I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook! I was able to find the audio version through my local library. Oh my, I loved this book so much! From cover to cover, I could not put it down! The characters are all great, and I love the main female sisters in this story. I loved their banter, and I, the younger sister, was so funny I was constantly laughing out loud! It gives you a Gilmore girls feel but set in a little French village.
Perfect read for Christmas time! Highly recommend!

Another fabulous book by Mandy Baggot.
Set in a remote French village, with a winter wonderland feel of snow, hot drink concoctions and homemade cookies. The story of Orla and Jacque's slow burning romance combined with unique winter experiences like hand feeding foxes and village festivities, this book will definitely get you in the mood for Christmas.
One for a wintry day on the sofa with a cosy throw and a mug of hot chocolate.

A cute, heartfelt wintery story complete with a mysterious man too! When asked to go on an already planned trip to the snowy mountains of France to write a story, who would say no? Then suddenly, imagine having to drag your sister along too to this strange and quirky little (emphasis on the little) village. Also featuring a matchmaking older lady, plenty of animals, snowy scenery and wintery vibes - what more could you want?

I first want to take this opportunity to thank the author Mandy Baggot, @theboldbookclub and @netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an arc of this wonderful novel.

This is my first book by Mandy but it certainly will not be my last. To start with, I really didn't think I was going to like it. One of the characters is only 16 and her slang terms made me feel out of touch. It took me a while to get used to words like situationship, but I did and it made the character all the more plausible.

It's very well written and a totally wonderful story. Mainly set in a beautiful remote village in the French mountains it's more than just another love story. Yes, there is a love story at the forefront but it's so much more. You get whisked away by the descriptions of the incredible landscape of where they are, it really is a natural winter wonderland. On top of that there are the local traditions still upheld by the townsfolk and the comradery that comes with small isolated villages. The story also addresses many emotional and cultural topics but I'm not saying any more than that. You can find out for yourself what I mean when you read it.

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It's getting late now but my review will be found on the other sites listed on my linktr.ee profile below in the next few days.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'One Winter At The French Chalet' by Mandy Baggot.

This book is beautifully written and completely absorbs you in the stunning atmosphere of Saint-Chambéry and really sucks you in with the vivid descriptions leaving you feel and see all the emotions, characters and scenes. The synopsis and stunning cover suits the storyline perfectly.

Love, love, LOVED this absolutely gorgeous, emotive page turner that I devoured in one sitting!!!

I have absolutely loved this stunning book by the amazing Mandy!! Honestly if you are ever in need of a break and fancy the gorgeous scenery of France then grab this stunner and prepare to be whisked away on a beautiful holiday!!! The storyline is authentic and realistic as well as easy to read and heart-warming. There was plenty of events going on throughout and it kept me hooked from start to end, I read it in one sitting and was completely absorbed throughout. This is the first book I have read that is set in France over Christmas time as they are usually based over Summer and I absolutely LOVED the uniqueness of "seeing" France in Winter time. In this stunning storyline we meet Orla Bradbee who has been set a last minute assignment by her boss where she has to head to the French Alps. The assignment is to then interview a man who does not speak!! If it isn't going to be hard enough as it is when her sister Erin finds out Orla is heading to France Erin decides to invite herself along too! We also meet Jacques Barbier who is utterly gorgeous, a man of few words (so far so good right ladies?) but is also adamant that Orla is wasting her time and is also icy. Will Orla be able to defrost Jacques or is there no hope? Why is Orla's father really selling all their furniture? Who is Erin messaging? To discover the answers to these questions and get swept away to France grab your copy today. I can promise that you will not regret it! This book is a rollercoaster ride of emotions and was heart-warming and had love, romance, humour, relationships, family, friendship and much more all going on in this beautiful atmosphere. There was also heartbreak, tragedy and tears. Amongst all these emotions there are also stunning settings, an abundance of amazing and memorable characters, beautiful reindeer and so, so much more!!! I could literally go on and on about how beautiful this book is but I am trying to shorten my reviews not turn them into even longer essays but I highly recommend you grab this stunning book today!!! Thanks to Mandy's stunning evocative descriptions it felt like I was on a gorgeous festive break away from Wales!! I loved how the story ended and I would love to read more about the life in the gorgeous Saint-Chambéry. I was absolutely devastated when I came to the end of this book as I was truly whisked away to Saint-Chambéry feeling the emotions, seeing the sites and looking at the stunning views. I absolutely loved the gorgeous atmosphere and am hoping to return in another of Mandy's books. This storyline was so heart-warming and emotional and it was such an easy and relaxing read that I just could not put it down and know you won't be able to either!! It ended absolutely perfectly and I would love to see more of the amazing characters soon!! Hint, hint Mandy 😉!!! The characters were all unique with their own realistic traits, strengths and weaknesses. It was intriguing to watch their friendships and relationships grow, develop and change throughout the the storyline. Every one of the characters had a part to play and they each played it perfectly and beautifully!!! Mandy's amazing evocative writing skills brought them to life as much as possible and they all leapt out of the pages as well as the stunning atmosphere and the rest of the characters!!! Anyway, I best not say anymore as don't want to give anything else away for future readers!! It's just so easy talking about this fantastic book and so much I want to tell you all about but i really need to control myself!!! Needless to say I absolutely adored the majority of characters each for a different reason. All characters worked perfectly with the storyline and I would love to meet them again!!! This book would make a stunning movie and I would definitely be first in line to see it!!!

Well done Mandy on yet another absolutely gorgeous book!!! I will definitely be looking for your books any time I need to be swept off to another country!!! This is the exact reason you are in my favourite author club and here's to your next success 🥂!!!

Overall an absolutely perfect light hearted, stunning unputdownable romance that will sweep you off your feet and land you in France.

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Thank you for letting me read this book in advance of publishing. However, it wasn’t for me. I usually like an easy read romantic novel but this one had a rather far fetched plot and it didn’t hold my interest at all.

As a fan of Mandy Baggot's writing, I was unfortunately disappointed by this book. While it does deliver plenty of snow, romance, and humor, the plotline felt overly farcical, making it hard to connect with the characters or the story. Though I appreciate fiction's imaginative nature, I prefer when the storyline retains a sense of believability that helps bring the characters to life. Sadly, this book didn’t quite meet that expectation for me.

When journalist Orla Bradbee is given a last minute assignment by her boss, she just wants to get in, get the story, and get out and be home by Christmas. Her boss is determined that this will be the kind of story that will drive traffic. After all, who wouldn't want to read a story about mute man and a pregnant reindeer?

What Orla doesn't count on is that she will need to take her 16 year old sister, Erin, with her to the small French village in the mountains near Grenoble. Her mother is very concerned about Erin, in particular her intense online relationship with a man she has never met. Erin hears the word France, and assumes the bright lights and shopping of Paris which couldn't by further from the truth. Taking Erin with her also gives Orla's parents the opportunity to work through whatever it is that they are going through.

The village of Saint-Chambéry is an isolated mountain village with a small close knit community, and at Christmas they have many charming traditions. The mainstays of the village are Gerard and Delphine, who is the owner of the local shop. She's the kind of person who knows everyone in town and just wants everyone to be happy. And the person who she just wants to see happy the most right now is Jacques Barbier, whose nickname is Wolf.

While Jacques isn't mute, he is a man who chooses to live in an isolated house, keeping everyone somewhat at bay, including his young brother. His first meeting with Orla does not go well. It's very clear that Orla and Erin are not prepared for the hostile winter environment of the Alps which pushes all of his buttons. He is not quite sure how it happens, but suddenly Orla and Erin are staying with him, his 19 year old brother turns up out of the blue, and no one can get the coffee machine he hates to work.

Orla and Jacques both have a clear idea of how their life should be, but as the story unfolds it becomes clear that that they have some self reflection to do about what it is they really want. As for the reindeer, well, you will have to read the book to find out that part of the story.

I have read a few books by Mandy Baggot now, but it is the first time I have read something of hers not set in Greece, and I really, really enjoyed it! The village of Saint-Chambéry sounded so beautiful, and so festive! There are a lot of threads running through this story, but the author manages to bring them all together beautifully.

I can definitely see myself reading more of Mandy Baggot's Christmas books!!! And her Greek books.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

It’s a bit of a tough week for me this week so I was really looking forward to diving in to some lighter, more fun books in my reading as a bit of escapism from the stresses of real life. Mandy Baggot is always a reliable go-to in this regard, and One Winter at the French Chalet did not disappoint.

Poor Orla, she just finds out her parents are having problems when she is shipped off to France on what looks a bit like a wild goose chase by her boss at the magazine she works for, just before Christmas. To make matters worse, she has her headstrong, unpredictable younger sister tagging along. Throw in a remote location, a taciturn Frenchman and a cast of eccentrics and you have all the ingredients for an entertaining story.

Everything about this book was fun. Orla finds herself in a remote French village which is peopled with characters that certainly go their own way and has a host of peculiar Christmas customs that were hilarious to read about. The disconnect between Orla and Jacques at the beginning sets the story up for the perfect opposites attract love story and the machinations of the devious Delphine set the story alight. My favourite part of the story, though, was the dynamic between the sisters. Being an eldest myself with a much younger sibling, I could totally relate (although I have to say my baby sister is nothing like Erin!)

Christmas books set in remote foreign locations is a particular favourite genre of mine, I always try and fit a few in each year, because they really lift my soul and whisk me away from whatever stresses are plaguing me in the every day. This one was no different, and I really fell in love with Saint-Chambery and its populace. Any book that has made me lighter of heart by the end is a winner as far as I am concerned and Mandy has achieved that with her latest Christmas novel.

Highly recommended for lovers of the genre, or anyone just a bit down in the dumps.

One Winter at the French Chalet by Mandy Baggot

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

Blurb

Things aren’t going well for travel writer Orla Bradbee.

With Christmas fast approaching, her boss is insisting Orla must travel to a rural village in France to interview a man who doesn’t speak.

Saint-Chambéry is a picturesque French village nestled in the snow-capped mountains, but Jacques Barbier – gorgeous and brooding, yet a man of few words – makes it clear that Orla is wasting her time here.

Orla can’t deny that Jacques intrigues and infuriates her, but what is the mysterious Frenchman hiding exactly? And can she get close enough to uncover his secrets without risking her own heart?

My Opinion

This was a delightful, festive book and I read the majority of it in just one sitting as I found myself needing to know what would happen with Orla and Jacques. Mandy Baggot has created some great characters, and I especially enjoyed reading about Delphine and her antics. Whilst Orla is supposed to be writing an article about a reindeer due to give birth in the run up to Christmas, she is also juggling some family issues back home.

There is so much going on in this book that there is plenty to keep the reader engaged. This book was so much more than the usual festive read, so make sure it is on your list for the upcoming holiday season.

Rating 4/5

I’ve enjoyed so many of MB’s books - she’s a superlative writer and creates wonderful stories with engaging characters in fabulous settings.
But I guess there’ll always be a book from one’s favourite author that simply doesn’t work. And this one doesn’t work for me,

Too much, too many sub plots and too many people.
I wanted more about Orla and Jacques.

Lots of good stuff but not the usual 5 star read.

I loved Orla so much, she was such a relatable character and I think many people will relate to her too, she has many family issues and she is just so likeable. I loved the romance between Orla and Jacques, it’s so sweet watching their journey together.

Jacques is initially brusque and doesn’t want anything to do with Orla, he is initially hard to like as a character, but once Know why he acts the way he does and why he hides away, he slowly gets under your skin and you end up loving him too.

I loved the setting so much and I was so delighted to read about all the traditions too, I think it gave it that extra sparkle. If you’re looking for a cosy, charming, winter story that will keep you warm inside, then One Winter at the French Chalet is for you.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a really cute, fun romance novel that would be great to read over the summer holidays. It had super likeable characters, always trying to do their best for themselves and each other, even though things always get muddled up. Orla, a journalist, is sent to a small village in the French countryside to interview a mute man looking after a reindeer that is about to give birth right before Christmas. There’s something wrong with that picture though, which leads to some funny mishaps. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

One Winter at the French Chalet ticked so many boxes on so many levels...

There's a festive romance, we're staying in a gorgeous chalet that's tucked up in the French Alps, it's snowing and there's a reindeer being born too.

The characters are cute and extremely likeable. Tropes include forced proximity and small town romance.

Literally there's nothing not to like; it's a heartwarming read, the plot was thoroughly enjoyable and was the perfect escapism guaranteed to get you in the mood for everything Christmas.

Journalist, Orla goes to the French Alps in search of a story, taking her 16 year old sister with her, and leaving her parents in a marriage crisis . Welcomed into a small village, she meets Jacques, an immensely private, but attractive, man . Ideal for settling down to read on a cold, wet Autumn day .

Another compulsive read from an author who seems to do no wrong. I absolutely devoured this one… You will want to clear your afternoon to read this one straight through, gave me all the Xmas feels.

For me this book had all the necessary emotions, drama and amusement that help make a book an enjoyable read. While I'm most interested in historical fiction, there are times I need a break and look for a more contemporary book, one that is romantic. Of course the fact that this book was set in France was a given for me, those are my favorite novels. It was sweet, it was perfect and I loved Saint-Chambery. My thanks to NetGalley for this charming ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Orla Bradbee, a travel writer, is sent to the remote village of Saint-Chambery, France, just before Christmas to cover a story about a pregnant reindeer and a mute man. The timing couldn’t be worse! Her parents are going through a rough patch and her younger sister, Erin, is in a relationship with someone the family knows nothing about. Orla ends up bringing Erin along for the trip and they end up running their car into Jacques, a reclusive local who mostly keeps to himself, among other things.

I loved that the story wasn’t solely focused on Orla and Jacques’ romance but also on the relationships within the close-knit community and their loyalty to one another. The romance is wonderful and you know I love that but with all the other relationships it felt like this was just so much more.

There is plenty of humor, heartbreak, and an ending that made my heart glad. This is a must read !

By the time Orla arrives in France, the reader knows about her job, her family and the problems they are experiencing. We also learn a little about Jacques, although he retains his mystique until later in the story. I like the quirky characters, the contemporary relevance and the evocative festive setting. It's a story that gradually immerses you in the characters' lives. It's an enjoyable wintry read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

A sweet story of love finding two people, both not looking for love. The meddling and sweet hearted shopkeeper in a small French village uses her wits to bring an English journalist to the village with the intention of matchmaking her with a handsome, recluse. Neither of them is looking for love or romance but the power of chemistry and of opposites attracting are forces too hard to battle.
I voluntary read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.