Review: The French Adventure by Lucy Coleman

The French Adventure by Lucy Coleman

Release Date: 1st February 2018
Publisher: Aria Fiction

Genres: Sweet Romance / cosy mystery

Packed full of French flavour and idyllic settings this is a romantic, heart-warming and unputdownable new novel about life and love, perfect for anyone who loves Milly Johnson, Lucy Diamond and Debbie Johnson.

Suddenly unemployed and single, Anna escapes to her parents' beautiful house in France for a much-needed recharge – and to work out what she wants to do next with her life now her carefully mapped out plan has gone out the window.

Anna gives herself 6 months to recuperate, all the while helping renovate her parents' adjoining gites into picturesque B&Bs. But working alongside the ruggedly handsome Sam on the renovation project, she didn't expect for life to take an unexpected, if not unwelcome, twist...

EXCERPT

The L Word

Two weeks today will be the first anniversary of our first real date. Being wined and dined in a chic little French restaurant was a gigantic step forward; it signalled the beginning of a new era in my relationship with Karl. Even though at least half of the meal was spent talking about work, his intentions were clear – we were no longer simply colleagues and romance was in the air.

Since then, Karl must have told me that he loves me more than a thousand times. You might think I’m exaggerating, but I can assure you that’s not the case. He usually manages to slip it into the conversation at least three times a day. The first time he said the L word to me, it slid off his tongue so easily I could almost have missed it. It wasn’t a staring into each other’s eyes moment of discovery, just a casual ‘love you, babe’.

As the months rolled by, I pushed aside my growing fear that it was only a word to him. Because it means so much more to me, I freeze whenever he tacks it onto a sentence.

And, yes, I’m very aware that my air of disapproval does make me sound ungrateful and undeserving. But it’s all about self-preservation, you see. I’ll never utter that word again until I’m one hundred per cent certain that the man I’m saying it to believes I’m their soul mate too – the perfect fit.

The last time I uttered the L word, was six years ago. It was to a guy I’d known since childhood and the man I genuinely believed I would marry when the time was right. He was handsome in a rugged way, fired up with ambition and exciting to be around. Sadly, everyone we knew thought we were the perfect couple too, except the guy in question, as it turned out…

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Let me just start this review off with a massive WOW! Just so you get a bit of a flavour of how much I enjoyed this book.

Anna is one of those people who just doesn't believe anyone could possibly love her. Her boyfriend Karl is forever telling her, trying to reassure her but for Anna it just doesn't seem real. Her relationship with Karl is a secret, both fearful of upsetting their careers if their bosses ever found out. However, Anna quits her job, dumps Karl and takes off on an adventure to France to help her parents with their new B & B venture.  Her first task once there is to set up the new holiday cottages and to do that she must work alongside Sam. Anna's well mapped out, well planned future changes more than she could ever have predicted.

Lucy Coleman has captured so much in this beautifully written book. Anna's frustration of her life and her fear of being hurt again are very palpable. We've all been there with uncertainties about relationships and what direction our lives are heading. How many of us actually do something about it?  Anna does despite her fear and this is what I loved about this character. The author has created for me a modern day heroine. Someone who we all secretly aspire to be like. How many times have you just wanted to ditch your life and disappear somewhere beautiful and start again!?

The development of Anna and Sam's friendship was an interesting one that I thought moved at just the right pace. Sam's life hasn't been all plain sailing either and he carries his own secret and is fighting is own demons. And as if this story didn't have enough, there's a mystery around a little wooden box. This book just ticked all the boxes for me. Well written, romantic, wonderful characterization, gorgeous setting and a story that kept me interested and glued to the pages. It's rare to find a book so good that you keep thinking about it long after you've finished it. This is one of those books.

The setting of this book is breathtaking and not ever having been to France I now just want to rush out and book a holiday there. Lucy Coleman's descriptions of this idyllic place transported me there and now I want to be transported there for real! What a beautiful backdrop for a story about being brave when thats the last thing you feel. Its a story about starting over and finding happiness where you least expect it. Lucy Coleman has blown me away with this book. Highly recommended.

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ABOUT LUCY COLEMAN

 

Lucy Coleman always knew that one day she would write, but first life took her on a wonderful journey of self-discovery for which she is very grateful.

Family life and two very diverse careers later she now spends most days glued to a keyboard, which she refers to as her personal quality time.

‘It’s only when you know who you are that you truly understand what makes you happy – and writing about love, life and relationships makes me leap out of bed every morning!’

If she isn’t online she’s either playing with the kids, whose imaginations seem to know no bounds, or painting something. As a serial house mover together with her lovely husband, there is always a new challenge to keep her occupied!

Lucy also writes under the name Linn B. Halton.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LinnBHaltonAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LucyColemanauthnn

Goodreads Author Page: http://ow.ly/mk3H30atV5h

Website:  http://linnbhalton.co.uk/