Summer at the French Café is a feel-good charming romance that will have you wishing you could pack your bags and head off to France.
As soon as Kat Jenson set foot in the idyllic French village of Kirchhoffen, she knew she’d found her home. Now she has a dreamy boyfriend, a delightful dog and the perfect job managing a bustling book café in the vibrant Parc Lemmel.
But when she learns her boyfriend isn’t all he seems, it’s the start of a difficult summer for Kat. Vindictive troublemakers, work woes and family heartache follow, and the clear blue sky that was her life suddenly seems full of clouds.
Then she gets to know the mysterious Noah, and her sun begins to shine brighter than ever. But Noah has problems of his own – ones that could scupper their new-found happiness. Together, can they overcome their many obstacles, and find love again?
I stumbled upon this book on NetGalley and instantly knew I needed to get my hands on it. It has everything that I love in a romance book, a gorgeous setting, an adorable dog, and a wonderful bookstore. Sue did not disappoint me with this book. It’s just so darn delightful and such a fun escape read. The story has plenty of twists and turns to keep readers entertained and very engaged.
One of the things that I love about Sue’s books is that they often have so much substance and depth. She offers her readers the charming romance they desire while at the same time tackling some pretty tough issues. In this book, Sue spends a lot of time focusing on family and how families can often be complicated, messy, and sometimes there are no easy solutions to family problems. I loved how Sue addressed the topic of blended families and included the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to family relationships.
I need to talk about the setting in this book, the little French Village that Kat lives in just sounds so utterly charming and perfect. Sue masterfully brought the setting to life in this book with her lush and vivid descriptions of the park, Kat’s house, and the little village she lives in. All I wanted to do was go there and spend my day exploring all this little village has to offer.
The romance in this book is so oh la la fantastique! The relationship between Kat and Noah is this perfect blend of sweet and spicy. I really enjoyed these two as a couple and absolutely adored all those “zingy” romantic sparks that went off whenever they were together. I also really liked that their relationship had a lot of substance and depth to it. These two listened and talked about their lives and supported each other through the tough times they were going through.
Overall, Summer at the French Café is c’est magnifique and a book I would highly recommend.
Thank you, Avon Books UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
