::::We are giving away a hardback copy of Peaches for Father Francis, a paperback copy of Chocolat, and a a bag of truffles. How do you enter? Go check out the Author’s webpage - come back here and in the comment section tell us something of interest you found on the Author’s page. Make sure to leave your email addy or to check back to see if you won. Winners will be picked November 7th.  ::::

PEACHES FOR FATHER By Joanne Harris

When Vianne Rocher receives a letter from beyond the grave, she has no choice but to follow the wind that blows her back to Lansquenet, the beautiful French village in which eight years ago she opened a chocolate shop and first learned the meaning of home.

But returning to one’s past can be a dangerous pursuit. Vianne, with her daughters, Anouk and Rosette, finds Lansquenet changed in unexpected ways: women veiled in black, the scent of spices and peppermint tea—and there, on the bank of the river Tannes, facing the church, a minaret. Most surprising of all, her old nemesis, Father Francis Reynaud, desperately needs her help.

Can Vianne work her magic once again?

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Anyone who has read Joanne Harris’ best-seller Chocolat will be familiar with the deliciously warm character of Vianne Rocher. In Harris’ latest novel, PEACHES FOR FATHER FRANCIS (Viking; Strict On Sale: October 2, 2012; $26.95; ISBN: 978-0-670-02636-4), it’s eight years later and Vianne receives a letter from beyond the grave from her friend Armande, summoning her back from her life on a houseboat in Paris to the quaint village of Lansquenet where she used to run her chocolate shop.

Upon returning with her daughters Anouk and Rosette, Vianne discovers that everything and nothing has changed in the small village. Her adversary, Father Francis Reynaud, still feels persecuted and misunderstood—only this time he needs Vianne’s help. Her one-time best friend, Josephine, still has an ambiguous relationship with Vianne’s lover Roux, and, unbeknownst to Vianne, has an eight-year-old son born just days after Rosette. And Lansquenet itself has changed with the arrival of a large number of Moroccans. The cultural mix is welcomed by some and resented by others.

Ultimately, Vianne is left to unravel the mystery of newcomer Inés Bencharki, who is part of the new Muslim community and is stirring up things. Inés insists on dressing in the traditional full black veil, under which “she seems as impervious to hostility as she is to gossip, scandal or offers of friendship.” Tensions between these two communities reach a fever pitch and it’s up to Vianne to rescue Father Francis and to discover what’s really going on in Lansquenet before it’s too late.

“Harris’s skill at vibrantly depicting the charm and eccentricity of rural French life is at the heart of this delightful novel…Harris has used this story as a plea for tolerance and understanding, but her message is not the least pedantic. Fans of the first two books will delight in becoming reacquainted with Vianne, her dashing man, Roux, and her clever daughters.”—Library Journal

“Like Chocolat, this book is a feast for the senses. Every page of the book is steeped in scents, colours and tastes, without ever tipping into the pretentious or showy. The writing is seductive and engaging throughout; and the magic, too, is intrinsic without ever being soppy or embarrassing. What is magic (or religion), after all, if not an ability to understand the human heart? Peaches for Father Francis is a wonderful return to form for Harris.”—Literary Review

“Absorbing and atmospheric…Joanne bravely tackles religious differences head-on but very sensitively. It’s expressive, rich, vibrant and even shocking in parts.”—Heat Magazine

“A delightful jumble of the sensuous sights, sounds and smells the author describes so well.”—Glamour

About the Author:
Joanne Harris is the author of the Whitbread Award-shortlisted Chocolat, which was made into an Oscar-nominated feature film, and eleven other bestselling novels. She is published world-wide, in approximately 50 countries, and is the winner of several international and UK awards. She is an Honorary Fellow at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge and lives with her husband in Yorkshire.

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