I've fallen in love with every Jennifer Bohnet novel I have ever read and this one is no exception.  They are jammed full with stunning settings and wonderful characters that just melt your heart.    

Amy runs a retreat on the Cote d’Azur and has offered the prize of a stay there to three lucky winners.  Enter Matilda, Victoria and Chelsea, three women all with their own issues and reasons for needing to be away.  What none of them count on is the friendships and bonds that are forged during their time together.      

I'll be honest!  I've had a pretty rubbish week with illness and stress and I'm pretty sure reading A Riviera Retreat has helped me to feel so much better and really brightened my week.   

All the women have been on very different journeys before arriving at the retreat and they are all at different points in their lives.  They do have one thing in common though; they are all at a point where they are not sure which path to take anymore.  Jennifer Bohnet allows the reader a deep look inside each woman's life and it's difficult not to identify with many traits and experiences across the four women.  It doesn't take long to become entangled in the lives of these four women and I felt like the fifth friend at times I was so involved. 

The retreat and the surrounding area was described with such exquisite detail that I was there!  The development and forming of new and wonderful friendships deserved a beautiful and serene setting and that's exactly what it was given.      

I love my friends so I adored how this novel celebrated female friendship and its ability to repair and support without judgement.  Such a fantastic novel - perfect to devour and delight in with a glass of wine and a few hours of peace.

An interesting and heartwarming story of female friendship that made me crave for summer and sea.
It's a well written and enjoyable book, it kept me hooked till the end, and I liked the well written cast of characters and the vivid setting.
I read other books by this author and always liked them, I look forward to reading the next one.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I have read a few books from Jennifer Bohnet and enjoyed them, I was delighted to receive an early preview copy of this book from Netgalley and the Publisher.
The storyline features four different women, as they meet each other for a stay in a retreat in the Cote D'azure in France. Amy owns a villa, which she has inherited. She decides to run a competition for three winners to have a free ten day holiday in her villa.
The three women Vicky, Chelsea and Mathilda are all at different stages in their lives, but all have one thing in common. They don't know what to do next, after their lives have suddenly changed.
The setting of this book sounds idyllic, Jennifer Bohnet is very good at describing the local area, so you can imagine what it is like. It is a perfect summer read, for holidays, or just relaxing with.
It is a very gentle and nice read. It is well written and easygoing. I enjoyed reading this book, and I will definitely recommend this book.

This was a sweet read which calmed my mind. The descriptions were detailed and the women warm hearted.

Amy ran a creative retreat, she chose 3 women from the competition and invited them to the retreat on a holiday. Vicky, Chelsea, and Matilda were the lucky ones, and it was fun to see the 4 women bonding over the next 10 days.

My first book by author Jennifer Bohnet, she was a delight. I found her words cleverly chosen to give a vivid picture of the story. Emotions of friendship between the women were warm, they made my heart glow with the strength in their hearts. All of them have gone through life's trails, so seeing them come out of the past was beautiful.

The author made the story come alive, it made me walk slow down its pages, trying to grasp the emotions that the ladies felt. It showed me how friendships could be made over 10 days which would last forever. Even though they were from varied walks of life and different age groups, their lives enmeshed gracefully with each other.

I liked what the author tried to show in this book - Take time out to find out what makes you happy. The book was slightly slower than my thrillers, but that was what I needed over the slow weekend.

A beautiful read about life and friendships.

A great book about making new friends and finding yourself. Amy, a retreat owner in the south of France, runs a competition for three lucky women to win a ten day holiday at her retreat villa. The competition winners span three different generations and along with Amy all have secrets they are trying to hide. One by one the secrets are revealed and the women become firm friends. A wonderfully written book where you can identify with each character and learn abit about yourself along the way.
Thanks to Netgalley and Jennifer Bohnet for an early e book copy.

The perfect book to settle down with on a warm summer's evening, glass of cold wine in one hand, book in the other.
The book is all about Amy who runs a creative retreat in the South of France. She feels that she needs to "pay it forward" and comes up with the idea to give away 3 holidays to 3 women. The women are all chosen through a social media competition all about Amy's favourite film.
It is a gorgeous read celebrating female friendships. No judgement, just shared love, joy and support. I really enjoyed the characters - they all had great, very different back stories but it worked so well when their lives all came together.
A great read, and one that I would thoroughly recommend.

A Riviera Retreat offered a respite from January's wintry weather. Jennifer Bohnet's sets readers on a Mediterranean voyage where three lucky competition winners received a holiday on the Cote d’Azur. Amy Martin, Belle Vue Villa's owner provided a much-needed escape from their daily lives. While giving back to honor her aunt's memory, Amy's guests unexpectedly enrich her life.

A well written book. A great plot with a beautiful setting and engaging characters. A great story of friendship. I received an ARC from the publisher and Net Galley and this is my unbiased review.

A Riviera Retreat by Jennifer Bohnet.

The story starts by Amy who currently owns Belle Vue Retreat having inherited the property 5 years earlier at a time when she desperately needs an escape. Now she feels the times is right to give back and help others in need. She sets up a competition on Facebook for someone in need of respite from their normal life to recharge/find themselves.
Vicky middle aged ,kids left and her husband’s life in the political arena is taking over hers she needs an escape to rethink what she wants from her life before it’s too late . Matilda is older widowed a couple of years before having badly broken her ankle feels she is in a rut and life is passing her by. To cheer her up her friend and neighbour enterd the competition in her name to cheer her up after being house bound for many months. Finally Chelsea is young in her twenties started up a business with her friend and is doing well. She does the competition for fun and Google’s the answers to the question not having a clue about the subject matter. The 3 women are selected as winners at the retreat for 10days. Totally different age groups 2 from Bristol and 1 from London. Vicky applies in her maiden name because she doesn’t want any connection from the strangers to her politician husband as she rethinks her life. Matilda just wants return to normal after her accident to rejuvenate her life. Chelsea is suddenly very greatful as at the time of winning a retreat place her life is affected by a very public scandal which may have implications on her business. The book takes all the women on very unexpected journeys and the way it affects all their lives for the better and how interlinked all their lives will become because of unexpected friendships.

A story about how women of very differing ages/ lives with nothing in common can form lasting friendships and the life journeys they all travel in 10 days.

Wonderful book about how strange and unexpected life can be. Full of surprises which are least expected. Would definitely recommend fabulous read and very well written.

First book that I've read by Jennifer Bohnet and I shall definitely be seeking out more. I really enjoyed a Riviera Retreat....a real taste of summer. The story revolves around four women, Amy who owns a villa and offers a holiday to three other ladies, Chelsea, Matilda and Vicky. They all become firm friends and all have a story to tell. The book follows each day of their holiday. I was able to picture the villa, it's garden and all the places that the women visited. A gentle but very satisfying tale. Highly recommend,U shall be reading more.

Another great story from this accomplished author that has it all ; glorious setting, engaging characters, and a plot that twists and turns resulting in a satisfying conclusion. This book is not only the perfect feel good holiday read but also ideal for lifting the spirits on a wet, grey winters day!

This book is about four women who come to terms with age and escape to a paradise retreat and find their individual definition of happiness. Hosted by Amy, Matilda, Vicky, and Chelsea, they form lasting friendships whilst continuing ahead with new paths for their lives.

Thank you to the publisher for letting me review it.

Absolutely enjoyed this novel by an extremely talented writer. She weaves a twisted net and the reader immediately gets wrapped up in it. Can’t recommend it enough

I always feel like I'm in safe hands with a Jennifer Bohnet book, and A Riviera Retreat was no exception. I liked the way an old film connected the four main female characters. I liked the way different age groups were depicted. The description of the scenery was wonderful. There was little angst I found, and what there was seemed to be dealt with quickly. It was all very low key. And I found the romances in it a little too convenient, but if you're looking for an easy, relaxing read, I can recommend this book.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. How this book made me long for warm summer days and evenings. 3 different characters, some nicer than others. I enjoyed this.

Lovely feel good book. I got lost in the location. Put my life behind me as I got wrapped up in the 4 main characters dysfunctional lives. Can’t beat a good book with sun

Amy runs a boutique villa in France and as she has a current lull in guests, she does an act of kindness and advertises a competition for 3 women to win a ten day all inclusive holiday at her villa named belle vue.

3 different women win, vicky who is the wife of an mp, Chelsea who is a chef, and Matilda who has lost her husband of 30 years.

All 4 women are very different but over time they form very clear bonds.

Really lovely book, thoroughly enjoyed it.

In this book about coming of age and coming to terms, four women escape to a paradise retreat and find their own definition of happiness. Hosted by Amy, Matilda, Vicky, and Chelsea form lasting friendships while forging ahead with new paths for their dysfunctional lives.

The writing was very descriptive and thorough. All four women were given equal attention (save, maybe, Vicky) which invariably made for a cumbersome story with various competing story lines. With a little added sparkle, the dialog would have been more instrumental in moving the story along. I found the pacing to be much slower that I prefer. All in all, it was a low-angst story in which most conflicts were resolved within a single conversation. It was a well-written story that would be a wonderful lazy afternoon read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Jennifer Bohnet for an ARC of 'A Riviera Retreat' in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.