Absolutely obsessed with this one! The cover and storyline is adorable. I have been recommending this one to all my friends now that it is out.

I have enjoyed previously read books by Kate Galley, but this one just didn’t click with me as much as I had hoped. I think it fell flat for me and the characters just didn’t appeal to me. Though I enjoy books with older women exploring life and the mix of female friendships, the plot just didn’t achieve anything exciting. But this is a light and fairly quick read, so it might be something you would enjoy reading on a quiet Saturday afternoon.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Contemporary
Fiction
Humor
Mystery
Mystery Thriller
Women’s Fiction

EXCERPT: Dorothy let her eyes scan the wanted advertisement for a second time before she clicked her mouse to exit the page. She sat back in her late husband's chair, her fingers resting on his walnut desk as she looked out of the window down the stretch of garden to the boathouse.
So, it was official, Meredith and Gerald really did need a companion. Dorothy's friend Barbara had been right when she'd spoken to her on the phone; it wasn't just gossip. The ad didn't mention the book, though. Barbara had heard that Meredith was writing her memoir and she had suggested it was going to be a tell-all affair. Dorothy shuddered at the thought.
They had made a pact not to ever talk about what they had done in the summer of 1970, but perhaps Meredith had changed her mind. Dorothy hadn't seen her for years. How could she know what she might or might not write about now?
Of course, Gina must go; she was perfect for the position. As soon as the thought entered Dorothy's head, she felt a pang of guilt. Gina Knight - the woman Dorothy had dismissed as a mousy nobody when she'd first seen her, had since become one of her greatest friends and was now occupying the boathouse at the end of Dorothy's garden. If she could get Gina to accept the role and fly to the south of France, she would be in the perfect place to report back to Dorothy on the contents of this memoir.
Was it too much to ask her new friend? She pushed her chair back and reached for her walking stick, which she'd left propped against the filing cabinet. Dorothy was eighty-nine and only operated at one speed now, and she used it to get her out of Philip's office and down the garden to the boathouse. This might very well be asking too much of her new friend, but there was a lot at stake and she was going to ask, regardless.

ABOUT 'THE OLD GIRLS' CHATEAU ESCAPE': Two old friends. One unexpected adventure!

When, at the age of 71, Gina Knight's husband of four decades left her unexpectedly, she thought her life over. Until she met Dorothy Reed – a woman so full of the joie de vivre you'd think she was 21, not nearly 90. Gina would do anything for Dorothy. So when Dorothy suggests she take on the role of companion for one of Dorothy's old friends, Gina sees no reason to say no.

Meredith Harper is a successful writer, living in Provence, and needs help looking after her husband, whose health is deteriorating. But when Gina arrives at the grand chateau, it becomes clear that Dorothy has not given Gina the full story. Because Meredith is also writing her memoirs, and Dorothy wants to know the contents before anyone else. So much so, she's sent Gina to spy.

But what secrets is Meredith keeping? And will Gina be able to find out the truth before her cover's blown?

MY THOUGHTS: This is the fourth book I have read by Kate Galley, and they have all been exceptional reads. Galley has the knack of creating characters that I would like to hang out with and get to know better; characters I would like to join on their jaunts and spend more time with.

Dorothy is quite entitled and more than a little bossy and interfering, but she has a good and generous heart. Gina is also good-hearted, plus a calming influence and a problem solver. But when asked to try and uncover certain information, she has some reservations. I was suspicious of Adele (as the author intended) an English woman in the villa beside Gina's and who seems to have far too many questions about Meredith and Gerald and, at one point, Lucien, the acting hotel manager.

There is a lovely storyline involving old and fractured friendships, dementia, teenage pregnancy, adoption, miscarriages, and a gambling addiction, with a raft of thefts thrown in for good measure. There's always something going on and, although these are all serious subjects, Galley manages to keep the tone of the novel upbeat and uplifting.

I'm sure we're going to see many more adventures involving Gina and Dorothy and I, for one, can't wait!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#BRANDNEWfromKateGalley #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Kate Galley lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband, children and Meg, their Patterdale Terrier. Much of Kate's inspiration comes from the many varied lives of her clients as a mobile hairdresser, and the inspiration for this book came from one woman's tale of a hilarious Christmas coach trip.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Boldwood Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Golden Girls Road Trip by Kate Galley for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

I am not sure what happened but when I went looking to read this book earlier in the year, I could not find it anywhere. All of a sudden, I saw it in my library and jumped at the chance to read and review. I loved the original story of Gina and Dorothy and their friendship. They found each other at delicate times in their lives and Gina, 71, and Dorothy, late 80s, found their best mates.

Gina is still trying to figure out what to do with her life after her husband Douglas left to “find himself”. She lives in Dorothy’s boat house so when Dorothy asked her to go to Provence to be a companion to two old friends of hers, Gina accepted. Dorothy and the friends have been estranged for decades and her friend Meredith is writing her memoirs. There is something that Dorothy did for which she is ashamed and wants to ensure the story will not be revealed in the book.

The characters are rich and fully formed. Gina, the bastion of caring and good sense, once again solves problems and brings people together. And in a wonderfully satisfying bit, she finally gets a chance to give Douglas some of his own back. You go girl. I love the old girls and hope they continue to behave badly. It is so much fun when they do. Five purrs and two paws up.

The follow up to Old Girls' Behaving Badly and another good romp through life. Gina is one of life's fixers and doesn't know it. Newly separated, aged 71, she became companion to the incorrigible Dorothy in the first book. Now Dorothy is encouraging her to to sign up as companion to her estranged friend Meredith in the south of France for a few weeks. And so begins another adventure, investigation and lovely story. It's heartening to see Gina discover the woman she can be. #netgalley #oldgirlschateauescape

Another brilliant light read from Kate Galley!! Another favourite author added to my list. I do hope these tales keep coming from “the old girls”

The Old Girls' Chateau Escape is a delightful and fun stories about two senior women who are living their lives to the fullest, even when they're up there in age. It's really a celebration of women friendships, humanity, and how we all relate to each other.

This was such a lighthearted, funny book that I found myself enjoying The characters were wonderful, the splashes of mystery were fun, and the entire plot felt refreshing. I particularly loved the relationship between Gina and Dorothy- it felt authentic, raw, and like I would fit in despite being generations younger.

Kate Galley's writing is very easy to relax with, making this a perfect vacation read. At no point did the story feel too heavy and left me feeling quite warm and fuzzy.

Gina is beginning to wonder if she can really justify her position as companion when Dorothy asks her if she would do something for her In Dorothy’s somewhat checkered past there are things she would rather keep quiet about. Now one of the group, who is a famous author is about to write her memoirs. She needs assistance caring for her husband, who has dementia as well as helping with the memoirs. Can Gina go and find out what is in this story.
Gina goes to France and finds herself in the midst of a mystery.
This was a fun read with some interesting characters and a great setting. It was an enjoyable read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this book.

The Old Girls' Chateau Escape is book two of a series, but can be read independently. 71 year old Gina serves as a "companion" to Dorothy, who is 89. Dorothy asks Gina to go to Provence to temporarily serve as a companion to her old friend, Meredith, whose daughter and son-in-law have been called out of the country after their son suffers an accident. Apparently, Meredith is writing her memoirs, and Dorothy is concerned that something in her past will be shared by Meredith in her book.

This book serves up a little mystery as we follow the happenings at the hotel in Provence where all this takes place. A fun read!

Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of this title!

In the latest book starring Gina Knight and Dorothy Reed, readers travel to France with Gina as she takes on a new position as a companion to Dorothy’s friend Meredith Harper, a successful writer in Provence looking after her ailing husband. However, Dorothy has left out some important information that Gina needs to know, since Meredith is writing her memoirs and Dorothy needs to know what is in it before they are published. Gina must negotiate her friendship with Dorothy, her developing working relationship with Meredith, and her own adventures in Provence in this funny, charming, and deeply enjoyable continuation of the Old Girls series. Once again, the characters are the star of this novel, and readers will love this new location and new adventure that Gina explores with a host of new faces. As the spy mission for Dorothy and local mysteries in Provence appear, readers will love the different storylines that Kate Galley weaves throughout this fantastic and fun new read. Excellently written, deeply enjoyable, and absolutely chaotic, this book is a great mix of female friendships, ridiculous hijinks in the name of friendship, and emotional and personal growth for a host of characters that readers are sure to love.

Once again the author delivers a fun story with a mystery or two. Dorothy is off on a cruise and persuades Gina to take a companion job in the south of France for an old friend of hers. One she hasn’t spoken to in decades. Being a pushy busybody employer/ friend, Gina agrees to Dorothy’s request. Of course she also wants Gina to discover what Meredith is writing in her memoirs. There is a secret that Dorothy doesn’t want revealed and doesn’t even tell Gina what it is.
A difficult task if you don’t know. Once in France and she meets Meredith and her husband Gerald, who has early stages of dementia. She feels guilty with her promise to Dorothy and still undecided if she will do it. Meredith is a bit standoffish, but being that she broke her arm and needs help she relents and allows Gina to help.
There are other mysteries surrounding Gina stay at the hotel and she is drawn into helping solve them. To me it’s fun to read about senior citizens, as one myself. There is still a lot to enjoy in life and the author gets that message nicely across. Thank you #NetGalley and #BoldwoodBooks for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own. #OldGirlsChateauEscape

Sequel to Old Girls Behaving Badly, an old friend of Dorothy's is planning to write her memoirs and Dorothy, afraid of what might come out about herself in Meredith's book, urges Gina to take a job as Meredith's companion and find out what she is planning to write. Gina heads to France to help out with Meredith's husband who has dementia, while Meredith herself recovers from an injury at a hotel owned by her daughter. There are also various dramas going on at the hotel itself, with the acting manager owing money to someone and things disappearing from guests' rooms. There were kind of a lot of smaller plotlines and maybe too much about the stuff at the hotel. Overall on par with the first book, a mostly light, quick read. 3 stars.

The Old Girls Chateau Escape is the second book by Kate Galley featuring octogenarian Dorothy Reed and septuagenarian Gina Knight. In this story Dorothy asks Gina to apply for a short stint as companion to Dorothy’s old friend Meredith Harper and her husband Gerald. Dorothy is recovering from a broken arm and Gerald is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. While Gina is in Provence at the Hotel and Spa du Cezanne, Dorothy has asked Gina to report back to her on the memoir Meredith is rumored to be writing.

Upon arrival in Marseilles, Gina is picked up from the airport by the interim hotel manager Lucien DuBois, nephew of Meredith’s son-in-law Hugo, hotel owner. Rose, Meredith and Gerald’s daughter, has insisted her parents relocate to France so that she is available to help them. However, soon after Meredith and Gerald’s arrival, Rose and Hugo are called away when their son, Oliver, is involved in a serious accident, which is why Gina has been engaged to help in their absence.

While at the resort, Gina has been tasked to get the elderly couple out in their new surroundings and to help them adjust in their new home. With Dorothy’s broken arm, another task of Gina’s will be to transcribe the daily recordings Dorothy does. Gina’s tasks are not too time intensive so to fill her days she befriends Lucien as well as fellow cottage guest Adele. Both seem to have mysteries to solve, and Gina is very good at problem solving.

This is another lovely tale with some important serious threads woven through a fun adventure. With well crafted characters and a lovely Mediterranean setting, this beautifully plotted story is a real tribute to the joie de vivre of ladies of a certain age. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

This is the second book in the Old Girls Behaving Badly series, and follows up after the first book, with Gina now settled in living in her friends back apartment. Well, that is until Dorothy needs her to go on a mission- to France! This charming book will quickly have you enraptured as Gina tries to not only do her new job correctly, but adapt to living in a foreign place, while her life is still upended. Add in a few mysteries to be solved, and you have an adorable page turner featuring charming elder characters! I can't wait to see what the girls get up to next!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it's a real page turner. Full of mystery, secrets and good people, I couldn't put it down.

What a lovely story. Gina takes a companion job looking after Meredith and her husband, however they end up finding out so much about each other and Meredith’s background. A feel good read, made me tear up a few times.

The Old Girl’s Chateau Escape by Kate Galley is an entertaining story of a young (71) woman who has accepted a short-term position as a companion to a woman and her husband who is in the throes of dementia. Her friend, Dorothy, has sent her to determine if Meredith, her employer, is going to include a secret from their pasts in the memoir she is writing. Meredith is a romance writer of some fame so the book would be widely read. Gina, the companion, had no idea what she was looking for. Dorothy said she’d recognize it if she read it. At the chateau/hotel in France they all met a myriad of interesting people and it is those people and their stories that made the book such fun. Gina was finally able to persuade Meredith to let the both of them join her on some excursions and that proved to be highly successful. Gerald was not as far gone as Meredith assumed, and she lightened up and became friendlier. It was a fun read.

Gerald, Meredith, and Dorothy are all nearing 90 so 71 is young, to begin with. And they all seem young as the story is told. There is a loose plot, but it is more about the people and their problems than anything. Simply by being observant, Gina helps Lucien, the interim manager of the chateau, solve a strong of robberies that made the place look bad. Entertaining story, good characters, light reading. Just plain fun!

I was invited to read The Old Girl’s Chateau Escape by Boldwood Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BoldwoodBooks #KateGalley #TheOldGirlsChateauEscape

A multi-layered storyline, wonderful characters with stacks of hilarity and emotion thrown in for good measure. Such an easy read.

The Old Girls' Chateau Escape by Kate Galley is a heartwarming and witty tale about friendship, second chances, and the secrets we keep. Gina Knight, a woman facing life’s unexpected challenges at 71, finds herself thrust into an adventure that turns out to be far more complicated than she anticipated. After her husband of four decades leaves her, Gina meets Dorothy Reed, an energetic, free-spirited woman who convinces her to take a job as a companion to a famous writer in Provence.

Gina’s task seems simple enough—help Meredith Harper, a successful author, with her husband’s health. However, Dorothy has other plans. She’s asked Gina to spy on Meredith, who is secretly writing her memoirs, and Dorothy wants to know what’s in them before anyone else. As Gina settles into her new role at the grand chateau, the story unravels with humor, intrigue, and a touch of mystery.

Galley skillfully explores themes of loyalty, trust, and personal reinvention, especially for women who may feel their best years are behind them. The charming setting in Provence adds a layer of magic to the story, and the dynamics between Gina, Dorothy, and Meredith are both heartfelt and suspenseful. The Old Girls' Chateau Escape is a delightful read that proves it’s never too late for a new adventure—especially when it involves uncovering secrets and discovering the strength within yourself.

I had no idea this was part of a series when I started, so promptly purchased Old Girls Behaving Badly to get the full picture of just how bad Dot and Gina actually are.

It's such a refreshing change to have a couple of elderly ladies at the helm, they're usually written off after a certain age. But septuagenarian Gina and octogenarian Dot dispel those rumours and are filled with joie de vivre!

I absolutely loved it! It's thoroughly enjoyable, fun and written with humour and charm.