It’s such a pleasure today to be one of the bloggers launching the blog tour for Rendez-Vous in Cannes by Jennifer Bohnet on publication day: published by Boldwood Books, it’s now available as an ebook, audio book, and in paperback. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support (and it’s so lovely to see her back home again!), and to the publishers for my advance reading e-copy (provided via NetGalley).
Well, I did promise, didn’t I? I adore Jennie’s writing, and it was so frustrating to only be able to share a guest post and audio extract for the release of her last book, A Riviera Retreat, back in January (you can catch up on that post here). Come hell or high water for the next one, I said… little did I know, eh?
You’ll find a few reviews of her earlier books here on Being Anne (A French Pirouette, The Little Kiosk by the Sea – perhaps my personal favourite! – and Rosie’s Little Café on the Riviera) and a few other features and guest posts too. But I missed out on A Year of Taking Chances and Summer at Coastguard Cottages – and then she joined Boldwood Books, and I just couldn’t fit in the reading of Villa of Sun and Secrets either. But, at long last, I’ve been able to rediscover her lovely writing – and what an absolute delight this book was…
A sweeping, bittersweet love story amidst the glitz and the glamour of the French Riviera.
Two very different women are starring in their own real-life dramas behind the scenes of the Cannes Film Festival.
Newly in love, Anna Carson returns to the Festival for the first time in nearly 40 years hoping to reconcile her past with her present-day happiness.
Journalist Daisy Harris is looking for a big scoop at her first Festival and is determined to embrace her new single status amongst all the glitz and glamour.
Behind the champagne and parties, secrets from the past are bubbling to the surface and difficult decisions need to be taken.
One thing’s for certain – by the end of the Film Festival their lives will have changed forever…
Please Note: This book was previously self-published many years ago, but this is a new, updated edition with extra content.
Glitz and glamour and a trip to the Riviera for the film festival – could anything be much better just at the moment? Jennifer Bohnet is a wonderful story-teller, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this one.
Daisy contemplates her future while covering the festival for her newspaper – her life’s in a bit of a state of flux, she has some decisions to make, and her assignment is just what she needs to give herself some breathing space. And then there’s Anna, who’s finally found love in later life – she hopes her visit to Cannes will allow her to reconcile with her past, but things don’t go quite as she planned and the deep secrets of her past are slowly revealed.
The backdrop of the film festival is quite wonderfully recreated – you really feel the buzz and excitement, get in among the thronging paparazzi and the starlets on display as well as getting a glimpse behind the scenes – and I really liked the way we largely saw everything through Daisy’s eyes, sharing her experience and the articles she writes. And there’s the added excitement of the promise of a new romance too – very nicely done, strong and believable.
But maybe the book is primarily Anna’s story, as her visit after a 40 year absence fails to follow the path she expected. She’s a really well-drawn character, and I liked her very much – and I very much enjoyed her relationship with long-suffering Leo, and his extraordinary patience and forbearance when the past begins to raise its head and complicate their lives.
There’s a lovely focus on the importance of family in this book – particularly with Daisy’s sister Poppy and her young son Tom, but also through the many twists and turns of the story. There’s also that theme of coming to terms with the past and moving on – always something I particularly enjoy, and the author has a really perfect emotional touch in its handling.
If you’re looking for a read to escape into, they really don’t come much better than this – with a strong story-line that engages you throughout, both heart-warming and satisfying, leaving you with the loveliest warm glow as you emerge from the cocoon of its pages. I really loved this book – highly recommended by me.
About the author
Jennifer Bohnet is the bestselling author of over 12 women’s fiction titles, including Villa of Sun and Secrets and The Little Kiosk By The Sea. She is originally from the West Country but now lives in the wilds of rural Brittany, France.
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