Dorothea Shefer-Vanson

Chasing Dreams and Flies; A Tragicomedy of Life in France Dorothea Shefer-Vanson

set on fulfilling their dream of retiring to France, Sophie and John Miller find that things don't always work out quite as planned. Enchanted by the idyllic French countryside, but surrounded by people whose language they can't speak, the couple struggles to keep their heads above water. some of the other expats come to their aid, and some good meals are eaten and wine drunk, but the end-result is not what they had hoped for, especially since one of their neighbors appears to have taken a dislike to them. Another expat, Julie Smithers, comes to France to escape an unhappy romance and try and write a book. A chance encounter with handyman Steve leads to a new romance and the possibility of happiness, though her writing career seems to fall by the wayside. At the denouement of the book, when all four characters happen to be in the same place at the same time, a sad truth emerges.