I’m delighted to be helping launch the blog tour today and to share my review of Christmas on the Riviera by the wonderful Jennifer Bohnet: published by Boldwood Books on 31st August, it’s now available as an ebook (just 99p for kindle, or free if you’re a Prime subscriber), in paperback, in hardcover, and also as an audiobook. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my reading e-copy (provided via netgalley).
Jennie’s very much a favourite of mine, and has been for more years now than either of us care to remember. Her books always provide the perfect escape from life, and their locations are so beautifully drawn – and her characters, often a little older than the norm, are always so easy to identify with. The first of her books that I enjoyed and reviewed was The Little Kiosk by the Sea back in 2015 – I really loved that one, and you can read my review again here. But if you pop her name into the search bar on the right hand side, you’ll find quite a few more reviews along with several features and guest posts. She’s an author I always look forward to reading – and with a Riviera setting and Christmas, I was certainly looking forward to this one…
As a toddler Elodie Jacques was abandoned by her mother and left in the care of her French grandmother, Gabriella in Dartmouth, Devon.
Now 24 years old, Elodie struggles to reconcile the deep anger for the mother she has never since seen.
When Gabriella unexpectedly announces she wants the two of them to spend Christmas and her 70th birthday in her home town of Juan-les-Pins in the South of France Elodie is thrilled.
Gabriella meanwhile has her own ulterior motives for wanting to return after 40 years, a daunting homecoming potentially filled with memories, secrets and recriminations.
With Juan-les-Pins pulsing with lights, decorations and the festive spirit, Christmas promises to be filled with fun. But when Elodie learns there is the possibility that her long absent mother may join them she hides her feelings behind a show of indifference and animosity.
Will there be the reconciliation that Gabriella longs for – or will the spirit of Christmas fail to work its magic?
There’s always a particular authenticity about the author’s characters, and in this lovely book she looks at the complexities of families with that perfect emotional touch that’s always such a strong feature of her writing. I really liked the relationship between Elodie and her grandmother Gabriella who brought her up – and I certainly shared Elodie’s excitement at the prospect of spending Christmas in Juan-les-Pins, the home town of Gabriella’s youth.
Their Airbnb accommodation proves to be better than they could have ever hoped for, their hosts happy to share their own Christmas celebrations and offer friendship and support – perhaps the only downside is the view of the dilapidated Hôtel Le Provençal where Gabriella once worked, and which holds bittersweet memories for her. And with everything in place for their own celebrations it slowly becomes clear that they might be joined at the dining table by an unwelcome third – the mother who abandoned Elodie, and who she has no desire to see again, although Gabriella is rather keener on repairing their fractured relationship. And that’s only one of the surprises in store – there are plenty more in Gabriella’s past, and their disentangling makes this a fascinating and emotionally engaging read.
There’s a lovely focus in this book on that special link between mothers and daughters – their various interactions are entirely real, the hurt feelings palpable, the effort needed on all sides to make things right again perfectly judged. The story’s secrets were well-handled and unexpected, memories that are sometimes less than comfortable, echoes from the past – and something else I really enjoyed was the introduction of some gentle romance for several of its characters, with age no barrier to the prospect of future happiness. The supporting cast is beautifully drawn too – I was particularly taken by the lovely Philippe, having always been rather attracted to a Jean-Paul Belmondo look-alike, and perhaps more my style than Gazz. And I really loved the setting – beautifully brought to life with walks and shopping expeditions, the daily outings for the breakfast croissants, the pavement cafes, and the socca I swear I could actually taste.
And is it Christmassy? Yes, it most definitely is – with a lovely French flavour, but not forgetting the tree and sparkling lights, and with the accompanying warmth of friendship and family. This really was the loveliest read, a gentle and emotional story beautifully told – everything I wanted it to be, and highly recommended, most definitely one to add to your Christmas romance reading list.
About the author
Jennifer Bohnet is the bestselling author of over 14 women’s fiction titles, including Villa of Sun and Secrets and A Riviera Retreat. She is originally from the West Country but now lives in the wilds of rural Brittany, France.
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