A rom com about rom coms set in the French Alps…what more could you want?! A hilarious main protagonist, beautiful wintry scenery, a romantic spark and lots of book talk. I loved this book!

Amber Page is an author who is having trouble writing her current book. She’s just not feeling it and is desperate to move away from the romance genre and into more of the comedy murder mystery with a sprinkling of romance genre. But her editor is adamant this cannot happen, and sends her away to inject some more ‘spice’ into her book. The thought alone makes Amber cringe, and matters are made even worse when her editor sends her off to the French Alps just days away from Christmas to work on the book. Leaving her ‘pre divorcing’ parents behind was hard enough but being stuck with three fellow writers who are not very friendly is even worse.

Luckily for Amber, she’s faced with a few distractions in the form on reality star turned author Caleb and housekeeper Henri. With a little love triangle forming, might Amber find her inspiration for her book after all?

I loved Amber, she was hilarious without even realising it. She was the type of character that I felt like I could be friends with, so lovely and down to earth. I did feel for her being surrounded by the unfriendly authors, I would have felt so uncomfortable! The banter between Amber and Caleb flowed so naturally, their relationship was refreshing and I liked how we got to see Caleb’s deeper side. I loved Amber’s relationship with brother Tom, their parents had me chuckling 🤭 This was a fun, heartwarming read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I also really want to go to the French Alps now!!

Let me preface by saying 1) I love this author and 2) one plot detail can leave such a bad taste in my mouth that I have to Dnf the book. Unfortunately the latter happened in this scenario,

A romance writer is stuck in a rut but finds not one but two potential leading men on a writers retreat.

Unfortunately I didn’t even get to the retreat because this long drawn out scene of her parents getting a pre-divorce (what???) threw me off and I just couldn’t regain the desire to finish.

I think this is a strong case of it’s not you it’s me

A fun filled frothy reads with lots of laughs and a dash of romance. Plenty of twists that kept this seasoned romance reader guessing as to how the story would unfold and I wasn’t disappointed. The story is set in gorgeous surroundings you can just lose yourself in. Great read.

Thank you Netgalley

Very cute and funny romance! I really liked the writing and enjoyed reading it all. :)

Thank you NetGalley and Portia MacIntosh!

This was the perfect book to get cosy on the sofa with a cuppa and get lost. And one morning I read 40% before I even got up. Love lazy mornings with a great book that makes you laugh. This was that!

Amber page is a writer and having issues writing her next book. So she gets sent on a pre Christmas writers retreat in the French Alps. Where she meets two very different men and the fun really starts.

I adored the wonderful location, wintry setting and how it was written. I would love to jump in this book and be part of. It was dreamy. So glad I kicked off my autumn/winter reads with this. It made me really want to go to a ski resort in the French Alps and enjoy the fun and the cosy vibes of the château with the roaring fire places.

I liked Amber, her family and Caleb. The sibling love was really endearing. But I will say oh how much I disliked Mandy, her attitude and little comments. Mean girls at its finest, but an older version😂

Amber was funny I was thinking at some scenes; what is she doing but it added to the humour of the book. She did make me laugh.

The French maid scene was hilarious.
That pizza place sounded insane and cold coke from a glass bottle is the best.

A fun book, with bookish vibes, an easy read and in a great location. What more could you want!

Overall I really loved it. I raced through it and would definitely recommend reading this. Escapism at its finest.

Thank you @rachelsrandomresources @portiamacintoshauthor @theboldbookclub for letting me be on the tour 🩷

‘You Had Me At Château’ by Portia Macintosh is a mild dose of fun and romance. However, I feel like it missed the mark for me. The story is about an author, Amber, and an influencer and TV reality star (trying to be an author!) Caleb and how their lives get tangled together.
Amber is experiencing writer’s block, and she tries to write a novel that her editor is not happy with. Her editor sends her to a luxury retreat with some fellow writers in the French Alps for inspiration… but she doesn’t count a weird love triangle in this mix.
Caleb, who is recently going through a breakup, finds Amber (who weirdly looks like his ex!)., and they collaborate to make sure his influencer career doesn’t get hit. In between all this, there is a spark between them, and their romance takes off.
While I enjoyed some parts of the story, it wasn’t really something that got me intrigued. I felt like some parts of the story were rushed while the others were way too descriptive. It was entertaining in some parts, however the romance between the characters was messy and unclear.
The plot meanders between entertaining moments and chaotic sequences, lacking the cohesive flow needed to fully engage readers. While the absence of spice isn't an issue, the romantic scenes feel abrupt and disconnected from the overall narrative.
All in all, I would give this book 2 stars out of 5. With its uneven pacing and underdeveloped character dynamics, it's best suited for a one-time, casual read. I would recommend this book to someone who wants a lighthearted and a bit funny Christmassy book.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for this honest opinion.

I enjoyed this super cute rom-com! I loved Amber, Caleb, and Henri and the hijinks that ensued. Amber is hilarious and her efforts to explore romantic settings as inspiration for adding spicy scenes into her writing were cracking me up! I also enjoyed learning about an author’s perspective. I cannot imagine being creative enough to come up with stories that hit all of the “things” that will appeal to the reader. My hat goes off to all authors for sure! I enjoyed the backdrop of the ski resort with the snow, hot drinks, good food and wine, and cozy rooms with a fireplace. It sounded like absolute perfection! Overall, it was a great story and I was rooting for Amber to find her romance all while she tried to write spice into her stories. Portia MacIntosh writes a great blend of romance and comedy, so her books are an auto-read for me. I am always looking forward to her next book!

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I absolutely loved this book! I am a huge fan of this author! She is absolutely witty and so funny. If you are a fan of Sophie Kinsella, make sure you give her a read!

I loved all the characters in this novel. Even though it takes place during Christmas time, there are not a lot of Christmas themes throughout the novel, which is fine! I loved the main female character and found her sense of humor so funny. I loved her relationship with her brother and how close they are :).

Highly recommend!

A love triangle. Love love love. Need I say more. This was so good!! Some scenes had me gagging. I loved all the main chapters. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this uplifting and enjoyable read.

good romance and loved how they found love and each other. They survived their trials and found their way back to each other. another great romance.

Amber is a writer who is told she needs to add more spice to her romances. Amber decides to go on a writers retreat to the French Alps. Enter: two leading men that are both pretty awesome!

Firstly, I love how Portia showed the inside of publishing and the struggles of a writer through Amber. And Caleb 🫠🫶
P.S. Tom's the coolest brother ever!

I really enjoyed how Amber struggled with her writing but achieved her dreams. Good romance with two men vying for her attention
A lovely read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

BOOK: You had me at Chateau
AUTHOR: Portia Macintosh
GENRE: romance
RATING: 4.5 ⭐ rounding up

I loved this! This is such a great return to fantastic romcoms which have been missing for the few years.

Portia Macintosh hit the right balance of comedy and romance. I was vested in the characters and the development of not only them but also the plot.

You know what your getting with a portia macintosh book. Humour, fun, and a fantastic story filled with the best characters

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

We follow the story of Amber Page, a romance novel writer who aspires to transition from her current genre to writing murder mysteries. However, her editor, Jan, discourages this idea and instead suggests that she add some spice to her current work in progress.

In an effort to gain inspiration for the spicy elements of her novel, Jan sends Amber to a writer's retreat with other romance writers. During her stay, she encounters Henri, the chateau caretaker, and Caleb, an influencer who seeks her assistance.

It remains to be seen whether these two individuals will inspire Amber to incorporate the desired spice into her novel or if they will play a role in her own personal love story.

I found this book to be lighthearted, charming, and humorous. The author's vivid descriptions of the setting allowed me to easily visualize the resort in my mind.

The book is a quick and easy read, and I found myself both laughing and occasionally cringing along with Amber. The plot is well-crafted, the characters interact effectively, and the overall setting is beautifully depicted.

I particularly appreciated the use of short chapters, which made the book even more enjoyable.

Overall, this is another excellent book by Portia MacIntosh.

This book made me so ready for Christmas - and it's October! :) I love stories about writers and this was a funny, spicy, cute, feet kicking good time.
I recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Honestly I don’t think Portia MacIntosh ever disappoints! Another fantastic romance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Amber is stuck in a rut with her latest romance novel and she really wants to write a murder mystery. However her publisher won’t let her, instead sending her on a writing getaway in an exclusive chateau in France to get some inspiration.

Amber can’t seem to spice up her romance, even with the help of the other women she’s away with. Then she manages to fall into her own holiday romance when two leading men come along and she finds herself wondering what to do.

I really loved Amber as a main character, she was so relatable and just funny. I really loved her journey throughout the book, both romantically and personally. There was some deep moments that really made you feel for Amber but for most of the story I found myself laughing along.

Thank you Portia MacIntosh, Boldwood books and Netgalley for this advanced reader copy!

Portia Macintosh writes some great books and this one will not disappoint either!!!
Amber is a romcom writer who wants to write in a different genre.. Her agent isn’t happy and instead of allowing her the chance to write that way, she tells her to make her romcoms more juicy!
Caleb is a tv reality star who is using the same agency to promote a book he’s writing in a genre that we know Amber would love!
Amber is sent away on a writer’s retreat in the French Alps, to an exclusive resort in the hopes she will get inspiration from her fellow authors.
Amber and Caleb end up in the same location and this is where I will stop, but I have to say I laughed, gasped and melted emotionally whilst reading this story!! Fantastic as usual!!! I never get bored of Portia’s stories!!
Many thanks to Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this arc copy via Netgalley. My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #TheBoldBookClub, #Portia MacintoshAuthor.

Amber Page is trying to finish her new book, but her editor wants more spice and Amber wants to switch gears completely to write a murder mystery with a romantic subplot. Either way, she needs to finish her book so when her editor offers her a spot at an idyllic writing retreat with three well-known authors, Amber agrees to go. While at the Chateau she's approached by a famous influencer with an interesting proposition – pretending to be his ex-girlfriend in profitable social media posts, while she's also being persued by a handsome employee of the Chateau. While she's officially at the Chateau to finish her book, what she's really working on is her future and how it will pan out.

This was my first Portia Macintosh book, and I loved it. It was a quick, easy read. There were times I literally laughed out loud. I really liked and was rooting for Amber. There was witty banter and an interesting story line that included not only Amber's love triangle but also her career ambitions.
I'm looking forward to reading another Portia Macintosh book soon!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.