Patricia Sands

"Vincent (van Gogh) believed that art consoles those who are broken by life."

The grown children of Arianna Papadopoulos-Miller encouraged her to take some time for herself. They know their mother has devoted herself to family all their lives, especially to their father, Ben, since he was diagnosed with Pick’s Disease, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and the changes it has brought to all their lives. Arianna will attend a 2-week en plein air workshop at Le Mas des Artistes in Les Alpilles, show more Provence. Excursions will include fascinating opportunities to explore the surrounding area, particularly Vincent van Gogh’s time and art created in Arles. Will the workshop awaken the love of her art and love of travel that she set aside years ago? Will she enjoy the time away, or will guilt have her returning home early?

It is a glimpse of one woman’s experience, and although fiction, it shares the poignancy of a medical prognosis, grief before death. The silence of a woman, as a daughter, wife, mother, business partner, with the future now different beyond words, and although not all tears are hidden, she has not wanted to burden family or friends as they proceed through their grief. In this case, Arianna is surrounded by a loving and supportive family, but she has self-doubt, changes in self-confidence, and has retreated from living life.

This moving and beautifully written novel is as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking. Using the backdrop of an art workshop, the reader travels with Arianna from Toronto to the south of France, experiencing the beauty of the landscape, the rich culture, delectable food and wine, and the sharing of diverse experiences by strangers. The setting is the luxury of a first-class flight for armchair travelers and for artist or art lover to revel in the art of van Gogh.

It is women’s fiction at its best, delving into a broad range of emotions and sharing a struggle that is often not talked about because it is difficult. Difficult to find the words to express fear from this point forward. Difficult to express grief before death. It is a book that shares with women they are not alone in this type of struggle. It shares hope. show less

The French Effect by Patricia Sands (5 stars)
Publication Date: November 15, 2025

“The French Effect” by Patricia Sands is an absolute delight — a heartwarming story about rediscovery, resilience, and the joy of finding love when you least expect it. Sands continues her beautiful love affair with France, painting the country in lush, sensory detail that made me feel as if I were strolling the cobblestone streets of Paris, sipping wine in a cozy café, or watching the lights of the show more Eiffel Tower shimmer at night.

Nora, a widow from snowy Ontario, accepts her daughter’s invitation to spend six weeks in Paris dog-sitting the most charming Doberman, Atticus (my favorite character — he completely steals the show!). Romance is the last thing on her mind, but France has other plans. Between working with a 93-year-old former Resistance fighter, learning the tango, and bonding with new friends, Nora begins to rediscover joy, purpose, and even love.

I adore how Patricia Sands writes about women 50+ with such honesty and warmth. The message is clear — it’s never too late to start again, to take a chance, and to open your heart. The book is tender, uplifting, and beautifully written, filled with art, food, history, and family traditions that make France feel alive on the page.

True comfort reading — emotional, inspiring, and full of charm. I’d happily recommend The French Effect to anyone who loves stories about second chances, the magic of France, and the courage it takes to begin again. Grab a glass of champagne and savor this enchanting escape!

Thank you to Patricia Sands for the opportunity to read and review this enchanting book. All opinions are my own.

P.S. – I loved the shout-out to Craig Carlson and Julien Chameroy’s diner Breakfast in America! show less

This beautifully written book certainly covers a lot of ground, a lot of topics – home swapping, travelogue, cheese, wine, a little about the Holocaust, Ukraine, friendship, and, of course, romance. But for me, the main lesson from Ms. Sands’ story is that it is never too late to follow your dream. It may require you to step outside your comfort zone but you may find it was definitely worth the risk.

Katherine Price, 55 years old, thought her 22-year marriage was stable until her husband show more left her a note telling her he was in love with another woman and he wanted a divorce. On top of this crisis her mother Elizabeth fell ill and died. Only after her mother’s death does Katherine learn of her mother’s survival of the Holocaust which distressed Katherine even more. Noticing the stress Katherine was dealing with, her cousin Andrea convinced her to try a home swap so she could get away for a while. Katherine had always gone on vacations with just her husband to places he wanted, so it was natural that she would be nervous about traveling on her own, but she did it – she accepted a swap to southern France. There she found a new life for herself as she delighted in the art, the food, the people, and the charm of the land. For Katherine this was a story of healing and finding faith in herself.

It is so refreshing to read the story of a mature woman recovering from a failed relationship and betrayal and finding a new joy for life. It was obvious through the written details that many of Katherine’s experiences mirrored Patricia’s own life. The descriptions are so vivid I felt like I was vacationing in southern France right alongside her. The characters are delightful and real. (My favorite character was Pico. Adorable!) Katherine’s friend Molly was a great “sidekick” who definitely added humor to the story. As in real life, not all the characters are likeable – yet are still totally believable. Relationships developed slowly and some will be further developed in the remaining books of the series (LOVE IN PROVENCE and I PROMISE YOU THIS). The story touches on so many emotions – anger, fear, grief, love, joy.

This book brought back thoughts I have had previously of moving to another country in my retirement. Maybe I need to think more on that.

Thank you to Patricia Sands and Tonni Callan for the opportunity to read and review this enchanting book. show less

The Promise of Provence is a wonderful tale of a woman in search of herself. Katherine is a fifty-five year old woman with a nice life in Toronto. She has a good job as a researcher and a happy marriage, that is until James, her husband leaves her an anniversary bouquet with a note saying he wants a divorce. As Katherine's world falls apart she relies on friends and family to help her pick up the pieces and start again.
Her life takes on a new twist when her cousin suggests she try a house show more exchange holiday in France. What follows is a journey on the way to a new outlook on life, new friends and a new beginning as Katherine realizes she is not too old or too scared to take on new adventures and challenges in her life.
This story is so well told that I felt like I was with Katherine in the south of France. I could picture the sights, sounds and smells from the generous descriptions. All in all, I felt this book allowed me to join Katherine on a personal journey and an adventure where I learned about a new country and culture along the way.
I'm probably not the only reader who would love to see this book made into a film. The characters and the scenery would be great for it. Needless to say, I can't wait to read the second book in this series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this in return for an honest review. show less