Rosie has finally jumped into the deep end, after working and saving her money, she’s decided to take her dream of opening a café on the French Riviera to fruition, and with her best-friend and former sous from her private yacht cheffing gig, she has done it: bought a small waterfront space, ready to make her mark. Arriving before the ‘high season’ there is tons of clean up, menus, planning and new people to meet. Seb, the guy who is oh so friendly but looks aimless and possibly homeless, Erica the woman with a young daughter who runs a shop down the street but who carries a sadness with her, and the polished, driven and businesslike realtor Gee Gee, best friend to Erica and regular customer at the café with her laptop and mobile close to hand.

Rosie is struggling and trying to work in her budget, she and Tansy are trying everything: extra hours, menu variations, and while initially appearing to be well received, nothing is ever that simple. From Rosie’s own rather vigilant anti-man stance and her lingering hurt from her last break up, to the realization that Seb is a well-regarded Michelin-starred chef and owner of the hotel next door, some reappearances from her ex, and a bit of double-play with a very necessary yet rather mysterious staff member, the story weaves us through the lives of the major characters, and does so in ways that are revealing and unexpected.

From the first interaction to the last, Rosie and Seb’s relationship was easy, easy to see her innate friendliness and attraction, easy to see why Seb would want to help, offering advice and trying slowly to allow her to move forward. In fact, this really becomes a story, redolent with the charms of a small French seaside town, as it works its magic to bring healing, hope and new beginnings to all of the players. From Erica’s moving forward from her husband’s tragic death and seeing her child regaining some of her own joy in life, to GeeGee’s reframing her own career and life to take charge and stay in the area, and Rosie’s ability to make amends with her long-absent father, as well as an honest, adult conversation with her mother, the story has plenty to keep readers engaged and intrigued. Immersive and complete in just these pages, this story packs plenty of punch all while never crossing the line into tension filled or overly angsty. The perfect ‘pick you up’ read, as everyone finds growth, redemption and a new outlook within these pages.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Sweet chicklit that's perfect take you away from the cold and into the warmth of the South of France. I enjoyed these women- Rosie most of all- and hope and Bohnet will write more about GeeGee and Erica. This is a quick read and totally escapist. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

This book was a true ray of sunshine, leaving you with a really heartwarming feeling. There is a hint of romance running throughout, dreams being realised and some bittersweet heart wrenching moments too. I could imagine myself in the Riviera and visiting Monaco. The characters were all so lovely- even those who may have troubled history with Rosie.

Rosie had a dream of running her own cafe after years of working on yachts for the wealthy. She's opened a little cafe right on the beach and is determined to make a huge success of it- despite not having a lot of money to update things. She is dismayed that a Michelin star chef has taken over the hotel next door and thinks it will be disastrous for her.

I loved the way that the other characters were introduced and hopefully this means we may go back to them?? GeeGee is an estate agent and that gives lots of scope for new characters to come into the area! Erika is about to settle into her new home and we must get to meet her little girls new dog! A return trip to her wonderful sounding shop would be lovely aswell.

Seb was a delightful romantic interest- he was so gorgeous and caring and I was rooting for him and Rosie to get together. I could just imagine walking along the beach with him!

This was a wonderful escape from the awful weather and I loved my trip to the French Riviera which is so beautifully depicted by Jennifer. I love her writing style and have adored her previous books. This one left me with the same warm feeling.

This was a very light read. While likeable I will not be rushing to read any other books by the author as I am not a fan of the lightweight romantic novel. Having said that, it is probably a good beach read, set as it is in the sunshine of the French Riviera. This is the land of the well-to-do where the sun always seems to shine and the parties are never-ending. The majority of the characters are Anglophones so no French is spoken in the book at all. Not all is completely sweetness and light but the traumas, setbacks and concerns experienced by the characters are very lightly written and all seem to be overcome in a remarkably short space of time, with good luck playing a large part. Romances, and there are many of them, happen at the speed of light and complications are very minor.

This short novel follows the life of mostly three women (all English?) who live in the French Riviera. I really wish I liked this book, I'm always rooting for the author, but I just can't find anything positive to say about this book - except perhaps that it makes me wish I was in a cafe on the French Riviera right about now.

While the book did a good job interweaving the different story lines, it was irritating. It was irritating to see the main character Rosie pretend she's a strong independent woman when she can't say no to her ex-boyfriend when he blatantly stalks her. It was irritating to see blame put on her when she decides as a teenager to stop speaking to her father who abandoned her as a child. It was irritating to read mostly dialogue and not description, of how it feels to be on the Riviera, of the cafe, of the hot air, etc. It was irritating to get an idea of so many characters but none of them felt like rounded characters because they were all explored on the surface. Above all, I was irritated by the ending where everything seemed revolved without any effort or realism.

I think the idea was interesting but it wasn't explored enough to make a well-rounded book.

When I read ROSIE'S LITTLE CAFE ON THE RIVIERA by Jennifer Bohnet it was a horribly cold and damp day in Ireland, but this wonderful novel transported me to the warmth and charm of the South of France with its evocative sights, sounds, and smells. Meet Rosie who at 35, has finally taken a chance at achieving her lifelong dream, by purchasing a cafe on the beach on the beautiful French coast. Determined to work hard and focus completely on her business, the last thing she needs is an ex-boyfriend who is refusing to take no for an answer, a sexy hotelier neighbour who also happens to be a Michelin Star chef, the transformation of her mother into a full-on cougar, and a blast from the past which could break her heart in two. As Rosie tries to keep control of everything in her life, we also get to know more characters in this beautiful little town - Erica and her little girl Cammie who are trying to build a new future for themselves after a tragedy, and their friend GeeGee who is struggling in every aspect of her life at the moment, from business to affairs of the heart. All of their complicated lives plays out in front of us in this delightful tale of friendship, love, and reaching for the stars. ROSIE'S LITTLE CAFE ON THE RIVIERA by Jennifer Bohnet is perfect for contemporary romance fans everywhere.

While the book was well written and the characters developed, I just could not get into the story and the characters, like I hoped to. This made this book, which normally would be a easy, quick and light read, a hard read. I would however recommend a book like this to someone like my mother that loves reads like this.

Fantastic story with lovable characters . This is the first book I have read but it won't be the last

Sweet and charming story that captivated my attention on nice, chilly winter's day. Loved the writing and characters so much!!

A lovely summery read that makes you wish you were right there enjoying it with them! Even though this is what i would call a run of the mill and a little predictable, it is still lovely and easy read that stays with you after you've finished.

It is the perfect summer read.

Thanks to netgalley and HQ Digital for an Arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Jennifer Bohnet was a new author for me as I picked up Rosie's Little Café on the Riviera. Again another book featuring a café of which there seems to be so many of this year so far despite being only two months into the year. This book was a very light read and I did spend an enjoyable few hours in the company of Rosie as she battles to keep her dream of a café by the sea a reality. There were a few storylines through out the book and at times I felt it became slightly disjointed and went off track but at other points it did give me that nice warm feeling inside as the themes of friendship, forgiveness and working together came to the fore. One thing that was excellent about the book was the setting and I suppose that made me get over the fact I was reading another café book with similar themes to books I had recently read.

The French town where the café is situated really came alive on the pages and even though I have never been to France I felt I got a real sense of the country, the climate, the people and the lifestyle. The story doesn't just focus on Rosie. We also have Erica who runs the vintage shop The Cupboard Under the Stairs. She is struggling to cope bringing up her beautiful girl Cammie following the death of her beloved husband. Georgina George or Gee Gee rents a desk at an estate agents and is finding it difficult to make ends meet in the cutthroat world of selling houses on the French Riveria. Each women featured in the story is battling with something internally and makes attempts throughout to put on a brave face but there are times when we need to let go and tell the truth and accept help and advice.

Rosie had had plans to be married by 30 with a lovely family but sadly this hasn't come to pass. For the last number of years she has worked on board a luxury yacht cooking in the galley and although she enjoyed this now is the time to see her long held dream come true. She bought the run down café in the hopes she could turn it into something successful both in the day and night. She wants everything kept secret from Charlie, her ex, who works on board the yacht. I could see Rosie was an independent woman who had firm aspirations and wanted to see them fulfilled. She was a hard worker and was willing to put in the hours to make everything run smoothly and successfully in the café.

Charlie makes several reappearances throughout the book and I found him to be so frustrating and like a leech that simply wouldn't let go. I wanted Rosie to let rip and tell the truth and tell him to get out of her life but she was too nice and polite to do that. Rosie soon has Tansy and James helping her out in the café and in my mind there were under-utilised and could have done with a bit of a storyline themselves. I know the focus is on the three women but still they just seemed to there as filler ins and to get a mention every now and again.

The descriptions of all the lovely food being created in the café were mouthwatering and I found myself craving something nice to eat while reading unfortunately nothing materialised for me. Rosie was never one to relax, she was always apprehensive and on edge despite as I said being a worker she feels the pressure to give everything a good go. It doesn't help matters when Michelin chef Seb Groc rocks up to the hotel next door and reopens it with a brand new restaurant. Will it all to be too much or will Rosie start to find love when she least expected it or will business issues crop up that threaten everyone's happiness?

I realise Rosie was the main character but I liked Erica and Gee Gee more, they seemed more relaxed in a way despite having their own problems. I could sense Erica had been deeply affected by her husband's death and as Cammie was finding things difficult she too couldn't move on. It was interesting to see how her aspect of the storyline would play out as we see her struggle with what she know needs to happen compared with the reality of achieving this. Gee Gee was really there for Erica and it was lovely to see their bond deepen and how they both helped each other out in little ways that may not seem much to an outsider looking in but to each other meant so much more. I was very pleased with the resolution Erica found and enjoyed her storyline very much.

As for Gee Gee she seemed to me not fully content in the job she was in. It was like a high powered city job always battling on a day to day basis like a wheel she could never get off. The only difference being she was living in the sun and trying to have a good lifestyle. The author did build up a very good picture of a woman who wanted to have it all but professional life was proving too much and other people dominating the estate agent scene particularity someone who makes a reappearance may just prove too much for her. To be honest I found it quite strange that she would find things so difficult that she hardly had any money for food. Surely you wouldn't let things get that bad. I know she lived off commission but still I found this aspect of her storyline slightly unrealistic. On the other hand I loved how when things got exceedingly tough Gee Gee didn't just down tools and give up. She strived to find solutions and better options and all at the same time helping Rosie and Erica in any way possible. Gee Gee was kind, caring, compassionate and determined and I hoped she would the find the answers she was so desperately looking for.

Rosie's Little Café on the Riviera was a nice enough read but it didn't blow me away. The theme of starting and attempting to keep going a café has been done many times and although a lovely story I felt nothing majorly new was brought to this theme. At times it was slightly predictable and I knew fairly on what the outcome would be and the fact I identified more with what I consider the two slightly more minor characters annoyed me in a way as it's Rosie storyline I should have become totally riveted by. At times I thought things were rather rushed and brushed over and required more depth and I thought the three girls could have connected more between themselves. The three separate storylines needed gelling together just that little bit more. Overall it was a pleasant story and enjoyable to read at the time but not the best I have read so far this year and maybe not quite one I will remember come the end of
2017. But there will be people who will love every aspect of this book, I'm just disappointed I couldn't fully love as much as I had hoped to.

A lovely gentle summer beach read about the French cafe scene and budding romance story amongst the food and drink,
There's also a few sub plots about disfunctional family lives and the impact this can have on a wide network of people.
Light but not too fluffy and who wouldn't want to dine and live on the riviera people watching the jet setters and yachts people.

Rosie's Little Cafe on he Riviera is another fab offering from Jennifer Bohnet.

Set in the glamorous French Riviera it was a lovely escape from the cold British winter. The descriptions and story really do warm your heart.

Rosie is opening Cafe Fleur down on the beach. The locals see her as a mad English woman who won't be able to cook and will serve chips with everything so from day one she's out to prove them wrong. With her small team of staff she begins to make a success of the business.

She's given up on love to make the Cafe a success but then she meets Sebastian Groc, a famous chef who owns the hotel next door. Could she have a successful business and find love?

There are some really great characters in this book whose stories all weave well together. I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK and Jennifer Bohnet for the chance to review.

Unfortunately the book was not for me, no review was publicly posted on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads or Twitter etc, so no ratings were affected in relation to it.

Hi,

I've just finished this NetGalley e-arc, so thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read it! It was a cute story with the potential for a sequel. It's released on March 3rd on Kindle, according to Goodreads and February 23rd on both kindle and in paperback, according to Amazon.co.uk.

In this contemporary story, we follow three young women in France. Rosie is the main girl. She gets the most chapters dedicated to telling her story, I think. Rosie is English but has moved to France to open a cafe and to leave her baggage behind her. There are also two other women that we follow but their stories aren't as necessary as Rosie's, I don't think.

Spoilers below...

In the first couple of chapters, she meets Seb, a young guy who owns a restaurant near her cafe. She and Seb start out as friends but as the book carries on, they end up together. Seb has a daughter with another woman, who is horrible and doesn't care for anyone but herself. Rosie loves being around both Seb and his little girl because she feels a part of something.

Both Rosie's Mum and Dad play a role in the story. Her mum has always been there for her and although it's said that they've had their disagreements in the past, Rosie wouldn't be without her. Rosie's Dad on the other hand left her when she was a child. When he turns up in France, Rosie doesn't want anything to do with her father. He left her and her mother so long ago that she doesn't think anything he says can make up for his absence in her life. However, when it's revealed that he's ill, Rosie gives him the chance to explain, thanks to Seb.

There are surprises for Rosie as well. I didn't see all of them coming.

There are converging plot lines with the other two women. I didn't really find anything of interest in these stories. I skimmed one of them but the other one ran into it as I said above so I did read bits from all three of the women. The story I skim read was about a mother and daughter who had lost their husband/father. It was a story about finding oneself and not being afraid to show grief.

The writing is all third person narrative. While the story isn't written badly, it would have been nice if Rosie's parts were written in first person as she's the main female character. The majority of the story is based around Rosie, which I liked as I could just skim the other plot lines to know what was happening.

I really want there to be a second book with the same characters. This book just felt slightly unfinished and like there was more places the plot could go.

I'm giving Rosie's Cafe On The Riviera 3.5 stars. I enjoyed this story. For something marketed as a "heart warming read" though, where I expect romance, the romance only happened in the last third of the story. If it had happened earlier, it could be classed as more of a "heart warming read", I think and my rating would have probably been 4-4.5 stars!

I loved this book, it was a delightful read from start to finish. No complicated plots which was great for a holiday read which this was, believable characters set in beautiful surroundings, love, laughter, sadness it had it all. Okay some may say it had a predictable ending but it didn't really as it could have gone in several directions, but, whatever, for me it was a perfect easy read....and had that ' feel good' factor, and sometimes it's really nice to have happy endings .

This book was as inviting as the picture on the cover. A delicious story with lots of yummy treats :)

I haven't read any other books by this author, and i was not disappointed great story, the only downside was the quick ending.

This is about three British women living in the South of France. They are facing different challenges but they have one thing in common. New beginnings.

Rosie is a chef who has finally achieved her dream by opening a café on the French Riviera. Finance is tight and it will take careful planning for her business to become a success. Ben, a well known chef is opening a hotel next door. This is going to be one of Rosie's biggest challenge. She is also trying hard to avoid her ex boyfriend who is nothing but persistent. Although she is a little apprehensive about Ben, they become friends and start to confide in each other. A romance starts to blossom but they both have baggages. Rosie, from her teenage days and Ben from her ex.

Rosie is kind hearted and well liked but she has a tendency to jump to conclusions and making the wrong assumptions. Embarrassingly so at times. Ben is very down to earth, fair and supportive.

GeeGee is an estate agent who works on commission only. Her break up with her long term boyfriend has left her in the lurch and she is having a hard time to make ends meet. She doesn't mind hard work and comes up with some good ideas about new ventures. She has the help of some good friends and finds romance in one of her clients.

Erica has a young daughter and is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her husband. She runs her own business and has no real financial issues. The time has come for her to make a decision which won't affect her daughter. Her social life is more or less non existent but she has the backing of her friends. With some coaxing, she attends a party where she might find a new beginning.

Although most of the story revolves around Rosie, the stories of the others are blended in flawlessly. It's lighthearted and well written even if it's a little too "busy" in places. It's the ideal holiday read.

I received a complimentary eARC from the publisher via NetGalley and the views expressed are my personal opinion.

Oh How I love the way Jennie writes. She draws you in to her world and keeps you there until the vey end. The end you do';t want because then you have to leave and come back to every day. Until the next book. (Or I reread this one)