Rendez-vous in Cannes tells the story of two women and how their lives somewhat intersect at the Cannes film festival. The more interesting story was Anna among the two women and I found myself glossing over the Daisy stuff since it was not as entertaining. The story was sad and horrible, but ended up in a nice spot. I just could not get into this book. I finished but it was just not as interesting and transporting as I expected it to be.

I always think of adding the locations of all the places Ms. Bohnet takes me on my bucket list. This book takes me to Cannes during the film festival told by a new reporter needing a top story. In the background secrets and rumors might be exposed. Really should read. Then go back and read other books ms. Bohnet has taken me, so you can have a bucket list.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources, Netgalley, and Boldwood Books for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

Film festivals are seriously such an understated form of the arts, okay? I remember going to the Hawaii Film Festival when I was growing up, and even though I didn’t end up going as much as I wanted to, I could definitely relate to how the Cannes Film Festival was able to change the lives of two different women that were able to attend. I feel like women fiction like this really makes me think about the kind of women that I’m growing up to be, and the kind of things that happened in my life are responsible for the way my life is shaped as it is today.

I really love that Bohnet was able to revamp this novel as well, and while I never had the opportunity to read her first rendition of this novel for her to see how it changed, but I think that this version was really done well. I was very emotional while reading this novel, and while I may not have been able to relate to exactly everything that Anna and Daisy went through, but it was enough that I could relate to them in some way. I think about Anna being happy in her life, but also trying to come to terms with her past. I think about Daisy being there for her job but also trying to live the single life. I think about all of that and more, and I can’t help but really feel like this book can speak to many women – even men – that just need something to think about outside of their own lives.

Heartwarming, sweet read. Super fun. 

Many thanks to the author, the publishers, and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

A beautiful read with well described locations. Both Anna and Daisy were well developed with secrets of their own, especially Anna who was endearing.

Jennifer Bohnet was a wonderful, super talented author who could make the locales come alive. The plot had great zing with the secrets the girls were hiding. 

Overall, a fun read to escape the realities of life.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for asking me to read and review. 
This story was a wonderful read.
 It is well written with some great characters and as a reader you feel you are right there with them. The plot draws you in and keeps you turning those pages.
A brilliant, heartwarming read.

Anna and Daisy are in Cannes and the atmosphere is one of glamour and film stars. Anna is an interesting character and I liked her. 

Daisy is a journalist and both have secrets and pasts. Anna is attracted to Leo but had a difficult past. Can Daisy get used to being single? 

I don't want to give much more away as the synopsis is self explanatory and I want you to be able to check the book out for yourself. 

Rendezvous in Cannes is the first novel by Jennifer Bohnet I have reviewed and it's an easy paced novel that immediately takes you off to a world of glitz and glamour. 

The short chapters help the pacing and flow. 

This is definitely for you if you want a dreamy location with characters with secrets and a past. 


Thanks to Jennifer Bohnet and Boldwood Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. 

3.5-4 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Rachel's Random Resources for a complimentary copy.  I voluntarily reviewed this book.  All opinions expressed are my own. 

Rendez-Vous in Cannes
By: Jennifer Bohnet 

REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
Rendez-Vous in Cannes is the perfect escapist read from all the homeschooling crazy going on right now. Can I please go to France instead? At the Cannes Film Festival, two women with very different reasons for attending will find their lives intersecting. Anna is back in Cannes after 40 years of not attending. She has heartbreaking memories that must be addressed, and spending time in Cannes will help her reconcile the past with the present. The story is mostly about Anna, and the other woman, Daisy, is more of a side note. Daisy is a young reporter looking for that big break. This is her first time in Cannes. The descriptions of the south of France are vivid and imaginative and lovely. In this beautiful place, the story that unfolds is both inspiring and heartbreaking. Anna is a wonderful well developed character with a genuine vibe and relatable qualities. I enjoyed reading this story because it's pleasant and the words flow perfectly. I highly recommend this book for a time out from your reality,and coffee, obviously.

It was a pleasure to travel to Cannes for this novel, where the atmosphere around the Film Festival is so beautifully evoked. Full of colour and the sights and sounds of the Cote dAzur, you are always aware of the setting and why everyone is there. The two storylines of Anna and Daisy sit well together and as their lives intertwine, it never feels contrived.

For a time, both Anna and Daisy are keeping their counsel on events from their past from the men in their lives. However, as they both find out, telling the truth and being frank is the way to go. There are also some lively characters who we get to meet, especially the children who are full of happiness and enjoying every minute. Family and feeling you belong are central to the storylines and in all, this turned out to be a delightful Summery read.

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book

4.5 stars
Beautiful story I could not put down. Very easy to read prose that literally sucks you in and you find yourself turning the pages. This was a crossroads of present where past and future lie as different directions. Did rather feel Daisy's part was in there mostly as a foil to Anna, who was very much the meat of the story and the one I was really more hyped to follow through. Still, the setting is amazing and the level of detail about Cannes and its eponymous festival was beautiful. Just something that jarred me was it seemed to be set a few years ago - there's a mention of an upcoming movie which has now already been out for almost a decade … Which jarred me because the book releases in 2020, and it doesn't seem to be a re-issue...
Lovely story, though. Well worth the read

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher.   This was a feel good read in these difficult times.   I liked the location, I liked the characters and basically liked the storyline.

When you think of Cannes, there is only one event that immediately spring to mind and that has to be the Cannes Film Festival.

The story shows the two vastly different stories of two women linked by the Cannes film festival. Anna Carson has been avoiding film festivals for about 40 years. But this year she is forced to attend as her latest film is up for an award. Whereas young Daisy Harris is attending the festival for the first time. She's a journalist looking for her first big scoop and grabbing the opportunity to report on one of the biggest events of the year. When Anna rents the cottage of Daisy’s sister, by sheer coincidence the two very different people have their paths linked.

This was a lovely easy to read story, which left me desperate to go on holiday to Cannes. The writing style was perfect for this book, it managed to effortlessly convey the glitz and glamour of the festival. We also get to see behind the scenes and the heightened emotions of all those attending.

Anna's story was equally heartwarming and heartbreaking. Over 40 years have passed since her first romance but everywhere she looks she is haunted by memories. This was at times equally heartbreaking and heartwarming and a story not to miss.

A fantastic read to dive right into and escape in. If you're looking for a rendez-vous in Cannes, it simply doesn't get better than this.

Loved this book. Great characters, easy read, uplifting, funny, romantic and charming. A really nice story that is the perfect escapist read.

Any book that can make me shed tears for the main character has my heart!

This book is largely about how Anna struggles to put the past behind her and embrace the future. Daisy’s story is told along the sidelines, and is not as impactful as Anna’s.

Daisy is the young journalist who is just beginning out in life and career, whereas Anna is the mature woman who has lived with a deep pain for all her adult life and is only now seeking closure. Anna has a most understanding and empathetic partner by her side, Leo, whereas Daisy is licking the wounds from a bad breakup.

There are so many contrasts between the two unrelated women, however by the end of the story, they find themselves deeply connected and the best of friends.

The story gave me an insight into the hectic socializing and trading that goes on during the Cannes Film Festival. I got a glimpse of the beauty of the south of France and became familiar with many French words and phrases. The descriptions of the locality, the parties, the food, the buildings, and the events was so vivid that I felt I was right there beside the characters, drinking it all in.

Anna’s pain became mine and although I could guess some of the plot twists, I was fervently hoping for a happy ending.

I loved the book–its authentic French flavor, its lifelike descriptions, and its portrayal of women and the factors that drive them to take hard decisions–all of it was brilliant!

In the current times when my brain is mush, the little monsters want a snack every ten minutes and my routine has gone to pot it’s still good to know there are some things that are endlessly reliable – such as a Jennifer Bohnet novel.  You are always guaranteed and beautiful location that plays an essential part of the plot, realistic characters, often of a more mature age which is really appealing, and a fine mixture of romance, family and history.  Rendez-Vous in Cannes did not disappoint and gave me just what I needed at this point in time.

Set on the French riviera around the Cannes film festival, Rendez-Vous is a novel that explores past relationships, moving on and making amends.  There are several plots told throughout this novel but they all fit together so seamless and snug that’s it’s hard to pull them apart.  As a reader you get get lost between the pages and allow the wonderful words of Ms Bohnet to take you where she intended.

Anna is returning to Cannes for the first time since being a teen and is planning on confronting someone from her past.  Before she can do this the opportunity is taken away and Anna has to deal with the repercussions.  In the present Anna has a new love interest Leo and is head over heals but will the past get in the way?

Daisy is a journalist covering Cannes for the first time.  Fresh-eyed and excited we get a very atmospheric and innocent view of Cannes through her eager eyes and it’s as though I was there – experiencing it with her.  The atmosphere and vibrancy of the place is so vividly described into the story telling it wasn’t hard to put myself in Daisy’s shoes.

I love how Jennifer often includes characters of varying ages in her novels and despite often having exclusive locations, the women are realistic and relateable.  I adored both Daisy and Anna and completely devoured their stories.

A perfect companion for a sunny day of reading in your garden or on your sofa.  Highly recommended.

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book.
There are a few interwoven stories, but each flows effortlessly together.  The characters are so real and engaging, this was a feel good book through and through.
Anna is going to Cannes for the film festival for her new movie, having spent her career avoiding the festival and the memories she made there when she was 17.  After long last, Anna has fallen in love, and hopes that her and Leo can build a beautiful life together.  But, when she arrives in Cannes, old friends come to light, secrets are revealed, and Anna is faced with her past and present colliding.  Can she truly find the happiness that was denied her when she was 17, and what will her future now look like?
There are many characters, each with stories of their own, whose lives all become intermingled in a charming and wonderful way.  This is a great story about family, forgiveness, and love. 
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Such a delightful well told story of a strong, successful loveable lady and the journey that she takes to help her come to terms with her past.

Although I could guess the plot quite early on  it didn’t stop me from enjoying the book and there was still surprises along the way.

There was a wave of emotions all the way through the journey.

This was an beautiful read that pulled at the heart strings and leaves you longing for a happy ending for all the characters involved.

I really enjoyed the setting of this story, it definitely felt unique. I really loved the different points of view we got as we follow the two main characters and while this is a light hearted romance there are also some very moving moments which were quite emotional.

A lovely romantic story that has the Cannes Film Festival, at its centre. The setting is glamorous and vibrant. It sets the scene for a tragic past romance and a gentle new love affair. Anna returns to Cannes, forty years after her last visit, determined to confront her past, and lay her guilt to rest. Daisy, a young journalist, visits Cannes for the first time, recovering from a failed love affair, she enjoys staying with Poppy, her sister and reporting on the glitz and gossip from the festival.

The characters are realistic and relatable. Anna particularly draws your empathy. A victim of the prejudice of the last sixties, her heartbreak and need to make things right, is emotional and poignant. Daisy is young and upbeat. She sees Cannes through rose coloured glasses. The chance of romance with Nat is too good to resist, and her romance shows the changes in attitude that have occurred, in the last forty years.

The plot is simple but draws characters and events together well, producing an easy to read emotional and engaging.

I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Glitz and glamour and a trip to the Riviera for the film festival – could anything be much better just at the moment? Jennifer Bohnet is a wonderful story-teller, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this one.

Daisy contemplates her future while covering the festival for her newspaper – her life’s in a bit of a state of flux, she has some decisions to make, and her assignment is just what she needs to give herself some breathing space. And then there’s Anna, who’s finally found love in later life – she hopes her visit to Cannes will allow her to reconcile with her past, but things don’t go quite as she planned and the deep secrets of her past are slowly revealed.

The backdrop of the film festival is quite wonderfully recreated – you really feel the buzz and excitement, get in among the thronging paparazzi and the starlets on display as well as getting a glimpse behind the scenes – and I really liked the way we largely saw everything through Daisy’s eyes, sharing her experience and the articles she writes. And there’s the added excitement of the promise of a new romance too – very nicely done, strong and believable.

But maybe the book is primarily Anna’s story, as her visit after a 40 year absence fails to follow the path she expected. She’s a really well-drawn character, and I liked her very much – and I very much enjoyed her relationship with long-suffering Leo, and his extraordinary patience and forbearance when the past begins to raise its head and complicate their lives.

There’s a lovely focus on the importance of family in this book – particularly with Daisy’s sister Poppy and her young son Tom, but also through the many twists and turns of the story. There’s also that theme of coming to terms with the past and moving on – always something I particularly enjoy, and the author has a really perfect emotional touch in its handling.

If you’re looking for a read to escape into, they really don’t come much better than this – with a strong story-line that engages you throughout, both heart-warming and satisfying, leaving you with the loveliest warm glow as you emerge from the cocoon of its pages. I really loved this book – highly recommended by me.

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)