Historical novelist, Imogen Matthews, shares her love of Dutch food and reveals her double life as a romance novelist.
Ah, good food…where do I start? A couple of years ago I went on a sourdough breadmaking course and have been making my own bread ever since. Last Christmas, I made sourdough bagels for breakfast -they vanished almost as soon as I took them out of the oven!
I lead a double life as an author…writing romance novels under my pen name, Alex Johnson, and Dutch historical fiction under my real name, Imogen Matthews. So here are the flavours of Holland, a place I visit at least once a year:
I am delighted to present a foodie extract from The Perfume Muse. Come along and join Oliver and Julie.
A romantic dinner in Grasse
Extract
Over dinner in his favourite bistro in Grasse, the gorgeous suave Olivier breaks the devastating news that he will be moving to New York. But just weeks ago, Julie gave up her life in Oxford to be with Olivier in Grasse…
‘When?’ she whispered?
‘No fixed date but my boss wants the project completed by the end of the year. I’ve told him I need three months, at least, working in Grasse. I think he’s accepted that.’ He drew his lips into a thin smile which broadened as soon as he saw the waiter approach with their poulet served in a piping hot casserole dish.
‘Voila!’ exclaimed the waiter proudly, setting the dish in the centre of the table and flapping his cloth against each plate before placing it in front of them. ‘We have the local chicken from my father, cooked in the oven for a long time with the onions. See how beautiful, soft and sweet, and the fresh tomatoes -you can only get the sweetness from these tomatoes which grow in my friend’s garden.’ He waved somewhere in the direction behind their heads before carrying on. ‘And look at these olives, black and juicy, they burst with flavor. Please, enjoy your meal.’
‘It looks wonderful. I’m sure we will,’ laughed Julie, who was enchanted by this performance. She was pleased to have the diversion, giving her time to gather her thoughts.
End of extract
As Alex Johnson I have written two novels: Run Away and The Perfume Muse. My career in the beauty and perfume industry, where I’ve worked for many years as a journalist, inspired my characters and I’ve used my experiences to give some insight into the fascinating world of perfumery.
The Perfume Muse is the sequel to Run Away: the first story is about the break-up of a family and how Julie, the protagonist, copes with life as a single mother and her wayward teenage daughter. Julie falls in love with gorgeous French perfumer, Olivier, but must decide whether he can offer the future she longs for.
At the start of The Perfume Muse Julie and Olivier move to Grasse, the French perfume capital, but Julie’s dreams are dashed when, almost straightaway, he accepts a job in New York. Their relationship is tested by long periods apart and Julie finds comfort in a budding friendship with the intriguing and sexy Jean-Jacques.
Both men, both acclaimed perfumers, vie for Julie’s affections through perfume: each create romantic, sensual perfumes inspired by and especially for her.
How can she possibly choose between them?
Julie’s resolve is further tested by the unexpected arrival of Olivier’s son, Michel.
What were the reasons for Michel turning up out of the blue?
Can the disappearance of the perfume formula Olivier invented for Julie be connected?
And to top it all, it looks like Michel is falling in love with Julie’s daughter, Lisa.
Julie must get to the bottom of this. She flies out to New York to confront Olivier about the son he’s never mentioned and to determine whether her future lies with him or with Jean-Jacques.
The romance novels are very different to Imogen’s recent bestseller: The Hidden Village – the forgotten story of Dutch World War Two History. Imogen’s romance novels are available for a great price so check out Run Away and Perfume Muse. I am incredibly impressed with Imogen’s versatility as a writer – she is a great storyteller.
Please see all my extracts and excerpts at Book Extracts and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.