Books » License to Thrill
Lily Bollinger writes her own 'License to Thrill' in this gripping historical novel
Finale of the Champagne Widows novels (2026)
The Nazis wanted her champagne. The critics wanted her erased. Lily refused to surrender.
Deception during the Occupation
In occupied France, newly-widowed Lily Bollinger sits across the table from the Nazi Weinführer. Meanwhile, Resistance fighters hide in the chalk tunnels beneath her vineyards.
To protect her family's dynasty, Lily becomes a master of deception — outwitting the Reich by day and defying it by night, bound by a dangerous secret and a man known only as the Commodore.
Peace brings new enemies
Decades later, Lily reigns as the Dame of Champagne, but peace brings new enemies. Her three feuding nephews threaten to destroy Bollinger from within, while a venomous critic dismisses her as an "aging widow."
When betrayal strikes, Lily makes an audacious gamble — aligning her champagne with the most powerful cultural icon in the world: James Bond.
Securing a legacy
As her seventy-fifth birthday approaches, Lily must execute one final maneuver to secure her legacy. But when her rarest champagne is uncorked, a long-buried truth resurfaces — proving that her greatest achievement wasn't just the wine she saved, but the secret she kept.
Praise for LICENSE TO THRILL
"A gripping and immersive historical novel, License to Thrill brings the extraordinary life of Lily Bollinger vividly to life. ... Rebecca Rosenberg captures the courage, ingenuity, and resilience of a woman who defied war, occupation, and tradition to protect her family's champagne legacy." — Kirkus Reviews
"What emerges is not merely the history of a champagne house, but the portrait of a woman whose life became inseparable from the fate of the vines she guarded. ... Celebration, we realize, rests upon vigilance. ... LICENSE TO THRILL: Lily Bollinger transcends the boundaries of corporate biography." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — The Historical Fiction Company
"Far more than a novel about champagne, LICENSE TO THRILL: Lily Bollinger is a story of survival, resilience, and the thrilling pursuit of preserving a legacy. Lily Bollinger led the company through war and under the influence of the Reich, proving that not all battles were fought with weapons — some were waged through carefully concealed vintages and relabelled bottles. With beautifully crafted prose, this book leaves you with an irresistible urge to raise a glass and celebrate." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Ellie Yarde, The Coffee Pot Book Club
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