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.

Elizabeth is sent to collect a box of photographs from her late grandmother. Her grandmother's friend tells her the story of their time together in the 1960's.

If you've read and enjoyed any of Lucinda Riley's books, you will love "Under a Riviera Moon" by Helen McGinn! It has a lot of similar vibes and topics. "Under a Riviera Moon" is a well-written great read to take with you on a vacation or (if you're like me and are not currently planning any trips, but would love to) to broaden your imagination and explore the streets of Paris and Riviera through the pages of the book.

Helen McGinn writes in a beautiful, easy to read and flowy style, guiding you through her story smoothly, so that you turn page after page without wishing to put the book down for a moment. I love these kind of books with dual, somewhat historical or historically inspired timelines, where you get to enjoy not one, but two or more stories of different characters.

Here, we get to meet Maggie, who is recently divorced and unfortunately quite stagnant and unhappy in her current job and life. Prompted by her caring mother, Maggie travels from the UK to the Cannes in the French Riviera (hence the name of the book) to meet Allegra, an older lady, a former friend of Maggie's grandmother, an American living in the Cannes. This short visit to the beautiful Riviera is going to change both Maggie's and Allegra's lives. And while we are enjoying a week of warmth, sun and beautiful nature together with Maggie, we also read through the second timeline - 1960's in France, Paris, exploring Allegra's story, her youth, student years and first love.

Like I've already mentioned before, I really enjoyed this book and these two timelines. The characters are vivid and quickly become close to you like real family members. I do wish we had more of an opportunity to see more of Maggie's second-chance-in-love relationship, instead the book skipped a whole year and turned it into a sort of insta-love relationship, which I do not usually enjoy. It either has to be a very charismatic quick building and well written love story, or it quickly becomes unconvincing, and sadly this was the case. It felt like we just got introduced to Nico and then suddenly [ they got married (hide spoiler)].

I also wish we could have also gotten to explore more of Maggie's grandmother's story. The premise is very interesting - she is in love with a slightly older man, who is a student taking part in 1960's protests against war in Algeria. There is such an important story about the Algerians and France (google "Paris massacre of 1961" if you want to know more), and their relationship could have been such a deep, potentially even tragic, and definitely an engaging story to read about.

Instead, we heard very little about that, and also only got glimpses into Allegra's relationship with Etienne. And while that story of a somewhat fatal once-in-a-lifetime love is really interesting and sweet... well, SPOILER there was not much of it either! [We were given a year of them falling in love, and then she had to come back to New York, and he wrote to tell her that he changed his mind and does not love her (lies!!!) and she should not come back to France?! I was really really confused and not convinced we really needed this. (hide spoiler)] I understand it was meant to make us long and grieve their lost love, but if you are not yet convinced about it, you are not going to care much about it either. At least I didn't.

Anyway, all of that aside, I still had a lot of reading pleasure and great time with this book. And if you're looking for an easy and enjoyable read, it will do the trick for sure.

Thank you to the author, publishers and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. My review is based solely on my honest opinion.

Maggie heads to Cannes to retrieve a box that belonged to her Grandmother. Maggie meets Allegra who was friends with her Grandmother.
It’s a nice story told through dual timelines. The location sounds beautiful, somewhere you definitely want to visit. Definitely add to your beach reading list

I would like to thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Not for me.

This is such a lovely book. Dual timelines cover the lives of Allegra and Maggie. Totally absorbing and so heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measure. Maggie is tasked with collecting and sorting through a box of her grandmother Elizabeth’s things. They are being looked after by Allegra the friend that Elizabeth made in the 1960’s in Paris. Travelling to Cannes Maggie stays with Allegra who tells her stories of how she met Elizabeth and the life they led. A beautiful friendship develops and Maggie’s life begins to change in a way that she never imagined. I just loved the characters in this, how the story developed, the intimacy of friendship and wonderful descriptions of Paris, vineyards and New York. Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC

Under a Riviera Moon by Helen McGinn is a beautifully written dual-timeline novel that weaves together the lives of two women—Maggie in the present day and Allegra in the past. Maggie, a divorcée living in the UK, finds herself at a crossroads. Her life hasn’t turned out quite the way she imagined, and she’s feeling somewhat adrift. When her mother asks her to travel to Cannes to collect a box of her late grandmother’s belongings, she expects a quick and simple trip. However, this journey leads to unexpected discoveries that begin to shift her perspective and open her heart to new possibilities.

The second timeline introduces Allegra, who now lives in Cannes but recounts her younger days as a student in 1960s Paris and her later adventures in New York. Allegra’s story is rich with emotion, passion, and the pursuit of dreams, painting a picture of a young woman navigating love, ambition, and heartbreak in two of the world’s most iconic cities.

As Maggie learns more about Allegra and her grandmother’s past, a deep connection forms, bridging generations and revealing how the choices of the past can shape the present. The novel tenderly explores themes of love and loss, the power of second chances, acceptance of the past, and the importance of friendship that transcends time. With heartfelt emotion and beautifully drawn characters, this is a compelling and uplifting story of personal growth, healing, and the magic of unexpected connections.

I was transported to every location. Every moment of intrigue,memory and love. This was a beautiful book. I was in the depths of the pages throughout and didn't want to leave. I wanted to be in the lounge,garden,bedroom and kitchen reading this book because every time I put it down I jist coupdnt wait to start again.
It's got all the things from the genre you could wish for. And one of those brilliant books where the characters are just as special as the storyline they enter.

A magical read. You move back and forward in time . A lovely story . You follow Maggie who is unsettled in life and she goes to the south of France to find about her grandmother and you have a beautiful love story , a horrid father, kindness of others , vines and a brilliant ending . You can’t put it down. A perfect spring Saturday afternoon read.

Thanks for giving me an advance copy.

Pick up this gorgeous hug of a book and get transported to a beautiful place wraps itself round you like a cosy blanket. It has warmth, charm, laugh-out-loud moments and a wistful nostalgia. I absolutely loved it.

"Under a Riviera Moon" by Helen McGinn is the first book I've read by this author, and it had me hooked from the very start. I immediately connected with the characters. The narrative flows smoothly between two different timelines.

In the present, we meet Maggie, a divorcée living in the UK, whose life is not what she expected it to be at this stage. The other timeline follows Allegra, who lives in Cannes today but shares her experiences as a student in 1960s Paris and later in New York.

The story explores themes of love, loss, second chances, acceptance of the past, hope for the future, and, most importantly, friendship. The two women are linked through the friendship of Maggie's grandmother. Maggie travels to Cannes to collect a box of her grandmother's belongings as a favor for her mother. This seemingly simple errand ultimately alters Maggie's life in ways she never anticipated.

The author paints vivid imagery, making you feel as if you are walking the streets of Paris, admiring art in both Paris and New York, and taking a dip in the waters of the Riviera.

Under a Riviera Moon sounds like the perfect romantic escapist novel and it delivered exactly what I hoped it would!
Helen McGinn has a brilliant way of describing the heady days of 1960s Paris and New York and present day Cannes that made me wish I could transport myself to these exotic locations!
The heroine of the present day novel, Maggie, has been having a difficult few months in London- after a divorce and career uncertainty she finds out some news that drives her further into despair. A trip home to Scotland sends her on a mission to France to recover some of her beloved grandmother's belongings from an old friend, Allegra, whom Maggie has never met.

The story then switches to the 1960s and the story is told from Allegra's point of view. She has been sent to Paris by her wealthy but distant parents to get rid of the trouble she has caused them. Allegra meets some wonderful friends and learns how to delve into the beautiful world of art, which sets her on a course to change her life.

This is the perfect holiday read, preferably somewhere on the Riviera with a glass of champagne in your hand! I really enjoyed both timelines. Believable characters, a plot with a few twists and a satisfying ending - what more does one require? Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars from me