I love Gillian’s books, and this was no exception. A glorious setting and an unexpected love story, this is a book where the writing conjures up a glorious picture of the French countryside.

I loved this easy read, feel good book. Becky has thrown a laptop at the intern and is dismissed from work in London for a month. She has just inherited a cafe in France from a great aunt so decides to go there and get the cafe ready to sell. She relaxes over in France and her worries half. She knows she has to return to London, but something is pulling at her to stay in France. A beautiful book about friendship, hardships and coming back together. A 5 star read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Becky inherits a cafe from her great aunt. there is a tenant there that refuses to move. Becky goes to to Loire to confront him. she finds herself attracted to him.

I was sad to finish reading The Village Cafe in the Loire. I enjoyed the characters and wanted their story to continue. I am a Gillian Harvey fan, and so I was prepared to enjoy this novel, but I found I liked it even better than I expected. Although readers don't see as much of the Loire Valley as I had hoped, The small fictional village of Vaudrelle is delightful. Harvey creates a nice contrast between the rainy, cold, anonymous life in London and the sunny, wam, friendly world of the Loire Valley.

The Village Cafe in the Loire is really about friendship, although there is plenty about the relationships between mothers and daughters. Those of us with daughters can certainly relate to that theme. Becky is a best friends with Amber, but Becky is self-centered and focused on herself. She does figure out that a true friendship is about more than self. I don't want to give away the plot, since it unfolds so beautifully. I had already decided on the best solution for all of Becky's problems, but watching her figure it out was still entertaining.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC for me to read and review. I did enjoy the descriptions of village life, the characters, and the scenery. I do recommend The Village Cafe in the Loire.

4.5 stars = 5 stars

This was such a refreshing read! I loved the themes of friendship, community, and the gentle reminder of how vital rest is. The exploration of burnout was especially meaningful- it’s the first time I’ve seen it handled in fiction, and I appreciated the nuance.

The romance, however, fell a little flat for me. I didn’t quite feel the spark between Becky and Pascal, and their chemistry didn’t pull me in the way I’d hoped.

Still, if you’re looking for a quick, comforting read with heart and a hint of escapism, this one’s worth picking up—especially for its tender take on burnout and healing.

Becky is in big trouble. She has been forcibly signed off work for burn out against her will having thrown a laptop at work, narrowly missing a colleague. But it's all the fault of the French legal system, who are preventing her from selling the cafe that was left to her by the Great Aunt she hasn't seen since she was a little girl. She storms off to France, determined to sort out the situation once and for all. However, perhaps it is not the sale of the cafe that needs to be sorted...

This novel was charming and enjoyable. I could certainly imagine myself in this sunny little French village - and in fact would welcome its influence in my life about now! I could really imagine Becky as she was at the beginning of the book - tense, wound up, prickly and repelling all boarders. The interplay between Becky and the charming Pascal at the beginning was really amusing and made me chuckle. I could see the twists coming in the middle and towards the end of the book, but that made me feel that I was more perceptive than Becky rather than that the book hadn't been well written. I loved the message that you can change direction if you want to and that you alone should be deciding what that direction is, no-one else should be imposing their expectations, hopes or dreams on your life. All in all, the setting, the sense of walking alongside Becky as the village and cafe weaved its magic on her and seeing everything come together at the end was very satisfying and it was a great sunshine filled read.

Gillian Harvey has given us a beautiful and emotional story of forgiveness, second chances and starting over. She has invited us to the picturesque Loire Valley in France, where we meet Becky, who has inherited a cafe from her Aunt Maud. Her life in London is filled with working, hanging out with her best friend Amber, and trying to avoid her mother’s constant criticism. Her trip to France couldn’t have come at a better time because she had created a bit of drama at work, and was required to take a month off. Becky didn’t know what to expect when she arrived in the quaint town of Vaudrelle. She hadn’t been there in a long time, but the memories she did have of her time there were full of joy and happiness. What happened to that happy young girl who played in the sand and worked on art projects under the watchful eye of her Aunt? Becky had no time to dwell on the past because she planned to spruce up the cafe and return to her real life as soon as possible!

The sleepy town of Vaudrelle had other ideas, as its magic and charm captivated Becky and showed her that slowing down, and taking it easy, was sometimes the right choice after all. The cafe came with a handsome and friendly tenant, Pascal, who was also the manager. To Becky, any dreamy feelings she had for Pascal or the cafe was just wishful thinking about another kind of life that just wasn’t for her. Pascal loves his life just the way it is and embraces each day with a smile, and a sexy wink for Becky. No wonder she is confused as to what to do about the cafe! As her time in Vaudrelle was coming to an end, a big surprise came her way which made everything she was working on fall into place. But would the glamour of London call her back home, or would the cafe and her new friends be what she needs to finally have peace in her life?

Perfect holiday book. I loved it. Strong female friendships are the best stories to read. The book was engaging and a great story. The scenery and descriptions perfect. I loved becky once she hit France. Becky before France was self centred and up her self. I did like the shared friendship of her and amber too. This was a great story. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

****Publishing July 12, 2025****

After a huge meltdown at work, Becky has been ordered by her doctor to take a month off for severe burnout. Becky reluctantly listens and takes the time off. Becky heads to France to take care of a café she has inherited from her Great-Aunt Maud. The only problem is she can’t sell until the squatter agrees to leave. What will Becky find? Will she get what she wants in the end? Can Becky figure out her life?

I loved this book from the start! Gillian Harvey’s writing just draws you in! I loved how this story kept you turning the pages to find out Becky’s fate! The setting of France and Jerry Maguire references made for a fun and entertaining read! A great book to put in your pool or beach bag!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was an enjoyable escapist read which was engaging and multi layered. The setting and characters were engaging and it would make a great beach read! Would recommend.

Becky has been signed of work with burnout after throwing a laptop at a colleague. She decides to go to France where her estranged aunt Maud has left her a cafe. She wants to sell but discovers there's a sitting tenant Pascal that she cant get to move.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC.

Becky, 30, is a high-flying career woman in London, pushed torwards greatness and success by her over-ambitious mother. After an unfortunate angry incident involving a laptop being used as a missile, she is signed off work for a month with burnout, which she finds preposterous.

In one of those fortunate coincidences only happening in books or films, she has just inherited Café La Petite Pause in the Loire village of Vaudrelle from her great-aunt Maud who she barely remembers. Apparently she can't sell the café and throw out sitting tenant Pascal before having worked there for a month so it's lucky she has that month, eh? It's a rather ridiculous stipulation but Becky throws herself into the task, refurbishing the café and getting to know Pascal. Unfortunately, apart from the mayor, we don't meet any locals, and a bit more description of the Loire setting wouldn't have gone amiss.

This is an undemanding but quite engaging escapist summer read for lovers of France, with a very predictable twist regarding Maud. I liked how it celebrates female friendship and having "a person", a concept I first came across in Grey's Anatomy in the Meredith / Christina years.

Best friend Amber is a huge part of the story, they are flatmates too and have regular 90s Rom-Com movie nights. Becky isn't a good friend at first though, making everything about herself. In fact, she is not very likeable at the start. Love interest Pascal is barely sketched out, but he helps her see how self- entered she is, and when Amber goes through a health scare, she is there.

Becky's mother is more difficult to like, she is manipulative and pushy and responsible for taking Becky away from Maud when she was younger. In the end, she can't stop Becky's journey of self-discovery towards a better Work-Life balance, even though her future is s bit up in the air in the end, which is apparently a good thing.
This is an enjoyable and uplifting beach read if you like new beginnings in foreign climes.

This was such a delightful story, I felt as if I was in the village cafe in France with all the characters.

Becky is forced to take leave for medical reasons and gets to experience a completely different way of life, when she visits the cafe her great aunt left her. From corporate London to relaxed lifestyle in rural France- which would you choose?

Pull up a sun lounger and immerse yourself into this fantastic read. A great holiday read.