Vivienne is a successful author, on her way to the Riviera for some peace and quiet to complete her latest book – but as her husband leaves her at the airport, he also breaks the news that he’s found someone else and their marriage is over. Talk about picking your moment… and on arrival in Antibes, she’s understandably both shocked and heartbroken, with things only getting worse when she discovers the identity of his new partner and he begins to exert pressure over the sale of their family home.

But she finds friendship and support – recently widowed Maxine, who arranged her accommodation for her, and florist Olivia who lives in the apartment downstairs. As Vivienne finds the strength to stand up to her husband’s unreasonable demands and to think about the future, the book follows her emotional journey – but also picks up the lives and points of view of the two women who become her friends. The character development is really excellent, as they all deal with personal challenges, unexpected situations, and emotional choices. There’s a nice focus on family, but in different ways for each of them – and a few searches and discoveries that add a level of intrigue to the well-paced story.

The Riviera setting, as always, is quite wonderfully drawn – this really is armchair travel at its very best, as we experience all the excitement of the Grand Prix and the glamour of the film festival, but also visit the hillside villages and smaller communities where the lavender grows.

A story of fresh starts and second choices, beautifully written, with a strong cast of very real characters and the perfect ending – if you enjoy the same books that I do, you’ll find this one a total delight. Highly recommended for your summer reading list – a really lovely read.

Vivienne's working trip to the south of France is just what she needs to process her husband's unexpected news regarding their marriage. Meeting Maxine and Olivia helps Vivienne accept and move on from feelings of betrayal and confusion and plan the new start she deserves. Mother and daughter relationships define this story and make it an emotional read. The characters are relatable, and you want them to find happiness. The setting is full of glamour and sunshine and lets you escape. I like this lovely story's friendships, character development and romance.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Am always a sucker for a tale that involves romance and an adventure, just like this one.
Loved the French Riviera setting and all the characters, all in all a wonderful read

This is a charming, light read about friendship and starting a new lifestyle. The story alternates between the point of view of the three main characters. Vivienne and Maxine are more mature characters while Olivia brings in the vitality of a younger generation. I loved these characters and how they helped each other through the rough times they were facing. The mystery of Maxine’s past piqued my interest. I also enjoyed the love story between Olivia and Thierry. My favorite character was Gilles because he helped Vivenne decide what she wanted in life after divorce. It is a great beach read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

If I started to think about what key words there are that make want to read a book the words France, French and Paris would be right up there! Of course, there are so many books with these words that I could just read those and I would never run out.

Vivienne Wilson is a successful author writing under a pen name. She books a trip to Antibes on the French Riviera so that she can finish her upcoming book. It also won't hurt to have some time away from her husband. Hopefully absence might make the heart grow fonder. However, he blindsides her at the airport when he tells her that he wants a divorce as he has met someone else. And then, cheeky beggar that he is, he wants Maxine to be the one to tell their grown up children.

Despite being somewhat shell shocked, Vivienne still gets on the plane. When she arrives she meets Maxine Zonszain, a woman who recognises emotional pain when she sees it. She also meets Olivia Murray who lives in the downstairs apartment.

Maxine found her great love later in life, and was devastated when her husband Phillippe passed a year before. She is definitely still grieving but she is also trying her hardest to still live life. But she too is shocked when she receives a letter from a solicitor which brings back the traumatic events from her past that had affected her life for years. Fortunately, her stepson is very supportive of Maxine, so she is not totally alone, but he lives overseas.

Olivia is the youngest of the trio. She inherited a florist business that she runs out of a bright pink London taxi, providing flower arrangements to a lot of the luxury yachts moored in Monaco. Her mother in particular, really just wishes that Olivia would get a proper job and also find the right man, get married and have kids. And if Olivia can't find the right man, then her mother has an endless parade of suitable men.

Despite a rocky start, the three women soon begin to build a friendship, helping each other to deal with both their current issues and to help them to look to the future. They all have pressing issues that they need to deal with now. For one, Vivienne needs to decide what her life is going to look like. Is she going to agree to her husband's demand to sell their family home? He wants to move on, and he wants it done immediately.

The scenery of the French Riviera is integral to this book, being quite close to Monaco, but Vivienne also heads up into the hills to visit a small town to investigate her own potential French connection.

This was my first Jennifer Bohnet, and I liked it a lot. There was one small niggle for me and that was the tendency to have secrets from the reader. I get that it was supposed to build tension, for want of a better word. For example, Vivienne finds out who the other woman is but we don't get told as readers for a number of chapters. But this is a small niggle in an otherwise enjoyable read.

Luckily for me Jennifer Bohnet lives in France and has any number of books that are set in the area!! Guess I have another author I trust with a backlist to work my way through!!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog.

Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Check out other stops on the blog tour!

Rating 4/5

Yet another wonderful book from Jennifer, with twists and turns that keeps you continually reading the book to the end. I have read all of Jennifer's books, and this is her best one. Thank you for the ARC.

I loved this story! Vivienne is a writer arriving in the French Riviera for a working vacation, right after her husband drops a bombshell that he’s leaving her. There she befriends Maxine, a recently widowed estate agent who’s managing her rental, and Olivia her downstairs neighborhood. It’s told from the alternating perspectives of the three women as we learn their stories. During the summer they all become friends as Vivienne enjoys her time on the French Riviera and contemplates where life will take her next.


This was such a fun story! I loved the women’s friendship and how they all supported each other during tough times. I felt that by hearing their perspectives we were able to connect more with them and root for them. The author did a great job describing the French Riviera in the summer. I just wanted to head to the French Riviera and enjoy some time there.


Thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and the author for this ARC

I really love how Jennifer's stories often have more mature characters in the lead. This story focused on 3 very different characters of different ages, with the main one being Vivienne in her sixties who is informed by her husband that their marriage is over just as she is about to get on a plane heading to the French Riviera. I couldn't wait to see how Vivienne would handle these changes all the while rooting for her to take it in her stride and make the most of her time in France and realize that she was better off without him. The setting was just gorgeous and I felt like I had been on a holiday reading this story with the setting being so vivid, the local markets, the restaurants and even Monaco. I would love to rent the villa Vivienne was staying in, but it probably wouldn't be the same without Maxine and Olivia there too. I really miss knowing what is happening in all of their lives now that I finished it.

The cover got me hooked, and the story rilled me in.

It is a sweet story and it is beautifuly writen.
It made me want to go to France... Loved it.
4 stars.

What a wonderful, lovely and uplifting story of friendship and starting over but it is so much more than just that. It is love, family, a story of the past and present, memories and is so heart-warming and charming. It is just a great book to read that will make you feel good.

I Love the French Riviera setting and felt I was transported there. I love the characters as they are so real and are people you know and love. The story flowed so well and is so well written I felt as if I was there with these wonderful characters (Vivienne, Maxime and Olivia).

A most wonderful read and one that I highly recommend and will probably read again.

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

4🌟
This novel is heartwarming, saddening and uplifting all at once. It follows the life of 3 different women, in a 3 narrative style of writing with each character getting a chapter. It gives you a chance to really get to know each character, their background and really made me want the best for them and get invested in their story really quickly so I was hooked.

The French riviera setting helped me to feel like I was on holiday, and made me long to be there myself really.

A sweet book about friendship, moving on and never letting anything hold you back.

When it’s winter, and life seems a little dreary, having a brand-new Jennifer Bohnet novel in my hands was such a pick-me-up, I started this book with a huge grin on my face.

It’s early summer in Antibes and I warmed to Vivienne, Maxime and Olivia instantly, and was soon drawn into their different backstories as challenges and traumas threw major life changes at them.

Vivienne, hit with shocking news just before she arrived in Antibes, is left reeling. I was so cross on her behalf, I began plotting my own revenge for her loathsome ex as soon as I put the book down each night. I admit this probably isn’t healthy, but it just shows you how Jennifer’s characters get under your skin. Happiness for Vivienne was all I wanted for her new chapter in life.

Maxime, still grieving for Pierre, is given the opportunity to tackle the darkest moment from her past. This might have been something she’d dreamed of for thirty years, but as it became within her grasp, it held the risk of breaking her fragile heart once more. I felt for her so much, it was a real emotional shocker as the truth revealed itself.

Olivia, about to have the offer of an exciting new business project, wonders if it will be enough for her. Much as she hates her overbearing mother’s interference, and would never admit she is right, a special someone to share her life shouldn’t be too much to ask. As her story gently played out, there were so many times I was willing her to have the strength to do what her heart knew was right.

I loved every minute spent in this book and as their journey’s unfolded it almost felt like I was there with them. They had each other to look out for one another, but I’d have hopped into the book in a heartbeat, poured them a chilled rosé and given them all a hug.

This is another uplifting book about strong women taking control of their futures, and for Vivienne, falling under the spell of a bit of south of France magic. As usual, Jennifer’s knowledge of the south of France, French culture and living here as an expat, not only brought the story and location to life, but ensured the plot was plausible as well as great entertainment.

This book opens with an absolute corker of a shock for Vivienne Wilson, one that starts a chain reaction in her life that even extends into the lives of a couple of women whom she has yet to meet. Vivienne had planned a trip to the French Riviera to immerse herself in the local area as she focused on finishing her novel. We learn that she is highly successful as an author but works under a pen name. We then meet recently widowed Maxine and florist Olivia, who together form the basis for this gorgeous escape to the sunshine.
I was immediately drawn to Vivienne as she is a similar age to me, and I could imagine her pain at discovering her husband’s secret. Thankfully, she is a strong and determined woman, and she is able to rise above her heartache and focus on her time on the Riviera. What she doesn’t anticipate is her metamorphosis as she finds the courage to make changes to her life.
As she meets recently widowed Maxine who is experiencing devastating loneliness at her now empty life, and young florist Olivia, she finds that her life is accelerated towards a completely different future.
Having read so many of Jennie’s books, I can happily say that I knew that the characters were in safe hands, what I didn’t know is how their journeys would evolve. There is a steady flow of character development as the story gently flips between the characters and moves along at a very pleasing pace. I honestly can’t choose a favourite character without introducing any spoilers, but I can promise that the conclusion was simply perfect, and their futures become much rosier.
Whether you’ve not read anything by Jennifer Bohnet before, or if you are a fan, I can assure you that you will love this visit and enjoy getting to know this trio of wonderful women.

Vivienne’s husband informs her that he’s leaving her for another woman on the way to dropping her off for a flight. The bestselling author is off to Antibes alone, to work on her next book.
She is picked up at the airport by real estate agent Maxine and arrives in a rather grumpy mood at the villa owned by florist Olivia.
Despite the rocky start, the three women get the opportunity to know one another better over the coming months - Vivienne still adjusting to her looming divorce, Maxine moving on after the death of her beloved husband, and Olivia who is trying to avoid attention on her love life.
Set in the South of France, this was a charming tale of new beginnings and flourishing friendships, with a couple of secret missions to keep things interesting.

A delightful read set in the dreamy locale of southern France.
Three women, Maxine, Vivienne, and Olivia become fast friends as they navigate through life’s ups and downs.
Although some of their situations were quite dramatic the book itself is very soothing.
I figured out a few of the plot details and the rest were all surprises.
One of the main themes In the story is sometimes the worst thing that can happen to you turns out to be the best thing that ever happened.
There is a satisfying ending for each of the ladies. The last paragraph about the big jerk of the book made me laugh out loud!

I loved this book!! From the characters to the descriptions of France to the story. I was so drawn in with each character that I felt what they felt. Such empathy written in to this novel. Definitely a recommend from me to other readers. And I will be looking for other works by this author!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

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

I enjoyed reading this book.

The story was about three ladies, as well as other characters.

I loved the setting, how places were described as well as the food, which made you feel as though you were there, enjoying the lovely weather. It was lovely to read how the characters’ lives changed once the story ended.

I highly recommend this book.

What a wonderful refreshing book with a storyline that had me gripped from the first chapter. The detail in the descriptions of the places, foods and events and especially weather made you feel like you were there with them.
I loved the mixture of so many different stories within the main story too as it kept it fresh and alive. This was truly a great read

I loved this story of a woman done wrong by her husband. Vivienne had to learn to live again by herself and with a whole lot of other changes that comes after a big life changing decision was made. The setting in France was beautiful and the characters were delightful. The ending was absolutely perfect, but I wish there was more! I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author.

This is a fantastic book, telling the stories of Vivienne as she goes on a writing retreat to France, and the friends she makes there. I found the mix of ages interesting and appealing, and I loved the descriptions of the area and the food. This heart warming tale would make a great holiday read, but was a wonderful escape for a few grey days in the UK !