Thank you to Netgalley for a pre publication copy. In return for an honest review #escapetothefrenchfarmhouse #netgalley

Del and her husband move to rural France to start a new life in a dilapidated farmhouse but its all too much with no WiFi and more money needing to be spent on it so they decide to return home. However Del gets second thoughts and decides to stay but gives herself a couple of weeks to organise how she will survive. Can she make it? Can she bring together her community and make a family?

I met the author at a book signing and from then on I was interested to read her books.

This book is a quick easy romance read which is lighthearted throughout. It does what it says on the tin and gives you that warm fuzzy feeling.

Absolutely fantastic descriptions which really make you feel the sun on your face in the lavender fields.

I am a recent fan of Jo Thomas books and was pleased to see another one I had yet to read. Del is our lead character and she has been living in France with her husband Ollie. She has a moment of realisation as she decides that their relationship is over and she wants to make a go of it in France on her own. Once alone she wonders what on earth she has done.


Jo Thomas has an amazing knack of being so descriptive that you are in the place with the character. As we see Del start to tackle her current predicament we also get to meet other people living in her village. Del slowly starts to become a part of the village and creates new and lasting friendships. Stefanie becomes another character that has a huge impact in Del's life along with Fabien and a number of other characters.


This story is escapism at it's finest and was a pure joy to read. It transported me to somebody else's world where village life and the farmhouse along with its lavender became the focal point. I really am a true JT fan now and will look forward to reading another book by this great author.

Another great read from Jo Thomas. A heartwarming story about how when life is falling apart its really setting up for something even better. A perfect romance

This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

Another lovely book by this author who transports you to the Lavender fields of France. Del is a great character, as are the rest of the cast, and there are plenty of twists and turns to her story to keep your interest and I read it in one sitting... perfect holiday escape when you are unable to go yourself

Escape to the French Farmhouse by Jo Thomas

Del and Ollies life falls apart when he is made redundant and decides to buy a french farmhouse and start a new life. After 6 weeks it all falls apart and Ollie packs up the house and returns to England. Del realises that they have nothing in common anymore and decides to stay in the dilapidated house with no furniture and no income.

A lovely well written story about her journey and the characters are lovely even if the story is a little unrealistic.

Enjoyable read. 3.5/5

I kindly received a review copy in exchange for an honest review by the publisher via Netgalley.

After reading The Oyster Catcher years ago, Escape to the French Farmhouse is the second novel I’ve read by Jo Thomas. I can tell you this is another fabulous feel good read from her. Be ready for lavender, laughter and love in Provence.

‘I’ve never felt more certain of anything. I’m not going back to my old life with him. We’re over. Finally, the cracks are wide open and the ceiling is on the floor. Now all I have to do is work out what kind of ceiling I want to put up.’

When Dels husband Ollie was made redundant, he’d become addicted to the idea of a new life in the sun and escape to a french farmhouse in the middle of Provence. They decided to follow Ollie‘s dream and move houses from the UK to a lavender-filled Provencal town of Ville de Violet. In France everything that could have gone wrong has gone wrong. Ollie threw himself into the idea of France, freelancing from home but the internet was so poor, he’d to drive to the next big town to send e-mails. Del has had also problems settling down.

She didn’t meet anyone she really connected with, so after 6 short weeks the couple is packed up ready to return home. It turns out that the farmhouse was not the aswer to all their marriage problems. For Del it felt like one long holiday from hell. In that moment when the moving truck is reading to go, Del decides that this is not the life she wants and sends Ollie and all their belongings on their way home. She can’t go back to feeling how she did before they came here: the unhappiness and the loneliness in their marriage. While she sees the truck leaving she knows she has made the right choice even she is soon facing the fact she has no furniture, no income and bills to pay. Is this really the new start Del needs? Will she find her own happy end in rural france?

Do you know this feeling, when you finish the book and you feel so content and happy and you get a full closure? Well, I have felt exactly like this when I closed this book after reading the last word. This is a heart-warming story of difficult decisions, taking chances and letting go of the past and looking forward to the future along with good wine, food and plenty of fun and laughter. It’s a story which make you laugh and which make you cry, but leaves you feeling very content and happy. It captures you right from the very first page and the book is in fact unputdownable. The storyline is interesting and unexpected, the book has many twists and turns and is absolutely not obvious or predictable. The writing itself is very good and you feel caught up in it. This is most definitely a book that you can’t miss, a good, fun, uplifting romance which I personally loved. Period.

I recommend enjoying the book with a good red wine and a selection of cheeses and crackers. Believe me, you'll thank me later.

There are times when the predictable is what you want. When you begin a particular book, you know how things will turn out, barring a few surprises. This only works if the writing helps hold the story together and make you want to root for the characters. I liked this enough to look forward to another book by the author that I have on my virtual shelf.
I was a little late getting to this since it released the last august. I am working on my backlist and have made significant inroads into previous year's releases!. This features in that achievement.
The story begins rather abruptly, with our lead protagonist making a sudden life-altering decision to stay at the French house that her husband wanted the two of them to vacate. What follows involves hard-work, a good heart (Del, the leading lady) as well a helpful and lovable supporting cast who each have their own turn under the limelight. This will especially appeal to expats who have lived in countries where communication is not necessarily in English. There is a measure of two different types of people, and although I almost fall into the category which doesn't come off looking rosy here, I still enjoyed the book!
The book focuses on the building of a life, beginning with a hobby that needs and drive changes to a job and then something that Del's entire future might depend on.
A wide array of age groups are mentioned here, and it was an interesting read that I read in about two sittings. I would recommend it to readers who like stories based in different countries, although I am curious how the visa situation would have played out given the new requirements and if future books take that into account.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley, the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Another brilliant read from an exceptional author. Lavender and France go together like scones and cream. Whisk yourself away across the channel and escape into another world. A thoroughly enjoyable read that I couldn't put down.

Della (or Del as she likes to be called) has moved to France with her Husband, however her Husband has decided it’s now working and agree that they will return to the UK. On the day of the move Del realises that she wants to stay in France and make a go of things, even without her Husband.
I found this book good but pretty far fetched as Del seems to start a business, find love and help out homeless people and a young girl with a child who she sees stealing, all without any money.
On the plus side the descriptive writing of the lavender fields and wonderful area of France she is living in took me to the place she was writing about.
I did like the way Jo wrote about ex-pats not wanting to integrate and the homeless problem though and all in all an enjoyable read.

Well if you can't go to Provence in real life, then pick up a Jo Thomas book.
This story is just what is needed at the moment, the setting is described so beautifully, you can almost smell the lavender.
A lovely lovely book, a perfect pick me up.

A delightful book. Del is trying to make a life for herself in Provence after her husband Ollie returns to England. A story of second chances, friendship, family, love and lavender. The perfect summer read.

Good storyline. great charcters, the story flowed really well, and it was a fun read. I sat and read this in the garden and it was a great way to while away an afternoon.

I particularly enjoyed the Stephanie and Thomas storyline and that they gave Del the family she had always longed for.

Charming read.

I absolutely loved this book, it is complete escapism. The characters are very likeable, the story keeps moving well and I had trouble putting this book down, in fact I read it in one day. Jo Thomas always sets the scene well and you feel like you are part of the book, the characters become your friends. You can almost smell the lavender from the fields it is written so well. The book is set in France, Del and her husband are due to move back to Britain but Del decides to stay and make a new life for herself and so the story unfolds. I highly recommend this book.

Escaping from their tragic past, Del and Ollie move to the French Provence to start over. Their escape is not what they expected, and they agree to return to England, but Del realises her relationship has run its course and stays alone. Her new life is problematic with many humorous and poignant moments and a little romance. Her emotional journey helps her rediscover herself and find the happiness she deserves.

The setting is vivid, the characters vibrant and the story heartwarming and uplifting, the perfect escape.

I received a copy of this book from Transworld via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

A lovely feel good book that I really enjoyed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

I enjoyed this book. It was engaging and cheered me up when the world outside is messed up. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an egalley.

Always a wonderfully warm read from Jo Thomas set in Provence. Del's move to the farmhouse takes an unexpected turn and she tries to turn her life around. She finds a wonderful book full of lavender recipes and builds up her fields, alongside filling her new home with hope and happiness. I really felt as though I could have moved in and enjoyed the book from the inside!

A great read that I really enjoyed. It just goes to prove that you can create a family in less traditional ways if you really want to. I enjoyed exploring this little part of Provence and discovering Del's story.

This has a real feel good factor.
The characters are engaging and the story rolls along at a pleasant pace.
Well worth a read especially if you are feeling down in the dumps.