I wish I had known there were books before this one. I think it stands alone but there are characters in this Cafe story that had parts in the previous books. All in all a very enjoyable read. Elle and Charlie start the book with a crash and the story throws them into an interesting line. Henri is one of the characters I’d like to read about if he has a previous story in another book. Dolly is a delight and if there is another Cafe book I’d like to read about her wedding. This was a great pool read and I recommend it if you have a vacation planned or not.

Having enjoyed "Escape to the Little French Cafe" I was very much looking forward to reading the sequel and it didn't disappoint. It felt like revisiting old friends and making new ones. I have to confess to having to look up where the story is set and Karen makes it sound very appealing. Without posting any spoilers I was so pleased Elle had some good news in the search for her family and finding love, and I hope she returns to the island very soon. Thank you Karen.

A delightful and heartwarming story of Elle, who lived with her father after being given to him by her French birth mum at just a few days old.
This is her quest to find out who her mum was and why she gave her away. I don’t want to say anymore about the story other than you won’t be disappointed, if you like to read about family, love interests, cafes and solving a mystery, this is the book for you

Although I enjoyed reading this book, I somehow expected more. Having lived in France for many years, I felt very little of the French atmosphere had actually permeated the story. The Ile de Re is such a very different place and we needed to feel that.
However, the story was interesting. Elise needs to find her birth mother from just a few clues, a blanket and a tiny bracelet. The connections she finally made were nicely written, the characters were true to life and the story wasn't over sentimentalised..
Thank you NetGalley for a review copy.

A while back I read Karen Clarckes series at Sheashell Cove. It was a series I had pretty mixed feelings about. One book in the series really stole my heart, while the others were quite mediocre. But I wanted to read something else by her hand, because I wanted to see if I would love her other work more.

Summer at the Little French Café is the second installment in the series, but can be read as a standalone. There are some tiny little pieces of the puzzle that you might be missing, but overall you never feel left out as a reader. The main character of the first installment is only mentioned in this one, so it’s not like you get a glimpse on their further lives as is sometimes the case with these series. Might be a little disappointing for readers of the first book.

I think I can now safely say after reading four of Karen’s books that they are not my cup of tea. I think they are just mediocre in the genre and don’t really bring anything new to the table. They are okay and have their strong points, but for me they are just not good enough.

The story overall was pretty interesting. With Elle trying to find her birth-mother, with only a scarf, a bracelet and a postcard to go on. It felt like a little mystery that needed to be solved. And I really enjoyed the wrap up of this story-line. It was heart-warming and different from what I expected. So absolutely found this story-line interesting, refreshing and it kept me reading.

What didn’t keep me reading was the romance in this book. There are some potential love interest for Elle in the Chamillon. But I just couldn’t see her with any of them. There was zero chemistry between Elle and any of the men she got to know. I found the eventual come out pretty predictable and I kind of hated the in between story-line. I found it unnecessary and kind of bad executed.

One of my major complaints about this book however was the fact that the location is so very important for the story. I mean the book is named The Little French Café. Even the series is named after this café in France. The setting on Ile de Ré is important. The setting at times feels like an important character in the story and normally I absolutely love it when authors do this. Because it gives the story an instant injection of vacation and exploration. But that only counts when the setting is brought to life on the pages. And I don’t think Karen was able to do is. Chamillon never came alive. It was just descriptions on paper. When I was reading I could not hear the sea or smell the saltiness in the air. The same counts for the cafe. Numerous pastries are mentioned, but I never got that mouth-watering feeling that I love in feel good books about cafes and restaurants.

Overall it wasn’t a bad book. It was a fast read, with an interesting story-line. But I don’t love the writing and think this book is not outstanding enough in a genre that gives us so many new books every month. It is just another book.. nothing new, nothing refreshing, nothing I haven’t read before. It would maybe have been a different story if the writing would have been captivating and I would have felt like I spend some time on Ile de Ré, but sadly I closed the book and almost immediately forgot half of the story.

Review will be posted on my blog on 17/06/2019

A lovely beach read - it sucks you in and keeps you there. This is perfect for sitting sea side and enjoying Elle find her way to Cafe Belle Vie, where she hopes to use as a launching point to find her birth mother. Suffice to say, she learns a lot about family, herself - and what she wants from life, as well as finding time to enjoy the beauty of the French island. From pan au chocolat to handsome suitors to a wildlife preserve, Elle finds herself an adventure, a man to crush on and maybe even her birth mum. A very enjoyable read, especially if you relate to an awkward but delightful heroine.

This is a perfect summer read, with great characters, beautifully described scenery and a story that will have you glued to the page. Really enjoyed this book,

I had read the first book in this series 'Escape to the Little French Cafe'. I had loved that book so was glad that there were familiar people and places in this book. But you don't need to have read the first book to enjoy this one. It's definitely a stand-alone story, however, I enjoyed it more as I had already fallen in love with the story.

I enjoyed Elle as a leading lady. She is the kind of character that bounces right off the page. I found the book funny with a sense of suspense and the story developed. If you are a fan of Helen Pollard's 'Little French Guesthouse' series, you will love this!

A fabulous sunny, summery read that sparkles and delights. I was engrossed in this lovely story from page 1. Lovey imagery and a really pretty cover, a must read for the beach, pool or garden at home!

I was hooked in really quickly into the wonderful, summery book, and read it in a few short hours. Was shocked to occasionally look up while I was reading on the tube to discover just how many stations had passed me by!

I loved the reason Elle was in Chamillon, and how the now familiar Cafe Belle Vie plays a part in the story. If you have read the first book set on the Ile de Re, there will definitely be familiar faces and locations, but equally this is a story that stands completely alone. Even the main characters are different.

For a rom-com there was a lot of comedy, and some truly fabulous moments, but equally I found the romance side of things really weren't as obvious. i wasn't completely convinced with Elle's chemistry for any of the leading men she finds in France, and didn't necessarily see the ending coming.

I loved every moment of this delightful book and there was even a mystery that had me stumped but equally eager to find out the outcome of.

This was a pure pleasure to read, and I can only hope this isn't the last we see of Chamillon, as I really would like to get to know Dolly and Henri better, plus Charlie and a whole myriad of women of a certain age whose names begin with M!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

With both her mother and father dead, Elle decides to track down her birth mother in France. The product of a one night stand between her father and a French woman, Elle only know the woman’s first initial, “M”, and the village she lived in. Elle lands a job in a small cafe, where the friendly owner offers to help her track down the mysterious M. A sidewalk cafe, a handsome man, and a cast of unique and quirky characters rounds out this delightful story