COOKING FOR PICASSO

Mozhan Marno narrates this dual-time-period audiobook, which begins with a reimagining of Pablo Picasso's brief stay in the French coastal town of Juan-les-Pins in 1939. In this account, 17-year-old Ondine becomes the artist's cook and eventually his model. In contemporary times, American-born Celine visits France in hopes of finding a hidden painting it is thought Picasso gave to her late grandmother. Marno's impeccable accents bring authenticity to the women's stories, which focus on both culinary skills and love. She sympathetically conveys Ondine's and Celine's very different emotional circumstances: Ondine dreams of escaping her parents' expectations, and Celine is worried about her mother's failing health. Humor lightens the mood, making this romance cum mystery—full of art, family bickering, and, of course, fabulous food—fully enjoyable. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2016]