In 1940, Inès marries the owner of Maison Chauveau, a historic champagne estate in occupied France. As Nazi forces seize local resources, her husband, Michel, begins hiding weapons and Jewish refugees for the Resistance. Inès remains unaware of the full danger until her jealousy toward Celine, the Jewish wife of the vineyard’s cellar master, triggers a betrayal with permanent consequences. Decades later, a young woman named Liv travels to Reims with her grandmother, Edith. Through a series of long-hidden letters, Liv reconstructs the true identities of her ancestors and unearths the specific sacrifices made to preserve the vineyard during the war.
Readers of historical fiction choose this book to understand the logistical realities of the French Resistance within the wine industry. It serves those interested in the ethical dilemmas of survival and the long-term impact of wartime secrets on family lineages. The audience walks away with a detailed perspective on how rural citizens managed collaboration and defiance simultaneously. It provides a technical look at champagne production under occupation while tracing the specific choices that lead to either redemption or lifelong regret.
- Published
- 2019
- Language
- EN
