Ella excitedly prepares for a big dinner with her boyfriend of eight years thinking this is the night that he will finally propose. But dinner leads to a terrible break up. Heartbroken and on the cusp of turning 30, Ella decides to pack her bags and move to Paris.
There, she finds a job washing dishes in a cafe and as any cheese lover does, frequents her local fromagerie. The shop owner Serge is happy to advise her on what kinds of cheeses she would enjoy. He clearly has a thing for her but he just isn't her type. But their repartee one day leads to a surprising bet - Ella must eat a different kind of cheese every day for the next year.
Game on.
Ella then meets Gaston, a very sexy Frenchman who works as a food critic. He wines and dines her, and is every girl's French fantasy. As the seasons change, Ella realizes that - beyond consuming epic amounts of cheese - she'll need to learn how to talk, eat and love like a Parisian to truly fit in. And between Serge and Gaston, she'll need to figure out which is the better Parisian to accompany her on this journey.
Industry Reviews
Drawing on Brownleeas experience as a food writer, this highly sensual debut novel follows an Australian womanas journey through the cultural, culinary, and romantic offerings of Paris. Suddenly single, Melbourne resident Ella decides to spend a year abroad and is entranced by the beauty of Paris. She finds a part-time job washing dishes at a local coffee shop, Flat White, and meets Serge Marais, who works at a local fromagerie. As Ella samples the delights of French cheese at Sergeas shop, he bets her that she canat try all the types of French cheese in a year. After posting the photos of her cheese tastings on Instagram, Ella gains numerous new followers; meanwhile, she embarks on a sizzling romance with Gaston, a gorgeous Frenchman she meets at Flat White. Ella soon finds another part-time job writing content for a food delivery app, and she moves into a beautiful apartment with Gastonas cousin Clotilde. Ella is unsure whether Gaston really loves her, and her friends tell her that Serge is attracted to her, setting up the titular love triangle. Brownlee craftily combines the beauty and charm of Paris with the allure of romance, creating a novel of sensory delight. - - Publishers Weekly