Camille Aubray Boeken

"A group of deeply complex and beautifully written women . . . Aubray marries history, suspense and womanhood in a story perfect for devouring."--Newsweek An irresistible novel about four women who marry into a prosperous Greenwich Village Italian family, and then must take charge of the family's business when their husbands are forced to leave them during World War II. Meet the Godmothers: Filomena is a clever and resourceful war refugee with a childhood secret. Amie, a beautiful and dreamy French girl from upstate New York, escapes an abusive husband for a new life. Lucy, a tough-as-nails Irish lass, runs away from a strict girls' home to become a nurse. And the glamorous Petrina, the family's only daughter, graduates with honors from Barnard College despite a past trauma that nearly caused a family scandal. All four women become godmothers to one another's children, finding hope and shelter in this prosperous family and their sumptuous Greenwich Village home. But the women's secret pasts lead to unforeseen consequences and betrayals that threaten to unravel all their carefully laid plans. And when they must unexpectedly contend with notorious gangsters like Frank Costello and Lucky Luciano, the four Godmothers learn to put aside their differences so that they can work together to protect their loved ones and find their own unique paths to the futures they've always dreamed of.

Set in the French Riviera during the spring of 1936, this captivating novel follows seventeen-year-old Ondine, who works in her family’s Cafe Paradis. A mysterious patron, traveling incognito and seeking to escape Paris, requests his lunch be served at his rented villa. This patron is Pablo Picasso, who is at a pivotal moment in his life, where art and relationships intertwine. Ondine, feeling constrained by her family and nursing a broken heart, begins to explore her own talents and desires. Her encounter with Picasso will have lasting effects on her life as both she and the artist pursue their passions. In present-day New York, Celine, a Hollywood makeup artist, returns home for the holidays and learns from her mother, Julie, that her grandmother Ondine once cooked for Picasso. Intrigued by her mother’s stories and the promise of family secrets, Celine travels to the same town where Ondine and Picasso met. Amid the vibrant atmosphere of the Côte d'Azur and with the help of quirky guests at a cooking class, Celine uncovers insights about art, culture, and love, empowering her to embrace her future. This touching story highlights the influences of trust, money, and creativity in the pursuit of love and joy.

A francia Riviéra egyik kis falujába titokzatos vendég érkezik 1936 tavaszán, mielőtt a fürdővendégek elözönlenék a vidéket. A Café Paradis-ból rendeli ebédjét, amelyet mindennap a kávéház-tulajdonosék 17 éves lánya, Ondine visz házhoz. A vendégről kiderül, hogy nem más, mint Pablo Picasso, aki magánéleti válsága elől menekült el Párizsból. A szerelme elvesztése miatt bánkódó lány hamarosan a híres festő modellje, majd szeretője lesz. A rövid, de szenvedélyes kapcsolatból két tárgyi emlék marad Ondine-nak: egy jegyzetfüzet a festőnek főzött receptekkel meg egy kép, a Lány az ablakban, amelyet a lány elrejt. Hosszú évek múltán, miután meghal, unokája, Céline napjaink New Yorkjából indul a festmény nyomába, és azt is meg kell tudnia a festői Azúr-parton, hogy miként került a nagymamához Picasso festménye. Az amerikai Camille Aubray ügyesen szövi olykor krimiszerűen izgalmas, romantikus történetének szálait, mesterien egyensúlyozva a korabeli valóság és az írói képzelet határán.