8 Historical Novels Chronicling Women in the 18th & 19th Century

Champagne Widows: First Woman of Champagne, Veuve Clicquot by Rebecca Rosenberg

The First Champagne Queen’s Daring Legacy of Love, Loss and Courage — The captivating story of Veuve Clicquot, a woman who dared to rise above treacherous times, personal loss and an emperor, leaving an indelible mark on the world of champagne.

Best Champagne Book of All Times, Book Authority. Editor’s Choice Historical Novel Society.

Reims, France, 1800s. Young widow Barbe-Nicole Clicquot possesses an extraordinary gift: Le Nez, an exquisite sense of smell required to craft the world’s finest champagne. Despite crippling grief and laws against women owning businesses, she negotiates a way to take over her late husband’s struggling winery. Napoleon’s Code shackles her with business restrictions, his wars strangle the economy and competitors block her every step. Yet, Barbe-Nicole rises like a defiant bubble, confronting prejudice and even clashing with the emperor himself.

Then, amidst the chaos, love throws a tempting yet perilous curveball: a passionate connection with her sales manager. But marrying him means forfeiting the winery, forcing her to choose between love and her life’s calling. Will Barbe-Nicole defy the odds and become the first female champagne mogul, or will her dream be crushed by Napoleon himself?