The setting for this story makes it special from the beginning. Anna is at a crossroads in her life, she has a plan and thought it was working out but soon discovers it isn't. Arriving at her parents' French B&B gives her chance to heal from her toxic relationship and plan her next move. Anna's journey is more than a hop over the channel, it brings her into contact with Sam, her polar opposite, he doesn't plan and doesn't see the need to finish everything he starts,  yet they manage to work together renovating two smaller properties on their parent's estate. There are lots of renovating tips as the story progresses, which increase the story's visual impact, very useful also if you want to do any house renovation. :-)
Sam has a tragic secret, which blights his life,  his attitude frustrates Anna, but she can't help but like him, maybe because of their differences. There's a mystery to solve and some lovely characters to meet, and there's Karl, Anna's ex-boyfriend who won't leave her alone, but is this more about saving face than a broken heart? Anna's journey of self-discovery is at a realistic, gentle pace but the setting combined with the possibility of romance and the mystery Anna and Sam have to solve makes this an easy to read, page-turner, with a believable outcome.
I received a copy of this book from Aria via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Spending the summer months in France when it's the middle of January in chilly Scotland is a lovely place to be - even if it's only in a book!

This is a terrific read - great characterisation, wonderful setting and a very entertaining story line. In a village setting, we get to know the locals and the way of life whilst all the time dealing with a mystery and the personal lives of the main characters. There isn't a moment to yawn in this one, it's all go from the beginning to the very last page.

A really well written novel, this one will keep your attention whilst lifting your spirits and making you think a bit about life and all in a good way. It's release in February is perfect as, after the recent snow and now the wind and rain, a little sunshine - even if it does come from a book - is just the ticket! I loved this one from beginning to end, well done Lucy Coleman. I suspect more than a few readers will be checking out a summer break in France in the coming months!

My thanks to publishers Aria for approving my NetGalley request for this novel. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

Karl regularly tells Anna he loves her, but Anna doesn't really feel it. He's all for keeping their relationship a secret from their bosses for the sake of their careers. When Anna's had enough she loses her boyfriend and her job in one single moment. Anna needs time to heal and that is why she rents out her house and temporarily moves to France, where her parents have just started a B&B. There's enough work to keep her occupied and Anna's task is to assist their builder, Sam, to have the holiday cottages ready for guests as soon as possible.

Anna wants to stay in France for six months before going back home. Anna enjoys her new surroundings. It's warm and sunny, she's happy to be with her parents and the initially tentative friendship she has with Sam is becoming more solid every day. Anna is glad she broke up with Karl, but he has other plans. Karl would love it if Anna would come back to him. However, Anna has some self-exploration to do before she can even think about getting involved with someone again. Will being in France do her good and will she eventually find herself again while staying with her parents?

The French Adventure is a wonderful story about plans, living and love. I immediately loved Anna. She's smart, creative and resilient. She keeps challenging herself and never says she can't do something without trying it first. I liked that attitude. She's an achiever and this is also her biggest pitfall, because this personality trait makes it hard for her to live without a plan. Sam is the exact opposite, he doesn't have goals and he's stuck in a situation he can't easily get out of on his own. They're good for each other and bring out the best in one another, which is something I loved about their bond. Sam is kindhearted and gentle, but he's also heartbroken. Sam and Anna have something precious and real and I couldn't wait to find out if they'd be able to overcome their obstacles, so they'd be ready to give love a chance.

Lucy Coleman has a lovely warm writing style that has an easy flow. I was immediately captivated by her story and read it in one sitting. I love how she makes the French countryside come to life. I love France and reading The French Adventure felt like going on a nice sweet holiday to my favorite place in the world. Lucy Coleman combines this with an interesting story about starting a business, fascinating emotional journeys and beautiful true love. The French Adventure is a fantastic romantic story that captivated me from beginning to end.

Nice, romantic easy reader. Gites and France seem to be a popular book topic at the moment. Well written story with some good plot and content. I enjoyed it, thank you.

The French Adventure by Lucy Coleman provided a warm and lovely escape in dreariest January - while I would recommend this as your beach read, I loved reading it while the winds howled around outside. The characters are well drawn, subtle and interesting, the plot just carries you along and I can promise, you'll be heading to google to find out if there are direct flights that will take you near Angers, Nantes, Rennes and Chateaubriant! The location is beautifully drawn and Ms Coleman lures you skilfully into that lovely French ambiance so effortlessly, soon you'll be trying to make this book last as long as possible. Yes, it's one of those, you won't want it to end! A Five Star Read for 2018!

A light fun read that will warm you on a winter day.  Karl is the cautionary tale about work relationships (seriously, people).  Anna throws it all over and moves to France to live with her parents, who are in the midst of a renovation.  (I wish my parents had a house in France!).  I liked that Anna found herself interested in the work and engaged in planning for a new start.   You know the minute you read about Sam that there's going to be a good back and forth.  How will the romance go?  Sam's got secrets and frankly Anna can be kind of a jerk at times so there's more tension than is usual in this sort of novel.   Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Anna is in a relationship with her boss, Karl.      It is against the company rules.     So, when they are called into the office for a discussion about a new opportunity, Karl lies.     That makes Anna angry enough to stand up, quit her job and leave the company.     

She also realizes that Karl is not the man she hoped he was.      To me, Karl appeared to be a snake.

Anna leases her home and goes to stay with her parents at their B & B in France.      She is not certain what her future holds, but she knows being with her folks will give her a sense of comfort.

Her parents have moved from England to France and created their dream come true.    They are in a small village, they are making friends and most of all they are renovating a home and out buildings into a wonderful bed and breakfast.      It is already becoming booked on a regular basis.

Anna becomes an assistant for Sam, the young man who is working on a building to become a rentable cottage.        She learns new job skills.     

 At the same time, she begins to think about her future.       She decides she can become her own boss.     She even creates a name for her business, Brand New.      She will create websites as well as update websites.    As her plan unfolds,  she begins to gather her courage.  

Anna and Sam are very different people.      He carries pain from his past and is unwilling to connect with anyone.       He appears to have little direction in his life.     In reality, he does have direction, it is just not what Anna approves.      Anna is a workaholic who finds it difficult to be still.       She wants to work hard, plan her entire future and become financially secure.

Although they are at odds over many ideas, they both work well together and they do become friends of a sort.

The French countryside as well as the French people are a huge enormous part of this story.   The reader is immersed in life in the village.        It is a wonderful part of the book.

At first I was not fond of Anna.      I found it difficult to imagine that someone so vital and focused would have missed what a jerk Karl was.      Nor, did I find it logical that she would have been such a success at her job and then lose all her self confidence.

It was evident that Sam was living with major loss in his life.    He even tells Anna that  he had a nervous breakdown.      She gives him no sympathy until very late in the story.

All the secondary characters are interesting.      Anna's parents and the villagers add a great deal to the story.        In fact, everyone in the story plays a vital part in the plot.

The plot was interesting.      There is a happily ever after but there is no surprise along the journey.

This is the first book I have read by  Ms Coleman.     She is a talented author, who has created a really nice story.     I would have enjoyed a little more humanity from Anna.     That is just me.     

I received the book from the publisher, Aria, through NetGalley.     I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.

Anna is sweet & trusting. Karl is a weasel. Sam is charming. 
When life takes a sudden turn, Anna heads to France to stay with her parents. Some home remodeling, a mystery, and family & friends along the way, where will Anna end up?

Thank you Aria Publishing for the ARC.

Will be up on my blog 05/02 - thecosiestcorner.blogspot.com

As you know if you read my blog, you'll know that I have an unhealthy book obsession with stories set in France. I don't know why but I just love the descriptions of warm croissants, crisp wine and the sun setting over the fields. Ugh - get me to France now! I hadn't read a book by Lucy Coleman before so didn't know what to expect, but what I read was really well written and I enjoyed it.

This book gives you all the feels. It'll make you want to move to France and start a new life just like Anna. Lucy Coleman has a way of writing where it feels like you're actually there standing beside Anna and you mentally really feel involved in the story. The cover of this novel looks idyllic and the description just made me want to read it. I was so excited when I saw this pop up in my inbox! 

The story follows main character Anna, after quitting her job and breaking if off with Karl she jets off to France to help her parents with their new venture into Bed and Breakfast. At first she sees it as just a working holiday but when she gets there she finds that she is really starting to enjoy her time off and away from England. I could have whooped for joy when Anna quit her job. It was so empowering! And I really felt for her when she admitted to her best friend that her relationship wasn't what she wanted or how it should be.

In one way or another I found myself really relating to Anna's character and there's a part of me that just really wishes I had some relatives over in France so that I could do the same thing! There were many parts throughout the story that I just really found myself enjoying and once again found my love of all things French. Lucy Coleman has written this wonderfully and I would definitely be looking into some future books by her.

I enjoyed the characters, the story, the location (of course) and the romances and dramas involved. Overall, a really enjoyable first read of one by Lucy Coleman. Hope to hear more of her work in the future! Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

Anna escapes to her parents house in France following a break up and loss of her job. She works alongside builder Sam, who has his own secrets. The summer together is helping them both to put the past behind them, but will they realise there is a future for them both together?

The story wasn't bad but the dialogue was just horrendous. Very wooden and fake. I was going to give this 2-3 stars and then I got to the last quarter or so of the book. 

Suddenly Anna wants Sam but only as a temporary thing while they are in vacation. Then she gets mad that he doesn't acknowledge she's the one he needs in his life, she's the one. Outside of vacation. Then Anna tells Sam  she wants to end the vacation early because the memory of his ex prevents him from being free. Finally Anna has this line when she gets angry that Sam didn't protest coming home from vacation early

"Aren't I worth fighting for? Aren't I worth getting over a tragic event that no amount of guilt will ever change?"

No Anna. You are insane.

Lovely read. Gorgeous cover. The plot was lovely. A very much feel good read. Loved the writers style and the location just sounded amazing. Whats not to love. One of these books you just wish you were there playing it along. Fantastic read for the new year