Under A Riviera Moon is the second book I have read by Helen McGinn and after sinking rather nicely into the previous one, The Island of Dreams, I was delighted to review another for the blog tour. Under A Riviera Moon is Helen McGinn's 5th stand-alone book.

Set in the 60's in Paris makes Under A Riviera Moon interesting and quite different. Helen McGinn paints a picture with words, so you can visualise the places her characters go and hear the jazz music playing. It's all rather immersive.

Spanning 3 generations, there is a lot of life about the place as well as love and loss.
In the present day, there is Maggie who has got a lot on her plate. She's divorced and there are uncertainties surrounding her career. She takes a trip to Scotland and this unexpectedly sends her to France to collect her grandmother's belongings from Allegra, her grandmother's friend. This in turn leads to a fascinating look into Allegra's life and more importantly, Maggie's grandmother's whom it would seem she didn't know much about at all in her younger days.

Under A Riviera Moon is captivating and fascinating reading about what was happening in 60's France. With rich threads within the plot in an interesting time and setting, Under A Riviera Moon is a great holiday or wet weather read to lose yourself into for some escapism.

This is a wonderfully written dual timeline story of love, loss, friendship and finding peace and contentment in life. We learn about Paris in the early sixties, vineyard life in Provence, and the art world in New York. All the while we are enjoying the delights of current day Cannes. The interesting thing about this dual timeline is that Allegra from the sixties sits and talks through her life with Maggie from the ‘present day’! The interweaving of friends and relatives now and then makes this a joy to read. Highly recommend.

This was such an enjoyable read, capturing love and loss across the years. The way the book went through time and back to the present was easy to follow. I think this is a perfect summer read. An easy five stars in my view.

What a wonderful story about Allegra and Elizabeth! The sixties in Paris, New York and the Riviera. Glamorous life of the two friends who spent the sixties traveling to this amazing places.
Love, loss, joy, hopefulness, friendship, this book has all.
Thanks to the author, boldwood books and netgalley for the advanced copy.

This is an engaging novel that instantly pulls you in with the promise of sun-kissed destinations and a bittersweet journey of self-discovery. Maggie's initial hesitation about her Cannes mission is soon replaced by curiosity as she meets the glamorous Allegra and the vibrant history of her grandmother's life. The peek into 1960s Paris, filled with jazz and nascent romance, is especially enticing.

Allegra's life, which stretches from Paris to New York and the Riviera, holds out the promise of a richly textured experience that will surely engage and inspire Maggie. The novel is also about fate, that Maggie's journey is not merely geographical but emotional, one that takes her toward healing and the potential for her own "love story for the ages."

I will highly recommend this book to all the romance lovers. The writing skills of the author are flawless and through her captivating writing style I could visualise all the places mentioned and also the plot unfolding in front of my eyes little by little. I was engaged throughout the book without getting bored at all and it has been a perfect read for me while drinking a cup of coffee. So grab your copy today and you will definitely enjoy reading it as much as I did. The book is also available for free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.

Maggie is asked to take a trip to Cannes to pick up a box of photos and other items that belonged to her late grandmother, Elizabeth. The box is with Allegra, Elizabeth's glamorous friend with whom she spent a year in Paris while they were students.

Under A Riviera Moon tells the story of Allegra and Elizabeth's time in Paris plus Allegra's life after Paris, mixed with Allegra helping Maggie to make sense of her own life. It is a story of love and romance, art and wine.

I loved this story - the Parisian setting of the sixties mixed with modern-day Cannes gave a depth to the characters and their lives. Allegra is the glamorous older friend that everyone needs in their lives!

I don’t know where to start with this review. I read this book and was absorbed in to two women’s lives in different time periods and just went with the enjoyable flow.

I didn’t expect to be transported to 1960s Paris, yes the blurb mentions it but what I got was something atmospheric of a city that has a sweet spot in my heart. McGinn gave me a different side to the French capital that felt thoroughly authentic as Allegra was twirled around the jazz cafes and got an art education.

The life journey I went on with Allegra was emotional but I loved it. This woman was so genuine and loveable. Not that Maggie wasn’t. Maggie was equally the same but very different. She was brilliant in her line of work, could handle anything she was presented with on the TV set but life wasn’t her friend. I’ll admit her visiting Cannes got me a little green – I’d love to go there and McGinn’s depiction of the city deepened that desire to get to the French Riviera #oneday.

This is a beautifully written split timeline story of rebuilding life after it’s given you a lemon. I loved spending time with Allegra and Maggie. I escaped to different cities around the world with this pair and would do it all over again if i could! McGinn really has brought these women’s worlds alive and I loved it.

Maggie is dealing with the breakup of her marriage and her mother gives her a task to get her to do something. She is sent to Cannes to meet an old friend of her grandmother's. Allegra Morgon has found a box of Elizabeth's things, lots of pictures, and has asked if someone can come and retrieve them. Allegra is looking forward to telling Maggie all about the time she and Elizabeth spent together in Paris, in the 60s, when it was the city of love. Not only does she learn about her grandmother's love, Luke, but about Allegra's life and first love. Etienne's family were vintners and he had a dream of running his own vinyard. When Allegra's parents make her come home to see her mother, who has just been diagnosed with cancer, she promises to return, and he promises to write. Allegra's story spans years moving from Paris to New York, then to Cannes. Maggie is entranced with the life and just maybe, this could be a new start for her.

Under a Riviera Moon is a lyrical story, one that pulled me into the magical life of Allegra, Elizabeth, Luke and Etienne. It sounded like such a wonderful time to be alive, single and in Europe. As things change and their responsibilities change, something always feels missing. I enjoyed the relationship that Allegra and Maggie developed. They were like mother and daughter, as well as best friends. The story is told in dual timelines, which I always enjoy. I liked both timelines, which isn't always the case. The storylines meshed nicely, and moved back and forth from the past to the present effortlessly. I did think Maggie's romance was a bit quick, especially as she was still heartbroken when she arrived, but it was a nice addition to the story. If you enjoy armchair travel, the settings are well described and someday, I hope to visit both Cannes and Paris to see them for myself. This is a story of family, friendship, lost love, and new beginnings, so if you enjoy those themes, I recommend this story to you.

You all know that I am a sucker for a few things when it comes to books right?
France - check

Dual timeline - check

WWII setting - .......wait, what!

Whilst this book is predominantly in the city of Cannes, famous for the film festival and a jet set lifestyle, it also tells the story of two young women who are living in Paris in the early 1960s, and is not, I repeat not, a WWII story!

When TV producer Maggie is asked to go to Cannes to pick up some items from a woman who was friends with her grandmother Elizabeth she is both grateful and surprised. She is grateful because it gives her a chance to get away from her not so great life for just a couple of days, and surprised because she never knew that her grandmother lived in Paris back in the early 1960s.

Maggie knows that the reason her mother is asking her is two-fold. Firstly, her father's dementia is getting increasingly worse and so her mother feels like she needs to always be at home, and secondly to help Maggie get out of her own head following her recent divorce, but she goes along with it anyway.

The plan is that Maggie will go for a couple of days, pick up the box of photos and a camera, and then come back home again. Then Maggie meets Allegra, her grandmother's friend, and Maggie is intrigued. Allegra is an elegant American woman who has retired to Cannes after working as an art dealer for many years and she has many stories about art, jazz and life in Paris, even touching on some less glamorous aspects of life in the city. Soon Maggie is staying longer, getting to know the people who live in the area and getting to know who her grandmother was as a young woman.

While I enjoyed the two stories of love lost and found, and how they came together in the end, the real strength for me was in the details. I loved the way that the author showed Allegra learning about art and jazz. And the food! Helen McGinn is wine expert who appears on a British cooking show called Saturday Kitchen, and you can tell. Part of the story revolves around a vineyard. At one point, she writes about a harvest feast, and it was evocative!

I hadn't read this author before. After reading this book, I will definitely be looking out for more from her!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

Rating 4/5

Under a Riviera Moon by Helen McGinn was a beautifully written book from start to finish. I just love reading Helen's book's. She always writes with so much love and from her heart. This book was no different, you could just float away with it and dream of you, being in Rome or even Cornwall or even under a Riviera Moon snuggled under a blanket reading it. It was just magical. I have read all 3 of Helen's book but this one! WoW was magical and heartwarming. But, you will need tissues, I needed them.

I fantastic book for your holidays. Helen - You're amazing storyteller, and the best book so far.


Review on Goodreads and Amazon UK.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

The book follows Maggie’s journey in the present day, and Allegra’s story in the 1960s. In the present day, Maggie goes to France to meet Allegra, who has a box of treasured things that belonged to her grandmother, Elizabeth. Looking through the photographs and talking to Allegra, Maggie learns all about the time that Allegra and her grandmother spent together.

It was heartwarming to follow both Maggie and Allegra. Both of them were great characters, and I enjoyed the friendships between the characters. This romantic story swept me away, and I felt it delivered some inspiring messages too. This is a lovely feel-good read, ideal for when you want something to help you escape.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.

Under a Riviera Moon is the incredibly sweet story of love both past and present. As a favor to her mother, Maggie sets out on a trip she doesn't want to be on in order to retrieve some old photos belonging to her grandmother. While on this trip she makes some unexpected friendships, learns of long kept secrets, and begins healing from the past.

I enjoyed Under a Riviera Moon quite a bit. The story was really interesting. The way the author brought Maggie and Allegra was really well thought out and creative. The book is told in dual timeline which is one of my favorite things, especially when it's done this well. McGinn ties the past and present together seamlessly with captivating writing that allows the reader to glide back and forth effortlessly. My only issue with the book is Maggie's love felt rushed. I do get what it was done that way, it was just a little meh for me. Other than that, it was a really good story. I really enjoyed reading it.

This book is one for the lovers of love. It has family love, platonic love, new love, lost love, through thick and thin love. If you are a lover of love, I recommend this book to you.

Thank you to the author & Rachel's Random Resources for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Maggie's mom has tasked her with retrieving a box of photos from her grandma’s best friend on the French Riviera. Between jobs, she heads to France to recover the photos and learn more about her grandma and her friend.


This story was told from a dual perspective: Maggie in the present day and Allegra, her grandma’s best friend in the 1960s. I enjoyed the friendship between Maggie’s grandma and Allegra. This beautifully written story is about love, loss, second chances, and the magic of the French Riviera.


Thanks to @boldwoodbooks, @netgalley, @rachelsrandomresources, and the author for this arc

This fabulous story wrapped me up in a delicious hug and landed me comfortably back in the real world, but with an optimistic view of life in the present day. I really do encourage you to read this beautiful book and be transported through time to a memory of when the sixties were in full swing and free love was the phrase of the moment. Paris was filled with Art, Jazz and students and Maggie and Elizabeth were best friends.
In the present day, Maggie visits her grandmother’s Parisien friend who holds some vivid memories of their year spent in the company of two quite different men who introduced them to Jazz music and art. With a backdrop of the student uprising that saw battles breaking out on the streets between the authorities and the locals. The writing made me feel as though I was actually there.
The view of Paris in the sixties was decadent and felt like it touched on the hedonistic. Whilst keeping a firm grip on their morals, Elizabeth and her friend Allegra discovered love and excitement. I could almost hear the sounds of the jazz music on the air and envisage the artwork in the many galleries visited by Elizabeth.
As Maggie began to fall into the tempting pool of the past, reality returned to the fore, and armed with the knowledge that her grandmother had lived a life that she had never imagined, Maggie draws strength from the box of memories that Allegra has for her.
Leaving Paris behind, Maggie’s adventures see her in New York and then the Riviera, and perhaps that is where her opportunity to walk into the future becomes clear for her. This is a beautiful escapist story that leads the reader to reflect on their views of how our grandparents experienced life and that they were also young once.

This beautifully woven dual-timeline story follows Maggie in the present day and Allegra in the past, gradually revealing how their lives intertwine in surprising and touching ways. The narrative is filled with heartwarming moments, authentic characters, and a sense of emotional connection that pulls you in from the start.

The setting is vivid and immersive, and I found myself rooting for both Maggie and Allegra as their stories unfolded. The themes of friendship, self-discovery, and love were sweetly explored, making this an enjoyable and satisfying read. While it may not have lingered with me long after I turned the last page, it delivered a lovely, feel-good reading experience. Perfect for fans of nostalgic tales with romance, travel, and meaningful connections.

Parts of this book contained sadness, wistfulness, and happiness.
Maggie goes to Cannes to retrieve a box of her grandmother’s things from her old friend Allegra.
That trip changed her life.
My favorites chapters were the ones in Paris in 1961 because the vibe was just electric.
My heart broke for one couple and what never was but it was mended when the two strings from the past found each other and forged a new beginning.
A poignant and touching read about second chances and going after what you want.

Loved it. I don't usually enjoy skipping back and forth in time, but it was quite an enjoyable journey. Three generations, but little about the middle one. Wonderful art, wine, and a visit to France. Lots of name dropping. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I loved reading this dual timeline book, which is about Allegra and Maggie.

It is sad as well as heartwarming. Maggie is asked to go and see her grandmother Elizabeth’s friend Allegra who has a box of her items from when she was in Paris back in 1960

Maggie goes to Cannes and is stopping with Allegra for the duration of her time there.

She hear from Allegra about how she came to meet her grandmother and the time they spent together. During her stay she begins to like Allegra and thinks about the life she’s living, and it begins to change.

The characters were lovely, I enjoyed the story, and reading what happened to Maggie’s grandmother.

I highly recommend this book.

A lovely story following Maggie's story in the present day and her Grandmother's friend Allegra's past story. I really enjoyed this, beautifully written and always nice to escape to a beautiful location in a book.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Under a Riviera Moon by Helen McGinn is a lovely novel about family, friendship, and love. I really enjoyed it and would definitely read more from Helen McGinn. This novel is due to be published on April 12, 2025.

This is a dual timeline narrative that follows Maggie in the present timeline and Allegra in the past timeline. As the story unfolds we find out how their lives intersect in unexpected ways. It was a fun read that had genuine, heartwarming moments. I found myself genuinely connecting to the characters and caring about the outcome of the story.

The setting was also well described and I enjoyed this story very much overall. The only thing that prevented me from giving this book five stars is that it has not stuck with me very much since reading it. However, if you are looking for a nostalgic story with friendship, travel, and romance, this is the one for you.

Thank you to Boldwood Books for providing an early review copy via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.