by Fay Weldon
First published 2019
A Parisian intellectual meets a Breton fisherman, and their initial attraction ignites something neither expected. Despite coming from completely different worlds, she finds herself drawn into a relationship that defies every social boundary she knows. He works the waters off the Breton coast while she moves through academic circles in Paris, yet their physical connection transcends these differences. Their affair stretches across decades, sustained through passionate letters and stolen encounters in cities around the globe. She struggles to balance her intellectual ambitions with her overwhelming sexual desires, finding that conventional relationships cannot satisfy both needs. As their unconventional romance continues, she must confront whether raw passion alone can bridge the vast social chasm between them. Set against the backdrop of 1960s France, their relationship becomes a refuge from the limitations and letdowns of ordinary life. The story examines her internal conflict as she navigates between two essential parts of herself.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Breton, Paris
Period: 1960s
264 pages · Paperback · World Editions