This book was absolutely adorable! Thank you to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was enemies to lovers done absolutely right!! After her sister marries the man she was pining for, Merry escapes to France to her godmother's chateau to get away from it all. Except her new brother in law’s best friend is already there, and they do not get along.
The scene with the lobster had me laughing out loud!
Will absolutely recommend this book to everyone!!

French Holiday is such a sweet, heartwarming story. I really enjoyed the plot and the way the romance was developed. The characters were relatable and Merry, the FMC, has a great internal dialogue. I thought she was hilarious. I loved that there was no third act breakup and no basic misunderstanding that tears them apart. The scene was painted beautifully, the characters were witty and had diverse personalities, yet all they all meshed well together. There was very little spice and it was more romantic than steamy. The book focused on the relationship rather than the sex. I look forward to reading more of Sarah Ready's work.

Thank you to Sarah Ready, Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC, and NetGalley for a digital copy of French Holiday.

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝.

4/5 ⭐️ OVERALL

First, I’d like to thank Netgalley and the author for a copy of the French Holiday audiobook. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to dive into some more.

This story follows Noah and Merry on a surprising holiday adventure that features enemies to lovers, forced proximity, only one bed, and a beautiful France setting.

I love the course this story took. It kept me interested and the narrator did a wonderful job. The plot was exciting and the romance was just right. If you don’t enjoy steam in your romance novels then you will love this one. It’s on the light side and focuses more on the character connections and plot.

This story ended perfectly and I’m so glad I requested this book. I certainly recommend this one if you’re looking for something light and funny with a mysterious twist.

🇫🇷♡ 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒉 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚 ♡🇫🇷

✿ 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 ✿
This story is so darn cute! What a beautiful, funny, swoony, and heartwarming story.

I love Marry- she is flawed, real, and is very relatable. Her complex relationship with her family added depth and realness to the story. It was beautiful to see her journey of self-discovery and blossoming.

I really enjoyed the "solving a mystery" side to this story. It was an intriguing subplot! I also enjoyed the setting: an old chateau in a French countryside was absolutely *chef’s kiss*.

Romcoms are generally predictable (usually) – which isn’t a bad thing at all – but there were many instances where unexpected things happened. I can’t tell you how many times I laughed while reading this book!

✿ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ½

✿ 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘀/ 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀 ✿
- contemporary romance
- grumpy x sunshine
- slow burn
- unexpected love
- old castle in the French countryside
- one Bed

✿ 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 ✿
- open door, light, romantic

A special thanks to @netgalley and #swiftandlewispublishing for the audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review 💗

This book had everything I look for in a fun summer read - a charming location, humor, spice, and fantastic narration. Oh, and it will have you wanting to jet off on a French holiday of your own.

It felt like a mix of 27 dresses and Emily in Paris. It’s my first book by this author so I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I got was lots of laughing, smiling, a few gutwrenching and heart-grabbing moments, maybe a bit of eye-rolling (pesky lobster!), lots of swooning, a bit of mystery, and a HEA that just makes you feel so good. Sigh. So so good.

From the start, I was invested in Merry finding her happily ever after. I mean, her sister had just married her best friend and the man of her dreams. Ugh, the unrequited love. An unexpected offer to escape to a French castle sounds like just the romantic adventure she needs. Much to her surprise also staying there is the best man at her sister’s wedding and the man she loathes, Noah Wright. Let me just say, I love Noah. He is quite the swoony hero. I enjoyed the depth and character development for both of them as their love story unfolded.

READ IF YOU LIKE
Enemies to lovers
Grumpy x sunshine
Forced Proximity
One bed
Slow burn
Low angst
French countryside
Single POV

Narration: Kelsey Navarro really brought this story to life. She was fantastic. I will absolutely be seeking out other books narrated by her. I typically prefer Dual POV but between Sarah’s writing and Kelsey’s narration, I didn’t miss it one bit. Oh, and let’s just say she nailed a surly, growly, Noah. Yes please and thank you!

I’m looking forward to reading future books by Sarah Ready. This one will likely get another listen before the summer ends. It would absolutely make the perfect movie.

Loved this book from beginning to end! Merry’s love for her sister lands her into an unrequited love situation then mix in a job she’s burnt out at and a best man that is so irritating… recipe for disaster. She decides on a flight plan that will get her out of her norm. Until Noah makes this plan come crashing down.

So amazing to see how the author wove in the references to other movies and books that have the “young woman who doesn’t know her self and the great adventure she goes on” theme.

I laughed out loud several times. While listening. This book has all of my favorite tropes, rivals to lovers, only one bed, self discovery, grand adventure.

3.5 stars rounded up.

I adored Mary and Noah but all the side characters in this book can kick rocks. I don’t know if it was intentional to make them all so unlikable but they were, and it was the biggest reason for any negative feelings I had toward this book.

The French setting in this book was great and all the food mentioned made me so hungry! I was very impressed with how well the setting came together and overall the atmosphere of this book was my favorite part.

The sub-plot was unexpected but was a nice little addition to the story even though I did guess the “twist.” I did however find at times the sub-plot pulled me from the romance. I enjoyed the slow burn and anticipating leading up to it. The amount of spice was perfect for my liking.

Overall I liked this book and would recommend. If you’re a fan of any of the below, I think you’d enjoy this!
Only one bed
Slow burn
Enemies-to-lovers
Travel
France
A mysterious side plot
Mischievous lobsters

Thank you netgalley & Swift & Lewis publishing for my gifted audio arc of this one! Kelsey Navarro did an amazing job narrating this book.

4.5 stars rounded up!

This book was more than I expected! It took me by such surprise. I expected it to be just another cheesy romance I devour and enjoy, but it felt like so much more. It was just a fantastic enemies to lovers romance set in France. There was one bed and unrequited love.

This was delightful, whimsical and adorable. I enjoyed every second of this story. There’s a mystery subplot. Highly recommend!

The premise to this book was kinda similar to Something Borrowed, with the main character Merry being secretly in love with her best friend who gets swept off his feet by her vivacious spontaneous younger sister. And then it switched to the movie Under the Tuscan Sun, where Merry escapes to a French castle to have a fling and regroup all her life choices but nothing goes as intended.

Overall this was a cute, fun and super easy listen that I really enjoyed escaping into . The main character at times was over the top ridiculous (in what way did you think a kitten was in the castle snuggling you??) but the story made me laugh and was low on the angst which I very much appreciated. I will pick up more books from the author and I recommend this for anyone who wants a light summer romance with a HEA.

This rom-com was too cute! I loved the storyline of enemies to friends and then to lovers. There's a few moments of suspense in this book as well. But this book is also not like your typical rom-com I loved how different it was and how I was able to stay engaged with the writing!!

I loved reading French Holiday. This book had a little bit of everything, mystery, travel, and romance. The imagery of the French countryside made me want to move into my own French castle. The characters had depth and the plot was not predictable. There were several surprises and dramatic turns. Louis the Lobster was of course my favorite character. There was a lot of sexual tension and the only one bed trope.

This was absolutely adorable and the breath of fresh air I needed.

This is a witty story line of frenimies to lovers, forced proximity, one bed, the list is endless, and so lovable.

I gave this 4⭐️ just because I laughed out loud, I related so much at times, and the banter between Noah and Merry was remarkable.

Sarah also threw in a fun mystery to be solved, and it just gave it another dimension.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a light and easy read or listen.

I received an ALC from NetGalley and Swift and Lewis Publishing for an honest review.

The narrator Kelsey Navarro was exceptional, and her female and male voices were amazing.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC! French Holiday by Sarah Ready.

The main charactery Merry takes off for 3 months in France, to somewhat avoid the fact that her sister just married the only person she's ever loved. She finds one of her enemies, Noah, who was the best man at her sister's wedding, and the two somehow happen on this French vacation.

This book was a sweet little novel, however I found that it was hard to follow the plot at the beginning...Somehow the characters fell a little flat in the first half but definitely improved in the latter half of the book. If I were to read again, I would read rather than listen so I could go back and keep everyone all straight in my head and not get so confused!

Ovearll, 4/5.

3.5 stars

This was cute and fun.
I like the audiobook. It really made this book feel even better than if I only read it.
The plot was fun, and I really liked the main characters.
Overall, it was a really fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review

I listened to this as an audio book, and I quite liked this one. It's an enemies to lovers arc with quite a few twists as we go. I liked the characters, the setting, the back stories, and how everything blends in nicely. I enjoyed most of the descrtions, but some were a bit too much/superfluous for me-nevertheless this didn't stop me from enjoying this. The narrator was also great at portraying emotions and taking you on this journey to a castle in France.

Merry’s life is in a fast free fall: her sister just married the only man Merry has ever loved and she doesn’t know what to do with herself now. So when Merry is offered the opportunity to stay at a French Chateau, she immediately jumps at the chance. The only problem is that once she arrives, there’s another guest: the best man at the wedding and Merry’s new enemy.

What I liked the most about this book was how vividly it described the chateau and it’s surrounding. You really felt like you were exploring the French countryside, but that didn’t stop the book from embracing it’s comedic side. It’s a delicate balance that I really feel like Sarah Ready pulled off.

What frustrated me about the book was how quickly it seemed to wrap up. I can’t really explain what parts I wanted more time with, without spoilers, but I would have loved a little bit more at the end.

While I enjoyed the audiobook, I actually felt like it moved a little slower than reading the book itself. As an audiobook lover, I was surprised by this, but it happens.

Enemies-to-lovers, best friend's friend, forced proximity, a crumbling chateau/castle, and France all come together for this new, delightful book from Sarah Ready.

I love when romance books have a bit of a mystery plotline, which this one does, in addition to the HEA and the character growth that we see from both Merry and Noah.

At the beginning of the book, Merry definitely read as a pushover and a people pleaser (which is definitely what the author was going for!) and I really wasn't sure what would happen to get Merry to show some conviction, stand up for herself, and move on from the unrequited love she felt for her best friend, Leo, who married her sister (after meeting her one day and announcing their engagement the next....I'm throwing some side eye there).

With the influence/encouragement from her godmother, Jupiter (umm... can we have her life story in a book, please?), Merry jumps on a plane to France to stay at Jupiter's chateau for a few months to get her life back on track. And maybe fall in love with a Frenchman. What she doesn't expect is that Noah, Leo's friend who's actions have indicated an intense dislike for Merry, is already there, having rented the place for a few months. From Jupiter. Whoops.

Noah has his own reasons for being there, and the two decide to co-habit the place, including sharing the one bed.

The book, told through Merry's POV, is a fun romp, with humour mixed amongst the more serious reflections and conversations as we learn why Merry is a pushover and what Noah is really doing in France. There's flirtations with locals; baguettes, cheese and wine consumed; adventuring to find clues to solve Noah's mystery; forced proximity; a cat (!); a rogue lobster, and more.

I really enjoyed how the third-act conflict was done, with a bit of a red herring and then some subtle callbacks to earlier conversations between Noah and Merry. It was definitely not the conflict I expected, but it really worked out well.

All in all, a fun book and I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it!

thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the eARC and ALC.

French Holiday, written by Sarah Ready.
Narrated by Kelsey Navarro.
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Quote: Requited love - “messy, dirty, magical requited love because that’s the best kind. The kind where you love someone with your whole heart, and they love you with their whole heart.” ♥️♥️
Enemies to lovers set in a crumbling French chateau owned by Mary’s godmother.
Without giving away any spoilers, can I just say Louie is a scoundrel and absolutely hilarious, he is potentially one of my favourite characters in the book. AHAHA!
There is a lot of love in this book and you can feel it, it’s a warm and fuzzy romance that scoops you up and cuddles you while taking you on an adventure ♥️
I love the phone calls between Mary and Angela. Sister bonds are so adorable.
I can honestly didn’t say I didn’t see that bombshell about 60% of the way in.
The stories that are entwined in this novel span generations and end up being quite the beautiful story.
Also… Can Jupiter be my Godmother!
I can honestly say I loved this book, I laughed, and sighed, and said oh hell no out loud while listening to this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to listen to this audio book in exchange for an open and honest review.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced listening copy of French holiday. this was such a cute romance. two unlikely for the match up their little adventures and I love Louie the lobster.

This was adorable. It was fun, light, and had some of the most hilarious moments. The lobster scenes were so great. I enjoyed the audiobook. The setting, romance, and overall feel of this book make for a great summer read. It gave me Something Borrowed and 27 dresses vibes which I enjoyed.

The narration and production were well done. I definitely recommend the audio!