By: Gillian Harvey
Narrator: Lucy Scott
ISBN: 9781804269817
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: 07/11/2023
Format: e-book
My Rating: 4.5 Stars (ARC)
A totally gorgeous escapist new story from the author of the international bestseller, A Year at the French Farmhouse.
Interior designer Nicky always used to know how to make the best of things. Ever since she lost her husband though, things haven’t been easy. She’s had to raise her two daughters alone and she’s so proud to see them all grown up, and she knows that’s down to her. But she can’t help but feel like she doesn’t know what to do with her life now…
But then her best friend begs her to help out. Jenny is a TV exec and her new renovation show is in peril. Only Nicky can help.
The catch – Nicky needs to fly to Provence… tomorrow. To renovate a tumbledown B&B. Jenny doesn’t mention the fact that the grumpy B&B owner Robert seems to need a makeover too. Or that the budget is next to nothing…
Will Nicky be able to turn the B&B’s fortunes around, save her friend’s job, and maybe even find some happiness for herself, under the blazing hot French sun this summer…?
Totally gorgeous, escapist, uplifting fiction that lets you escape to sun-soaked Provence. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan, Jennifer Bohnet and Debbie Macomber.
My Review
British author Gillian Harvey delivers a charming beach read, A MONTH IN PROVENCE, — a chance for an interior designer with grown children to step out of her comfort zone, oversee a project in Provence with a failing B&B, and a TV renovation show.
A MONTH IN PROVENCE will inspire you to discover your hidden talents and a chance at new beginnings.
Escape to France! From Lavender fields, the Mediterranean Sea, hilltop ancient villages, and a landscape dotted with vineyards, orchards, and farmland. Falling for Provence France and its charming, relaxed lifestyle is not hard. Long lazy lunches on shady terraces overlooking the sea, olive trees, cicadas chirping, a hot summer sun, and brilliant blue skies are just part of the reason you’ll fall in love with Provence, France. Add a charming B&B and a TV show, and you are set for the perfect beach read!
Nicky, age 49, an interior designer, lost her husband and then raised two daughters. Now they are grown. Now she is a odds with her life. Her best friend begs her to help out. Jenny is a TV exec, and the new renovation show is in trouble. She needs Nicky's help.
However, she does not have much time to ponder. She is to fly to Provence the following day and begin working on a project—to renovate a neglected bed and breakfast. The show will be called The Great B&B Rescue.
Upon arrival, the B&B was in much worse condition than she imagined, and the budget was not so great either. On top of that, Robert, the current inn owner, also needs a remodel.
However, Robert had also lost his wife, and the B&B was their dream. He did not have the passion to run a B&B.
With the challenges of a TV show and completing the renovation on time, she wondered if she had made a mistake coming. Will Nicky be able to turn the B&B to save her friend's job and, at the same time, find a little happiness for herself?
A MONTH IN PROVENCE was my first book by the author, and I look forward to reading more! I enjoy her writing style and the well-developed characters. I love books about middle-aged women with a lot of life left.
Thrown together by disaster, the characters get a do-over on life, love, and happiness.
If you are in the US and a fan of Wendy Wax's (Ten Beach Road Ten Beach Road series—my favorite), you will enjoy Harvey's latest. In particular, The House on Mermaid Point (#6). Also, for fans of authors Sherryl Woods (Chesapeake Shores series) and Mary Kay Andrews' The Homewreckers.
I do not read a lot of women's fiction; however, the stunning front cover, the setting in Provence, a designer, and a B&B all—drew me in.
I was an interior designer (residential and commercial) for years and enjoyed designing resorts and hotels worldwide. I later became a consultant for B&Bs, inns, and hotels: so much fun and great memories. I worked and lived on-site as an innkeeper across the US and Hawaii for many years with different properties. From beach, urban, resort, island, to mountain properties—I was even approached to host a reality TV show working with B&B owners like this (A Gordon Ramsay type), but I declined. I am not an on-camera kind of gal. However, I know B&Bs and enjoy reading books about these topics.
Highly recommend this one if you enjoy light, fun, and uplifting books about female empowerment, friendship, charming inns, second chances, and light romance in a beautiful setting. A perfect beach read!
Thanks to Boldwood Books for a gifted ARC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed here are my own.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Pub Date: July 11. 2023
About the Author
Gillian Harvey is a freelance journalist and the author of two well-reviewed women’s fiction novels published by Orion. She has lived in Limousin, France for the past twelve years, from where she derives the inspiration and settings for her books. Her first title for Boldwood, A Year at the French Farmhouse, will be published in September 2022 and A Month in Provence July 2023.
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