THE MARRIAGE OF OPPOSITES

This beautiful book, about the mother of painter Camille Pissaro, set in St. Thomas and Paris in the 1800s is a new favorite. Through the vivid descriptions of the lush tropical setting, island animals and mystical spirits, we are immersed in an entirely different world that gives historical fiction a gorgeous new twist. Exquisite and transporting, this is a story of forbidden love, and the power of faith and art to renew us.

Coconut cake appears frequently in this story. It is something to bond over, a token of affection, in some cases a peace offering. Mine is adapted from the master @inagarten and is still intact as I write this, but not for long.