House of Daughters (House of Peine)
Lynch invites readers to travel to Champagne, France, in this charming novel. The patriarch of the House of Peine has left the once-renowned champagne house in shambles. His daughter Clementine, who lovingly nurtured the grapevines her whole life, learns she must share the vineyard with her estranged half sisters—Mathilde, her sworn enemy, and Sophie, a total stranger. The partnership is tumultuous, especially since the rift between Clementine and Mathilde has a man at the root. But when a disaster threatens their legacy, the sisters learn to put their differences aside. In previous novels, Blessed Are the Cheesemakers (2003) and By Bread Alone (2005), Lynch wove together romantic narrative with culinary descriptions. This charming book follows suit with vivid descriptions of the champagne-making process and the addition of a handsome gypsy who seduces the sisters. Readers will be swept up by this compelling family drama. --Aleksandra Walker