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A review by lauren_miller
French Holiday by Sarah Ready
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book was such a fun read, but it definitely had an identity crisis about half way through. What started out as a super cute "quitting life to move to France to get over a man," lighthearted and breezy, took a turn around the romantic climax wherein the playful comparisons to gothic novels suddenly became a lot more real. It wasn't bad, per se, but felt a little off in tone. I did still enjoy the mystery element quite a bit, and when everything finally resolved, it was less dramatic (in a good way) and felt more in line with the first half of the book. And the ending is about as cliche as could be, but I didn't mind so much.
This book really shines in the characterization of the two main leads and the beautiful descriptions of Annecy + the dilapidated chateau. Everything else was a bit lacking in my opinion. The side characters were fun, but they felt 2-dimensional and like they were only there to further the plot; no real friendship vibes, unfortunately. And as I said above, the dramatic plot twist felt gimmicky, like it was trying to fit a retelling rather than being an organic shock; you don't ask someone to be in your wedding party and then suddenly drop a bomb like that just for the plot's sake. It felt so inauthentic.
Overall, I did find this an enjoyable reading experience despite its flaws, so solid 3.75 stars. I'd definitely recommend as a beach/plane read for those who enjoy getaway romances and a hint of mystery.
This book was such a fun read, but it definitely had an identity crisis about half way through. What started out as a super cute "quitting life to move to France to get over a man," lighthearted and breezy, took a turn around the romantic climax wherein the playful comparisons to gothic novels suddenly became a lot more real. It wasn't bad, per se, but felt a little off in tone. I did still enjoy the mystery element quite a bit, and when everything finally resolved, it was less dramatic (in a good way) and felt more in line with the first half of the book. And the ending is about as cliche as could be, but I didn't mind so much.
This book really shines in the characterization of the two main leads and the beautiful descriptions of Annecy + the dilapidated chateau. Everything else was a bit lacking in my opinion. The side characters were fun, but they felt 2-dimensional and like they were only there to further the plot; no real friendship vibes, unfortunately. And as I said above, the dramatic plot twist felt gimmicky, like it was trying to fit a retelling rather than being an organic shock; you don't ask someone to be in your wedding party and then suddenly drop a bomb like that just for the plot's sake. It felt so inauthentic.
Overall, I did find this an enjoyable reading experience despite its flaws, so solid 3.75 stars. I'd definitely recommend as a beach/plane read for those who enjoy getaway romances and a hint of mystery.