Fromage à Trois

Drawing on Brownlee’s experience as a food writer, this highly sensual debut novel follows an Australian woman’s journey through the cultural, culinary, and romantic offerings of Paris. Suddenly single, Melbourne resident Ella decides to spend a year abroad and is entranced by the beauty of Paris. She finds a part-time job washing dishes at a local coffee shop, Flat White, and meets Serge Marais, who works at a local fromagerie. As Ella samples the delights of French cheese at Serge’s shop, he bets her that she can’t try all the types of French cheese in a year. After posting the photos of her cheese tastings on Instagram, Ella gains numerous new followers; meanwhile, she embarks on a sizzling romance with Gaston, a gorgeous Frenchman she meets at Flat White. Ella soon finds another part-time job writing content for a food delivery app, and she moves into a beautiful apartment with Gaston’s cousin Clotilde. Ella is unsure whether Gaston really loves her, and her friends tell her that Serge is attracted to her, setting up the titular love triangle. Brownlee craftily combines the beauty and charm of Paris with the allure of romance, creating a novel of sensory delight. Agent: Gregory Messina, Linwood Messina Literary. (Oct.)