Cover Image: One Summer in Monte Carlo

One Summer in Monte Carlo

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Member Reviews

I am really enjoying this series of novels by this author - they are always a light and fun read. Perfect holiday material in my opinion.

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Lovely feel good book to read. Idyllic location to help you imagine you are right there too. It was a joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot. The book was charming. Very well written. I’d definitely recommend this book

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A lovely warmhearted novel with a bit of mystery thrown in in a gorgeous Monaco setting. Nanette is a very likeable main character and so you are rooting for her after what she has been through. Great storyline with a few twists to keep your interest

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I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. This book is a really enjoyable read. It makes you want to visit Monte Carlo, the description is fantastic. The pacing is perfect. This ebook is in stores for A$5.99 (AUD). If you guys have not read this book, yet go get it it is really,really good. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I can't wait to read more books by this author in the future.

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As a US reader, I LOVE books set in other countries. Sign me up for an escape to a beautiful setting like Monte Carlo! I immersed myself in Nanette's story in Monaco and how it intertwined with her best friend, Vanessa, in South America. What a great plot twist to involve friendship, romance and a bit of thriller! I didn't care for the romance aspect and wished for less of an age gap (or rather, a different relationship) between Nanette and JC.

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All is not as it seems behind the glamour of Monte Carlo's F1 scene and as Nanette unravels the secrets from the past it makes for a great read as she finally faces up to the car crash that ruined her life and steps out from behind it's legacy. A captivating story in a fabulous setting.

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How the other half live, eh? We certainly get a taste of it in this story. I've never felt any desire to visit Monte Carlo, but after having read this surprisingly action-packed book, I think I'll have to add it to my bucket-list, if only to ogle the wealthy!

I didn't see the romance coming, I certainly anticipate see the tragedy or it's aftermath, and the contrast between the lifestyles of the characters in Monte Carlo and those in the jungle was stark and telling.

This novel certainly kept me on the edge of my seat.

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A gorgeous and glamorous escape sparkling with drama, emotion and pathos, One Summer in Monte Carlo is an immensely satisfying tale from Jennifer Bohnet.

Monte Carlo is the playground for the rich and famous where the streets are lined with designer shops, notorious celebrities and eye-wateringly expensive sports cars. For Nanette Weston, however, Monte Carlo reminds her of a painful time in her life where she had ended up losing everything that she had held dear to her heart. Although she had once been happy in Monte Carlo, a cruel twist of fate had robbed her and her then fiancé Zac of all the joy and fulfilment which they had once found and taken for granted. Three years ago, Nanette and her racing car driver ex Zac had been in a horrific car accident which had resulted in Nanette having to be airlifted back to the UK. Nanette has not seen Zac since that tragic day and she had vowed never to set foot back in Monte Carlo ever again. But when a friend of hers asks for her help, Nanette ends up doing the unthinkable and returning back to the place she never thought she would see ever again – and to the man who still has her heart: Zac.

When her friend and employer Vanessa needed somebody to look after her children in Monte Carlo, she had called upon Nanette, who had found herself with no other choice but to help out her friend. As soon as she set foot in the Principality, Nanette finds herself besieged by heart-breaking memories she has tried her hardest to forget. However, it isn’t only the past she has to worry about, but also her present when the F1 comes back to town and she realises that there is a very good chance that she will find herself running into the one man she never wanted to see ever again: Zac.

As avoiding the past proves impossible, will Nanette find herself laying old ghosts to rest once and for all? Or will she realise that there is simply no running away from the truth in Monte Carlo?

Jennifer Bohnet’s One Summer in Monte Carlo is a compelling tale about old desires, never forgotten feelings and healing from the past that makes for wonderful escapism on a miserable January day! As always, Jennifer Bohnet makes her setting come to colourful life and while reading One Summer in Monte Carlo readers will feel as if they are rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous as they find themselves completely and utterly drawn in by this emotional and dramatic tale.

A wonderful book to lose oneself into, Jennifer Bohnet’s One Summer in Monte Carlo ticks all the right boxes for readers looking for an enjoyable and emotional page-turner.

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i thought this book was really good and really ctue. it's full of likeable characters and that makes it even more amazing!!

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I started off reading this novel, expecting a contemporary romance but soon realised there is more to the story than that. There is a mystery to be solved and some darker issues beneath the surface. Guilt and deception are lying beneath the surface and there is a lot to think about in the plight of the people who Vanessa meets. Exploitation of poorer people seems to allow some to live the millionaire lifestyle.

The past reappears to unsettle Nanette and there are certainly issues she has to face up to and some uncomfortable truths.Nanette's family grounds her and gives her character added depth. I loved the setting of course, especially as I read the story in 'the bleak midwinter'. It added a certain gloss and glamour to the story and the sights and sounds of Monte Carlo are abundant.

In short: a warm and inviting read
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book

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I’ve read a number of Jennifer’s books now and they are always a delight. A drop of French sunshine, gorgeous settings, a sprinkling of romance and an interesting story. What more do you need?

Nanette, who previously worked in the hectic and glamorous world of Formula One and once engaged to the famously talented top driver Zac had vowed never to return to Monaco. After leaving three years previously following a car accident she has little memory of and the end of her relationship with Zac, it is a part of her life she always thought she needed to keep buried away. However, after being asked by her best friend and employer, Vanessa, to return, now as nanny to Vanessa’s twins, she is to stay with the children’s father and grandfather whilst Vanessa is away for a few months with her new husband in the Amazon rain forest. It all sounds very exciting and exotic, but danger and trouble lay ahead for both women and the author writes an engaging and interesting story from both of these character’s perspectives.

The two story lines, though very different from one another, worked well together and gave the book a fast moving pace. There is a good mystery element running through this book which made me keep on turning those pages along with the brilliantly described settings.

I’m a big F1 fan and having been to a number of races as well as visiting Monte Carlo/Monaco whilst on holiday in France, it was wonderful to read of the principality in the lead up to a Monaco grand prix. To feel the buzz of excitement and the hustle and bustle of a packed Monaco, the sound of the cars and all that the teams bring with them. I could sense that the author knew what she was talking about. You don’t need to be a lover of racing to enjoy this book however, as the atmosphere of a more normal Monaco and the description of the Amazon are wonderfully done.

This new novel gives us yet again a lovely cast of characters and the author’s usual sun soaked France oozes from the page. There is also a smaller romantic story line included, which is enjoyable and believable, but the main story is a fast moving mystery of what Nanette learns about people she once knew and though she still did. But does she?

Thanks so much to BoldWood Books for my advanced digital copy

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Jennifer Bohnet is a new to me author, and I have to say this delightful novel really captured my imagination and made me feel like I was there, in Monte Carlo, in the run up to a Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix.

As an F1 fan I enjoyed this aspect of the story, having watched many Monaco Grand Prix over the years, but this is not a book for a sports fan, because the Grand Prix is completely incidental to the storyline.

The story focuses on Nanette, who is returning to Monte Carlo three years after a car accident which left her with memory loss, and after which she had been castigated by the press for being responsible for nearly killing her ex-fiance and star of Formula 1, Zac Ewart. Nanette, employed by her friend Vanessa as nanny to her twins, returns to Monte Carlo to help look after the children with their father Mathieu, while Vanessa and her new husband go on a work-related adventure in a very remote part of South America.

This book not only deals with Nanette trying to recover her memories of the accident, she also begins a romance with Vanessa’s silver fox of an ex-father in law, and she also has concerns that the twins’ father is mixed up with something potentially criminal. She also has to deal with her ex, Zac, being back on the scene, which stirs up memories that are both good and bad.

I really loved when the story jumped to Vanessa’s storyline in the jungle with her documentary-maker husband and his film crew. It was a puzzle as to how the stories went together but this puzzle was resolved towards the end of the story when all of the pieces fell together, and it all made complete sense. This really was a mix of women’s fiction with a gentle thriller, and I found I was completely captivated from start to finish.

One Summer in Monte Carlo is a wonderful armchair journey to an opulent location in Monaco, and to a poor community in a remote part of the Amazon, and I honestly felt I had been transported to both locations. This may have been my first book by Jennifer Bohnet but it definitely will not be my last!

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Nanette is living in the UK after a terrible car crash in .Monte Carlo, involving her and her ex boyfriend. She us helping out living as a housekeeper / nanny to her friend’s twins. Circumstances end up with her taking the twins to stay with their Father in Monaco, much to Nanette’s chagrin. She has unfinished business in Monaco; she was airlifted home from Monaco and never heard from her fiancé Zac (formula one driver) ever again. Nanette has no memory of the accident and when she meets Zac on her trip with the twins he asks her about her memory of the accident and seems pleased that she had no memory. Mm I wonder whether she really was driving, or whether Zac was trying to protect his F1 career?

Prepare to be whisked away to the glamour of Monte Carlo, interspersed with love interest and criminal goings on, all combined to make a fantastic, albeit intriguing read, not to be missed.

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When you look at the cover and read the synopsis was it just me or did you immediately think this book was a romance? Well your wrong, this book was absolutely fantastic. At the start of this book you get introduced to Nanette who suffered a tragic accident in Monaco and vowed to never go back. However her boss Vanessa is leaving to go to the Amazon Rainforest to do some filming work with new husband Ralph for 5 months and asked Nanette if she would go back to Monaco to help look after her kids whilst they stayed at their dads. Nanette didn’t want to go but realised she had a lot of unanswered questions she hoped to gain answers to which related to her accident and Zac. Zac who ended up being her ex fiancé and a formula 1 driver. This book follows new love, betrayal, corruption, lies and secrecy. I especially loved the formula one aspect and reading about how it was all prepared in Monaco.

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I have been in need of a bit of light escapism so when this book came on my radar I was excited to jump in. I have to say that every time I read a book set outside the UK I remember how much I am itching to travel again and that was in full force reading this book. I am now desperate to go to the south of France and eat all the food and drink all the wine, this is in part down to the beautiful setting that the author captures easily but vividly. I’ve never really been that attracted to the glitz and glamor of Monte Carlo but I have to say after reading this book when I get the chance I am considering a trip there and seeing the fancy yachts.

Nanette’s story was an interesting one, she has a past in Monte Carlo but we don’t immediately get all the details of what happened and this really pulled me into the story but actually what I really ended up enjoying was Nanette getting the chance to leave the past behind her and find new friends and new love, which I really liked because it was a slow burn relationship and allowed her to feel ready to move on.

Surprisingly there was a lot of the book that was devoted to Vanessa and her trip to the Amazon, which I was a bit unsure of at first because I was really getting into Nanette’s story and at first didn’t see what they were adding to the story but actually the more they occurred the more I enjoyed them and there is a reason why they have been included. There is also a bit of excitement in the story with Mathieu’s unusual behaviour and him being around some dodgy characters, it definitely added a bit of light suspense and drama.

There was a slight annoyance for me throughout the book at points the dialogue between characters was a little stiff and sometimes things were over-explained, as an example there were quite a few instances of Nanette talking to family and close friends and referring to her ex-fiancé by his full name, it just seemed really formal and added this sense of detachment between characters. I think it was just because it didn’t happen all the time so that when it did happen it really jilted the flow of the writing for me.

This book was just what I was looking for with a beautiful setting, wonderful characters and some interesting surprises along the way One Summer in Monte Carlo is perfect for a bit of escapism.

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One Summer in Monte Carlo is a book with a real mix of different characters, all with their own story lines, and all entwined around the wealthy lifestyle of those lucky enough to live in Monaco. There are apartments with balconies and harbour side views, fine dining in the hills above Nice and the roar of Formula 1 that comes crashing into daily life, but there is also a secret from the past that seemed to have been forgotten.

As the PA and fiancée of racing driver Zac Ewart, Nanette was once part of the F1 social scene. She organised parties on his yacht and attended events on his arm, until the car accident three years ago, that she can’t remember, left her ostracised and alone. Monte Carlo, Zac and the privileged lifestyle were firmly in her past, until her best friend Vanessa asks her a huge favour. Her decision to return for one summer, and face those who hurt her, might be just what she needs to help free her from the past, but it could open up opportunities for her future too.

There is more to this book than the glitz and the glamour of its Monte Carlo location, it also shows the importance of family, friendship and being there for the ones you love. Nanette discovers Monaco has changed and with the new faces it seems there are also dirty deals being done that have far reaching consequences. Who is involved and how risky it is, will be something else for her to work out as she attempts to move on with her future. This shady side of life in Monaco added suspense, tension and a few twists to the book.

It is always exciting to be back in a Jennifer Bohnet book and although I’d read Follow Your Star, many years ago, I’ve really enjoyed reading this updated version. If the buzz of Formula 1 and the lifestyle of the rich and famous is where you want to be, if only on a short break, this book would be a perfect winter escape.

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Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary advance reader copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

I always enjoy this author's books. They are quick r, enjoyable reads, always in lovely locations. I knew very little about the Grand Prix in Monte Carlo before this book and found it interesting to learn a little about it. The characters are always enjoyable and the romance never too much sap but just right. This author's books are always a great book to read after a heavy book, they leave me smiling and wishing I could travel to the destination in the book.

In this book Nannette accepts the request of her friend, Vanessa, to stay in Monte Carlo to watch her children while she goes woth her new husband to the Amazon to film a documentary. She will be staying at Vanessa's ex-husband, Matthieu's house by the marina in Monte Carlo. Thsi should be an easy thing to accept except that Nannette has not been back to Monte Carlo since the incident three years prior that rocked her workd and destroyed everything she had leaving her without a job, fiance or pplace to belong to, but for her friend, she accepts. It is time to face her demons and put her life back on track. Being in Monte carlo at the time of Grand prix means her ex will most definitely be there as well as all of the people from her past. Will Nannette be able to get past what happened and will she finally be able to remember everything from that night. Matthieu appears to be in some sort of trouble; so does her ex, Matthieu's father Jean Claude comes to her aide more than once, will he be the man who mends her broken heart or wil she find love once more with her ex.

Always enjoyable reads, I will look forward to this author's next book.

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I've been lucky to have visited Monaco numerous times and I'm also a fan of Formula One Motor Racing. Therefore Jennifer Bohnet's new romance set against a backdrop I love was a "no-brainer" to pick up and read. 

Nanette Weston's not happy when her friend and employer, Vanessa asks her to travel to a place which holds painful memories. Three years earlier, Nanette's life fell apart while living in the Principality of Monaco. Now as the nanny to Vanessa's twins, she needs to take the children to their father's home and stay with them while Vanessa accompanies her new husband overseas. It's a challenge she doesn't want to embrace. However, she decides it's an opportunity to revisit a place she loves and to finally find closure…for the event which changed her life. 

The names of the corners and landmarks along the street circuit of Monte Carlo and the glamour of the backdrop made it easy for me to devour this novel and reminisce about the historical landmarks. Although there's a link to F1, this isn't a motor racing themed novel, although a secondary character is a driver. Yes, the famous Grand Prix features, but it's in the background and doesn't take precedence or detract from the drama. 

A surprise is a secondary plot-line, although it ties in at the end in a predictable way. Unfortunately, it didn't add anything worthwhile to the narrative for me. I would have preferred the focus to have concentrated more with Nanette and less so with Vanessa. Other secondary characters are charming… and rich and I envied how Nanette blended into a world most of us can only dream about. 

The overall "feel" of this book is fun, entertaining and my personal favourite by Ms Bohnet so far. It captures the essence of Monte Carlo and definitely makes me want to visit this small area of Southern Europe again. Upbeat, with several highs, the author did make me shed a tear or two during one poignant scene, so be prepared to experience an emotional journey to a more than satisfying happy ending.

***arc generously received courtesy of the publisher Boldwood Books via NetGalley***

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Whenever I travel anywhere in one of Jennifer Bohnet’s novels, I always take a little piece of it to keep in my head as a souvenir. One Summer in Monte Carlo is no different. Jennifer writes about Montel Carlo with such vividity and passion that visiting this time felt as though I was returning to a place that is familiar but with so much left to explore. The combination of tourist areas and the more traditional side of Monte Carlo was such an experience and set around the Grand Prix gave it all some added excitement.
Nanette is such a sweet character, recovering from a traumatic experience that she cannot remember and struggling with her return to Monte Carlo. I just felt instantly protective over her and became suspicious of anyone who tried to befriend her. I loved watching her confidence grow as she once again found her feet. The romance did go in a different turn than I was expecting, not less enjoyable, just surprising and delightful and I enjoyed watching Nanette learn to love herself again.
Jennifer always adds a gentle element of mystery or drama to her romance novels and this one had several little subplots to keep the pace moving swiftly and the pages turning. In this novel we have the strange behaviour of Mattieu (the father of the children Nanette is caring for), an ex who seems to be hiding something, a best friend and husband in potential danger in the Amazon and a pregnant sister and meddling mother-in-law.
All of these elements combine to make a delightful summer read in a luxurious and vibrant setting and I loved it. Bring a little sunshine back into your life and read a copy of One Summer in Monte Carlo.

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This story captures your interest from the beginning. Nanette is still coping with the aftermath of her accident in Monaco three years previously. Going back is her worst fear, but circumstances conspire, and she finds herself back in the glamorous location not sure if she is ready to face the past.

Set in Monaco and The Amazon this story has vibrant locations and vivid characters. Danger and intrigue balance friendship and romance in this engaging story. Vanessa and her new husband face danger in the jungle whilst Nanette wonders if there is more to her accident than she can remember. The romance is gentle and surprising.

This is an intriguing romantic story which lets the reader forget the cold winter nights for a while.

I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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