I wasn't as impressed with this book as many other people seem to be. I didn't fall in love with the characters like I had hoped and I found the story to be a little slow. I loved the idea of the book, however, and the setting was dreamy. I would like to give Katie Fforde's books another chance though, because I love the sound of her other books!

hooked read on a day fab plot so easy to read a page turner was hooked on the characters your their we then great book

This was a did not finish book for me. Just didn't connect to the characters, or the romance in the making.

When I pick up a Katie Fforde book I know that I am in for a great read and this, her latest release, is definitely that!

Set in a Cotswold village, Gina and Sally are disappointed (at first) to discover that they have been left a business in a relative's will - however there is a catch, before they get ownership,they must make some money in the antique market. Gina is in PR and Sally is a mum to two children. It is Gina who sees the potential in the business and Sally, while busy with family life, finds a new found talent in recyled pieces. But what Gina isn't prepared for is the owner of The French House, Matthew, who Gina tries to ignore the attraction with - however as they spend more time together will they get together or will old flames be a spanner in the works?

When I read the synopsis I was a little unsure if I would enjoy this book - when I think about antiques I think Bargain Hunt, expensive pieces of 'old' and 'dusty' furniture or ornaments, in pokey, badly lit rooms or rooms where you need a huge salary before you can walk through the door. However, the story was well written and although it touched on the antique business it was more about Gina, Sally and Matthew and the unusual request that was left for Sally and Gina.

The story was set in a Cotswold village, an area which I have visited and can picture, and really bought the story alive. An area where there are lots of little shops and boutiques and where antique dealers have shops or go on trips hunting for new items.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book and would love to see them feature in future books by Katie Fforde.

I also really like the design for the cover - it is simple, clean lines and chic. I have a number of covers in this style by Katie and I believe it sums up her books perfectly.

I would recommend this book to fans of Katie Fforde and/or women's fiction - it is a fantastic read to devour in one sitting!

Thank you to the publishers, Cornerstone, for sending me the e book to review.

This book was ordinary to me, no surprises and seemed to just drag along. I felt like the ending was abrupt. I had hoped to like it but it just didn’t do it for me.

I love Katie Fforde but this was not my favorite book by her. The story was cute and I loved getting swept away to Europe but the book was a little boring at times. I also found it hard to like some of the characters. Overall it’s a good, quick read but nothing spectacular.

This is the first book I have read by Katie Fforde, and I really enjoyed it, and can't wait to read more by this author. This book tells the story of two sisters; Sally, who is a stay at home mom and has 2 children and Gina who has just broken up with sister and she has moved closer to her sister. They received a letter from their late Aunt's solicitor and she has left 3 letters one for each of them and they are to meet with the third recipient of the letter, Matthew Ballinger.

Matthew Ballinger owns The French House an antiques center and their aunt wants the girls to take over her stall at The French House and had asked Matthew to teach them everything to know which is everything! Since he was such a good friend, he agreed.

The girls start learning everything and are thrilled by the business, and Gina and Matthew are starting to notice and like each other. His ex wife wants him to sell his French House as he still owes her money from their bitter divorce. Gina and Sally decide to help him raise the money, as they really have learned so much.

This story tells of the relationship between Gina and Sally as sisters, and between Gina and Matthew as well! There was a lot of emotional baggage for Gina and in a different way for Matthew as well. There are a few really good minor characters as well that makes this a good book, and the plot is great and moves right along.

I gave this book 4****stars and I really enjoyed it!

Fforde does it again with a joyful, light romance. In this particular "affair," the female character does a great deal to rescue the male character, which was delightful! I enjoy reading Fforde's books and appreciate being transported.

I couldn't put my finger on why this book seemed dated... written in 2013 and released again 2017. I loved the setting and the sisters. I did not like Matthew's character. HE was so negative and while Gina was working so hard he pushed her away or ran off on other projects. She should of hooked up with Nicholas...Anyway, read it and see if you don't agree.

I first discovered Katie Fforde at the library, while searching for a Jasper Fforde book. Since then, I have enjoyed her fun light romances. This was no exception, a perfect, breezy read for the end of summer.

The French Affair was my first Katie Fforde book. I was so very delighted and taken away from the first chapter and knew right away it wouldn't be my last. She is definitely now one of my 'to watch' authors for feel-good, happy reads. I am absolutely unapologetic in my love for this genre so am always thrilled to be introduced to a 'new to me author' with an extensive backlist to explore.
Sisters Gina and Sally Makepiece unexpectedly inherit a stall in an antique store from their late aunt. The catch is they must work with the stores director Matthew, a young but curmudgeonly man and make a profit. Determined to succeed, Gina and Matthew forge an unlikely partnership, with Sally helping from her home with kids and husband in tow. As Gina learns more about both antiquing and Matthew sparks fly. But recent history makes her leery of any relationship, let alone one with a stodgy grump like Matthew. Will her efforts to transform and update the antique center rub off on Matthew? Will they find their way forward together? Will each of their pasts prove too complicated and damaging to overcome?
Love, romance, women finding ways to healthier relationships, cosy country setting, travel, and a happy ending. This book has absolutely all the elements of a great escapist read. Katie Fforde does a wonderful job creating characters I care about, I want to get to know, I'd love to sit down and have a glass of wine (or two!) with. This is the difference between a book that's simply 'okay', and a book I really enjoy. For me, this hits all the high notes. I'm sorry, but anyone that can use the word 'orgasmic' in a non-sexual way totally has my vote! I highly recommend The French Affair for lovers of romance, feel good stories, beach reads, and happy endings.
I received an advanced reader copy (eGalley) from Bookouture through NetGalley. This review reflects my honest and unbiased opinions.

I don’t often read romance novels, but I have been devouring Katie Fforde’s novels for almost two decades because I like the way they make me feel all cozy and at home; I especially like the way they make me feel transported to the English countryside where I wish that I were right now instead of brewing in the still triple digits of a Southern summer!  They are just the right mixture of whimsical storyline and complicated romance to be the perfect quick, light, funny reads when in a reading slump or whenever one needs a palette cleanser after reading back to back thrillers and suspense as I have so recently been doing.

The reader is introduced to the two Makepiece sisters in A French Affair: Gina is a single, professional PR person, and Sally is married, young with two very small girls. The story begins when the two sisters learn they have inherited a small inheritance from their Aunt Rainey, an antique stall in The French House, a lovely antique center where other antique dealers rent stalls and sell their wares. The only problem is that neither sister has the slightest clue about antiques or how to run an antique business, so they question what motivated Aunt Rainey to leave them her stall and not just leave them the money she promises them if they agree to continue her business. Yet, Aunt Rainey is known to be eccentric and a bit wild, so they chalk up the inheritance as another one of her wild schemes.

Sally is one of those people who is up for anything even though she has no interest in old antiques or the antique center, so she quickly agrees to the prospect, especially since working at the center a few hours a week will give her much needed time from her girls. Since I used to be a young mother with two little boys only 2 years apart running around, I could definitely sympathize with Sally, but she really did start to irritate me as the book went on because she just came across as petty and selfish at times and not just a little overbearing and overly-emotional. I’m not sure if that is the way that Fforde meant for her to be, but I wanted to slap her at times. She did redeem herself in the end though, but still.

Gina is more cautious, especially since she has her full-time job and learning about antiques, not counting working the stall, will take considerable time and effort. But she is nothing but determined and extremely hard working, which I really liked about her character! Gina is the star of the book with her quick wit, feistiness, intelligence, and pure force of will. It’s very rare to read a romance novel with a strong, realistic female protagonists, but Fforde has never let me down by having all her main female character being exactly that way (I consider Sally the side kick in this one).

Plus, there is the matter of Matthew Ballinger, the owner of the French House...to learn about antiques, Gina must spend time under his tutelage, a prospect both daunting and enticing since he is taciturn and gorgeous. It was lovely to see the romance between these two blossom since it was not overnight, but actually develops along the course of the storyline as Gina falls not only in love with antiques, the French House, and with Matthew. And when Gina learns that the antique center is danger of being sold, she is absolutely brilliant with her ideas and schemes to keep it from happening since she wants to help the man she loves save his business and his home-and save what has become for her a passion just as her Aunt Rainey knew it would! I love how the storyline really takes off from there!

This was another lovely little read by Fforde! Fforde’s books are always great fun even if a little predictable at times and admittedly, this was not my favorite of her books, but that was only because I didn’t enjoy some of the characters. Still, her writing was beautiful and descriptive as always: I felt transported to France, the antique stalls, the French House, and the English countryside! And the storyline was wonderfully romantic. Fforde will always be a favorite author, and I look forward to her next novel! If you are looking for a lovely, cozy romance, then this is the perfect novel! You won’t be disappointed! 3.5 Stars!

**Thank you, NetGalley, Bookouture, and Katie Fforde for an ARC in exchange for my honest and fair review. **

This is a very traditional Katie Fforde, and it was fun and entertaining. I liked the quirky characters and found the storyline to be enjoyable. This is a good book when you want a quick and easy read.

Although Katie Fforde's novels can easily be classified as chick lit, they are not the young, flighty chicks most often represented. And, although romance is always involved, reinvention is more the focus.

Katie Fforde has been writing lighthearted British women's fiction for many years. It is a pleasure to find that her books are now more easily available is the U.S. "A French Affair" is an enjoyable summer read. There is a bit of family drama, insight into the world of antique selling and, of course, romance. Recommended for fans of British authors like Jenny Colgan and Erica James.

At last Katie Fforde is reappearing to an American audience! Katie is one of Britain's rom-com queens, for she manages to get just the right touches of setting, character, and story to tug your heartstrings and make you smile. The challenge of writing (and reading!) romance is that it's basically the same story every single time, even if it's our favorite. One of the pleasures of reading Fforde is that she gives us different settings in each book, so we're always exploring something, whether it's barges or wool factories or old country houses.
She takes us backstage to the antiques world in A French Affair. The old country house in this story has been turned into one of those antiques shops where lots of dealers use tiny spaces for storefronts. Gina and Sally have inherited a stall from their eccentric aunt. Tall, handsome and grumpy Matthew owns the building. Trouble and attraction and good humor ensue, along with true love, of course.
A French Affair was originally published in Britain in 2013 and is sitting on my home bookshelf, so it is not due to the free electronic version I received from the publisher and Netgalley that I encourage you to buy and read it and keep it on your bookshelf, too. Katie Fforde's books, all of them, are go-to books for comfort reading anytime--and some are even better than this one. If you want to read and close the pages with a smile on your face, Katie Fforde is your girl!

This book is light and airy and a great vacation feel to it. The characters are complex and deep. Gina is trying to remain positive and helpful and is just trying to do good for others despite all the trumoil others are going through. Gina and Sally have a great relationship and it is so sweet tos we how these two sisters work together and overcome obstacles in their relationship. Oscar was the best part of the book I love that dog!! Nathan and his house and collection sounded amazing! Loved the even they hosted at his place, sounded like so much fun.

I had no idea this was a re-issue! I thought it sounded familiar, but wasn't sure. I found it delightful when I read it in 2012, after picking it up at a charity shop in England, and I found it delightful now. I'm assuming it's not being labeled as a re-issue, since this is it's American debut. LIke all Fforde novels, it's quiet and charming, perfect for people who want HEAs without sexytimes.

I'm not sure what's going on with me but I just couldn't get into this one! I usually love Katie's books, I may try this one again in a few months.

I liked this book, but in parts I definitely struggled to get through it. The plot just didn't move very quickly, nor did I identify with the characters. Honestly, I really cannot say anything more. It was blah reading all the way through. I've enjoyed other books by this author so I have to believe that it was put together too quickly or that I was just not in the mood for it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book and give my honest opinion.