An emotional and heartwarming story of love, loss, and the compelling power of a fresh start. The characters are so well written with an emotional depth that makes them easy to relate to. I got lost in their story and was rooting for them to get their happy ending. I love this book so much it ended far too soon.

An emotional.read about a couple who escape to France to start a new life. Well written though slow, the author captures rural France in detail. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

With her new boss, things aren't going well,
Time for a change, their home to sell!
Time to follow their dreams and buy a French chateau now,
To renovate it and change their lives somehow!

But plans can become nightmares sometimes it seems
As an accident intercedes when they follow their dreams.
New steps are needed, is she brave enough to lead?
Can she help sort out everything they'll need?

What an adventure, a year where everything changes
And their plans and lives it totally rearranges.
A story where adversity helps reveal hidden strengths
And community support seems to go to any lengths.

A heartwarming read showing even when things seem to go wrong
They may actually help you achieve all for which you long.
New home, new friendships, new lifestyle and more
As fresh opportunities this couple explore.

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I throughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.

An emotional and heartwarming story of love, loss, and taking charge of your life, THE FRENCH CHATEAU ESCAPE by Gillian Harvey is a wonderful story that hooked me from beginning to end with rich characters that found their way into my heart.

Life isn't exactly plain sailing for Emma at the moment. She hates her job and her nightmare boss, she cannot get pregnant, and it's breaking her heart watching her grief-stricken father fade away in front of her eyes. When her older partner, Mark, decides that they should sell their home, quit their jobs, and buy a chateau in France, Emma thinks that he has lost his mind. But maybe a change of pace and a relaxing lifestyle could fix it all, and when they find the perfect place for such a bargain, what could go wrong?
Well, the answer is everything. It soon becomes apparent that Emma's hospitality background is not going to be enough when it comes to a total renovation, and although their age gap never factored into their relationship before, it is factoring into the workload that Mark is now trying to undertake all by himself. With money running out, no ability to speak the language, and still no sign of the baby that they want, Emma is worried that they have made a huge mistake. And when an unexpected accident occurs, who knows what will happen to their French chateau dream life?! And will Emma and Mark's relationship even survive the challenge?

THE FRENCH CHATEAU ESCAPE by Gillian Harvey is a rich and interesting story filled with adventure and beautiful imagery, as well as sensitive topics such as grief and infertility. The characters are fleshed out and engaging, and I teared up a few times while reading it which always shows the author's talent to connect with readers. Emma has gone through a lot of things in her life which left her unsure of herself in the beginning so it was a delight to watch her realise her own strengths and how determined she could actually be all by herself.

THE FRENCH CHATEAU ESCAPE by Gillian Harvey was more than I expected and I look forward to more from this author.

The title and the cover of this book grabbed my attention and made me feel like I needed to go on a holiday and/or adventure. And this book took me on a journey right along with the two main characters, Emma and Mark and their move to France.

This is a lovely, sweet, charming and heart-warming read with ups and downs and how life changes for better or worse. It is a an adventure, it is a journey in life and it is a lovely read. Full of life challenges, changes, coping and so much more. I really enjoyed this book and found it easy to read as the writing was flawless.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

quite a sweet story of self discovery, I enjoyed reading this and would read more books by this author. it was a very gentile story and flowed at a lovely pace, it made me very tempted to move to France!

Emma and Mark have decided to leave Britain and purchase a French chateau. It’s a huge move for them but both are ready to take it on. Of course, when they arrive, they realize they have a lot of work ahead of them and they hope to make their money last. Their hope is to turn the chateau into a wedding venue. In addition, they hope to finally start a family.

But things take a bad turn when Mark falls down the stairs and badly breaks his leg requiring surgery and a long hospital stay. While he is hospitalized, Emma is determined to try to make some of the repairs herself even though she is not really talented in that area. She starts to meet people in the area and finds that her lack of skill with the French language, isn’t a real problem because most people speak a bit of English.

As the story moves along, it revolves with learning a new country and its people and also learning to put yourself out there and make new friends. It is a really delightful story full of hope and angst and life. I really enjoyed it. I lived in France for six years so I understand many of the problems this couple faced and also how kind the French can be. I think they are a bit shy with speaking English, however, when they realize your French is worse than their English, they really open up and speak. It was a wonderful experience for me and France will always own a big piece of my heart. Enjoy this lovely book.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The French Chateau Escape by Gillian Harvey

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Click: buy… a French chateau. Condition: ‘may require improvement’…

It seemed like a good idea. Selling everything we own. Just Mark and I, swapping our tiny little terraced London home – and the heartbreak of not being able to start a family – for an entire chateau in the middle of France… This has always been our dream. And now it’s coming true.

As I use the rusty key to open the big, creaking wooden door of the tumbledown fairytale chateau that’s officially our new home, I wonder: what could possibly go wrong?

Turns out my grasp of the language isn’t brilliant – and I’ve realised too late that I should really have got fluent before emigrating. But it turns out that the answer is ‘le tout’. In other words, ‘everything’ than can go wrong, will…

Will our marriage survive this adventure? With all the tumbling masonry, will we?

As the French sun blazes overhead, one thing’s for sure: it’s going to be a year to remember…

My Opinion

This is the first book I have read by Gillian Harvey, I was drawn in by the cover and hooked from the beginning. This was not the story I was expecting when I started reading but I have to say that the difficulties Emma and Mark were having made for a refreshing change.

Emma discovers herself in this novel and learns just how strong she can be. The reader is taken on an emotional journey of self-discovery. Full of drama this an ideal read for a quick escape.

Rating 4/5

We are big fans of the TV show Escape to the Chateau which features a resourceful British couple who pack up their life in Britain, buy a crumbling chateau and then proceed to do it up, whilst establishing a successful business and raising their family. It's easy, right?

Weeellllll. Not always. Emma and Mark bought into the French Chateau dream. After selling their home in Britain, they purchased a chateau that had been empty for 20 years with grand plans of turning it into a wedding location. Emma had experience in big hotels, but neither Emma or Mark had a lot of experience in renovating anything, let alone a chateau which needed work done from bottom to top. Another factor...neither of them spoke any French.

After moving into their new home, Emma and Mark quickly come to realise that this project is going to be far more challenging, and far more expensive than they expected.

Life throws another challenge their way when Mark falls downs the stairs and has a complicated break in his leg and has to spend some time in a French hospital. Emma is now the one who has to make sure that the chateau will be ready in time for their first booking which is a mammoth undertaking.

Emma was quite sick as a child and as a result has been treated a bit like a princess, firstly by her dad and later by Mark. As an adult she has had quite a lot of anxiety, so for her to have to step outside of her comfort zone and be the one both making decisions and doing some of the physical work required was quite challenging. In addition, she and Mark have been trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant for quite some time, her dad back in the UK is deep in depression after the death of her mother, and she doesn't know anyone in France. There's a lot going on.

I really enjoyed the growth that we see in Emma throughout this book. When Mark is doubting the dream, it is Emma that comes up with possible solutions, Emma who finds a way forward, who finds the assistance needed and who comes up with an amazing idea on how to include the community in the life of the chateau. She is supported by her sister Rachel who is supportive but also who manages to tell Emma some home truths when she needs to hear them.

I have read a number of Gillian Harvey books now and I have enjoyed them all. This was no exception. Whilst the ones that I have read are all about finding a new life in France, they aren't all about completely ditching existing relationships and finding a dishy new French man to live happily after with. She writes about the challenges of starting a life in a new country, about the misunderstanding that can occur due to language barriers and about the challenges of finding new friends. I'm sure it helps that this is something that she has experienced herself. I will be looking forwarded to her next book for sure.


Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review this book as part of the blog tour. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour to see what others thought.

An opportunity to escape is too great for Mark to ignore, and he soon persuades his unhappy wife to escape to France and a rundown chateau with him. The adventure that follows is not what either imagined, but whilst it threatens their relationship, Emma discovers the woman she wants to be. Full of drama, humour and poignancy, the storytelling immerses the reader in the Chateau's renovation and Emma's emotional journey of self-discovery. I like the vividly described setting, the believable and sometimes frustrating characters and Emma's life journey that changes her.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

A charming book set in the French Countryside. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel that made me feel like I'd been whisked off to France.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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

After much talking, Mark persuades his wife to to buy a chateau in France that’s needs work, do it up and live there.

But, she doesn’t have much belief in herself or confidence, she didn’t have a really good childhood due to ill health.

When things change, whilst in France and Mark falls down the stairs and breaks his leg, meaning he has to stay in hospital for a long time. Emma, after an unsuccessful start realises that’s she’s capable of more than she thinks.

She has agreed a booking to have a wedding at the chateau, but as it’s not exactly ready, it’ll be every doing as much as they can to be ready in time.

I recommend this book.

I honestly think that this is the best book yet, from Gillian Harvey. I genuinely laughed at some of the situations that Emma and Mark found themselves in. Well, mainly Emma!
From the decision to make the move from the safety of their London home to the somewhat rundown chateau in France, to the hilarious language fails between Emma and the medical staff, there was a non-stop comedic theme.
I would love to be both brave and comfortable enough to make such a lifechanging move, but I will have to live vicariously through the pages of this book. With a volume of TV shows highlighting the possibilities of making such a move, it’s no wonder that there’s a rich seam of content for books in a similar vein. I would challenge anyone to find a better story than this one, for pure comedy.
Of course, the book isn’t all played for laughs as there are some more serious themes including the need for protecting Emma from the more labour-intensive elements of the work. Having survived a childhood with a major health condition, Mark clearly sees the need to ensure that she is kept safe at all costs.
I absolutely loved how empowered Emma became when she found the responsibility of leading the renovations fall on her shoulders. Despite her initial apprehension, she took to the task with great focus, even though she was clearly out of her comfort zone.
The setting, the villagers, and the small ex-pat community all added to this wonderful story, and I found myself fully invested in the restoration work and hoping that they would be able to host their first wedding.
Add in the themes surrounding Emma’s family and there’s something to pull at your heartstrings too. I cannot recommend this book enough, it’s truly fabulous.

A little slow in places, and it didn't have the humour I had expected from the cover and the blurb, but it's well enough written and I did enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

When Emma's husband suggests buying a chateau in France, she ignores her gut and follows him only for the dream to fall apart when Mark breaks his legs.

This is a story about finding your inner courage and finding out maybe your strong and more able than you think you are. Gillian is quickly becoming a favourite author of mine and I loved this book.

Mark and Emma decide to take a chance to buy a dilapidated Chateau in France with the idea of restoring it and opening it as a wedding venue. Naturally things don't go as planned...
This gives a more realistic idea of what is involved in restoring a run down building of that size in France, with lots of hard work, money and the language barriers. Mark is significantly older than Emma, which gives additional issues, especially after Mark has an accident and can't carry out the work that he had been doing. Despite all of this I could see what they were aiming for and felt for them, becoming totally involved in their story. There are some lighter moments to lift the mood, plus some surprises , good and bad. Overall it reminded me of the film The Money Pit, but set in France. A slower paced story, but with characters I could relate to and one that I really enjoyed.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

Mark has had enough of his job and seeing his wife unhappy in hers. They're struggling to conceive and a move to France, with a chateau renovation project seems to be the perfect answer.


The story is ok, it's one of a Brit's french dream - enjoyable and easy to believe but the pace was a little lacking at the beginning for me. The characters are relatable and I do enjoy the way Harvey writes. The story is comfortably predictable, enough that you know where it's heading! Not as good as some of her others, but a nice one to read all the same!

Mark convinces his wife to start a new life in a tumbledown chateau in France. She is lacking in confidence and self esteem, having spent a childhood unwell and relies heavily on his strength and certainty. However, when he breaks his leg badly falling down the stairs leading to a prolonged hospital stay, after a shaky start she finds that she is capable of more than she – or anyone who knows her – could have dreamed of. . Emma has accepted a booking for a wedding in the chateau, but it’s going to be a race against time to ensure the chateau renovation is complete

This is a lovely read full of engaging characters – even if I did want to shake Emma a little at the start! It includes all the ingredients for a good story including grumpy locals, language difficulties, misunderstandings, DIY disasters and of course the dilapidated chateau itself. Just the book to read whether on a sun lounger or watching the rain pour down outside while cosying up next a crackling fire with enough disasters to make it interesting but enough satisfying resolution to maintain my reading zen! I really enjoyed it.

Gillian Harvey is fast becoming one of my must-read authors because her protagonists are always so relatable,
This time, we have Emma, a middle-aged woman, married to Mark, a man a little older than her. they take a step to change their lives by buying a chateau in France to 'do up', with the hope of creating business opportunities with a venue for weddings and events and living a more relaxed lifestyle once all the renovations are done.
However, it's unlikely to ever be so easy, especially when there are renovations to do, little spare cash, an overenthusiastic husband with limited capabilities, the language barrier as well and trying to start a family.
An unfortunate accident leaves Mark unable to work on the property and feeling like they should just give up, and Emma goes from feeling despondent to turning around her way of thinking.
I like that this was not a 'fluffy' book. Harvey has dealt with real issues, here, from that feeling of insecurity when you move locations, all the anxieties about being somewhere where you don't really understand anyone, learning to build your independence, the stresses these changes can put upon a marriage, as well as the threat of infertility as age creeps up on you.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and loved the character development of Emma.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

3* Not really what I was expecting, not so much humor, more introspective and focused on anxiety and selfcare.

The careless tone of the blurb made me think this was a funny book even with the promised drama. Instead we get a more insightful story, where Emma struggles with her anxiety and fears about failure, about a pregnancy that doesn't come.
I thought her and Mark difficulties would be compensated with banter, humoristic scenes or other, there was little of that, they are quite the opposite of each other and where one is led by caution and pessimism the other is quite optimistic and careless.
But life doesn't go how you expect her and while Mark is away after and accident Emma finally has to take the future in her hands and find the courage to take control and find solutions.

I liked some of it, the resolution to change your own life, the self discover, but didn't engage with some other things happening. While I get that for Emma to flourish Mark had to be away I was still looking for some romance.
I also felt sometimes the drama could be a trigger for someone, as it really permeates the story.
So I have to say it is a 3 stars for me, nice but nothing more.

Thank you Netgalley for providing this book as an Arc in exchange of an honest review.