This book appears to be up my alley-a food writer gets the opportunity to cover a food competition located in a monastery in Andalucia,. It's being judged by a famous chef whom she is attracted to! I wish that I could say that I loved it but the descriptions of the area were so thorough that they took me out of the story multiple times. The main characters would be touring a local palace and instead of reading about their chemistry, I read pages of detailed descriptions of the palace. It really read more like a travel brochure. The details were so thorough that I was getting stressed trying to follow them. Once the travel section of the book was over, it was hard to warm to the romance as the heroine Lainey seemed very cold towards the hero Rick.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

I am a huge fan of Coleman and this book is quite possibly my new favourite. I have read all of this author's books but this is my favourite (until the next one).

I have been taken on a great escape with this well written and engaging plot. The book is completely addictive and I have been unable and unwilling to put this one down.

This is a book which is filled with gorgeous characters and allows a superb escape. I have devoured this from cover to cover in one sitting.

As with all this author's books, this has a completely beautiful and inviting cover. This alone makes the reader want to know more about this book.

This is a five star read which I highly recommend.

I always love picking up a book by Lucy Coleman she is on my list of authors that I know will make me smile with the places she transports me too.

A wonderful story rich in history and perfect for a foodie as there are so many amazing descriptions of dishes and I love how she incorporates food and homegrown product into her stories.

Lainey was a lovely character and I enjoyed following her story, her family had been through tough times and I liked the back story that was included as well as getting to know them in present time.

I found this book easy to fly through as I was intrigued by the growing friendship with Rick and how her 4 weeks in Andalucia would influence her career.

The perfect anecdote when you fancy a light hearted read it left me feeling hopeful and warm and fuzzy.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

A book based on food and a summer in Andalucia, what could be better? I really enjoyed this very descriptive book - I could almost taste the food and feel the sun on my face.

A lovely escape.

Anyone just needs to mention the word "Spain" to me and I am right there wanting to know what has them so excited. I have been hooked on anything Spanish-related since I spoke my first word of Spanish at school, and was SO wanting Lucy Coleman to write a book set in Spain.

Rick and Lainey were such well fleshed-out characters and I really wanted to be on this journey with them.

Summer in Andalucia is a big warm hug of a book with real characters and realistic settings. Lucy Coleman's books are my go-to for traveling without leaving home (and they were way before the Pandemic, too).

Thanks to Lucy Coleman, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books for my my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Absolutely loved this. The descriptions were like you was actually there seeing what the characters are.

The way Lucy described the food made your mouth water.

Rich a Chef, and Lainey who works as a writer for a magazine find that they have much in common when they go on for a cooking competition in Spain.

Only problem is, he is engaged to a big music star, whose also his business partner. So she knows that nothing can come of this.

On her return back to the UK, she makes some changes, which she feels are necessary.

The other characters in the story defined.

Recommend it.

fascinating to read about a hotel that was a monastery and where the author actually stayed! Ah I love books like this which mix a little mystery and history with a story of romance and more.

Lucy Coleman writes well and draws characters you will want to get to know. And travel with when they go to places like this!

A heart warming read that brought us right back to the present day as it ends as the 'pandemic of 2020 begins...ooh er.

I read this in an afternoon, it was a really enjoyable way to spend a few hours, losing yourself in the storyline very quickly and picturing the stunning locations that are perfectly described.
If you're looking for a light hearted read with a feel good vibe with a dash of romance thrown in then this is the book for you!
I happily recommend it .

Summer in Andalucia read like a love note to the shores of Southern Spain. Lucy Coleman includes some breath-taking descriptions in her writing, and I could almost taste the food, feel the effects of the wine and enjoy the sensation of the sun shining down on me. I have visited Andalucia, and whilst I didn’t venture as far as Seville, the Moorish architecture became a familiar sight, so interpreting the descriptions of the buildings felt very real. As for the food of the area, I can’t wait to visit again.
Lainey and Rick’s chemistry is magnetic, and I loved the will they won’t they element of the story. I was comforted by the fact that romantic fiction usually has a happy ending, I just wasn’t sure how we would get there. I’m not a fan of stories that involve cheating and Rick’s commitment to his fiancée was a welcome element, even though it felt as though the relationship was doomed.
In particular, I enjoyed the elements of the story that involved Lainey’s parents. Not content with making me yearn for Spain, I was then tempted with the idea of a French Gite. Couple that with even more delicious sounding food and my escape from this lockdown was clearly planned.
Speaking of lockdown, I’ve been unsure about the if, how and when element of Covid appearing in fiction titles. This is the first book, that I have read, which tackled the subject head on. Granted, it worked well with the storyline and guaranteed a happy outcome.
I heartily recommend escaping to Andalucia with Lainey and Rick, I had a blast!

Lainey and Rick have 4 weeks working together. They have met before and there is an attraction between them but he is engaged to someone else so neither of them is willing to acknowledge it or act on it.

The setting of the book in Spain and then in France sounded great.

“Summer In Andalucia,” is Lucy Coleman’s answer to armchair travels! With worldwide travel restrictions, some of us are itching for adventure. Coleman serves it up with flair and you’ll be wanting seconds as you turn over the last page!

Lainey Summers doesn’t realize it yet, but the moment she sets foot in Aleatory, in London’s Piccadilly area, her life will never be the same. Not only is there a huge waitlist for this new restaurant, there’s a hot chef and a celebrity silent partner. Lainey writes for a renowned foodie magazine and this is an interview many would wish to have. This might just be the infusion her career needs.

After a less than stellar first experience, chef Rick offers Lainey the opportunity to accompany him to film a cooking competition (think Iron Chef or Bobby Flay) in Andalucia, Spain. She jumps at the chance to work abroad, spend time in the sunshine, soaking up the sights, sounds, and smells, as well as learning about the cuisine. The two get along fabulously and that’s a problem. He’s engaged.

As we all know, Covid-19 has shifted the dining experience and freedom of travel is affected. So it has in Lainey and Rick’s world, too. Their careers in the restaurant field affected, this gives them to perfect chance to press pause and consider their options.

If you love travel and history, or The Game of Thrones, or are a foodie, this book is for you! I promised you’ll be drooling with all the food references in this book. The mention of the Covid virus is at the end of the book and doesn’t detract from this being an escape from our present circumstances. I love that Coleman has written a romance with characters who have moral boundaries and refuse to cheat. Furthermore, she writes about a divorced couple who are trying to make it work again as they’ve never stopped loving each other. I know that love doesn’t always win in real life, but I appreciated the reverence Coleman put on the relationships in this book. It’s a lovely, clean and uplifting romance with a side dish of travel and adventure.

Thank you to Lucy Coleman, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this spectacular advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Summer in Andalusia will fill your senses with joy as the author takes readers on a trip to Spain. Ms. Coleman’s descriptive prose of Spanish landmarks makes it easy to visualize what her characters are seeing as they move from the UK to Andalusia. Her descriptions of the food will leave you salivating. The novel’s plot will keep you totally engaged. Chef Rick and food writer Lainey discover they have much in common during the filming of a cooking competition in Spain, but he is engaged to a big music star who also is his business partner. The attraction definitely is off limits. This reader greatly appreciated that Lainey’s introspection never deteriorated into full blown angst. Supporting characters are defined and the story rings true. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

I feel like I’ve been on holiday to Andalusia and enjoyed the historic buildings, the lemon groves and sitting in the sun on the terrace. Being a fan of cookery programmes it was Interesting how the story included the contestants and some minor disasters.

I always enjoy Lucy Coleman books they weave a spell and enable you to get totally involved in the plot.

There are plenty of the elements that make this a good Lucy Coleman book,

Unfortunately I often struggle when there are large sections of history and all of Lainey's sightseeing in Andalucia was although very detailed,, vividly described, but to castles and places steeped in history that just didn't capture my imagination.

And then from a story I was enjoying up until the end Andalucia section, I just felt lost its way slightly and I just felt slightly lost.

There are brilliant foodie descriptions, and I did like Lainey's character, and her work at the magazine. Rick is a great chef and the cooking competition well I felt like I was watching Masterchef (well the USA and Australian versions which I love at any rate). I could see it all so clearly and the challenges and occasional mishap were described so well.

This is a book that started in 2018/19, but was spread over more than just a Summer in Andalucia, and in fact was brought right up to March 2020 - at which point there were far too many references (1 I might forgive, more than 1 is too many for me), to the pandemic which each time took me away from what should have been an enjoyable last sector, and instantly reminded me far too much of real life, which is what I'm reading to try to avoid, and I just lost my momentum completely.

It is a rare occasion for me to not love a book from this author, but I do look forward to seeing what her next books will be.

There isn't anything wrong with the book, it just hit a couple of point that I'm not so keen on, and as a result just didn't hit the high spots I was hoping for.

I received an advance copy of, Summer in Andalucia, by Lucy Coleman. I have read other book by Lucy and loved them, this is no exception. Lucy just has away with words. I really liked the characters and the setting.

I have to be honest this is a lovely book , good story. Loved reading about Andulucia and the food part but the ending for me killed the book. Not the story but writing about covid. The people who read these books do to escape . The main character Lainey is very strong and I loved how she followed her dream and stuck to her guns. I can't give it 5 stars as it has broken the golden rule of why i read these books.

What a treat, in the coldest week of the year, to be transported to Andalucia! I feel like I’ve just been on holiday, Lucy Coleman’s description of the beautiful countryside, historic visitor attractions, the warmth of the sun, the colours, smells and sounds of Andalucia brought the book to life and I felt as though I was curled up under an olive tree in the warm sunshine, while sipping a cold beer and munching tapas......... absolute bliss in these trying times.
I really enjoyed Lainnie and Rick’s story as they danced around their feelings for each other, wondering if their budding friendship would develop into something more, and at times it felt as if fate was working against them.
It was also interesting that the story went completely up to date as towards the end of the book we are in March 2020 when we were at the beginning of this so far, year long, pandemic. So, I would highly recommend that you grab a cool drink, pop the heating on, curl up with this book and imagine that you have been transported to somewhere completely different (at least until the end, when reality rears its head!!)

This is such a fun, lighthearted read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's the kind of book you'd read during a hot summer day or cold winter time when you're snuggled under a blanket. At certain points though, I think it got a bit boring and had info-dumps happening constantly, which slowed down the pace of the book. But overall, Summer in Andalucia was a really nice read!

(Thanks to Netgalley for the e-ARC!)