Exactly what a romantic comedy should be, French Holiday by Sarah Ready was a true delight.

Enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, one bed trope, gumpy/sunshine...am I talking your language yet?

Well, "enemies" might be a touch too strong of a descriptor for the simmering animosity between our two main characters, Merry and Noah, but friends they are not.

As per the blurb, the story begins with Merry's younger sister walking down the aisle with Leo, the man Merry has been secretly in love with for the last 4 years.

Not. Good.

And it doesn't help that his surly best friend, Noah, has noticed her pining and longing looks and has told her she needs to "get over it".

Freaking. Rude.

Well, she's going to get over it because she's moving to France! So there! Well, for the summer, at least. After all, she can't be expected to stick around and watch the man she loves in the honeymoon phase with her own sister. But luckily, her godmother offers her the chance to get away. She's bought a chateau in France that needs checking up on and so it would kill two birds with one stone to have Merry go there for a few months.

Couple of problems though.

1. The chateau is in crumbling disarray, basically inhabitable.

2. Noah has been told he can stay there too! (He's a somewhat famous travel documentarian).

From here, what follows was an absolutely delightful rom-com with a lot of charm, romance and French flair. We have a few slightly over-the-top comedy moments with a lively lobster, but this book also had quite a lot of depth, introspection and character growth as well.

It even kinda sorta had a bit of a mystery to it, too!

And I guess if we're being really technical about the tropes, this is an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, which is quite the journey to go through with our two main characters.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. I found it to have the perfect balance of heart and heat and I really enjoyed the French setting.

I listened to the audiobook which had fabulous narration by Kelly Navarro.

Thank you to Netgalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for providing the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've also posted a quick Booktok review (link below).

https://www.tiktok.com/@lynseyisreading/video/7226448542880075035

Merry has been in love with her best friend for years—until he marries her sister. Needing a break, she summers in her godmother's romantic but dilapidated French castle. Her dreams of a perfect holiday are shattered when she finds that Noah—her new brother-in-law's condescending best man—is also staying there. They agree to a truce for the duration of their stay. But as secrets come to light, will their relationship turn to love?

This charming novel is clever, heart-warming, and funny. It includes quirky, unexpected characters and some over-the-top physical humor. The plot is multilayered and fast-paced, with some poignant moments.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Sarah Ready has done it again. I loved Josh and Gemma Make a Baby and was excited to read her new book.
Merry's little sister is getting married with Leo, a man Merry secretly loves. After some unpleasantness she also quits her job and hatches a flight plan with the aid of her godmother Jupiter. A three month vacation in France living in an adorable chateau. Except for Noah, an old enemy, who is also staying at the chateau. And there is only one bedroom and one bed.
This story is quite atmospheric. I fell in love with the descriptions of France and especially the food. The romance was slow burn and I enjoyed the build-up. The chateau was old and charming, but also dilapidated and housed some groovy pets like rats, bats, cocroaches and last but not least Louis the Lobster. There were funny moments and adorably romantic moments. I really liked Merry and Noah. They were passionate but also very level-headed individuals with baggage that did not bring them down. The only thing I did not like was the continuous use of the word toasty. I grew to detest that word.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kelsey Navarro. Her narration was very good. Her raspy voice irritated me now and then, but it did not hinder my enjoyment of the story.

At the beginning of French Holiday, Merry is having a less than stellar day. She finds herself at the wedding of her best friend and secret crush, Leo, to her younger sister. Seeking an escape, Merry decides to travel to France, where she'll stay in a picturesque chateau and indulge in the perfect vacation she's been daydreaming about. However, upon arrival, she discovers a crumbling chateau and a less-than-friendly acquaintance in Leo's best friend and travel documentarian, Noah. To complicate matters further, there is only one bed in the chateau, and Merry and Noah must share it.

The story takes us on a journey of self-discovery, with plenty of laughs and a dash of mystery. One of the highlights of the book is the witty banter between Merry and Noah, which evolves from a somewhat contentious relationship to one of friendship and then romance. I also thoroughly enjoyed the various critters that make an appearance in the crumbling chateau.

Kelsey Navarro's narration is superb, and her performance brings the characters to life. French Holiday is an adorable book that is perfect for a relaxing spring or summer read. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC for the copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Unfortunately this story didn't quite live up to my expectations. It was cute and light, with some more serious topics thrown in, but it was no where near as funny as I had expected.

After Merry's best friend has married her sister Merry needs a fresh start and a break from it all, so goes to France, but it seems she was not the only one meant to be staying at the castle at this time.

This forced proximity with someone Merry really dislikes led to some funny moments, but others were a little OTT. Both Merry and Noah were likeable characters, but I didn't love either, nor was I super moved by what they were going through. It was, however, still a cute story.

I have never physically visited France, but I am pretty sure I was mentally on vacation in France for about a week. French Holiday was the perfect spring/summer/beach/pool read! This was my first audiobook and definitely will not be my last. I read the ebook as well. Out of the two options I would highly recommend the audiobook.

This was a super cute frenemies to lovers story. I love these kinds of romance novels because I am able to escape reality. The characters were well developed. I loved Jupiter! That crazy funny godmother that lives the artistic life! The twist in the second half of the book is really what kept this story going for me. Although I figured it out it was a great part of the story. The angst between Merry and Noah was everything. The little gestures throughout the book were just enough to keep any reader wanting more and making this story extremely readable.

If you’re looking for an audiobook/book that transports you to a very desirable location with delicious food & wine, amazing art, and a chateau in the countryside then definitely pick this one up! This was my first time reading a novel by Sarah Ready. Thank you NetGalley & Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC for this advanced copy of French Holiday in exchange for my honest review.

Adorable! Fun! Lighthearted but also deeply moving. I loved the characters and especially how the main character was able to share such complicated human emotions in a way that made the delivery of her thoughts feel like personal "aha" moments for me. I will definitely be reading more books by this author!

This is my second reading of this story and I must say that listening to it on audio really added something to the whole experience. The narrator was fantastic and really brough it all to life.

Highly recommend!

I am not a big fan of this story. I didn’t attaches to the characters and the story.
But it was funny to listen to a book with french words when I am from Belgium and that french is my first language.

The following review was posted on my blog on Tuesday, April 25th, one day before publication. The blog post includes links to order the books and to its Goodreads page, so readers can add it to their to-be-read books.




Author: Sarah Ready
Narrator: Kelsey Navarro

Genre: Romance, Fiction
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Mentions parental death and disappearance. Discusses sexual assault, terminal illnesses, and abandonment. Contains some sexual content.

“French Holiday” follows Merry DeLuca, as she moves to France in an attempt to escape the fact that Merry’s little sister just married Merry’s best friend and unrequited love for years. Little did she know that her stay at her aunt’s old castle came in a package deal—Merry was being forced to coexist with Noah Wright, the best man at her sister’s and best friend’s wedding, and her lowkey archnemesis. Well, an archnemesis she thinks she hooked up with during said wedding? But oh well, that’s a story for another time. Together Merry and Noah will not only make the castle livable again, but they will try to uncover the truth about the castle’s history and its previous owners.

Let’s touch on the narration first—at first I thought I had never heard a book narrated by Kelsey Navarro, and oh have I been missing out, but it turns out I was wrong. Kelsey Navarro has actually narrated some of my favorite books, like All The Feels by Olivia Dade, it was just her voice variations are so spot-on that I didn’t even recognize her. Without her voice and inflections, I don’t think this book would’ve been half as fun as it was.

Now moving on to the actual story. If you’ve been following my reviews, it is no secret Sarah Ready is one of my new favorite authors. Her Josh and Gemma series have most definitely defined my year. So perhaps take my opinion on “French Holiday” with a grain of salt.

That being said, I absolutely loved this story and audiobook. Is it objectively unrealistic? Um, yes? But isn’t that what we’re looking for in fiction sometimes? “French Holiday” was a lovely enemies to lovers romance that carried along a fun mystery on the side. Set in Franch (duh), this is the perfect summer read if you’re looking to escape reality for a bit. I would highly recommend this audiobook.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: April 26, 2023

FRENCH HOLIDAY by Sarah Ready ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really loved this book. I love a good enemy to lovers, forced proximity story. After watching her sister marry her best friend/secret crush and feeling despondent about her HR job, Merry decides to flee her life and take a break at her godmother's castle in France. When she gets there, she discovers that her godmother has also rented the castle to Noah, her best friend's other best friend who does not like her. Merry and Noah soon discover that the castle is barely habitable, and they might just have to fight the mice for the best room in the house. Merry is looking to have a romantic holiday fling to help ease her heartbreak. She gets the chance with a local neighbor, and Noah doesn't seem to be pleased, dare I say jealous. As Noah and Merry spend more time together, they discover that maybe there is more than dislike between them. Noah is in France to research for his television show and to solve a mystery. Will Merry find the romance she is looking for, and will Noah solve the mystery... This book was so funny... I will never look at lobsters the same way again. It was a sweet, funny, and easy love story...

The was a hilarious laugh out loud (literally) book!! French Holiday by Sarah Ready, read by Kelsey Navarro (who did an AMAZING job) seriously cracked me - my family must have thought I was on drugs lol I cheered for Merry from page 1. I hated her beloved sister - who is a jerkface from birth it appears. And Leo - he's kind of a weiner. Such a tremendously slow build to the REAL love story between Merry and Noah <3 OH!! I would have PAID to actually see the cucumber incident when Merry discovered her arch nemesis upon arrival at the castle lol (sorry - that's just a side note lol) Add in a few extra couples that really don't need to be in the story, a great mystery, absolute slap stick comedy - hello little lobster friend!!! and you have an utterly pleasurable audio. I was given an advance listeners copy of French Holiday by Netgalley, Sarah Ready and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC in exchange for an honest review

Once upon an evening, I was in search of an audiobook that could transport me while I busied myself with chores—and I found French Holiday, which delivered!

Read this book if you like:
- the idea of vacationing in the French countryside
- enemies-to-lovers
- one bed trope
- 27 Dresses vibes (my first and one of my favorite rom-coms), but with more likeable characters

Despite a slightly saggy middle, French Holiday delivers a heart-forward story full of hope and love. I especially appreciated how real the characters felt; none of them were painted to be complete angels or cartoon villains. Instead, they showed up with their gifts and flaws, which feels (too) rare and refreshing.

Finally, the narrator really stole the show. I'm so glad I got to listen to the audiobook because her voice really brought Merry to life.

Sometimes, all it takes is a change of scenery to give you a new perspective on life’s everyday problems. And in the audio edition of French Holiday by author Sarah Ready, a brokenhearted young woman decides to escape her troubles in France—only to find new problems waiting for her there.

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery

What does Merry do when Leo, her best friend (and the man she loves) marries her little sister? With perfect timing, Merry is offered a three month stav at a French Chateau. She packs her bags and takes off to the French countryside. What she doesn't know is someone has already paid to stay there..
Leo's friend Noah, who Merry has never gotten along with. In true romcom fashion, we go on an adventure as these two navigate a crumbling Chateau with one bed, a bunch of laughs, and a little mystery.
As for the narration, I really enjoyed listening to Kelsey Navarro. believe this is the first book I've listened to of hers and think she did a fabulous job.
The characters...I loved Merry and Noah. However, I really did not like Leo and Angela (her little sister). I found them to be extremely annoying and selfish.
Overall, an adorable read or listen! I loved the mystery that was added. It helped it feel like a little more than a enemies to lovers/forced proximity rom com. The banter between the main
characters = AMAZING.

Thank you to Netgalley, Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC, and Sarah Ready for allowing me to listen to an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book for an honest review.

Can enemies become friends and then lovers? This book is for anyone that answered that question with an enthusiastic yes! 😊

Meet the characters:
Merry DeLuca is in big trouble. She has the worst heartache and she just can’t get over it. That’s because she was (or still is?) in love with her sister’s new husband. To be fair, Leo was Merry’s best friend of five years and the only man she’s ever loved. Angela, Merry’s sister, has always been her role model. So when Angela tells Merry that she and Leo have fallen for each other, Merry doesn’t have the guts or the heart to do anything but celebrate the new couple. After Angela and Leo marry, Merry is given the opportunity of a lifetime. She packs her bags and heads to France for a holiday where she hopes to indulge and relax.

Noah Wright, the best man in Leo and Angela’s wedding is a famous travel documentarian that is also known for his arrogant demeanor and pompous attitude. Noah plans to spend the summer writing in France.

The problem:
Merry arrives at her French accommodation, formerly a beautiful castle that is now in shambles. She learns that she is not the only person granted the opportunity to reside there all summer. Her new roommate is the one and only Noah Wright (ugh!). Merry and Noah have been enemies since they first laid eyes on one another. But, everything will be okay….there should be plenty of room in a castle (regardless the crumbling exterior) to avoid one another.

Tropes:
Enemies at First Sight
Friends to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Forbidden Love
Grumpy x Sunshine
Love Triangle (sort of)
One Bed

What I Liked:
💕 Sarah Ready keeps readers engaged the entire time.
💕 A comical series of events.
💕 Persistent female lead. Determined to lose love and then find it again.
💕 Main male character is a bit grumpy and guarded.
💕 Main characters are oblivious to true love.
💕 The ending is honest and happy.

A fun romance with depth featuring my favorite trope, enemies to lovers. This will be a great one for the summer beach reads!

A big thank you to Swift & Lewis Publishing and Netgalley for my ALC of French Holiday! Expected release date: April 26, 2023

I was intrigued by the cover and cover art and immediately requested this one. It's literally so cute and I knew I would be getting a good romcom from Sarah Ready!

This is your classic enemies-to-lovers story line and I was here for it. It's my absolute favorite romance troupe and Sarah gave us a slow burn, open door love story. I loved the whole "whoops, looks like there's only one bedroom/ bed here, guess we'll need to share" situation. There were several times where I actually laughed out loud and will absolutely not think of lobsters without also thinking of this book. You will find plenty of drama throughout the entire story and I was absolutely never bored. The only reason for the 4 stars was that the burn felt a little to slow for me.

The audio was killer on this one and I loved Kelsey Navarro! I would absolutely recommend listening to it or probably anything else she narrates.

Overall, come for the romance and steamy bit, stay for the comedy, drama, and mini mystery.

I really expected to love this one and it was just missing something. I found the main character annoying. I love enemies to lovers and was excited for Noah and Mary to do that but it was just meh.

This was such a charming and heartwarming story! I couldn't stop smiling while listening to the audiobook. The main characters, Merry and Noah, are both so likable and relatable and their witty and honest dialogue with each other had me rooting for them from the start. The story is about Merry, who's been in love with her sister's husband for years, but to escape her feelings, she decides to spend three months in a French chateau. But when she arrives, she finds out that Noah, her nemesis and Leo's best friend, is already staying there. Despite their initial bickering, they slowly become friends and start to develop feelings for each other. The audiobook narration by Kelsey Navarro was also excellent, bringing the story to life with her voice. Overall, it was a delightful and fun read that had me laughing and swooning. If you're looking for a cozy and heartwarming romance novel, I highly recommend picking this one up.