The French Chateau Dream - Julie Caplin

 

The French Chateau Dream

When wedding planner Hattie signs up for her dream job, organising her cousin’s wedding in France, it offers the perfect escape from a relationship that’s been going south for a while.

Unfortunately when she arrives at the idyllic Chateau St Martin, not everyone is as enthusiastic about the forthcoming wedding, including Luc Bremont, son of the owner of the chateau. 

Luc has finally been given the chance to make his own champagne at the family vineyard and everything rests on making it a success, the last thing he wants is the distraction of a big wedding at the chateau.

Will Hattie be able to build bridges between the inhabitants of the chateau in order to allow the wedding to go ahead?

My Review:

If I need a book that will lift my spirits, fill me with dreams of beautiful settings, give me mouthwatering descriptions of foods and drinks and of course, fill my heart with romance, I know I can do no better than pick up one of Julie Caplins romantic escape books. The French Chateau Dream is the 10^th in this series and if full of sunshine, dreams and of course, romance.

Hattie, oh Hattie, is a great character. We briefly met her in ‘The Christmas Castle in Scotland’ and now she’s heading to France to a Chateau as a wedding planner for her cousins upcoming nuptials. Fresh from a relationship break up, Hattie really wants to prove she is capable of planning this wedding, keen to establish her business she is determined to make this a success.

Arriving in France, Hattie meets Luc who lives at the Chateau and is keen to start making champagne again. He isn’t altogether on board with the wedding but knows they need the money if he is to make a go of things at all. Hattie is a force to be reckoned with in her own way and I admired her tenacity, especially when she comes up against sabotage. It is evident who is to blame but Hattie can more than handle herself.

Hattie falls for the chateau, is quite keen on the gorgeous Luc and starts believing that she could achieve what she has always wanted but knows her time there is limited especially when a face from the past pulls on her heart strings once again.

I absolutely adored reading this one, location, characters, storyline – all fantastic. I didn’t want to put it down but didn’t want it to end. I love this series as you can read any one at any time, but for those, like me, that love to read things in order you will spot the cameos from previous stories and it is great to catch up them even for a moment.

There would never be a time I didn’t champion any book by Julie/Jules – an author that enables the reader to have a true connection to the characters, where we feel like they are just like any of us and that we want the best for them – like a friend.

Julie/Jules’ books are familiar, like a comfort blanket or a ray of sunshine on a grey day. The French Chateau Dream is a gorgeous read, perfect for this summer by the pool, in the garden; highly recommended.

Author Bio:

Julie caplin, formerly a PR director, swanned around Europe for many years taking top food and drink writers on press trips (junkets) sampling the gastronomic delights of various cities in Italy, France, Belgium, Spain, Copenhagen and Switzerland. It was a tough job but someone had to do it. 

These trips have provided the inspiration and settings for the highly successful Romantic Escapes series which have hit the best seller charts in Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic and have sold a million copies worldwide.

The first book in the nine strong series,The Little Café in Copenhagen, was shortlisted for a Romantic Novel of the Year Award.

Social Media Links – @JulieCaplin Twitter

https://www.facebook.com/JulieCaplinAuthor/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/juliecaplinauthor/

The Babysitter - Phoebe Morgan

On the hottest day of the year, Caroline Harvey is found dead in Suffolk. Her body is left draped over a cot – but the baby she was looking after is missing.  

Hundreds of miles away, Siobhan Dillon is on a luxurious family holiday in France when her husband, Callum, is arrested by French police on suspicion of murder.

As Siobhan’s perfect family is torn apart by the media in the nation’s frantic search for the missing baby, she desperately tries to piece together how Callum knew Caroline.

What happened that night? Was Caroline as innocent as she seemed – or was she hiding a secret of her own?

The thrilling new book from the number one digital bestselling author of The Doll House and The Girl Next Door.

My Review:After reading Phoebe Morgan’s previous books I have become a firm fan and was very excited about this release.

Caroline is found murdered and the baby she was watching has disappeared. Prime suspect is Callum who had been having an affair with her. Callum and his family have just arrived in France on holiday when the police call to arrest him. Wife, Siobhan, daughter Emma and sister-in-law Maria are astounded and return home under pressure from people demanding answers. It soon becomes clear that everyone has their own secrets, some are just more deadly than others.

The story is told from several viewpoints, which I like as you get to see things from different perspectives and points of view, makes it quite exciting. You also get to know what happened in the run up to her death as well as the aftermath. There are clues as you read through, but you only get an inkling of what really happened – the twists in this were unexpected.
I was adamant I knew who had killed Caroline and what had happened to the baby, but I did keep changing my mind throughout.

The book is very well written and nicely paced, you don’t feel as though it is being rushed nor goes too slow. Phoebe Morgan has a great writing style, with stories that thrill and keep you hooked from start to finish. 

I highly recommend The Babysitter for fans of thrilling, dramatic reads. 

About the Author:Phoebe Morgan is an author and editor. She studied English at Leeds University after growing up in the Suffolk countryside. She has previously worked as a journalist and now edits crime and women’s fiction for a publishing house during the day, and writes her own books in the evenings. She lives in London and you can follow her on Twitter @Phoebe_A_Morgan.

Escape to the French Farmhouse - Victoria Brownlee

AVAILABLE HERE

About:

Ella moved to Paris on a whim - and found happily ever after.

But after six months of romantic bliss, living with her French boyfriend, cheesemonger Serge, Ella's new life is thrown off course. An unplanned pregnancy doesn't seem too bad, until Serge unexpectedly decides to move their growing family to a goat farm in the Loire Valley, without consulting Ella.

Can Ella and Serge's relationship survive their relocation to the depths of the French countryside?

My Review:

A first read by this author and what a delightful treat. I didn’t realise that had been a previous book in the series but honestly it didn’t really matter as this worked well as a standalone.

I enjoyed the storyline, it kept me interested and engaged throughout – I have never been to France (only through books) and it did give me a good sense of what life would be like. I also love cheese, so this book had me drooling with some lovely descriptions. Making me peckish! I think it is well written, a nice style and was descriptive.

 I must admit; I didn’t necessarily love the characters; I liked them, and they were nice enough but maybe I would feel more about them if I’d read the first book? It wasn’t but its more I found them slightly annoying at times.

It’s a story with a simple storyline but it’s fun, light-hearted and has enough drama to make it interesting. Their move to the countryside is really when the book gets going for me. I couldn’t imagine being in Ella’s position and would probably be the same… also Serge keeps so much from her and doesn’t discuss plans etc; how frustrating, I wouldn’t put up with it!

I think this is a lovely, enjoyable read – perfect for a summer day read. You can escape to France and be tempted by foods galore.

Thank you to the publishers for the chance to read and review this book honestly.