One French Summer is an enjoyable book, well-written with likeable characters. The book also offers a delightful escape to the warm French summer - particularly helpful on a cold, rainy winter's day.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed this book it was so well written with great characters and a believable story line, I will be recommending it to my friends.

Katy and her husband were on a trial separation. She always expected it to be just temporary, so she spend the last few months bettering herself and waiting for him. So when he calls to meet up, she is sure that they are getting back together, but the opposite happens. At about the same time she gets a call from her daughter who was travelling that she got a job and is staying on the other side of the world, in Australia.

In a very short time life as she knew it disappears. She is not taking it well, but her friends, who have been there through it all have a plan. They take her to France on a holiday.

It's an opportunity to spend time together, for Katy to find herself, separate from her husband and to have a fresh tart.

But it ends up being so much more for her.

I loved reading the book! It's a story of self-discovery, of love of true friendship mixed with humour.

My favourite part of the book was the friend group. They were very supportive, there for Kary no matter what and their banter was always funny. :)

Highly recommend it!

Really enjoyed this and finding out about how Katy was trying to turn her life around after her husband left her for another woman.
Her friends who are all school teachers decide to take her away for 2 weeks to an art escape holiday.
Katy likes to imagine what life would be like in another country like France and doing what she wants but a cog gets thrown into this and she then has to decide if going home is the correct thing to do.
I really hope Katy gets her happy ever after. This was a book.i really enjoyed.

I really enjoyed this book, its easy to follow with a very light feel to it, even though it does touch on growing older and life changing events. I feel there could be the next chapter waiting to be written.
Gillian Harvey is a new author to me, but feels very much like the other amazing Boldwood authors.
We meet Kathy the main character in the story who has 3 very good friends in Ivy, Sam and Vicky, who whisk her away to France when her life continues to nosedive and she needs a level of intervention. There's a cute cat called BonBon, I mean what a fabulous name.
The short notice trip is a painting retreat, run by Cecile a French artist, Marat her son supports her with taking care of the guests.
Reading this made me crave sea air and sunshine in a remote area. Kathy meets the lovely Valentin with whom she has an inexplicable connection, is it enough for her to stay in France when her ex decides to remotely rekindle their marriage? It's a tough decision, a new beginning or back to the comfy old slippers? A recommended read,

I loved this book so much, the second chance romance trope isn't always my thing, but this one totally stole my heart.
The setting was perfect and narrative makes you are there with Katy and her friends. I won't say to much because I don't want to spoil the conclusion of this beautiful book. However what I will say is you love this genre/trope than this book is perfect and I need a sequel.

Last year I read A Year at the French Farmhouse by Gillian Harvey and I knew that I wanted to read more from her. And now, having read her new release, One French Summer, I was not disappointed.

Katy is in denial. She has been separated from her husband Will for months. Whilst her friends know, her 19 year old daughter Adrienne, who is currently living in Australia, doesn't. When Will announces that he needs to talk to her, she knows that he is going to say the temporary separation is over and he's coming back to her. Unfortunately, he does say the separation is no longer temporary - he wants a divorce. And Katy is devastated.

This is where her long time friends Ivy, Sam and Vicky step in and stage an intervention. They arrive at her house and basically order her to pack some essentials as they are going to France. With nowhere near enough clothes, she finds out that they are going to an art retreat near Bordeaux. Katy used to love art but it was one of the many things that went by the wayside when she was busy being Will's wife and Adrienne's mother. Now her friends are trying to show her that art isn't the only part of her that's she has lost along the way.

The house they are staying in is a gorgeous house, owned by a glamorous artist, complete with pool, amazing food and fantastic locations nearby. Oh, and the owner's handsome brother Valentin has come to stay as well. Can he help Katy see herself differently?

I really enjoyed the dynamics between the four friends. Whilst this is Katy's story, each of them was dealing with their own issues such as impending menopause and loneliness. They had their moments where they were grumpy with each other and where they needed their own space, but they were reallyy there for Katy and for each other.

If there is one flaw in this book it is that Will is a bit one dimensional at times. Then again, I have known some people who were pretty much like him!

I really want to say how much I liked the ending of this book, but it is pretty hard to talk about an ending without spoilers so I am going to be somewhat vague. I really loved that the ending of this book was, for want of a better word, sensible. The decisions made reflected maturity and what would be more realistic decisions than you might otherwise read in a book like this.

The author lives in France, and both of the books that I have read by her clearly show how much she loves it. That love is evident in the descriptions of the places and the food. Having just spent some time in a different part of France ourselves this year, I have to say that the description of the food had me reminiscing over one place we stayed in the Loire Valley which was a beautiful home that had several rooms for people to stay in, and had the most amazing breakfasts. Whilst I wouldn't go to an art retreat because I can't draw a straight line to save myself, the idea of spending a couple of weeks or maybe longer sounds really tempting.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, and will definitely be reading whatever Gillian Harvey writes next!

It is rather gloomy out on this February afternoon where I live. How nice it has been to escape to a story that is set in the warm and sunny days of summer. Plus, the novel takes place in France, one of my favorite countries.

Here is a book that will be enjoyed by fans of women’s fiction. Readers meet Katy, who may just be at a crossroads in her life. There have been changes at home and Katy is feeling them. What will happen when she spends some time away with her close friends? What will be awakened in her? How will her life change as a result? Find out in this delightful novel. It is a warm, lovely book and one filled with characters about whom readers will care.

Thanks again to Rachel’s Random Reads, NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity.

Empty nest ….empty home.
Her husband and daughter have left to roam.
So watch her friends intervene
Taking her off to a new scene!

Going to France to a retreat
With activities and food, delightful and neat.
Will it help her find herself once more
Or will everyone's advice she sadly ignore?

With potential new starts in everything
Dare she take the chances on what they could bring?
Could the bad things that happened in her past
Prove to be beneficial at last?

With family drama and strong friendships, too,
This is a story of friends helping you find what to do.
They're there to support, help and guide now
To help her through everything somehow.

An inspirational read that helps to show
That events can be beneficial in the end you know.
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

When Katy's husband Will asked for a trial separation after over twenty years of marriage, she tried hard to see it as the positive he claimed it could be, but the past six months have been hard. Then their daughter Adrienne calls from Australia to say that she is extending her time there to take a job, rather than return to go to university, and Katy hits rock bottom.


To save her from despair, her four best friends whisk her away to France for a surprise two week painting holiday. After a few days in the sun with the support of her friends, surrounded by the wonderful French countryside, Katy feels long dormant parts of herself coming alive again. Indulging the passion for art that she has pushed aside for years, she wonders if it might be time for some changes - and she cannot deny that she is attracted to the very handsome Valentin, who just happens to be visiting his sister at the artists' retreat.


Caught between the desire to win back her husband, and the prospect of a new future, what will Katy decide?


Just as in Gillian Harvey's previous novel, A Year at the French Farmhouse, in One French Summer she beautifully captures the dilemma of a mid forties woman caught at a crossroads in her life, when her long-marriage takes an unexpected turn. Desperately clinging on to the idea that the separation from her husband is temporary, Katy is persuaded by her friends to come for a holiday in the sun that unexpectedly helps her to get a different perspective on where her life goes from here. At the start of the holiday, Katy is not very receptive to their suggestions that Will might not have always been the ideal husband, which leads to to awkward moments, but spending time away from her problems proves to be a revelation... and of course, the presence of a very handsome French man who is interested in her happiness helps a lot. 


As Harvey does so well, this story leads you up and down the garden path before you see what really lies ahead for Katy, and I was not sure for almost all of the book where she would land at the end. I found myself longing for Katy to find the courage to take the path towards the glimmer of a future in which she takes back control of her life, especially as her friends were so right about selfish Will (grrr!). Suffice to say, she makes the right decision for herself in the end.


I love Harvey's gentle romantic stories about older women. They are full of the trials and tribulations of long relationships, the pull of shared history that is not easily cast aside, and the times when change makes you reassess where life has brought you. She writes so beautifully about the French countryside, and the little details of French life too, which make you feel you are sitting alongside her characters as they enjoy everything the country has to offer. She also does a cracking job of examining female friendship here, and the heart-wrenching conflicted feelings that come when empty nest time eventually draws around.


I swallowed this lovely tale whole, running the emotional gamut all the way to the uplifting ending. This is perfect escapist, snuggle up on the sofa reading, and it does not disappoint. I cannot wait for Gillian Harvey's next heart-warming story.

ONE FRENCH SUMMER - GILLIAN HARVEY

When Katy’s marriage falls apart and her daughter is on the other side of the world, it’s down to her best friends to help her pick up the pieces.

We could all do with friends like Katy’s. Not only do they rally around their friend when she is at her lowest ebb, but they are incredibly loyal and go as far as taking Katy to France for an art retreat.


Once in France, Katy, supported by her friends, begins to heal her broken heart and rediscover the woman she once was.
There may also be a certain French man who catches Katy’s eye.

This is another gorgeous read from Gillian Harvey.

The setting of the book is spectacular. Gillian Harvey paints a glorious portrait of France, in vivid colours that spring to life from the page.

Will is most definitely a slimy creep, but other than him, I liked and cared about the rest of this warm hearted crew.

One French Summer is a delightful read. It’s sunny and funny. Warm and wise.

An unpardonable five stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

With thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood and Rachel’s Random Resources for a digital arc of this title.

The protagonist in this novel is starting over. Her husband wants a divorce and is moving on. Her daughter is living in Australia. Her friends take her to France for a getaway. Life seems to be over for her, but she discovers she is going to have a second chance, maybe a better one. This is fiction that reads like nonfiction. Friends and fun…tears and happiness…the characters come alive on the pages of this novel, written by a talented and gifted author. Cozy up in a comfy chair and enjoy this novel. The book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review.

The best escapism novel that I have read!! Katy is feeling lost with her daughter in Australia and her husband Will has left her. Katy is hoping Will comes to his senses and returns to her. Her best friends Vicky, Sam and Ivy organise a retreat to France hoping that it will help cheer her up. I fully became immersed in this page turner with the brilliantly written settings of France, my imagination was running wild. Getting to know Katy and her friends was a absolute joy but unfortunately I can't say the same for her husband. I loved the writing of the characters and their friendships. A delightful book that made me laugh and smile and scream! A book to enjoy if you need a little getaway or if you are trying to find yourself again.

I loved this book, it was so easy to read and I loved the interaction with the friends. It makes you feel really happy once you’ve read this book. I’ve never read any of this author’s books before but will alter that now. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This book was a lovely story about friendship and relationships. I loved that Katy learned a lot about herself, realized everyone has struggles and learned how to make her own decisions in life. Sometimes her character made me crazy, but at the same time, I could feel the loss she was experiencing. My favorite part of the book was how the characters helped Katy in her journey and gave her the support she needed. The ending was a little predictable but was the best way to end the story. It was also similar to the author’s last book One Year at the French Farmhouse.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Sweet and spicy

What's not to love about a feel-good romance set in France, released on Valentine's day! I thoroughly this light read; but it's much more than just another middle aged romance. It's about love in various guises, love from friends, love from spouse (or ex), love from children and, finally, love of self. Highly recommended!

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time-constrained e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional any my own opinion.

This is a beautiful book about friendship and the journey about finding oneself. It is easy to relate to Katy, especially if you’ve been in a marriage for a while and/or are a mother. It’s easy to lose oneself and not remember who you were. Her friends are absolutely amazing. They whisk her away to France to help bring up her spirits. I love books about women supporting other women. But what makes this book really great, is that their friendship isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. They may have a tiff, or disagree, but they always come back together as friends. That is reminiscent of real life. In fact, the whole book felt reminiscent of real life. While these friendships were beautiful, it was the moment that Katy’s daughter felt protective of her mother that really got to me, it made me tear up! I highly recommend this book to everyone!

Katy is still adjusting to life without Will; after he instigates a temporary separation, Her daughter wants to settle on the other side of the world. Katy feels bereft and has difficulty recognising the woman she once was. Good friends take her on an unexpected holiday that helps her find what she wants from life. This is an engaging read full of believable friendships, introspection and second chances. The French setting is vibrant, and the pace of life is vital to Katy's rebirth. I like Katy and understand how she has lost herself in a long-term relationship and motherhood. The story charts her self-discovery. Still, it is not without conflict and three-quarters into the story; I was despairing of her character. Thankfully serendipity and growing self-confidence let her find the new life she deserves. I like the characters, the relationship dynamics and the setting of this story.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Katy, urging a broken heart, is whisked away to France by her well meaning friends. She has time to reassess her life and what her next steps need to be.
I liked the location and the changes Katy was willing to make. Her friends were very good support for her.
Her ex is a weenie and I was suspicious when he asked for a reconciliation, I thought Katy gave in way too easily.
In the end, she decided to take command of her life instead of allowing others to feel her how to live it.

Thank you to Rachel Random Resources and Boldwood Books for the invitation to join the blog tour for One French Summer by Gillian Harvey, a new author for me.

This was the perfect book to pick up on a dark and damp January day, as a group of teachers hatch a plan to take Katy to sunny France, to help her move forward with her life.

Katy has fond memories of visiting France when she was young, and she finds herself enjoying the art sessions, the food and the life. The distraction from her recent marital breakdown and empty nest helps too. But what will she do after the two week break ends? Will she make some changes?

I loved the camaraderie between Katy and her friends, all of whom also need a change of scenery for varying reasons. This is a lovely book to escape into and I'm happy to recommend it. I look forward to reading more by Gillian in the future.

#blogtour