The Last Restaurant in Paris: Completely heartbreaking and gripping World War 2 fiction

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As a child she dreamt of being an author, and had half-finished manuscripts bulging out of her desk drawers, but it wasn't until she reached her thirties that she finally finished one of them. Her first books were written for children, but when her mother was diagnosed with cancer she wrote a story to deal with the fear and pain she was going through - this became her first women's fiction novel, which was published by Bookouture (Hachette) in 2016. If you’re looking for an uplifting, inspiring story set in World War II, featuring a strong female lead, this is the book for you. The story opens in 1987, in the Batignolles village of Paris. Antiquarian bookshop owner Gilbert Geroux, is one of the few remaining residents who can remember the terrors and horrors of WWII. The Nazi occupation of his beloved hometown and Country and the part which the still derelict restaurant Luberon, on the corner of the street, played in events during that fateful period. The restaurant where, as a teenaged boy, he had helped its then new owner, Marianne Blanchet, prepare the rundown building for business and make it the success it had gone on to be.

I would like to thank @netgalley and @BookoutThe cover grabbed my attention, the premise had me eagerly reaching for it, and the plot kept me spellbound. I had to find out why and how! You will cry, you will be addicted from the start and will find it hard to put down. This book ranks high on my favourite books list. A BRILLIANT book and worth far more than 5* in my opinion. EXCELLENT.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The six- or nine-course tasting menu recalls the elements of nature and takes the diner on a journey through the countryside to the ocean and ends on a sweet note with creations by head pastry chef Sophie Bonnefond. Try dishes like two-style green zebra tomato tartare wrapped in a nasturtium leaf, sorrel, purslane and cardamom cocoon, and mains of slow-cooked delicate river trout fillet with smoked ginger and trout eggs. Finish with a vine peach candied three ways with gavotte powder and chocolate-infused algae from Brittany to add a little crunch. Basque-born chef Iñaki Aizpitarte has been called a revolutionary and is something of a celebrity these days, making it almost miraculous that he is still cooking at this time-worn local bistro whose spartan decor has remained unchanged for decades. Lunch (€65), on Fridays only, is a simpler, more conventional affair than dinner (€95), which is when Aizpitarte lets his imagination run riot, with smeared avocado sauces, beetroot foams, and everything deconstructed to within an inch of its life. This is the kind of avant-garde stuff that provokes involuntary gasps when it is placed before diners. Ingredients may come from Japan, Morocco or Spain, but the dishes are grounded in classic French techniques. The wine list is particularly good, with many bottles available at sister spot Le Dauphin, a mirror-lined tapas bar a few doors down. Teddy Wolstenholme When the palace hotel Plaza Athénée and three-star chef Alain Ducasse parted ways last year, a fresh face was brought on board. Jean Imbert may be new to fancy institutions like the Plaza, but his loyal social media following has propelled him up the ranks and onto the lap of the Plaza where the clan hopes he'll lead a young generation of diners right to their doorstep. And he's not doing a bad job.

The flavourful fare hails from far and wide, like the tacos Temani filled with pulled lamb, carrot harissa, tahina verde, wrapped in a lachuch (Yemeni style crepe), Tamnoun grilled octopus topped with tangy tomato romesco sauce with soft fluffy Jerusalem bagel or the northeastern Italian specialty vitello tonnato veal tartare in tuna sauce. A tragic and heroic story set in one of the hardest times in world history. I’m always amazed at the bravery and resilience shown by people under the Nazi regime and all the lives that were saved. Once I started to read this, it was impossible to leave aside .’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Gilbert was fifteen when he worked for Marianne Blanchet, owner of the new restaurant which the Germans had helped her open. She was feeding good wholesome food to the Germans and locals, like her grandmother used to make. Gilbert's tale was one of much sorrow and both he and Sabine weren't sure they wanted to talk about it. But Gilbert, feeling the loosening of his burden, led Sabine down a path she'd had no idea existed. Both sophisticated and yet relaxed, Chef Julien Dumas’ Bellefeuille restaurant is a destination in its own right. Set inside the newly revamped country club style Saint James, Paris' only chateau hotel, it's got all the belle epoque pull you could want. Cheery handmade wallpaper of delicate plant life swirling up to the high ceilings complements views of the landscaped gardens.