the rain full of promise for the fall, Guarded by cedar sentinels tall Tournesols bending in time, Sun and shadow marking their rhyme I long to return just once more, to unique Provence which I adore Where I may sit on an old stone wall, Thinking of simply nothing at all Happy to be where many have been, Where many will come and leave again Timeless as the poppies at my feet, In the fields of provence where life is sweet.... Judith B. Dunn... 04/06/2011
I am very excited to read this book! I am going to pass on this title to my friends. This is the second book that I have highly enjoyed from The Provence Post! I think any book that you post I would read! Lisa L.
Alas, living in Houston, Texas, the city of selfish developers who pour concrete over everything...beautiful Provence might inspire me to return to my canvases and paints. Muses are alive and well there, I suspect.
Provence is the promise of hope and peace. After loosing my husband and oldest child to cancer, I long for a place of serenity, beauty and rest. Healing for me has been hope for something in the future and not being hooked by brokenness in my past. I'm looking forward to reading this book!
Provence is the promise of hope and peace. After loosing my husband and oldest child to cancer, I long for a place of serenity, beauty and rest. Healing for me has been hope for something in the future and not being hooked by brokenness in my past. I'm looking forward to reading this book!
Provence is my where my dreams lie. The thought of another book about Provence is thrilling! I only hope I can one day fulfill my dream, but until then reading a new book will do the trick!
Oh the things life throws at us - for me it has been a separation after 34 years of marriage; a daughter getting married, a son-in-law having a heart attack while his wife (another daughter) was six weeks pregnant; and finally the birth of my first grandchild the same week I will sign divorce papers. I love all things french and although I have never been to Provence believe that someday I will call it home. Can't wait to get my hands on this novel!
Julie, Provence is my dream. I think of traveling there, heck, moving there everyday! My passion began in 3rd grade French class and has never ceased. I really thought by my BIG birthday my dream would have come true . . . still waiting. Thanks for your interesting posts; I enjoy reading them very much.
For me, Provence means 'memories' - memories of the new and wonderful experiences I shared with my daughter in the February of 2007 in the magical medieval villages of the Luberon. Del
Ten years ago this spring, I got my first passport and a French-English dictionary and headed for Provence in order to further my culinary pedigree. Receiving this book would totally make up for the irony of walking into my first French kitchen...and meeting my German mentor.
Ive only been to Provence once and would so love to go back and discover more. I loved their architecture and statues and fountains. But I adored their linen and bought quite a few pieces back to give me that rustic and natural feel Provence does so well. Im a new follower only just finding you.Looking forward to what you will share with us. Fiona
For me, Provence means the familiarity of all the people I know in the village I live in and wave to as I walk through it, making friendly small talk along the way. It's the security of my partner's family close by to rely on if we need anything and the exasperation of receiving their advice, shared with us as generously as meals, tools, and extra blankets for guests.
I'm amused by all of the characters all around me, and their often-convenient logic. I’m bewildered at the lack of incentive to work to make money, and relieved that people don't measure each other’s value by the amount of money they make. I’m as frustrated by the closure of services during the middle of every day, as much as I love the long, leisurely lunches.
Things happen slowly here and simple tasks and arrangements can be unimaginably complicated. And I’m happy to go with it, let go of control, let go of stress, and enjoy the tastes, fragrances, the cadence of the southern French way of speaking, and the funny Provençal accent.
Hi everyone, this is my very first post! I have not read the book but I know the author. She actually writes under a pseudonym, her real name is Joanna Baggott. She lives in Tallahassee, Florida where we used to live. I'm trying to talk her into doing a reading at Book-in-Bar in Aix.I'll let you all know if I convince here (smile) Maria
What does Provence mean to me: The beautiful flowers in pots on the windowsils. Or peddling my bike into the town to shop at the bakery or local butcher. Where they wrap the baguette with a square of paper so I may carry it home. Or finding fresh grown asparagus from a local farm. Life is full of simple wonderful pleasures in the south of France. I want to go back... Sue
We are going to buy a lot in Lorgues in just a week and 1/2, and we'll build a little villa there! We love it! My husband is French and has family in Provence. I've read every book I can find about France for 15 years and can't wait to live there! : )
Jeudi41 can you email me? Random House and I have chosen your poem as the winner of our little contest! But we're having trouble reaching you. Email me: juliemautner@aol.com Thanks!
Hi Julie! I never do this but I would like to put my hat in the ring.....Provence means to me the first time Robes and I went together to France (he, only having been a right bank person in Paris during the "Oil expense account" days had never gone SOUTH)We rented an apartment before it was "de rigeur" and were welcomed by the most delightful family, the "Mazaloubouds" in the very tiny village of La Roque Alric in the Valcluse. The views, their hospitality, the generosity and the willingness to please and share made our first trip to France together a heartfelt and memorable one. I am getting a little messy thinking of this...... But I know what Provence is....... Please you should probably offer to someone who hasn't been there to give them incentive to go. But if you have a spare copy to give out, donne a moi, s'il vous plait!;) Maryanne
Provence means a lot to me because it is where my son was born.
It is a world full of contrast: glorious sun + scary mistral, beautiful estates + run down dwellings, a private haven + tourist trap, old + new ... all harmoniously living together.
Julie, oh my just my kind of book!! I am sure it is a great read.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
Right now I'm reading, A Year in Provence, would love to win and continue reading about Provence :)
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great book! I love the cover. Ahhh Provence! Sunshine, fields of flowers, following in the steps of Van Gogh, painting on location.......
ReplyDeleteProvence promises us the hope for a better life by returning to the lives of our ancestors. Simple rustic personal.
ReplyDeleteSince a friend I adore chose Provence as the place to heal her broken heart, this book seems extra-tempting to me. And what a wonderful part of the world: the beauty, the architecture, the food and, for us shoppers, the ceramics. I hope your friends at Bantam Books/Random House know how tempting this book sounds -- and how addicting your blog is.
ReplyDeleteI'm reserving it at the library - just in case I don't win.
ReplyDeleteI love Provence and miss everything about that earthly paradise, The Campaniles, the lavoirs, the moss covered fountains,
ReplyDeletefilds of lavender, wild growing thyme, the friendly people, that book may show it all. Wishing me luck.
Provence is the serendipity of AIXploring Cézanne's world, and colors, and paintbrushes and canvas...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/AprylZA
Julie, what a fantastic book cover. The story line is right up my alley too. It has been a while since I read a book set in Provence. I loved A Year in Provence. I look forward to reading what you think of the book once you read it.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes...
Jeanne xx
I am going to Provence this summer for the first time, so excited, I know it will be magical!! WOuld love to read the book!
ReplyDeleteWhat does Provence mean to me? Home sweet home, that's what :)
ReplyDeleteLooks like a must read. I would love to win it!
ReplyDeleteProvence is my dream of escape from hectic, crazy reality - a place to lose myself in the beauty of landscape,the taste of terroir, and the magical mix of flowers, gardens and those oh-so colorful French people. Reading about Provence puts a gentle twist on my dream of escape; life is hectic and crazy wherever we live it...but somehow it's hazily veiled and refined with thoughts of sunny Provence.
ReplyDeleteThe day I moved here I fell in love with the color...the intense blue of the sky and the way the light, which seems so particular to this region, works it's magic on everything it falls upon. The color of the pines against the white rock, the red poppies that insist on their place in the fields, the yellow sunflowers that perfectly contrast to the lavender that grows alongside. The orange-red glow of the vines in the fall and the way the mountain St. Victoire changes it's color every day. The colorful people and the magic palette of the language. It's the whole package. And I would love to read the book.
ReplyDelete... started many years ago when I watched "A Year in Provence" on PBS - oh, the wait to see the next season of the series. Of course, I bought the DVD and it is watched several times a year - especially in the grey, gloomy winter here in Bainbridge Island, WA.
ReplyDeleteHave six of Peter Mayle's books about Provence sitting on my bookshelf, as well as others that describe Provence lives and dreams.
"The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted" has an open spot on my "dream/to do" shelf.
Julie: Yes, I certainly hope I just...might win this one!
ReplyDeleteOh to be back in Provence; the smells, the colors, those hot summer afternoons: I long to feel it all again...
Thanks for the great giveaway!
Great story line...Perhaps it will help heal mine and many other broken hearts out there. J'espère gagner le livre!! Merci, Julie!
ReplyDeleteProvence is where I was born and I grew up. I now live in cold Canada, and miss my native home terribly at times. I'm headed back for a couple of weeks, this month.
ReplyDeleteI always love to read how others see the place from where I came... It would be a delight to me to read this book!
Bises,
Astrid.
This sounds like it has all the elements of a page turner that I won't be able to put down. And no doubt it will fuel the desire to travel there immediately.
ReplyDeleteJulie, Home is where the heart is and my heart breaks every time I have to leave Provence! I am thankful for your blog and any book that brings me back to that visual smorgasbord!
ReplyDeleteIt's odd even the word Provence automatically conjurs up many images which unlike other 'cliches' are absolutely true. Provence and everything Provencal get's under your skin, it is all about the smells, the tastes, the beauty - working in the profession I do helping clients find their dream property in France is a pleasure. I never have to sell Provence - it sells itself.
ReplyDeleteIt looks such an interesting book, very exciting! nicola x
I first came to Provence as a teenager and fell in love with it.
ReplyDeleteFrom that time on my dream was to live here – and now I do :)
As I sit here in rainy Seattle, I dream of the lavender, the little stone houses, the warm and sun drenched streets and people of Provence. A place to heal not only broken hearts, but to bask in the beauty and joy of one of the most incredible regions of La Belle France. Reading this could get me through the rain!
ReplyDeleteIt looks wonderful - I can't wait to read it. A perfect start to planning our trip to Provence!
ReplyDeleteGretchen
Provence to me ...in the words of Shakespeare "No sooner met but they looked; no sooner looked but they loved;no sooner loved but they sighed...." As you like it
ReplyDeleteBrid - Ireland
I spent my junior year in Aix-en-Provence and it was a year that profoundly changed my life. I will forever keep a bit of Provence in my heart.
ReplyDeleteI first came to Provence in 1969 when I spent my junior year in Aix-en-Provence; it was a year that profoundly changed my life. I will forever carry a bit of Provence in my heart and my garden always contains a pot of lavender.
ReplyDeleteI am far from the brokenhearted perspective but perhaps it lightens the heart of all who come....even the brokenhearted. It is indeed blissful....
ReplyDeleteOuh là là !
ReplyDeleteQuintessential Provence ? There are so many places, feelings, sounds, smells, tastes... it is a mixture of impressions. Mine would probably be... garlic (healthy, too) and herbs of Provence in my vinaigrette for mesclun (young spinach leaves, different kinds of salad, roquette [what's it called in english ?]...).
PROVENCAL POPPIES...
ReplyDeleteCrimson poppies sway in the wind
near silver spindles of grain,
Vitrine vines aglow after the rain
full of promise for the fall,
Guarded by cedar sentinels tall
Tournesols bending in time,
Sun and shadow marking their rhyme
I long to return just once more,
to unique Provence which I adore
Where I may sit on an old stone wall,
Thinking of simply nothing at all
Happy to be where many have been,
Where many will come and leave again
Timeless as the poppies at my feet,
In the fields of provence where life is
sweet....
Judith B. Dunn... 04/06/2011
I am very excited to read this book! I am going to pass on this title to my friends. This is the second book that I have highly enjoyed from The Provence Post! I think any book that you post I would read!
ReplyDeleteLisa L.
I came from a Twitter post for a contest. I haven't read the book but it looks like my style. Hope I win.
ReplyDeleteStill remember my trip there 10 years ago...Would love to do it again..this book sounds like a real treasure...Cheri
ReplyDeleteAlas, living in Houston, Texas, the city of selfish developers who pour concrete over everything...beautiful Provence might inspire me to return to my canvases and paints. Muses are alive and well there, I suspect.
ReplyDeleteProvence is the promise of hope and peace. After loosing my husband and oldest child to cancer, I long for a place of serenity, beauty and rest. Healing for me has been hope for something in the future and not being hooked by brokenness in my past. I'm looking forward to reading this book!
ReplyDeleteProvence is the promise of hope and peace. After loosing my husband and oldest child to cancer, I long for a place of serenity, beauty and rest. Healing for me has been hope for something in the future and not being hooked by brokenness in my past. I'm looking forward to reading this book!
ReplyDeleteProvence is my where my dreams lie. The thought of another book about Provence is thrilling! I only hope I can one day fulfill my dream, but until then reading a new book will do the trick!
ReplyDeleteOh the things life throws at us - for me it has been a separation after 34 years of marriage; a daughter getting married, a son-in-law having a heart attack while his wife (another daughter) was six weeks pregnant; and finally the birth of my first grandchild the same week I will sign divorce papers. I love all things french and although I have never been to Provence believe that someday I will call it home. Can't wait to get my hands on this novel!
ReplyDeleteI have purchased it and adore it!
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine how beautiful
Provence is...and I will make it
there someday!
Jane
Flora Doora
Provence is a dream vacation!
ReplyDeleteFpund your blog and I am thrilled. Absolutely love Provence and, in fact, we will be there in June. Would love to read this book. Merci.
ReplyDeleteI love Provence - my favorite spot is Lourmarin. I read everything I can find about the place that I feel is part of me. Arlene Janssen
ReplyDeleteLike everyone else, I love the lavender and the blue skies in summer.
ReplyDeleteJulie, Provence is my dream. I think of traveling there, heck, moving there everyday! My passion began in 3rd grade French class and has never ceased. I really thought by my BIG birthday my dream would have come true . . .
ReplyDeletestill waiting.
Thanks for your interesting posts; I enjoy reading them very much.
For me, Provence means 'memories' - memories of the new and wonderful experiences I shared with my daughter in the February of 2007 in the magical medieval villages of the Luberon. Del
ReplyDeleteI see Provence in my mind's eye....as a place to recover from unrequited love and burst into bloom again...
ReplyDeleteI have vineyard at home and love to sit under it
ReplyDeleteDear Provence Post:
ReplyDeleteTen years ago this spring, I got my first passport and a French-English dictionary and headed for Provence in order to further my culinary pedigree. Receiving this book would totally make up for the irony of walking into my first French kitchen...and meeting my German mentor.
All my love to St. Rémy~
James
Ive only been to Provence once and would so love to go back and discover more. I loved their architecture and statues and fountains. But I adored their linen and bought quite a few pieces back to give me that rustic and natural feel Provence does so well. Im a new follower only just finding you.Looking forward to what you will share with us. Fiona
ReplyDeleteFor me, Provence means the familiarity of all the people I know in the village I live in and wave to as I walk through it, making friendly small talk along the way. It's the security of my partner's family close by to rely on if we need anything and the exasperation of receiving their advice, shared with us as generously as meals, tools, and extra blankets for guests.
ReplyDeleteI'm amused by all of the characters all around me, and their often-convenient logic. I’m bewildered at the lack of incentive to work to make money, and relieved that people don't measure each other’s value by the amount of money they make. I’m as frustrated by the closure of services during the middle of every day, as much as I love the long, leisurely lunches.
Things happen slowly here and simple tasks and arrangements can be unimaginably complicated. And I’m happy to go with it, let go of control, let go of stress, and enjoy the tastes, fragrances, the cadence of the southern French way of speaking, and the funny Provençal accent.
Hi everyone, this is my very first post!
ReplyDeleteI have not read the book but I know the author. She actually writes under a pseudonym, her real name is Joanna Baggott. She lives in Tallahassee, Florida where we used to live.
I'm trying to talk her into doing a reading at Book-in-Bar in Aix.I'll let you all know if I convince here (smile)
Maria
What does Provence mean to me: The beautiful flowers in pots on the windowsils. Or peddling my bike into the town to shop at the bakery or local butcher. Where they wrap the baguette with a square of paper so I may carry it home. Or finding fresh grown asparagus from a local farm. Life is full of simple wonderful pleasures in the south of France. I want to go back...
ReplyDeleteSue
We are going to buy a lot in Lorgues in just a week and 1/2, and we'll build a little villa there! We love it! My husband is French and has family in Provence. I've read every book I can find about France for 15 years and can't wait to live there! : )
ReplyDeleteJeudi41 can you email me? Random House and I have chosen your poem as the winner of our little contest! But we're having trouble reaching you. Email me: juliemautner@aol.com
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Hi Julie!
ReplyDeleteI never do this but I would like to put my hat in the ring.....Provence means to me the first time Robes and I went together to France (he, only having been a right bank person in Paris during the "Oil expense account" days had never gone SOUTH)We rented an apartment before it was "de rigeur" and were welcomed by the most delightful family, the "Mazaloubouds" in the very tiny village of La Roque Alric in the Valcluse. The views, their hospitality, the generosity and the willingness to please and share
made our first trip to France together a heartfelt and memorable one. I am getting a little messy thinking of this...... But I know what Provence is....... Please you should probably offer to someone who hasn't been there to give them incentive to go. But if you have a spare copy to give out, donne a moi, s'il vous plait!;) Maryanne
Provence means a lot to me because it is where my son was born.
ReplyDeleteIt is a world full of contrast: glorious sun + scary mistral, beautiful estates + run down dwellings, a private haven + tourist trap, old + new ... all harmoniously living together.
I would love to read this lovely book.....at my new, three hundred year old petite maison en Provence!!!
ReplyDelete