Sarah Ready has easily become an auto read author for me since Josh and Gemma. So I was happy to be able to review French Holiday through #netgalley especially since this was a bit of a lighter read yet not lacking in depth.
The characters were likeable although I did not feel as much with them as with Josh and Gemma but I blame the pacing for this. Every time I felt that we were getting somewhere and it was building up to something there was an interruption which sometimes made me think if there were just too many subplots going on. Pierre and Camille could have easily filled a whole novel themselves (I would be happy to read that) and Merrys sisters story probably could do the same although I doubt I would like Angela. Now this was really the only downside for me. I liked Merry and Noah. I liked the funny scenes (Louis will forever be my favourite lobster) and I liked seeing Noah’s story unfold. Overall this was a great enemies to friends to lovers story.

From picturesque vineyards to charming cobblestone streets, Merry thought her French holiday would be straight out of a movie - until she realizes her dream chateau turned out to be a crumbling castle for cat-sized rats and a vengeful lobster. To make matters worse, she has to share it with Noah; a famous travel documentarian, and Merry's least favorite person.

Full disclosure: I don't read a lot of contemporary romance, but boy was I in for a treat. It's the perfect concoction of love, laughter, gorgeous scenery, and a dash of mystery. I mean, the scene when Merry peels the grape in front of Pierre? I think that has to be the first time a book made me laugh out loud. The dynamic between Noah and Merry was spot on, and their sunshine vs. grumpy banter was super charming, and often entertaining too thanks to Merry being such a goofball.

My only complaint is that the writing can get a bit long-winded at times. It does fit Merry's character, but personally, I found it a bit much. But honestly, that's just a minor quibble in what is otherwise a delightful read. This book is definitely a must-read for anyone who needs a dose of feel-good vibes in their life!

I really liked this book. It was recommended to me by a friend. I’m so glad I read this one. It was amazing. Very well written story. I will definitely be rereading this book again in the near future and I will add it to my library

French Holiday is a heartfelt and funny enemies to lovers romance. When Merry’s sister marries Leo (Merry’s best friend who she’s been secretly in love with for years) Merry needs a change of scenery and a fresh start. Her godmother Juniper sends her to look after her chateau in the French countryside but fails to mention she also rented the chateau to travel documentarian Noah Wright. Noah just happens to be Leo’s other best friend and Merry’s sworn enemy. The chateau is in disrepair, and there’s Only One Bed. As Noah and Merry get to know each other better, they realize that there’s more to each of them than they ever imagined. Featuring a colorful supporting cast from their French neighbors living their own love story, a mysterious painter and his lover, and a feisty lobster named Louis, French Holiday is ultimately a very satisfying romance read. I’d recommend to all fans of the genre!

This was a lovely story. I don’t know if the cover quite fits with the vibe and amount of serious plot points, but I was pleasantly surprised. I liked both the main characters and the romantic tension between them is great. The enjoyed the way the author really makes the characters’ felt, s much so that when Merry is feeling very unwanted, it made me teary. The story got pretty predictable towards the end (the bit wit Leo especially), but I didn’t mind. I liked the bit of a mystery involving Noah’s parents. It really added the right amount of extra plot so things revolve 100% around the romance. This is another one of those books where many of the main characters really need therapy for their childhood trauma, but those issues are somehow resolved by the end of the story (through the “power of love”, or a couple tough conversations), which I don’t love. Overall, this was just a fun book to read, which is the most I can ask for.
Thank you to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for providing me access to this eARC for my honest opinion!

The audio for this left me laughing out loud. The lobster parts were my favorite. Sarah checked every box with this book. Funny, mysterious, romantic and inspiring. One of my top favorite books I’ve read lately! Can’t wait to read more from this author.

I really enjoyed French Holiday by Sarah Ready. The main characters Sophie and Noah, were believable and could very easily have been a friends of mine - just the type of characters I love reading about.

After introducing her beloved by everyone sister, Angela, to her best friend and the object of her (unknown to him) affection, Leo, Sophie must watch Leo and Angela get married. She is given the opportunity to go to France by her godmother and she jumps at the distraction, only to find Leo's BFF, Noah, also a resident. Their relationship grows into friendship and more from there.

Ms. Ready is able to capture the emotions of the characters and bring them to life in a way that I find most people can relate to and has the ability to make you laugh and cry before you hit the last page.

I loved her lush descriptions of France and the believable timeline of Sophie's character getting over Leo and falling in love with Noah.

I absolutely LOVED this book! I could not put it down once I started. I am so glad I got the opportunity to read this book. The cover is what kept grabbing my attention to start with and I was not disappointed by the inside either! It was a lively coming into oneself story with some love and fun and a little mystery. Sarah Ready did a wonderful job painting the picture of a getaway to France! I highly recommend reading this one!

I just kept loving this story more and more as I read. Just when you think you know where the author is going with the rom com vibes (enemies to lovers/forced proximity/only one bed tropes), she weaves in a gothic romance/mystery element as well. As much as I loved Merry and Noah, I also loved the side characters - Camille was hilarious and adorable, Jupiter was fabulous, wise, and kooky but LOUIS STOLE MY HEART! 🦞

A nice story of a man and a woman who get to know each other better at a French chateau. The woman was sent to the chateau by her godmother after losing her job. The man rented the chateau from the godmother. It looks like a setup.

Sarah Ready is the one author that I wish every rom com lover knew about. I absolutely love her books. This book made my day! The heroine, Merry, was a delightful character on a journey of self discovery when her spoiled sister married the only man she's every loved. He also happened to be her best friend. She ends up getting stuck in a broken down castle in France with the best man--a guy she happens to dislike. This is where the hilarious adventure begins. This book brought me laughter, a little bit of mystery and ALL the feels. It was well written with excellent character development--especially Merry-and hot chemistry between the hero and heroine. I enjoyed this one very much. Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book!

Oh, man. French Holiday by Sarah Ready was a stay-up-all-night type of book. Merry, a 28 year old people pleaser is in love with her best friend, Leo. Unfortunately, Leo fell for Merry’s sister. Enter Noah, a broody, angsty, rude travel documentarian. By happenstance, Merry and Noah end up at a chateau in France together (not as obscure as it sounds). Both have entirely different purposes for their summer; Merry’s is to overcome unrequited love and Noah’s is to find a missing French artist.

Ultimate slow burn! The protagonist’s banter was so funny and enjoyable. Louis, the lobster, was hilarious!!

This is my first Sarah Ready novel but it definitely will not be my last.

I really liked this book! I loved the French aesthetic, being in a run down old castle in the French wine country is my summer fantasy :)
As a romance, I thought Noah and Merry had a sweet story from about the 30% mark to the end. The first third of the book, however, I didn't love their interactions. Noah calls out Merry's unrequited love with her brother-in-law, and doesn't really offer her a kind word or gesture throughout the first part of the book. Now, for enemies-to-lovers, the antagonism was pretty tame, I didn't feel one character was particularly terrible to the other, but I just didn't see the transition part. Noah was kinda cold to Merry, and Merry didn't want to understand him at all, the first third of the book, then all of a sudden Merry is totally into Noah, and Noah is being nice (kinda) but still keeping up walls and boundaries so he doesn't become the rebound (understandable). I just had a hard time seeing that transition.
The second part of the book, the last two- thirds, were sweet and funny and mysterious and kept me reading for several straight hours without realizing it. I really liked Noah and Merry, individually and together, in this part. One thing I like about reformed enemies is that they already kinda know the worst parts of each other, leaving a love that is very honest and dedicated.
Overall, very cute and dreamy and intriguing story.
Thanks for the ARC!!!

I absolutely loved this. I went in expecting to be interested but not fully invested and I couldn't have been more wrong! Merry's life begins to fall apart when her long-time crush marries her sister. After a domino of setbacks, she decides to take her godmother up on a request to stay at her chateau in France. Unfortunately, her godmother also rented out the place to her now crush-in-law's best friend (and her current nemesis.) Hilarity, romance and lobsters ensue. I already ordered it for the library and can't wait to recommend it.

My first by this author and it was good! 3.5 stars rounded down. It’s light and fun and funny with a steamy scene. Merry and Noah are both fairly likeable and they kept my attention throughout. I would say the plot and overall tones are similar to Sophie kinsella books!

Thank you for the advanced e-copy!

This novel was really well written, the descriptions put you perfectly in the middle of a French countryside. Merry is clearly a little bit of an adult mess, but who can blame her? Her little sister marries her best friend who she was in love with. Oh, and just get rough at work, and with the encouragement of her godmother, she runs away to a French château. Noah Wright is there who happens to be her brother-in-law’s best friend, who she also hates. I love how things are just a little bit unexpected and the friendship that blooms between Merry and Noah. The middle of the book got to be too long and just felt like it wasn’t going to end at some points. However, once we got to the mystery of the château things got a lot more interesting and I didn’t want to stop listening. I think the growth Merry experiences is wonderful although some details and plot lines feel rushed. It annoys me somewhat that she wanted to find a purpose, and it became more about her finding someone she loves, and jumping on their purpose. However, the story was really sweet and it certainly gave me the travel bug. 4⭐️, 2.5🌶

This was such a fun travel-inspired read! I was instantly hooked and felt like the characters had so much chemistry, so it was really easy to get into this. Plus, it’s set in France, which made it feel even more exciting and fun. I really enjoyed the bit of mystery here as well, and even though I had a strong hunch that turned out to be correct, it’s a great story that makes you want to keep reading and find the answers. Having a little bit of mystery mixed in with the romance made this feel really unique, and I definitely recommend it if you’re a fan of traveling and want to pretend you’re somewhere else! Be sure to add this one to your TBR when it comes out on 4/26/23!

This is an ARC and my first novel by this author and I think I’m in love. She did an amazing job at making me feel like I was in France right along side of Merry. I love the way the novel outlined the scenery and the way the author’s words poured over the page in a beautiful and all encompassing way. I haven’t been this swept away by a romance novel since Emily Henry’s last book and Sarah Ready has the same kind of magic with her words that has me staying up past midnight, unable to pull myself out of the romantic story she’s created. 🥰

I also genuinely loved Merry’s character and saw a lot of myself in her. I too feel like I’m the background character in everyone else’s story and I desperately want to pull a Merry and move to France for three months. Unfortunately, my godmother doesn’t own a chateau, but I could work around that minor detail. Overall, Merry’s character was wonderfully structured and bold with a beautiful soul. I also had a deep understanding of why she did the things she did and the deeper meaning behind her thought process. Sometimes authors miss the mark and forget to round out their characters, but Merry was perfectly written. 🥹❤️

As for Noah—I loved him too of course. He was dark and brooding, but yet he was still emotionally mature and not a pyscho like some MMCs can be. Also I’m a sucker for a grumpy mysterious man so Noah was my bread and butter. Even though the story was from Merry’s POV, I still felt like I knew Noah on a personal level and I felt like the author did a great job of bringing his character to life.

I could go on for pages about how much I liked this book, but to conclude my review, I’d like to say I’m not a fan of fast whirlwind romance BUT this novel made it work in every way possible. I can’t wait to read more from Sarah Ready and I’m already adding some of her stand-alone novels to my TBR. 💁🏼‍♀️✨

From the moment I started reading French Holiday I was hooked.

French Holiday by Sarah Ready was a brilliantly executed story that was filled with so much passion and emotion, I honestly couldn't put it down. I was mesmerized by the intriguing and complicated characters. A truly amazing read!
The two main characters Merry and Noah were really fun to get to know. Along with the side characters.
I thought the build and pace to the story was amazing and the descriptions were spot on
A fun enemies to lovers story and one I couldn’t get enough of.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Thank You NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This is a very light predictable romance that didn't really grab my attention. Merry DeLuca is in love with her best friend Leo but never had the courage to tell him. When Leo meets her younger sister Angela, they fall madly in love and get married very quickly. At their wedding, Merry is forced to spend some time with Leo's best man Noah Wright - a famous travel writer.
To spend some time away from all this she goes on a three month holiday to France. As she arrives, she finds the castle is unexpectedly dilapidated. Worse than that, Noah Wright is also at the castle.