The French Village Diaries

Secrets Beneath a Riviera Sky

Bookbub

New Chapters on the French Riviera by Jennifer Bohnet

You can read my reviews of some of Jennifer’s previous novels here:

A French Inheritance

A French Adventure

Christmas on the Riviera

Summer on the French Riviera

Villa of Second Chances

Summer at the Château

A French Country Escape

Book review of Treaty of Blood by Michael Jecks

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:49:00 +0000

Treaty of Blood by Michael Jecks

Once they'd had enough of war... Now they've had enough of peace

1359, Northern France. With the ink still drying on the Treaty of Bretigny, an agreement most believed to be nothing more than a stalemate between King Edward III of England and John II of France, the country is left riddled with both English and France armies – exhausted, adrift and directionless.

An atmosphere ripe for rebellion.

Berenger Fripper returns to the only life he truly understands, among the troops of Hawkwood’s company. But danger and treachery lurk around every abandoned French farm or village. When the company comes across the promise of riches hidden in a monastery, the motley crew finally feel as though their luck is changing…

But as quickly as they find the treasure, quicker still it’s stolen from under their noses, and as they seek revenge on the unknown thief, they find themselves swept up in the might - and the politics - of the Great Company… Will any of them get out alive?

Treaty of Blood by Michael Jecks

My review

We are back once again with the company of Englishmen from the previous books in this series, trying to make their fortunes on the battle grounds of France, as they serve their king and try their best to stay alive.

This book is a gritty telling of some of the bloodiest times in the history between England and France, bringing to life the horror of battles fought in remote areas of the countryside. Once again it sparked my imagination, especially where I can visualise the locations as they are today. Walls and ancient bastides may not be able to divulge what they witnessed all those centuries ago, but immersing yourself into the pages of a good book can flesh out what history has told us.

Treaty of Blood by Michael Jecks

As I’ve read my way through this series, I can’t say these men have become my friends, they are not those sorts of characters, however something about them has ignited something within me. The dangers of their chosen path meant there were many times I was reading through held-in breaths, almost willing the chapter to finish and the action to calm a little. Maybe reading at bedtime wasn’t my best idea!

This book is certainly one for the summer wish lists of the historical fiction fans out there.

Purchase links

Ebook – all digital retailers

Author Bio

Michael Jecks is the author of over 50 novels inspired by history and legend. He is the founder of Medieval Murderers, and has served on the committees of the Historical Writers’ Association, the CWA and he Detection Club. He was International Guest of Honour at the Bloody Words festival in Toronto, and Grand Master of the first parade in the New Orleans Mardi Gras.

Social Media Links

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Susan Buchanan writes contemporary romance, women’s fiction and romantic comedies, usually featuring travel, food, family, friendship, community – also Christmas!

Bookbub

You can read my reviews of Fields of Glory and Ashes of Rebellion, also by Michael Jecks here:

Fields of Glory

Ashes of Rebellion

Treaty of Blood by Michael Jecks

Chateaux hunting in the Charente

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 18:48:00 +0000

La Rochefoucauld Chateau

As 2026, and life in general, hurtles by at an ever-increasing pace, last weekend gave us a welcome pause and time to reconnect.

Gallerie 16, Chef Boutonne

Saturday morning saw me giving a brief talk about the history of the Château de Javarzay at a local art gallery, and while this may seem a little close to work, it actually mentally prepared me for this coming weekend’s opening of the château. My mind could retrieve the knowledge stored over winter, dust it off and make sure all was where it should be.

Gallerie 16, Chef Boutonne

Gallerie 16, in the heart of Chef Boutonne, is a wonderful venue and so much more for the community than just an art gallery. As well as showcasing the works of local artists, the gallery, run by a dynamic woman who is as passionate as I am about promoting our area, holds regular events and talks in its delightful setting. It was an honour for me to be invited along to share my local knowledge with a welcoming and appreciative audience.

Opening weekend festivities at the Chateau de Javarzay, Chef-Boutonne

This year, the opening of the château tourist season will be vibrant as the colours and costumes of Venice and its carnival come to life. The opening weekend usually marks the start of my working year but not this year. My role at the Chef Boutonne council has evolved into a full-time position, splitting my time between the library and the château, as well as other communication tasks, including social media posts and event posters, working in a dynamic and supportive team of creative women. It really is a dream role for me.

Hedgerow blossoms in March

Sunday proved to be just as awakening. The weather was perfect for a bike ride, so we set off for a 50 km châteaux hunt, in the Charente. The frost and snow of early January, that were followed by storms and flooding in February, have given way to a lush and vibrant March. The wildflowers in the verges: cowslips, wild daffodils, aconites and snake’s head fritillaries, seem more prolific than ever this year, and the first hedgerow blossoms (that will hopefully give way to sloes in autumn) are stunning to look at and alive with bees.

La Rochette

It was a delight to be out and about, butterflies trying to keep pace with me one minute, bird song breaking through my thoughts another. We paused in La Rochette to admire the turreted château and the Romanesque Church, with special mention going to its stone carvings and gilded altar. Our destination was La Rochefoucauld, which is home to a very impressive Renaissance château whose family have links with the Château de Javarzay. I hadn’t realised it would be open for visits, so that treat will have to wait for another day, but we did have time to explore the town and learn about its history thanks to the Terra Aventura geocaching app, and treat ourselves to a flan from a boulangerie - that was open on a Sunday afternoon, in rural France, in March. What a win!

The Romanesque church, La Rochette, Charente

While cycling has still featured to get to and from work this winter (when it’s not been stormy), our last 50 km day on the bikes was five months ago, when we were in the Creuse for a few days in October. While the weather isn’t entirely to blame for this, work and two trips back to England have played their part too, almost half a year without a cycling day trip adventure is crazy. I hadn’t appreciated how much I’d missed it, and it was a real tonic for the mind and body. Luckily, we have a few mini adventures in the pipeline this spring.

Book review of The Resistance Knitting Club by Jenny O'Brien

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 18:09:00 +0000

The Resistance Knitting Club by Jenny O'Brien

Inspired by the true story of a woman who used knitting patterns to encode intelligence during World War Two.

Guernsey, 2010. After a stroke, an elderly woman shocks her family by speaking perfect French – a language they never knew she possessed. As her granddaughter unravels seventy years of silence, a hidden wartime story emerges...

Paris, 1941. After her brother is declared missing in action at Dunkirk, eighteen-year-old Lenny Gallienne vanishes into Churchill’s secret army. In a bookshop on Rue de la Pompe, she poses as a simple shop girl while encoding intelligence from Nazi headquarters into knitting patterns. Each sweater smuggled to prisoners contains flight paths. Each scarf holds radio frequencies. Each mistake means execution.

Fellow agent, Harry Dennison is the only person who knows her real name. But when the SS close in, Lenny faces an impossible choice in the Metro tunnels beneath Paris – one that will haunt her family for generations. Because in the resistance, the most dangerous secrets are the ones you keep from those you love most.

The Resistance Knitting Club by Jenny O'Brien

My review

Set partly in Guernsey, as well as London, Scotland and occupied Paris, this dual timeline novel tells an emotional story of determination, espionage, heartbreak and above all family bonds.
Lenny is pushed to her limits, physically and mentally, but shows a resilience to adapt and keep going whatever her superiors and the Germans throw at her. Desperate to find a way to remember the morse code, Lenny practises it over and over again, in her knitting. This ingenious idea, born out of the practicality of a woman doing her best to be accepted into the male-dominated SOE (special operations executive) world, sparked a whole new adventure for her in this book, before circumstances led to the unravelling of her dreams.

The Resistance Knitting Club by Jenny O'Brien

The knitting element to this book intrigued me and really added that new edge to a genre I’m well-read in. I’m not a knitter but do know my knit and pearl stitches and just loved how something so simple as knitting was used in the storyline, although, I would have liked to have seen it play a more important role out in the field.
This book was an enjoying step back in time for those, like me, who love a book set during the Occupation of Paris.

Purchase links

Amazon link UK / US

Author Bio

Jenny O’Brien writes complex thrillers and heartbreaking historical fiction, as well as intriguing romances. Silent Cry, initially self published, topped the Amazon kindle chart in both the UK and the USA. Most of her books have followed suit.

Jenny has over 40 years experience as a qualified nurse. She turned to creative writing as a hobby when her children were born.

Born in Ireland, she now lives in Guernsey with her husband and children.

BOOK NEWS

The Resistance Knitting Club comes out in February, 2026. A blend of Jenny’s two hobbies - knitting and reading. For more check out The Resistance Knitting Club Facebook Page. Join the conversation as well as share your crafting projects.

Social Media Links

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The Resistance Knitting Club by Jenny O'Brien

Book review of The Boulangerie on the Corner by Susan Buchanan

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 06:15:00 +0000

The Boulangerie on the Corner by Susan Buchanan

🥖🥐🥖🥐 Grab your passport for the first in the European Escapes series 🥐🥖🥐🥖

No home. No job. No boyfriend.

When Lia loses her job straight after a break-up, she escapes to the Molins’ family-run boulangerie in Toulouse – the place she was last happy, far away from her cheating ex.

Sworn off men, she isn’t prepared for the spark she feels for charming cheesemaker Jean-Luc, nor for things heating up at the family’s country home in Gascony when handsome, self-assured vineyard-owner Théo asks her out.

Torn between the two and her connections to the Molins family, Lia has some tough decisions to make.

Lia loves being back in France with the people she cares about, helping in the boulangerie. On discovering it is under threat of closure, she is devastated and resolves to do everything in her power to help it stay open.

Will she succeed? And will she be able to choose between the two handsome Frenchmen and live her happily ever after?

For fans of Gillian Harvey, Rebecca Raisin, Jo Thomas and Veronica Henry.

The Boulangerie on the Corner by Susan Buchanan

My review

This book cleverly illustrated the good and the not so good in the life of a family run boulangerie in France, plus a whole lot more that kept me turning the pages, wonderfully absorbed in Lia’s adventures in France.

Following a tough time, Lia takes the dramatic decision to return to the boulangerie in France, where she had spent a short but happy part of her youth. She is warmly welcomed by her former host family, and with the maturity that comes with age, now sees their lives in a different light. In some ways, everything is just as she remembered: the bedroom, the scent of freshly baked bread (that I am sure I could also smell), and the love of the family. She now also appreciates the important role the boulangerie has in the neighbourhood and the difficulties for the family as they juggle the unsociable hours and long days with family life.

The Boulangerie on the Corner by Susan Buchanan

As the pressure mounts for the Molins family, Lia wants to do all she can to help them out. Learning who to trust when you are new to an area is never easy, but I certainly enjoyed meeting the local characters alongside Lia as she took her first steps helping in the shop. I am a great believer in always saying yes to new opportunities, especially if they take you out of your comfort zone and Lia did just this, which gave us an exciting and entertaining read, full of French promise.

The comfort of the baked goods, the love of the family, plus the simmering heat of romance and the spark of an idea that could change her life forever, all set with the beautiful city of Toulouse as a backdrop - I couldn’t have asked for anything more from this book.

Purchase links

Amazon link

Ebook – all digital retailers

Susan Buchanan

Author Bio

Her books are Sign of the Times, The Dating Game, The Christmas Spirit, Return of the Christmas Spirit, A Little Christmas Spirit, A Taste of Christmas Spirit and Just One Day – Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn, The Leap Year Proposal, You Can’t Hurry Love and The Boulangerie on the Corner.

As a freelance developmental editor, copyeditor and proofreader, if she’s not reading, editing or writing, she’s thinking about it.

She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Society of Authors and the Alliance of Independent Authors.

She lives near Glasgow with her husband, two children and a crazy Labrador.

When she’s not editing, writing, reading or caring for her two delightful cherubs, she likes going to the theatre, playing board games, watching quiz shows and eating out, and she has a penchant for writing retreats.

Social Media Links

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Threads @authorsusanbuchanan

Website

The Boulangerie on the Corner by Susan Buchanan

Giveaway to Win a signed and dedicated paperback of The Boulangerie on the Corner (Open to UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Gleam box below. The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

It's been a long winter, this week

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 10:26:00 +0000

Frosty trees at Javarzay
photo credit Edward Brown

It’s been a long winter, this week

A week ago, we arrived back in France having spent Christmas and New Year in England with our families. We had been spoiled rotten, meals out, centrally heated houses with plush carpeted floors, and weather kind enough to allow us to wrap up warmly and walk regularly. France hasn’t been so gentle on us; in fact, this week has been a bit of a shock to the system.

With Mum on New Year's Eve

Our journey home was rather exciting with a ferry full to bursting and way more French being spoken around us than English, followed by a dark drive in Normandy on roads that were edged in white and glowed ominously in the car headlights. As we made our way to a hotel just north of Rouen, the satnav, that has ideas of intelligence way above reality, sent us deep into the undulating countryside, where we crept along deserted roads whose surfaces resembled ice-rinks, all to avoid a one-way system on the final approach to the hotel car park.

The drive home the following day began at -6º and alternated between freezing cold with sunshine, and freezing fog which decorated the trees in a beautiful, sparkling hoary frost. You could say it was a day where everything was freezing, but on our arrival home, the fridge-freezer in the kitchen was anything but freezing. I guess after over twenty-one years of sterling service, it was bound to pack up at some point, but to choose a week when we weren’t here was a little unfair. The first task having unpacked the car, was to throw most of the contents of the freezer into bin bags and to make up a soup with what could be saved. The second task was to call the water company, fill up as many pans of water as possible and then turn the water back off as while the fountain from the stopcock tap was pretty, it wasn’t a feature we needed. Welcome home and Happy New Year!

Snow on the back gate

The week then threw us from one challenging meteorological state to another as we lunged from an orange alert for snow on Tuesday, that became an ice-rain warning on Wednesday, only to be replaced with the strong winds and rain warning on Thursday and Friday as storm Goretti appeared from the Bay of Biscay. Deep joy. The bikes were left untouched and the car too on Tuesday and Wednesday, as I set up office on the dining room table and clicked away on my laptop preparing the spreadsheets for the 2026 season at the château as well as some promotional bits and bobs for upcoming château and library events.

New fridge-freezer safely loaded onto lovely friend's trailer

It was a relief to get to the weekend having survived 48 hours with no running water, a week using the porch as a fridge and thankfully missed the worst of storm Goretti, whose full force hit further north. Saturday was an exciting outing to buy a new fridge-freezer, and Sunday was celebrated with our first bike ride of the year. It is unusual for us to go so long without cycling as we are not generally only fair-weather cyclists, but the winter this week was intense. I’m crossing my fingers for a calmer second half to January and as I spotted some snowdrops this morning, the signs of spring won’t be far behind.

The first bike ride of 2026

Don’t forget, if you want to know the dates for the public and school holidays in France this year, and how other notable dates are celebrated, click here to read my traditional 1^st of January post.

Public and school holidays in France, 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 17:16:00 +0000

Public holidays in France 2026

Public and school holidays in France, 2026

I’d like to wish you all a happy and healthy New Year from France and share my annual guide to help you make the most of the French holidays. Here you will find the dates of the public holidays, other notable dates and how they are celebrated, plus the school holiday dates, so you can avoid the busiest times on the roads or in the resorts.

Don’t forget, you can save the image and keep it to hand for reference during the year.

Public Holidays in France 2026

1^st January, New Year’s Day, jour de l’an

5^th April, Easter Sunday, Pâques

6^th April, Easter Monday, lundi de Pâques (note there is no Good Friday holiday in France unless you live in Alsace or Moselle areas)

1^st May, Fête du Travail (celebrated by giving a sprig of lily of the valley)

8^th May, Victory in Europe Day, Victoire des Alliés 1945

14^th May, Ascension Day, jeudi de l’Ascension (note schools will have an extra day off on Friday 15^thMay for the bridge (pont))

25^th May, Pentecost Monday, lundi de Pentecôte

14^th July, Fête Nationale

15^th August, Assumption Day, Assomption

1^st November, All Saint's Day, la Toussaint

11^th November, Armistice Day, Armistice 1918

25^th December, Christmas Day, Noël (note there is no holiday in France on 26^thunless you live in Alsace or Moselle areas)

Faire le pont

Except for the holidays linked to Easter: Easter Monday, Ascension Day and Pentecost Monday, the above dates are the same every year and the holiday is always observed on the actual date rather than being moved to the nearest Monday (as the UK would do).

Public holidays can therefore fall on weekends (Sunday 15^th August); to make up for this it is not uncommon for people to faire le pont (make a bridge) if a holiday falls on a Thursday (Ascension Day) or a Tuesday (14^th July), by taking off the Friday or Monday to give themselves a four-day weekend. This leave will be part of their annual holiday entitlement, or the hours will need to be made up, so while most businesses will be open on bridge days, some staff shortages can be expected.

No work May!

With Easter falling in early April this year, May will be hosting four public holidays and with two falling on Fridays (1^st and 8^th), plus Ascension Thursday (14^th) and Pentecost Monday (25^th), that means only one full working week in May and four weeks that will give us three-day weekends. For those of us working in the tourism sector this should get the 2026 summer season off to a good start.

https://www.vacances-scolaires-gouv.com

School Holidays

The school holiday dates in France are split into three zones and most of the holidays are staggered so not everyone is trying to hit the ski slopes or beaches at the same time, although be prepared for extra traffic on the roads on all Saturdays during the school holidays, or better still avoid driving on these days.

Here are the dates for 2026:

The winter holiday will be from 7^th February to 8^th March.

Zone A gets the first two weeks, Zone B the middle two and Zone C the last two.

The spring holiday will be from 4^th April to 3^rd May.

Zone A gets the first two weeks, Zone B the middle two and Zone C the last two weeks.

Thanks to Ascension Day falling on 14^th May, everyone will be off for a four-day long weekend from Thursday 14^th May to Sunday 17^th May, with Friday being a bridge day.

The summer holiday for all zones will be from 4^th July until 1^st September.

The October holiday for all zones will be from 17^th October to 1^st November.

The Christmas holiday for all zones will be from 19^th December to 3^rd January 2027.

Fête de la musique, 21st June

Other dates to note and celebrate in France

6^th January, Epiphany, celebrated in France with a Galette des Rois (see here).

7^th January, winter sales begin, soldes d’hiver. Sales are regulated in France and the winter sales will run from 7^th January to 3^rd February.

21^st to 25^th January, Nuits de la lecture, national reading nights celebrated in libraries across the country.

2^nd February Candlemas day, Chandeleur, celebrated in France with pancakes (see here).

17^th February, Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras when carnival time begins in France and pancakes, or beignets (similar to doughnuts) are eaten.

29^th March, Palm Sunday, Rameaux a day where our local boulangeries bake something different (see here).

29^th March, clocks spring forward an hour to Central European Summer Time.

1^st April, Poisson d’avril celebrated in France with sticky fish (see here).

23^rd May, European museum night, Nuits des musées, where many museums open late or run special events.

27^th May, National Resistance Day, journée nationale de la Résistance.

29^th May, Neighbours’ Day, fêtes des voisins often celebrated in France with shared meals.

31^st May, Mother’s Day, fêtes des mères.

21^st June, world music day, fête de la musique, celebrated with free concerts in towns and villages all over France.

21^st June, Father’s Day, fêtes des pères.

24^th June, summer sales begin, soldes d’été, and will run until 21^st July.

4^th July to 26^th July, Le Tour de France, with a planned depart in Barcelona, and with a finish on the Champs-Elysées in Paris.

1^st August to 9^th August, Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, begins in Switzerland and finishes nine days later in Nice.

19^th and 20^th September, European Heritage weekend, Journées Européennes du Patrimoine, many museums and other cultural sites will be open to the public, often organising special events, and with free or reduced-price entry.

25^th October, clocks go back an hour to Central European Time.

Free museum entry on the First Sundays of the month

Did you know many national museums in France open for free on the first Sunday of the month? Whilst not exclusive, as there are often restrictions in July and August, and some museums will close for some of the winter months, this is certainly a secret worth knowing and we’ve had some interesting visits over the years, all for free.

Note: not all museums are national and without the financial support from the government, locally or independently run places will not have the ability to offer free entries. If you fancy a cultural city break, it would be worthwhile checking the museum websites to see if they are taking part and plan your visit accordingly.

I hope you’ve found this useful and that wherever in France 2026 takes you, you have a wonderful time. I’d love to hear about your adventures and new discoveries.

Book review of Ashes of Rebellion by Michael Jecks

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 15:50:00 +0000

Ashes of Rebellion by Michael Jecks

Ashes of Rebellion by Michael Jecks

Beware the red and blue hoods - the signs of revolution

1358, Northern France. In a land ravaged by war, King John II is the prisoner of the King of England. His son, the teenaged Dauphin, must battle to impose control over the fractured kingdom. But King Charles of Navarre wants to wrestle power for himself. He leads Parisians and the Jacquerie to open rebellion, upending the social order, pitting noble against commoner in a brutal struggle for power.

A free company of English men and boys, led by John Hawkwood, previously of Sir John de Sully’s Vintaine, must navigate the treacherous landscape with only their wits, combat skills and each other to rely on.

From the smouldering ruins of small French villages, to the blood-soaked battlefields, their journey is fraught with danger, dogged by a mysterious enemy intent on revenge. As they face the harsh realities of medieval warfare, their bonds are tested, and their fates intertwined with the destiny of a nation.

Ashes of Rebellion by Michael Jecks

My review

In Ashes of Rebellion, we follow the same troop or vintaine of Englishmen that we met in the first book in this series, Fields of Glory, set in 1346. I’ve somehow missed books two and three, Blood on the Sand and Blood of the Innocent, but it didn’t take me long to get the lie of the land and remember the names of significant characters.

Following the Battle of Crécy in 1346, the English marched on to the Battle of Poitiers in 1356 and this book picks up their journey from there, feeding my appetite for our shared history along the way. When we are out and about exploring France by bike, one of my favourite things to do is to detour via a medieval town and imagine the lives of those who wandered the same narrow, cobbled streets, hundreds of years ago. This book fuelled my imagination, escorting me back through the centuries, bringing to life the hardships and dangers that lay around every narrow street corner and every shadowy forest path.

Ashes of Rebellion by Michael Jecks

Well-written historical fiction, like this novel, makes events so much easier to visualise than from a school textbook, especially as the noises, smells, and even their superstitions and fears were all vividly described.

In order to fill in the gaps of my knowledge, I will go back and read books two and three, and if you enjoy gritty historical fiction, I’d recommend adding this series to your reading list too.

Purchase links

Ebook – all digital retailers

Author Bio

Social Media Links

Facebook

Twitter

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Bookbub

You can read my review of Fields of Glory by Michael Jecks here.

Ashes of Rebellion by Michael Jecks

Book review of A French Inheritance by Jennifer Bohnet

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 05:41:00 +0000

A French Inheritance by Jennifer Bohnet

Every moment is a new beginning on the French Riviera

Five years ago, Adam and Lucy Belgrave took the plunge and bought a sprawling rundown farm in the South of France to bring back to life, much against the advice of Adam’s brother, Elliot.

Today, that dream is becoming a reality and the farm is beginning to thrive and Elliot finds himself grateful for the refuge it provides after his career falters and his marriage fails.

After the death of her beloved granny, a bitter divorce and surprise redundancy - the saying ’sad things come in threes’ resonates with Briony Dymond's life. With her mother by her side, Briony travels to France to learn some news that will change her life completely. Will she have the courage to embrace granny Giselle’s special wishes?

As spring returns to the French Riviera both Elliot and Briony seek to put their pasts behind them and look to find happiness in the future. But can the past give up its hold on the present?

A French Inheritance by Jennifer Bohnet

My review

There is something rather exciting, but also reassuring and comforting about opening a new Jennifer Bohnet novel and this one grabbed my heart from the beginning.

As Briony and her mother arrive at granny Giselle’s cottage in France, things are set to change for them both. While her mum is ready for a new beginning, Briony is understandably cautious, still piecing together her life following a recent divorce and redundancy. Meeting their new neighbours, Lucy, Adam and Elliot provides friendship as well as the possibility of exciting new opportunities.

A French Inheritance by Jennifer Bohnet

This book is a great mix of characters with strong family bonds, old flames reigniting and new friendships ready to help mend broken hearts. It filled me with a huge sense of well-being and happiness, and I haven’t even got to the adorable canine companions, or the hidden boxes found in the attic with stories waiting to be told.

It was just what I needed and was one of those reads that I didn’t want to end. I could happily have sat by the lake, hoping to spot the kingfisher and following these characters forever.

Purchase links

Ebook – all digital retailers

Jennifer Bohnet

Author Bio

Social Media Links

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Secrets Beneath a Riviera Sky

Bookbub

A French Inheritance by Jennifer Bohnet

You can read my reviews of some of Jennifer’s other novels here:

A French Adventure

Christmas on the Riviera

Summer on the French Riviera

Villa of Second Chances

Summer at the Château

A French Country Escape

Falling for a French Dream

One Summer in Monte Carlo

A French Affair

The magic of words

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 15:47:00 +0000

A colourful hello from France

I am sorry I have neglected you this year, the often-unseen faces who take your time to read my words. To ghost you with my silence was unforgivable, as was losing sight of the fact that you might need a smile or a hug from France to brighten your day.

A recent chance meeting at work has made me realise that this blog was so much more than just my words and waffle.

“You’re the lady who writes the blog that kept me sane during lockdown”

Uttered by a stranger as she walked into the Château de Javarzay this September, and wow, what an opening sentence that was. As is so often the way, the universe had aligned to ensure her unannounced visit to the museum I so often talk about here, fell on a day I was working.

Thanks to my daily blogs, written over five years ago, she knew all about me, our family life and how we’d spent those weird months of lockdown. From day one it had felt important to record our time during those extraordinary months, but I had little idea of the importance they would have on those who were looking in from their own topsy turvy lives. I still don’t even know this lady’s name, but she did share some of her lockdown story with me this week. Hers was so far removed from the blissful family bubble we emersed ourselves in, so to learn that my diary helped her through a traumatic time was humbling and I shall treasure her words forever. Her visit has inspired me to open a fresh notebook, pick up my trusted pen and let the words flow once more.

Finding the time to write is now more of an issue for me than it’s ever been, as life has changed direction again. When I began blogging, over eighteen years ago, it was my way of remembering those early years of our family adventure in France. I was a stay-at-home mum, with a husband who worked away from home, and even with a vegetable garden, orchard and a small menagerie of chickens and ducks, there were many lonely hours when Ed was at school or tucked up in bed of an evening. Blogging filled the gap, giving me somewhere to release my thoughts, and putting a humorous spin on things that hadn’t gone to plan became like a kind of therapy. Connecting with readers all over the world as I shared our life was an unexpected bonus.

Since March of this year, I have been working at both the château and the library in Chef-Boutonne, a dream combination of roles that I still have to pinch myself to believe is true. However, with no two weeks being the same, life can feel a little crazy sometimes with no routine to follow. It is a great memory exercise for my brain though; what day is it? Where am I working today? What time do I start and what time do I finish? So far, so good – I’ve always arrived at the right place for the right time. In an almost complete role reversal of our early years in France, it is now Adrian who is spending more time home alone than I do. This has been a huge learning curve for him, especially this autumn where he has mastered the art of preparing windfall apples for the freezer, ensuring our winter breakfasts will be just as delicious as our summer ones. I’ll even admit that his method is much more efficient than mine, although it does produce more washing up.

Today, as I celebrate my 54^th birthday (if I say that quickly it doesn’t have time to register how old I am), it seems the perfect opportunity to hit publish on this blog once more and to say thank you for reading. I will be back soon, sharing some of our camping mini adventures from this summer.

Jacqui

One Summer in Provence, in conversation with Carol Drinkwater

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 05:45:00 +0000

Carol Drinkwater, One Summer in Provence
(image provided by Carol Drinkwater)

I am delighted to welcome actress and writer Carol Drinkwater to the blog today. I’ve long been a fan of her writing, both her fiction books and her Olive Farm memoirs, so it is with great excitement that I can help her share her latest release, ONE SUMMER IN PROVENCE. This book is set on a vineyard in the majestic Esterel region of the south of France and Carol was gracious enough to answer some questions about the characters, their vineyard and what we can expect from this book.

A bit about Carol:

Carol Drinkwater is a multi-award winning actress and writer, possibly best known for her portrayal of Helen Herriot in the BBC’s original television series, All Creatures Great and Small.

Carol is the author of twenty-four books, both fiction and non-fiction. She has achieved bestselling status - over a million copies sold worldwide - with her much-loved quartet of memoirs set on her Olive Farm in the south of France, The Olive Farm series.

Carol's fascination with the olive tree extended to a seventeen-month solo Mediterranean journey in search of the tree's mythical secrets. The resulting, bestselling travel books, The Olive Route and The Olive Tree, were adapted into a five-part documentary film series, which has been screened all over the world.

Carol’s novels include THE FORGOTTEN SUMMER, THE LOST GIRL which was one of LoveReading’s Books of the Year 2017. THE HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE CLIFF published in May 2019. AN ACT OF LOVE published early 2021.

In 2022/23, Channel 5 in the UK screened a six-part series titled CAROL DRINKWATER’S SECRET PROVENCE. It is still being screened worldwide, garnering millions of viewers internationally.

Carol’s latest novel, ONE SUMMER IN PROVENCE, was published by Corvus Atlantic on 3rd July 2025.

One Summer in Provence by Carol Drinkwater

Depending on the time of day, may I suggest you pour yourselves a coffee or a glass of wine, then settle down in a comfy spot to enjoy a taster of summer, in a vineyard, in Provence.

In your latest novel, One Summer in Provence, Les Roches du Soleil is the unexpected vineyard home to ex-London couple, Dominic and Celia. Can you tell us a bit more about them and how they came to be living in the south of France, making wine?

Celia spent her childhood and youth in a small town near Bristol. She left for London when she was twenty to study to become an actress at drama school. Some years later, she met Dominic when they were both working on a television play written by Dominic. They married soon after and built successful careers in the worlds of television and theatre. They lived in Primrose Hill. Had it not been for an unexpected setback in their fortunes, they would probably never have considered the move to France. Certainly, Dominic would not have uprooted. But one of Life’s twists and unforeseen changes of direction pushed them to Provence. Celia’s parents were the proprietors of a vineyard in the south of France. It was her father’s dream to own his own patch of French wine-growing territory. He was an early ex-pat, (before Peter Mayle and the wave of foreigners who headed to Provence!) After Celia’s parents had both died, she inherited the estate. The inheritance, due to the couple’s troubles in London, (which we only learn about later in the story) proved to be timely.

From just the first few chapters, I easily slipped into life on the vineyard and certainly wanted to read more about how Celia’s son turning up was going to play out.

I am delighted to read, Jacqui, that the narrative drive of the story gripped you early on. That is so important. Thank you. Yes, the arrival of the man who claims to be Celia’s son, along with his unlikely travelling companion, does set the story rolling in new and unexpected directions.

The vineyard is in the Esterel area, with its particular red, rocky landscape. For those of us not lucky enough to be there, can you describe what is so special about this coastline for us?

As you say the earth, which is ancient volcanic land, is dark rusty-red in colour. Gorgeous, rich. It’s really very striking. And it does make for unusual wine-growing. Like all this Med coast area, as you move inland it very quickly becomes dramatic because it is set in the foothills of the Lower Alps.

Soil is important for vine growing, does the Esterel soil make a good wine? If so, I hope you had a chilled bottle to hand to celebrate One Summer in Provence’s publication day.

This area is not one of France’s more famous and highly-esteemed regions for growing wines. However, that is slowly changing. There are some very fine wines being produced in the Var area (where this novel is set) and they are not only the famous rosés. Excellent dark ruby reds too and light crisp whites.

I find that in a well-researched novel, the setting/location becomes one of the characters, how important do you think it is to an engaging read?

Location, for me as a writer, is always an essential element. We are impacted by our surroundings. I am deeply rooted in nature and need to put my writing fingers in the soil, as it were. I was partially brought up on a farm in Ireland and so the rituals of crop production, feeding, nurturing, are in my DNA, I think. I agree with you that location can be a character in a novel. Location with some dramatic weather changes have quite an important role to play in this story.

Although vineyard life was never their plan, it seemed that there was something about life on the land and the changing seasons that spoke to Dominic and Celia. Was this a bit of south of France magic and can you relate?

Never underestimate the magic and lure of this part of the world! PACA (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) offers myriad different faces. It can be lush and poetically beautiful; it can be stark and rugged especially further inland; it can be buzzing with life and elegance for the tourist trade. It is fecund, almost everything grows here and nature’s abundance is very attractive, almost addictive. If I were Dominic or Celia and I had inherited this lovely old vineyard, I would have stayed on too!

Carol Drinkwater on her olive farm
(image provided by Carol Drinkwater)

As you are as at home on the land in the south of France as Celia and Dominic, what is your favourite season on your olive farm?

Every season has its secrets and its gifts. These days, as the heat becomes more intense, I find that summer can be too hot for me, but there is never a day when I wish I was living in another country. France, the Côte d’Azur, is one of the loveliest places on earth. I consider myself immensely fortunate.

Can you describe a typical summers day for Celia and Dominic, to give us all a taste of life at Les Roches du Soleil?

Well, they are landowners and land workers so their days would include being out in the vineyards. Sometimes working long hours. Late summer - September - is grape harvesting season, which is a time of group activity - extra causal labour is employed to pick - and important decisions about when to pick the fruit clusters are made. There is a science to that. Communal lunches are enjoyed out in the fields, at the edge of the vineyards. I know from our own olive harvests, when we have many friends to stay to help us bring in the olives and get them to the mill for pressing, how engaged everyone becomes. It’s very exciting. Friends, or in Celia and Dom’s case, hired hands, all become invested in the outcome. The desire for the finest produce, fruits harvested with love and care.

These are traditions that go back to the Middle East thousands of years ago.

You can’t write about France and not include delicious food and wine. Are there any of your favourite French summer dishes that make an appearance in the book?

When Celia and Dominic discuss the menu for the grand weekend party, I was salivating as I made the choices for that section of the novel. Lamb cooked over a fire outside seasoned with a generous sprinkling of freshly-grown Provençal herbs. Home-grown veggies, wines to accompany each step of the occasion, each dish. I had great fun with this part of the storytelling. Someone said to me that they gained weight just reading it!

As well as the vineyard, will we get to visit any other Provençal gems alongside Celia and Dominic?

Aside from a couple of scenes set in Cannes - I don’t want to say too much here! - the novel is predominantly centred at their vineyard.

Henri, Celia and Dominic’s gardener with his chickens, accordion and vegetable garden was one of the characters who put a smile on my face. Was there one character in the book whose story shouted louder than the others to be told?

Each character is my best friend while I am writing about them and creating them. I love Henri because he is such a gracious old man, carrying his personal sorrows with dignity and because he loves and tends bees!

What do you hope your readers will remember most at the end of the novel?

Love and family are where you find and welcome them.

Thank you, Carol, for taking the time to answer my questions. I was hooked from the first few chapters and will be sharing my review soon.

The novel has many twists and turns, plenty of mystery and readers are saying it is a page-turner. I hope it sweeps you away to a magical setting even if events take several unexpected turns. Please enjoy it, I loved writing this novel. It is intended as a celebration of Provence.

One Summer in Provence by Carol Drinkwater

ONE SUMMER IN PROVENCE is available to buy in all good bookshops. Here are some links to Amazon for the kindle and paperback editions.

Amazon kindle

Amazon paperback

Carol has just completed the first leg of her book tour. She will be in both UK and Northern Ireland from September onwards. The dates and events will soon be up on her website, click here for more details.

Book review of The Case of the Body on the Orient Express by Kelly Oliver

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 18:28:00 +0000

The Case of the Body on the Orient Express by Kelly Oliver

Paris, 1928: Agatha Christie and fellow writer Dorothy L Sayers board the Orient Express, bound for Constantinople. Christie in particular is looking forward to a break from recent dispiriting events in both her work and private life – the finalisation of her divorce from her philanderous husband Archie, and the miserly reception of her latest book.

But before the duo can settle in to enjoy the luxuries of their first-class journey, their journey is derailed when a fellow guest drops dead during the dinner service. And as the last person to speak to the victim, Dorothy finds herself a prime suspect in his murder.

As the train hurtles East, Sayers’ resourceful assistant Eliza and her friend Theo must navigate a maze of suspects. But with each passing mile, the stakes rise, and when another body is discovered, their search to find the killer before they reach their destination becomes increasingly complicated.

Can Eliza and Theo stay one step ahead, crack the mystery and clear Dorothy’s name? Or will this be one journey too far for the amateur sleuths?

The Case of the Body on the Orient Express by Kelly Oliver

My review

I reached the end of this book and couldn’t decide what my favourite part of it was. With the vivid descriptions of the opulent setting of the Orient Express, the menus served in the dining car and the characters found on board, it felt like I was there. Then there were the mysterious circumstances surrounding the deaths to be solved that certainly got my brain ticking, as old flames and forgotten faces from the past all found themselves on the same train heading to Constantinople. But then there was Eliza, a woman to be admired and not messed with. She won me over from the moment she casually mentioned her forensics kit was included in her modest luggage for the journey to Constantinople with her employer Dorothy L Sayers. She had a mysterious and intriguing past that I couldn’t wait to discover.

The Case of the Body on the Orient Express by Kelly Oliver

This book was also fully loaded with a rich cast of characters including George Orwell and Agatha Christie who were perfectly matched with the opulent setting of the Orient Express. I was so happy to board this train, and I really didn’t want the journey to end.

Purchase links

Amazon link

Ebook – all digital retailers

Kelly Oliver

Author Bio

Kelly Oliver is the award-winning, bestselling author of three mysteries series: The Jessica James Mysteries, The Pet Detective Mysteries, and the historical cozies The Fiona Figg Mysteries, set in WW1. She is also the Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University and lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

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The Case of the Body on the Orient Express by Kelly Oliver

Book review of The Village Café in the Loire by Gillian Harvey

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:35:00 +0000

The Village Café in the Loire by Gillian Harvey

The Village Café in the Loire by Gillian Harvey

High-flyer Becky Thorne cannot believe what she’s being told. She doesn’t need to be signed off for burnout! Life has been a bit chaotic lately, that’s all. As if dealing with her enviable job and permanent meddling from her mother aren’t enough, she’s also inherited a café in the Loire from an estranged great-aunt, complete with sitting tenant who refuses to budge.

But nobody stands in Becky’s way! Ignoring her best friend Amber’s advice, she decides to storm over to France and sort the tenant out. Then she can finally get the café sold and jump back on the career ladder.

What she doesn’t count on is the tenant being Pascale, who is six feet of tall, dark, handsome and extremely grumpy about her plans for change. Not to mention the village and the secrets it holds about her past.

Becky’s path to success is all planned out. But the Loire has a magic she might not be able to resist…

The Village Café in the Loire by Gillian Harvey

My review

It was a delight to be back in a Gillian Harvey novel wondering just where she will take me this time. Despite this being the ninth book of hers that I have read, the variety of characters, locations and emotional situations that she creates means there is always a surprise in store and this book was no exception.

Becky was a tough one to love at the beginning. Her life was fast-paced, and success was all that mattered, so much so that taking the time to notice what was going on for those around her didn’t register on her radar. She had the job of her dreams and thanks to the inheritance of a café in the Loire, she now had the money for the flat of her dreams in London too. When things began to crumble in her perfect life, sitting still wasn’t an option, so she arrived in France, a whirlwind of energy who was determined to sell the café and grab the money she needed as soon as possible.

The Village Café in the Loire by Gillian Harvey

Life in the little town of Vaudrelle in the Loire ticked over at a much slower pace than Becky was used to. She had no option but to put her brakes on and learn to slow down, allowing long-buried emotions the headspace she had denied them for years. Once she got over the initial frustration, she discovered there was something rather special about the café her great aunt Maud had run and the life she had made for herself in France.

Learning Maud’s secret and the conditions behind her inheritance was a wake-up call that led Becky to rethink certain parts of her life. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, laughed at a lot of the ‘French’ situations Becky found herself in and loved that a bit of rural French magic wove its way into her life.

This is another heart lifting novel from Gillian Harvey to add to your summer reading list.

Purchase links

Ebook – all digital retailers

Gillian Harvey

Author Bio

Gillian Harvey is an author and freelance writer who lives in Norfolk. Her novels, including the bestselling A Year at the French Farmhouse and The Riviera House Swap, are often set in France, where she lived for 14 years.

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The Village Café in the Loire by Gillian Harvey

You can read my reviews of some of Gillian Harvey’s other fabulous novels here:

Midnight in Paris

The Riviera House Swap

The Bordeaux Book Club

A Month in Provence

The French Chateau Escape

One French Summer

A Year at the French Farmhouse

Book review of The Magic of Provence by Alison Roberts

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 14:55:00 +0000

The Magic of Provence by Alison Roberts

The Magic of Provence by Alison Roberts

Sometimes facing your fears can be the start of something wonderful

Fiona Gilchrist has spent years running from her demons. But deciding to take back control, she packs up her life and makes the trip to Provence to be reunited with her sisters. And almost instantly, there is something about La Maisonette which is healing and Fi knows she’s ready for a chance to start again.

When an opportunity arises to work alongside vet Christophe Brabant, Fi, although hesitant cannot resist saying yes. Because immersing herself in what she loves is the ultimate distraction. And while Christophe may be utterly charming, he’s also committed to his job so Fi knows she’s in safe hands. Yet, what starts as a blossoming friendship quickly turns to something deeper. Because for the first time in her life, Fi begins to feel relaxed and completely at ease. Could it be that Christophe’s heart is more like hers than she realises? Or has she allowed him to penetrate the boundaries she always considered unbreachable?

Coming to France took a leap of faith, but in doing so it has allowed these two damaged souls a chance to find each other while Provence works its magic…

The Magic of Provence by Alison Roberts

My review

I was equally as delighted to step into this third book about the Gilchrist sisters in Provence, as I was sad that it was the final one in the trilogy. Having loved the previous two, I’d been waiting for this book, and I wasn’t disappointed, despite Fiona having made only fleeting appearances in the previous two books.

As her past traumas were revealed, it didn’t take me long to understand the reasons why she’d put so much distance between herself and her family, and a character who I’d initially found cold and aloof, began to soften. All that was left was for me to get comfy, dive between the pages and wait for the magic of Provence to start to heal her broken heart. The fact that the healing process included a rather attractive French vet and an abandoned donkey foal, was just the icing on the cake. Family also plays an important role in this emotional novel, not just in the main storyline of the three sisters, but also in some of the subplots.

The Magic of Provence by Alison Roberts

What I will take most from these books, aside from the strong characters and sparks of chemistry, is the absolute love for this part of France that Alison Roberts obviously has. She has a great talent to be able to drop in snippets of French culture and customs, as well as describing postcard vistas of Provencal villages, all while keeping the main storyline flowing.

Reading this trilogy will make you feel like you’ve had the most wonderful holiday in Provence and I can’t think of a better way to spend a summer.

Purchase links

Amazon link The Magic of Provence

Amazon link Falling for Provence

Amazon link From Provence With Love

Ebook – all digital retailers

Alison Roberts

Author Bio

Alison Roberts is the author of over one hundred romance novels with Mills and Boon, and now writes romance and escapist fiction for Boldwood.

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The Magic of Provence by Alison Roberts

You can read my reviews of the first two books in this heart-melting series here:

Falling for Provence

From Provence With Love

Book review of The Girl from Normandy by Rachel Sweasey

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 15:20:00 +0000

The Girl from Normandy by Rachel Sweasey

Paris, 1940: Marie-Claire steps into the Gare de Lyon, not knowing it will be the last time she'll see her husband and son. Fleeing occupied Paris, she travels into the countryside of Normandy, and stumbles upon a chateau near Caen and a growing resistance movement. Soon, Marie-Claire finds herself working in a cafe in the quiet village of Sainte-Mère-Église, where she tries to come to terms with all she has lost – but little does she realise that her presence in Normandy will change the course of history…

1998: Half a century later, Esther is returning to the Normandy village she visited as a teenager, seeking a break from her monotonous life. Back then, she'd fallen in love with a rustic farmhouse and the family that lived there – not least the charming eldest son, Jules Joubert. But now, when Esther discovers an old annotated cookbook in the family kitchen, she begins to realise that the place she holds so close to her heart may hide more secrets than even the Jouberts realise...

What stories does the area carry? And could this trip change Esther’s life for ever?

The Girl from Normandy by Rachel Sweasey

My review

This book ticked a lot of boxes for me. It is a dual timeline novel, a format that I love, that followed the lives of two women, Marie-Claire, during the Occupation of France and Esther, a single woman living in Poole in 1990’s. It was Esther’s story that immediately captured my imagination. What was her history with Normandy and more importantly, how would her connection with Marie-Claire reveal itself. She was a character I really enjoyed getting to know as she negotiated some life-changing events.

Marie-Claire’s journey had a far more traumatic beginning as her little family fled the occupying soldiers in Paris. Her husband Benjamin was half Jewish and with no family support, her world dramatically changed in a heartbeat. Finding herself in Normandy, her skills in the kitchen and her burning desire to do anything she could to resist the Germans, gave her a much-needed focus and purpose. Her story was a fascinating one to read with many emotional ups and downs.

The Girl from Normandy by Rachel Sweasey

Despite some of the situations the characters found themselves in, this was a gentle read that mixed history with family sagas and life-changing events. There were many shared, extended family times, set around a French farmhouse kitchen table where the food, chatter and love came to life. The female characters especially, were strong and independent, and I admired their resilience to what life threw at them. As the book drew to a close there were a few unexpected twists that added another emotional element and put a smile on my face.

If you are a fan of historical fiction, especially set during the Occupation, I’m sure you would enjoy this book.

Purchase links

Amazon link

Ebook – all digital retailers

Rachel Sweasey

Author Bio

Rachel was born to English 10-pound-pom parents in sub-tropical Brisbane, Australia, and when the family moved back to Poole, Dorset, she was just 5 years old. She then grew up against the stunning backdrop of Poole Harbour where she sailed and played on the beaches of Brownsea Island and Studland, and walked across the Purbeck Hills, all of which inspired her imagination and provided the setting of her debut historical fiction novel set in WWII. Since then, Rachel has moved back to Brisbane, Australia.

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The Girl from Normandy by Rachel Sweasey

Book review of Double Stakes by Alison Morton

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 05:39:00 +0000

Double Stakes by Alison Morton

Double Stakes by Alison Morton

A kidnapped daughter. A rigged election. A family under siege.

Former French special forces intelligence analyst Mélisende is desperate for recovery time after a gruelling mission. But when enforcers attack her family home in rural France, she uncovers a shocking truth – her sister-in-law’s gambling debt has put them all in danger.

Before Mel can untangle the crisis, she is ordered to Germany, where the daughter of Achim Nessler – the front-runner for chancellor – has been abducted. The kidnappers’ goal? To force Nessler to throw the upcoming election, paving the way for a hard-right victory that could upend not just Germany, but all of Europe.

Racing against time, Mel and fellow investigator Jeff McCracken dive into the murky world of extremist politics where old wounds and new betrayals collide. But as their hunt leads them deep into eastern Germany’s shadows, Mel discovers a chilling link between the case and her own family’s troubles.

Now, with both a nation’s future and her loved ones at stake, Mel must risk everything to stop a conspiracy that hits closer to home than she ever imagined.

Double Stakes is the third in the Mélisende Doubles thriller series

Double Stakes by Alison Morton

My review

I wouldn’t say I was a thriller junky, in fact I’m a wimp and usually prefer my reads to be warm, fuzzy and uplifting, however, this series of books has changed my mind.

Maybe it is Alison Morton’s attention to detail or meticulous research, that combined with her own military background, means this series is so believable I felt like I was in the heat of the action with the characters. Maybe it’s because the characters are not just strong, focussed and well trained, able to outwit any enemy, but they also retain their personal, emotional sides. Maybe I am more of an adrenalin junky than I realised.

Whatever it is, I was hooked. This book kept me on the edge of my chair and I’m sure it raised my heart-rate at times too. It’s fast-paced, full of action and political turmoil, both serious national issues and internal ones within various police forces and government agencies. This gave my brain lots to focus on and it was a difficult book to put down.

Double Stakes by Alison Morton

Having enjoyed the previous two books, I was eagerly awaiting this third book, and although they all grabbed my attention and imagination, Double Stakes was the best by far. I’m so glad I stepped out of my normal comfort zone and I'm sure you’ll enjoy these adventures too. I’m really hoping there will be more from Mélisende in the future.

Purchase links

Ebook – all digital retailers

Paperback

Alison Morton

Author Bio

Alison Morton writes award-winning thrillers featuring tough but compassionate heroines. She lives in Poitou in France, the home of Mélisende, the heroine of her latest three contemporary thrillers, Double Identity, Double Pursuit and Double Stakes.

Her eleven-book Roma Nova thriller series is set in an imaginary European country where a remnant of the ancient Roman Empire has survived into the 21st century and is ruled by women who face conspiracy, revolution and heartache but with a sharp line in dialogue.

Six years’ military service, a fascination with Ancient Rome and a life of reading crime, historical and thriller fiction have inspired her writing. On the way, she collected a BA in modern languages and an MA in history.

For the latest news, subscribe to her newsletter here and receive 'Welcome to Alison Morton’s Thriller Worlds’ as a thank you gift.

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Mélisende Doubles thriller series by Alison Morton

If you haven’t yet read the first two books in the Mélisende Doubles thriller series, what are you waiting for – you can read my reviews here:

Double Identity

Double Pursuit

Book review of The Paris Promise by Suzanne Kelman

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Tue, 20 May 2025 05:51:00 +0000

The Paris Promise by Suzanne Kelman

The Paris Promise by Suzanne Kelman

Paris, 1943: Keeping her eyes fixed on the Nazi officer, Antoinette slowly reaches under the pillow for the knife hidden there. Her hands are shaking, but she knows what she must do to save her husband and child…

When the Nazis invade Paris, Antoinette Valette’s world shatters overnight. In an instant, she goes from being a celebrated violinist, to fearing for the life of her Jewish husband and son. With nowhere to flee, hiding in plain sight is her family’s only choice.

But when their secret is discovered and her beloved husband is torn from her arms, Antoinette’s heart breaks. She knows she must act quickly if she is to save her son from the same fate. Desperate, she asks the Resistance to secure him a place on the last train leaving Paris. Holding him tightly against her chest, she promises she will find him again. But is it a promise she can’t possibly keep?

Alone and with nothing left to lose, when the Resistance ask her to use her musical talent to spy on high-ranking Nazis, Antoinette doesn’t hesitate. Playing her violin at elaborate dinner parties each night gives her the opportunity to listen to their conversations. And although she risks her life every day, it is the only way to get her family back.

But when a Nazi commander makes advances towards her, Antoinette realizes that she will have to make a dangerous and impossible choice. Can she find the strength to do the unthinkable, in the hopes that it will save her family, and countless other innocent lives?

The third gripping novel in the Paris Sisters series, this novel tells the story of the power of a mother’s love, in the face of unimaginable darkness. Perfect for fans of Roberta Kagan, Kristin Hannah, and Fiona Valpy.

The Paris Promise by Suzanne Kelman

My review

Having enjoyed the previous books in this series, I was eagerly awaiting book three and looking forward to discovering the Occupation story of another of the Valette sisters.

Antoinette’s war differed from that of her sisters from the outset. As the wife of a Jewish musician, whose family was torn apart when the Nazi’s invaded Paris, her personal loss was heartbreaking to read. This traumatic time gave her the strength and determination to agree to work for the Resistance, using her music to infiltrate the occupying forces. The beauty of her violin playing contrasted with the risks, sacrifices and danger she put herself in and often had me holding my breath as I was dragged deeper into the book. I can’t imagine the emotions she felt as she made difficult decisions that would have repercussions lasting many years.

As with the previous books in this series, it is not just Antoinette’s war story that we follow. Suzanne Kelman is a master at cleverly crafting dual timeline novels that add another dimension and even more emotions to the story. We join Deanna, Antoinette’s granddaughter, as she sets out to uncover the mystery of a precious violin uncovered in her father’s attic. Unravelling her family’s mystery proves to be a journey that takes her to some dark places emotionally as well as some exotic locations.

This book, (and the previous two) are ones to add to your reading list this summer if you enjoy family mysteries, history and the Occupation.

Purchase links

Book link

Suzanne Kelman

Author Bio

Suzanne Kelman is a 2015 Academy of Motion Pictures Nicholl Finalist, Multi-Award-Winning Screenwriter and a Film Producer. As well as working in film she is also an International Amazon Bestselling Fiction Author of the Southlea Bay Series – The Rejected Writers’ Book Club, Rejected Writers Take the Stage and The Rejected Writers’ Christmas Wedding. Born in the United Kingdom, she now resides in Washington State.

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If you haven’t yet read the first two books in the Paris Sisters series, I recommend that you do – you can read my reviews here:

The Last Day in Paris

The Bookseller of Paris

The Paris Promise by Suzanne Kelman

Book review of A Most Parisian Murder by Millicent Binks

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Thu, 15 May 2025 05:10:00 +0000

A Most Parisian Murder by Millicent Binks

Feathers, diamonds, showgirls, oh la la… Paris is everything Opal Laplume could dream of. But she wasn’t expecting to be cast as the lead detective in a murder case…

Paris, 1930. The Honourable Opal Laplume has just started working as a seamstress in the most glamorous cabaret in Paris. The stage is set for a spectacular opening night, but tragedy strikes when the star of the show, Valentine Beaumanoir falls from her hotel balcony.

The police believe it’s an accident, but Opal isn’t convinced. Witnesses heard Valentine shout for help before she fell. But if she was pushed, how could the culprit have escaped when her room was locked from the inside? And who left a perfect white rose on her bedside table?

When a deadly note to another dancer is found, Opal ditches her threads and thimbles to take charge of the case. Stepping backstage, she finds everyone had a reason to want Valentine dead. The chorus girls were jealous of Valentine’s spot in the limelight. But did one of them want the lead role that badly? Before she fell, Valentine called out the name of her beau, costumier Christophe. Could the show-stopping murder have been a crime of passion?

But just as Opal thinks she’s on track to solve the mystery, the theatre is rocked by a murder on stage, where once again the killer vanishes into thin air. Opal soon realises a bigger plot is unfolding. Can she keep her composure and catch the cabaret killer? Or will it be her final curtain call?

A Most Parisian Murder by Millicent Binks

My review

As Opal Laplume settles into her new life in Paris, sporting her unique style of headwear, and with her adorable companion Napolean at her side, it doesn’t take her long to realise that if she wants the truth about the mysterious disappearances happening to the cabaret cast, it is up to her to piece the clues together.

Opal was a fabulous character to get to know, and being with her in 1930’s Paris was a riot for my senses that put a huge smile on my face. Her observation skills were a gift, ensuring she picked up even the tiniest detail in every situation, and never failed to notice when something was amiss. The cabaret dancers were vibrant, as were the colours and textures of their costumes and feathery headdresses, and the arty society soirees she attended, with familiar names, swirling cigarette smoke and absinthe pipes all came alive from the pages.

I never doubted that Opal would succeed where the police had failed, but I wasn’t expecting the twists and turns this book gave me. It was one of those books that was easy to slip into, but not so easy to put down and I’m looking forward to reading more fabulous adventures from the Honourable Opal Laplume.

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Millicent Binks

Author Bio

Millicent is a writer, former costume designer and burlesque performer from Suffolk. She now resides in North London with her husband and two cats, Queenie and Tarquin.

She has a BA (Hons) at Wimbledon College of Art in Costume Interpretation. Her writing credits include a column in the The London Evening Standard about her life as a burlesque starlet. She wrote the cover story “Alter Shego's” for The Sunday Times Magazine, in which she disguised herself as different women, took self-portraits, went out, introduced herself to random gentlemen and documented their reactions. This was optioned for TV by NBCUniversal.

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A Most Parisian Murder by Millicent Binks

Book review of Fields of Glory by Michael Jecks

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Thu, 01 May 2025 07:17:00 +0000

Fields of Glory by Michael Jecks

1346. France. King Edward III is restless. Despite earlier victories the French crown remains intact. Determined to bring France under his own rule, Edward has devised a new plan of attack – one which he believes will finally bring the French army to its knees: a final, cataclysmic battle ...

Berenger Fripper, Vintener of a pox-ridden mob of sixteen who make up the Vintaine of Sir John de Sully, storms the beaches of Normandy to bring victory to their king. But the French are nowhere to be seen…

And so Berenger leads his Vintaine through France and onward to battle - the Battle of Crécy – one which will both bond and break his men and be a decisive turning point in the Hundred Years’ War.

Fields of Glory by Michael Jecks

My review

For years, my only knowledge of the Battle of Crécy was from the brown tourist sign you see from the motorway when driving north from Rouen to Calais, a journey we do regularly. Its significance to England’s shared history with the French was unforgivably lost on me until recently, but honestly, my history lessons in good old 1980’s Blighty left a lot to be desired. Working at an historical tourist site in France has fired a passion in me for French history, and especially those periods where French and English history entwine.

You can only imagine the delight I found in immersing myself in this book. Using the wonderful medium of well-written historical fiction enabled me to follow in their footsteps and added flesh to the bare bones of my knowledge.

Fields of Glory by Michael Jecks

This book is gritty, gory and not for the faint-hearted, but I was in my element, and it certainly helped me visualise life for the invading army and the terror of medieval warfare. I now have a better understanding of some of the complexities around who thought they had rights to the French throne and why.

I’ve also discovered this is the first in a trilogy, so I can’t wait to continue my journey back through time with books two and three.

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Author Bio

Studied actuarial science, then became a computer salesman for 13 years- after the 13th company folded, he turned to writing.

He’s the author of 50 novels, 6 novellas, 4 collaborative books and short stories. His tales are inspired by history and legends, but are all grounded in real life and real people, what motivates them, and why they turn to violence.

Founder of Medieval Murderers, he has served on the committees of: Historical Writers’ Association, CWA and Detection Club. He has judged the Debut Dagger, Ian Fleming Steel Dagger and other prizes, as well as serving as Dagger liaison officer and CWA Chair. He has taught writing at Swanwick and Evesham, and tutored for the Royal Literary Fund. He now runs South West Writers in Devon.

His work has been celebrated by Visconti and Conway Stewart pens; 2014 he was International Guest of Honour at the Bloody Words festival in Toronto, and Grand Master of the first parade in the New Orleans Mardi Gras.

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Book review of Where Do We Go From Here by Nick Alexander

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 12:26:00 +0000

Where Do We Go From Here by Nick Alexander

When all seems lost, can she find herself again?

For years, Wendy has put others first. A loving wife, mother and nurse, she has never taken time for herself. But now with her children flying the nest, she decides, alone, to rent a little house in a forgotten corner of the French Alps where she can try and answer the question: what next?

But when she arrives, Wendy starts to regret her decision. This retreat suddenly looks so very different from the dream. As she walks the hill paths alone, thoughts of her family leave her with a pang in her chest.

With no one else to care for, Wendy is suddenly forced to confront something she’s tried her best to hide: the real reason her family is falling apart. Is she strong enough to face it alone?

Then, just when she thinks she’s hit rock bottom, she discovers that help can come from the most unlikely places: a newfound friendship giving her the strength to start again. Wendy always thought she knew how her story would end but she’s learning that this is only the beginning.

An absolutely heartbreaking and uplifting story about love, loss, unlikely friendships and finding strength you never knew you had. Perfect for fans of Mike Gayle, Amanda Prowse and Matt Haig.

My review

Wow, I have to admit that it has been a while since I read a Nick Alexander book and although they have never disappointed, this one turned out to be a much more powerful read than I was expecting.

To begin with I felt sorry for Wendy, acclimatising to time alone in her mountain cabin, in the wilds of the Alps, just above Nice, although I enjoyed the memories the views of her vistas gave me of our holidays in the area. As her story was revealed, I felt hurt and angry for her, at the traumas she witnessed as a nurse in England during the pandemic and her family’s seemingly lack of understanding at what she experienced. Then things took a darker, more difficult twist. I don’t think this is a spoiler, but I do feel there should be a trigger warning for alcohol issues in the description of this book, meaning that at times it wasn’t an easy read.

Where Do We Go From Here by Nick Alexander

Wendy wasn’t always an easy character to like, but there was an ever-present optimism in my head that she would find the signs she was hoping for, and in doing so “find herself”. The people she met in France, or those from her past who she tried to reconnect with, all had interesting stories to throw into the mix of emotions that this book stirred within me. It was a page-turner, but not how I imagined it would be.

If you are looking for something a bit grittier and more grown-up than cosy, and that is guaranteed to make you think, then add this book to your kindle today.

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Author Bio

Nick Alexander is a bestselling British Author of nineteen novels. He has sold more than two million copies of his books to date. His works have been translated into nine different languages and he has had bestsellers in France, Germany and Norway.

Nick lives in a sleepy village in the southern French Alps with his partner, three cats and a mischief of screechy magpies that the cats just love to hate.

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Where Do We Go From Here by Nick Alexander

Book review of Secrets Beneath a Riviera Sky by Jennifer Bohnet

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 05:01:00 +0000

Secrets Beneath a Riviera Sky by Jennifer Bohnet

As one door closes, another one opens…

When Agnes Agistini receives a phone call from Theo, her brother-in-law informing her that her estranged, abusive husband Oscar has died in an accident, she feels nothing but relief. But that relief is short-lived as Oscar’s vengeance from an early grave forces Agnes to return to the place she fled from over forty years ago. A place and time she’s not keen to revisit.

At the request of a French notaires dealing with Oscar’s last will, Agnes travels to Cannes in the South of France alongside their daughter Francine and her grand-daughter Jasmine.

Agnes knows that going back will inevitably drag up deep, dark memories which she is yet to reconcile, but what choice does she have?
What she wasn’t prepared for are the family secrets that will come to light, or the cruel way in which Oscar treats her right until the bitter end.

As always Theo remains by her side, helping to navigate the myriad of bombshells Oscar leaves in his wake. But as wonderful memories begin to resurface Agnes begins to wonder if she can finally make peace with the past and find an everlasting happiness?

Secrets Beneath a Riviera Sky by Jennifer Bohnet

My review

The title of this book perfectly sums up what you will discover inside when you meet the three generations of the Agistini women, Agnes, Francine and Jasmine.

Their lives in Devon have always had the shadow of their French past hanging over them. For Agnes, it is the painful memories of her disastrous marriage to husband, Oscar. For Francine, it is the control her absent father had over her and for her daughter Jasmine, it is the mystery of an unknown grandfather who her mother and grandmother refuse to talk about.

With news of Oscar’s death, the three women return to Cannes, hoping to sort out the formalities of his estate and finally lay their demons to rest. However, the more they discover about Oscar’s life and the secrets from his past, the more they learn about themselves and the secrets they too have kept from each other. It soon becomes an interesting tangle of stories, with lots of grit to get stuck into as Oscar makes his presence felt from beyond the grave.

Secrets Beneath a Riviera Sky by Jennifer Bohnet

All three women are strong, likeable characters, as I’ve come to enjoy when I open a Jennifer Bohnet novel, and discovering their stories kept me turning the pages hoping they would find peace in their present lives. They don’t so much grieve for Oscar, but as his life unravels, it enables them to understand each other, accept the changes thrust upon them and find ways to forge new futures. All this with the backdrop of the French Riviera, the cafés, markets and food – it was a pleasure to escape to Cannes, and this is another Jennifer Bohnet book I can recommend.

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Summer on the French Riviera

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Jennifer Bohnet

Author Bio

Jennifer Bohnet is the international bestselling author of twenty-one novels, including 'Secrets Beneath A Riviera Sky', 'A French Adventure', 'Summer at the Château', ‘Villa of Sun and Secrets' and 'A Riviera Retreat'. Jennifer's stories usually span the generations with characters ranging in age and having to cope with unexpected problems in their lives - but there is always a hopeful ending, even if there are tears before. Living in France for twenty-five years she has happily adapted to the French lifestyle including the long lunches with friends and the wine.

Here are some of my reviews of Jennifer’s previous novels (all of which I recommend).

A French Adventure

Christmas on the Riviera

Villa of Second Chances

Summer at the Château

A French Country Escape

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Secrets Beneath a Riviera Sky by Jennifer Bohnet

Book review of Under a Riviera Moon by Helen McGinn

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 16:58:00 +0000

Under a Riviera Moon by Helen McGinn

When a heartsick Maggie is sent on an errand by her mother to Cannes, she is keen to get it over with as quickly as possible.

She has been tasked with collecting a treasured box of photos from her late grandmother Elizabeth’s best friend, the impossibly glamorous Allegra Morgon who is desperate to tell Maggie all about the year she and Elizabeth spent in Paris. The sixties were in full swing, the air hummed with jazz, artists and students made the streets their own, and the City of Love was weaving its magic. And against this backdrop, two people were beginning a love story that would last a lifetime - but be over too soon.

As Maggie hears more about Allegra’s life, first in Paris, then New York, and finally on the Riviera, she is captivated and inspired. Was life always leading Maggie to this moment, this beautiful place so she could finally learn to stop living in the past? Because if she can, then another love story for the ages might just be within her reach…

Helen McGinn’s deliciously escapist, unashamedly romantic story is perfect for fans of Carol Kirkwood, Karen Swan and Erica James.

Under a Riviera Moon by Helen McGinn

My review

Maggie is at a low, both personally and professionally, so as a favour to her mother agrees to a few days on the French Riviera, to collect a box of her late grandmother’s possessions. What she hopes will give her a change of scenery, turns into an adventure from the moment she meets the enigmatic Allegra.

As the sun sets on Allegra’s terrace in the old part of Cannes, the wine is poured, the stories begin to flow, and Maggie’s eyes are opened to a life lived in a different era. Paris in the 1960’s is alive with jazz clubs, art, but also political unrest. It is also where a chance meeting brings together four young people with passion and ideas, whose lives are on the brink of change.

Under a Riviera Moon by Helen McGinn

Allegra now has the wisdom of old age, so as well as sharing the passions and heartbreaks she has experienced, she also encourages Maggie to open up about her heartache. This is a crucial step in helping her move forward from a traumatic period and begin her healing. I loved watching Maggie slowly come back to life as she enjoyed her time with Allegra.

This is a beautifully written dual time-line novel, whose characters piqued my interest, especially the wonderful Allegra, and I was easily immersed into their stories. Be warned, this book is not your usual love story, but it will make you think and reflect on the importance of living your best life every day.

I’ll be looking out for more books from Helen.

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Helen McGinn

Author Bio

Helen McGinn is a wine writer, international wine judge and author of the award-winning Knackered Mother’s Wine Guide. She spent almost a decade sourcing wines around the world as a supermarket buyer and appears regularly on BBC1's Saturday Kitchen and ITV's This Morning as their wine expert. She writes about drinks for Waitrose Food Magazine among others and awards include Fortnum & Mason’s Online Drink Writer of the Year. Her bestselling debut novel This Changes Everything was published in February 2021 and her second fiction book In Just One Day later that same year. This Is Us, her third novel, was released in September 2022 and her fourth, The Island of Dreams, in February 2024.

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Under a Riviera Moon by Helen McGinn

Book review of From Provence, With Love by Alison Roberts

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 08:58:00 +0000

From Provence With Love by Alison Roberts

From Provence, With Love by Alison Roberts

A lifechanging encounter, a whirlwind affair... an unexpected consequence

Laura Gilchrist has always made sensible choices. But a trip to Provence to sell an inherited stone house leads her face to face with Noah Dufour. Her wild, irresistibly attractive real estate agent. And within an instant she’s bewitched. Without a second thought, she decides she’s going to accept his offer to ride on the back of his motorbike and see the beauty of the South of France though his eyes. She’s never acted on impulse before, but Noah makes her feel spontaneous and free – and a little bit excited.

Weeks later, with the memories of their passionate fling refusing to fade, Laura waits for her life to return to normal. But she can’t shake the feeling something has changed. And then her instincts are confirmed by the sight of two blue lines. Their connection was a whirlwind; perfect yet brief. But Noah has become a chink in her buttoned-up armour and she knows her news is going to blindside him. Now she must return to Provence to find out whether they can both take a leap of faith based on one brief yet perfect holiday romance…

From Provence With Love by Alison Roberts

My review

Having thoroughly enjoyed Falling for Provence, the first book in this series, I couldn’t wait to get back to the south of France with this author. The first book centred around Ellie, one of three sisters from Scotland who had inherited a run-down property in France. We briefly met her older sister Laura, the bossy, organised one, in the first book, but it’s in this book that we discovered more about her.

Laura was successful and in control, both in her personal life and at work as an estate agent. Noah was dark and mysterious, with something intriguing about him that Laura noticed on their first meeting. With their shared background in selling properties, working together to market the cottage the sisters had inherited was logical. What was totally illogical was the attraction they felt for each other and the sparks that flew when they were alone, allowing Laura to discover a new version of herself. Something else unexpected was the positive pregnancy test and their very different reactions to it.

From Provence With Love by Alison Roberts

I fell instantly in love with their story that started along cobbled streets in pretty Provence villages, continued with an early morning visit to the lavender fields in full flower, but soon became an emotional journey through past traumas. There were many layers to this book, from heated passion to characters struggling to let their barriers down and deal with painful memories. I loved it all, especially the realisation that long-buried pain can begin to heal when you encounter the right person who understands where you’ve come from.

The third sister, Fi, has been rather notable by her absence in the first two books, however, the end of this book threw in a perfect hook that has me crossing my fingers that the next book will unravel her mysteries and now she has visited Provence, she too will find some happiness like her sisters.

If you enjoy emotional love stories, add this book (and book one) to your must-read list this year.

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Alison Roberts

Author Bio

Alison Roberts is the author of over one hundred romance novels, joining Boldwood to write ‘wish you were here’ fiction set in the South of France.

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If you missed the first book in this series, Falling for Provence, Ellie’s story of recovery in Provence, you can read my review here. I really do recommend both of these books.

Amazon link to Falling for Provence

From Provence With Love by Alison Roberts

Book review of The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 10:21:00 +0000

The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner

A heart-wrenching and unforgettable story of courage, friendship and resistance, inspired by the incredible true story of a Jewish ballroom dancer in Paris during WWII, perfect for fans of The Paris Library.

Paris, 1938. Annie Mayer arrives in France with dreams of becoming a ballerina. But when the war reaches Paris, she's forced to keep her Jewish heritage a secret. Then a fellow dancer offers her a lifeline: a ballroom partnership that gives her a new identity. Together, Annie and her partner captivate audiences across occupied Europe, using her newfound fame and alias to aid the Resistance.

New York, 2012. Miriam, haunted by her past, travels from London to New York to settle her great-aunt Esther’s estate. Among Esther’s belongings, she discovers notebooks detailing a secret family history and the story of a brave dancer who risked everything to help Jewish families during the war.

As Miriam uncovers Esther’s life in Europe, she realises the story has been left for her to finish. Grappling with loss and the possibility of new love, Miriam must find the strength to reconcile her past and embrace her future.

The Paris Dancer

My review

As she made her way to New York at the beginning of the book, it was the sadness radiating from Mim that was the first thing that struck me and pulled me in. I could feel her fragility and grief, even though at that point so much of her story is still hidden in the shadows. She was an easy character to bond with and I knew I needed to learn more about her. To begin with, the magnificence of the city seems to pale for Mim as she shuts herself away in Esther’s apartment, soon becoming lost in her great aunt’s past.

The intrigue in Esther’s story that began in Paris just before the outbreak of the Second World War was as gripping for me as it was for Mim. They were a Jewish family who had fled persecution, and forged a new life in Paris, finding work behind the scenes in a music hall. From an early age, Esther had a feeling that she wasn’t like the rest of her family, but found her solace in her writing, something that also resonated with Mim. As she reads the scribbled memoir Esther has left her, secrets from the family spill from the pages and with neither Esther nor her sister Rebecca left to answer her questions, Mim isn’t sure where to turn.

The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner

Her distraction comes from meeting two lively yet very different people, Bibi, her aunt’s elderly neighbour and Lucky, a dancer she sat next to on the flight. Bibi, never without a martini, always made me smile and was there to offer a different perspective on the past. Lucky just wants to help her find the dance that is hers that can free her from her sadness. I loved the way they began to explore New York through different dance experiences and how dancing was the movement that propelled this book forward, entwining both the past and the present-day storylines.

I am no dancer, but even I could feel the passion that flowed through the dancers and onto the pages. This added another layer of emotions that worked so well against the harsh reality of the difficult lives the characters were living and the decisions that were made. The consequences of which never left them.

If you enjoy historical fiction set during the Occupation, add this book to your 2025 reading list. The characters will stick with you long after you finish the last page.

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Nicola Rayner, The Paris Dancer

Author Bio

Born in South Wales, Nicola Rayner is a novelist and dance writer based in London. She is the author of The Girl Before You, which was picked by the Observer as a debut to look out for in 2019, optioned for television and translated into multiple languages. Her second novel, You and Me, was published by Avon, HarperCollins, in 2020. In her day job as a journalist, Nicola has written about dance for almost two decades, cutting her teeth on the tango section of Time Out Buenos Aires. She edited the magazine Dance Today from 2010 to 2015 and worked as assistant editor of Dancing Times, the UK’s leading dance publication, from 2019 until 2022. She continues to dance everything from ballroom to breakdance, with varying degrees of finesse.

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The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner

Book review of The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin

noreply@blogger.com (Jacqui Brown) — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 06:37:00 +0000

The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin

Can you ever swear off love, in the city of love?

Coco is having a hell of a month. She’s lost her boyfriend and her business, been forced to uproot her daughter to move back in with her parents in Paris, and now an infuriatingly handsome stranger is yelling at her for acting like a tourist… Right underneath the Eiffel Tower.

Storming away from him – and swearing off men for life – she decides she’s going to take the first job that comes her way.

Then, as if fate hears her, later that day she stumbles into a little bookshop – but not any old bookshop. This one comes complete with a café, cocktail bar, reading room and secret tunnel of books, and just a little hint of magic in the air. So when Coco’s offered a job selling books there, it feels like the perfect fit.

There’s only one problem… propping up the bar in the bookshop is none other than the grumpy, gorgeous stranger she’d met earlier that day…

A totally romantic, bookish and gorgeously escapist romantic novel, set in Paris in Springtime. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, and Sarah Morgan.

The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin

My review

I can’t tell you how happy I was to be back in Paris with Rebecca Raisin. After reading a number of her novels, I just love her wonderful ability to take me away from the stresses of life and immerse me in her written world, where smiles are guaranteed along with that warm glow of feeling loved.

This time we find ourselves in a bookshop frequented by those who have lost a love, for whatever reason, and where quirky owner Valérie, knows just what to serve them to brighten their mood and restore their faith in love. It’s not just the regulars to the bookshop and book club who need her help, new member of staff, Coco, is bringing a whole load of baggage to Paris with her, following the collapse of her life in London. She is hurting and cynical, but Valérie knows the signs and just how to help the magic of healing.

The other members of the book club are vibrant, argumentative, yet extremely protective of each other, especially when one of them needs a little extra support. They all had their different reasons for finding their way to Valérie’s door and needing the book club, and I warmed to them all. It doesn’t take Coco long to find her feet and realise how she too can help, but accepting their help for her pain is going to be a tougher ask.

The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin

The bookshop itself was a place of dreams, full of nooks and crannies, piles of books stacked here and there, comfortable, cosy areas to read as well as a bar, where Valérie dished out her famous potions and passages. I could picture myself whiling away a day there, if only such a place really existed!

It was also nice that there was a little cameo role from Anais, owner of the literary themed boutique hotel in Rebecca’s previous novel, Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel. I do hope there will be more French escapes from Rebecca Raisin in the future.

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Rebecca Raisin

Author Bio

Rebecca Raisin writes heartwarming romance from her home in sunny Perth, Australia. Her heroines tend to be on the quirky side and her books are usually set in exotic locations so her readers can armchair travel any day of the week. The only downfall about writing about gorgeous heroes who have brains as well as brawn, is falling in love with them–just as well they’re fictional. Rebecca aims to write characters you can see yourself being friends with, people with big hearts who care about relationships and believe in true, once-in-a-life time love.

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