This is part of my Summer Reads series where I’ll be sharing book recommendations – a series of “not just cookbooks”.
I’m a huge fan of Gillian Harvey and I’ve read many of her books. (I wrote about One French Summer in 2023 and have since read all of her books set in France), including The Bordeaux Book Club and The Riviera House Swap). Harvey is a freelance journalist and the author who lived in the Limousin in France for over a decade (she recently moved back to England). Her books set in France are all peppered with inspiration from her real life experiences there and while many of them are definitely the stuff of Francophile fantasies, many of them also delve into more serious issues and are deeper reads than a your typical scratch-the-surface #lifeinFrance novel.
From the publisher:
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…
Escape to France this summer with the most deliciously romantic novel you’ll read all year
First off, I loved the premise of this book – who doesn’t dream of inheriting a little French property, in this case, a café! Sounds like a dream, right? Wrong! Especially in a small village where newcomers are regarded with suspicion as to their intentions. The village cafe is a sacred place, as anyone who has visited a small French town will know, and Becky’s inheritance (as a village outsider) comes with complications.
I was invested in this plot as soon as I started reading (it’s right up my alley!) and finished in just a couple of sittings. It’s a light-hearted read but has some serious themes too – burnout is no joke and a lot of the story deals with Becky learning (the hard way) about priorities and how hers were off. A little time away from home (and her mother!), a little distance from the corporate world and a full immersion in small village life were just the ticket to setting her on the right path, both for herself and in terms of her friendship with Amber. Becky’s character definitely grew on me over the course of the book – I didn’t care much for her at the start, but as she “softened”, so did my attitude to her.
Of course, there’s a romance (bien sûr) and a plot twist that I saw coming and, for me, was the only part of the story that was a *tiny* bit unbelievable (relatively speaking!). But, summer reads are often about suspending reality so I’ll let it go! This is a fabulous summer beach read (or a cozy winter couch read) that will have you dreaming of France!
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Disclosure: I received an advance digital copy from NetGalley and Boldwood Books in exchange for an honest review. I am not receiving any compensation for reviewing the book. Neither the author nor the publisher reviewed this post prior to publication. All opinions are my own.
Buy The Village Cafe in the Loire on Amazon (this affiliate link should bring you to the Amazon store in, or closest to, your country).
For free worldwide shipping, find The Village Cafe in the Loire on Blackwell’s.
Support your local Indie bookstore and purchase The Village Cafe in the Loire on Bookshop.org.
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Please note: This post contains affiliate links. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This post also contains affiliate links for Blackwell’s and Bookshop.org. This means that if you click over and purchase something, I will receive a very small percentage of the purchase price (at no extra cost to you). Thank you in advance!
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Buy my books! In the French kitchen with kids and French Food for Everyone: le goûter (after school snacks), le dîner (dinner) and le petit déjeuner (breakfast) are out now! Click here for details and how to order!
