The Biscuit Tin, by Loriana Paterson

Marie Delaney leaves her English farm behind for Paris, swept up in a youthful marriage to charming Frenchman François Deschamps. But life in their cramped apartment quickly turns dark as cultural divides and domestic abuse take root. Isolated and enduring far more than she imagined, Marie finds strength in motherhood—and dreams of something more.

When François dies suddenly, Marie seizes her chance to start over in a French town in the Loire Valley. There, a rundown house becomes her refuge, and a spirited divorcé named Arnaud opens Marie’s heart in unexpected ways. But their happiness is tested—by old wounds, new mistakes, and the complicated families they carry with them.

As Marie navigates heartbreak, love, and the slow work of healing, she discovers what it means to reclaim her voice and choose herself.