The French Promise

February 5, 2013

The French Promise continues the World War II story of Luc and Lisette, the protagonists of McIntosh’s The Lavender Keeper, although it is easily read independently of the first book. The first few pages open with a superficial fictional representation of life in Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, about which I felt uncomfortable. There was also some awkward phrasing that made it initially hard to follow the flow. However, McIntosh hits her stride when she picks up the narrative of resistance heroes and romantic counterparts Luc and Lisette. Thereafter the plot carries the reader forward from post-war Europe to the blue hills and red soil of northern Tasmania as the couple seek a new life growing lavender, away from Luc’s native Provence. There follows action, heartbreak and romance aplenty as the pair struggle with their dark wartime secrets. Like a lot of popular fiction, the characters are almost too perfect, but McIntosh weaves a diverse cast together, and you gain an appreciation for her depth of research into World War II, Europe and Tasmania that paints the details. Despite its foibles, it is still a great read. This is a romantic page-turner that should appeal to female readers who enjoy a saga with a historic setting or a French theme. It’s definitely one for Mother’s Day recommendations. 

Joanne Shiells is an editor and former bookseller who has lived in northern Tasmania