Audiobook Review: French Holiday by Sarah Ready

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Sometimes, all it takes is a change of scenery to give you a new perspective on life’s everyday problems. And in the audio edition of French Holiday by author Sarah Ready, a brokenhearted young woman decides to escape her troubles in France—only to find new problems waiting for her there.

The story finds Merry DeLuca leaving heartbreak behind and trading the everyday grind for the romance of three months in a French castle. After her sister marries the love of Merry’s life and announces her pregnancy, Merry has to get away. When her godmother offers up her French chateau, Merry jumps at the opportunity. But when she arrives and finds that the unexpectedly run-down castle is already occupied by Noah Wright—travel documentarian, arrogant jerk, and the best man at her sister’s wedding—Merry’s dreams of a carefree escape are shattered.

Though neither Merry nor Noah is happy about their arrangement, they agree to a truce. Merry needs the castle to help her recover from an overwhelming case of unrequited love, and Noah needs the castle as a home base for his latest project. It puts them both in an uncomfortable position, since the castle isn’t nearly as spacious as Merry imagined—and the dilapidated condition of the castle leads to plenty of comical mishaps—but Merry decides not to let it hold her back from experiencing all that the French countryside has to offer.

But, of course, anyone with the slightest amount of rom-com experience can tell you that characters who hate each other at the beginning of the story always have a change of heart along the way—and that’s certainly the case for Merry and Noah. As the story goes through the usual chick lit formulas, Merry discovers that Noah isn’t just a standoffish filmmaker.

Still, this novel isn’t just about romance on the French countryside. As Merry gets to know Noah, she learns that there’s more to his trip to France than just another travel documentary. There’s a little bit of mystery and intrigue, too. And as Noah tries to uncover information about his own past, Merry sets out to help him. And that mystery gives the story more than just the same old chick lit—making the story not just romantic and humorous but suspenseful, too.

With its idyllic French setting, a little bit of mystery, and plenty of romance, French Holiday is as light and refreshing as a glass of French wine. It’s light and easygoing, making it just the kind of novel to listen to when you’re on vacation—or when you just wish you were.

Pros:
– Charming setting in the French countryside
– Easy listening rom-com

Cons:
– Formulaic and predictable

You can find French Holiday on Amazon. And for more books, be sure to check out my weekly radio show, Shelf Discovery.

Kristin

Kristin has been hitting the trail (or the treadmill) for a walk almost every day for the past several years, and she recently completed her first half marathon. She loves sunny fall days, cushy walking shoes, and coconut caramel iced coffee from Dunkin.

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