The pace of the book seemed fast. And the hard work that would have taken place getting the Chateau fit for purpose was glossed over. I think a little more was needed to show the development of Fliss's new relationship. I would have liked a little more on Charlotte's story too. But. This is a lovely, feel-good, escapist read. There are problems, but they don't take long to sort. There's a great cast of characters, and I loved the role the apples play. I didn't give this 5 stars because it didn't wow me. I wasn't gripped by any strong emotion from Fliss, and the romance was a bit too subtle, but it is a nice read and I would recommend it. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jo Thomas never fails to whisk you away to idyllic sounding locations with characters you love instantly, and others you slowly grow to love as a story progresses. Classic Jo Thomas brings us stories involving gorgeous sounding foods and drinks that will have you salivating throughout.

After inheriting a chateau in France from their Grandfather, Fliss and her sisters take a trip to see what it is like before they sell up. Discovering a live in Chatelaine, which prevents them from selling the chateau, Fliss decides to stay in France and get it up and running so to earn a profit. Despite hostility from the local community, she is determined to prove she can make it successful whilst bringing some of the old traditions and life back into the community.
I absolutely loved Fliss’ determination, she worked so hard to get things done and make it all a success. I was hooked from the first page and loved seeing how the community all came together to help – even if some took longer than others.
Jacques is the dreamy next door neighbour, farmer, local mayor all rolled into one. A bumpy start to their relationship, he is brilliant though and helps Fliss out on many occasions.
With a superb cast of supporting characters you will find humour, drama, mystery and of course, romance.
I’m always happy to recommend Jo’s books but this is a really special one!

When Fliss and her sisters inherit a crumbling chateaux with a sitting tenant, life gets complicated. A lovely mix of characters. Can Fliss make peace with the locals. A thoroughly enjoyable read set in lovely Normandy.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Fliss, has dyslexia, a boyfriend(occasional - becomes clear as story progresses). She also finds it hard to stay in a job.

So, along with herself and her two sisters, they inherit a French chateau, which needs work and one they had no idea about. When they go to see it, they don’t receive a warm welcome from the locals, they make a decision that Fliss, who has no responsibilities back home should stay there was for a few days, until they decide what they’re going to do with it. Only, she stays longer than intended…….

This was a heart-warming story, how the chateau helps Fliss find out what she wants to do, even though the locals were hostile towards her when she first arrived.

The story had some lovely characters, a chatelaine who hadn’t stepped outside The chateau for a long time, but she knew Fliss’s beloved grandfather, the mayor, who could pour water over Fliss's plans for the chateau, Pegasus the horse and Cedric the peacock.

The descriptions of French food and village life made you feel like you were there with the villagers enjoying the chateau's opening up after being asleep for ages.

Recommend this book.

Floss and her sisters are shocked when they discover they have inherited a French chateau in Normandy. When they arrive in France and see how rundown it is their plan of selling it is not an option. Fliss stays on at the chateau and decides to turn it in to an upmarket B&B. But with hurdles and hostile locals, it’s not going to be that easy.

A lovely romantic read.

I was blown away with Fliss and her efforts to make a go of the chateau that she and her sisters have inherited. There are a few twists and turns, some were predictable but I loved how Fliss overcame all the things that would have outfaced anyone else. The description of the chateau and its surroundings was superb and I felt I was there. I would like a sequel to follow how Fliss and the team have fared. I first read Jo Thomas' The Oyster Catcher and her subsequent books which I have also loved.

Thank you Netgalley.

Although it's a nice, easy, cosy winter read, Celebration at the Chateau is not my favourite Jo Thomas's book.
I found I struggled with it, probably because I couldn't connect with the characters or with the plot, I'm not sure.
What I'm sure (and happy about) is that this is just my personal opinion, since this book has great reviews and it will appeal to a lot of people.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really good read. Easy story to follow, charming setting and great characters. Really enjoyed it.

I’ve read other Jo Thomas books and really enjoyed them but sadly I felt Celebrations at the Chateau was lacking something. I’m clearly in the minority with this review but I didn’t particularly like the main character and overall thought it progressed too slowly. Sadly this was not for me. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK and the author for the chance to review.

Another great book from Jo Thomas. I really love her books and was so pleased to have been approved for this one. Set in France it was so well written and very entertaining. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Fliss and her sister's are amazed when their Grandfather dies and leaves them a French chateau in Normandy.
However, they find there are conditions and a large tax bill is due. Fliss decides it would be an idea to turn it into a B&B but this involves the permission of the mayor, who is her next door neighbour. She has not started off on the best foot with him and the villagers are determined she will not have any help from them.
Can she win everyone round and make her dream work and find a life for herself in France.?

A light hearted romance.
When the grandfather dies Fliss and her sisters go to Normandy to visit the house he left to them only to find out it is a chateau in need of repair.
Fliss stays on to sort out things and ends up trying to turn it into a B&B but has resistance from the town and her handsome neighbour Jacques who happens to be the local mayor.

I loved the characters and how Fliss changed everyone`s attitude towards herself and the B&B and a great setting.
Only didn`t give it a five as found it difficult to see a run down chateau taking in guests especially for a wedding, even if it is just a story.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Jo's magic strikes again. When can we move to France and find our own Chateau and resident family.
Can one woman sort out chaos that has reigned for decades. French food at it's best.

Lizzie, Nellie and Fliss have just lost their grandfather and have discovered they have been left a property in France. Not a tumble down farmhouse or small gite. It’s a chateau, a whole magnificent chateau. Jo Thomas has brought the chateau and the village it’s in to life with her wonderfully descriptive writing. Always a pleasure reading one of her books and this one doesn’t disappoint. I’m left with a void now!!

So Jo Thomas has done it again with Celebrations at the Chateau a deliciously filled novel. I lost track of where I was and got lost at the Chateau along with Fliss and her two sisters. Who have come to France, having discovered that their owns the Chateau which they had known nothing about.

However, when they visit the locals are less than welcoming and then there is the small issue of the chatelaine. And what they first thought was a gold suddenly does not look that easy. So Fliss decides to stay and to make the most of the Chateau and to see what can be done. 

This is a cosy feel good book that has a small mystery at the heart of the story. Along with the importance of family and accepting yourself. Fliss the main lady of the story has been hampered throughout her life by dyslexia. She has hung on to her boyfriend, had menial jobs and has allowed her older sisters to boss her around. But then she grows as a person and her dyslexia becomes a part of her rather than an obstacle.  And for me that is probably the best part. Instead of allowing dyslexia to hold Fliss back she focused on her strengths. 

The only issue I had with the book is the food talk. Oh my days, the food sounded delicious and if I had not been reading I would have be creating the world's best snack. I honestly could not cope. And my chocolate buttons did not last long enough. 

I loved the multi-generational friendships, the food, the moments of pure joy and how Fliss grows as a person and encourages others around her. Celebrations at the Chateau was a funny, joyous book that all of Jo's other books ended far too soon.  This is one book that I cannot wait to dive into again.

Celebrations at the Chateau is my first novel by Jo Thomas.
Fliss and her two sisters are surprised when they arrive in front of the castle that their grandfather bequeathed to them. But the surprises do not stop there. The castle, in Normandy, is inhabited by a chatelaine and the neighbor is none other than the taciturn mayor. For financial reasons Fliss decide to transform the house into a b and b but the inhabitants of the village do not seem happy with her presence.
Fliss has a lot of courage and dynamism, she is motivated to succeed and knows how to be persuasive. She thinks of everyone's goods. Her friendship with the chatelaine is cute, the arrival of his nephew brings another touching touch. She knows how to make herself liked without too much effort and she has a lot of good ideas. She brings magic to the castle but also to the hearts of the people around her. She brings this place that was so important to her grandfather back to life, warding off ghosts and inviting the livings.
Jacques, the mayor, is a grumpy man but he ends up giving in to Fliss' charms, he is very supportive and can be very attentive. I loved his relationship with his daughter.
Being French, I was a little surprised by the first names of the French male characters. Jo Thomas used rather old first names, which have been rarely used for 50 or even 60 years. In this novel, all French people speak English ... Again, I'm not sure it's very realistic.
For my taste, Fliss thinks way too much and too long about her idiot ex. She thinks of him so much that it is as if he is present and it makes it difficult to imagine her in love with Jacques.
In general, I really liked this sweet and magical story. There are notes of humor, nostalgia, family, friendship, tolerance and a lot of love. I had a great time and recommend it.

Fliss and her sisters have been left a Chateau in Normandy in their grandfather's will. They go to view it with the idea of selling and quickly realise that won't be possible.

Why are the townspeople so hostile, why did their grandfather buy the Chateau?

This is a lovely book it flows well and there is a nice depth to the characters, I especially liked how Jason blossomed through the book, maybe due to the fact that I have a son around that age.

The Chateau, orchard and little jite sound wonderful.

This is a nice feel good read perfect to cosy up on the coach with on a rainy day.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC

When the Hope sisters inherit a chateau in France from their late grandfather, they find it comes at a cost! Along with taxes, they have to find money to pay the sitting tenant Madame Charlotte Cadieux a monthly allowance,or the ownership will revert to her. Determined to find a way to make it pay, youngest sister Fliss stays on at the chateau - but will her ideas for an elite B&B ever get off the ground in face of the local town''s hostility and Mme Cadieux's grandson Jacques' resentment at the loss of his family home?
Like all Jo Thomas's books, this is an atmospheric as well as a romantic read, with brilliant descriptions of local French life, and a whole host of engaging characters. Castles always suggest fairytales, and in every good fairytale there's a witch. This one's in the shape of Jacques' ex-wife Rachelle, who wants him and the castle back, and will do everything in her power to sabotage Fliss's efforts.
Along with adventure and romance, there's a mystery in the plot as to how grandad bought the castle in the first place - a story that's as intriguing as Fliss's modern-day struggles to find and hold on to true love.
I can't finish this review without mentioning all the lovely descriptions of food in this novel - bread, cheese, crepes, fresh cider, casseroles and cream - it set my senses up nicely for Christmas and New Year feasting - which is where the story brings us in a final festive flurry of emotion and fun.

Another lovely book by the fabulous Jo! I want to drink apple brandy now, and eat cheese and baguettes.
A delightful story, reminding us of the importance of family and friends.
Such a treat of a read!

This is the first book I have read by Jo Thomas and what a cracker it is
The story takes you on a wonderful journey to a run-down chateau in France that has been inherited by 3 sisters who are each looking for it to save them through selling it. They had no idea that it belonged to their grandad and run into many obstacles along the way.
It unfolds slowly and you find yourself feeling like you are there with all these wonderful characters and really rooting for them to make a success of it and realise dreams that they didn't even know they had.
A wonderful story that involves the local mayor and the whole town with a few wonderful characters thrown in.
I will certainly be reading more by this author