French Holiday by Sarah Ready

I read this book whilst away on holiday, and it was the perfect vacation read.

This is your typical, light-hearted romance book with lovable characters and a surprisingly good mysterious storyline hidden beneath the surface.

Merry and Noah were great characters both separately and as a couple. I absolutely loved their flirty banter and it was nice to see a hater-to-love storyline that didn't involve horrible insults being hurled about. I started off the book disliking Camille as a character but grew to love her by the end. Pierre was a nice addition, with the storyline that unfolded between him and Camille being a lovely and heart-warming inclusion to this book.

The setting of the French castle was also a nice touch, as was the use of the lobster, which made me proper laugh out loud.

I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars because I just thoroughly enjoyed it and could not put it down. Would highly recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC in return for an honest review.

This book was a joy! I LOVE forced proximity and I really enjoyed Sarah's writing style. Noah and Merry were so charming, and I loved reading about their truce, to friendship, to love. It was such a fun and FUNNY book, I laughed out loud multiple times. I definitely think this is a reread for me, probably at the pool, dreaming of finding my Noah in a French Castle <3

I really enjoyed this book. It's full of tropes including enemies to lovers, forced proximity, one bed and grumpy/sunshine. It's such a fun read. It made me laugh, the romance side is so sweet and it had a mystery twist element. I wish it had been dual POV though so we could have seen Noah fall. I still loved both of them though and they showed so much growth. The crumbling castle was the perfect setting and there are some great side characters. Some of the events were a bit odd, especially the lobster scene but it all worked well together. The mystery sublot added a little something extra to the story. Also major points for a certain event not ending with my least favourite trope.

I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

French Holiday had a very strong start. I was enjoying the summer vacation set in France. Then suddenly, my interest in the book began to wane. I dredged along because I did not want to DNF it, but alas, I was bored and have too many other books I need to get to. Then just as I was going to close the curtains on French Holiday, a mystery subplot which I was not expecting popped up. Well, I had to continue to see where this story was going. However, the mystery plot seemed to be a bit of a distraction from the main story. It made the book a bit more exciting, but it didn't quite fit in with the overall theme. In the end, I finished the book, but it wasn't as enjoyable as I had hoped.

I would still recommend this book to those who are looking for an easy-going enemies to lovers, one bed trope, beach read with a strong setting.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

This book was absolutely adorable! It felt very similiar to the story Something Borrowed and 27 Dresses, regardless, it was still very enjoyable.

Our novel starts with sweet Merry being a bridesmaid in a horrendous dress for her sister who is about to marry the man that is Merry's best friend.....oh yes, she's been secretly in love with him for years too! Then Merry's younger sister shows up and it is instalove for the two of them....great. Plus, Merry has to deal with Leo's best friend/her nemisis who has been awful to her for years! (Spoiler clue....Love Actually a bit...<3) Merry decides her godmother Jupiter is right, she needs to get away and find herself again, why not take a trip to France to stay in Jupiter's chateau?! Hello, everyone's dream! Oh but what happened next she was not expecting...

A fun and hysterical rom com that was so sweet with a little mystery story inside with the overall love story. A fun read that I just greatly enjoyd and appreciate Netgalley and the publisher for a copy!

This was the perfect palate cleanser!

The story was the perfect balance between love, lust and a little mystery. It was serious at times and utterly hilarious at others.

The story took place in an abandoned castle in France and honestly, I loved the simplicity of it all.

Merry grows and learns to let go and in the process ends up falling in the love. The connection between Merry and Noah was so beautifully written. The forced proximity and the “there’s only one bed” trope was exactly what this story needed. And the added found-family proponent was my absolute favourite!

The only factor that made this a 4⭐️ read was how fast everyone got engaged 😂

This book is a perfect beach/summer read and will have you searching for flights to France!

Recommend if you like:
💕Enemies to lovers
💕Forced proximity
💕Single POV
💕Holidays abroad
💕Slow burn
💕New-found family
💕He falls first
💕Only one bed

This book was super cute and a fun read! The chemistry between the two main characters was incredible and made me really get into their story.

I do wish it was a dual POV and we got to see Noah falling for Merry.

Tropes;
- enemies to lovers
- forced proximity
- destination

Thank you Author Sarah Ready,Swift & Lewis Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC! I am voluntarily leaving a review. I do not know if I can express just how much I loved this book! I want to get up and applaud. The way Sarah describes things is just chef's kiss. This story was funny and romantic with a mystery mixed in as well. The book starts with a sad beginning due to Merry's sister marrying the man that she believes to be in love with. But oh my,does it take off from there! Noah and Merry I mean I can't even handle it! Run and get this book for real!

French Holiday is easy to read and has a lot of laughable situations with very good descriptions of places, people, and feelings. The story has a good plot that keeps the reader entertained and guessing what will happen next. A good romantic comedy with a touch of mystery.
I thank Ms. Ready, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I really loved this book! it has a bit of a mystery aspect to the romance which I was a huge fan of. I loved the main character Merry and loved how she came back from the situation of Leo falling in love and proposing to her sister so fast (traumatic). I thought the plot was great as it has a few different plot lines I really enjoyed! I especially loved when we thought that Noah was a murderer. At moments I had the thought of maybe this is a bit random...but in the end it all came together nicely!

I will definitely be recommending this to all my friends who love to read romance. I give it a rating of 4/5 starts!

Thanks to Swift & Lewis publishing, Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book - I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily.

This book was so much fun to read. Firstly, I'm a bit of a Francophile so all the descriptions of regional France were just so good - especially the food. Yum.

I loved the backstory of Merry and Noah and the way that they go from being strangers to enemies to lovers - it's a bit of a slow burn but totally worth it. And this book is FUNNY. Just wait til you get to Louis the Lobster.

Lighthearted and swoony, touching in parts and very sweet.

A fun enemy to friends romance. I liked seeing Merry and Noah's relationship grow and develop in unexpected ways. Although unplanned, it became the trip to remember

Merry has been in love with Leo for years, unrequited, until he meets her sister Angela, falls in love with her at first sight, and marries her. Leo's best friend, Noah, can see Merry loves Leo, and has a low opinion of her. Merry's godmother convinces her to travel to France and check out the chateau she got at a great price, and when Merry arrives, who should be there renting it for the summer? Noah!

This is a great romance, so much comedy and the setting is fabulous. I enjoyed every bit of it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys romances with a side of comedy and a bit of mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I adored Josh and Gemma Make A Baby so I was excited to read French Holiday by Sarah Ready. And I’m happy to report, it is just as good. I loved Merry. I found her to be delightful and Noah to be charming. A lot of fun, a castle in France, and you’ll hope this holiday never ends!

Thanks to the publisher and #NetGalley for providing a free win exchange for an honest review.

As someone who is trying to get more into romance, this book was unfortunately just not it. There are quite a few plot holes and unrealistic situations throughout the entirety of the book. I don't want to give any spoilers, but if you know, they you truly know. I expected a lot out of this.

We follow Merry, she is hopelessly in unrequited love with her best friend Leo. Leo has fallen for her beautiful and talented sister. The two get engaged rather quickly (within a week quickly) and Merry is the maid of honor. At the wedding she meets Noah, the charming, good looking and successful other best friend of Leo. Noah and Merry hate one another. This is all too much for poor Merry and at the wedding she talks to her Godmother about needing to leave town ASAP. Just so happens that Merry's Godmother purchased a chateau in France and offers it to Merry. She packs her things and leaves as soon as she can for a well rested sabbatical. When she arrives she notices that there is someone else at the chateau. Who is that someone you ask? None other than Noah.

I feel like this story so much opportunity to be a good one. I am a little frustrated at the lack of character development and essentially y the suspended reality that Ready makes us wade through in an attempt to tell this romance. Without saying too much there is a bit of a twist and the way Merry reacts is not of a person who cares about their life. Too much suspended reality has to take place for me to get into this story and there wasn't much depth.

French Holiday by Sarah Ready

My rating:
4/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Merry is in love with her best friend Leo, who is getting married to Merry’s sister, Angela. When an opportunity arises for Merry to stay at a French Castle for 3 months to try to move on and to have a fresh start, she gets on a plane and goes. When she arrives, she quickly realizes that she is not alone and is sharing the Castle with Leo’s best friend, Noah. They both agree to stay and from there, their individual journeys to find closure bring them closer than they ever imagined.

Okay this book was so cute! The perfect mix of Something Borrowed, 27 Dresses and Emily in Paris! I was instantly drawn to this story. At times it was very cheesy and far fetched but I really liked it! Noah made me swoooooon and I loved the banter between Noah and Merry. It was definitely a slow burn; at times I was like COME ON KISS ALREADY 😂. I think the story ended perfectly and it all came together. It even has a little bit of a mystery thrown into the mix!

I would highly recommend this one. This was my first book by the author and it definitely will not be my last! Thanks @netgalley for the ARC! This one is available to read now so add to your TBR!

Fun romantic escapist book! I really enjoyed this one

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this review copy

Rounded up from ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🌶️🌶️

French Holiday is a cute, light read that would be perfect for a beach or pool. It transported me to Anncey, France (please Google photos, it’s a real and stunning place!) with its gorgeous descriptions of the scenery, town, and food. I want to go there now!

I really liked Noah and his brooding self (I love a brooding hero trope). I would happily live in a crumbling chateau with him and let him cook me food from scratch on a 19th century stove. I liked Merry better at the end of the book but did not enjoy the start when she is in love with her sister’s now-husband (her friend for years). She blossomed in France, and thank goodness for her zany godmother, Jupiter, for letting her stay at her property.

The book also features laugh-out-loud moments, including Louis the Lobster and slapstick comedy resulting in hasty exits or quick clean-ups.

I’d recommend it if you want a beach read, rom-com that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Much thanks to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:
♥️ Instant hate to lovers
♥️ Forced Proximity
♥️ French countryside setting
♥️ One Bed
♥️ Romance with a little mystery
♥️ Slow burn

Review:
This was such a witty, fun read! I enjoyed Merry and Noah's relationship, with its hostility and tension. I also thought the setting was perfect for this story. I wasn't expecting the mystery included in the storyline, but it was a wonderful addition!

I definitely recommend this!

The perfect sunny day read. This book will whisk you away to France, you will want to eat cheese and drink wine from the bottle as you fall in love with Merry. Not only did I laugh out loud while I read this but I stayed up reading long past my bedtime as I just had to know the ending. This book had it all, enemies to lovers, comedy and mystery. Definitely one to read this summer.