Member Reviews
A bittersweet tale blending quiz shows, a fabulous location in France, and a runaway sister. After Bryony’s dad suffers a stroke she enters a quiz show to raise the profile of her search for her missing sister. An amusing story, with bittersweet backdrop as you learn more about Bryony’s childhood.
I’d have liked to learn more about Hannah and her story but understand that the book is mostly from Bryony’s perspective. I really enjoyed the game show sections and the race around Brittany. The characters were good fun and different enough to create a vivid picture of the goings on...
A warm and sweet tale tinged with sadness. I would have preferred a longer ending with more detail surrounding how they got to the outcome (including what the particular character had been doing and how they ended up there) but a good book nonetheless
4*
This was a good read. Love all the quiz show detail, can tell the author has done a few!
She's clearly also spent some time in France which gave an added depth to the book
Loved the whole idea of a search within a search just a bit different.
The characters were engaging and more details were revealed as the book went on.
Hope there is a follow up
This is sweet romance story about a woman in search of her long lost sister. The premise behind the books plot is a very good one. There were highs and lows of this book. A high was some of the characters. I wish we could have had more depth. For me the low was the storyline, I felt like it jumped around like the contestants on the game show. Then (spoiler alert) with the diary coming to light at the end. It would have made it more interesting to flow back and forth between Hannah and Bryony thought through the whole book. The book was touted as Bryony''s search for her sister. Instead it seemed a sweet romance novel with Hannah's character thrown in. Good romance novel, but not one I'd like to read over again. Thanks Netgalley for a chance to review this novel.
I can't describe how great it is that Carol Wyer is writing rom coms again. I was delighted to see this book was announced and even more pleased to have read its.
Once started its a book leaving you wanting more, unable to put it down.
The cast of characters is wonderful, and I loved Bryony and Lewis as well her their good friends.
Plus Ollie and the pug Biggie Smalls are fabulous too.
This is a riot of good fun, humorous antics and yet at the heart of it there is a far more serious theme.
And its the reason that Bryony is even taking part in this new Game show in France.
Loved everything that happened in the French section of the book, it gave a taste of the region, as well as it sounding like the sort of game show I'd love to watch myself.
This was just a highly enjoyable, great read and I can't help but wonder if there might just be a sequel. If there is I want to be first in line for it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Canelo for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
This was a very different type of book than I'm used to reading from Carol Wyer, but I loved it. Getting to know the characters who would take part in the game show as well as the main story burning in the background made it fun as well as serious. I had a right giggle at the descriptions of the cars, the put having its own social media, and imagined what the contestants looked like. Oh and yes I'd love to slap Professor Potts.
I don't want to give the plot away, but just say this was a fun book to read, very light hearted, described as a romantic comedy. I'd like to know more about what happens....will there be a sequel, I wonder?
This was a nice, easy read that kept me engaged and entertained. The story could have veered into pure schmaltz but it was well done and well written. I loved Bryony and her interactions with the other characters. The flashbacks were seamlessly interwoven and added much needed depth to the story. I recommend reading this one.
This was a DNF for me due to the poor writing and the two dimensional characters. The charm is lacking from this book, which is unfortunate bc charm is what’s needed to make this sort of genre palatable.
Bryony is trying to find her sister who ran away from home over 30 years ago. This book is engaging, entertaining and at times tear jerking. I really enjoyed it. The relationship between Bryony and her friend Melinda is heart warming. The tale of the game show is fun and frothy but in the back ground you keep wondering where is Hannah? Will Bryony find Hannah. Highly recommended as an entertaining read.
What drew me to this book on NetGalley was undoubtedly the game show element. I grew up watching gameshows with my grandma and love (present day, still love!) the Game Show Network, so as soon as I saw that tied in to the plot, I knew I had to read it. That said, it wasn't love for me. I don't have any major complaints, but this one just didn't hook me the way I anticipated it would when I read the blurb. I enjoyed seeing the behind the scenes of the game show production, but didn't feel particularly drawn to pick this up and finish it ASAP. I did appreciate the ending, and the closure that provided!
As a note, 2 stars for me is a "fine" rating. Not bad, just meh and not necessarily one that I'll recommend or pick up for a friend.
If I'm being completely honest, What Happens in France wasn't my favorite read. I can really appreciate the author's efforts, and I thought the plotline had enormous potential. However, the writing could have been paced better, and I wish the story and the characters were more developed.
I really liked the idea of a game show, and I wish it had been highlighted more in terms of trivia rather than random quests and missions. We’re told early in the story that Bryony has a talent for answering trivia questions, but she rarely gets the opportunity to highlight and show it off because the game show instead is requiring her and her fellow contestants to run around France to complete side quests.
The writing itself focused too much on creating drama between the characters where the pacing became too quick during fun, action-filled scenes and too slow during random filler conversations. Although I can understand the different characters were chosen for the game show for entertainment purposes, they almost felt too over-the-top to the point where it wasn’t realistic. I also wished that the story had more descriptions of rural France which is the primary setting of this novel. Truthfully, I would have forgotten where the characters were located if it weren’t for the title of this book.
One aspect of the story I really enjoyed was Bryony blog posts for her sister Hannah. They gave us a smaller snapshot of Bryony’s true feelings and shows that despite everything else, she truly misses her sister and wants to reunite her family.
Overall, I don't think this book was for me, but I can also see where it would appeal to other readers. Thank you so much Netgalley for providing me with this ARC to review!
A fast paced and entertaining read!
Bryony ends up on a game show as a way to get publicity to find her sister who ran away from home 30 years ago.
Along the way she makes some great new friends and falls for Lewis, but will she get her happy ever after and also find her sister?
I’m a big fan of Carol Wyer’s D.I. Robyn Carter series and Detective Natalie Ward series I was intrigued to see her lighter side and when I saw it on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to read it.
Bryony Masters is desperate to find her sister Hannah after her father had a stroke. But the problem is, she hasn’t seen her sister since she was six years’ old. Her parents searched for her, even hired a private detective, but to no avail, they cannot find her. The two sisters were very close, but after an accident Hannah blamed herself and ran away.
Thirty years later, to help in the search for her sister Bryony has a blog asking her fellow readers if she knows the whereabouts of her sister. One day an opportunity arises, when she decides to apply to start in a reality TV game show. So she can get on the show and she can make an appeal for her sister. She wins a place on the show and meets so many several different characters including a male ballet dancer who has a pug dog call Biggy Smalls who has his own Instagram account. She also has a surprise; her male friend Lawrence is also on the show.
I am so glad that I requested this. It’s a light-hearted romantic comedy that I loved from start to finish. It had its fair share of ups and downs and little bits of humour which made this book more engaging. I liked the game show idea, it reminded me a bit of It’s a knock out show in the old days.
Thank you Canelo and NetGalley for a copy of this book.
Bryony Masters last saw her sister Hannah when she was only six years old. Hannah was ten years older than her and Bryony absolutely idolised her. Then Bryony had an accident when she was in her sister’s care, her eyes only off Bryony for a few minutes when they were safely in the play park. Bryony was hit by a car when she ran out of the park and into the road. She was badly hurt and that marked a sudden change in Hannah. She gave up trying to please everyone, she lacked self confidence and she was haunted by Bryony’s accident. She felt guilty, unloved as she thought her sister’s needs always came before her. She thought her parents despised her and were always disappointed in her. Then one evening she couldn’t stand the atmosphere any longer so she decided to run away, never to be seen again. Despite all the searching, Hannah had never been found and all these years later, despite Bryony’s best efforts and her online presence, writing a blog in the hope of finding Hannah, she was still drawing a blank.
Then Bryony was hit by a brilliant idea. It was a stroke of genius. She would get herself publicity on national TV and then tell her story. Surely someone would recognise her photographs and her name? As soon as her brainwave was in her head, she applied to be a contestant in the brand new quiz show ‘What Happens in ….’, and before her feet touched the ground she was invited to the auditions in Birmingham. She really had to be successful with this idea or it might be too late. Her father, once a headmaster, had suffered a serious stroke. He called out endlessly for Hannah. It was imperative that she was successful. Hannah must come to visit their father, she just must. This is Bryony’s hilarious story of ‘What Happened in France’ and it is a really light, poignant and satisfying read.
Teamed with Lewis, a friend and neighbour, the challenge begins. This story is beautifully told with really strong characterisation. It’s a story not only about the reason Bryony visits France, but also the story of a family in crisis. It has lovely friendships, supportive family and friends; it also tells the story of the trials and tribulations of making a new and innovative fledgling TV quiz and adventure challenges that each of the contestants undergo. There’s also a breakup, dirty doings and a sparkling new romance. It’s certainly action-packed!
I received this book through my membership of NetGalley and from publisher Canelo Escape in return for an honest review. Thank you for my copy. These are my own thoughts and I have read no other reviews before writing my own. This is a quick and easy read and one I found amusing and enjoyable. The author has herself been on quiz shows and she has used this and other skills she has amassed to inform this story.
This book is a convoluted romance set against the backdrop of a TV game show in France. Some of the characters are stereotypes but the writing is good and there are enough twists and turns to keep your interest. Let's hope that the idea for the show doesn't get commissioned. Holiday / wet afternoon read.
A light fun read especially for those who might consider going on a quiz show - the answer is don't!
A novel quiz show and one that might actually work in real life is undertaken by our all star cast - including a Professor who thinks he is the bees knees and an Instagram star of a pug. Actually, the pug belongs to a male ballet dancer and has a very strong following - as so many people like to see dogs dressed up. I'm not sure what that says about their owners. But do recall our daughter would dress our cat up when she was a toddler and persuade her to ride in a pram. Very long suffering that cat!
Enjoyable but not intense and the ending is much as expected - happy of course.
Note for Editor - check dates and facts - how many grandchildren? When did they start filming? What did she teach?
Small inconsistencies that irritate.
An emotional story, based on a search for a long lost sister.
Hannah ran away from home when she was only 16 and hasnt been heard of since. Bryony has tried so many ways to find her sister, more so now as their father is seriously ill and calling for Hannah. In desperation Bryony signs up for a reality show, hoping that she can get her message of 'Find Hannah' across to as many people as possible.
The collection of people that she meets on the show set mainly in France, includes someone who may become a precious part of her life, Lewis. They are fun together and understand each other's inner feelings and issues with the past.
I'd love to know what happened next.
Thank you to NetGalley for a review copy.
This book is funny, romantic and really entertaining.
I read it in one setting and couldn't put it down.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Canelo and Netgalley for this ARC
Will Bryony and Lewis win the TV contest and will Bryony find her long lost sister? Loved it, couldn't wait to finish it to find out and then was really sorry it was finished!
What happens in France is an entertaining read with many humorous moments. After her father has a stroke Bryony is desperate to find her sister Hannah who left home 30 years ago at the age of 16. Bryony has a blog that she uses to try find Hannah, hoping that someone may know Hannah and direct her to the blog. To put herself more in the public eye and knowing how much Hannah loved quiz shows she applies to star in a reality quiz show taking place in France.
An uplifting story, well told and with a satisfying ending.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.
Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Bryony has been looking for her sister for a long time and this book is about her adventures. Absolutely great read