Member Reviews

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review baesd upon my honest opinion.

Ingrid and Peter have bought a Chateau in France and while trying to restore it realize the cost is more than they thought. They decide to sell some of the cottages on the property to help pay for the restoration. Brother and Sister Sasha and Freddie decide to but two of the cottages, as they try to put their lives back together. From there we learn about the Chateau and its inhabitants, the story is centred more around the Chateau than the people and at times it felt like the story was moving too quickly, but overall irt was very enjoyable.


This author has a lovely way of writing that takes you to the beautiful locations in her book with great characters. I did find this book was not as good as her previous books, but I did really enjoy it. This book was a great light read that made me smile as I read about the Chateau and its inhabitants. I look forward to more books by this author.

Was this review helpful?

I wasn't able to get into this one. Not sure if it was me or if it was the plot. This was a DNF at 25%

Was this review helpful?

This is such a sweet story! A perfect closed-door romance with a touch of family drama. A perfect vacation read for spring or summer!

Was this review helpful?

A fresh start in the beautiful Brittany countryside is what dreams are made of... Buying and relocating to Château du Cheval in rural France, has fulfilled one of Peter and Ingrid Chevalier’s lifelong ambitions. Despite never being able to trace a missing link in Peter’s French ancestry he feels he has finally come home. Now they must renovate the Chateau to its former glory and make it pay for itself…
With money getting tight, they take the decision to sell a couple of cottages on the estate. Can the Chateau begin to pay for itself and be sustainable for the future?

Divorced Sasha Heath and her brother Freddie decide to sensibly invest their mother’s inheritance into property and buy the two rundown cottages on the Château’s estate. Putting the past behind them, a new life in France beckons, but will it live up to their dreams?

As they relax and settle into their new idyllic lifestyle, their new lives throw up several surprises, all they can do is cross their fingers and hope everything will turn out well in the end.

Loved it. Will recommend to others. Cannot wait to read more from the author.

Was this review helpful?

In this charming modern romance novel, readers join Sasha Heath, her brother Freddie, Peter and Ingrid Chevalier, and their daughter Penny on a beautiful estate in rural Brittany, the Chateau du Cheval. Alternating between Sasha, Ingrid, and Penny’s perspectives, these three women tell the stories of how they built their new lives on the chateau’s property and choose new futures with their families. Bringing the romantic elements and the challenges of rural life to the forefront of the novel, Bohnet’s newest novel is charming, romantic, and absolutely stunning. As Sasha, Ingrid, and Penny join forces, absolutely nothing can stop them from turning the Chateau du Cheval into a beautiful, escapist location in rural Brittany. The characters in this novel are charming, sympathetic, and realistic, and they are all different so the multiple perspectives do not blend into each other over the course of the book. As surprises abound and affect their lives at the chateau, readers also experience these changes through Bohnet’s charming and detailed prose. With fantastic characters and a beautiful location as the backdrop for the entire novel, readers will love the Chateau du Cheval, its inhabitants both new and old, and the events that take place there in this fantastic modern romance novel.

Was this review helpful?

A lovely story set in beautiful France. The characters were wonderful and the development of them throughout was fantastic.
A lovely read that allows you to escape for a while.

Was this review helpful?

This was a cute escape romance set in Northern France written by one of my go-to authors. The characters were very likable and created a sense of family and community at the Chateau de Cheval which I really liked. Each character brought a skill set needed to help the chateau to thrive. There are several couples that fall in love during the story which adds to its charm. It has a happy ever after ending that leaves the reader feeling happy and uplifted. I highly recommend this book to readers that are looking for a charming, light read!

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

Was this review helpful?

We are invited to escape to rural France with Peter and Ingrid Chevalier as they follow their dream to renovate the Chateau de Cheval. Other characters join them when they have to sell a couple of dilapidated cottages on the estate to make ends meet. This is a great escapist read with its themes of family and friendship.

Was this review helpful?

A truly wonderful read by the talented Jennifer Bohnet, I love always love taking an adventure with this author. The story was a pleasure to read and easy to lose yourself in. I absolutely loved the whole book but felt it was a shame the epilogue felt rushed and not at all in the style the story had been written

Was this review helpful?

A French Country Escape by Jennifer Bohnet was another beautifully written book but this one is set in beautiful Brittany countryside in France and this is what dreams are made of. Peter and Ingrid Chevalier’s are the main characters within this book and are finally their life long ambitions to buying and relocating to Château du Cheval in rural France. (WoW This is what I did so this book was a real treat to read)

Despite never being able to trace a missing link in Peter’s French ancestry he feels he has finally come home. Now they must renovate the Chateau to its former glory and make it pay for itself…
Now, with their money getting tight, they take the decision to sell a couple of cottages on the estate.

Can the Chateau begin to pay for itself and be sustainable for the future?

Divorced Sasha Heath and her brother Freddie decide to sensibly invest their mother’s inheritance into property and buy the two rundown cottages on the Château’s estate.

Putting the past behind them, a new life in France beckons, but will it live up to their dreams?

WoW this book is so good........and if you have a dream to move to France Go for it....I did and love it here.

I highly recommend this book....Just beautiful.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood books for my ARC.

Was this review helpful?

**A French Country Escape** by Jennifer Bohnet is a delightful and evocative novel that transports readers to the idyllic French countryside, where fresh starts and unexpected friendships await. Bohnet beautifully captures the charm and allure of rural France, as the protagonist seeks solace and a new beginning in a picturesque village. With themes of self-discovery, healing, and the joy of embracing life’s simpler pleasures, the novel offers a heartwarming story of transformation. Filled with vibrant characters, luscious scenery, and a sense of hope, **A French Country Escape** is the perfect feel-good read for anyone dreaming of a peaceful escape to the French countryside, brimming with love, warmth, and second chances.

Was this review helpful?

I loved this story. Sasha and her brother Freddie decide to move to France after their mothers death. There they find new adventures, new friends, and people they can call family. Its refreshing to read a clean happy story with no violence and nasty people in it.

Was this review helpful?

Who doesn't want to escape to the French countryside? And after this book, you'll be packing a bag and setting off

Was this review helpful?

A delightful, touching story full of love and family!
 
Tons of family dynamic that I enjoyed so much! The setting of this story was oh-so perfect and written in such a way that made me feel at home.
 
This was such an easy read to get into. If you’re looking for something lighthearted and cozy, this is the perfect book for you!
 
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy!

Was this review helpful?

I am such a sucker for a good sweet book about fulfilling dreams and going after what you want. I loved the relationship between the siblings and the lessons they learned. Plus the lost family surprise without giving too much away was well done and special. It was a great lighthearted read, I will keep reading Jennifer Bohnet books for sure.

Was this review helpful?

What a remarkable sweet story, taking place at the Château du Cheval, in the Brittany countryside. This story is set in a beautiful environment, the Château from past centuries, has it's history and has stood through two wars. It's the modern generations that are trying to preserve what the ancestors had fought hard to care for. This is the story of a brother and sister, Bradley and Sasha. They need a new start and decide on a new start in France after the passing of a loved one. In France at the Château du Cheval the owners Peter and Ingrid are doing a lot to renovate the place. To get the Château back to what it should be. This story unravels nicely, the author takes us for walks in a beautiful countryside, old villages and farming landscapes. It is the perfect read and has a bit of everything for the reader including a community of readers, a bookclub at the Château. There are happenings weaved in nicely, giving us a more complete picture to help us understand the story. It is so nice to follow the characters that are so nice. With new beginnings and family reunions not expected. This read definitely corresponds with the title "A French Country Escape".
I can truly recommend this lovely read.
I'm grateful to have read this book!
Thanks
Charlotte N

Was this review helpful?

Many thanks to Netgalley for this arc. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.

In this book we are following a brother and sister who move to France and end up with a family of their own making. Sasha and her brother decide to move to France after their mother’s death since it’s cheaper to buy a home in France. They purchase two cottages at a cheateu in France and when they meet the older couple who are turning the rest of the estate into a hotel they become friends. Sasha and her brother help Ingrid and Peter with gardening and fixing the place up for a wedding and a fete they are hosting in a manner of weeks. Sasha restarts her Etsy painting business and adopts two dogs and helps Ingrid when she falls out of the Range Rover. Sasha also befriends Ingrid and Peters daughter Penny who escaped an abusive relationship and moved to France to be with her family. Sasha also meets Jean Paul who speaks both French and English and he and Sasha start a relationship after he helps her train her dogs. This book is so sweet and enjoyable and a pleasant book to read. This is a book sure to warm anyone’s heart and is great for anyone who wants to read a sweet and simple book with not to much drama. A very hallmark esk book.

Was this review helpful?

A really great read. Loved seeing the story from both Sasha and Penny’s point of view. Thought it would have been good if we saw a bit more development between Sasha and Jean-Paul as I felt their relationship happened really quickly.

Apart from that I thought it was a lovely read

Was this review helpful?

Oh my goodness! The setting of the story in France was just enchanting.
This was a nice story to relax with after reading several thriller suspense novals.
Lighthearted and enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Was this review helpful?

After the death of their mother and the sale of their family home, brother and sister Freddie and Sasha are determined to make a fresh start in France, buying a pair of cottages on the grounds of a sprawling chateau estate run by English ex-pats Peter and Ingrid.
Peter and Ingrid, meanwhile, are trying to get their b&b/wedding venue business off the ground, and are full of concern for their daughter, Penny, stuck in an abusive relationship in Bristol.
As Sasha and Freddie adjust to rural French life and make new friends, Sasha's confidence - shattered from a past abusive marriage - slowly begins to recover.

This was a very slow-paced slice of life book, taking the time to meander down country lanes and stop at windows to admire the view. And while the view is lovely, it's all about character development, as Sasha and Penny and some of the side characters come into their own. In the idyllic setting, there is little drama, and the book is made up of small moments of joy that together form a peaceful, content scene.

The romance is slow, s-l-o-w burning, with the characters getting to actually know one another as friends first.

While the Chateau appears to be fictional, the places mentioned are very real, and I did go off on a few side quests in Google maps to see the places in more detail.

~Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~

Was this review helpful?