Escape to the Little French Cafe: A laugh out loud romantic comedy to fall in love with

Name: Escape to the Little French Cafe: A laugh out loud romantic comedy to fall in love with
Rating: 4 (3 reviews)

Karen Clarke

Mar 2019 · Bookouture

4.0

3 reviews

Ebook

350

Pages

Eligible

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About this ebook

On the beautiful French coast lies the Café Belle Vie, a peaceful haven offering a warm welcome and delicious pains au chocolat – and where Natalie’s quiet life is about to be turned upside down…

When thirty-one-year-old Natalie Bright’s boyfriend dumps her and immediately gets engaged to his ex-girlfriend, she escapes her heartbreak and moves to the charming village of Chamillon on the Île de Ré.

She’s determined to build a new life there: writing about farmer’s markets for a local magazine, exploring the local vineyards on her bike, and taking advantage of the sunshine. And in the Café Belle Vie she finds a bustling community – including new best friend Charlie – and a near-constant supply of cakes.

All in all, things are looking pretty good.

So when a blast from the past – her teenage crush Jay Merino – suddenly turns up in Chamillon, Natalie’s thrown. She’s sworn off men ever since she moved to France, but she and Jay have a connection that stretches back years.

But could taking a chance on an old flame complete her new life – or ruin everything she’s worked so hard for?

A gorgeous rom com full of sunshine, croissants and sparkling romance! Perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson, Zara Stoneley and Debbie Macomber.

What readers are saying about Escape to the Little French Café:

‘Oh I did laugh!! I absolutely bloomin' LOVED reading this… Such an uplifting, cosy novel which will make your heart leap with joy.’ The Writing Garnet

‘So many laugh-out-loud moments that I lost count of them and the story reeled me in from the very first page! I became so absorbed within the storyline that I forgot where I was… Grab yourself a little bit of romantic escapism to France… You won’t regret it!’ Stardust Book Reviews

‘Pulled me in from the opening paragraph and held my attention until the concluding page – I loved every moment… The perfect romantic pick me up with plenty of humour and comedy thrown in for good measure… I couldn't recommend it more.’ Stacy is Reading

‘Perfect and laugh-out-loud funny. Brilliantly written. I enjoyed every minute of it. If you need a pick me up this is the book you need, guaranteed giggles throughout… I actually devoured this book in a day… Highly recommended. Full of fun, giggles and romance.’ Between the Pages Book Club

‘I was hooked from the beginning of the story… I laughed out loud, cried… This story has it all, and in the end, I have a smile on my face! Thoroughly loved this story!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘I snort laughed… Hilarious.’ Smile Love Read Repeat

‘5 Stars. Wow, this book has everything. Romance, friendship, second chances and drama. I could not put the book down!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

‘Fantastic… A lovely and captivating romance that I found very entertaining… This is definitely one not to miss this summer. Be warned once started it is hard to put down.’ Chellsandbooks, 5 stars

‘Heart-warming, easy to read and overall just a really enjoyable, happy read… I absolutely adored this novel and was so sad when it finished… Overall, would 110% recommend this novel.’ The Cosiest Corner, 5 stars

‘Had me smiling, laughing, mouth open… and kept me wanting to read more… I stayed up way past my bed time because I didn’t want to put it down…’ Kasia the Book Nerd

‘A real page-turner. I read this book in one sitting and the hours just flew by!’ NetGalley reviewer

Ratings and reviews

4.0

3 reviews

Gaele Hi

March 20, 2019

Natalie has always wanted to be a writer: a journalist who writes ‘real’ stories that touch and entertain. But, after a breakup with her ex who, unlike with her, was marrying this one, she decided to move into the little house her father had just purchased after he and her mother separated. Having spent holidays on the island, and working as a freelancer gives Natalie plenty of freedom to work from anywhere, she’s navigating her father’s ‘attempts’ to start dating, showing her mum the house via video-chat during their frequent conversations, and desperately trying to land a job with a top-drawer magazine based in Paris, to no avail. Fortunately her best friend Charlie – also an expat, is living above the café that his mum owns, and is always available for a chat, advice or even to hang out – the two having decided that they are better friends than anything more, much to Charlie’s mum’s disappointment. Yet, as familiar (and occasionally horrifying) as her life is with her father and his befuddlement with dating and his tragic style makeovers, they’ve also made good friends and have established themselves as members of the community, even as Natalie is always chasing the dream of writing for a major publication – and hoping that, in mentioning a connection to a famous if notably reclusive actor (they grew up in the same town) that it will open the door to a job and possibly gain her advice from that magazine’s top journo. Oh this was fun – from Natalie practically rugby tackling Jay when she mistakes a movie scene for real life, the opera-singing, Austen reading bodyguard Simon, the despicable and wholly without ethics Fleur all are embroiled in the ultimate nightmare for a reclusive actor: the context of Natalie’s interview with Jay is shared by a waitress who just happens to be related to Fleur and desperate to become an actress leaves the news outlets clamoring for more. Poor Natalie – always with the best intentions and sharing information ONLY with those she thought she could trust puts her whole dream of exploring the chemistry she felt with Jay into the bin, as he wants nothing to do with her and Simon doesn’t seem any more interested in hearing what she has to say. It’s going to take a whole village (ok – the café regulars and her best friend Charlie) to get them face to face again, without interruptions and onto their own path of happy ever after….. Like all of Clarke’s books her characters bring the setting alive, and allow us moments of escape, camaraderie and even a few moments to wince at the embarrassing bits, always leading us to new friends and places that, if not visited in person, are just as wonderful to visit in a book. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

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