Great plot.
Jamie is “exiled” (her feeling) to Provence for the summer. On the surface it might not sound bad to spend a summer in Provence but Jamie feels she’s being punished for her parents car accident. She was told that they needed more space while her mom recovered. You know what? It did sound like they were punishing her. So she felt guilty even trying to have fun during her trip/exile.
When she finds an old love letter between her parents, starting up a bit of a treasure hunt, she feels like she can fix everything. If she finds all the letters, maybe she can make things right with her mom.

Another reason the trip feels like a punishment? Her parents sent her to stay with her grandmother. This is the grandmother that disowned her father when her parents got married. This is the grandmother she has never spoken to. Her grandmother also isn’t fluent in English and Jamie is far from fluent in French.

So Jamie faces a lot of challenges: guilt, displacement, lack of ability to communicate in the local language, a grandmother that seems to barely care for her and not another soul that she knows in the country.

She throws herself full force into the treasure hunt. She meets a cute guy very early into her trip. He speaks English and French and offers to help her out with her journey.
Along the way, he introduces her to delicious foods and new friends. He makes her feel more comfortable in France.

I liked the creativity of the story and the description of locations and foods best.
I found it distracting that the lead character was kind of talking to her mom. She said “you” and her mom was the one the story was directed to. I found that a bit awkward.

I would definitely recommend that you read this as an ebook rather than a physical book because there’s a lot of French in this book and the translate button will be your new best friend.

I got to read an early ebook edition from NetGalley. Thank you!

With thanks to Netgalley and Sea breeze books

Jamie thinks she has the whole summer ahead of her, to be full of road trips and art camps, but a road accident puts a rather large spanner in the works. Jamie is 'shipped' off to Provence to spent summer with her Grand-mere that she has never met. There is no Wi-Fi and Jamie may have ruined the lives of her parents. She comes across a treasure hunt that her dad made for her mam nearly 20 years ago. Jamie hopes that if she solves the treasure hunt she will heal her family.

Aix Marks the spot is a brilliant YA set that is very hard to put down, it had me hooked from the very first page.

The descriptive writing style of Sarah Anderson allows you to be able to travel with Jamie around Provence whilst sitting in your armchair.

I'm sure Aix Marks the spot will become a best seller in the YA book market.

As this was an advanced copy, I'm going to review based on the plot alone. I will say, I hope this went through another round (or two or three) of edits. There were so many typos and phrasing problems and just plain missing words in sentences that it was a bit frustrating to read. None of the other ARCs I've received have ever had this many issues.

That being said, for the story itself, the book was a solid 3.5 stars. It reminded me a lot of 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson, which I adored. Jamie was relatable, her adventures were fun, and her relationship with all of the different people in her life - Valentin, Jazz, Mamie, and her parents - were each given the spotlight at one point or another. I do wish we'd seen more of Jazz. I feel like she could have been one of my favorite characters. But the growth of every relationship was very satisfying.

I also really enjoyed the setting. You bet Provence is now on my list of places to visit someday! It sounds absolutely dreamy.

🌟🌟🌟 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

The story was okay, no complaints. I also love how the author described France—the scenery, the food, the ambiance. It made me love the laid-back vibe that it gave out to its readers.

Why 3 stars? I guess i just didn’t relate that much to the story, and that’s a big factor for me. I tend to be like ”um ok” because i don’t have that connection with it. I did feel for the character though, with her mom dying. That’s hard. But i didn’t really relate much to the story with her grandmother.

Anyway, i would still recommend this! It just really wasn’t my cup of tea. Happy reading!! ✨

<b>Aix Marks the Spot by S.E. Anderson 5 Stars</b>

I thought I knew exactly what to expect from this story. I was very wrong about that. This book was great but it handles some deeper subject matter. There is some romance, which I'll talk about later, but it takes the backseat to a few other things in this.

Jamie always thought going to France would be for the best vacation. Then after a terrible accident she's sent away from her parents to the grandmother shes never met. She doesn't have a solid grasp on the French language either. Completely by accident she finds a letter that starts her on an amazing search across the french countryside. Luckily she meets a boy in the town where her grandmother lives, Valentin, whose willing to help her with her treasure hunt.

First I want to talk about Jamie. At the start of this book she is in a bad place. Actually I think bad place might be an understatement. Misery might be a better word actually. Jamie is basically feeling completely hopeless with he life now. Luckily she doesn't stay in that state. I think she grows to understand so much about herself in this book. Even though a romance develops she doesn't let it overtake her mission. Her determination is amazing, but sometimes it doesn't lead to the best decisions on her part. She was a flawed protagonist, but I think that kept her relateable.

Then there's the love interest Valentin. I really liked his character for pretty much the whole book. There were moments here and there where he was frustrating, but like with Jamie I think that kept his character grounded. He wasn't this perfect boy Jamie instantly fell in love with where nothing bad every happens. He had some moments where he got seriously angry with Jamie and just in general. Still, he traveled with Jamie day after day to left her with this treasure hunt mission she gave herself. He's obviously a loyal friend even when they're new ones.

A major part of the plot of this story has to do with Jamie's family. Her father hasn't spoken to his mother, the grandmother Jamie staying in France, for years. Jamie's parents fled France when she was a baby and didn't love book in all that time. Throughout the story more and more about what happened back then is slowly revealed. There were some truly heartbreaking and like angering scenes with the grandmother. She was definitely not a simple character.

There's also Jamie's relationship with both her parents. At the start of the book Jamie sees herself as exiled after what happened to her mother. She is so completely overcome by guilt that she doesn't question it at all. She basically cuts herself off from her parents once she gets to France. It's all a lot more complicated than that, though. I can't really explain but overall I really enjoyed the way family was handled in this story.

This book also takes a hard look at tourism and what it does to the countries and cultures people visit. The grandmother in this book is very much against foreigners. Throughout the book there are these moments were tourists are absolutely awful. I was cringed at these awful people even though I know they're fictional. I don't have any trouble believing that these things have happened and will probably happen agian.

Overall I abolutely loved this story. It was really easy to read. It was so great to see the emotional journey that Jamie went on through this book.

I received a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I've always wanted to visit France, and am even learning French in my spare time- So when I saw this book I was intrigued. Sarah Anderson describes the countryside beautifully and the French language is featured heavily in this book. At times I had to pull out my Google translate app in order to fully understand the semantics of a conversation. I felt totally immersed at times like these, and could really understand what the main character, Jamie, was going through. Unfortunately, the rest of the book fell kind of flat for me. The imagery was what kept me turning the pages, not the plot. I didn't really find myself caring too much about the treasure hunt, nor about the romance between Jamie and Valentin. Overall this is a great book, especially for my fellow lovers of French culture.

As an American author living in France, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Anderson also lives in this beautiful country– she knows what she's writing about and the locations in Provence come alive! Tu vois? There is more to France than just Paris! The story is wonderful. Jamie is a lovable character, complete with teen angst and emotional reactions that (for reasons) go all over the place. Valentin is the sweet, kind...and super cute love interest. It was fun seeing how their relationship developed. The "treasure hunt" was an amazing way to not only highlight different areas in Provence but also played an important role in Jamie's growth. This, of course, is in addition to Jamie navigating a new culture, a language she doesn't quite grasp, and "fitting in." A sweet read, I loved this book and it hit the spot.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This review may include spoilers.

Let me start by saying, I loved this book! It was a fantastic contemporary story about working through guilt and pain and coming out on the other side, not fixed, but healing. Jamie is sent to spend her summer with her somewhat callous grandmother in France as a punishment for a car accident that greatly injured her mother. I loved the imagery this book painted of France and several historical landmarks, it almost felt like I was right there in France with Jamie. I also enjoyed the back and forth between English and French. I’ve studied French since I was 15 and it was fun to challenge myself to translate and even learn some new words and phrases!

Jamie discovers a letter in her dad’s old room that leads her on a scavenger hunt through Provence and other French towns. This scavenger hunt forces Jamie to create a new relationship with the cute and sweet Valentin, but also confront her guilt about the car accident and how not talking about the tough stuff, doesn’t make it go away, it just makes it harder for you to connect with your loved ones. Such a great story of the journey of healing!

But, at the same time, towards the end it got a bit cringey. All the fights Jamie gets in with her grandmother, Valentin, and even her friend Jazz, were just a bit much. It felt like the author was rushing to have Jamie get to her grand conclusion of not everything is about her and that she should talk to the people around about her problems instead of centralizing it. It was just a lot by the end of the book and felt very rushed.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book!

If anyone thinks the description is captivating enough to read this book, once you dive into the pages, you soon realize it did not do it justice. I'll explain why I think this book should be read by anyone who has felt not wanted, insecure of the one place you think should be safe: "home".

I expected a light read, a book about a cool European scavenger hunt, and I was ready to learn about the culture through the words. Although, I did enjoy the many places, beautifully described in this book, at the same time, I became captivated by how complex each character was. For one, Jamie (Jammy), the main character, is by far the most authentic teenager I have read in a while, as she actually sounded her age, when talking to others or in he inner thoughts. Even though, I found some of her thoughts a bit repetitive, specially at the start, I would also have them myself if I were in her place.

I could classify this book as a love story, but more than anything, it's about learning to understand your roots, and your family. How communication between loved ones should be one of the main factors in the relationship, or a lot of heartache could ultimately destroy the bond.

Centered in an underrated French town, as a reader, you get to learn a lot of the culture, many French words (sentences), and a lot about how to not be culturally inappropriate when visiting somewhere far away from home.

Be ready to go "sightseeing" in this beautiful book about authentic and real people!

I received an ARC of this book via NetGally. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own. 4 stars for this entertaining adventure released just in time for a great summer read!

Aix Marks the Spot was a delightful read following Jamie as she discovers family secrets, love, and herself while being exiled in Provence, France with her grandmother she’s never known. In the “Acknowledgments”, Sarah Anderson shares she grew up in Provence. This book transported me to France with all the wonderful descriptions. I’ve never been to France but now I feel like I have instead of being guaranteed at home during the stay home order. There was a great mix of English and French communication which gave more authenticity to this book. I’ve never spoken French but after finishing this book I want to learn more phrases! I gained a deeper appreciation for France and it’s culture. It fulfilled my “travel bug” needs just when I needed it. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a fun adventure full of travel, family drama, and finding love. #AixMarkstheSpot #NetGalley

I saw this book on bookstagram and knew I wanted to read it. I absolutely loved it. It drew me in and I didn't want to take a break. Definitely did not disappoint!

I wasn’t completely sure what to expect going into this book, but I love travel novels, so I thought I’d give this a try. What I didn’t expect was how comforting this book would be at a time when I really needed that.

This isn’t always a happy book: Jamie struggles constantly with cultural identity, self-blame, and isolation. As someone who has grappled a lot with isolation and the need to find my place in the world, a lot of Jamie’s struggles really hit home for me. But reading about the people, places, and experiences that help her to slowly step out of her hopelessness and find her joy again is like a bowl of hot soup on a cold day. I was amazed how…warm I felt after I finished this book.

And aside from the personal/emotional side of the story, it was actually a lot of fun, too – I loved getting to explore Provence with Jamie! The scenery, the culture, the food (ugh, this book made me hungry…) – all of it was so evocative. A good travel-themed novel should be transportive; that’s exactly what this was for me. And the supporting characters! I loved them 🙂 Valentin was ADORABLE, and even though his friends were only in one scene, I loved them, too. Jamie and Valentin had that friends-first kind of chemistry that made for a really sweet romance – because they connected as friends before they fell for each other, their connection felt real and earned. While there was definitely an attraction from the start, it doesn’t feel like instalove. And the family connection…ugh. I have a *thing* for mother-daughter books right now, for whatever reason, so that part of the story hit home, too.

None of us can exactly go out for a warm croissant right now, but this book is the next-best thing.

ENDNOTES

One-Sentence Summary: apparently, Provence is a pretty good therapist.

Favorite Scene: the barbecue scene :’)

Something that Stood Out: nothing about the actual book, just…the way I felt after I finished. The story was like a blanket.

Something that Bugged Me: I feel like the author wanted to create multiple kinds of conflict to the point where there was just too much going on. There’s literally nothing in this story that isn’t a source of conflict, which makes sense, but still. Bit much.

Adult Content: a tiny bit of cursing, a little underage drinking, and, like, two references to sex? Mostly clean.

Rating: 4.5/5 Befuddled Emu (round up to 5 for NetGalley)

3.5/5 stars (rounded up to 4)
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! When an accident happens that leaves her mother horribly injured, Jaime finds herself sent to France to live with a grandmother she has never met. Unfortunately, Jaime does not speak French which makes her life very difficult. Plus, her grandmother seems to want nothing to do with her. She stumbles across a letter which sends her off on a treasure hunt through France. Her friend/translator/guide, Valentin, accompanies her. A journey of discovery, love, heartbreak, and finding one's self begins.

If you're looking for a sweet, adorable, or cute book, this one's for you. I loved the fact this book took place in France! I find other cultures fascinating and I loved the author's descriptions of the towns and the food and the language! Valentin was definitely my favorite character, but I honestly loved all the side characters. I literally had Google Translate up to translate some of the French as I read along; this might bother other readers, but there was usually enough context to figure it out. And if there wasn't enough context, then not figuring it out was kind of the point. I'm just overly curious and I love languages, so I enjoyed translating the lines! The dialogue in this book is very authentic. Some authors butcher dialogue that takes place between people speaking languages other than their first one. This author nailed it! The broken French and English at the same time, the stopping to figure out one particular word, getting confused from rapidly switching back and forth for so long--it felt very realistic and I loved it!

I gave this book 3.5 stars for a couple reasons. Towards the end, the book started to feel rushed. I didn't have time to properly appreciate or process certain things. Without spoiling anything, there is one topic that is only vaguely mentioned towards the end of the book and I felt as if it was skipped over a lot. I also wasn't the hugest fan of Jaime and the way she treated Valentin sometimes. I understand that she was going through a lot, but he didn't deserve all of the backlash he got. I also wish the ending wasn't so short and abrupt; there was more I would've liked to see happen there, but it was satisfying enough to please me.

All in all, this book was sweet and enjoyable! Any one who loves France or a cute rom-com adventure should consider reading this!

After a terrible accident, 16 year old Jamie gets to spend summer in Provence with her grandma she never spoke to, while her mom recovers. Jamie blames herself for the accident and sees this as a punishment. Being kicked out of her country to France to her grandma who is difficult to bond with, while her french is not very good. Jamie feels lonely until she meets a french boy Valentin and they become friends. Jamie takes him on a 17 years old treasure hunt throughout the Provence. Jamie discovers the country, her family history, herself and grows closer to Valentin.

The story in the book was highly unbelievable and unreal, but it totally did not matter. The story was gripping and sort of "mysterious", not in a detective style but in a "I have no idea what is going to happen and what the details of this story are" sort of way. The story is told in the first person from Jamie's perspective. She is overly dramatic sometimes, but at the same time I felt like this is an accurate description of a teenager, the way they feel and act. Further, she goes through a lot of character development. Her portrayal also shows a clash of cultures and a feeling of belonging, or not belonging, in people from multinational families and upbringing. The environment of the story was so wonderful. It made me dream of visiting France. The love-story was so cute I totally adored it. Overall, this was a wonderful story of complicated family dynamics, feelings of young people and at the end it brought me to tears. But tears of joy.

This book was given to me by publisher through the NetGalley and is out on 16th of June 2020.

Have you ever read “Anna and the French Kiss?” Think of how adorable that book was, multiply the swoon factor by 1000% for Valentin, throw in family drama and a treasure hunt, and you’ve found yourself in Provence with Jamie. As a French teacher, I love the detailed description of French villages, commentary on tourist etiquette, and the language used throughout. Even teaching into verlan melted my heart. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a great YA read.

This is such a cute teenage romance. Jaime (Jammy) is sent to spend some time with her grandma in the French countryside after her mom has an accident. Upon exploring she discovers a note her father left for her mother years before and it opens the doorway for her to explore the environment around her and to solve the decade-old puzzle. Early on she finds a friend in a handsome young Frenchman, Valentin who helps her solve the puzzle and introduces her to the world around them.

I loved the author's descriptions of the environment. I wish I was more familiar with the places and things that were referenced. It was written in a way that was so intriguing I wanted to be there. Part of the story is the language barrier. I felt like I was living this myself as very little of what was said was translated and so I was just guessing based on context what it meant. Had I any understanding of the French language I might have enjoyed it more.

Overall a very very cute young adult love story for anyone interested in French culture.

Oh, this book. I feel so much but at the same time I don’t know how to feel. My emotions are a mess right now. I’m just so torn because I loved some parts of this story and didn’t like others. It’s like there is no middle path here. But let’s start with what I loved, shall we?

Well, Aix marks the Spot is an ode to Provence. It somehow manages to capture the essence of the region in a book and transport you there. I could hear the cicadas, could see the dry and hot but beautiful landscape, smell the lavender. Provence is one of my favourite regions on this planet and right now I want nothing more than to pack my stuff and go there. This book made me miss it so incredibly much my heart was ready to combust with longing. The descriptions of the villages and cities and nature were what I loved most in Aix marks the Spot. They were spot on (ha!). You could close your eyes and see it all before you. Taste the croissant on your tongue, smell the rain on the hot asphalt of a parking lot. I don’t know what to say. I just love Provence so much and this story made all the memories and feelings bubbling up. The magic of this region is on every single page.

Besides the setting I thought the plot was quite cute. Jamie and Valentin going on this treasure hunt and rediscovering Jamie’s parents‘ past letter by letter while Jamie and Valentin grow closer. I’d definitely read an entire novel about how the parents got to know each other and fell in love. From what I could gather in those letters, it must have been the most beautiful romance.

I also really liked Valentin. He’s warm and sweet and helpful, always nice and basically the equivalent of a cinnamon roll. To be honest, no matter what argument they had in the book, I somehow always took Valentin’s side.

Now, Jamie on the other hand? I did not like her much. And here lie all the problems I had with this book. I’m a very character focused reader and when I don’t like the protagonist it might drag down the whole reading experience for me. Unfortunately, this was the case here. Jamie is just so infuriating. She doesn’t really think about her actions and how they affect others. She needs to do things and she needs to do them now and needs to do them her way. Jamie doesn’t really listen to subtle (or not so subtle) hints and accuses people of acting a certain way but she herself is acting the exact same way and while I could understand some of those things, I was mostly just annoyed. This got better towards the end when she finally starts to reflect her actions. But it was such a short part of the book where I finally found her to be okay.

Generally, the ending was just so short and fast? I felt like I was still in the middle of the story and then it suddenly ended and left me wanting more. Especially when it comes to Valentin’s character. There was some stuff with his dad that never got explained and I wished there would have been more of that. I just wish the ending would have been longer and more detailed. While I’m at it: I would have loved this book so much more if the characters were described like the country was. My love for Provence was unburied and rekindled but the characters fell flat at some parts and I’d like to have as much detail and emotions in the characters as there were in Provence.

That said, this book is perfect for you if you love Provence or would like to go there. It will get you there instantly, even if it’s only in your mind.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into crime/thriller books and even psychological thrillers too so I am extremely pleased and grateful to them for opening up my mind to something totally different.

I enjoyed this very much. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. I think the setting of Provence is described in unbelievably beautiful writing. It made me feel like I was there, in France, and it also made me want to desperately visit France. All the interactions between characters and the journey that Jamie took to explore all the different places in Provence was amazing and I loved it. From reading the author's note, it seems that almost all of the interactions she included in the book were based off of real things she experienced growing up in Provence, and I can see how her real-lived experiences translated into beautiful writing.

However, Anderson's attempt to create a cohesive story that included all these places and plots fell short for me. Jamie was supposed to be a late-high school-aged teenager, and yet she felt both incredibly young and naive in parts, and then incredibly old in other parts. She did not feel like a real character, and I consistently found myself going "there's no way an actual teenager would think like this, or say this, or be this narcissistic/naive/etc.". I just could not bring myself to connect with Jamie in a meaningful manner. I also found that the treasure hunt idea was great, but the hunt itself was poorly executed. Clearly the treasure hunt was included in the plot simply to give the characters a reason to go to all the different locations described, but it never felt like a real story. The reason behind the treasure hunt, that somehow it would save her mother, felt like such a delusional thought from Jamie that every time she mentioned it, it took me out of the story. I also wanted the love story between Jamie and Valentin to be drawn out a bit more, I never felt the chemistry between them (except for in random spots where it felt like the author suddenly remembered she needed to add chemistry) and it felt too forced.

Overall, I think Anderson is very talented at descriptive writing, and it is clear that her childhood in Provence was magical and her setting in this novel is magnificent. However, I think the actual story was disappointing because of plot inconsistencies and an overall sense of "this isn't what a teenager things or does". I would love to read perhaps a memoir from this author, or even if she wrote a nonfiction travel piece about Provence.

<img src="https://media1.tenor.com/images/de78472a80f5c9f2ea1415f9a7174b37/tenor.gif?itemid=4902153"/>

Be prepared to be transported to France with Jamie where we will follow her journey to mend relationships, finding memories of the past and the struggle of speaking minimal french.

Unlike many books that base their stories in the city of love, this novel sets itself in the beautiful south of France where the author has highlighted all the joys of visiting a new place and experiencing the cultures that you have only dreamed of like tasting delectable french pastries or exploring places that make you stop- and simply admire.

I definitely felt empathy towards Jamie as she struggled her way using French and unless you have some conversational French skills lurking in your brain, you would also feel the struggle from reading. Funnily enough, this has unlocked the box hidden buried deep deep inside my brain of GCSE French where I commend myself when I am able to recognise the keywords haha.

An aspect which I had disliked about the novel was the narrative. I found it hard to follow as it didn't explicitly specify the pov of the narrative where Jamie always addresses 'you' but overtime, the reader starts to understand who 'You' is. Once you understand the narrative, it becomes easier to read.