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Samantha Verant
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How to Make a French Family: A Memoir of Love, Food, and Faux Pas Kindle Edition

by Samantha Vérant (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 341 ratings

Say bonjour to a whole new way of life!

Take one French widower, his two young children, and drop a former city girl from Chicago into a small town in southwestern France. Shake vigorously... and voilá: a blended Franco-American family whose lives will all drastically change.

Floating on a cloud of newlywed bliss, Samantha couldn't wait to move to France to begin her life with her new husband, Jean-Luc, and his kids. But almost from the moment the plane touches down, Samantha realizes that there are a lot of things about her new home—including flea-ridden cats, grumpy teenagers, and language barriers—that she hadn't counted on.

Struggling to feel at home and wondering when exactly her French fairy tale is going to start, Samantha isn't sure if she really has what it takes to make it in la belle France. But when a second chance at life and love is on the line, giving up isn't an option. How to Make a French Family is the heartwarming and sometimes hilarious story of the culture clashes and faux pas that , in the end, add up to one happy family.

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  1. Print length
    338 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Sourcebooks
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    April 4, 2017
  6. File size
    1.7 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Samantha Vérant dishes up a funny and tender memoir in How to Make a French Family. The setup is pure fairy tale but the tale’s power is in the ever-after. Vérant’s story is genuine, romantic, sometimes heartbreaking, and, in the end, as wonderfully satisfying and rich as the French cuisine detailed on its pages." ― Michelle Gable, New York Times bestselling author of A Paris Apartment and I'll See You in Paris

"An honest, heartwarming―and at times―heartbreaking account of the struggles that occur when you dare to make your dreams come true." ― Janice MacLeod, author of New York Times bestseller Paris Letters

"Love has no boundaries in Samantha Verant's honest and courageous memoir about leaving it all behind to marry her French husband. How to Make a French Family is a testament to her perseverance to adapt to a new life in Southwest France. In the tradition of Seven Letters from Paris, readers will laugh, cry, and cheer for Verant until the final page." ― Susan Blumberg-Kason, author of Good Chinese Wife

"Verant combines one part second chance at romance, on part travelogue, and nearly three dozen recipes in this heartfelt account of how she reconnected with a lover 20 years after their affair and started life over in France with an instant family. " ― Publishers Weekly

"Like its author, Samantha Verant's new book is sweet and sassy, told from the heart. Her story of creating a new family and becoming a different kind of mom is brave and vulnerable. A tale of what happens when we go looking for our best lives and best selves." ― Elizabeth Bard, New York Times bestselling author of Lunch in Paris and Picnic in Provence

"How To Make A French Family shares the ups and downs, good, bad and funny moments of building a new life and family in France, never letting us forget that in the end, love saves the day." ― Kristen Beddard, author of Bonjour Kale

"A charming and insightful memoir about what follows happily ever after. The fact that Samantha’s quest to create a new family is set in France (and filled with recipes) makes it all the more delicious!" ― Jennifer Coburn, author of We’ll Always Have Paris

"...charming and witty....Verant’s memoir touches on universal, real-life themes, like love, loss, and family, while mixing in plenty of delicious French flavors (and actual recipes) that make for a tasty read that’s true to the heart. " ― Booklist

About the Author

Samantha Vérant is a travel addict, a self-professed oenophile, and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, French chef. She lives in southwestern France, where she’s able to explore all of her passions, and where she’s married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met in 1989, but ignored for twenty years.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01N43VLOP
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sourcebooks
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 4, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.7 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 338 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1492638506
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 341 ratings

About the author

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Samantha Verant

Samantha Verant

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Samantha Vérant is a travel addict, a self-professed oenophile, and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, at home French chef. She lives in southwestern France, where she's able to explore all of her passions, and where she's married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met in 1989, but ignored for twenty years.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
341 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this memoir to be a delightful, heartwarming story that will delight their inner francophile. The book features easy-to-make French recipes and is nicely written, with one customer noting how it helps see situations from all angles.

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EnjoymentHeartwarming storyRecipesWriting styleInsight
27 customers mention "Enjoyment"27 positive0 negative

Customers find the book delightful and fun to read, describing it as charming and a must-read.

"...She is an excellent writer and shares her experiences with humor and with insight...." Read more

"...She makes the scenery come to life, I feel like I've been to France and back. Samantha seems like someone who strives to be a very positive person...." Read more

"...With this book, you will laugh out loud, you will cry, you will learn about southwestern France, and you will get a long list of amazing recipes...." Read more

"...’s written in an affecting, easy style, which would make it a perfect vacation memoir or just something to dip into after a long working day...." Read more

20 customers mention "Heartwarming story"20 positive0 negative

Customers find this memoir heartwarming and engaging, describing it as an entertaining story that will delight francophiles.

"...from all angles, to reach out to her step-children and empathize with them, and to rise to the challenges she faced as she came to feel fully..." Read more

"...Samantha seems like someone who strives to be a very positive person...." Read more

"Beautiful, heartwarming story that shows both sides of the coin: Samantha had a second chance at life and love when she reconnected with sexy man..." Read more

"...new country, and surviving home remodeling are all part of this entertaining story." Read more

10 customers mention "Recipes"10 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the recipes in the book, finding them easy to make French dishes.

"...There are a handful of delicious looking recipes at the end of each section but it's not too many which is good because after all, it's not a..." Read more

"...who loves chick lit or memoirs; and definitely to anyone who loves to cook fancy dishes." Read more

"Delicious recipes accompany this memoir about Samantha's adjustment to her new French family...." Read more

"...It brought me to tears yet left me with tons of delicious-sounding recipes...." Read more

7 customers mention "Writing style"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, describing it as nicely written and easy to read, with one customer noting its down-to-earth approach.

"...She is an excellent writer and shares her experiences with humor and with insight...." Read more

"...It’s written in an affecting, easy style, which would make it a perfect vacation memoir or just something to dip into after a long working day...." Read more

"...A wonderful gift of a book that is both life-affirming and down-to-earth...." Read more

"...I felt like I was reading the letters of a good friend, the writing was that personal. But this second book is stunning...." Read more

4 customers mention "Insight"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insights, with one mentioning how it provides a unique perspective and allows readers to see situations from multiple angles.

"...I very much admired Vérant’s ability to cope, to see situations from all angles, to reach out to her step-children and empathize with them, and to..." Read more

"...she pulled it off because she is honest, funny, loving, humble, and smart...." Read more

"...It is always interesting to get the view of someone raised in the USA who immerses themselves in another culture, and Samantha has a gift for..." Read more

"Somewhat interesting...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Leslie M. Ficcaglia
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Followup to Her First Book!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I just finished reading Samantha Vérant’s “How to Make a French Family” and enjoyed it even more than I did her first book, “Seven Letters from Paris: A Memoir.” She is an excellent writer and shares her experiences with humor and with insight. The warmth of her personality comes through even better in this sequel, and her descriptions of her new life in France with her French husband and his two children are fascinating; they answered the questions I had been left with after closing the covers of her first book. Vérant is frank in her discussions of the major adjustments she had to make: new husband, new adolescent children, new country, and a new language. Although she had taken French in school many years prior, it didn’t prepare her for the challenges of speaking it every day in all of her interactions with friends, neighbors, tradespeople, and new family members. Her learning curve was steep, but she persevered and won through.

    Equally the cultural differences were a hurdle, and for a while she felt isolated despite the support of her children and her husband. The turning point happened when she reached out and developed a small group of fellow expats, several of whom also had French spouses. Together they were able to compare experiences and to recognize that what they were feeling was totally normal, and to move forward with each other’s help.

    I very much admired Vérant’s ability to cope, to see situations from all angles, to reach out to her step-children and empathize with them, and to rise to the challenges she faced as she came to feel fully comfortable and at home with her new family.

    Disclaimer: I was given an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
    14 people found this helpful
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  • H. Bell
    4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely engaging story!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I really liked this book and read it cover to cover in a day! There are a handful of delicious looking recipes at the end of each section but it's not too many which is good because after all, it's not a cookbook. It feels fresh and breezy, like an easy conversation with a new friend. She makes the scenery come to life, I feel like I've been to France and back. Samantha seems like someone who strives to be a very positive person. Overall the book has a light-hearted feel and even the difficult experiences are framed in a positive way; no "poor me" syndrome here. I recommend it and will share it with friends.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Mimi 5000
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and Heartwarming
    Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Beautiful, heartwarming story that shows both sides of the coin: Samantha had a second chance at life and love when she reconnected with sexy man extraordinaire (and rocket scientist to boot!) Jean Luc, 20 years after first meeting him in Paris when she was a college student in the late 1980's. Most romance stories are wrapped up with an "And they lived happily ever after" ending, which, although mostly satisfying, can also feel very incomplete.

    In How To Make a French Family, Samantha tells us about her trials and tribulations as she dealt with culture shock when she moved from Los Angeles to rural France; the frustrations that came with having to learn a new language, dealing with immigration paperwork, being so far away from her family, becoming an instant stepmother (including to a moody teenager), making new friends on the other side of the world, and dealing with heartbreak within the confines of an otherwise happy life (spoiler alert: she had several miscarriages. And I'm not stating so here to ruin the story for you; but because it has happened to many women who might find solace and comfort reading about somebody else who've also experienced it).

    The road to happiness is seldom a straight line. Sam shows us how she took each sudden turn and rocky patch with grace; and how, even when things got tough, being surrounded by love made everything better.

    With this book, you will laugh out loud, you will cry, you will learn about southwestern France, and you will get a long list of amazing recipes. I highly recommend this book to any francophile, or to anyone who loves chick lit or memoirs; and definitely to anyone who loves to cook fancy dishes.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • lalto
    3.0 out of 5 stars Easy read but predictable
    Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2018
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I enjoyed reading this memoir about a woman who moves to France to start a new marriage in her early forties to a man she had met years before. It’s written in an affecting, easy style, which would make it a perfect vacation memoir or just something to dip into after a long working day. But some of the cultural observations that are repeatedly emphasized (the French habit of kissing everyone on both cheeks to say hello or goodbye) are so obvious that I was surprised they were so striking to her. The idea that Americans are more friendly to strangers than the French or that the French serve multiple courses at dinner parties at home do not seem like things that would surprise anyone. Most of all, had the author never heard of the notorious French bureaucracy? All of this is okay, as long as you know going into it that most of the observations are going to be totally predictable.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Nanette L. Stearns
    4.0 out of 5 stars Delightful sequel to Seven Letters from Paris
    Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Delicious recipes accompany this memoir about Samantha's adjustment to her new French family. Becoming a step mother, learning to live in a new country, and surviving home remodeling are all part of this entertaining story.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • LizzieHBooks Reviews
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I was sent an ARC by Net Galley in advance of Samantha Vérant's new memoir launch in April 2017.

    Loved this so much I bought my own copy. It's beautifully honest and makes you want to track down the author and give her a big hug. Samantha Vérant's first memoir, SEVEN LETTERS FROM PARIS left us feeling a teensy bit envious of her new-found love in France with the guy of her dreams... well the dream gets real real quick in this sequel. Yet it is a story chock full of warmth, humor, love, light as well as some extremely sad moments... and I didn't want it to end. It brought me to tears yet left me with tons of delicious-sounding recipes. There were family parties and some family devastation... and a lot of fleas.

    A wonderful gift of a book that is both life-affirming and down-to-earth.

    Please keep writing what is in your heart because it's as bitter-yet-sweet as cherry clafoutis and as warming as boeuf bourguignon.
    11 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Anonymous User
    5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderfully charming follow up to Seven Letters From Paris.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 17, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The worst thing of, "Seven Letters From Paris," is that it ended! I was desperate to know more, and luckily, "How to Make a French Family," picks up where "Seven Letters" left off. I agree with the other reviews say this book works as a standalone book, but I really do think it's a great companion and follow up to the first, so if you haven't bought "Seven Letters" yet, get to it!

    I love Samantha's writing style - the paragraphs and pages flow so effortlessly. It's wonderfully charming, bittersweet, and oh so funny! If you don't find yourself laughing out loud on multiple occasions, I think you should go see a doctor. Though definitely not a French one.
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  • Joan Fraser
    5.0 out of 5 stars Continuing a love story memoir
    Reviewed in Canada on May 9, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    A lovely book. Recipes are great I'm continuing to make them . I bought this after reading Seven Ketters from Paris by Samantha Verant. It didn't disappoint.
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  • Elizabeth Moore
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Read
    Reviewed in Australia on September 10, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Admit it, I love memoirs. I especially love stories about settling in a new country. If it's France, even better and if there's romance involved then that's a perfect recipe for me. However this book adds a splash of potential step-mother issues, several ounces of foreign country blues, a small, sad measure of loss and grief, some heaped spoons of new friendships and a generous cup of family love. Yes it's a book on how to make a French family, but the delightful bonus is that the author is more than generous with her inclusion of some of her delicious recipes. I loved every page!
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  • J. Hua
    4.0 out of 5 stars Vous vous êtes mariées avec un français ? Ce livre est pour vous !
    Reviewed in France on April 27, 2019
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Écrit très simplement et honnêtement, on a l'impression de lire le journal intime de l'auteur. J'ai aimé le concept de mélanger des recettes avec des anecdotes.
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  • J. Desiree Shotland
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved every minute of this book ,,,,,,,
    Reviewed in Australia on November 12, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Of course I did having gone through almost identical emotions from my emigration to France with no family there for support and only two girlfriends who invested I got there decided our friendships were a done thing so I progressed on my own with one girlfriend who was older and wiser whom I’d known before from a meeting in the south western part of France many years before at a wedding we’d all attended and to this day are still my friends
    Report

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