McIntosh, Fiona. The Champagne War. 2020. 413p. ISBN 9780143795452.
In the summer of 1914, tensions that have been simmering for years flare into all-out conflict as the First World War begins. Vigneron Jerome Méa, certain he’ll be home by Christmas, heads off to war. His new bride, Sophie, a rebellious, fifth-generation champenoise (champagne maker), remains behind in Épernay, her ancestral manor in France. She is fiercely determined to ensure that the forthcoming vintages will stand as a testament to their love and the powerful resilience of the people of Épernay, especially its strong women. As the years of the Great War drag on, however, Sophie receives devastating news: authorities advise that Jerome is missing and presumed dead.
Meanwhile, when poison gas is first deployed in Belgium, British chemist Charles Nash immediately enlists. After being injured, he is brought to Reims, where Sophie has helped establish an underground hospital deep within the dark, ancient champagne cellars. In the confined, evocative darkness, their stirring emotions take both Sophie and Charles by surprise. While Sophie tirelessly battles to keep her vineyard operating through relentless bombings and the war’s hardships, a critical sugar shortage forces her to strike a dangerous bargain with an untrustworthy acquaintance. However, nothing will ultimately test her courage more than the final, harrowing news that filters through regarding the true fate of her heroic Jerome.
Fans of historical fiction and romance, particularly those set during World War I. will enjoy this story, which features a resilient, determined female protagonist and a narrative set against a unique, evocative historical backdrop. The Champagne War successfully combines themes of wartime sacrifice, lost love, moral compromise, and the perseverance of tradition and community during global conflict.
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