Book review of Where Do We Go From Here by Nick Alexander

Where Do We Go From Here by Nick Alexander

Where Do We Go From Here by Nick Alexander

When all seems lost, can she find herself again?

For years, Wendy has put others first. A loving wife, mother and nurse, she has never taken time for herself. But now with her children flying the nest, she decides, alone, to rent a little house in a forgotten corner of the French Alps where she can try and answer the question: what next?

But when she arrives, Wendy starts to regret her decision. This retreat suddenly looks so very different from the dream. As she walks the hill paths alone, thoughts of her family leave her with a pang in her chest.

With no one else to care for, Wendy is suddenly forced to confront something she’s tried her best to hide: the real reason her family is falling apart. Is she strong enough to face it alone?

Then, just when she thinks she’s hit rock bottom, she discovers that help can come from the most unlikely places: a newfound friendship giving her the strength to start again. Wendy always thought she knew how her story would end but she’s learning that this is only the beginning.

An absolutely heartbreaking and uplifting story about love, loss, unlikely friendships and finding strength you never knew you had. Perfect for fans of Mike Gayle, Amanda Prowse and Matt Haig. 

My review

Wow, I have to admit that it has been a while since I read a Nick Alexander book and although they have never disappointed, this one turned out to be a much more powerful  read than I was expecting.

To begin with I felt sorry for Wendy, acclimatising to time alone in her mountain cabin, in the wilds of the Alps, just above Nice, although I enjoyed the memories the views of her vistas gave me of our holidays in the area. As her story was revealed, I felt hurt and angry for her, at the traumas she witnessed as a nurse in England during the pandemic and her family’s seemingly lack of understanding at what she experienced. Then things took a darker, more difficult twist. I don’t think this is a spoiler, but I do feel there should be a trigger warning for alcohol issues in the description of this book, meaning that at times it wasn’t an easy read.

Where Do We Go From Here by Nick Alexander

Wendy wasn’t always an easy character to like, but there was an ever-present optimism in my head that she would find the signs she was hoping for, and in doing so “find herself”. The people she met in France, or those from her past who she tried to reconnect with, all had interesting stories to throw into the mix of emotions that this book stirred within me. It was a page-turner, but not how I imagined it would be. 

If you are looking for something a bit grittier and more grown-up than cosy, and that is guaranteed to make you think, then add this book to your kindle today.

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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  

Nick Alexander is a bestselling British Author of nineteen novels. He has sold more than two million copies of his books to date. His works have been translated into nine different languages and he has had bestsellers in France, Germany and Norway.

Nick lives in a sleepy village in the southern French Alps with his partner, three cats and a mischief of screechy magpies that the cats just love to hate.

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Where Do We Go From Here by Nick Alexander

Book review of Secrets Beneath a Riviera Sky by Jennifer Bohnet

Secrets Beneath a Riviera Sky by Jennifer Bohnet

Secrets Beneath a Riviera Sky by Jennifer Bohnet

As one door closes, another one opens…

When Agnes Agistini receives a phone call from Theo, her brother-in-law informing her that her estranged, abusive husband Oscar has died in an accident, she feels nothing but relief. But that relief is short-lived as Oscar’s vengeance from an early grave forces Agnes to return to the place she fled from over forty years ago. A place and time she’s not keen to revisit.

At the request of a French notaires dealing with Oscar’s last will, Agnes travels to Cannes in the South of France alongside their daughter Francine and her grand-daughter Jasmine.

Agnes knows that going back will inevitably drag up deep, dark memories which she is yet to reconcile, but what choice does she have?
What she wasn’t prepared for are the family secrets that will come to light, or the cruel way in which Oscar treats her right until the bitter end.

As always Theo remains by her side, helping to navigate the myriad of bombshells Oscar leaves in his wake. But as wonderful memories begin to resurface Agnes begins to wonder if she can finally make peace with the past and find an everlasting happiness? 

Secrets Beneath a Riviera Sky by Jennifer Bohnet

My review

The title of this book perfectly sums up what you will discover inside when you meet the three generations of the Agistini women, Agnes, Francine and Jasmine. 

Their lives in Devon have always had the shadow of their French past hanging over them. For Agnes, it is the painful memories of her disastrous marriage to husband, Oscar. For Francine, it is the control her absent father had over her and for her daughter Jasmine, it is the mystery of an unknown grandfather who her mother and grandmother refuse to talk about.

With news of Oscar’s death, the three women return to Cannes, hoping to sort out the formalities of his estate and finally lay their demons to rest. However, the more they discover about Oscar’s life and the secrets from his past, the more they learn about themselves and the secrets they too have kept from each other. It soon becomes an interesting tangle of stories, with lots of grit to get stuck into as Oscar makes his presence felt from beyond the grave.

Secrets Beneath a Riviera Sky by Jennifer Bohnet

All three women are strong, likeable characters, as I’ve come to enjoy when I open a Jennifer Bohnet novel, and discovering their stories kept me turning the pages hoping they would find peace in their present lives. They don’t so much grieve for Oscar, but as his life unravels, it enables them to understand each other, accept the changes thrust upon them and find ways to forge new futures. All this with the backdrop of the French Riviera, the cafés, markets and food – it was a pleasure to escape to Cannes, and this is another Jennifer Bohnet book I can recommend.

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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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Jennifer Bohnet

 

Author Bio  

Jennifer Bohnet is the international bestselling author of twenty-one novels, including 'Secrets Beneath A Riviera Sky', 'A French Adventure', 'Summer at the Château', ‘Villa of Sun and Secrets' and 'A Riviera Retreat'. Jennifer's stories usually span the generations with characters ranging in age and having to cope with unexpected problems in their lives - but there is always a hopeful ending, even if there are tears before. Living in France for twenty-five years she has happily adapted to the French lifestyle including the long lunches with friends and the wine.

Here are some of my reviews of Jennifer’s previous novels (all of which I recommend).

A French Adventure 

Summer on the French Riviera 

Christmas on the Riviera 

Villa of Second Chances 

Summer at the Château 

A French Country Escape

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Secrets Beneath a Riviera Sky by Jennifer Bohnet

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.

Purchase links

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.

Amazon purchase link 

My books  

 

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