Lead Review
- Book: The Little Swiss Ski Chalet
- Location: Goms, Reckingen
- Author: Julie Caplin
I listened to this as an audiobook and was delighted that this lovely story accompanied me on my Covid walks, transporting me to beautiful and snow-covered Switzerland.
Mina is a food technologist and indeed food plays a BIG part in the novel, so be ready to start salivating! In Manchester, as the book opens, she is preparing to host a get-together but it all goes rather pear shaped. She decides to lick her wounds by jetting off to Reckingen, Goms, in the Canton of Valais to stay with her godmother, Amelie, who runs a guest house in a traditional Alpine chalet.
She lands in Zurich and immediately finds herself lured by the chocolate in the city. The doors are already closing as she leaps onto the train bound for Brig, a pretzel from the chain of shops “Brezelkönig” in hand, and she literally falls on top of lovely Luke. They engage in flirty banter all the way to Brig, where they have to change trains. She is adamant, reaffirming to herself like a mantra, that she is in the country to get her head straight, not be wooed by a handsome man! Two weeks of self exploration, mountain air and the company of her godmother are all the elements she needs in her life right now.
But guess what! Serendipity plays her hand and lovely Luke re-enters her life!
Mina is soon immersed in cosy life in the mountains; she helps Amelie where she can in the chalet and begins to find her snow-sports legs. The array of cakes that Amelie serves up to her guests is quite mouthwatering – Solothurner Torte (Gateau from Solothurn) or imagine getting your teeth into Basler Kirschenbrot Kuchen (Cherry-Bread-Cake from Basel). I am not even mentioning the savoury dishes! And chocolate features large too!
An unexpected event jettisons Mina into a different sphere and faced with huge change, she proves to be a young woman who is up for a challenge.
This is a truly heart warming story, set in the midst of Winter in the Swiss mountains. It makes for a delightful read and will transport you hook, line and ski to a refreshingly snowy landscape.
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