I ADORED this book. It was full of gorgeous descriptive imagery and artful storytelling. Some events absolutely broke my heart, and otherwise it was cozy, gentle, and filled with so much love.

1938 pre war Britain. Ellie comfortably married is blindsided when her husband asks for a divorce. Acting on impulse and totally uncharacteristic of her she persuades her maid Mavis, the toffee nosed and condescending friend Dora to abscond with her to Europe. She takes her husband’s Bentley, in an act of defiance and sets off.

Their adventures end with a breakdown in the idyllic village of St Benet. Continuing in the uncharacteristic vein Ellie falls in love with a derelict villa and sets to restoring it despite misgivings from all. The breakout of WWII the threat of Hitler, even in this remote hamlet, betrayal, death but also love form part of this endearing tale.

Beautifully descriptive this story had lovely vibes!

I loved this book! It’s my first Rhys Bowen, but it won’t be my last. Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure is a feel-good yet complex story about a woman reinventing herself after an unexpected midlife divorce, with the threat of World War II looming.

Mrs. Endicott is blindsided when her husband asks for a divorce to marry a younger woman. After all, divorce was simply not done in 1938 Surrey. She’s always done what was expected of a woman of her station. She always put her husband’s needs first. She kept their home, raised their sons, entertained his guests and always deferred to his judgement. But now she’s suddenly cast aside after 30 years and expected to fade quietly into a modest cottage.

Mrs. Endicott had other ideas. But rather than wallow in these unexpected circumstances, she left everything behind but a trunk full of necessities, a reasonable settlement and her husband’s Bentley. Along with a couple of unlikely sidekicks, she sets off for the South of France with no itinerary other than a vague recollection of how much she loved it there in her youth (before marrying her travel-hating husband.

Car troubles force a detour to a small village where she and her companions settle while awaiting repairs. But with the Nazis edging closer, will their idyllic refuge escape notice and remain free?

Watching Mrs. Endicott take control of her life made this a great read. The friendships and empowerment that developed along the way had me rooting for her and kept me heavily invested in the outcome, worrying about the growing danger they faced.

The pace may be a bit leisurely for some readers, but the plot moves consistently forward with plenty to keep it interesting: vivid descriptions, growing relationships, character development and worries about the outcome.

Highly recommended and one of my favorite reads of the year so far.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this advance copy.

strange in the beginning. I almost forgot who the author was. Since I have read quite a few books by the author previously, it is a strange thing to experience.

There was a young-adult-like feel to the way the characters were first introduced. It sticks for a while, but once the stakes start to get higher, we get a little more serious about everything.

Ellie Endicott is told casually over a meal that her husband has moved on and made straightforward plans for a divorce. It’s 1938 and life is not very simple for someone who has to face an uncertain future. The sudden rejection lights a fire and Ellie decides to fight for a more reasonable future. She starts to rope in more people into her plan ( without meaning to) and then she ends up in a place she hardly could have imagined in her previous life.

War rears its ugly head, after a few far-away effects, things move much closer and real danger is in the neighborhood. Not everyone and every event has a rosy finish and that makes this book all the more interesting.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of historical fiction. Especially since this story talks of general life before and after a war creates havoc, it provides a nice perspective to look at the past in.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

I absolutely loved Mrs Endicott and her travelling companions.

What an adventure they embarked on all having different reasons for upping sticks and setting off in Mrs E's trusty! old Bentley. Or was it so trusty? And actually it was Mr Endicott's car. Mrs E (Ellie) thought quite rightly that she was entitled to the Bentley after what Mr E had put her through. He was a very self centred, cheating husband who did not deserve to have such a lovely wife as Ellie.

So off they went, Ellie, Mavis her trusty housekeeper/confidante and Dora from the village who meticulously looked after the altar cloths! Such an adventure!

Eventually arriving in the South of France, fate brought them to a tiny village which proved to be an idyllic setting for then to settle and recharge batteries. Ellie to completely change her life, Mavis to escape from her brutish husband, Dora to spend her last days in paradise. Not forgetting Yvette and all the friendly locals.

I really loved reading this escapist novel and engaging with all the characters.

Thank you Netgalley for this Arc.

Rhys Bowen's novels are absolute comfort reads for me, and her latest novel, Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure, did not disappoint. Opening on the eve of World War II, Ellie Endicott begins an average day in September to the news that her banker husband seeks a divorce. With true British grit and determination, and a couple of companions along the way, Ellie seeks to discover herself and her new place in the world and takes a trip to the south of France.

While delving into tough topics such as divorce, health concerns, and war, to name a few, Bowen always handles the topics and characters involved with care and has become an author I trust to tell a great and loving story. Ultimately, Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure is about hope, female friendship, and compassion. As ever, Bowen creates such strong, lovable, and inspiring characters that are all so brilliantly individual.

What an absolute joy of a read. I had this waiting for my wee late holiday break and boy did I enjoy it. Great credible storyline (with a little sadness and feel-good thrown in). The characters were large as life and their individual personalities really well developed. I love a book where I can get to know the characters and see life through their eyes and this certainly delivered. The impact of the times on women and a male dominated society alongside the impact of war was well reflected and permeated the events of the book. I’m giving this one 5 stars

What a wonderful story! Splendid is the perfect word to describe the adventures of Ellie Endicott. She begins as a married woman, living in London with Lionel, her husband of thirty years, in the late 1930’s. Suddenly, her husband announces he wants a divorce so he can start over again with a much younger woman. Ellie stands up for herself and gets her own attorney and fights for a nice settlement. This includes Lionel’s Bentley, which she loads up with her things, along with Mavis (her former maid) and Dora (the grumpy neighbor) and heads to the Mediterranean in search of adventures.
They land in the small fishing village of Saint Benet, when her car breaks down and they never look back. I enjoyed the braveness these woman showed as they tackle their new challenges, which also includes the war, and all that comes with that. They thought they were safe in their little fishing village, but not quite.
Such a wonderful story of friendships, adversity, and finding yourself.
I have read many of Rhys Bowen’s books, and this might be my favorite!
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this digital ARC, All opinions are my own.

Surrey, England, 1938. After thirty devoted years of marriage, Ellie Endicott is blindsided by her husband’s appeal for divorce. It’s Ellie’s opportunity for change too. The unfaithful cad can have the house. She’s taking the Bentley. Ellie, her housekeeper Mavis, and her elderly friend Dora—each needing escape—impulsively head for parts unknown in the South of France.

With the Rhône surging beside them, they have nowhere to be and everywhere to go. Until the Bentley breaks down in the inviting fishing hamlet of Saint Benet. Here, Ellie rents an abandoned villa in the hills, makes wonderful friends among the villagers, and finds herself drawn to Nico, a handsome and enigmatic fisherman. As for unexpected destinations, the simple paradis of Saint Benet is perfect. But fates soon change when the threat of war encroaches.

Ellie’s second act in life is just beginning—and becoming an adventure she never expected.

Will recommend to others. Loved the story

Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure wasn’t my favourite book by Rhys Bowen. I usually really enjoy her books. Although her writing is solid as always, I struggled with this one. It started well at the beginning in terms of Mrs. Endicott taking control of her life following her husband's awful announcement that their marriage was over. I am not sure if it might have been the period setting, but something about this novel just didn’t click with me the way her other books usually do. That said, those who really enjoy women's historical dramas will likely find this to be a lovely read.

What an enjoyable tale about three strong women charting a course of their own. I wish the road trip portion of the novel would have been longer as I found hearing about the different parts of France very interesting. I also really appreciated that this was a different take on the perenially popular WWII historical fiction. The setting in a small village in the South of France gave us a glimpse into what life was like during WWII in a different part of the world. Readers who enjoy stories about found family will really love this one.

A thoroughly enjoyable historical novel…

I have long been a fan of Rhys Bowen’s mysteries, especially her Evan Evans and Lady Georgie series. But I’ve never tried any of her non-series books, which appear from their blurbs to be historical novels, rather than mysteries. So I was thrilled to be offered a review copy of Bowen’s latest stand-alone, set mostly in the south of France, during the time from just-before to just-after WWII. And, with my expectations set properly, ready for a slower-paced book and not a mystery, I really enjoyed Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure.

The book starts with an epic telling-off by the title character. After years of a rather dull marriage, and with their two sons grown and gone, Ellie Endicott’s husband, Lionel, tells her that he’s trading her in for a newer model. Although, of course, he doesn’t phrase it exactly that way. What he does do, though, is try to shuffle Ellie off into genteel oblivion in a tiny London flat with a miniscule pension, so he can move the newer model into their large county home in Surrey. Ellie, however, pointedly and firmly declines to acquiesce in these plans. Instead, she gets herself an attorney, and a significantly better deal. After which, she decides, since there is now literally nowhere that she has to be, to head for the South of France, where she once spent a wonderful pre-Lionel vacation with her black-sheep of an aunt, Aunt Louisa.

Ellie is a bit intimidated with the idea of traveling so far by herself, but, as she prepares to depart, she acquires a couple of traveling companions: the village spinster, who has been told she doesn’t have long to live and wants to see the Riviera again; and Ellie’s cleaning woman, who needs to escape an abusive marriage. Ellie, Dora, and Mavis decide to “substitute” Lionel’s Bentley for the remainder of Ellie’s settlement, so they can drive rather than take the train, and they are off. And the rest of the book is a slow-moving treat as the three women (plus a fourth stray picked up along the way) settle into a small French village along the Mediterranean coast; learn more about themselves, each other, and the local inhabitants; decide to remain in Saint-Benet even as WWII approaches, survive the war years; and emerge on the other side.

Some portions of Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure are a little bit predictable, or maybe just well foreshadowed, but I found them no less enjoyable for that. The characters are believable, and I was drawn into the narrative, which flowed smoothly and kept me reading. There are some tough moments: Dora’s much delayed death; France’s unexpectedly quick surrender and the creation of Vichy France; an unexpected betrayal with disastrous consequences; the difficulties of dealing with collaborators in the aftermath of the war. But to me, these also served to enhance the satisfaction of the overall storyline. Bowen’s descriptions of the south of France ring true as well (I’m a huge Francophile), and I’m now daydreaming about visiting there again myself. And maybe, since I’m approaching retirement, even finding my own little spot in France for a while. After all, if Ellie could polish up her unused-for-decades French language skills, and brave driving on the wrong-side of the road, why can’t I? But hopefully without WWII...

In spite of the word “Adventure” in the title, if you’re looking for a thriller, Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure isn’t for you, although several of the WWII scenes come with a hefty dose of danger. OTOH, if you are looking for an engaging historical novel that you won't want to put down– definitely give it a try! And finally, my thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy.

This book had me laughing and crying. I was so glad to read that Mrs. Endicott decided to take on the world and not worry about anyone about herself.

While my favourite Rhys Bowen books are the Her Royal Spyness series, her stand alone books are always so well written. I think Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure is my favourite of her stand alone so far. Reading as Mrs. Endicott starts her life over in her 50s in the South of France and how she handles life as the Nazis invade was so uplighting and enjoyable.

LIFE CHANGES, UNEXPECTED FRIENDS, AND NEW DESTINATIONS

Rhys Bowen crafts stories that captivate you from the first sentence and leave you reflecting long after reading. One of my favorites from 2025 is MRS. ENDICOTT’S SPLENDID JOURNEY is an excellent adventure filled with life changes, unexpected friendships, and new destinations.

The story follows Ellie Endicott, whose husband of thirty years has announced that he is replacing her with a younger woman. Set in England in 1938, Ellie is savvy enough to hire a lawyer and negotiate a much better settlement than initially offered. Determined to reclaim her life, she travels to the South of France.

Ellie takes her husband’s Bentley for reliable transportation and invites her faithful maid, Doris, to join her on the trip as a gesture of gratitude for many years of service. At the last minute, she extends the invitation to her elderly neighbor, Mavis, known in the neighborhood as the grouch. Mavis is shocked by Ellie’s kindness.

As the three embark on their journey, they discover they make great traveling companions. They develop a rhythm and find that they genuinely enjoy each other’s company more than they had ever anticipated. Their adventure leads them to the fishing hamlet of Saint Benet, where the Bentley unfortunately breaks down. Surprisingly, this may be where each of them finds the peace they seek.

I highly recommend this book! It beautifully portrays the themes of friendships that cross age, socio-economic boundaries, and cultures. The characters learn to work together during wartime for the common good, a collaboration that often fails to happen otherwise. This book is not to be missed!

Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I enjoyed the bravado of Ellie Endicott, who takes her husband's beloved Bentley car as part of her share after his affair and their subsequent divorce, drives the car to parts unknown, namely under the English channel and towards the south of France. She takes along her housekeeper turned friend, Mavis, and an elderly friend, Dora. They land up in a little town near the Riviera, and like it enough to try to settle there.

Romance, adventure, a new environment follow, only marred by the threat of WWII and how it may affect them in this tiny hidden village in France. I followed Ellie's adventures and felt satisfaction when she discovers a new place to call home, and meets the challenges and misfortunes of the times she lives in.

I loved this book, a gem for all, set in 1938. Ellie Endicott is shocked when her husband tells her he wants a divorce. Not willing to accept his terms, Ellie stands up for a settlement and decides to go to the south coast of France to decide her future. Due to her big heart, she takes her housekeeper, Mavis, escaping from an abusive husband, and Dora, an older woman with a heart condition. When their car stalls in a small town in France, the threesome start a new adventure, restoring an old villa deserted years earlier. The relationship between the women, and with the townspeople, grows with time. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this heartwarming novel.

MRS. ENDICOTT'S SPLENDID ADVENTURE is the latest historical fiction from Rhys Bowen (In Farleigh Field). She is a personal favorite and a prolific author of novels including The Constable Evans mysteries, The Royal Spyness series, and many featuring Molly Murphy in addition to several dealing with WWII and its impact. This novel begins in 1938 in Surrey, England and moves fairly quickly to the South coast of France (near Marseille) throughout the war. After Mrs. Endicott's husband seeks a divorce, she – and a group of "strays" – settle in a charming village whose inhabitants, including many fishermen, are largely self-sufficient. Gradually, Mrs. Endicott and her companions (an older woman with health problems, a kind-hearted cleaner fleeing spousal abuse, and a young, unmarried lass) build a community and start to thrive. Even in this remote area, the war years are predictably difficult, but most everyone (including other English ex-pats, a broad-minded priest, and the head of a nearby monastery), pull together. Mrs. Endicott learns to try new adventures, reflecting, "All my life I've been sensible and reasonable. I've done the right thing, tried to please everybody, but nobody ever tried to find out what I wanted." Instead of giving into despair, she and the others grow and manage to find happiness. At one point, the abbot advocates prayer: "Why don't you start with three things you're blessed with, three things you're afraid of and finally three things you ask of him? And don't forget to listen, too." An uplifting story in a beautiful setting.

Thank you #NetGalley and #LakeUnionPublishing for what is another wonderfully written book by Rhys Bowen. I just thought I was finished with reading in the World War II genre. That is until I began this book late Saturday evening and finished it Sunday afternoon. What a great read! Yes, it was set in the WW II time frame, but it was so much more than that.

Mrs. Endicott surprised not just herself, but me as a reader also. Surprised me with her grit and determination as a newly single woman of that era, alongside two other women who turned out to be so much more than simply an old spinster and a char woman. All three had their own story of hardship and triumph to tell.

I have read many of Ms. Bowen's historical fiction novels and found them all to be supremely entertaining and informative, however this book was in a class by itself. Filled with beautiful descriptive passages that brought us along as Ellie. Dora, Mavis travel from an England on the brink of war to the south of France. Traveling alone (no men) in Ellie's husband's motorcar, they find themselves broken down and welcomed into a small seaside community, which quickly becomes home. When war comes to her quiet home, Ellie soon finds out who is true friend and who is not.

Rhys Bowen's HF is always a must read for me. Hopefully, for you too.

A charming novel that is a pleasure to read! I loved this book. A middle aged woman's husband announces he wants a divorce at the breakfast table. She says "fine," quickly works out the details and takes his Bentley to France. She picks up a motley assortment of companions and friends along the way, settling down in a small village on the coast of the South of France when the Bentley breaks down. And all of this takes place in 1939, on the cusp of World War II.

Thought there are some serious plot developments towards the end of this book related to WWII, this book was about pure human interaction and kindness. A group of English women get to know each other, show kindness to those in trouble, and find themselves lovingly absorbed into the community. This novel inspires all of us to deal with the hand we're handed, but to also live our best lives and make human connections that matter.