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Yay, I’m back in “la belle France�� with another of Gillian Harvey’s books, and the setting is as stunning as ever, the characters believable and relevant for women of a certain age, and the whole story as highly entertaining and full of hope as always.
Katy’s life is pretty normal �� at 49, she’s married with a grown-up daughter, and is going through the motions. Get up, work, cook, clean, got to bed. Thank heavens for her friends and their exercise group to break the routine, but when even that becomes part of the routine, you have to wonder what Katy is getting out of life. Is she happy? Has she ever asked herself that question?
When change is thrust upon by her husband leaving her for a younger woman, and her daughter taking up a job in Australia, Katy’s world crumbles. What does she have left without her family? She enjoys her job, but she’s not passionate about it. Cue an intervention by her friends who whisk her away to France.
Can they help her see that she is worthy of a happy life? Well, their holiday is not without friction �� Katy is struggling to accept her new status quo, and her friends are treading on eggshells to not upset her further.
But two weeks in a beautiful French village, rediscovering her love of painting, enjoying great food�� and meeting Valentin, the host’s brother seems to be having an effect.
Until her world is tipped upside down again. Will Katy go back to her former, dull but steady existence, or is she ready to take a chance on a new life? The answer will surprise you at first, but maybe the choice she makes is only the first step in finding herself and her own happy ever after.
Fabulous setting, great friendships, real conversations, and tough decisions make for a wonderfully immersive read.