Maggie Finds Her Muse

Ernst (Stealing Jason Wild) delights with this leisurely paced tale of a romance author who sets out to find a cure for writer’s block in Paris and discovers the possibility for a happy ending of her own. To help 48-year-old Maggie Bliss meet her tight deadline, her agent, Lee, sets her up in his idyllic Parisian apartment to focus on her novel. But distractions abound, among them the delectable Max Varden, a banker in his 50s who also happens to be staying at Lee’s apartment with his mother, Solange, Lee’s housekeeper. Simultaneously, Maggie’s ex-husband, Alan, whom she divorced 23 years earlier but with whom she has remained friends, comes to visit their neurodivergent daughter, Nicole, in her home in Brittany. As both Solange and Nicole play matchmaker, Maggie begins contemplating romantic futures with each man. Ernst’s fully developed supporting characters and mature lovers prove dynamic and appealing, particularly Maggie, whose humorous narration, enthusiastic dedication to her craft, and appreciation for Paris’s gastronomic delights, make her a charming companion. This welcome getaway to the City of Light offers much satisfaction. [em](Apr.) [/em]