Member Review

When the Hope sisters inherit a chateau in France from their late grandfather, they find it comes at a cost! Along with taxes, they have to find money to pay the sitting tenant Madame Charlotte Cadieux a monthly allowance,or the ownership will revert to her. Determined to find a way to make it pay, youngest sister Fliss stays on at the chateau - but will her ideas for an elite B&B ever get off the ground in face of the local town''s hostility and Mme Cadieux's grandson Jacques' resentment at the loss of his family home?
Like all Jo Thomas's books, this is an atmospheric as well as a romantic read, with brilliant descriptions of local French life, and a whole host of engaging characters. Castles always suggest fairytales, and in every good fairytale there's a witch. This one's in the shape of Jacques' ex-wife Rachelle, who wants him and the castle back, and will do everything in her power to sabotage Fliss's efforts.
Along with adventure and romance, there's a mystery in the plot as to how grandad bought the castle in the first place - a story that's as intriguing as Fliss's modern-day struggles to find and hold on to true love.
I can't finish this review without mentioning all the lovely descriptions of food in this novel - bread, cheese, crepes, fresh cider, casseroles and cream - it set my senses up nicely for Christmas and New Year feasting - which is where the story brings us in a final festive flurry of emotion and fun.