The French Château Escape by Gillian Harvey
The French Château Escape by Gillian Harvey
Click: buy... a fifteen bedroom chateau
Condition: ‘may require improvement’
It seems like a good idea. Sell everything we own. Swap our modern little London flat for an entire chateau in the middle of France.
It’s always been our dream. And now it’s coming true. Because who wouldn’t want this?
As I use the rusty key to open the big, creaking wooden door of the fairytale chateau that’s officially our new home, I wonder: what could possibly go wrong?
Turns out my grasp of the language isn’t brilliant but I’d guess that the French for this is probably: L’EVERYTHING.
As the French sun blazes overhead, one thing’s for sure: it’s going to be a year to remember...
 |
| The French Château Escape by Gillian Harvey |
My Review
You know how much I love a château in France, well, it’s no surprise that I also have a thing for books set in French châteaux too. Imagine my delight to discover there is château at the heart of latest book from Gillian Harvey, whose romantic novels set in France, I’ve fallen in love with. This one was a much anticipated and very much enjoyed read, that had the added bonus of being set near Angouleme, which is almost on our doorstep. It’s always exciting to read a book set in our lesser known, but equally beautiful area of France.
In this emotional and entertaining read, Emma and Mark, fall under the spell of a château that needs their love, attention, and a lot of their money. I know all too well the leaks, creaks and noises, that come with château life - and I only work in one rather than having the responsibility of maintaining one. It would be fair to say Mark was the captain of their dream, motivated by his need to protect Emma, whose health was suffering with the stresses of her job in the UK. I know he meant well, but really, the endless jobs and French paperwork that come with an old building, what was he thinking.
When reality hits, things get a bit strained, but what I really loved about this book was the emotions it stirred in me when a new Emma began to emerge from the ashes of a bit of a disaster. As she learned to live with what she, and everyone else, had always thought of as her weaknesses, she soon found herself and her strengths, and that put a huge smile on my face. It is wonderful to have a knight in shining armour to protect you, but it’s a powerful feeling to realise you are stronger than you believed.
There are lots of surprises in this book that catch Emma and Mark out, and I thoroughly enjoyed escaping into their life. If you’re a fan of Dick and Angel and their French château adventures on British TV, you will love this book.
 |
| Gillian Harvey |
Author Bio
Gillian Harvey is a freelance journalist and the author of two well-reviewed women’s fiction novels published by Orion. She has lived in Limousin, France for the past twelve years, from where she derives the inspiration and settings for her books. Her first title for Boldwood, A Year at the French Farmhouse, was published in September 2022.
You can read my reviews to her previous novels here:
A Year at the French Farmhouse
Social Media Links
 |
| The French Château Escape by Gillian Harvey |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please don't be shy, I love to hear from you.