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If you're looking for a novel that will take you on an enchanting journey, look no further than Katie Fforde’s One Enchanted Evening. This book follows on from two previous books set in the 1960s and vividly brings to life the beauty of Nightingale Woods Hotel in Dorset. In this review, we'll follow Meg's journey and learn why this book is must-read.
Meg has always wanted to be a professional cook; she has an internship set up in France, but it isn’t time to go yet and restaurants are still generally a man’s world where women aren’t welcome. She gets a call to help her mother who is running the beautiful Nightingale Woods Hotel in Dorset and urgently needs a cook. While helping her mother she meets Justin, the owner's son, a chef himself who isn’t happy having a woman in his kitchen!
From the moment I started reading One Enchanted Evening, I was hooked. The story starts with Meg arriving at the hotel in Dorset to work as a chef. The plot of this novel is excellent and there are twists and turns that keep you guessing along with plenty of adventures with Meg’s wonderful friends.
The characters in One Enchanted Evening are fantastic - each one is unique and lovable in their own way. I especially adored Ambrosine - she has such a big heart that you can't help but root for her throughout the novel. Her relationship with Meg was delightful and very special which made the story even better and it was wonderful to catch up with characters from past books.
It was great to see how Meg eventually followed her dream of working in a French restaurant in France, where everyone is surprisingly friendly. She eventually returns to Dorset as the elderly hotel resident, Ambrosine, has broken her hip and asked her for help, which shows just how close they had become.
Katie Fforde does an excellent job of painting beautiful descriptions of scenery throughout the story - readers will feel like they're right there with Meg whether she is in the delightful Dorset countryside or the rolling hills of Provence.
As expected, there is a happy ending which ties everything together nicely - it was enjoyable to witness Meg's journey come full circle by the end of the book.
All things considered, One Enchanted Evening by Katie Fforde is an exceptional novel that should be read by all lovers of romance fiction books! With its delightful characters, vivid scenery descriptions and beautiful setting at Nightingale Woods Hotel in Dorset, this book takes readers on an enchanting journey full of hope, love and adventure. Highly recommended!
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Loved this book. The setting was brilliant. The characters were very well written. I'm new to this author but will look out for others after reading this one.
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I love a Katie Fforde book even more so when she is writing about food which this has oodles of. This book is about Nightingale Woods hotel when Louise who is running it calls her daughter Meg to help them out when the chef walks out. Meg finds a special place in the kitchens of Nightingale woods though rather shabby round the edges there is charm in the faded grandeur and all Meg wants to do is save the hotel and in turn save her mothers job. With the help of friends Alexandra, Lizzy, Nessa and David who we have met before nothing not even Justin the grumpy son of the owner can stop her turning the fortunes of the hotel around with her lovely cooking and ideas can she do it?
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Meg thought she had her career path mapped out, with an apprenticeship at a restaurant in France ready and waiting. Then Meg receives a call from her mother, who needs help with a big banquet at the hotel she manages in Dorset. Meg flies to the rescue and finds herself falling in love with the hotel and its community. With some help from her friends (that readers will recognise from Katie Fforde's other novels), Meg is determined to turn around the fortunes of the hotel and stop it from being sold. She has to contend with Justin, the grumpy son of the owner and rival chef - can Meg turn it around with him too?
One Enchanted Evening was my favourite of the series of books set in the early 60s; please can we have more!
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I’ve never read anything but Katie Fforde before but have heard good things, so it was great to be accepted for her latest book. The story follows Meg, a trainee chef, as she returns to Dorset to help her mother turn around a stately hotel in need of some TLC. She and her tight knit group of friends - along with some hardworking loyal staff members - come up with ways to bring new business to the hotel, which is facing closure.
The story also follows Meg‘s relationship with Justin, the son of the hotel’s owner, in the classic enemies to lovers trope. A typical happy ending but overall a sweet storyline and a nice, easy read.
*Thanks to Netgalley, Cornerstone and Random House UK for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
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Set in the 1960s, this easy feel-good read accompanies newly qualified chef Meg on her quest to bring her mother‘s crumbling Devon country hotel up to date. Enter the grumpy owner‘s macho son, also a chef, to make Meg‘s life a misery until they discover their feelings for each other. A potentially nostalgic read to life 60years ago, to times when a simple mixer was an appliance chefs dreamed about owning one day…
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A beautifully written and easy to read novel by Fforde. I loved that it was set in the 60s and touched on the sexism Meg encountered. It’s so easy to forget how recently these views were so entrenched in everyday life.
I loved the descriptions of Nightingale woods, the house and the myriad of character and local families. Megs character was great, strong and determined and highly capable. Very little romance really apart from the anticipation of whether her and Justin will get together at last. A lovely and gentle read- thank you!
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First book I’ve read by Fforde. It was a light read but I enjoyed it. I didn’t realise this was part of a series but it still worked well as a standalone book. Meg our lead is a strong character who comes to her mother’s rescue at a failing hotel. Meg becomes an overnight success and wins over Justin (the owner son) by the end of the story.
A likeable read
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I really enjoyed this book. It was a typical mushy and fluffy story that I've come to expect from Katie Fforde. Would definitely recommend.
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This is, I think, the third in a series of books I have read by Katie Fforde featuring one of a trio of girlfriends who studied on a catering course & lived together in London.
While one character married a French Count and went off to live with him & his children in a Provençal chateau This book features Meg and a slightly more down to earth & less ‘jolly hockey sticks’ feel than the previous book.
Although this is a very gentle, easy read I did find the book a little dull. Perhaps it was the date setting & the old fashioned slower nature of the story. Through reading this series I have come to realise I prefer a more contemporary romance rather than one set in the past. I do hope Katie Fforde will come ‘back to the future’ and give readers a modern twist of romance soon.
If you are looking for a gentle, romanticised telling of a story set in the not too distant past, when things were more simple (unless you were female & wanting, like Meg, to work in a male-dominated career!) or perhaps you want to revisit times gone by in an era through which you lived, then I have no doubts you will enjoy this as Katie Fforde is great at what she does.
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Enchanting the story is but there are a few pretty predictable outcomes but a positive curveball is thrown to help the storyline evolve and keep the characters positive. A rich blend of well portrayed individuals you can take to heart. This will make you smile.
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A lovely book - I have read many Katie Fforde stories, though it is quite some time since I read my last one. The story is set in a lovely part of the world, not far from where I live in Devon. A great cast of characters and a good premise for a book. Who wouldn't want to stay at the wonderful sounding Nightingale Woods and be looked after so well by the lovely staff?
A really nice easy and uncomplicated read, which I would recommend.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review, which is what I have given.
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Love love love this book! Katie does it again :)
A wonderful tale of new beginnings, new love, new friendships and a comedy dog - all set in beautiful France. What's not to love?? I like that Katie set this book in the 1960's it gives a different perspective and I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting this set of characters. Bravo!
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A charming and gentle romantic story with strong female characters and a budding romance that takes the two characters from enemies to lovers.
Meg has moved to Dorset to help her Mum Louise manage the running of Nightingale Woods. Meg is a competent chef, but it's 1966 and women are still sidelined. So when owner's son Justin roars up on his motorbike and declares he won't have a woman in his kitchen, it becomes a battle of wills. And Meg is not backing down.
Over time, she more than proves her skills and tenacity but despite initial first impressions, she soon realises Justin is not the sexist moron she first thought him to be.
Yes, it's a predictable plot. But this is sometimes just what you desire in a book. Nothing alarming, nothing shocking. Just a gentle love story to escape into. And this delivers that in a most pleasing way.
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Return to the 1960s
A delightful tale focusing on a family run failing hotel in rural Dorset with delightful characters. Meg is an aspiring chef, at a time when women were ‘cooks’ and only men were ‘chefs’ and when her mother, as manager of the hotel, requests her support she jumps on a train. Within 30 minutes of arriving she finds that the hotel owner is off in France, the obnoxious chef has fired most of the staff and after a tantrum when his suppliers let him down walks out on the eve of a large banquet. What can she do but take over and save the day? But is the owner’s son happy with her? Not at all, he is all condescension and rudeness when he turns up and tries to throw her out of the kitchen.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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It was nice to just escape in to a lighthearted romance you can just cosy on down with & enjoy.
Well written & easy to read this author always weaves such wonderful interesting stories.
The story is set in the 1960’s where men are mainly still dominating & running what’s considered to be a man’s job.
Old fashioned ideas & traditions are hard to break but Meg is certainly going to try.
She is a really good cook but her main aim is to become a head pastry chef & make wonderful cakes & deserts.
Her mother who works at at a country hotel in Dorset has begged her for help as things have gone badly wrong at the hotel.
Nightingale Woods is a converted old country house set in beautiful grounds.
Although the inside has plenty of charm it is looking very tired in some areas.
It still needs plenty doing to it to bring it a little more up to date.
There is a traditional banquet coming up that has always been hosted & they don’t want to let anyone down.
The chef has walked out after things have come to a head & Megs mum is desperate for her help.
Warm uplifting & funny, this cosy read will have you turning the pages.
Thoroughly enjoyed losing myself for a few hours in this book & who doesn’t love a happy ending.
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𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂
Meg’s mother Louise has asked her to come help her at the Dorset country hotel that she runs. The chef has run off at the last minute but Meg is capable and resourceful and soon has things on track. It’s the 1960’s, the hotel is run down former family home within en suite bathrooms, which is a challenge. Meg ropes in friends and family to help bring the hotel into modern times, with the support of the owner’s difficult son Justin.
𝓜𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼
I haven’t read a Katie Fforde book in a very long time. Set in the 1960’s, there is still an austerity in the air and some outdated thinking, that Meg is more than happy to challenge! I enjoyed her vibrant can-do approach to life, the joy she gets from her friends. I did feel like she jumped from one minute detesting Justin to realising she has feelings for him with little actually happening.
Read an eARC copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher
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Ever since she can remember, Meg has wanted to be a professional cook. But it's 1964, and in restaurant kitchens all over England it is still a man's world. Then she gets a call from her mother who is running a small hotel in Dorset.
This was a slow burner for me. I wasn't sure whether I would take to Meg and the trials and tribulations that she faced being a woman in the kitchen of a small country hotel. However it did grow on me and I rather liked how the story turned out.
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Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.
A new Katie Fforde, what’s not to love. Her stories are always enchanting and this is no exception.
The story is set in 1964.
Meg’s dream has always been of being a professional chef.
She travels to Dorset to help he mother at the hotel she works, in her hour of need.
But when she meets Justin, who is the owners son, they don’t get on, as he thinks that being as Meg is a woman, she can’t possibly be a chef.
I recommend this book.
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I always enjoy Kate Fforde’s books and this one was just as good. Set in the 1960’s in Dorset I devoured every word very quickly. A lovely story with a happy ending. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.