20191031_105908.jpgWelcome to my stop on the The Art of Regret blog tour sponsored by Suzy Approved Book Tours! Thank you to Suzy for the invitation!

About the Book:

Trevor McFarquhar lives a controlled, contrary existence. Traumatized by early childhood loss, the silence surrounding those losses, and then a sudden family relocation from the United States to France, he has no ambitions or dreams for his struggling Parisian bicycle shop or even for himself. Now in his late thirties, his romantic relationships are only casual—his friendships, few. He’s both aloof and exacting, holding everyone to his own high standards while being unforgiving of their faults.

But then two things happen. The 1995 transit strike forces Parisians through Trevor’s shop door to procure bicycles, and his once-sluggish business suddenly turns around. To his surprise, he is pleased. At the same time, Trevor enters into a relationship that threatens to destroy his relationship with his entire family. Humbled and ashamed, his veneer cracks, and he emerges from his cocoon a different man, ready to reconnect, to rediscover possibility, and ultimately to redeem himself.

My Thoughts:

Trevor is struggling. He has suffered losses and a big family transition and move from the US to France. He owns a bicycle shop in Paris, and he’s not really into that either. Trevor is simply existing. 

The transit strike causes Trevor’s business to boom- everyone needs a bike now. Trevor surprises even himself with how much this increased business brightens his outlook. 

Then, Trevor begins a relationship that may separate him from his family.  Just as the transit strike runs its course, so does his relationship, and Trevor is left with regrets. 

The sense of place in Paris truly comes alive. To me, the latter half of the book really brings it all home in how Trevor faces life’s challenges and the questions he mulls over. It was relatable and authentic. 

Overall, The Art of Regret is the beautifully and sensitively-told story of Trevor’s coming-of-age.

I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Mary Fleming was born in Chicago. After school on the East Coast, she attended Colby College in Maine where she received a BA degree in English literature. During a year spent at the University of Exeter, she met her first husband and moved to Paris in 1981. After several years as a freelance journalist and consultant, she worked as the French representative for an American foundation, The German Marshall Fund. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the French Fulbright Commission and of the NGO Bibliothèques sans Frontières. Now that their five children are grown up, she and her second husband split their time between Paris and Berlin. https://www.maryfleming.co/books

Have you read The Art of Regret, or is it on your TBR? Happy Reading! ~ Jennifer THR