Off the Wild Coast of Brittany

By: Juliet Blackwell

Narrated by: Hope Newhouse, Xe Sands

Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

An unforgettable story of resilience and resistance set during WWII and present-day France on a secluded island off the coast of Brittany

Natalie Morgen made a name for herself with a memoir about overcoming her harsh childhood after finding a new life in Paris. After falling in love with a classically trained chef, they moved together to his ancestral home, a tiny fishing village off the coast of Brittany.

But then Francois-Xavier breaks things off with her without warning, leaving her flat broke and in the middle of renovating the guesthouse they planned to open for business. Natalie's already struggling when her sister, Alex, shows up unannounced. The sisters form an unlikely partnership to save the guesthouse, reluctantly admitting their secrets to each other as they begin to heal the scars of their shared past.

But the property harbors hidden stories of its own. During World War II, every man of fighting age on the island fled to England to join the Free French forces. The women and children were left on their own...until 300 German troops took up residence, living side-by-side with the French women on the tiny island for the next several years. 

When Natalie and Alex unearth an old cookbook in a hidden cupboard, they find handwritten recipes that reveal old secrets. With the help of locals, the Morgen sisters begin to unravel the relationship between Violette, a young islander whose family ran the guesthouse during WWII, and Rainier, a German military customs official with a devastating secret of his own.

©2021 Juliet Blackwell (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Riveting and enchanting

This is riveting yet also enchanting story. It’s a story about love, loss, struggle and hope and is beautifully expressed You can’t help but fall in love with this island and its people. The narrators are outstanding. But this book also gives you insight into the people who endured World War II. You learn a lot and I left with an appreciation of the struggles people faced. I highly recommend this book..

Two intriguing stories in one

The two stories keep your interest well. The reader did an excellent, believable job with the various voices of the characters. Altogether it is a book worth reading

Swept away by this wonderful story

Very enjoyable and interesting story. I learned so much - felt like I was there among the rocks and stony paths of the island. Narration was perfect. Highly recommend!

A beautiful story woven from the past

I love Juliet Blackwell’s writing. Her stories are so absorbable. From beginning to end the characters are so real and the reader becomes the protagonist.
This story of sister love and overcoming challenges inspires.

View of war from a woman’s perspective. So refreshing.

Loved this book, it’s setting and characters. The accents helped make it easy to understand. Well done!

Language in the book

I really liked the book and I think the narrator is excellent. A good effort was made but I did wince at most of the French pronunciation. I think the narrator should have had help from a coach before attempting to read the French.

A wonderful, as always

I’ve read a lot of Juliette Blackwell because I know that the characters will be strong and the writing beautiful. I am never frustrated with poor plot choices, awkward writing, or flat characters making foolish choices. She has depth and life lessons in her novels, and this one is no different. Xe Sands was excellent as always.

Loved it!

I love WW II historical fiction and though this is a very different kind of novel of the war it is greatI. I highly recommend it.

Touching story.

The characters in this story are so real. The depiction of island life across generations is beautiful.

Book hits close to home

I really enjoyed this book. The story, the narrator, everything. When I got to the part about RP, I cried. My dad went completely blind from RP when he was 40 years old in the mid 1970’s. Alex’s journey in so many ways mirrored my dads. But my dad could not pull himself out of his pitty party and stayed that way until his passing 23 years later.