Good read. Great characters, enjoyed the setting, lots of side stories weaved into it and it flowed really well. A good read for a rubbish day. Will make you feel better!

In this enjoyable read, you are transported to France and get to see how Daisy adjusts to her new life in a remote French village. This has been her lifelong ambition but she soon realises that there are many pitfalls in her new life. There are plenty of amusing moments. Some stem from the situations but many come from the characters themselves. I especially liked her relationship with her teenage son and how used she was to his moods and adolescent angst.

This is a story about making new starts and new friendships. It is also about stepping outside your comfort zone and taking a risk. Daisy's marriage to Ben seems to have ended in disaster but throughout the book, she remembers key moments in their life. There is more to Ben than appears at the beginning of the story and this leads to some surprising moments. Full of gorgeous descriptions of French food amd the countryside, the story has a real gallic feel and takes you away for an uplifting read.

In short: Starting over
thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book
#blogtour

Thank you #Boldwoodbooks #Netgalley and #rachelsrandomresources for letting me read and review this ARC.

What a stunning escape. Trapped in a mundane life, Lily has just been made redundant, a feeling I remember well myself, which helped me connect to the story instantly. With a wish to move to France and a sweet redundancy package she is 100% sure that Ben would finally move to France with her. Drunk or high on life she buys a Farm House in the Hamlet off Creuse on Ebay. Emily her best friend supports her rather impulsive adventure.
Loved every page. 5Stars all the way.

Wow this was one fantastic read. I just loved every second of this book that I had to read it all in one sitting. It is one of those books that feels so real. That traps you in a wonderfully wrote spell and makes you feel so happy and relaxed that you forget your even reading a fiction book. The characters are just wonderful, relatable and so lovable. I definitely became emotionally invested in their progress and development. This book is just amazing. I found myself smiling even after the book I had finished. This book will stay with me for some time. I loved how the book was so full of French culture. There was also a great sense of community in the small village with everyone being so inclusive. I especially loved the part with the chicken gift. I found the story to be so heartwarming and funny. I really can't recommend this book enough. If you love a great story set in rural France about moving to a new country and renovating an old farm house then this book is definitely for you. I especially loved the fact that this book contained a nice light romance story which made it feel do very well rounded. I might of predicted a small part of the story but it just made me smile all the more.

Only the highest of praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating such an amazing book that you could definitely become lost in and taken on a wonderful fun journey. I will definitely be looking out for more books by this talented author. 

The above review has already been placed on goodreads, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK where found and my blog today https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/a-year-at-the-french-farmhouse-by-gillian-harvey-boldwood-books-5-star either under my name or ladyreading365

As soon as this book arrived on my kindle, I started reading it straight away and couldn't put it down!

Lily has always had a dream of leaving life in England and moving to France. Life unfortunately got in the way and it was slowly put away in a drawer and left as a pipe dream until Lily gets made redundant from her job. With her son moving away to university, it almost feels like the stars have aligned and she dares to dream of another life away from the trials of tribulations of her mundane life and starts to look at French properties. Knowing that this is something she and her husband have dreamed about, the books a stay in a French property only to discover, it isn't actually what her husband wants at all....

Waking up hungover the next morning, she has flashbacks of the night before and before she realises what she has done, it slowly dawns on her that instead of booking a holiday, she has actually in fact purchased a farmhouse in France!

The following story, is Lily embarking on some soul searching with what she actually wants to do and she decides that this is something that she really needs to do.

After years of looking after everyone else, she knows that deep down this is something that she needs to do herself. With only help from her best friend Emily, she sets about renovating her French dream and learning about the French way of life.

This is such a lovely story of finding yourself and breaking free to find happiness even though it means moving away from all that you have ever known. It isn't all roses though as Lily finds out. The farmhouse is in need of renovating with plaster actually falling from the kitchen walls at one point!

Although Lily doubts herself and her decisions, she is encouraged knowing that she is finally doing something that she has always dreamed of. As she slowly integrates herself into the French way of life and makes friends, it is refreshing to read Lily slowly finding her confidence and happiness.

A lovely story about not giving up on your dreams - I thoroughly enjoyed!

The Blurb :
After ten years of loyal service Lily Butterworth has been made redundant. Like any clever woman, she knows the cure to redundancy is a little too much wine and her best friend.
Only the next morning, Lily has more than a hangover . . . she has a whole new house – in France!
Seeing this as an opportunity instead of a disaster, she’s excited about finally moving to France, just as she and her husband always dreamed of. However, Lily is in for another surprise. Despite planning to move there for over 20 years, her husband never actually intended to go.
So begins a year in France, alone, renovating the gorgeous old farmhouse that is held together by wallpaper and wishes.
Will a year at the French farmhouse be just what Lily needs? Or could it be the previous owner, Frederique, that is the answer to Lily’s dreams?

My Thoughts :
We meet Lily Butterworth, suddenly finding herself being made redundant from her job, and drowning her sorrows with too much red wine, lily buys a farmhouse in France.
With her Son Ty going off to Uni, lily feels she has nothing to lose, with the support of best friend Emily, Lily takes a leap of faith.
We soon find out, that although it is Lily’s dream of many years to move to France, husband Ben doesnt quiet share the same dream.
So can Lily do this alone!?.
As we follow Lily on her new journey to renovate the Farmhouse in a year, we are treated to some great supporting cast who help Lily along the way. Some twists and turns and a possible romance all shapes Lily on her new road to growth and self discovery. She’s got this!!
Gillian Harvey has given us such an uplifting, feel good story of life in France. With such beautiful surroundings and atmosphere of the area, this is one story you can get lost in.
Cant wait for more from this Author.

I have mixed feelings about this one. I loved the moving to France part with all the miscommunication, the house struggles, meeting new people and the relationships. But i didn’t like the Frédérique storyline. It was too much. Too over the top. In this case less Frédérique is more. Other then that it was a delightful read and makes you wanna go on EBay and buy a French farmhouse.

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Gillian Harvey and Boldwood Books for the book A Year at the French Farmhouse. This is my personal review.
This book took me along with Lily as she fulfilled a dream of a lifetime! It left me feeling such wonderful feelings. There was happiness, humor, and a bit of seriousness. But not enough to bring the goodness this book has in it.
The book gives a feeling that a woman can make decisions that fit what she’s sees as her life and how she wants to live.
The author did a wonderful job of writing in such a perfect way I could feel and see the entire story and all its colors!

What a truly lovely book this is!
Reading this book reminded me so much of holidays to France and being transported back there with the description of the area was so lovely to read.
I enjoyed everything about this book from the storyline, the characters, the setting and also the ease in which the book flowed made it very easy to pick up and get straight into.
Another lovely read from the fabulous Gillian Harvey.

I like that this story offers a unique interpretation of escaping to France, a popular literary theme. Lily copes with her redundancy and empty nest with the support of her best friend Emily and wine, which leads to an unexpected purchase. The next day she discovers her mistake, seeing it as an opportunity to fulfil a lifelong dream, but her husband doesn't share her excitement. Marriage, second chances and following your dreams are all themes in this heartwarming and humorous read. I like Lily, the main character. She is courageous and realistic. The descriptions of France and the farmhouse immerse you in Lily's dream. The author explores Lily's marriage through emotional and poignant flashbacks to the past and their present troubles. I like the friendships, new and old that Lily has; they provide the humour and motivation for her to carry on in the face of problems with her life in France and her marriage. The ending has a surprising but welcome twist.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Dreams and opportunities!

What do you do when you’re made redundant?
Obviously drink a lot of wine and bid on eBay for a house in France for a month.
What do you do when you find out that you’d actually bought a house in France on eBay? Only two choices, scream or live the dream!
However Lily Butterworth finds her and her husband’s dream for a life in France is in reality her dream, not her husband Ben’s.
Is this the moment of walking through the door into her lifelong dream?
It seems so. Life in France is maybe more than Lily bargained for but she’s living the dream. Isn’t she?
An interesting tale of not saying No! or rather grabbing an opportunity with two hands and saying Yes!

A Boldwood Books ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

A Year at the French Farmhouse is a love letter to anyone who loves France.

Oh la la, this book is tres magnifique! I just fell in love with Gillian’s writing and her ability to create a story with such heart and depth. Gillian’s descriptions of the French countryside were breathtaking and just so vivid. I felt like I was transported to the French countryside…sigh… and wished I was there right now. Lily’s journey of moving to France and fixing up her new house is filled with many ups and downs and laughter. Anyone who has ever moved or travelled to another country will understand Lily’s struggle with language barriers, different customs, and the horrors of driving in a foreign country. I could relate, especially since I was reading this book while in Greece and butchering the Greek language the whole time I was there, LOL.

I am always a sucker for a book with some renovation elements. I love watching the main character breathe new life into a neglected space. Reading the scenes where poor Lily tries renovating her new house made me laugh. I like how Gillian didn’t approach the reno aspect with rose-coloured glasses. Lily’s adventures in home renovation did not go smoothly, and I like how she realized that she wasn’t going to have that perfect house of her dreams; instead, she embraced the imperfect aspects of her new home.

Lily’s friendship with Emily was utterly heartwarming and one of the main things that made this book stand out for me. I loved how solid their friendship was. Both women stood by each other through thick and thin. Both women are going through their own challenges but are willing to drop everything to help each other out. There was this real sense of realism to their friendship.

I wouldn’t call this an overly romantic book. Romance takes a backseat in this story. Lily and her husband Ben end up separating at the beginning of the book because Ben won’t move to France with her. The bulk of the book centres around memories Lily has of her and Ben and the two of them trying to convince the other to move back home to the UK or France. Lily does have another love interest in this book, but it is pretty clear that her heart is still with Ben. Now, readers, this book has a happy ending, but you will have to read it to see what it is.

A Year at the French Farmhouse is a delightful tale of friendship, love, and taking chances.

Thank you, Boldwood Books and Rachel Random Resources for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This a fun story about a woman who goes on a journey to fulfill a life long dream. After Lily is laid off from her job (redundant) she freaks out slightly but takes this as the opportunity to finally fulfill her and her husband's dream of moving to France! There are many ups and downs and snags along the way mixed with losses and gains and language barriers. I loved the comedy mixed in with the serious. I got invested in the main character to the point I was so disappointed in some of her choices and was cheering her on along the way. It was a book to be savored not rushed through.

This book goes to show you are never too old to follow your dreams and live the life you were destined to live.

This was a fabulous feel good and uplifting read and I read it in one sitting it was fun and lighthearted as well as containing some more serious moments as the story developed and contained lots of fabulous quirky humour as well more serious notes. Loved the setting as like lily the main character I am also a little obsessed with all things French.

This is a story of how anything is possible and that you can reach your dreams with the help of friends and family around to support you and that live is full of second chances and new beginnings.

Again a lead who kicks off the story lying to her husbands face, and then gets upset that he doesn’t agree to anything she says no questions asked. What kind of marriage was this anyway? Very sad to read about. Not to mention the rude teenager they have. I mean really, just buying a house on a whim without mentioning to your spouse? Maybe go to AA for that drinking problem. I just couldn’t enjoy this book.

In this book we meet Lily who after working her socks off at a company has just been made redundant. She is now in desperate need of her best friend help and wisdom.

However a little too much wine leads to some interesting decisions and when Lily wakes up she discovers that she has brought a new house. And not just any house. But one that is in France.

Deciding that her life is in desperate need of a change and that things couldn't possibly get worse. Lily decides that moving to France is just the move that she needs.

Packing up her belongings Lily moves into the rundown old farmhouse and so the year at the French farmhouse begins.

This is a very sweet book, about Lily finding out who she is and making her dreams come true.

It's alright but it's pretty similar to the many other "women dreams of different life, divorces husband, moves to a beautiful foreign country and finds new love/adventure".
It didn't nearly scratch the itch I have to buy a french farmhouse and start anew. Boooo

A YEAR AT THE FRENCH FARMHOUSE

Even at the sound of this gorgeous book title, I was in!

If you've ever dreamed about doing something exciting - like whisking yourself away to a new life abroad - you'll be in love with this story too.

We get to live vicariously through Lily as she gets wild and hits the 'buy' button on a house in France. What an adventure!

I adored the setting and the way the characters were vividly painted. The details of the French way of living (especially in rural France) were brilliantly insightful too.

There were so many quirky and hilarious moments. This book will absolutely stay with me.

I really enjoyed this wonderful escape to France. To move and renovate an old French property, make new friends and start a new life was a big thing for the main character and it was lovely to see her friendships develop with those around her as well as see her own family relationships evolve due to the move. I would read more from this author based on this book so thank you netgalley.