A nice book to escape into. The setting sounds lovely and the characters believable. Found some parts slow and found myself skimming some it to get to the next part of the story. A good read just not entirely my cup of tea. Many thanks to
Netgalley for the ebook copy.

This is a review of an ARC provided to me by NetGalley.

It was all in all a very cute story with a very quaint setting. Oren Clarke did a great job of building a magical setting for the story to take place. There were lots of times that I found myself grinning ear to ear. But there were several things I didn’t like about the book - the constant bringing up of Natalie being “twenty pounds too heavy”. Or the constant putting down of her clothes, hair, or makeup in the writing. The cliche of her dad being a try-hard at dating and being so oblivious to it. Most of the characters speech was written out grammatically correct. But the conversations with the boss at Manifique were distracting because they were written out to point out that a man living in France had a French accent? All in all my “problems” with the book were personal preferences that took me out of the story.

It was a good read. A fast read. And the perfect setting for multiple stories to take place in. I’d recommend if you enjoy romance books.

A heart warming book similar to the likes of Katie Fforde. The reader is quickly pulled into the story and you end up laughing along the way. The image was warming and enjoyable and made a pleasurable read and leaves a wish to go and visit!

A fast-paced and warm tale of Natalie, who's escaped from England to her dad's home on the French coast (I think Ile De Re) after an unpleasant breakup. Desperate to be taken seriously as a journalist, Natalie is writing for an expats blog and chasing her dream of writing for Magnifique, an upmarket French glossy magazine.

Natalie's quest for the perfect story gets her into all sorts of trouble - cue several funny scenes and others which are toe-curlingly embarassing. There's a little sense that some of the scenarios are pantomime-esque and we are supposed to dislike the villains (boo), but this adds to the warmth surrounding Natalie. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between her father and the guesthouse owner next door... and the warmth and love from her new best friend Charlie (whose mum runs the cafe that Natalie frequents and looks wistfully on a potential relationship between the two of them).

In similar circumstances, this story could descend into a farce but the strength of the author's writing means that you are absorbed into Natalie's life. Once her path crosses with both a famous actor and a magazine editor, you are rooting for her all along.

Another great book from this author whose books always wrap you in a giant hug. 4* from me.

A perfect summer read. A simmering romance, Natalie escapes to the seaside after a heartbreak and romance and adventure follow her. Made me want to head off to France and enjoy some cafe and croissants.

A free copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Natalie's ex-boyfriend has dumped her and run off with his ex, so Natalie makes her way to an island off the coast of France to stay with her father. While there, she makes friends with the cafe owner, Charlie and his mother, and sets herself up, writing about expat life for a living. However, soon she runs into Jay Merino, her childhood crush who is now a famous movie star, and as well as still feeling the old spark of attraction, she also wants to score an interview with him so she can get a more permanent writing job at a Parisian magazine.
I really liked this story, even though at times I found myself rolling my eyes at how desperate Natalie got when trying to get her interview with Jay. There's clumsy and then there's acting so ridiculously that I felt a great deal of second-hand embarrassment for her. I did enjoy the bits where she was writing though and I adored her relationship with the locals on the island, especially Charlie and his mum. The romance was a bit take it or leave it, but it was a bright, sunny book to read and it did leave me with a smile on my face at the end of the book.
A bright and breezy read. 4 stars.

Unfortunately not for me. I just couldn’t get on with this book. Didn’t enjoy anything about it. Found it to be boring and disliked the characters,

Wonderful and light reading <3 I love to read books that are set in small towns and cafes . I love Natalie's view's on women supporting each othet . If its was real i'd love to see the article she wrote about women .

Light & Lovely!

Laugh, cry, cringe...the perfect chick lit trifecta!

**OMG! I cannot believe that these reviews haven't been done! I am so sorry they are so late!!!**

This story made me smile a lot! I liked all the characters, the setting, and the plot. There's no better way to describe this but sweet & heartwarming. I loved the friendship between Charlie and Natalie--I'm hoping to see more of Charlie in the next book! Natalie's parents were cute, just the neighborhood in general was cute. I wish there had been just a tad more romance between Natalie and Jay but I really have nothing bad to say about this book. I was looking for a sweet/cute book and that's exactly what I got.


*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

A perfect read to end the summer. Elle goes to a small French island with an old postcard to search for her birth mother. She discovers more about herself and meets some interesting characters along the way.

Excellent book with a clear cut depiction of characters. The storyline is fluid and constant, and my concentration never waived. Highly recommended.

It has took me a while to get around to reading ‘Escape to the Little French Cafe’ but it was certainly worth the wait!

It was great to escape to France with Natalie, Charlie, the mysterious Jay and Natalie’s charming family. I have to admit this is my first read of Karen’s however I have had a few of her books on my kindle for a while. Whilst reading this story I felt like I was transported to France to the sunshine and beautiful landscapes. I loved Natalie, she was so determined to follow her dream of writing for a magazine which led to her interviewing Jay who she actually met when she was a teenager. You could see their friendship blossoming from their first encounter but of course a dramatic event leads them off course.

The narrative is warm and witty, therefore it’s the perfect holiday read! I am very much looking forward to reading the second in the French Cafe series. I give ‘Escape to the Little French Cafe’ 4*/5* 😊

Thank you to Bookouture for an advanced copy of this book via Netgalley.

A fun and light easy summer read. Natalie is living in France, with her dad on a little island, and is trying to get work on a big newspaper. Her friend Charlie is a hoot, and hunky Jay is now famous, but was also her first kiss. A little predictable, but otherwise a fun read. Enjoyable. and sweet. Would recommend.

It took me a little while to get into this story, but once I did, I was hooked.

I adore stories about lost first loves, and this one didn't disappoint. Karen Clarke wove her usual magic, and served the reader a generous portion of romance and drama. It's in a lovely setting and, with more rain than usual in these kinds of stories, I think the weather became a bit of a character in its own right!

Fun little summer read. I wouldn’t say it’s laugh out loud - just a lighthearted story. Lacks a little depth but sometimes you need a fun story like this. Fun to have a French setting.

A present day "relevant" and not overly mushy tale of finding an old love in a new country.

I have travelled in France and even been to La Rochelle but not Isle de re'. this book Make me want to go back though.......a charming place with friendly cafes and gorgeous scenery by all accounts.

The cover picture some how alerted me to the fact that this was a light read - charming setting with a 'real' character in Natalie bright, who has all the modern day trappings of separated parents, work worries and technology to burn.

Finding love with a childhood sweetheart seems to good to be true and we certainly take several twists and turns with Natalie in this road to happiness. But never too serious, Karen Clarke makes this a light-hearted and totally believable read.

I reminder that true friendships are so integral to our daily lives. And when the un-expected happens, we need to be open to embrace the joys it can bring.

Thank you Bookouture and Netgally for making this read possible.

Escape to the Little French Cafe is such a fun, charming book! Yes, it's a little predictable, but that doesn't take away from the book, as the plot is still entertaining and the writing is well-done. It's a feel good book that would be perfect for beach days or summer time reading!

The characters are all very likable, and I loved that Natalie and Charlie had a healthy supportive friendship - and of course, who wouldn't fall in love with Jay!

Overall, a fun book that had me laughing out loud at some points, and is well worth the read.

Such a fun, silly, sweet beach read. I loved Charlie especially. Great read!


Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Karen Clarke has done it again, with another enchanting read that I couldn't' bare to be apart from for long. I was loving my time on the Île de Ré, and am delighted to learn this is the first book of a series, so can't wait already to start reading the next one.

Charming is another good word for this story, it is so warm, and cosy with lovely characters and a bit of scandal too, with a hint of mystery.

I loved getting to know Natalie, best friend Charlie, her family and the man she is hopeful of interviewing in order to get a big career break.

There are some incredibly funny scenes in this, including where Natalie comes face to face with Jay, for the first time in many years. What a way to become instantly memorably in someone's eyes.

There are ambitious women, parental dating episodes, a gorgeous hero, a fabulous best friend, misunderstandings, and just a fabulous feel to the whole book, set in glorious sunshine. I loved every moment I spent with these characters and this story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.