Merry's is in love with her best friend Leo. Leo is marrying Merry's sister Angela. The best man, Leo's other best friend, is grumpy hunk Noah.

Noah and Merry have a hot night together, but from then on Merry's life becomes more and more of a drudge. When Merry's godmother offers her a stay at a chateau in France, Merry packs her bags for a three month stay. You can guess who's meeting her at the chateau's gates.

Tropes: enemies to lovers, grump and sunshine, there's only one bed

Add a family mystery that takes over the middle of the book and puts the romance on a back burner for a bit until you get to that point where you want to know how it all works out.

I'm deducting a star/point for the OTT slapstick scenes in the kitchen.

This book was my first of Sarah Ready and will not be the last. When I read the synopsis, I thought French Holiday would be cute which it was, but it exceeded my expectations. Not only was it an Enemies to Lovers with Close Proximity story but had a little mystery element that popped in halfway through.

Merry finds herself in a job that is not fulfilling at all and in love with her best friend. In an effort to escape she finds herself at the chateau of her godmother Jupiter with the one person she would rather never see again.

I really enjoyed the banter and chemistry between Merry and Noah and set among this French background was dreamy. The author did a great job with the world building and could easily picture where it was taking place.
All of the supporting character are great as well and add fun situations for our two MC's.
The best part was that the communication between Noah and Merry was fantastic unlike most Romance where the two main characters don't talk which leads to that 3rd act trope that causes friction. Merry founds out some information and instead of seeing it as a sign to run, she asks Noah about it. That was so refreshing to see!

Thank you so much to Net Galley, Sarah Ready and Swift & Lewis Publishing for the ability to listen to this in exchange for an honest review!

This is my second book by Sarah Ready and after reading "French Holiday" I'm conviced: I'll read her all backlist!!
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After living a life of unrequired love and her sister's wedding, Merry decides to fly to France and spend the summer in her godmother's cottage. However, she doesn't know that she has to share the old and in decline cottage with her enemy: Noah Wright, a famous travel documentarian.

Beyond Noah's annoying presence, Merry has also to face some unexpected guests: a rat, mistaken for a kitten, some cockroaches and a furious lobster.
They spend the summer together and start as enemies, but what happens when there is only one bed, Merry is a cuddler and Noah is hiding his past and crush on Merry?
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I'm not usually a big fan of single POVs romances because I feel like the relationship is one-sided and something is missing, but this isn't the case! Even if there isn't Noah's POV, you can feel his love throughout his gestures and I just knew that he was whipped for Merry from the beginnig.

Merry is such an amazing and funny FMC, even if she has to deal with some ugly things, like her sister marring the guy she is in love with. To be honest I'm not a huge fan of this trope, but Noah is the best between the two, so Merry wins!
My favorite scene is the lobster one! Find out more by reading the book because I was laughing so hard in that part.

There isn't a lot of angst in this book because Merry and Noah soon become friends more than enemies and I loved this transition because, in my opinion, the best relationships start with being friends and then lovers.

I would have loved this book even if it was just about Merry and Noah's love story, but there is also a little bit of mystery involved. Not too much, but just the right amout for a romcom.

Noah and Merry's family history is to touching it made me cry a little bit because, at the end, they undestand that they aren't so diffrent after all.

There was also a little bit of spice at the end because this one is a slow burn romance and that's how I like this kind of romance books: sweet, funny and heartwarming!
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Tropes:
- enemies to lovers
- forced proximity
- only one bed
- french small town

Thank you Swift & Lewis Publishing, NetGalley and Sarah Ready for the opportunity to listen to this amazing ARC!

Thank you Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks and Netgalley for this great audio.

I went to listen to this without knowing anything. I loved the cover. Sometimes I get attention and I needed somwthing new, fresh wile baking donats.

I was so surprised. I thought was a romance but was a drama with mystery elements I loved souch. And yes a romance side too.

I adored all the main characters that really rarely happens but was a good think. Never bored, done well in all directions

Forever unrequited feelings of love and longing for things, opportunities and people that her younger sister gets without any notable effort. Our heroine is almost being pushed by her (fairy) godmother to spend time away in a cheateau in the French countryside.

While I liked the descriptions of the settings and the food (lots of cheese), I found the story to be very tropy and fairytale-esque. Because, of course, the man Miranda dislikes the most among her circle of friends is also in that very same remote cheateu, and of course despite its grandeur, there is only one bed in the house. And, of course, Nathan is not merely there for leisure, but actually in search of people from his mysterious past.

If you're looking for a light get-away romance with hints of mystery or paralells to gothic romance, you'll probably really enjoy this book.

Ahhh this book was so cute! I read and listened, and it was absolutely adorable. It started off slow, but once it picked up I loved it.

This was such a cute romcom with a side of mystery. Merry thinks she is in love with her best friend who just married her sister. For a little escape, she heard to France for three months at her aunts run down castle. I loved the banter between Merry and Noah. The French Château set the perfect backdrop for their antics. Louis the lobster takes the best side character award!

French Holiday💋
By Sarah Ready🇫🇷

Review💖

This was such a cute romantic comedy. Starts off with the main characters sister marrying the man she is in love with. It literally sucks you right in! After finding out her sister got pregnant on her honeymoon, she escapes to a castle in France. When she arrives she finds the man she loves best friend (very charming and sexy) already there for work. Tale as old as time: they bicker and fight, but eventually become friends. Once friends, their romantic relationship starts soon after. This book It gives you the giggles, the sighs and oh-my-gosh moments too! There is some mystery thrown is as well, which only added to this adorable story. This is my first book by the author and I will definitely be reading more!

Relatable main character🥰
Rom com💕
Enemies to lovers🫶🏻
Forced proximity💋
One bed 🛌
Mystery❓

Favorite quote:

“If he didn’t see how incredibly you are, then he didn’t deserve you.”

4 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a fun beach read with some depth. I loved the character development and the descriptions of the French countryside were divine.

Thank you for the audiobook ARC! Netgalley.

Merry watches as her sister Angela walks down the aisle to marry the person she’s in love with, but hasn’t told. The person she’s walking down the aisle with Noah isn’t her favorite person. As Merry’s life is turned upside down, she decides to escape to her godmothers castle in France. As she stands there admiring the house she realizes there’s another house guest Noah.

I loved the storytelling and a bit of mystery that was thrown in the story! I wanted to find out what was going to happen next and was there going to be a happily ever after.

Thank you #NetGalley for the advance copy

4.25/5 This was such a cute read! Merry is attending the wedding of her sister and her best friend/long time unrequited crush. After a bit too much to drink, Merry wakes up in bed with the best man, who she loathes, with no memory of what happened. Add in some unfortunate work happenings, and Merry decides to take her godmother up on her offer to stay in her French chateau for a break. She arrives and finds, of course, the best man Noah also staying in the chateau. What follows is a beautiful, atmospheric story of unrequited love, self love, growth, and family discovery, with the best side character of 2023 (Louis the lobster). Merry's character development was really touching and relatable, and the narrator did a great job with this audiobook.

Thank you to Sarah Ready, Swift & Lewis Publishing, and NetGalley for the advanced audio copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is due to be published on April 26, 2023.

I really enjoyed this enemies to lovers/forced proximity romance! I listened to the audiobook and was eager to finish Noah and Merry’s story. This book brought up a whole host of emotions, I laughed and cried and found myself smiling with all the trouble with the chateau. There’s was even some mystery and parallels to old gothic romances. All around good book.

I loved the two Josh and Gemma books So I was very excited to be able to read Sarah Ready's new book! I love the way Sarah writes her characters - they seem so relatable. This book did NOT disappoint! the relationship between Noah and Merry was exactly what I needed - sweet and adorable! Noah is such a wonderfully written character and how can you not love what he says about Merry, who is also super fun and relatable! Another successful read from Sarah Ready

Thank you to Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC & NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC

A little slow to start for me, this forced proximity, holiday romance that takes place in a crumbling castle in France is one part romance, one part family mystery.

Merry goes to France to escape her life when her sister marries her best friend Leo (the only man she's ever loved) and discovers she has to share a castle with the one man she can't stand, documentary filmmaker Noah and Leo's best man.

The chemistry between Merry and Noah was great but I found the middle of the story dragging a bit. Once we get more in Noah's background and why he's in France I couldn't wait to see how things would end.

Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital copies in exchange for my honest review. The cover for this book was fantastic and while maybe not my favorite Sarah Ready book (Josh and Gemma will still have first place in my heart), this was definitely a fun read!

After her sister marries her best friend and the man she was secretly in love with, Merry decides to spend three months in France at her godmother’s castle. She’s going to relax and maybe even have a French love affair. Upon her arrival she is surprised by someone she was unlikely to invite. As her sister's marriage is progressing Merry reflects upon her childhood and life always giving her little sister everything she has ever wanted but was it too much, the red bike in the corner. This is a light laughable enjoyable read perfect for a Summer Read with so many hidden themes. Pick this one up you won't regret it.

Expected publication April 26, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley, Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC, Sarah Ready, for this ARC

Excellent audiobook, the story was delightfully entertaining and the voice actor was nice to listen to. She wasn’t robotic at all, she was very enthusiastic and gave the narration a lot of quirk and charm! Loved it!

“French Holiday” was such a heart warming story about letting go, finding an unexpected love, and allowing yourself to find beauty within yourself as well as others. Merry’s character is so beautifully written. And truly represents what it’s like to be in love with someone who is in love with someone else. Her and Noah originally appear to be so different but as the story progresses we learn just how similar they truly are. French holiday touched on so many different topics aside from just the romantic aspect. Noah’s past gave this book and his character so much depth and made him more than just a regular love interest.

Thanks to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for an arc of this audiobook. Below is my honest review.

Merry’s best friend Leo is marrying her little sister Angela. But … Merry has loved Leo for years. Believe it or not, Leo and Angela got engaged a few months prior after only one night together.

At the wedding, Merry is paired up with the best man, Noah. They do NOT get along. But, the do drink a ton of champagne and wake up in bed together the next day. Merry doesn’t remember what happened but the evidence speaks for itself. So, she slipped out before Noah woke.

To make matters worse, when Merry returns to work she has to tell 30% of the staff at her company they are being let go. She snaps. She quits her job and goes to France to stay in her godmothers castle. But who is there? Noah, of course.

Will these enemies ever get along? Will they find what they are looking for in France? Will Merry forgive her godmother for sending her to a rundown castle?

I really enjoyed this book. Merry was likable and Noah was the quintessential rom com love interest. He was a fantastic character. The secondary characters, both met and unmet on page, were well developed. Louis the lobster gets credit as best side character.

I will admit that this novel wasn’t perfect. For instance, there were some middle school boy jokes in the beginning that I didn’t appreciate. Overall, though, if you are looking for a lighthearted escape that also, somehow, deals with a few deep emotions, then I’d definitely recommend it.

When godmother Jupiter talked about the ugly duckling, the swan, and magic … did that really resonate with me.

Also, the narrator of this audiobook did a phenomenal

This book is really good! Both Narrators did a great job! Total plot twist when Angela told Mary that Noah was accused of murder. The end was perfection!

Shoutout to Netgalley and publishing for allowing me to listen and review!

4 STARS!

Beyond excited for the audiobook version of this book as as I loved reading it so much! I’m usually not one for audio but I can’t wait to see this fantastic story brought to life!