Amazon UK
Title: The French Retreat
Author: Sue Fortin
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Purchased
Publisher: Romaniac Press
Publication Date: 16th October 2015
Rating: 4.5 Stars
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| Amazon UK |
The French Retreat - romance and mystery - 40,000 word novella, approx 125 pages.
With Christmas on the horizon, losing her job and her home wasn’t on Marcie Grainger’s wish list. In a bid to reassess her life, she heads off to the only place she has ever felt truly content - her brother’s farmhouse retreat in rural France.
Marcie isn’t the only one looking to escape. Ex-soldier Will hopes the gentle pace of French life will help to banish the ghosts of his past and offer him the fresh start he desires.
However, all is not what it seems at The Retreat. Fuelled by a string of strange happenings and local rumours, Will and Marcie are pushed together as they try to discover who or what is behind it all. In so doing, they end up finding a lot more than they bargained for.
The French Retreat is a story of human compassion, hope and love.
With Christmas on the horizon, losing her job and her home wasn’t on Marcie Grainger’s wish list. In a bid to reassess her life, she heads off to the only place she has ever felt truly content - her brother’s farmhouse retreat in rural France.
Marcie isn’t the only one looking to escape. Ex-soldier Will hopes the gentle pace of French life will help to banish the ghosts of his past and offer him the fresh start he desires.
However, all is not what it seems at The Retreat. Fuelled by a string of strange happenings and local rumours, Will and Marcie are pushed together as they try to discover who or what is behind it all. In so doing, they end up finding a lot more than they bargained for.
The French Retreat is a story of human compassion, hope and love.
I was entirely sure what to expect from this book, the mention of Christmas in the blurb had me thinking it could be a Christmas book, and the strange happenings in the book to start with trying to be passed off as possible ghosts. However once you dig a bit deeper and start reading this properly, you realise there is a fantastic story in there, on a topic that is current and relevant.
I will clarify that this isn't a Christmas book, and can easily be read at any time of year, although the human compassion and hope for the kindness of strangers, is a message to be taken all year around.
The story between Marcie and Will is lovely, Will is ex-army and has come to the retreat to help him banish the ghosts of what happened during his time there. Marcie has made a couple of errors of judgement recently and is running away to her brother retreat in France, to recuperate
At first they seem to be opposites but after spending some time together, they find a deeper bond. And then there is the mystery to solve and the situation to deal with.
This may only be a short novella, but it had me hooked from quite early into the book, and gave a great insight into these characters, and also to life in rural France. This is the first book in the Falling for France series, so I will certainly be interested to see how the series proceeds.
Really enjoyable story, that I found incredibly fascinating. The French Retreat has a slightly different feel to it, to the other Sue Fortin books that I have loved this year, but regardless its a great book.
I will clarify that this isn't a Christmas book, and can easily be read at any time of year, although the human compassion and hope for the kindness of strangers, is a message to be taken all year around.
The story between Marcie and Will is lovely, Will is ex-army and has come to the retreat to help him banish the ghosts of what happened during his time there. Marcie has made a couple of errors of judgement recently and is running away to her brother retreat in France, to recuperate
At first they seem to be opposites but after spending some time together, they find a deeper bond. And then there is the mystery to solve and the situation to deal with.
This may only be a short novella, but it had me hooked from quite early into the book, and gave a great insight into these characters, and also to life in rural France. This is the first book in the Falling for France series, so I will certainly be interested to see how the series proceeds.
Really enjoyable story, that I found incredibly fascinating. The French Retreat has a slightly different feel to it, to the other Sue Fortin books that I have loved this year, but regardless its a great book.
I still haven't had time to read any of Sue's books yet but they really appeal to me.
ReplyDeleteSounds like my sort of book - good review. Angela Britnell
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