Despite the sunny cover, this book has more to get your teeth into than you would expect from a summer read. However, I really enjoyed Moorcroft’s tale with a lovely combination of books, coffee and pastries!

Set in a bookshop that is located in a French activity park, this really piqued my interest. Not only loving stories that are set in bookshops, I warmed to Moorcroft’s protagonist and her enthusiasm for her job. Managing this café-come-bookshop sees tourists and locals alike means she has a roaring trade – helped by the sunny weather and visiting tourists to the park. However, a shady boyfriend sees the start of an anonymous hacker trying to ruin the business – the last thing Kat needs when trying to support her boss and his ill wife.

This book is not just a summer romance because Moorcroft explores broken families and the impact it has on both children and the parents. I found it interesting comparing Kat’s experience to Clemence’s – one has scars from a separated family; the other is experiencing it in real-time. As the story develops, I sometimes felt frustrated by Kat’s actions because of her self-preservation and fear of being abandoned. However, this feeds into her childhood and you can see it emerging with Clemence as Noah tries his hardest to protect his daughter from a broken marriage.

Angelique and Clemence were definitely my favourite characters because of how they brightened the mood of the story. Angelique comes to personify freedom and escapism that the characters need – regardless of age – and I thought this helped them “reset” when troubled. Indeed, when Angelique comes to Kat’s defence towards the ending of the book, I think it was a sweet display of her loyalty – particularly when Kat’s boss does not seem to care very much.

Although the chapters are rather lengthy, I was soon immersed in the lives of Kat and Noah. The bookshop plays a central part of the story but I loved how it was the relationships and connections that pushed the story forwards. Kat is an admirable character, despite her flaws, and I liked seeing how she managed when so much was going wrong with the business. She keeps her head and still thinks of others. Similarly, Noah is so protective of his daughter that you couldn’t help but warm to his dedication as a parent.

I would describe this book as a ‘summery read with a bit of bite’ because of the relationships aspect to the story. With plenty of French pastries being consumed in the book, I’m glad the calories didn’t transfer across the pages! Somehow my appetite was satisfied with reading about the café setting, rather than trying to emulate it in real life!

With thanks to Avon books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A fun sweet read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my ARC.

I was in heaven reading Summer at the French Cafe. There was a cafe with a book store and French food, what more could anyone ask for. Sue Moorcroft is fast becoming one of my feel good, comforting authors. 

I picked this up as part of my summer reading, knowing that I am in for a treat. And that I would enjoy this read.

I enjoyed the friendship that grew between Kat and Noah. I loved Kat, she drew me in straightaway, however despite everything she was not able shake of the shadows of her past and other took advantage of her willingness to help out. And then seeing Noah come out of his shell and become someone you could root for. To be honest I enjoyed how each of them brought the best out of each other as the story progressed.  I couldn't help ending with a smile on my face. 

Summer at the French Cafe was the perfect summer read, full of character development, enough drama to keep me on my toes and a gorgeous romance. Just perfection.

Summer at the French Cafe by Sue Moorcroft ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A delightful story by Sue, I didn't expect anything less. She has a great flow of words, that grabs ya from the start.
Perfect read for the beach so pick up your copy today and escape to the French Cafe.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for my advance copy.

The perfect Summer escapism with gorgeous characters and a fun premise. I really enjoyed this one and would highly recommend.

Thank you Avon Books UK and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I thought this book was cute. The author does a great job at painting a picture of the setting, from the quaint book café to the bustling park. Her writing style is quite enjoyable, though a bit slow at times. The characters were likable and I felt invested in their lives.

All in all, it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to other books from this author.

I am always a big fan of Sue anyway so this was a delight to read. It really did give me summer vibes, It had love complications, family and lots of book talk so what more could you really ask for in the grand scheme of all things bookish. I loved getting to know Kat - her character was one of the most realistic ive read in a while. She had such strong emotions, feelings and seeing her reactions made her so relateable.

Glorious… the perfect summer escapist read. As a cafe owner there was a lot I could relate and I devoured this easy, entertaining read. Sues writing style is gorgeous and this book is easy to fall in love with

A brilliant read and one I really enjoyed. The characters are loveable and varied, the plot is one that is engaging and medium paced. I found myself completely drawn into the story and enjoyed the writing style.

I have really enjoyed all of the books I've read by Sue Moorcroft, she's such a fab writer and a lovely person. I also love reading books based in France. My mum and Step dad have lived there for 17 years. Not only that but when I visited Paris for my 30 birthday 8 years ago, I told my now husband that I loved him for the first time under the Eiffel tower, I was so nervous. So I have a soft spot for France.

This is a wonderful story with loads of great content relationship dramas, funny moments, romantic moments and much more. I really enjoy the character interaction and some of it is really relatable. Really loved this story, I didn't want it to end.

I love that the place Kat works is a book Cafe, thats my dream job but to own one.

I really loved this book, the ending was perfect for me and the whole storyline was up there as one of my favourites.

I love a book set at a cafe anywhere in the world, especially a book store/cafe! Sadly, this book came with my most hated trope....yet another woman totally blind-sided to being cheated on. Again, how am I supposed to route for a woman who is delusional enough to not know her boyfriend has a whole family a couple of hours away. I don't know where you even work, but you're the love of my life! Ugh.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

A somewhat bittersweet look at love and abandonment, and the long and twisty road, perhaps unreachable after all, that one must follow to heal.

Katerina (Kat) is a thirty-seven year old former journalist, now Manager of a bookshop/cafe in a particularly lovely area of France, -Strasbourg, on the eastern border of France and Germany.

Residing in the picture perfect village of Kirchhoffen, Kat’s world is seemingly magical, populated with “pretty houses with walls painted blue, white, red, tan or yellow, many with window-boxes frothing with summer flowers”, and an ideal job graced with good friends that is perfectly suited to her “sunny and uncomplicated” life.

However, as Kat is soon to discover, changes are afoot - some of them unfortunately visceral and painful, others a slowly dripping faucet pooling into uncertainty, unresolved issues from childhood, and yes, new love, swirling within the dark and murky waters, so slippery and elusive that nothing at all may be allowed to surface.

As Kat faces betrayal, vengeance, bitterness, rejection and loss, her seemingly placid world is rocked with emotions so long buried that it may be impossible for her to recover.

A sweet and poignant look at finding the will to stand up for oneself, perhaps too strongly and certainly decades too late, as childhood battles never fought now see the light of day, and could that be love, (for self, for family and for others), emerging blinking into the sunshine?

An enjoyable and evocative travel-infused romp, (but one with serious heart and a whole lot of compassion), that, as this reader discovered, makes for the perfect sweet and sensitive pick-me-up read for a grey and snowy afternoon.

A great big thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

Loved this book! It was a perfect summer time read that transports you to a French cafe, a love mystery, and overall, one adorable read!

Kat lives in beautiful France and thinks she has it all. A job, a dog , a flat and a boyfriend. Until one day the world as she knows it Comes crashing down around her.

Then appears Noah can he bring Kat what she is looking for?

I always enjoy escaping with Sue Moorcroft and this was no exception. A perfect holiday read with a pastry and coffee ☕

Sue MoorCroft books are guaranteed to be a good read, with this one being no exception. A lovely summer setting and lovely characters who work through various issues to reach a happy ending. Perfect light reading.

love to read books by sue moorcroft and again a most enjoyable book to read not as many different recipes in this book but glad to think all ends well for kat and noah

I may have said this before with Sue Moorcroft books, but she has the amazing ability to whisk you to some of the most amazing picturesque locations, making you want to go there right now.

I couldn't wait to read this on holiday. I always love a Sue Moorcroft summer chic lit read, and this was no exception. I was mesmerised with the wonderful destination I had been transported to. This location was the pretty French countryside.

The main character Kat, lands a job managing a book store, for an older couple. The way the bookstore with cafe was described, it made we want Kat's job!

This book subjects you to a fabulous tale of romance (and a little heartbreak too). I loved the well constructed storyline and all the characters, even the hateful ones.

To me, this is another Sue Moorcroft triumph.

I don’t expect that! I was looking for a nice book for the summer. Something with handsome man, nice food and breathtaking views, so summer and France and cafe seems like a great idea!

Not this time…

This book is hard. It has so many difficult issues, situations that I was overwhelmed. It should have a least some of the trigger warnings cause child kidnapping, economic violence are not the basic topics to write about in the summer story.

So, the book is not bad, but keep in mind, that it is not something you can relax with drinking wine in the summer nights.

Sue Moorcroft's books are always a delight and this one is no exception. The descriptions of the locations are so perfectly pitched you can feel the hot summer sun through the pages and I always love the details of where the characters are living. Kat and Noah's story is no easy ride, but is so much more satisfying for it. I can't wait for her next title.

Sue Moorcroft always does a fantastic job of weaving the stories of her characters together, all while offering a gorgeous backdrop. Summer at the French Cafe transports us to France, where I could absolutely imagine myself browsing the bookshelves at Livres et Cafe, then enjoying some cake outside!

Each and every character had a beautifully written story and I thoroughly enjoyed how everyone was connected in different ways, from Kat to Noah, Solly, Clé and even Angelique! The stories cover a myriad of topics from family issues, but also family love, cheating, but finding new love and friendship and second chances. I love the author's writing style and I fell in love with Kat, Noah and the French countryside throughout the whole book!