Unfortunately, I had to abandon this book about trying about 25% of it. I had read "The Little Paris Bookshop" and thought it was okay, so wanted to try this one in case I liked it. By 1/4 of the way through, I usually expect some part of the book to draw me in, but the character, plot, setting, etc., did not do that for me.

There were moments that touched me, a woman about the age of the main character. Her story of taking risks, making new paths for herself, meeting people who return love and express her worth to her, was one that I gravitate to in literature. The meandering path to get there was that-too meandering and it diluted the thread or strength of what was happening to her internally. I wanted to love the book, as I truly loved THE LITTLE PARIS BOOKSHOP, but I couldn't reach to that level. I appreciate the opportunity to read this and I should have published my review earlier but I want it to really settle in place so I knew it was the right one for me.

I've not read the author's first book yet, so this was my first taste of her work. I really wanted to love it as I typically seek out fiction set in France, but this fell flat for me. Having one of the characters cast as a practicing"witch" just kind of ruined it for me. What I did like was Marianne`s grasp on a second chance at life. I still want to read the author's first book, but I hope it's firmly planted in realism.

I really wanted to love this book. Just not my cup of tea. However, the writing is quite good and I'm sure lovers of romance and all things French would enjoy this story.

The Little French Bistro was not what I thought at all. I was surprised in a very good way when I found a story about second chances, about inner strenght. It was nice to go out of my comfort zone and read something different. For starters the main character is in a very different age of what I usually read but it was amazing to know her thoughts and feelings and to know her story. The book in general is written in a beautiful way, the characters are complex and you can see how Marianne changes. The only thing I wasn't so happy about was that at first there were just too many characters, with too many names and too many stories. But then you get use to them and slowly their stories click together.
In general I really like the book. I love French stories and it was great to read something non-parisian for once!

Listened on Audio and was quite disappointed. Did not meet the standards the the author showed in her first novel.

I really wanted to love this book. I loved the first book I read by Nina George, The Little Paris Bookshop, and was hoping that The Little French Bistro would bring me that same joy, but alas it did not. I didn’t hate the book by any means, but I just didn’t love it. It was more of an OK read for me.

While the plot centers around Marianne, there are so many characters and side stories that it took me until about halfway through the book to get everyone straight. And because there was so much going on, we never really got a really in depth look into any of it… even Marianne’s story itself.

And again, with so many characters, we never really got to know any of them as well as I would have liked. As someone who is very character driven, I like to get really deep into characters when I’m reading. There are so many characters that I would have liked to learn more about… Yann, Jean-Remy, Laurine, Genevieve, even Lothar!

Because I didn’t feel as connected to Marianne, I was unable to understand some of her motivations. She made some decisions that just left me baffled because I didn’t relate to her as a character. I don’t want to post any spoilers, but there were 2 pivotal instances towards the end of the book when I was left going “what the heck are you doing?”

I was left with a lot of questions at the end of the book. I felt there were a lot of plot lines that weren’t resolved for me and others just tied up too neatly, with no real explanation.

Not surprisingly, this is a favorite. I'm not surprised because I loved Little bookshop so much! What a great storyteller she is and I look forward to reading more in the future.

I really thought this was going to be a different type of book, but found myself really disliking the main character! Sorry, but I didn't finish this one.

Marianne, the sixty-year-old main character of Nina George's The Little French Bistro, has been married for 41 years, but has never felt romantic love, and her self love and esteem have suffered in the process. When vacationing in Paris with her husband, this German hausfrau attempts suicide but is rescued by a homeless person. She ends up in the hospital needing psychiatric care, and her husband, not wanting to waste a return ticket, leaves her to recuperate alone. This is a sad beginning to the book. But the tone of the book gradually lightens as Marianne--entranced by a painted tile she discovers in the hospital of a Breton town--travels to the coast of Brittany. Serendipitously, she stumbles across a job in a restaurant kitchen there, meets a number of enchanting townspeople, and begins to discover a new life-- a life worth living. There are dark and sad as well as luminous and happy moments in this book. I did not find it as good a read as the author's first novel, the Little Paris Bookshop, but it had its moments. Thank you NetGalley and Crown for allowing me to review this new import from a talented German author.

A totally charming book that will transport the reader and chock full of insight! Romance, charm and second chances all come together to deliver a delicious and uplifting story that was so totally enjoyable. Thank you so much!

The Little French Bistro by Nina George 3 ☆’s

Thank you to Crown Publishing for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions in this blog are mine.

This novel was great to help me get back into the swing of reading. I have been on a hiatus due to moving. This book pulled me out of that, and it was a fantastic book for that. I would highly recommend this book if you are in a reading slump; it’ll be sure to pull you out of it. It’s an easy read that doesn’t require too much thought.

This book is about Marianne and finding oneself. At sixty, Marianne is finally ready to live for herself. She takes extreme measures, but eventually, she is able to learn what it’s like to live for herself. This book is all about discovery, and what it’s like to not know who you are as a person. It is set on the coast of France, and made me long to go and visit. The scenery is picturesque, the food sounds delectable, and the characters are intriguing.

The thing that I didn’t like about this book was how it was so jumpy. The chapters jumped from different characters point-of-view with no rhyme or reason. Some characters weren’t introduced properly, and I was left wondering who they were, and where they came in at. Eventually, I figured it out, but I shouldn’t have to be left in such confusion to help get characters that add depth to the plot.

Overall, I enjoyed this quick read. It has made me want to go and discover a little town on the coast of France. The descriptions of the scenes were wonderful, which made it easy to put me in France this afternoon. I will try her other book that became popular last year the next time I am caught up on my TBR list and am looking for a quick, fun read.

Contemporary Fiction
Adult
Here is another story of life and love found at last by middle-aged characters from the German writer who gave us The Little Paris Bookshop. Originally published in German in 2010, this English translation, again by Simon Pare, comes on the heels of George’s success with Bookshop. Living in a loveless marriage to a truly horrid man, Marianne decides to end her life by jumping off a bridge over the Seine in Paris. The attempt fails and she is hospitalized. Following a visit by her furious husband, she walks out after stealing a lovely hand-painted tile depicting a seaside town in Brittany. Enchanted by the sea she has never seen, Marianne decides to go there and complete her suicide by walking into the sea. But chance intervenes and instead she lands a job in a bistro kitchen, complete with a furnished room, and a collection of quirky characters who not only accept her as she is, but welcome her as a lovely and charming new neighbour. I love the authenticity of Marianne’s struggle to accept herself as others see her. She seesaws between finding joy in long forgotten senses and feeling like a fraud. Can people change? If they can, should she give Lothar a second chance? If not, then who is this person she has become? There is so much pain in Marianne’s journey that I don’t consider this a romance, though love is a central theme as characters find it, recognize it, reject it, and rekindle it. Additionally, this is a novel about the power of woman, both the power we have within us and the power we find with other women. There is also power in our choice of where and with whom, as a community, to live, and George paints a fascinating story set in the eccentric Breton culture and summer landscape. Pare’s translation is rich and descriptive, though occasionally a bit stilted and rather formal. With strong characterization, distinctive voices and a solid plotline that only once stretched credulity for me, this is a good choice for fans of her work, and those who enjoyed The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living or Hello From the Gillespies. My thanks to Crown Publishing for the advance reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32283424

Marianne is tuck in a loveless marriage and decides the only way out is to end her life. She plunges into the Seine, but fortune is with her and she is saved by a homeless person. Unsure what to do with her life, she purchases a handpainted tile with a stunning depiction of the Brittany coast and sets her heart on journeying there. She meets a cast of remarkably friendly characters who seem to care about each other's well being and finds her chance to remember what her life was like before her marriage. A lovely, charming book, which I enjoyed.

An interesting and bittersweet beginning as the main character struggles to leave her abusive husband and her own self limiting ideas. I really enjoyed this book.

What an exuberantly joyful and beautiful book!!! It was hard to put this book down, but I was also struck with the desire to read it very slowly so as to keep it from ending. This is a story about rewriting your life and recasting your fate. It is about friendship, love, community, and most importantly, re-discovery of self. It is about feeling comfortable in ones skin and feeling at home in ones surroundings.

I fell in love with Nina George's writing while reading "The Little Paris Bookshop." As much as I loved the floating book apothecary in Paris Bookshop, I love Marianne in the Little French Bistro even more! Her story, in some ways, is all of our stories. About not allowing ourselves to live fully, to put our needs first, to experience a zest for life.

One of the best books I have read this year and one I will heartily recommend!

This is a lovely little book, perfect for a summer read, that is even better than the author's Little Paris Bookshop. As much as I liked Bookshop, it seemed to drag at times. This book will make your heart soar for Marianne, a woman stuck in a loveless marriage who finds the courage to build a new life for herself. I will be recommending this to everyone!

This is a charming book of finding yourself no matter your age. At age 60, Marianne has had enough of a bad marriage and unhappy life. On the banks of the Seine she decides she's going to start anew in Brittany where it's considered "the end of the world".

In Brittany, she meets delightful folks and even finds herself, discovers her true calling and indulges in pleasures she truly deserves.

The characters and the story were fun to read. It's a fast read I thoroughly enjoyed! I plan to go back and read The Little Paris Bookshop.

Marianne attempts suicide to escape her sorry life and loveless marriage--but she is rescued and ends up in a little village on the coast of Brittany where she becomes involved in the lives of everyone. This book started off great. I liked the writing and characters but the book quickly spiraled out of control with way too many characters, way too many unrealistic and sappy situations, and everyone going on and on about how wonderful Marianne is but the reader never really getting to see her wonderfulness for themselves.