I really enjoy destination novels by Jo Thomas, I feel like she really captures the spirit of a place and makes you feel caught up there with a desire to go and visit in real life.
We follow the story of Del the main character who, after unfortunate events finds herself trying to keep cheerful and the spirit of community alive. In a heartwarming story she brings together a group of travellers who develop a shared bond over their experiences and love of cooking.

I hadn’t realized this was a follow up but when I started reading I realised i knew the characters. The best thing about these books are the descriptions of France. Oh how I long to be there, smelling the lavender and eating the food. Wonderfully written and a gorgeous community feel

What a sweet story. Anyone looking for a nice holiday vacation read, some relaxation and escapism from clutter and stress, and those wanting a charming, warm, and inviting read, will enjoy this one.

I would like to thank Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for providing me with an advance readers copy via access to the galley for free through the NetGalley program.

<b>The Story</b>
Takes place in France, as a modern-day contemporary.

This was a continuation of the story in <a href="https://ericarobbin.com/escape-to-the-french-farmhouse-by-jo-thomas/">Escape to the French Farmhouse by Jo Thomas</a>, which was my favorite of the two I’d say.

I think this one could be read as a standalone, as the background story was nicely referenced and I needed a refresher.

Touched on many joys and celebrations of life, some met with disappointment and tragedy, all was conveyed in a delicate, yet deep enough manner to appreciate the circumstances for what they were. Realistic and true to each character as they faced a self-reflective path.

Strong senses of community and hope. Charm and funny bits.

Of course, with mentions of delicious food and drink. From bouillabaisse, coq au vin, garlicky potatoes, chocolate mousse, nougat, and soft vanilla ice cream served with a drizzle of warmed honey and crumbled almonds on top.

<b>The Writing</b>
I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions, capturing the ambience so well and transporting me to the very scene.

The characters deepening relationship was intriguing. I did expect a little more unique surprise than there was, but it was compelling nonetheless.

Though there some bits that felt recurring in episode and with the introduction of as many new characters as there ended up being, with the glimpses into their lives turning to be a bigger role in the story, and the several things they were doing, it was just starting to become more than what I could keep track of at times. Plus I’m not sure exactly what the point and need of Ed’s mistakingly presumed character tidbit was all about. That part felt try-hardy, as was the response conversation, perhaps his entire role, not advancing the story nor helping me become any more immersed. He was annoying and then they all started to annoy me. I found myself wanting to pair down and out. Became a bit circular I suppose, I did skim a bit, but then the end scooped my interest back up.

I can’t comment on the recipes since I received an early copy without them, but I imagine they’d be lovely.

Was definitely planning the menu for the week.

Always looking forward to more. Such a lovely escape in these story collections. Light, yet sentimental, refreshing, and satisfying.

Makes me want to go everywhere and try everything.

<a href="https://ericarobbin.com">Blog post</a>

Del and her husband move to France but when they split up she decides to stay and sets up a Lavender farm, she also takes over running the local restaurant and meets Fabian.
When the Mistral hits the village felling an olive tree which crashes through the restaurant's window she is forced to close. Fabian is invited to join his former band on a summer tour which she persuades him to do, leaving her all alone to manage the lavender harvest with no income from the restaurant when she receives further bad news. Will she survive the summer?
Set in a stunning part of France, it made me want to be there.

I enjoyed this book. The descriptions of the locations were just lovely. Great characters and a heart-warming read. Recommended.

I couldn’t wait to start Jo Thomas’s latest book as I am a huge fan and this book was just perfect.
The romantic French setting was beautiful,
I loved the characters and how strong friendships and trust grew through the love of good food and cooking. My only complaint is how hungry I was after all the fantastic sounding dishes.
The ending was exactly how I hoped it would end and it couldn’t have been better.

Due to health issues cannot write a proper review now, a proper review will follow
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I started reading this needing a break from all the crime and as soon as I started reading I knew that I had met these characters before. Sure enough, this is a follow up to the book Escape To The French Farmhouse. We are back in the South of France with Del and her boyfriend Fabien. Del has a farmhouse where she picks lavender and alongside her is a whole host of characters that I fell in love with in the first book.

Thankfully we see the return of those characters however a tragedy occurs which sends them all into a tailspin. When the tragedy occurs she also has a whole team of pickers arrive for the harvest, all new people who Del doesn't know. On top of that Fabien is leaving her for the summer for work. I absolutely fell in love with this story and being back in the South of France. Such an easy book to read and one that shows sadness as well as joy. Jo Thomas has been so far for me such a solid author and this book is proof of that

Another beautiful read set in Provence. Full of beautiful descriptions of France and food .
Perfect to read for a bit of escapism to Provence. Everyone is in shock with the sudden death and it’s time to rebuild and work out a new future.

Absolutely delightful read which encompassed the beautiful passion for the food of Provence and the wonderful surroundings. Wonderful characters featured throughout all with their own wonderful stories to tell. The description of the settings were stunning and the story was captivating. I did not know this was a sequel but did not feel this took anything away from the story, however I will look for the first book in the series. The description of the food and recipes throughout were mesmerising and I was so looking forward to seeing some of these at the end but unfortunately my copy of the book did not have any. It just said these were to come so unfortunately I did not get to see any of the delightful recipes so this sadly took some of the enjoyment away for me.

This book makes you ant to live in Provence and leave the rat race. As with all idyllic setups there are troubles and issues but the community eventually pulls together to look after them all and make sure everyone is ok!

Lovely holiday read,

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Del moved to the south of France three years ago. She has settled into a life with Fabian on a lavender farm, made new friends and now has a purpose in life. She gins herself receiving some shocking news that rocks her world but she must try to carry on as a new crew of lavender pickers arrive.

Having read how Del came to settle in Provence in Escape to the French Farmhouse, I was delighted to find out how life has panned out for Del, Fabien and their friends. There is a real feeling of community in the novel and a wide variety of characters. The new lavender pickers who arrive to help Del with the harvest fit into life on the farm. They each have their own backstory but find friendships and form into a tight group.

Early in the story, Del’s life suffers a huge shock and all her plans for the future are in jeopardy. In her grief, she pushes Fabien away and encourages him to embark on a tour with his old band. Too late, she finds she misses Fabien terribly but communicating this proves awkward. This is a warm, affectionate story, set in a beautiful part of France. Full of the sounds, smells and sights of Provence, I savoured the descriptions of the local food which serves to bind people together. There are lessons to be learned for several of the characters about facing up to what makes them happy. Whether Del can slow down and make room in her life for her relationship with Fabien remains to be seen. She has to face up to her vulnerabilities and trust in the strength of her love.

In short: escapist reading full of warmth and happiness

It was great to be back in France with Del on the lavender farm.
I really enjoyed the chance to catch up with the characters and their lives three years later. It was like I'd never been away!

There were some great new characters introduced as people come to stay to help bring in the lavender harvest. And a not so nice character emerges that could spell disaster for Del and her business.

My only sadness with this book was Fabien heading out to follow his dream.

It started with a bang and finished with a happy ever after that made my heart sing.

Another enjoyable story by Jo Thomas.

This was a simple, fun, easy and quick read. The perfect type of book for your holiday, beach, pool kind of read. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

I read and reviewed the previous book earlier. I didn’t even realise it might have a sequel. When I picked this up the first time I did it because of the author. Only when I looked at the blurb did I realise that the people sounded familiar.

In the previous book, we have a middle aged woman at a crossroads in life. She and her husband initially plan their Italian move as a way to reconnect but that book begins with one choosing to stay behind. This book is about what happens once plans are made and life gets in the way.

It is a very practical and realistic book in some ways. No person introduced in this book and even from the previous visit are perfect. They bring their own messes to the table and there are some additional hurdles this time around.

I think prior knowledge would be helpful but not essential in enjoying this book. This is more about seasonal helpers who land at the lavender farm and then end up being part of the bigger story.

I like the author’s way of depicting characters and the matter-of-fact tone which is present during most of the scenes. This book works both as a sequel( for something I didn’t think a sequel would work) as well as a book with characters in more advanced stages of relationships than one would be accustomed to.

I would recommend this book to fans of the genre.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Jo Thomas gave a masterclass in the art of descriptive writing with this one! A fun, light easy read that will have you feeling like you're in Provence too and really rooting for the characters.

There was quite a bit of repetition and unnecessary bits but still overall this was a nice read.

Del- the main character is very likable even though she does some silly things and can be quite histrionic.
A good breach read if you're looking for one!

This is a really lovely book from Jo Thomas. This is a sequel/follow up to Escape to the French Farmhouse,

The descriptions of Provence, the smell of the lavender, descriptions of the food immediately transports you to the beautiful French countryside.

Thanks must go to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my review..

I couldn't wait to read the next instalment in Provence.
Love In Provence is a heartwarming and enchanting read that offers a perfect blend of romance, adventure, and self-discovery. Jo Thomas’ ability to paint a vivid picture of Provence and create endearing characters makes this novel a joy to read. Whether you're a fan of romance or simply looking for a book to whisk you away to the French countryside, "Love In Provence" is a wonderful choice.

Sequel to Escape to the French farmhouse, although works well as a stand alone novel
Loved the setting of the lavender fields of Provence
With a good storyline, full of food and community and making you realise what is important in life.
Heartwarming and tear jerking all at the same time - will they complete the harvest - makes you feel you’re part of the story.
Also loved the yummy French recipes at the end of the book
Perfect holiday read - pack it in your suitcase.
Thanks @jothomasauthor @penguinbooksuk & @netgalley for the fab summer read