I did enjoy this book but it was quite slow and far-fetched. It was also quite predictable but I didn’t mind that so much. I liked the description of the little French town and the bookshop and thought it was very cute. It just wasn’t a very exciting book.

Loved this so much, although it took a while to get into it, the patience was worth it!
If you love books, France and a easy romcom read this is for you.

3.5 - I’m a broken record. Give me a book about books or a bookshop and I’m sold. This one was cute, but a little too predictable from early on.

The Little Provence Book Shop is a cute, cozy read that centers on family as much as it does on finding oneself. The main character, Adeline, makes a sudden move with her daughter to a small town in France after securing a job at a local bookshop there. The owner of the bookshop, Monique, has a magical quality about her and the ability to understand people – to read them – in a way that almost feels supernatural.

Working for Monique is just one of the elements that has a profound effect on Adeline, who goes on a journey to find herself and learn a little about forgiveness along the way.

The story is heartwarming, and it’s a fast, light read. Overall, it’s enjoyable enough, though considering the unique setting, it has a disappointing lack of descriptions and detail. The book is set in a small French town where everyone knows everyone else, and the characters are all generally colorful. Yet, instead of being able to really fall in love with that setting – one that’s also extremely impactful since it’s so different from what our main character is used to – the story is dialogue-heavy and moves a little too quickly.

Adeline’s journey is also not as powerful as it feels like it should be, probably because, all things considered, the reader doesn’t get to know her all that well. Her character, and all of the characters for that matter, aren’t very well-fleshed out. Reading this book, I just kept waiting for more.

The novel does have a few twists that keep things engaging, and there’s a great payoff at the end that leaves the reader feeling satisfied.

Gillian Harvey is an author I only discovered earlier this year when I read The Riviera House Swap. She is a prolific author who writes escapist stories often set in France.

The story centres around Monique the mysterious bookshop owner and Adeline a young English woman who has taken a job as her assistant in the shop. Having recently discovered that she is adopted with a French birth mother Adeline has moved from England, to take this job in France to try and come to terms with the revelation. Along with her daughter Lilli they quickly settle in and Adeline discovers some surprising things about herself along the way.

A touch of escapism that will appeal to those looking for a quick mood enhancing read.

With thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and the author for the opportunity to read and review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Little Provence Book Shop. I enjoyed reading about Adeline and Lily and their move to France. I love reading about other countries and people's adventures. I loved that the book focused on a Bookshop and its occupants. I do think it can be a feeling or a gift to help someone find the right book for their situation, so I love to see Adeline start to do this. This was the first book I read by Gillian Harvey and I can not wait to read more.

what a cosy read, like a hug in a book!
adeline is slightly lost in life so runs away to fond herslef but she finds a whole lot more!
a fun read of family, fear, love and a little bit of magic

Adaline arrives in a small village in Provence with her daughter Lilli. She's discovered something she didn't know about her family.
She is running away and applied on a whim for a job in the bookshop.
I really liked this story, and Monique's ability to help people through books and crystals.
I also liked Adaline and enjoyed seeing her flourish.
This book has likeable characters and interesting descriptions of the bookshop, food and clothes it was a really quick read.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley

The Little Provence Bookshop is a gently told story of family, finding your roots and rediscovering yourself in the face of grief. Central to the story is Adeline, who only discovered she was adopted after the woman she always thought was her mother died following a lng illness. As the story opens, Adeline, who has always lived in London and worked as a teacher, is taking a new direction, moving to the small Provençal town of La Vienne to work at La Petite Librairie, a quirky book shop owned by Monique, who is also a central character. Monique had a child at the age of sixteen and her baby was adopted out against her will. Both Adeline and Monique feel a connection, something that is strengthened throughout the book as Adeline begins looking for her French birth mother and also discovering her intuitive side. There are plenty of lovely supporting characters including Lili, Adeline’s five year -old daughter, Monique’s nephew Michel and André, the local boulangier patissier. The story itself moves quite slowly, matching the pace of lfe in a small French town. It’s a book to relax with and savour and one that embraces the power of love and friendship.

There are a lot of books around set in bookshops nowadays but this was a bit different. Not a love story, or running from a broken romance. Adeline impulsively moves to France with her 5 year old daughter, Lily, to work in a small town book shop. Her mother has recently died and Adeline has found things that have changed her life. Monique the bookshop owner is in some ways a strange lady. Very intuitive and with her own way of living life. The two women and Lily form a relationship and help each other through the trials of life. With an unexpected consequence. A gentle read. #netgalley #thelittleprovencebookshop

"The Little Provence Book" by Gillian Harvey has the magic of transportating you to another world. It gives you the feeling of personally being in a small french town, where everyone knows everyone.
This was my first read of this author and I am definitely not disappointed: we have the story of a woman, Adeline, who moves from a big city like London to a small town in France after discovering some life changing news.
I really enjoyed this book, although I would have loved to read more details about the other characters (which were so likeable!)
The beginning could seem a bit slow, but keep reading and you will not regret it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity of reading this arc in exchange of a honest review.

Healing with a beautiful country. I enjoyed reading this book and learn the dynamics between the characters and the struggles with life and coming to terms with a secret. It’s a quick read but I still wasn’t able to read it in a couple of sittings as I found it hard to stick with the story

After discovering the truth about her background after her mom passes away, Adeline takes off for Provence with her daughter Lilli to work in a bookshop. There, she gets to know the other locals and learns more about herself.


This is the third book I’ve read by this author, and I’ve enjoyed them all. I enjoyed being transported back to Provence. The main characters, Monique and Adeline, worked in a bookshop where the owner could sense what the clients needed to read to help them. I would’ve loved to see her romantic interests be more well-developed, but overall, I enjoyed the story. It makes me want to take off to France and work in a bookshop.
I look forward to reading more by the author.


Thanks to @rachelsrandomresources, @netgalley, @boldwoodbooks, and the author of this ARC.

I just love this authors books so when her latest book came out called The Little Provence Book Shop by Gillian Harvey, I had to clear my day and dive into her book. WoW it did not disappoint! It was a wonderful read from the very first few pages. Gillian writes from her heart and this one was no different, it was a beautiful read.

As the sun rises over the little Provence village where single mother Adeline has escaped with her little girl Lily, she breathes deeply. This is their new beginning. Here, she can forget the lies her family told her. Here, she can start her story again.

Later she opens the door to the town’s tiny bookstore, where she is to work, ready to meet the mysterious owner Monique for the first time.

She expected an ordinary bookshop. But this bookstore feels somehow different… magical. Breathing in the smell of books, she feels a jolt of something. It feels like a new chapter beginning.

WoW......Take me to this book shop in a little village in Provence!

I highly recommend this book a great holiday read.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and especially Boldwood Books, for the ARC.

I received The Little Provence Bookshop through NetGalley, and while I found it a pleasant read, it didn’t quite stick with me the way I hoped. That said, there’s a lot to love about this book, especially if you enjoy stories with beautiful settings and themes of second chances.

The Provence village, with its magical bookstore and colorful locals, really pulled me in. I could easily picture the warm sun, lavender fields, and the quaint, tiny shop where Adeline starts her new life. Adeline’s journey is one of finding herself again after running away from the lies of her past, and while the plot twists around her family secrets added some interest, I found the story a bit predictable at times.

The setting is lovely — you can almost feel the warm sun and smell the lavender fields through Harvey’s descriptions. There’s something magical about the little bookstore where Adeline begins working, and the quirky characters in the village, from the charming André to the friendly Michel, add a nice touch. But if I’m being honest, the book didn’t leave a deep mark on me. It was enjoyable in the moment, but I didn’t find myself thinking about it much afterward. That’s not to say it wasn’t good — it just didn’t quite hit that sweet spot for me.

Now, let’s get into a little spoiler territory! The central mystery of Adeline’s past was intriguing, and the gradual revelations about her family’s lies did keep me invested. But as much as I wanted to root for her fresh start, the plot twists felt a bit predictable. Adeline’s romantic connection with André was sweet, but also somewhat expected — there wasn’t much tension or surprise in their relationship. Monique, the mysterious bookstore owner, had so much potential to add a real magical element, but in the end, her character didn’t quite deliver the impact I hoped for.

That said, I think the book shines in its atmosphere. If you're a fan of small-town settings with a dash of whimsy and light drama, The Little Provence Bookshop could be a perfect escape. For me, it was good, but not exactly the kind of story I’ll remember for a long time.

I found this book slow to get into and lost interest, I kept meaning to go back to finish it but dont find myself thinking about the book at all so I have not picked it up and the characters were quite forgettable

Cute. Predictable.

Adeline moves to France with her daughter Lili to find herself after learning she was adopted. There she finds a home with the small community and her boss at the town bookshop. She learns who she is, who her real mother is and maybe even starts to believe in magic a little.

The Little Provence Book Shop is an adorable read, perfect for a cosy evening, or a sunny afternoon, it’s a beautiful story about about adoption and family, full of gorgeous descriptions of Provence. I just wanted to go to the bookshop and wander down the cobbled streets.

I loved Adeline and Monique, but I loved Monique the most, could be her idea of books healing is something I’ve always believed in (full NHS supporter here I believe in modern medicine, just that books have a beautiful power too) I loved the fact she too loves crystals and seemed a free spirit.

This is a heartwarming story, such a delight to read and so touching, about finding out where you belong and what true family is. Wonderful!

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

A charming read about a bookstore in France that gives off its own special breed of magic.
Adeline ran from England because of disturbing news she discovered and starts over with daughter Lili.
I liked the mystique of Monique and her special brand of bibliotherapy.
It was fairly easy to predict most of the story but I disagreed with whom Adeline ended up with. I was Team M all the way. That did surprise me because I really thought M would win in the end.
It’s a quick read about finding family and also realizing family is more than blood ties.

The Little Provence Book Shop - a small town novel about a woman trying to find herself again after finding out some shocking news after her mother's death.

I loved the setting - small provencial town - and the small side sorry of her romance. Being a romance novel lover, I would have preferred this area to have been a bit meatier. I felt like an after thought. The story was easy to read, however I felt it was a bit drawn out especially in the beginning. The relationship between Adeline and her daughter was adorable and sweet.

Whilst I liked the overall arching storyline of adoption and finding blood relatives, I did feel like the ending was a little predictable and also outlandish. I personally didn't like the 'magic' element to it as it felt out of place and was quite a large focus of the book.

I rated it 3 out of five.
Thank you to Net Galley for the Advanced Reader Copy.