**Spoiler Alert**
Today I bring you a synopsis of French Bleu! I combined French Bleu, Bleu Moon, and Sapphire Souls into one novel titled, “Into the Vines.”
This contemporary novel begins with Part One or French Bleu. If you don’t mind a spoiler or really want to know what this book is about then have a read.
The novel is G rated, however, it does contain an element of romance. Doesn’t everything begin with love?
Into the Vines …
Into the Vines by Kim Troike
Part One of Three Parts
French Bleu Synopsis
French Bleu is a story of angst and the beautiful countryside of France with a unique jazz setting in Paris. The story itself starts off tragic and continues in this realm. Yet, throughout, glimpses of hope and love combine and put these characters to the test.
Daniela, a nurse saves a young boy in a car accident but cannot save his mother. The car explodes and burns and the boy is about four years of age. This is disturbing for Daniela (whose parents died in a plane crash) and her dad (a doctor) suggests she take a trip to a French Cooking School. She complies, buys new clothes, gets new haircut and meets Brie on the plane. Daniela, is, of course, afraid of flying. Brie looks the part, she’s refined in all ways, and going to the same school to celebrate a milestone Birthday, age 40.
When at the school they both meet the pilot brother, Olivier, of the cooking school owners, Marie and Nicholas. Olivier and Daniela make contact and immediately they are hot for one another. Something like a summer romance. He dazzles her with notes and dates and she thinks she’s gone to heaven. They even embark on a seaside trip around parts of France and then to Paris. Then he has to leave for a mission. She must wave him off in an airplane, this is difficult for her after she met and fell a little in love.
Meanwhile, after the trip, Brie confronts breast cancer and says what every woman would like to say. It is strong language and I wouldn’t change a word. Craftily, I put it in a dream so no one, I hope, will be wounded by swear words. (Deleted for G rating. Original French Bleu R rated and also available by itself on Amazon). She calls her new friend because she really liked her and knew her love interest flew away and now was missing. Daniela cannot handle the disappearance and becomes ill. He was supposed to visit her in America. He sent an important memento, a necklace of his deceased mother, to Daniela.
Daniela becomes very ill with cardiomegaly, a virus attacked her heart and she had enlargement over the course of days. Brie flies up and visits; while there, Daniela reads her phone and sees Olivier’s plane is down and she interprets this as he’s dead. This is crushing and she flails, her heart fails and she has crushing pain with ultimate death. Her dad is a doctor and understands all of it and it hurts him to no end. He wanted to save her and couldn’t. The plane death of her parents does enter into this and contributes with the news, only adding heart ache when Olivier’s plane goes missing.
Daniela is taken off life support after a beautiful display of love and affection by her family. The room was decorated, music was played and they gave her a quiet party prior to their mourning and loss. At the funeral, little Francis gives Brie a kiss on the cheek. He bonds with her in a way that is unusual. The girl who saved him is dead, he has no mother and now he sees this woman who cares for her friend. This is more than a touching moment. This impacts him for the future.
Olivier is kidnapped in Africa while on a mission and held. He befriends a little girl named Hawa; they become friends and later accomplices. Later at the Bleu in Paris, Olivier’s jazz club run by Darlene, a woman comes in looking for Olivier. She is wearing Olivier’s mother’s necklace. Darlene notices this but doesn’t tell her. She sends her up with a tray of food for a customer. Brie walks in and sees the Eiffel tower through a window as the curtains bellow out with the breeze. She sets the tray down and goes to the window. Olivier is laying in the bed after returning back from captivity. This is an exciting scene of surprise for both.
What few people know about breast reconstruction is the woman gets tattoos in addition to nipples. I use this in the story and touch lightly making it an exchange of wonderment and bravery, especially the whole breast cancer diagnosis. Olivier is not afraid and more worried about her, as not all women are married and some are scared they won’t measure up or be dateable after treatment. A little humor goes a long way.
They date, fall in love and visit America. Brie schedules a fashion show and showcases breast cancer and other diseases by women who have had the disease. Olivier comes to this event. She holds it in St. Michael’s, a very Old Catholic Church in Savannah. The priest is her uncle whom she’s prayed with in the past. He consents to let her use the church, she’s ecstatic.
Hawa, the orphan from Africa has come to live with Marie and Nicholas, who take in orphans due to the missions. This is not child abandonment, but rather a safe haven if no parent is found or no relatives available. This is the business they inherited from their parents at the vineyard.
Olivier and Brie visit the Louvre Art Gallery and also a private place where they paint and have some fun being artistic. He asks her to marry him and have a wedding at the vineyard, a Christmas wedding.
Darlene, the singer at the Bleu and also the person who runs Olivier’s jazz club is a special person to Olivier. He has helped her immensely. Her son has run off and she doesn’t know where he is. It has something to do with Olivier but this is not revealed as yet.
The ending occurs at the vineyard with everyone there. Other character are Michelle, a stunning blonde who is the sister of Marie, and Raoul, a gardener who comes to the vineyard for work. These two meet and become delighted with each other. The children play, crush grapes and much merriment abides. But Olivier becomes distressed as his time working the missions has caused some delayed reactions.
While everyone is occupied he goes off to be in his stone cabin by the river. He doesn’t make it as the fireworks are exploding all around him. He just thinks of the bombs and gunfire he has been exposed to. He runs for cover and once again his little cohort from Africa, a brave soul who has no other way to exist, finds him and saves him.
The two end up sleeping by the river for a few hours and then in the morning they go into his cabin where he makes breakfast and she asks her hero to teach her to read. The End.
The three novels are French Bleu, Bleu Moon and the final novel “Into the Vines” which contains the first two plus Sapphire Souls (not published singularly).
Yes, I published the first two with my pen name and then, in writing number three I combined the beautiful story of family and global issues under my given name. Thanks for stopping by. Kim Troike
http://www.amazon.com/French-Bleu-Caroline-Clemens-ebook/dp/B00INALACQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429022071&sr=8-1&keywords=Caroline+Clemens
http://www.amazon.com/Bleu-Moon-Caroline-Clemens/dp/1483686825/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1429022166&sr=8-2&keywords=Caroline+Clemens
Caroline Clemens 