A nice enjoyable summer read, lovely characters and nice story. A story about second chances, it was a light, easy read but I think the writing style could have done with a bit more work, but it’s only a minor criticism still a nice happy read.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

⭐️⭐️⭐️
3 STARS

This is the story of Olivia—a single mother with a cake business. When her son Jake finally asks (he is 20 years old) about his father that he has never known. Olivia decides to track André down, even though she really doesn't have much to go on. Whilst on this journey, she remembers the summer she fell head over heels in love with a young, handsome boy in the south of France, Andre. However, at the end of their summer together, Andre left to travel the world, and Olivia was left heartbroken after returning home and never hearing from him again. Especially once she realizes she is pregnant with his child. Now 20 years later, Olivia is desperate and nervous to give Jack the father he deserved.

First let me say that the descriptions of the French food, as well as the setting of the French Riviera were fantastic in this book. These moments had me hooked and transported me to back to France.

The characters were okay, but nothing to brag about. They weren’t developed enough for me and very one dimensional. The way they were written was very bland to me. It also seemed that all the right things happened so conveniently to them that it was a bit unbelievable.

The writing style is nice otherwise. It was very easy to follow. I did feel however that there seemed to be a lack of adjectives at times when the author was describing aolivias day to day comings and goings. I would love it to be more descriptive in that sense. But otherwise the writing was simple and made for a quick read.

The situations in the plot seemed, like I said, convenient. I felt the twists were predictable and also resolved almost immediately,

Altogether, "A Very French Affair" was a light, easy read about friendship and second chances. About how life isn’t perfect and may surprise you in unexpected ways. This is a decent summer read if you like lighthearted/non-deep storylines and characters.

Content:
Language: Hardly- almost none
Violence: None
Religious: No
Other: Talk of sex- first time, etc. but nothing racy or descriptive.

4.5 🌟stars
🌞Sun-kissed and with minor angst, A Very French Affair is the dream romance of second chances set in a gorgeous Antibes summer. English entrepreneur baker Olivia takes off for the South of France and a trunkful of memories knowing that she owes it to her 20 year-old son to search for his father Andre, who left her to go on a world tour before Olivia even knew she was pregnant. Though she actually spends most of her time helping out in her aunt's bakery and enjoying Antibes at its summer best, fate steps in and aids in her hunt for Andre.

💜The story is a romantic and happy one, but not unrealistically so. Flashbacks to 1998, the year Olivia met and lost Andre, are few but they set the tone for Olivia's present day ambivalence and procrastination. If she succeeds and finds Andre, could it warp her memories of the youthful connection they shared? It's no wonder she is hesitant about getting her hopes up. This is a heroine that I could easily identify with (though I, unlike Olivia, am no genius in the kitchen!)

The secondary characters are well-drawn, right down to the local market fruit vendor Olivia befriends, and all of the mouth-watering descriptions of food were so vivid I put on a pound or two just from reading about it!😋,

Overall, a lovely read and a paean to the French cuisine, scenery and lifestyle.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book provided through NetGalley; this is my voluntary and honest review.

This book follows the story of Liv, a single parent to Jake. She runs her own business as a baker. Life is simple and predictable, until Jake wants to quit University, and questions Liv about his Father. Liv had a fling with Andre, as a teenager when she was staying with her Aunt in the South of France. Andre went travelling, not knowing that Liv was pregnant. When her Aunt needs help in her bakery in France, it seems like fate, and she decides to try and track down Andre.
This is book is a light hearted and easy read, perfect for holidays. I enjoyed reading it, There were lots of references to food, especially baking, which I like reading about. The writing flows smoothly, and although the storyline was fairly predictable, it is a nice book.
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for my ARC.

This book is not really to my taste unfortunately. It is a lighthearted summer read, and I’m sure many will enjoy it, just not me. The first person narrative is a struggle at times, it just doesn’t work well. The characterisation is weak, and I found I didn’t really care much about any of them, including the narrator. The story is too heavily laden with food references and descriptions in my view, it becomes tedious very quickly. The depth of description of every dish cooked and eaten, every outfit worn by every character, every situation and every conversation was driving me to distraction. Less is more.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my advance copy.

This had the honour of being my very first NetGalley read and 'A Very French Affair' by Sue Roberts came at the perfect time to be enjoyed on the sun lounger in the garden!

The setting was beautiful, the characters were charming and the plot was a little predictable but I can thoroughly recommend 'A Very French Affair' as a perfect beach read this summer.

Set on the gorgeous Cote d'Azur, this tale of long-lost love and reunions was at times a little saccharine sweet but it was easily forgivable. The writing could have benefited from a wider vocabulary and I can't count on one hand the number of times that the protagonist put on some 'silver jewellery to complement the dress' which was a little clunky but there you go!

However the relationships in the novel were entirely believable and definitely the best part of the novel; the range of characters, their interactions and altercations had me laughing out loud.

I'll definitely read some more of Sue Roberts in the future - there's nothing better than chick lit in the summer!

Olivia is a thirty something, single mom, a baker/cake artist living in England. When her just turning adult son, Jack, expresses how much he resents not having his father, Olivia decides to travel back to her aunt’s bakery/home in France where she met Andre’. Andre’ was her summer fling, her first love and the father of her son who she lost touch with because he went traveling after Olivia returned home to England.

This book we leave you hungry and read to bake with the descriptive creations the characters are concotting. On the plus side, Sue Roberts shares the recipes if you are so included to hit the kitchens.

A Very French Affair was a warm and easy summer read. Sweet situations, family and friendships with little to no conflict that was character internal dialog contrived. I liked A Very French Affair but in the end it was just a like.

I received this ARC copy of A Very French Affair from Bookouture. This is my honest and voluntary review. A Very French Affair is set for publication July 5, 2019.

My Rating: 3 stars
Written by: Sue Roberts
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Bookouture (July 5, 2019)
ISBN-10: 1786814978
ISBN-13: 978-1786814975
Genre: Romantic Comedy

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Very-French-Af...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-ve...
3 likes

This was an unexpected page-turner for me. I loved the premise of the MC going back to the exact place that her life changed many years before. Plus the descriptions of all the cakes and France made it a super fun read.

It was amazing to me that Jake didn't push for info about his father until he was 18 but his mother Liv's hunt for her summer love Andre is what propels this nice read. Liv's a baker, as is her aunt, and there are terrific descriptions not only of her cakes but also of the food in France. This never gets serious but remains light and fun. You'll enjoy Liv's interactions with her friends and family- so real! Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

Olivia (Liv) has managed to spend the last twenty years starting her own cake decorating business after leaving teaching, and raising her son Jake who constantly reminds her of the summer love she had in France when she was just 18. Now, with her parents having taken up roving the countryside in a camper-van, and her son returning from Uni with several questions about continuing, she’s convinced that things are all crashing around her, and the plans she had for an orderly and successful future are up in the air. But with her Aunt Genevieve’s needing knee surgery and some care for a few weeks after, as well as a helping hand in her own bakery where Liv learned to love cakes, pastries and pies, she’s decided to head to France to help out, taking one of her best friends with her, and leaving her home business in the capable hands of her assistant, with her son helping out as needed.

Of course, because things couldn’t be more complicated for Liv, Jake has expressed what is, to her, the first interest in his father in years. She’s feeling guilty for not connecting the two, even though she didn’t have the first idea where to find André, and she’s not happy that she and Jake have had words. She’s also concerned about his indecision about continuing on with his university course, and while she’s impressed with what he has been knocking up in the kitchen, she can’t help but wonder about the sudden change in his direction, or just what is best for him.

From worrying about how to contact André, to actually having to do it, discovering her feelings are still strong, and the memories stirred up by working with her aunt, her aunt’s best friend Lillian and her outrageous (yet very French attitudes) and her discovering the beauty and allure of the countryside – Liv has so much to deal with, and mostly she handles it well. But, explaining Jake’s existence to André and worrying about both reactions: discovering a son and introducing a father, she’s still wondering about her life back in England, and if she can figure out a way to not lose André again, after rediscovering him and her feelings for him. A lovely and sunny story, redolent with the sights, smells and atmosphere of the Cote d’Azur, and full of those moments of family and friends (particularly Jo and her doggie-nemesis Harold) that add richness and texture to a story to make it feel more ‘real’ and grounded.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-atl/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

Olivia is a single mother with a popular cake - baking and decorating business. However, her past comes to hunt her again when Jack finally asks about his father that he has never seen. Liv decides to track André down, even though she really doesn't have much to go on - she fell head over heels in love with a young, handsome boy in the south of France but it turned out to be only a summer romance and she was forced to raise her son on her own. However, she's now desperate to give Jack the father he so deserves.

The highlight of this novel are for sure the gorgeous, delicious descriptions of the French food, as well as the setting of the French Riviera, and in these moments the author had me hooked, transporting me to France and letting my mouth water.

The characters were nice but simply not well - rounded enough for me and very stereotyped and I just couldn't warm to them and their stories. There was nothing wrong with them, please do not get me wrong on this one, but they were just not my type of characters, or rather it was the way they were written, and all the right things happening so accidentally and conveniently to them that, in my eyes, made them not so relatable and this bit unbelievable.

The writing style is nice and very easy to follow, the sentences are short and they follow the same pattern of describing situations: she woke up, washed, dressed and ate breakfast. I would love it to be more descriptive, more eloquent. The situations happened one after another, the twists were predictable and immediately resolved, I missed some tension, some build - up to things and events.

Altogether, "A Very French Affair" was a light, easy, heart - warming story about friendship and second chances and how life may surprise you in the most unexpected moments, a great summer read, and even better to enjoy with a croissant. Or two.

I loved A Very French Affair by Sue Roberts. It’s one of those books you pick up with the intention of reading just a few chapters and the next thing, you’ve read half of the book!

Liv is thirty eight and a single mum to Jake who’s at Uni. She runs a successful cake baking business in Southport and loved nothing more than a girls night out with her friends Faye and Jo.

Her life is pretty perfect until 20 year old Jake starts asking some difficult questions. The answers of which lie in France when she was 18 and staying with her aunt. Finding herself back on the French Riviera, she attempts to find answers to Jake’s questions.

This book is a great read with characters you can relate to. It’s well written and the book moves along at a nice pace. I can definitely recommend this book as a summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

I always really look forward to reading a new novel by Sue Roberts. They're typically easy to read, enjoyable and full of the good stuff! I absolutely fell in love with this cover, and I do love reading books set in France, so I couldn't wait to get stuck into this one. I love the bright colours used for the sea and sand, the town on either side of the cover and the pretty grape vines dangling along the top of the cover. It screams summer and with all the washout weather we have been having in the UK recently, I couldn't wait to get stuck in.

It starts with main character Liv talking about her own cake business that she runs from home, with the help of her assistant Sam. She also touches on the fact that Jake is her son and that he doesn't have a father. One day Jake comes home from university and expresses to his mum that he wants to quit university and maybe go into the food industry. Liv is obviously concerned as to what had brought this all on, so during a heart to heart, Jake - quite harshly I thought - mentions to Liv about never knowing who his dad was. This of course brings up fond but heartbreaking memories for Liv.

As the story goes on, we learn that Liv's aunt who lives in France (the very same aunt who she stayed with that fateful summer when she met the love of her life, Andre) needs a knee operation so Liv and her friend Faye decides to head on over to help her and also get a little holiday out of it. Liv also wants to go over there so she can find Andre, Jakes father, and tell him he has a son. This novel came to life when Liv went to France. I loved the characters, the location sounded beautiful and my mouth was watering at all the descriptions of the lovely sweet treats that were made at the bakery!

There's a lot of drama which takes place throughout this story, which I absolutely loved. I love this authors style of writing so much so I knew that I would adore one of Sue's novels set in France! The ending was heartwarming and was exactly what I had hoped for. It sounded idyllic and I couldn't put it down. It's the perfect summer read. Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this novel which I have reviewed honestly.

Absolutely loved this novel! Excellent character development, and totally keeps you wanting to find out what happens next. Highly recommended!

Liv is a cake maker by trade, Sam who is into vintage clothing is her assistant in her cake making business attached to her home for productivity and also is training at a local catering college.



Baked To Perfection is her passion and her family particularly her aunt in France was a great baker, with her parents off touring in a campervan now into their retirement and her son back at home after being away at university and questioning about his father, she finds herself thinking back to her first love André from when she was eighteen and in France at her aunt's with Faye her life long best friend when they were eighteen.



Liv worries about Faye as she drinks a lot and is always out at gigs looking for a fun time, as her friend regales them with tales of Harold and her matchmaking attempts, in France Faye finds a fun time with Olivier a bakery helper to Liv's aunt and she

herself finds André from pure chance and as the pair get reacquainted she has to decide how to approach the subject of his son.



Jake also hides a few secrets from his mum which when he shows up in Spain unexpectedly come out about the truth behind his future plans...



The book started off on an hilarious note about a cake being made as a toilet and who isn't going to be drawn in by that sentence! I loved the journey to France and discovering the whole chemistry over the history with Andre and couldn't put it down I liked the pace of the book and the characters where super relatable as I'm sure in real life people have been in this position before!



Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Wonderful light hearted read. Great for the summer. Highly recommend. Will look out for more from the author. Thanks for the opportunity to read the book

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I really liked this book, liked all the characters and it was a wonderful holiday read in the rain.

A Very French Affair is a book about the main character, Liv, going back to France to help out her aunt. Also, to see if she can find the father of her son. Overall this was a lighthearted story, that really made me want to go hang out in the south of France! I enjoyed the story line.

Sue Roberts writes some of my very favorite chick lit novels and I was swept away by this one! I felt as if I were a part of the book and quickly felt as if I were befriending our MC, Liv. I very much enjoyed this one and am looking forward to many more books by Sue in the future! They are simply irresistible!

What can I say... a fabulous, feel good Summer read! I loved every page. The characters came to life and it was a perfect page turner. Definitely recommend