****Publishing March 15, 2024****

Gillian Harvey’s books are always so much fun to read as they will transport you to France!

Grace started the Bordeaux Book Club for English Speakers living in Cenac, Bordeaux. Everyone who joined the Bordeaux book club has their own personal reasons, but what they all had in common was they all needed some sort of change in their lives. Something that would give them an excuse to break out of their normal routine! But when Grace chooses a classic, Great Expectations, to start off the book club, will this turn people away? With new-found friendships, will they be able to find the connections they are striving for and support each other through the high’s and lows of expat living?

A fun book that transports you to the Bordeaux region of France, where you can live vicariously through the book club! This author captures what it’s like being an expat, which is not always a rosy picture! This book is entertaining with relatable characters, which is perfect for your next vacation! I could see this book being made into a miniseries! Also, a great book club pick as there is so much there is so much to discuss!

Thanks to Boldwood Books, I was provided an ARC of The Bordeaux Book Club by Gillian Harvey via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley

This was another fabulous read from this author and loved how it combined one of my favourite things books nestled amongst the beautiful backdrop of Bordeaux.

This was a heartwarming read but also heartbreaking at times that brought together the power of making new friends and how people from all walks
Of life can be brought together by a love of books.

I loved the references and discussions about the books embedded within the story.

I read this in practically one sitting and it made a fabulous read during a sleepless night.

With thanks to Boldwood Books and Net Galley for the advance e-copy of this book.

I always enjoy Gillian Harvey's tales of life in rural France, and this was no exception. A group of somewhat misfit expats comes together for monthly book club, and over the course of the book, we get to know each member better and understand their reasons for joining, sticking with and eventually needing the book club gatherings.

From the cover and premise, you might expect this to be a somewhat fluffy "expat life in France" read, but the characters have more substance than that, and they all have backstories you care about. The various issues faced by the characters are realistic (dying parents, suspicions of affairs, loneliness, family issues, surly teenagers, postpartum depression) and make the story a deeper read than a scratch-the-surface #lifeinFrance novel.

Another lovely feature of the book is the "stories within the story" aspect - the book club reads their way through classics and I loved how the book club compared and contrasted their own lives with those of the characters in the books they read. This also made me want to read some of those classics all over again!

A delightful read that will transport you to the Bordeaux region and make you want to join your own book club!

And unlikely group of mostly strangers come together to form the Bordeaux book club. Each member is dealing with their own real life issues; Keeping so busy you won't notice your phone discontent, Caregiving for your sick mum while you're still in an age when you need your mum to care for you, slightly shy & awkward, a new mom who's lonely and dealing with postpartum depression, Dealing with teenage daughter angst while worrying about your husband and realizing that your dream life has actually become a bit of a nightmare. I liked reading the story development and watching the character development. I really enjoyed how this book club became a family of sorts by supporting one another through their difficult times. A heartwarming story.

I recently discovered that I love Bordeaux wine, so when I received a request to review "The Bordeaux Book Club," I had to accept it. Sometimes, the reasons we pick up a book can be as simple as that.

Based on the cover, I expected a light-hearted, maybe even rom-com-like story, but "The Bordeaux Book Club" was one that. It wasn't super deep or intense, but it had more substance than I anticipated.

The story revolves around a woman who starts a book club, drawing in a diverse group of men and women. As the narrative unfolds, we get a glimpse into the lives of these characters. From suspicions of infidelity and dealing with long-distance relationships to coping with a dying parent, the book covers a spectrum of real-life issues. It’s about how this book club turns into a support system for its members, helping them navigate the complexities of their lives.

What I appreciated most was how the book club becomes a central part of their lives, offering a space for self-discovery and deepening connections. It's about finding unity and support in unlikely places and the shared experience of reading.

I'm giving "The Bordeaux Book Club" four stars. It's a good read, particularly if you're a fan of women's fiction. You might even rate it higher, depending on your taste. This book was a reminder that sometimes the reasons we pick a book might be whimsical, but the journey it takes us on can be unexpectedly rewarding.

So, if you enjoy stories about life, relationships, and the unexpected bonds formed through shared experiences, then this book might just be for you. It's a testament to the power of books and the unexpected ways they can bring people together.

A new book club starts in France, with its members all originally from the UK. A good mix of people from the youngest to the oldest, they all bring their own thoughts on the characters of the books they read while also needing help and support from each other. An easy read but with a good depth to the story, the end is a good one with no loose ends. A good holiday read or as I did - a Sunday afternoon read in one sitting read!

Another fantastic book from Gillian Harvey. The members of the new book club provide a great range of characters; I identified with parts of many of them, and with particularly Grace. The book shows the development of relationships between these characters, but also shows the importance of literature in our lives. It would, of course, be a great choice for book clubs, as well as providing ideas for book choices. It would make a great holiday read for anyone off to Bordeaux! !

A lovely story you follow some x pats setting up an English book club in Bordeaux . They all have issues or are lonely and they help each other. A lonely new mum, a young uni student whose mum wants him to make more friends and other intresting characters. You get cross with one husband and you love the twists. . You get nice wine and a troubled teenager. A good read with a perfect neat ending.

A group of expats get together to form a book club in a small village outside Bordeaux. None of them know each other and each have their own stories. Leah, her husband Nathan and their daughter Scarlett dreamed of the good life and being self-sufficient only its proving harder work than they anticipated. Nathan keeps taking out “ me time” and Leah suspects something else is going on. Monica has been left holding the baby, literally as her husband, a pilot, is away for weeks at a time and she can't get why the life she dreamed of isn't quite what she expected. Grace is divorced and thinks she has things sorted, only she hasn't really. The two men are keeping their cards rather close to their chests but each have their own issues. This tells of how the group helps each other to see the things in life they are all missing in different ways not least of all through the books they read which they discover perhaps have life messages within the pages.

I really enjoyed this. It's a reflection on life in many differing ways and things I feel we may all relate to one way or another. About being who you are and not what you are as we get older, the reflection in the mirror doesn't tell of the true person inside. There is humour and drama, and even wisdom and so much more in characters many will relate to, and there are also reflections on life through the books the group reads. An uplifting, life affirming read with a smile and drama. One I would highly recommend.


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In her latest novel, “The Bordeaux Book Club,” Gillian Harvey transports the readers to the picturesque countryside of France. Protagonist Leah uproots her life to move there with her husband and teenage daughter, expecting to live out an idyllic existence growing their food. But Leah soon realizes that farm life is not the romantic ideal she envisioned.

Seeking connection, Leah joins a newly formed book club at the urging of her friend. This ragtag group of members initially seems to be very mismatched, yet they all bond over the stories they read and the intimacy of sharing their struggles. Leah forms many meaningful female friendships through the club to sustain her when her marriage shows many cracks.

Harvey excels at creating relatable characters and immersing the readers in the beauty of the French landscape. The themes of friendship, new beginnings, and reinvention give the story depth. Yet the pacing falters when Harvey lingers on the descriptive details at the expense of the plot movement.

Overall, the bibliophiles will delight in this story-within-a-story exploring the power of books to unite the people. Through the book club members ‘ literary discussions, Harvey delivers witty dialogue, well-crafted metaphors, and an aesthetic escape. For fans of female-centered fiction examining life’s inevitable ups and downs, “The Bordeaux Book Club” makes for a charming and quintessentially beach read.

Thank you to Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Gillian Harvey is one of my ‘go to’ Authors for varied and relatable characters, beautiful settings, overseas adventures and much much more. Based in France having relocated from the UK herself, she is very methodical and accurate with what she writes in her books. She always brings reality to the chapters and uses her knowledge and research to highlight the challenges of relocating a life to another country.

This is perhaps my most favourite of her books published so far, and they’re all my favourites. But this is a book about books, and that just about trumps it all. The Bordeaux Book Club has an eclectic mix of characters, wine, book club chatter and warmth. This is a book for ex-pats, bibliophiles, and everyone else just contemplating life too.

There’s humour, heart-break, wisdom, a beautiful escape but the challenges that come with it too. It’s a brilliant read and one to add to your list for this year.

I was excited for this book but realized very quickly that I sisnt care for it. It felt choppy and to me is boring, I had a very hard time finishing it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Highly entertaining and engaging novel. I enjoyed this one immensely

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

This talented author has written a page turner. A cast of characters who would make a great movie cast. A book club...I enjoy reading about book clubs...the group of readers who get together to discuss the books they have read...often reading the same one...different opinions on the same story...makes for an enjoyable read.…friends and family.…the setting…the recipe for a journey with the people in the book…fun and entertaining. That being said, there are secrets and red herrings. …thanks Netgalley.