By: Gillian Harvey
ISBN: 9781805499503
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: 03/15/2024
Format: e-book
My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)
Love books? The Bordeaux Book Club is seeking new members!
When Leah and her husband moved to France, it was with the dream of becoming self-sufficient. But in truth, it’s not the ‘good life’ she’d imagined, as three hours of digging barely yields a single straggly carrot.
Worse, her teenage daughter is acting up, and her husband seems to find every strange excuse under the hot French sun to disappear.
So when her friend entreats her to join the new book club she’s forming, Leah decides it’s something she will do for herself. The chance to make new friends, to drink a few glasses of wine, and to escape into stories that take her miles away from the life she’d thought would be her own happy-ever-after.
But the book club is a strange group of misfits. There’s prickly Grace, who lives alone and seems to know everybody and like no one. Buttoned-up Monica, who says her husband is away and appears to be parenting her baby all alone. Handsome builder George, who has barely read a book before. And Alfie – who is a full two decades younger than everyone else, and is hiding a devastating secret…
As the stories they read begin to bring the new friends closer together, Leah is about to discover that happy-ever-afters don’t always look how you expect them to…
A gorgeously escapist read from the bestselling author of A Year at the French Farmhouse, perfect for fans of Veronica Henry, Jo Thomas, and Fiona Valpy.
My Review
Master storyteller British author Gillian Harvey returns following A Month in Provence with THE BORDEAUX BOOK CLUB , another charming tale that will transport you to the picturesque countryside of France with a group of misfits, good food, wine, laughs, wisdom, a fun book club and so much more!
Welcome to Bordeaux the Book Club!
A book club for English speakers.
Meet the 5 ex-pats:
Book Club Members:
Grace
Leah
George
Monica
Alfie
Grace, an avid reader, 50-something. Her idea for the book club. An enigma and high energy. She knows everyone.
Leah (15 yrs younger than Grace) is a mom and wife. She has a not-so-happy teen daughter. She thought the idea of moving to the area would be to live a sustainable life growing and selling food, but things are going differently than planned. Grace is her friend.
Monica is a young mom whose husband's job (pilot) has brought her to the area. However, due to his job, she is left alone with a young baby. She is excited about the Book Club and connecting with other adults.
George, a handyman, has lived in the area for a year. He is renovating a property for a client and lives here year-round. He decides to join the Book Club to meet other people.
Alfie is a quiet young man and the youngest of the group (among the other 40s and 50s). He moved to Bordeaux with his mom years earlier. He keeps to himself. Grace thought he might be more suited to a chess club or gaming organization.
With the unlikely bunch, they each take turns choosing a book and hosting. Slowly, they form friendships, getting to know one another better. They choose such great classics to read and discuss. Books will eventually open their eyes to the possibility of something new. If you are a book lover and love to travel, this is for you!
From humor and heartbreak, THE BORDEAUX BOOK CLUB has a beautiful, lush French setting that is fully immersive and captivating! From making friendships to offering support, empathy, and love, the novel will delight readers and book lovers seeking their own escape.
ENCHANTING! Who doesn't want to be surrounded and bonded over books, classics, friends, literature, laughter, food, wine, love, and joy? A book within a book.
Gillian Harvey is a new author for me. I enjoyed her last book and was excited about another adventure. She does not disappoint. Character-driven, filled with beautiful metaphors, vivid settings, and most importantly, the power of stories.
Filled with insights and humor, this is a beautiful, witty, heartwarming story of loneliness, grief, and self-discovery with the unlikeliest characters. It's a book club that turns into something more!
A joy of a read! Whether on a beach, mountain, countryside, tropical island, or home settled in a comfy chair on a rainy day, THE BORDEAUX BOOK CLUB will transport you. I cannot wait for Harvey's next adventure. (it is like going on holiday)!
This is for fans of US authors Sarah Jio, Aimie K. Runyan, Wendy Wax, and Mary Ellen Taylor.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a gifted digital ARC for an honest opinion.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Mar 15, 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars
About the Author
FROM THE AUTHOR:
Welcome to my website! I'm an author and freelance writer living in France.
I write regularly for many national titles in the UK and US, including Woman's Weekly, Take a Break Fiction Feast, Woman and Home Feel Good You and newspapers including Guardian and Independent.
My monthly column 'Under the Covers' is featured in the bestselling 'Writing Magazine' and I have also written columns for Living France and Prima Baby. WEBSITE
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