Book review of Under a Riviera Moon by Helen McGinn

Under a Riviera Moon by Helen McGinn

Under a Riviera Moon by Helen McGinn

When a heartsick Maggie is sent on an errand by her mother to Cannes, she is keen to get it over with as quickly as possible.

She has been tasked with collecting a treasured box of photos from her late grandmother Elizabeth’s best friend, the impossibly glamorous Allegra Morgon who is desperate to tell Maggie all about the year she and Elizabeth spent in Paris. The sixties were in full swing, the air hummed with jazz, artists and students made the streets their own, and the City of Love was weaving its magic. And against this backdrop, two people were beginning a love story that would last a lifetime - but be over too soon.

As Maggie hears more about Allegra’s life, first in Paris, then New York, and finally on the Riviera, she is captivated and inspired. Was life always leading Maggie to this moment, this beautiful place so she could finally learn to stop living in the past? Because if she can, then another love story for the ages might just be within her reach…

Helen McGinn’s deliciously escapist, unashamedly romantic story is perfect for fans of Carol Kirkwood, Karen Swan and Erica James. 

Under a Riviera Moon by Helen McGinn

My review

Maggie is at a low, both personally and professionally, so as a favour to her mother agrees to a few days on the French Riviera, to collect a box of her late grandmother’s possessions. What she hopes will give her a change of scenery, turns into an adventure from the moment she meets the enigmatic Allegra.

As the sun sets on Allegra’s terrace in the old part of Cannes, the wine is poured, the stories begin to flow, and Maggie’s eyes are opened to a life lived in a different era. Paris in the 1960’s is alive with jazz clubs, art, but also political unrest. It is also where a chance meeting brings together four young people with passion and ideas, whose lives are on the brink of change. 

Under a Riviera Moon by Helen McGinn

Allegra now has the wisdom of old age, so as well as sharing the passions and heartbreaks she has experienced, she also encourages Maggie to open up about her heartache. This is a crucial step in helping her move forward from a traumatic period and begin her healing. I loved watching Maggie slowly come back to life as she enjoyed her time with Allegra.

This is a beautifully written dual time-line novel, whose characters piqued my interest, especially the wonderful Allegra, and I was easily immersed into their stories. Be warned, this book is not your usual love story, but it will make you think and reflect on the importance of living your best life every day.

I’ll be looking out for more books from Helen.

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Helen McGinn

Author Bio  

Helen McGinn is a wine writer, international wine judge and author of the award-winning Knackered Mother’s Wine Guide. She spent almost a decade sourcing wines around the world as a supermarket buyer and appears regularly on BBC1's Saturday Kitchen and ITV's This Morning as their wine expert. She writes about drinks for Waitrose Food Magazine among others and awards include Fortnum & Mason’s Online Drink Writer of the Year. Her bestselling debut novel This Changes Everything was published in February 2021 and her second fiction book In Just One Day later that same year. This Is Us, her third novel, was released in September 2022 and her fourth, The Island of Dreams, in February 2024. 

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Under a Riviera Moon by Helen McGinn

Book review of From Provence, With Love by Alison Roberts

From Provence With Love by Alison Roberts

From Provence, With Love by Alison Roberts

A lifechanging encounter, a whirlwind affair... an unexpected consequence

Laura Gilchrist has always made sensible choices. But a trip to Provence to sell an inherited stone house leads her face to face with Noah Dufour. Her wild, irresistibly attractive real estate agent. And within an instant she’s bewitched. Without a second thought, she decides she’s going to accept his offer to ride on the back of his motorbike and see the beauty of the South of France though his eyes. She’s never acted on impulse before, but Noah makes her feel spontaneous and free – and a little bit excited.

Weeks later, with the memories of their passionate fling refusing to fade, Laura waits for her life to return to normal. But she can’t shake the feeling something has changed. And then her instincts are confirmed by the sight of two blue lines. Their connection was a whirlwind; perfect yet brief. But Noah has become a chink in her buttoned-up armour and she knows her news is going to blindside him. Now she must return to Provence to find out whether they can both take a leap of faith based on one brief yet perfect holiday romance… 

From Provence With Love by Alison Roberts

My review

Having thoroughly enjoyed Falling for Provence, the first book in this series, I couldn’t wait to get back to the south of France with this author. The first book centred around Ellie, one of three sisters from Scotland who had inherited a run-down property in France. We briefly met her older sister Laura, the bossy, organised one, in the first book, but it’s in this book that we discovered more about her.

Laura was successful and in control, both in her personal life and at work as an estate agent. Noah was dark and mysterious, with something intriguing about him that Laura noticed on their first meeting. With their shared background in selling properties, working together to market the cottage the sisters had inherited was logical. What was totally illogical was the attraction they felt for each other and the sparks that flew when they were alone, allowing Laura to discover a new version of herself. Something else unexpected was the positive pregnancy test and their very different reactions to it. 

From Provence With Love by Alison Roberts

I fell instantly in love with their story that started along cobbled streets in pretty Provence villages, continued with an early morning visit to the lavender fields in full flower, but soon became an emotional journey through past traumas. There were many layers to this book, from heated passion to characters struggling to let their barriers down and deal with painful memories. I loved it all, especially the realisation that long-buried pain can begin to heal when you encounter the right person who understands where you’ve come from.

The third sister, Fi, has been rather notable by her absence in the first two books, however, the end of this book threw in a perfect hook that has me crossing my fingers that the next book will unravel her mysteries and now she has visited Provence, she too will find some happiness like her sisters.

If you enjoy emotional love stories, add this book (and book one) to your must-read list this year.

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French Village Diaries is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk at no extra cost to you.

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Alison Roberts

Author Bio  

Alison Roberts is the author of over one hundred romance novels, joining Boldwood to write ‘wish you were here’ fiction set in the South of France. 

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If you missed the first book in this series, Falling for Provence, Ellie’s story of recovery in Provence, you can read my review here. I really do recommend both of these books.

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From Provence With Love by Alison Roberts

Book review of The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner

The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner

The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner

A heart-wrenching and unforgettable story of courage, friendship and resistance, inspired by the incredible true story of a Jewish ballroom dancer in Paris during WWII, perfect for fans of The Paris Library.

Paris, 1938. Annie Mayer arrives in France with dreams of becoming a ballerina. But when the war reaches Paris, she's forced to keep her Jewish heritage a secret. Then a fellow dancer offers her a lifeline: a ballroom partnership that gives her a new identity. Together, Annie and her partner captivate audiences across occupied Europe, using her newfound fame and alias to aid the Resistance.

New York, 2012. Miriam, haunted by her past, travels from London to New York to settle her great-aunt Esther’s estate. Among Esther’s belongings, she discovers notebooks detailing a secret family history and the story of a brave dancer who risked everything to help Jewish families during the war.

As Miriam uncovers Esther’s life in Europe, she realises the story has been left for her to finish. Grappling with loss and the possibility of new love, Miriam must find the strength to reconcile her past and embrace her future. 

The Paris Dancer

My review

As she made her way to New York at the beginning of the book, it was the sadness radiating from Mim that was the first thing that struck me and pulled me in. I could feel her fragility and grief, even though at that point so much of her story is still hidden in the shadows. She was an easy character to bond with and I knew I needed to learn more about her. To begin with, the magnificence of the city seems to pale for Mim as she shuts herself away in Esther’s apartment, soon becoming lost in her great aunt’s past. 

The intrigue in Esther’s story that began in Paris just before the outbreak of the Second World War was as gripping for me as it was for Mim. They were a Jewish family who had fled persecution, and forged a new life in Paris, finding work behind the scenes in a music hall. From an early age, Esther had a feeling that she wasn’t like the rest of her family, but found her solace in her writing, something that also resonated with Mim. As she reads the scribbled memoir Esther has left her, secrets from the family spill from the pages and with neither Esther nor her sister Rebecca left to answer her questions, Mim isn’t sure where to turn. 

The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner

Her distraction comes from meeting two lively yet very different people, Bibi, her aunt’s elderly neighbour and Lucky, a dancer she sat next to on the flight. Bibi, never without a martini, always made me smile and was there to offer a different perspective on the past. Lucky just wants to help her find the dance that is hers that can free her from her sadness. I loved the way they began to explore New York through different dance experiences and how dancing was the movement that propelled this book forward, entwining both the past and the present-day storylines.

I am no dancer, but even I could feel the passion that flowed through the dancers and onto the pages. This added another layer of emotions that worked so well against the harsh reality of the difficult lives the characters were living and the decisions that were made. The consequences of which never left them.

If you enjoy historical fiction set during the Occupation, add this book to your 2025 reading list. The characters will stick with you long after you finish the last page. 

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French Village Diaries is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk at no extra cost to you.

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Nicola Rayner, The Paris Dancer

Author Bio  

Born in South Wales, Nicola Rayner is a novelist and dance writer based in London. She is the author of The Girl Before You, which was picked by the Observer as a debut to look out for in 2019, optioned for television and translated into multiple languages. Her second novel, You and Me, was published by Avon, HarperCollins, in 2020. In her day job as a journalist, Nicola has written about dance for almost two decades, cutting her teeth on the tango section of Time Out Buenos Aires. She edited the magazine Dance Today from 2010 to 2015 and worked as assistant editor of Dancing Times, the UK’s leading dance publication, from 2019 until 2022. She continues to dance everything from ballroom to breakdance, with varying degrees of finesse.

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The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner

Book review of The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin

The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin

The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin

Can you ever swear off love, in the city of love?

Coco is having a hell of a month. She’s lost her boyfriend and her business, been forced to uproot her daughter to move back in with her parents in Paris, and now an infuriatingly handsome stranger is yelling at her for acting like a tourist… Right underneath the Eiffel Tower.

Storming away from him – and swearing off men for life – she decides she’s going to take the first job that comes her way.

Then, as if fate hears her, later that day she stumbles into a little bookshop – but not any old bookshop. This one comes complete with a café, cocktail bar, reading room and secret tunnel of books, and just a little hint of magic in the air. So when Coco’s offered a job selling books there, it feels like the perfect fit.

There’s only one problem… propping up the bar in the bookshop is none other than the grumpy, gorgeous stranger she’d met earlier that day…

A totally romantic, bookish and gorgeously escapist romantic novel, set in Paris in Springtime. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, and Sarah Morgan.

The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin

My review

I can’t tell you how happy I was to be back in Paris with Rebecca Raisin. After reading a number of her novels, I just love her wonderful ability to take me away from the stresses of life and immerse me in her written world, where smiles are guaranteed along with that warm glow of feeling loved.

This time we find ourselves in a bookshop frequented by those who have lost a love, for whatever reason, and where quirky owner Valérie, knows just what to serve them to brighten their mood and restore their faith in love. It’s not just the regulars to the bookshop and book club who need her help, new member of staff, Coco, is bringing a whole load of baggage to Paris with her, following the collapse of her life in London. She is hurting and cynical, but Valérie knows the signs and just how to help the magic of healing. 

The other members of the book club are vibrant, argumentative, yet extremely protective of each other, especially when one of them needs a little extra support. They all had their different reasons for finding their way to Valérie’s door and needing the book club, and I warmed to them all. It doesn’t take Coco long to find her feet and realise how she too can help, but accepting their help for her pain is going to be a tougher ask. 

The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin

The bookshop itself was a place of dreams, full of nooks and crannies, piles of books stacked here and there, comfortable, cosy areas to read as well as a bar, where Valérie dished out her famous potions and passages. I could picture myself whiling away a day there, if only such a place really existed!

It was also nice that there was a little cameo role from Anais, owner of the literary themed boutique hotel in Rebecca’s previous novel, Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel. I do hope there will be more French escapes from Rebecca Raisin in the future.

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French Village Diaries is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk at no extra cost to you.

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Rebecca Raisin

Author Bio  

Rebecca Raisin writes heartwarming romance from her home in sunny Perth, Australia. Her heroines tend to be on the quirky side and her books are usually set in exotic locations so her readers can armchair travel any day of the week. The only downfall about writing about gorgeous heroes who have brains as well as brawn, is falling in love with them–just as well they’re fictional. Rebecca aims to write characters you can see yourself being friends with, people with big hearts who care about relationships and believe in true, once-in-a-life time love. 

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You might enjoy these previous books, also romances set in Paris, by Rebecca Raisin – read my reviews here:

A Love Letter to Paris 

Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel  

The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin

Book review of The Old Girls' Chateau Escape by Kate Galley

The Old Girls' Chateau Escape by Kate Galley

Old Girls’ Chateau Escape by Kate Galley

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?

The Old Girls' Chateau Escape by Kate Galley

My review

This is the second book about the adventures of new friends Gina and Dorothy, and despite not having read the first book, I didn’t feel it mattered (although I enjoyed this one so much, I might play catch up anyway). This time there is a mystery to solve in a Château resort in the south of France and Gina is just the one for the job, so Dorothy thinks.

To begin with, I thought Dorothy was rather dominant, persuading Gina to take the companion post in France, but the more I read, the more strength I found in Gina and the more I loved her. Despite her recent life changes, that found her alone at 71 years old, she was no pushover. She also had the ability to put people at ease and see when there were things she could help them with. This extended beyond both Dorothy and the couple she was there to help, Meredith and Gerald. Her interactions with Lucien, the hotel manager, stressed by recent mysterious disappearances at the hotel and stretched with running the resort, an upcoming event, and juggling some personal issues too, always put a smile on my face.

The Old Girls' Chateau Escape by Kate Galley

Despite the title, this wasn’t so much an escape for Gina, but it soon became clear, she wasn’t afraid of hard work and solving mysteries is obviously something she enjoys and is good at. As secrets from the past are slowly uncovered, friendships and family bonds are made, strengthened and repaired in the most heart-warming ways.

I really enjoyed getting to know Dorothy and Gina in this great fun read that made me want to pack my bags for the south of France, even if my budget wouldn’t stretch to a château resort quite as special as this one.

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French Village Diaries is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk at no extra cost to you.

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Author Bio  

Kate Galley is the author of uplifting golden years fiction, including The Second Chance Holiday Club. She was previously published by Aria, and is a mobile hairdresser in her spare time.

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The Old Girls' Chateau Escape