It's rather bold to leave the only home you've ever known, move to a country where you don't speak the language, and buy and try to renovate a château.

I won't lie, I've dreamt of it. Living in a château, not renovating it. But my French is next to nonexistent and I just wouldn't feel super comfortable moving somewhere without being proficient in the language first.

As you can see with the other reviews, and probably fans of the show, which I've never watched, my opinion isn't the only one that matters.

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Seven Dials

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I didn't know this was a TV series over in England. I have never heard of this family and I thought I would give it a try. It was entertaining, I think that it is better if you have watched the show and know the characters more. But all in all it was entertaining and hey! Who would love to live in a chateau!

A Year at the Chateau by Dick and Angel Strawbridge is the perfect companion to the long-running British television series, Escape to the Chateau and its spinoffs. Told in Dick and Angel’s alternating points of view, we learn how the Strawbridges moved with their two children from London to France, found the crumbling 19th century Chateau de La Motte Husson, took on the monumental task of bringing it into the 21st century without losing any of its charm, and then transformed it into a special events venue. Between Dick’s engineering and cooking expertise and Angel’s hospitality and creativity expertise, there is little these two can’t do with a little help from their friends. A delightful book.

I have never seen this show before, and I didn’t think watching it would be a prerequisite, but I think this book is better suited to show watchers who are looking for more behind the scenes information. As someone who has never seen it, I felt that it glossed over so many things and was really lacking detail in places I was really craving more.

First, this book is missing something essential for all memoirs but especially ex-pat memoirs — dialogue. A quoted exchange between different people prevents a book from becoming a mundane recounting of, “I went here,” “We did this,” “I thought this,” “We bought this.” They are self-proclaimed time poor, and I understand the urgency of having the castle ready for the wedding deadline, but I find it sad they slaved away constantly on a building in their new home country and rarely took time away to smell the roses and interact with people. They did talk of a few meetings with their neighbors, but there were very few details, which may have been at the neighbor’s request since she wouldn’t allow her children on TV.

Too much detail in some places (bathing and caring for children and food consumed) and not enough in others. A bat got in the room? Tell me more. You really need to infuse some humor into retelling situations like this. Without it, I’m just reading a miserable tale of a woman left in a freezing chateau with 2 young children surrounded by millions of flies with no instructions from her husband on how to work anything. To be clear, miserable is the word I choose to describe it. Dick and Angel are optimistic troopers who take everything in stride and seem to actually enjoy the myriad challenges along the way.

They have a treasure trove in their attic that barely got a mention and could be a book in itself. Psst! Dick and Angel, I would read that book. I’m thinking a coffee table book with pictures of all the items.

This book would be great for:

Anyone looking to purchase an old castle and fix it up themselves (or anyone wanting to talk themselves out of doing that) to learn a little more about the experience.

Anyone who enjoys journal-style writing.

Anyone who loves reading about the details of food.

Perhaps Peter Mayle and Bill Bryson have ruined me, but this book was very lacking, in my opinion. It was obvious to me that this was all written from memory or that details noted along the way were very sparse.

Thank you, NetGalley and Hachette Book Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'd seen the TV series so when this book came up on NetGalley I figured, why not? The show is entertaining, if a bit wacky, and maybe the book would be too. Having read the book, I have to recommend watching the show instead. Personalities come through better, the scale of the task is more apparent. In the book we get lots of thoughts about learning to move from the UK to France, the culture changes (especially when you don't speak the language), and so much about the food and wine. So much. (They really like it). Much less about renovating the chateau and the challenges they faced or how they worked to overcome those challenges, or what the plan was. Lots about wanting to live the country life and how the kids were going to grow up here. By September (the book is broken down by months) I was ready for the book to be over and they were really just getting into things because they were trying to get the place ready for their wedding in November. Which is basically what the rest of the book is about.

The writing isn't good-you go one paragraph to the next not sure if the "I" is Dick or Angel talking at first because they switch around so much. That is probably what drove me the craziest. Beyond that it is more a memoir of expat life and learning to embrace the French culture than the renovations you see on the show, so if you want that, you'll enjoy the book more. Otherwise, stick to the show.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

I will start by saying I've known of Dick, Angel, and their Chateau for a couple of years after finding them on HGTV one night when I couldn't sleep.

That being said I was fascinated and had everyone I know watching this couple renovate what was essentially a fairytale castle in my mind.

Seeing this book brought back all of those real life magic feelings and I couldn't get through it fast enough, reading all of the behind-the-scenes things, from their point of view was fascinating and honestly I want more.

The book itself is wonderfully written, with witty anecdotes, fabulous recountings of this remarkable renovation, and the surprising addition of Dick describing his cooking (which sounds beyond amazing to me) it was the icing on the cake and now I want to try mussels.

The ups and downs, the budget overages, and the difficulties of doing all of this with two small children, Dick and Angel lay it all out on the table. While the show may have made it seem like everything happened for a reason (that fabric wallpaper in the tower comes to mind) this book tells all of the behind-the-scenes moments and it was anything but easy.

They worked through it, supported each other, and created a fantasy world for themselves and anyone lucky enough to have an encounter at the Chateau.

I loved every moment of reading this book, and can't recommend it enough to anyone interested in following your dreams, owning a Chateau or home restoration in general.

First line: I will never forget the moment we first saw Chateau-de-la-Motte Husson.

Summary: Dick and Angel Strawbridge look back on their first year at their French chateau. Told through the months of 2015 they explore the changes and challenges of living in France with a young family while trying to remodel a 150 year old chateau into their dream home.

My Thoughts: I absolutely loved reading this book! It took me back to watching their show, Escape to the Chateau. I binge watched the show and am anticipating the final season. I love their relationship, work ethic and passion for their lifestyle. I think now that I have finished their book I will go back and re-watch the first season. I learned a lot about their lives during the year which was not covered in the show. Plus I drooled every time they discussed the meals they enjoyed at the chateau or around their region of France. I am envious of their lives at that beautiful chateau…maybe one day I will get to visit?

If you are a fan of the multi season popular reality show Escape to the Chateau, A Year at the Chateau will be a delicious gift to you. If you haven’t followed the adventures of the Strawbridge family as they restore the crumbling Chateau-de-la-Motte Husson, you’ll enjoy the story of how, over the course of a year, Dick and Angel make their new home livable. For “livable” is not how they found their forty-five room country home. After much cleaning (Angel screamed and left the room), the Strawbridges had one working toilet. It drained into the moat that surrounded the chateau. The original stove discovered in the kitchen was not the antique wonder they believed it to be. “It has truly been held together by the thin layer of enamel. Residence laws in France, complicated by Brexit, are complex, as are shop hours, seasonal foods, deliveries, legends (the wolf) and the language itself. Through all the work that precedes their romantic wedding and first Christmas at home, the love and humor Dick and Angel share shine through. A Year at the Chateau is pure delight. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Book Group and Dick and Angel Strawbridge for this ARC.

I received a free copy of, A Year at the Chateau, by Dick and Angel Strawbridge, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Dick and Angel decide to leave London and move to France and buy a chateau. This book has entries from both Angel and Dick. It has monthly updates on their progress, updating the chateau. This is a really revealing book at Dick and Angel's new life in France. Very interesting in what it takes to update a chateau.

I am a big fan of the tv show Escape to the Chateau, so I already knew what to expect. Dick and Angel Strawbridge go into even more depth on their first year in the Chateau de la Motte-Husson, which they bought in pretty rough condition, and renovated on a budget.

The book is as delightful as the show, and I really enjoyed it. Dick and Angel take turns describing their experiences in the first year, so we get both of their perspectives. Angel approaches it as a creative, artistic person, and Dick approaches it as an Engineer. Together they make a great pair, both in life and in renovating castles.

Anyone who enjoys home renovation will enjoy this book, and the tv series.

I received a free digital copy of this book via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

As I am a fan of the TV series, Escape to the Chateau, I enjoyed this book. I will note for other fans of the show that to a certain extent, you will be familiar generally with what happened when the Strawbridges bought their dilapidated French chateau in the countryside and began to renovate it. However, I think there is enough detail in here to provide even more insight into what life was like in that difficult first year with so much that needed to be done leading up to Dick and Angel's wedding.

The book alternates between Dick and Angel's writing, and there is plenty of humor and interesting detail about the work involved in the renovation process. The best part was detailing all of the delicious French food they experienced, with some of their own recipes peppered in. I was supremely jealous (and hungry) while reading this. There was also a sneak peek of their next book, Living at the Chateau, which carries on after that first year. This was an entertaining read and I would continue reading about all of the Strawbridges' adventures in France.

A moderately interesting but poorly written memoir about the Strawbridge family and the twists and turns their lives take when they purchase and renovate a chateau

Angel and Dick Strawbridge have achieved what a lot of people would love to: owning a French chateau and enjoying an idyllic (but sometimes comically chaotic) life in the country. This book delves into their first year in the chateau, including renovations, discoveries, adventures, and their wedding. Anyone who enjoyed their television series Escape to the Chateau will love this book.

I am a fan of the show which made me eager to read A Year at the Chateau by Dick and Angel Strawbridge. The author’s write the way they speak. Angel is enthusiastic while Dick is more reserved. You can tell that they both love their family and their chateau. I like their easy-going writing style. I enjoyed reading how the Strawbridge’s found their property and the beginning of their repairs. They are a hardworking pair with creative ideas. While Dick can do the manual bits and come up with clever ways to make items (or engineer gizmos), Angel is the idea person. She is also the creative one. Their love for one another is quite apparent. I thought the book was a good supplement to the show. It gives readers a more in-depth look at their projects. They provide facts about France and how living in France differs from England. You can tell the Strawbridge’s love food (they are not picky like me). Their vivid descriptions are mouthwatering. I love that they included their wedding in the book as well as Christmas. I cannot imagine taking on such a massive remodeling project with two small children. We get a sense of Dick and Angel as well as their personalities. There are some repetitive details (a result of the dual points-of-view) and some of the renovation details were a bit dry (the only two negatives). Overall, I enjoyed A Year at the Chateau. I like the humor scattered throughout the story. I love a book that makes me laugh (and after the last couple of years, we need more humor in our lives). A Year at the Chateau is a delight with a crumbling chateau, a creative vision, mouthwatering morsels, curious children, generous relatives, jubilant nuptials, and a cheery Christmas.

If you've ever dreamed about buying a rambling old castle, here you go—vicarious kicks! When the Strawbridges started looking for a place in France, they initially had their eyes set on a standard house...but when they realized that they could rehabilitate something much grander, they switched tracks and eventually ended up buying the Château de la Motte-Husson, a dilapidated 47-room castle that hadn't been lived in for some 40 years.

This is more or less what I was hoping for when I read "Downton Shabby," I think—a light read that is chock full of personality and, you know, castle. The Strawbridges documented their chateau journey for television, and even without having seen the series it's clear to me that they must have made good television. The whole book feels upbeat and vibrant, with a fairly hefty dose of whimsy.

"A Year at the Château" covers just that—the first year of ownership and renovations and, finally, their first event. I'm hoping that "Living the Château Dream" will also be more widely published so that I can read about the adventures and renovations that followed...because I don't want to renovate a castle of my own (let alone do TV shows to make it possible—no shade, and I'm delighted that other people are doing it, but being on television is not any version of my dream job!), but I do want to read about the adventure that is other people renovating a castle. Also, foodies take note: there are plenty of recipes to spur your imagination. I'm low-key the opposite of a foodie, but even I flagged a recipe or two to test out this summer.

My wish list is short: pictures! floor plan! The end. I read an ARC, so I'm optimistic that there will be many pictures in the final version. I'm always so curious about floor plans with this sort of thing, too, because they let me better imagine how spaces might have been used back when the building was built...or now that it's been repurposed. Or, in twenty or thirty years, maybe one of the Strawbridges' kids will write a book about what it was like growing up in a castle in the 21st century...

Thanks to the authors and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

What a great read! Full disclaimer I am an avid fan of the show. Reading about their first year was astounding. I laughed more than I expected to. Such an adventurous thing to do. The chateaux was in desperate need of love and the results are amazing.