French Holiday was such a fun and charming little escape! It was a bit of an awkward start and I wasn't sure I'd like either of the characters but they definitely earned my affection in the end. I loved getting to read about Merry and Noah on their respective journeys of self-growth. I especially adored getting to know these two hilariously authentic characters as their relationship bloomed in a crumbling chateau. You simply couldn't help but root for the two of them, the angst was just so real. I was so pleasantly surprised with where the story went - I did not see that plot twist and mystery coming at all. It definitely upped the tension and kept me hanging on to figure it all out. I also didn't expect to love Pierre and Camille's storyline either, but it all worked together to create a really lovely romance. Definitely the perfect quick, fun and full-of-feels read!

Such a beautiful romance, with an element of mystery, and enveloped in beautiful surroundings. I read this book in 1 sitting as it kept me hooked throughout, and I found all the characters very likeable. There were parts that were quite funny (especially where Merry chases a lobster around the kitchen) and others that really tugged on your heartstrings. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and really appreciated that the author tied up all loose ends so there was no wondering what happened without certain characters. I’d heartedly recommend this book! 10/10. A perfect beach read!

A really easy read which would be perfect for the summer, it really made me want to pull a Merry and move to France for the summer

Merry is in love with her best friend Leo. Only problem, he's marrying her sister. It's a classic tale of unrequited love. My heart broke for her.

Merry decides she needs to get away from it all and heads to her Godmother's CASTLE in France. It seems like the perfect place to sooth her soul. Except there is one problem. Noah. Noah is Leo's best friend, but he's nothing like Leo. He's been nothing but nasty towards Merry. And he's at the castle.

It's an enemies to friends to lovers and it's amazing. French Holiday is really next level writing for the author. The story is more complex, there are more layers. It was deep and emotional in unexpected ways. AND it was still LOL funny. Who knew a scene with a live lobster could be funny. But it can be and it was hilarious. Louis the lobster could have his own book. Or maybe a picture book or graphic novel?

This is a wonderful novel, a very special story that really shows off Sarah's amazing writing ability.

We start with some My Best Friend’s Wedding vibes and quickly morph into a slow burn romance with a side of mystery, it was DELIGHTFUL! This was one of those jolts from brushing fingers, eyes meeting across the room, glancing at the other’s mouth kind of slow burns. The short chapters often ending with a cliffhanger had me flying through this one. I laughed, I swooned, I loved the beautiful descriptions. Highly recommend to romance readers especially if you love grumpy/sunshine, only one bed, enemies to friends to lovers, and surprises!

Thanks to Net Galley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for allowing me to read The French Holiday in exchange for an honest review.

The French Holiday by Sarah Ready is a charming romp in the countryside of Annecy, France. Merry is suffering from unrequited love of Leo and is devastated when he marries her sister. She dislikes Noah, Leo’s best friend but when they both end up staying at a tumbling-down French chateau together their true feelings begin to emerge.

The author had me laughing out loud a number of times (the saga of a lobster named Louis was particularly hilarious). The repartee between the two main characters was snappy and fun to read and the descriptive language throughout allowed me to escape to France in my imagination. Throw in a search for missing parents and the story flowed smoothly to its inevitable conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

Everything that Sarah Ready has written, I have loved. This was no exception. I can’t wait to read another book by her. It’s fantastic and great characters.

A huge thank you to Sarah Ready, NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for an ARC copy of this book. I absolutely adored it.

Going into this one, I assumed it would be a sweet summer romance set in a crumbing French Castle, and it was but it also has so much more of offer. I was not expecting a mystery with all the twists and turns this one offered. It was a great surprise and added a lot more depth to the book.

Merry and Noah were gorgeous but I did feel like the romance was a little rushed to make room for the mystery.

Overall a great read with a beautiful location, loveable characters that kept me turning the pages.

French Holiday is Sarah Ready’s newest stand-alone romantic comedy. It is the funniest book that I have read in 2023, but is a heartfelt romance with a mystery.

28-year-old Meredith “Merry” DeLuca works in Human Resources in New York City and plays soccer in the park with her guy friends, Leo, Reggie, and John. Unfortunately Merry has had a secret crush on Leo for four years and when she’s finally ready to reveal her feelings to him, he meets her beautiful sister and proposes to her instead. At Leo and Angela’s wedding, Merry is paired with Leo’s best friend, Noah Wright, a famous travel documentarian. Merry and Noah have never gotten along, but they get drunk together, go back to his room, kiss passionately, and fall asleep. Merry sneaks away in the morning, thinking that they had wild sex.

When Leo and Angela return from their honeymoon and announce their pregnancy, Merry is devastated. Her company is laying off one-third of its workforce, and Merry has to inform the affected employees and out-process them. She quits her job and takes her godmother up on her offer of staying at her historic chateau in Annecy, France. When she arrives at the chateau, she discovers that her godmother has leased it to Noah Wright for three months. They call a truce and make an effort to get along.

Merry is hopeful that she will have a magical time in France and meet a wonderful Frenchman named Pierre who can heal her broken heart. Within a few days she meets their handsome neighbor named Pierre, and then a beautiful young neighbor named Camille. It appears that Camille is interested in Noah, while Pierre treats her like a pesky younger sister. There is a silent resentment between Pierre and Noah that finally reveals itself.

While Merry decides which man she prefers, they are busy solving a mystery involving a reclusive painter. Merry has some emotional healing to do also, resolving her feelings for her sister and Leo. The chateau is in poor condition so there are multiple comedic scenes involving a rat, a lobster, cockroaches, and breaking beds.

I really like the character of Merry; she is a strong young woman with some messy situations in her life but SHE is not a mess. Her recollection of Angela and the red bicycle really resonated with me, and I liked how she helps the other characters solve their problems. Noah is a closed book, but he seemed like a good guy. The vivid descriptions of the chateau, scenery, and food make the book come alive and transport the reader to France. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy romantic fiction.

I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

First off I want to thank NetGally, Sarah Ready and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC for the opportunity to read and review French Holiday. This review is composed of my own thoughts and opinions. I understand that others may not feel the same as I do towards this book/ARC and that is fine. 
Let's talk about the cover of this cute Rom-Com... It is so eye-catching. So cute and I can't wait to add it to my physical collection of books. Now on with the review. 
I gave French Holiday 4 stars. This is due to part of how long this book drags out for me personally. I loved the dual budding romance stories going on with Camille/Pierre and Meredith (Merry)/Noah, although it really did confuse me as I thought that Camille had the hots for Noah hard core. I thought the banter between Merry and Noah was the best and the way they both began to not only fall in love (well kind of since Noah loved Merry from the get go) with each other and the Chateau was so heartwarming. Including the marital problems of her sister (and dare I say enemy lol) Angela really added a ton of depth and dimension to the story. As someone who has siblings and everything seems to be a competition I know Merry's pain. Nobody likes to see people be red biked. 
This book was such a slow paced reach that was much needed for my reading goals. I thoroughly enjoyed Sarah Ready's writing style of French Holiday so much that I have added more of her books to my wishlist add to my shelf!

"French Holiday" is quite the journey. The book takes you on an adventure of love - romantic and familial. It has humorous moments but, also, moments of seriousness. There's a lot of emotions packed in this book. I struggled getting invested in the romance. The constant miscommunication and fighting between Merry and Noah hinder their chemistry. Merry assaulting Noah with a vegetable wasn't amusing. There's a few hijinks in the book that should have made me laugh, but I felt were cringing for a modern day contemporary book. I do think there is a lovely payoff for their relationship. I could have done with less of Pierre and Camille and the excessive scene descriptions of the the chateau and Annecy.

I thought this was a lovely book focusing on a character's journey of love after she had her heart broken by those in her life. There were moments where my heart broke for Merry; and moment where my heart soared in happiness for her. The book was a contemporary romantic comedy that had moments of mysterious intrigue. The romance between Merry and Noah was very slowburn. It's filled with a lot of miscommunication and combative energy to start. To be honest, I struggled a little with their chemistry in the beginning of the book. However, it does get better towards the middle of the book; and you really feel it and root for them.

I had a few issues with the book which made me give it a 4 star review. The book focuses a lot on describing the scenery. To the point where the dialogue got repetitive. I got tired of reading about the red hued turrets and stone material. It just wasn't necessary for me as a reader. And it dragged the book on by 30-40 pages. I won't spoil it but I didn't enjoy the ending for Noah's mother. I wish there wasn't a certain implication because it put a dark feel over the book. And Merry's proclamation of love just came too soon in the book. Towards the end of the book, it felt like the author fastburned Merry and Noah to where it felt a bit unnatural.

All in all, I really did enjoy this book. It reminded me of Emily Henry's style of writing. I look forward to reading other works from the author.

So. It had potential. There were a few barriers preventing me from enjoying this book. The biggest 🚩is that Merry was rather annoying. I didn't find her to be likable, just terribly immature in her plans in finding love on her French holiday
🚩#2 The enemies to lovers was waaaaay underplayed. Merry and Noah need more backstory, more dedication to her thinking he hates her. This trope dissolved far too quickly
🚩#3 There's like 5 million subplots going on here. I wish there was only two at tops and then, as I said in my previous point, we could really focus on Noah and Merry's relationship.

This book is a fun romcom movie in a book!! Sarah Ready knows what a romcom lover wants. She holds back at the right place and goes big at the time!! There is not a misstep anywhere!!

Thank you NetGally for the ARC.

Reading the first chapter broke my heart. Merry is such a great character. She really needed to find herself so she runs off to France right to her worst enemy. This book is fantastic! If you loved Josh and Gemma this is a must read. I couldn’t put it down! It had so many twist and turns I don’t know what was going to happen next.

5 stars!!

This was a really cute, contemporary romance that uses a familiar trope of a girl "secretly" being in love with her best friend, but then falls in love with his best friend (her nemesis) instead when she finds clarity. There was a whole other storyline woven in about a search for a long lost relative that I found interesting and really added a lot to this. I loved that it was set in a French chateau because it gave off such an air of romance and mystery. I found the romance to be believable and organically developed. I also found her sisters storyline to be relatable and endearing in a foolish way. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a fantastical, adventure of a romance!

Merry DeLuca has had enough! After her sister marries Merry's best friend and the only man she's ever loved AND her job becomes utterly unfulfilling, Merry jumps at a chance to live in her godmother's French chateau. But when best man and travel documentarian is forced to stay with her and the chateau becomes more work than pleasure, Merry can't catch a break! A whirlwind French romance that is equal parts fun and mysterious with funny moments that keep it fresh and lively!

I enjoyed this read! Merry is a great female main character. She's funny, relatable, and only slightly cringey. She means well and her heart shines. Our dark haired, snarky male main character Noah is lovable and the perfect grump to Merry's sunshine. Although their love felt kind of insta-love and I'm not exactly sure I understand what they loved about each other, their shenanigans were fun and light hearted and kept me turning the page.

Overall, a fun escapist romance that is super easy to love!

Thank you NetGalley and Swiss & Lewis Publishing for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

Lovely. Just lovely.

With vivid descriptions and great humour, French Holiday by Sarah Ready tells a story about a boy and a girl who face unrequited love and find requited love in each other. This book talks about love and its different forms, its importance and how it shapes us.

Merry DeLuca desperately needs a getaway after her best friend and secret crush marries her sister. With the aid of her godmother, she flies to France in hopes of having a romantic holiday, only to find herself having to live in the same crumbling chateau as Noah Wright, the best man at her sister's wedding and the person she dislikes.

This book is full of fun and laughter. Nothing beats Merry mistaking a rat for a kitten and destroying a bed while screaming in the middle of the night upon that horrid realisation. It made me chuckle, especially with how the revelation was written. There are just so many wild and hilarious situations in this story.

Meredith "Merry" DeLuca and Noah Wright are just so cute. I loved the way their love story progressed. It was just right. I felt for Merry, who had a crush on Leo, her best friend and later her sister's husband, but never got to confess. Her unrequited love. It sucks, and the whole situation is weird because he ended up becoming her brother-in-law. I'm just glad that she moved on and found her requited love. Noah is so sweet. He looks like a mean person, but he cares for Merry and doesn't resent her when silly things happen, such as the cucumber incident when they met in France for the first time after the wedding. For this man who's afraid of love to declare his lifelong love to a woman who's afraid of confessing in fear of being rejected, I think it's amazing. And I related to Merry's fear of taking the first step. It's such a real fear and present not only in the aspect of love.

I recommend this book to romance readers. This is a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers one-bed romance full of mystery and laughter. The writing is spectacular and the pacing is good. I could picture the scenes as if they were from a movie. This is not only a romance between Merry and Noah. The mystery aspect in the book was also good. The book talks about love and its different forms – romantic love, love between parents and children, love among friends, etc. It's worth it.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this read! :D

This is the first book I’ve read by Sarah Ready, and I have to say I was truly impressed. I’ll definitely check out her backlist titles. I’ve read some awesome romantic comedies lately so the bar was kind of high going in. Fortunately, this one did not disappoint. I loved that French Holiday sucked me right in from the opening scene and had me laughing out loud throughout. The banter between the two MCs, Merry and Noah, was a lot of fun.

The story is all about discovery. For Merry it’s a journey of self discovery as she grows to realize she deserves love and happiness. Noah’s discovery revolves around his family history. I thought the mystery component in this book added a lot of intrigue and depth to the plot.

I don’t want to say too much. Just pick this one up next month (4/26) if you like:
🥰 Relatable, lovable main characters
🤭 Giggle worthy rom-coms
😠 Enemies to lovers ❤️
👫 Forced proximity
🛏️ Only one bed
😾 Grumpy Sunshine ☀️
🏰 Overseas setting
🤔 Added mystery ⁉️

I both listened and read this one which was really fun. When I had time to cozy up with my Kindle I did just that but could continue the story on the go by listening to the audiobook. I enjoyed both versions; however, I think I preferred listening because the narrator, Kelsey Novarro, nailed it!

French Holiday is a light-hearted, sweet, quick and easy read that’s sure to have you smiling and laughing along the way.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook and eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick and adorable read. I really enjoyed the setting and the characters. The descriptions made me feel as though I were back in France.