Our book last month was The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams by M.J. Rose. It takes place in 1942 and 1986. It is a story of two passionate women separated by decades but united by a shared vision.
Paris 1942: Suzanne Belperron is known as one of the most innovative jewelers of her time. What people don’t know is that she and her friend Dixie Osgood have been helping transport hundreds of Jewish families out of France since the war began. But now the Nazis have arrested her business partner and longtime lover Bernard Herz.
1986: Violine Duplessi is an appraiser for a boutique auction house and is summoned to visit the home of Paul Osgood, a lawyer and political candidate who aspires to take a seat in the Senate. Paul inherited 18th century furniture from a deceased family member. A vintage Louis Vuitton trunk is what calls to Violine. While inspecting the trunk she senses it holds a hidden treasure. She has the ability to read an object’s history by merely touching it. Psychometry. She instantly feels distress and pain.
A search begins that takes Violine to Paris to work with the Midas Society a covert international organization whose mission is to return lost and stolen antiques, jewels and artwork to their original owners. This is where she discovers she and Paul’s connection to the trunk.
We had our meeting at La Nostra Vita a Winery in Lodi, California. We had charcuterie boards, pate, lots of cheese, cookies, croissants and a cheesecake…….not to mention some fantastic wine.
Here is the recipe for the cheesecake:
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/easy-cheesecake-recipe
Bon Appetit
