Guest Review: Summer at the French Bakery by Jo Thomas

A new adventure is on the menu . . .

Juliet has learnt that life is too short not to chase your dreams. But when she buys an old watermill in France, her tranquil new start is quickly kneaded into something far more ambitious when the local mayor offers her a deal she can’t refuse: reopen the village’s derelict boulangerie.

With a formidable rival – the owner of the local bread vending machine – determined to crush her, Juliet faces disgruntled villagers, her own lack of baking skills, and hidden secrets within the mill itself.

But with help from her outspoken neighbour and the charming Tabac owner, Juliet battles to bring back the aroma of freshly baked bread – and with it, the heart of the community.

Can she prove that even the biggest dreams start with just a little pinch of courage?

Review: I do love Jo Thomas’s books. They always whisk me off to captivating locations where there are interesting characters and always plenty of delicious food. I was attracted by the sound of a French bakery and could almost smell the bread cooking as I opened the book.

This story centres on forty-eight year old Juliet, who has recovered from a battle with illness and decides that life is too short not to follow your dreams. She returns to a village in Brittany where she spent a holiday with her husband and buys the old deserted watermill intending to turn it into a cafe, or salon de thé. However, her plans are blocked by the mayor, who offers her an alternative deal. She can open her tea shop if first she renovates the derelict boulangerie and starts to produce bread once more for the village. She has no choice but to agree, but is then faced with an uphill battle. There is competition from the owner of the bread vending machines situated in every local village, as well as opposition from the suspicious villagers, the large stumbling block of her lack of bread-making skills and difficulties in sourcing the necessary materials and good quality ingredients. Finally, she is able to enlist the help of a once hostile neighbour and local tabac owner, Laurent. Can she start to produce the baguettes that will appeal to the local people and break through the barriers to her success in starting a new life in this community?

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Brittany and I am currently longing for a nice fresh baguette. This was a charming story of a woman stepping out of her comfort zone and going for what she wanted, showing determination and courage in the face of adversity from every direction. Juliet surprised everyone by her actions, but her serious health problems had been a real wake up call and she was no longer happy to settle into a quiet retirement. I loved the way in which she dealt with all the setbacks that came her way, not least the difficulties in making an acceptable baguette, until the once unhelpful and unfriendly Laurent stepped up to help her. The setting for the story was lovely. I could easily imagine the quiet little village with the menfolk sitting around chatting in the sun when their wives sent them out for the morning. The description of the watermill and the lake beside it made it sound quite idyllic. I think this would make a great summer read and would recommend it. Thanks to the author for the French onion soup recipe at the end of the book.

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Guest Review: Love in Provence by Jo Thomas

Escape to the beautiful lavender fields of Provence this summer

Del moved to the south of France three years ago and hasn’t looked back. She’s found new friends, new purpose, and new love with gorgeous Fabien.

But just as harvest on her little lavender farm is due to begin, Del gets some shocking news. With no time to dwell as she welcomes a new crew of lavender pickers, she unexpectedly waves goodbye to Fabien for the summer.

Usually cooking – the thing she loves best – would help soothe her troubles, but Del doesn’t remember how . . . And then chef Zacharie comes to town, dropping another bombshell!

Over one summer in Provence that’s full of surprises, friends old and new rally round. Can they complete the harvest and pull the community back together? And if Fabien returns, will Del finally get her happy-ever-after?

Review: This is a sequel to an earlier book by Jo Thomas, entitled Escape to the French Farmhouse. I always look forward to Jo Thomas’s books, sure of a compelling story, and this title definitely did not disappoint. As usual, she transports her readers to a beautiful location, this time a charming village in Provence. The stunning, bright cover of the book beautifully illustrates what to expect from the story within; you can almost smell the lavender. I enjoyed meeting up with many familiar faces and finding out what had transpired in the period between the two stories, but you would not have needed to read the previous book to enjoy this one. 

The story once again centres on Del, who moved three years ago from England to Provence, where she now lives with partner Fabien (previously spelt Fabian) in a large farmhouse surrounded by lavender fields. She has made many friends in the village where she lives and, with support from a local chef, has developed a love of cooking, incorporating the local herbs and lavender into her dishes. As the lavender harvest is almost upon her, the Mistral sweeps through the village, bringing with it great changes in Del’s life, mostly unwelcome ones. It seems there is one blow after another, and she must face most of them without Fabien by her side. Luckily, she finds support from some unexpected sources as well as her old friends. There are so many worries over and above whether the harvest can be completed, and, most of all, will Fabien come home?

I highly recommend this latest book from Jo Thomas. Whether or not you have read her previous story about Del and her new life in Provence, this charming and romantic tale is bound to prove an enjoyable read. I loved so many of the characters in this book. Del herself certainly had a hard time of it and I felt for her facing so many problems as they stacked up. However, the sense of community in the village came across once more. The surprise for Del and the reader was the way in which the itinerant lavender pickers came to the fore and pitched in. They were a really interesting group, and often a source of humour. As I usually find with Jo’s marvellous writing, I really felt that I was there in the village with Del every time I sat down to read. Of course, there was also all that lovely food that was being produced and described all through the book, making even me want to go into the kitchen and cook.

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Guest Review: Countdown to Christmas by Jo Thomas

Chloe can't wait for Christmas . . . to be over! Her son Ruben is staying with his dad and Chloe is planning to ignore the holidays altogether. Her only festive touch is her son's advent calendar, to help count down the days till he's home again.

But a surprise call changes everything. Chloe might be the unexpected owner of some land in Canada! Surely, it's a scam. Or could it be just the escape she needs right now? Ruben's latest note in the advent calendar tells her to 'say yes!'

In a flash, Chloe's new countdown to Christmas involves a log cabin in the middle of a snowy forest, a community that's worried for its future, a gruff lumberjack who gives her butterflies and a lot of pancakes with maple syrup . . .

Review: I love it when a new book from Jo Thomas lands in my Kindle. I know that I can look forward to trip to somewhere I may not have visited and to meeting some interesting new characters. As a lover of Christmas, I’m particularly excited to read her new novel for the festive season. The title this time gives nothing away regarding the setting so I was keen to dig into the book. This story had me hooked right away, but I had no idea what an emotional ride I was going to have.

When single mum Chloe tearfully waves her teenage son Ruben off to spend the month of December in New York with his father, she never dreams that within days she too will be flying away after a surprise phone call from a stranger. What she expected to be a very different Christmas without Ruben is turning out to be beyond anything she could have imagined. Ruben has kept up the family tradition by leaving behind their homemade advent calendar, which he has filled with messages and gifts for his mother to find. That is one of the things she packs as she sets off to investigate the possibility that she might be the heir to some valuable land in a remote part of Canada. There, she finds a community fearing for the future if that parcel of land falls into the wrong hands. As she settles into a log cabin in the woods surrounded by strange sounds and creatures, she tries to work out her family connection with the area. It doesn’t take long to get to know the local people and understand their love of the world in which they live. She is particularly drawn to Bea who owns the diner where she serves very strong coffee and lots of pancakes with maple syrup, and the rugged Theo who seems to be there every time she needs anything. As time passes, Chloe realises she has a difficult decision to make.

This is a wonderful wintry tale that I can highly recommend this festive season. I did find it quite emotional as first Chloe has to leave her son at the airport and then later has to make the seemingly impossible decision about the community she has grown to love in Canada. The cleverly written story had me wondering how things were going to be resolved. I loved the characters that Jo Thomas introduced to the reader, from Chloe’s next door neighbour in London, to the people in the Canadian forest community such as Bea the heavily pregnant diner cook, Nancy the store owner, Philippe the mayor, shy teen Océane and of course Theo, the lumberjack with the hard exterior and heart of gold. I should also mention the wildlife that Chloe meets along the way, including the elegant elk and her calf and the fierce turkey Ike. I found myself lost in the snowy landscape so well described by the author; she really brought home to me the vastness and beauty of the land. I also learned a bit about maple syrup production, the mainstay of the community. Lastly, the book ends with a selection of recipes for dishes mentioned in the text, all containing maple syrup.

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Guest Review: Keeping a Christmas Promise by Jo Thomas

Four friends

Twenty-five years ago, Freya and her three best friends created a bucket list. The future seemed bright, full of hope and most importantly guaranteed . . .

One promise

Now they are travelling to Iceland in memory of the friend they've lost, determined to fulfil her dream of seeing the Northern Lights at Christmas.

A life-changing adventure

They didn't count on an avalanche leaving them stranded! Handsome local, Pétur, comes to the rescue, showing them how the community survives the hard winter. With Christmas approaching, Freya and her friends throw themselves into the festivities, decorating and cooking for the villagers using delicious local ingredients.

But will the Northern Lights appear so they can honour their friend's wish? And can Freya's own dreams come true, this Christmas?

Review: I love this time of year, when all the Christmas books begin to appear and I can escape into a world of snow and festivities even though it’s still warm and sunny outside. I know that one of my favourite books of the season will be from Jo Thomas; I am always sure of a trip to somewhere exciting, with lots of fun and delicious food. I was especially looking forward to reading this story as it is set in Iceland, a country I have long wanted to visit.

The story concerns three friends, Freya, Meg and Joanna, who are visiting Iceland the week before Christmas in memory of their dear late friend on what would have been her 40th birthday. One of her biggest wishes was to see the Northern Lights, and the trio are determined to fulfil that wish on her behalf. What they didn’t expect was that their trip would be longer than planned as they become trapped in a small village by a terrific storm, an avalanche blocking the road back to their luxurious hotel and spa. Luckily, they are taken in by local farmer, Pétur. When it becomes apparent that the friends will be spending Christmas in the village, they join in with the preparations and learn how the community pulls together to help each other when times are hard. While experiencing

a very different side of Iceland from the usual tourist sites, and learning a lot about themselves into the bargain, it seems that romance may be in the air for at least one of them.

I was completely captivated by this story. Jo Thomas has, in my view, surpassed herself with this wonderful tale of a group of friends discovering an Iceland which is never seen by possibly the majority of visitors, and learning so much about themselves and the world in which we live. There is happiness and sadness along the way as they come to appreciate their surroundings rather than worry about when they will get home. I loved the stories that Pétur told about elves and trolls and the local customs. There are also strong messages about the importance of considering the environment. With Freya being a chef, the reader is treated to some mouthwatering descriptions of dishes she is learning from the local women, and some interesting ways of preparing food using natural resources. This is definitely a different festive story and one which I can highly recommend.

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Guest Review: Finding Love at the Christmas Market by Jo Thomas

Cosy up with the new Christmas book from best-selling author Jo Thomas

Residential-home caterer Connie has had one online-dating disaster too many. Hurt in the past and with her son to consider, now she's feeling hesitant. Then one of Connie's residents sets her up on a date at a beautiful German Christmas market - with the promise she'll take a mini-bus full of pensioners with her...

Amongst the twinkling lights and smell of warm gingerbread in the old market square, Connie heads off on her date with a check-list of potential partner must-haves. Baker Henrich ticks all the boxes, but when Connie meets Henrich's rival William, she starts to wonder if ticking boxes is the answer.

Will Connie's wish for love this Christmas come true, and if so - with who?

Review: I am very excited that this is my first Christmas book for 2020. I absolutely love Christmas books and films, and look forward to this time of year when the new festive books begin to appear. It’s nice that it is by Jo Thomas, an author who I have really only discovered this year, and who has quickly become one of my favourites. When picking up one of her books, I always feel assured of a powerful storyline, interesting location and lots of delicious food. That is certainly the case with this Christmassy story.

The story revolves around Connie, a caterer who at the beginning of the tale is driving a group of elderly friends to Germany. The purpose of the journey is two-fold: to scatter the ashes of another resident of the retirement flats where they live, whose wish was to be returned to the country of her birth, and for Connie to meet up with Heinrich, who she has met on a dating site and has been messaging for some weeks. Connie also hopes that the trip may help to lift the spirits of her friends, who have become unhappy with their living conditions. When the party arrives at the quaint little town of Alte Stadt in time for the start of the Christmas market, they find themselves in the midst of the annual competition with the neighbouring new town, the winner being awarded money to stage the market next year. The bigger town has won for many years in a row, and this is last chance for Alte Stadt to survive. Connie finds that Heinrich lives and runs a bakery in the larger town, while the old-fashioned, traditional bakery in the small town is run by his once friend, William. Connie finds herself becoming torn between allegiance to the man she has come to love and another, who is quickly also finding a place in her heart.

I loved this heart warming Christmas tale filled with friendship, romance and lots of humour, the smell of gingerbread wafting through the pages. As usual, Jo Thomas expertly set the scene for me; even though I have never been to a Christmas market in Germany, I could imagine myself there in the square with the smells and sounds typical of the Christmas setting. I felt for Connie, travelling such a long way with hope for romance after a long search for the right man and then beginning to doubt whether she had found him after all. The competition between the two towns added extra interest to the story. I thought the humour provided by the party from the retirement flats was great. I could just imagine what the conversation must have been like in that minibus on the way to Germany. This is definitely a story I would recommend for reading in the run up to Christmas; it’s guaranteed to get anyone into the Christmas spirit.

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