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.

This was my first book by Sarah Ready, and I’m looking forward to checking out more of her work. This was a cute, easy read with A+ banter and laugh out loud moments (my favorite). I didn’t expect the little bit of mystery that was thrown in, and that was a fun twist.

Angela and Leo were not my favorite and definitely deserved each other, and Camille could be overbearing, but the unfolding of her and Pierre’s relationship was fun to read about. It created a cute subplot. Jupiter was hilarious, and I want to be her when I grow up. This will make a great summer/by the pool read, especially if you love enemies to lovers, forced proximity, or grumpy/sunshine.

Noah and Merry's story is cute, interesting and entertaining. I really enjoyed the storyline so much. I think I was more intrigued by it than the two MCs. I just had so much fun reading their story. I loved everything about it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️

🇫🇷 "Unrequited love is probably the worst thing you could do to yourself.”

🇫🇷 Merry and Noah got off the wrong foot when they met and cannot stand each other ever since. By some twisted turn of events, they end up at the same castle in France for 3 months. Will they be able to see past their differences or will they end up k!lling each other?

🇫🇷 You guys, this was such a sweet and cute romcom! It's a perfect read when you need to chill, relax and laugh a little, or when you need a cute romance in between heavier books!
The characters were quirky and fun and surprisingly deep. It was great to see how their each resolved their own issues before coming together.
I loved that there was an actual plot with some twists besides the romance, it added a little something to the book!
Plus the scenery, my god 😍 The book is set in Annecy, in France and I absolutely love this town and the region surrounding it!! So of course that made me appreciate the book even more!

Read if you like :
📖 Small town vibes
📖 Forced proximity
📖 French vibes (the characters basically survive on baguette, bread and wine for months)
📖 Sort of enemies to lovers

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

When Merry DeLuca's sister marries Leo, Merry's best friend - and the man she's secretly in love with, she needs to get away. Offered a three-month holiday in a crumbling French chateau by her eccentric godmother, she jumps at the opportunity. The last person she expects to be there is Noah Wright, Leo's best man and Merry's sworn enemy. But as they get to really know each other, she begins to see him in a new light.

Enemies-to-lovers is hands-down my favourite trope, and with a side of forced proximity (there's literally only one bed) plus written by Sarah Ready? Yes, please!

I was immediately invested in this story. The themes of unrequited love and pining are woven throughout, and there's a mystery to be solved along the way. Though I guessed that pretty early on, it was still a thoroughly satisfying story and perfectly executed.

Noah was such a complex character, and I really loved his development. I loved Merry from the first page. Her vulnerability, but also her optimistic attitude, were both beautifully balanced, and I really loved her sense of humour. The comedy is brilliantly executed: a special mention has to go to Louis the lobster (IYKYK) - I could see those scenes playing out like the best French farce. There's also some mischief from their neighbours, and I particularly loved Camille's brazenness.
But the real star is Noah and Merry's relationship. I really loved Noah's journey. I promise no spoilers, but the development of his and Merry's friendship was perfectly executed, with the slowest of slow burn and plenty of sweet yet vulnerable moments. All of the little glances, slight touches, and the teasing... ah! Swoon-worthy perfection.
Sarah Ready is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating: 🔥
Emotional Rating: 💔😬💓😯😢🥒🙈😂😱💓😢💔🐀🙈🥰🦞🙈🥰💔🔥😢😍😮💓😍🥰

*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review. French Holiday is published on 26th April*

Sarah Ready has done it again. I say that with each of her new releases, but it’s true. Her writing, the characters, the plot…it all comes together so perfectly to bring a beautiful and heartwarming story that you didn’t know you needed. FRENCH HOLIDAY was an absolute delight that kept me hanging on after every chapter. I truly couldn’t put it down and I loved every second of Merry and Noah’s story and their stay in a crumbling castle in France. Throw in some charming neighbors, a godmother named Jupiter, and a missing artist, and you’re sure to love this book as much as I did.

Merry was such a fun character to read. Through her banter with Noah, her internal dialogue, and all-around loveable quirkiness, I found myself loving her more and more. Even though her life was not in going in the direction she wanted, taking a vacation to France was exactly what she needed. What she didn’t need, though, was Noah Wright, her sworn enemy, staying with her at her godmother’s castle. But what started out as a misunderstanding slowly becomes acceptance, and that hatred slowly becomes friendship. Merry finds that there is so much more to Noah than his persona on his travel documentaries, and he’s growing on her more and more as they spend time together.

And Noah—our sweet Noah. I knew that he would have a great story to tell, and I was not disappointed! I was riveted as more of his backstory was revealed, and was rooting for him the entire time. It took some time for him and Merry to come to a truce, but it was such a joy to see him open up and let her in. It was worth all the twists and turns along the way! There is also a wonderful cast of side characters who you’ll grow to love, as well as a little French magic sprinkled in.

Reading this story will make you feel as though you’re in France with everyone, eating a buttery croissant, drinking wine in the countryside, and falling in love, bit by bit, with the last person you thought you ever would.

Huge thanks to the author and NetGalley for the early copy of FRENCH HOLIDAY. You’ll definitely want to pick it up. It’s the perfect escape!

Rating 4.25/5 stars

French Holiday was an absolute delight to read! This was my first Sarah Ready book and I've got to say, I'm hooked! I wasn't sure what to expect based on the title and I went in a little blind, but I wasn't disappointed. I finished this book in less than 24 hours!

It's enemies to lovers with the one bed trope and even though the main characters are in the same chateau for a majority of the book, it feels like we went on a journey. Not only was the chemistry between Merry and Noah fantastic, but all of Merry's relationships are interesting. I particularly enjoyed how Ready wrote the relationship between Pierre and Merry. It seems like every character had a little growth arc and it was so refreshing to read.

Overall, this was a fun read and I would definitely recommend French Holiday. I can't wait to read more of Sarah's books!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Sarah Ready for providing an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.

I think a trip to Annecy, France is in my future after reading about it in this book! This is a fun enemies-to-lovers story featuring Merry and Noah and a cast of characters in France. Lots of familiar romance tropes and a little bit of a mystery to solve. Time to go book a flight to find a crumbling chateau!

Thank you Sarah Ready and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC for the advanced reader copy of French Holiday.

Wow, wow, wow! This was an absolute dream of a novel and I fell in love with this story. Sarah Ready created a novel where it felt like I was watching a romantic movie. The writing felt romantic and cinematic, painting a picture of a beautiful, yet crumbling castle in the French countryside. I was incapsulated by the love that came in many different forms throughout the novel - from friendship, family, home and romance.

Our two main characters Merry and Noah were well developed. Both characters showed growth in all aspects of their life, which gave them depth and a sense of reality. From beginning to end, I felt like I was in this love story. I was in their love story. It was absolutely beautiful.

I cannot wait to purchase my own final printing of this incredible novel.

This book was such a delightful surprise! I wasn’t sure what to expect when I decided to request an arc of this book but I knew I wanted to read something light and fun after all my recent reads and I knew that I would enjoy this since I’ve enjoyed reading Josh and Gemma Make a Baby and the Soul Mates in Romeo series. And sure enough Sarah Ready didn’t disappoint.

The premise of French Holiday revolves around Meredith (Merry as everyone else calls her) being in unrequited love with her best friend, Leo. On the night Merry decides to confess her feelings to Leo, Merry’s sister Angela calls her to help change a flat tire and Leo comes with. From upon meeting Angela and becoming smitten with each other, Leo calls Merry and informs her that the two were getting engaged the very next day. It was from this point onwards Merry’s life quickly changes. She meets Leo’s best friend Noah who doesn’t make a good first impression after overhearing a conversation he and Leo were having about him getting married so soon and Noah makes an unsavory remark about Merry. It was there that Merry decided Noah was her nemesis and haven’t gotten along with him since despite giving him multiple chances to change her mind. After learning some life changing news and experiencing problems at work, Merry’s godmother Jupiter informs her that she have purchased a chateau in France and would like her to stay there for three months since she would be too busy with her lover. Merry agrees and when she arrives in France she discovers that Noah paid Jupiter five thousand dollars to stay at the chateau too for work purposes. But Noah has another secret reason why for he’s staying at the chateau.

French Holiday has humor, mystery, spice and sweet swoon worthy and heart warming moments. It’s about finding love in unexpected places with unexpected people, rediscovering yourself, and realizing what true love is supposed to feel and look like but ultimately it’s about family and the extent that one will go for them.

I pleasantly enjoyed reading this book. It was such a heartwarming and fun experience. I’m looking forward to reading more of her future rom-coms.

Thank you NetGallery for allowing me to read an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Ready perfectly encapsulates the magic that is France from the sloping roads to the people that live there!

I went to France last September for the first time and I’ve been missing it a lot lately so when this book landed on my shelf, I was super excited to pick it up.

This book is perfect for those of us who love:
- enemies to lovers
- she fell first (he actually fell first), he fell harder.
- unrequited love (if you know, you know)
- ONE BED (but it’s actually just a moldy mattress)
- run down chateau in what is essentially the middle of nowhere

this book was magnifique!! i genuinely flew through it. I fell in love with Merry’s energy and love for her sister and stayed for Noah’s rare smirks. Their chemistry was truly off the charts. When they talk about enemies to lovers they need to use this book as the example. I will be adding Sarah Ready to my list of auto buy authors asap because I need to experience instant love for a book again.

“no one can know the height of love unless they know the depth. it is the agony of love that brings the ecstasy.”
“if you could read my heart, you will see the place I have given you there.”
“he said my name like if he stopped saying it then the earth would stop spinning.”

Fun, cute, light "empty calories" kind of book. I'd look for another by the same author.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

A fun little romance that had me giggling away from time to time.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I loved this book! Most of it takes place in France and I think the different locale gave it a slightly different feel than your average everyday romcom. It also had some deeper threads running through the plot and the characters that made it feel like it had more volume to it.

The book starts at the wedding of Merry's sister, who is marrying the man Merry wanted for herself. She decides she needs a vacation and heads to France at the encouragement of her godmother. Guess who is already there? You got it...Noah. It also turns out that her godmother's property is in really bad disrepair and there's only one bed. They ever so slowly grow to like each other and then some.

This is a romcom, so there are lots of hilarious parts. By far the best are the lobster scenes. I really wish I had listened to the audio just for those. This was a great entertaining read for the funny bone and for the heart!

Thanks to Social Butterfly and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

French Holiday is a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance that will leave you wanting more. This charming dramedy showcases the talents of a promising sleuthing duo, adding an element of mystery to the already captivating storyline. With its witty banter and sizzling chemistry, this novel is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.

A great romantic comedy book... Lol... I actually laughed out loud at some parts of the book... It felt like a slow burn romance book to me... But the ending was good...

This was my first book by Sarah Ready, and it didn’t disappoint! Funny , witty , and filled with heart . This book takes readers on a life changing journey to France. I related to merry so much . Authentic, funny , flawed , and just trying to make it on her way after she faces some struggles .This book is superb contemporary fiction

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @socialbutterfly_pr for an early copy of French Holiday by Sarah Ready. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

French Holiday is an enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about Merry and Noah, who found themselves cohabiting in Merry’s godmother’s castle. Merry’s sister, Angela, just married her best friend and the only man she’s ever loved. Her life is spiraling down, thus she needed an escape to her godmother’s castle, which will definitely fix everything, from pastries to strolls in the vineyards at sunset – it’ll be the perfect holiday until Noah, the best man at her sister’s wedding and the worst man she’s ever known – is staying in the castle too. Stuck together, they strike a truce and plan to part ways after three months and never see each other again.

I initially found the premise of the story a bit out of this world, but I appreciated the way Ready was able to paint a picture of an old, rustic castle that needs some TLC, and I found that quite beautiful.

The main characters Merry and Noah were hilarious, and their interactions were adorable. I found it sweet as their relationship blossomed as they spent time together in the castle getting to know each other underneath their “hatred” for each other. I can’t help but root for them from the very beginning.

French Holiday is a light and chill read, perfect for the summer! Rating this ⭐⭐⭐.5/5. Releases April 26th, 2023!

Delightful romance with humor and heart

Hasn’t everyone thought about taking an extended holiday in Europe, preferably at a luxury destination? After her best friend/unrequited love marries her sister, Merry jumps at the opportunity to spend 3 months at her godmother’s castle in France. What her godmother fails to mention is that she has leased the castle to Noah, a documentary filmmaker and the best man at the wedding, whom Merry greatly dislikes. The castle, alas, is falling apart and has just one (dusty) bed.

This book has banter, friendship, romance, humor, and France, plus a mystery, a dashing French neighbor, and a lobster! (You will love the lobster.) I am a fast reader but I lingered over this book, reading a chapter a day because I didn’t want it to end. I enjoyed French Holiday by Sarah Ready so much that I preordered it after I read an advance copy (thanks to NetGalley and the publisher). Don’t hesitate to buy this book—it is delightful.