Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will enjoy.

(can't believe I forgot to send the feedback)

A book for animal lovers, which seems to be becoming a habit with my reading matter this difficult year, so I was able to settle back and relax into another of Lorraine's stories, even though I'm more a cat person than dogs (my lady wife's fault), I still loved this story.

My thanks to Netgalley for the free copy and my apologies for the late review, and it's shortness.

This is a lovely summer read it flows well and is easy to get in to. The story takes you to the beautiful location of Paris, This is a good summer read perfect for beach and it contains rescue dogs, who doesn't love a story including rescue dogs!

The story moved along nicely with the odd twist, but it was a nice easy read and was perfect for my holiday.

You can't help liking Poppy from the start and feel for her when her plans for a new life with her boyfriend hit a major snag- him. However, she proves that she has sticking power despite moments of self- doubt and forges ahead. Of course, you can see her new romance coming a mile off but that's OK- it's all part of the fun of the story.

I thought that the email exchanges are a very clever way of filling in background details and giving an insight into both Poppy and Leo's emotions. They move the story on without fuss. In some ways, the real stars of the show are the animals- Poppy's rescue dogs, Leo's wolf-hound and not forgetting the donkeys. They give everyone the chance to show their compassionate side and also add lots of humour to the plot.

The beautiful setting of rural France near Carcassone, adds real colour and atmosphere to the story and you see it through Poppy's eyes and appreciate the local community with all its eccentric inhabitants and friendly faces. It makes you want to visit and conjures up a perfect summers day.

In short: A fun read with a great setting and super characters.

It’s not often that I will rate a book this low

The story starts off ok Poppy is a girl giving it all up for a new life in France

Her boyfriend dumps her by text leaving her to it on her own

Enter Leo the man who started off hating her but drastically managed to turn his feelings around so she was the love of his life

It’s just the same old story we have all read before

This book loses a star for the horrific sex scenes in the book so cringeworthy it’s unbelieveable! We have all read these crappy sex scenes in a book there’s only so many ways you to describe it and this was at its worse

This also loses another star by writing the prologue from the dog it’s betond stupid

If you like chick lit this might be your dream come true however it left me totally flat

If you're after a bit of girl power, look no further as Lorraine Wilson has upped the ante in that department, that's for sure!!

I adored this book pretty much from the beginning, as the author seemed to connect with her readers on an emotional basis when we first meet Poppy. Unfortunately for Poppy, luck wasn't on her side and everything she thought she knew was taken away from her in the blink of an eye. Any plans she had made had to be rearranged, putting her newfound life in a spin before it's even begun. It was from that moment where I knew that Poppy was going to be an incredibly special character. Thankfully Lorraine Wilson didn't allow my opinion to falter throughout the story.

Due to the rough start Poppy had in her new life, she was determined not to let anyone get in the way of her future happiness, especially a charming vet! I say charming, Poppy may say arrogant and I'll agree, because at first he was the type of person I would walk away from. Yet there was something about him which made me feel as though he was being led by a personal barrier. What that may be, however, I had no idea. 

'Poppy's Place in the Sun' is such a feel-good, smiley read which left me wanting more. Not only that, this book contains dogs and oh my goodness, they are a HOOT! I couldn't stop laughing at their antics and, whilst Poppy and Leo were very endearing characters, I couldn't help but be bowled over by the personalities of the fantastically named pooches.

Despite the vibe of the book being quite romantic, the author doesn't shove it down your throat. Funnily enough, even though I enjoy reading romance novels, I am the least romantic person ever so I did appreciate the romance element being a bit rugged. For me, it added depth to the storyline as I was excited by what may or may not happen, without things being evident from the onset.

I won't be forgetting 'Poppy's Place in the Sun' anytime soon as it is such a wonderful read. Lorraine Wilson is an incredible storyteller, creating stories which hug you from the inside out and warm your heart like a coal fire on a winter's day. A truly enchanting and feel-good novel, I absolutely it!

Favorite Quotes:

Pete will laugh when I tell him about this. He’s never been one for the jealous boyfriend act. Which is good, sort of, but maybe a little bit unflattering. He usually makes a joke out of it, asking whether the other man had a white stick or a guide dog.

She’s certainly the smallest dog I’ve ever seen, but with a personality so huge I don’t know where she can possibly be keeping it all.

Not only does close proximity to him does funny things to my body chemistry, but it seemingly reduces my IQ at the same time.

He seems anxious, not so much worried about treading on eggshells as stepping into a man-trap with iron teeth.

My Review:

I enjoyed this refreshingly sweet and amusing tale; it was just what I needed for a genre cleanse after reading heavier fare. It was a light and humorous read with some heart-squeezing moments and a few bursts of romantic sizzle. I adored the character of Poppy, an illustrator of children’s books, a daydreamer, and rescuer of abused and abandoned animals and people. I frequently smiled at the levity provided by the descriptions and hijinx of Poppy’s tiny canine companions as well as the antics of the nearby assortment of football playing “delinquent donkeys” and demonic goats. The storylines were easy to follow, engaging, entertaining, and lively, while the characters were endearing and alluring, with the exception of the cranky Madame Gilbert and Pete the Prick. Poppy had been devastated to be dumped by text but she came out the better for it with an upgrade to a tall, dark, and handsome Frenchman. I picked up a few additions to my Brit Vocabulary list with “being bolshie” (being deliberately combative or uncooperative) and “calling bagsy,” which would be what we Americans do when calling dibs.

I was a bit late to the bandwagon with this one, but better late than never eh! I really enjoyed this, it was romantic, lighthearted with some deep moments - and a lot friskier than I imagined it to be!

The cover is 100% what drew me in, I love the bright colours, the pretty flowers around the border, and of course the three cute dogs surrounding Poppy! I've never read a novel by Lorraine Wilson before but I wasn't disappointed and I will definitely be looking out for more by this author in the future. I love books set in France - if my blog is anything to go by - so was really excited to start this.

I really felt for Poppy throughout the novel, not with her horrible ex Pete, but with her diagnosis. She was struggling to do much in her new French home but was so happy for her once she met Joanna and she helped Poppy out with the housework and decorating. However, having said that, that was probably the part I was looking forward to most, the decorating of the French house and the gites. I love reading about all that and French cooking etc but there didn't seem to be much in this book, less than what I thought there would be anyway.

However, it still made for a great story and I really loved it. I liked Poppy and Leo's blossoming relationship, although I felt a lot of it was sexual, it was still nice to read them opening up to each other (emotionally!) and finally letting their barriers down. There were parts of the book where I was smiling, and other parts which absolutely broke my heart and had me crying! A lot of emotions... It was a nice, happy ending.

Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.

5☆ A Gorgeous Romance

Poppy's Place in the Sun is a heart warming story of New Beginnings, challenges, humour and romance.

When Poppy moves to France to start revamping her new home she can't wait to start living in her dream home and becoming part of the community.

The best part of this book for me is the gorgeous fur babies and there is plenty of them. If you love animals trust me you will fall in love with them all. Their feisty personalities and quirky loveable characters simply steal the story.

Ohh and I forgot to mention the sexy vet Leo. Poppy and Leo had a love hate relationship to start with, but within time the chemistry heats up between them and the romance blossoms.

Poppy’s Place in the Sun is a gorgeous feel good read, with adorable fur babies, a quirky community, a gorgeous location, passionate romance that sizzles along perfectly.Truly the perfect summer read.

Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

As sparkling and refreshing as the finest champagne, fans of effervescent, upbeat and feel-good romance and women’s fiction are going to love Lorraine Wilson’s latest dazzler, Poppy’s Place in the Sun! Set in a beautiful French village with a wonderful heroine, a gorgeous French hero, three gorgeous dogs who get up to all sorts of mischief and lots of charm, heart and romance, switch your phone off, put your feet up and indulge in this terrific read!

Poppy Kirkbride has finally managed to make her dream of moving to rural France and restoring a ramshackle farmhouse to its former glory into a reality and she couldn’t be happier. With her three adorable dogs for company, Peanut, Treacle and Pickwick by her side, Poppy knows that despite what all the doubters had said this was the right decision for her. Living in her dream house in a picturesque village where her neighbours have welcomed her with open arms, Poppy thinks that she simply couldn’t be happier. But there is a fly in the ointment in the shape of brooding vet Leo Dubois who makes it perfectly clear that she is not welcome in the village. Leo might be as gentle as a lamb with her dogs, but he is an absolute beast to her!

The arrogant Frenchman does not have time for the English upstart who has moved to this quiet village and is determined on turning the entire place upside down. Leo has had enough upheaval in his life and he certainly does not want any more trouble or commotion. He is determined to keep Poppy at arm’s length and to ignore her and get on with his life as best he can – but that is easier said than done! Despite the fact that he finds Poppy infuriating and annoying, he simply cannot stop himself from thinking about her…or from wanting to kiss her! Leo’s heart is firmly under lock and key, but is Poppy the one woman who can smash through the walls he had built around himself and encourage him to take a leap of faith and a chance on love?

Is a happy ending possible for Poppy and Leo? Will they manage to conquer their demons and find the courage to grasp this final chance of happiness? Or will they always be haunted by the past?

Poppy’s Place in the Sun is a fabulous read that cannot fail to put a great big smile on your face. Funny, heartwarming, tender and simply adorable, Poppy’s Place in the Sun is a terrific tale about taking chances, new beginnings, fresh starts, redemption and healing that will touch your heart and tickle your funny bone.

Lorraine Wilson is a terrific writer who can juggle pathos and humour with ease and flair. You will simply adore Poppy and fall madly in love with the brooding and enigmatic Leo.

A gorgeous romantic comedy that I loved, Poppy’s Place in the Sun is a magical read that makes for perfect summer reading! Don’t miss it!

This was a gorgeous book to read in the sun and I loved the cover - it really drew me in and I knew it was definitely a book I wanted to read - the blurb is really intriguing too and it sounded like a fab story - and I am so pleased it lived up to my expectations!!

The scene setting for this book is great and you really feel as you are in the story with the characters. It is well written, flows very well and has some brilliant characters - ones I would love to meet in real like! Poppy is a lovely character and at times I really wanted to give her a big hug! I really enjoyed the story.

4.5 stars from me rounded up to 5 for Amazon and Goodreads!

4.5 Beau Ou Belle Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

Fantastic book filled with the French countryside, French food, French friends, and fabulous dogs... loved spending the day with Poppy in the French sun... another delightful book that allowed me to virtually visit France....J'ai adoré😍

Poppy moves to a charming country village in France to start a new life with her boyfriend... at least that’s what she thinks until boyfriend breaks up with her over text... now Poppy is left to start her new life alone.... well not quite she has a trio of adorable puppies to keep her company.... loved Poppy she was such a wonderful character, I’d love to be friends with her and visit this charming farmhouse... loved the important part the animals played in the story... from Poppy’s three dogs along with many more, soccer playing donkeys, and of course Leo the handsome grumpy vet....

Poppy won over the villagers with her charm and made so many new wonderful quirky friends... Leo took a little more time to warm up to her, but once he did things got hot! Loved the romance between these two... it developed so sweetly... I loved how Leo slowly revealed himself to Poppy... things we’re not always easy between them and some tough decisions had to be made... did they find their HEA? You will need to read this book to find out!

Absolutely recommend to fans of fabulous characters, France, friendship, romance, and Amour💕

*** many thanks to Harper Impulse and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my copy of this book ***

Poppy’s Place in the Sun is a fun, gorgeous, summery read that takes you and all your senses to a lovely little area in France. The sights, the sounds, the smells and even the tastes all come through so perfectly. If we weren’t having such gorgeous weather in the UK at the moment I’d be wishing I was there.

The book is filled with delightful characters that all have their own stories to tell. Poppy is one determined young woman. She has followed the advice given to her by her Gran to follow her dreams and decided that her job illustrating children’s books can be done anywhere in the world and where better than somewhere the sun shines brightly for most of the year.

As well as the human characters we have her perfect four-legged friends who definitely stole the show – well them and the donkeys!!

This is just a lovely, quick, easy read that hooks you in and holds you within the pages until the very end. It is most certainly a book to read if you need a pick-me-up as it is so uplifting and heart-warming.

I have not read any of Lorraine Wilson's previous books. I really enjoyed this lighthearted easy read. I particularly loved the quotations at the start of each chapter.

This is a story of new beginnings, friendship, love and extremely cute dogs. I really like the lead character Poppy and was rooting for her throughout the book. I found the cast of surrounding characters charming - including quirky football playing donkeys!

I love any books which feature dogs as main characters and Poppy's dogs were lovely. Set in a fantastic location - it made me want a holiday in the French countryside.

Highly recommended - ideal for a summer holiday read or for any time of year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I must admit that I was initially drawn to the book when I read about the lovely doggy companions of the main character, Poppy Kirkbride. The two rescue chihuahuas Peanut and Treacle didn't disappoint with their daily escapades and as for Pickwick the Yorkshire Terrier with his floppy tongue and crooked leg, he just stole my heart. Lorraine does a fabulous job of describing all their different personalities and as a dog mum to little dogs, I know the feeling of having two dogs on your lap and one wrapped around your neck! I also loved that the chihuahuas were rescued and Pickwick was rehomed by Poppy when her beloved gran died.

However, there is so much more to Poppy's Place in the Sun. It goes without saying that the location is idyllic and the villagers have wonderful personalities, but it was Poppy herself who really stood out. At first, she seemed so desperate to be liked but as she started her new life in France, Poppy finds strengths she didn't know she had and her confidence blossoms, which is lovely to see.

The book is beautifully written, the time flew by and I was sad it had to end. The humour and hunky vet were a definitive advantage but my favorites were Poppy and her little pack. Any dog lovers with a penchant for Chick Lit will adore this book and it comes highly recommended.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly.

Poppy Kirkbride is moving to Saint-Quentin-sur-Aude, a small village in the Languedoc region in the South of France. She’s taking along her faithful dogs – Peanut, Treacle and Pickwick, and also her boyfriend, Pete. Well, Pete was coming until he ceremoniously dumps her by text on the day she gets the keys! Despite the house needing a lot of work (which Pete was supposed to be doing), Poppy knows she’s made the right decision. All of the local villagers welcome her with open arms, apart from her neighbour and local vet Leo Dubois, who has made it perfectly clear that Poppy isn’t welcome in the village…

This book has the absolute perfect setting! I’m not a big fan of books set abroad, but I am a sucker for picturesque villages and blue skies, no matter where in the world they are. Thankfully, this book has both of them and more! The village and location sounds divine and who could blame Poppy for wanting to settle down here.

I loved Poppy’s character and really felt for her at the beginning when Pete dumps her by text. You just couldn’t imagine what she must have felt, alone in a strange country with only her dogs for company. She is definitely a lovely character and fair play to her when she decides to stay in the village on her own! Her little dogs, Peanut, Treacle and Pickwick certainly deserve a mention of their own as they sound absolutely adorable, although I did worry for them when Maxi, the wolf dog from next door came knocking!

As the story moves you, you get a hint of there being a tragedy centred around Poppy’s house, which is why her neighbour Leo isn’t keen on having Poppy living there. Leo is definitely the dark, brooding type and whilst I didn’t like him initially he certainly grew on me as the book continued. As in most books of this genre, the main character usually ends up lucky in love, so I was keeping everything crossed that Poppy found her happy-ever-after!

This was a lovely story full of love and laughter. It also had its fair share of farmyard animals and pets for all you animal lovers out there. It is, beyond any doubt, an absolutely ideal book for lounging around on a hot summer’s day, imagining that you are exactly where Poppy is!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I loved this book and the names of her dogs Peanut, Treacle and Pickwick and of course Poppy. Great feel good easy read.

*Review to go live on my blog July 4th*

When Poppy Kirkbride purchases a house in a quiet village in rural France, she expects her boyfriend to move to France with her. Instead, he breaks up with her, and Poppy decides to make the most of her new life, her three trusty dogs Peanut, Treacle and Pickwick by her side. 

Her broody neighbour, veterinarian Leo Dubois, is the only fly in her ointment. The house used to belong to his beloved sister and niece, and Leo isn't happy about someone else moving in and making changes. 

How can I resist such a premise? How often have I dreamed of taking a break from "real life" and, like Poppy, setting up shop in a small town where I can write stories and be with animals all day? Add in a hot French vet, and Poppy's basically living my dream. 

And indeed, wish fulfillment is much of the appeal of Poppy's Place in the Sun. She goes on adventures around the countryside with Leo, and despite all the drama around their will they/won't they relationship, it all feels very idyllic and pleasant.

I have a soft spot for medical romances, and particularly when the doctor is a vet who loves animals. This one fell a bit flat for me in the romance department -- despite Leo's good looks and the heat in their sex scenes, I never really got sucked into their relationship. Partly, I think it's because the conflict never really felt urgent to me, and the stakes didn't quite feel high enough. Poppy's fears that Leo was using her to get to the house were genuine enough, as was Leo's difficulty in moving on from his sister and niece's deaths, but either I never really believed they wouldn't get together or I was never really invested enough in their relationship to care much whether or not they did. The sex scenes were great, but the romance was just okay for me.

Still, if you've ever had a hankering to move to rural France yourself, this book is worth a read. Poppy's journey to find herself and figure out her life is relatable, and the location is beautiful. The best part is that the dogs also play a prominent role in the story, and I love how real they felt as characters in their own right. 

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Thank you to Harper Impulse for an egalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.