French Holiday by Sarah Ready

Rating: 4 Stars

I received an advanced listener copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What would you do if you just watched your sister marry the man you are in love with? You would run and try to escape, right? Well that is exactly what Merry did. When she got the offer from her Aunt Jupiter to go stay in her French Chateau for as long as she wanted, she jumped at the chance. Little did she wasn't the only one.

This book was pretty great. I loved the setting and the adventures Merry went on. I think it was a great escape for her. I also loved how her Aunt up-sold the Chateau. I can't wait to read more by Sarah Ready.

Kelsey Navarro narrated this book and of course she did amazing.

Audiobooks are hard for me to review because I listen to them while doing other things (cleaning, working out, cooking, trying to fall asleep, etc), so I don’t ever feel like I can review them in the same way that I review books that I have physically read and given 100% of my attention to. That being said, I still wanted to upload a mini-review.

I really enjoyed this! It was fun and entertaining--there was both drama and mystery--and I found myself anticipating being able to pick up where I left off. Although both Merry and Noah deal with some heavier family troubles, I would say that overall this was lighthearted and laugh-out-loud silly (because of the cast of characters) with immaculate summer in the French countryside vibes. Also, the narrator did a great job!

This was just okay.

I feel like it started off with such strong self deprecating feelings (trying to be humorous) that just made me feel like everyone just HATES the FMC.
Which also comes off as incredibly misogynistic as well. The tone from the beginning made me feel unsteady and unsafe.
There is one way that a female can be horrible ie: Fleabag. A hot mess, making all the wrong decisions, yet we are still on her side, hoping she chooses right, hoping she gets her win. This book though, I just felt like her self hate wanted to be mirrored into my own.
As I am not a writer I cannot truly give advice on how to write a better "hot mess" type of FMC. But this missed the mark. I just felt icky. The lingering feeling just tainted the rest of my experience as well. Which made me sad.
This is a ME thing, to everyone that enjoyed this book, I am truly happy for you.

French Holiday is a perfect mix of humour along with emotional and passionate love interests. The character Merry was well narrated and suited the role providing an appropriate level of enthusiasm and expression. The tension between Noah and Merry is crafted to be an initial acquaintance of hate but during their time in France they are forced closer together. The scene with the lobster is hilarious!

Another adorable book by Ready! She really knows how to write these rom coms! Merry’s sister just married a man who has been Merry’s best friend, Leo, who she has been secretly in love with for years. To get away from everything after losing her job and her sister’s marriage, Merry heads to France for 3 months, to a Chateau in the countryside. As she arrives there, Noah Wright is already there. Noah is friends with Leo and Merry is convinced that he hates her. They decide to share the chateau, the only problem is, there is only 1 bed. What do you think happens? There were some cute twists, a little bit of steam and a mystery to top it all off. This was a quick cozy read that was fun and I loved the chemistry between Merry and Noah. I will say some of the parts were cheesy, but I welcomed them with open arms. There were plenty of laugh out loud moments and a bit of banter, which I love. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a great job.

#FrenchHoliday by @sarahreadyauthor is an #enemiestolovers, #forcedproximity #romance that really is super cute, and fun. I really liked Merry as the lead character. Even Noah grows on you because we've all met him 😁 The narrator of the audiobook, @kelseynavfoster is wonderful. Her voice draws you in and there were no strange pronunciations or weird inflections.

J'adore French Holiday. It was an original enemies to lovers storyline that flowed nicely.

When Merry DeLuca finds herself stuck sharing a French castle with her nemesis, Noah Wright for three months, she's sure they may kill one another. Yet, they find a way to make it work. Then gradually they seem to become friends.

Merry's sister just married her good friend and long-time crush. Noah is his best friend who picked up on Merry's unrequited love. Instantly, Noah treated Merry with disdain and borderline hostility. They survived the wedding and had made some questionable decisions after the reception. Then Merry thought she was free of him until she shows up in France and finds him at the small castle that her godmother owns. Apparently her godmother, Jupiter was confused and told them both they could use it. When neither of them agrees to leave, they have to find a way to stick it out together.

Since they are "only friends who aren't really friends," they feel comfortable telling each other things they normally wouldn't tell someone else. Through this sharing, they both find out secrets about each other that are pivotal to how they've become the people they are.

There were some points in the book that felt unnecessary and drug a little bit but for the most part I truly enjoyed this story. I really like both Merry and Noah's characters.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I thought the narration was very well done and made the listening experience an enjoyable one. 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the e-book and audiobook. I voluntarily chose to review them both and the opinions contained within are my own.

4.5 stars
This book caught me off guard in a good way. I was interested in the story but didn’t expect to be as swept up by it as I was. Merry and Noah are such interesting, captivating, relatable characters. They grabbed my attention from the very beginning. I loved their romance and the growth that each did throughout the course of the story. Many of the side characters – both human and none – added to the fabric of the story. The story line involving Merry’s sister I wish had more to and was done slightly differently as at times it didn’t feel right to me, like something about it was missing. Overall though, I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to reading more by this author.

I listened to this book on audio. I liked the narrator and found her easy to understand and follow.

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

Exactly what a romantic comedy should be, French Holiday by Sarah Ready was a true delight.

Enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, one bed trope, gumpy/sunshine...am I talking your language yet?

Well, "enemies" might be a touch too strong of a descriptor for the simmering animosity between our two main characters, Merry and Noah, but friends they are not.

As per the blurb, the story begins with Merry's younger sister walking down the aisle with Leo, the man Merry has been secretly in love with for the last 4 years.

Not. Good.

And it doesn't help that his surly best friend, Noah, has noticed her pining and longing looks and has told her she needs to "get over it".

Freaking. Rude.

Well, she's going to get over it because she's moving to France! So there! Well, for the summer, at least. After all, she can't be expected to stick around and watch the man she loves in the honeymoon phase with her own sister. But luckily, her godmother offers her the chance to get away. She's bought a chateau in France that needs checking up on and so it would kill two birds with one stone to have Merry go there for a few months.

Couple of problems though.

1. The chateau is in crumbling disarray, basically inhabitable.

2. Noah has been told he can stay there too! (He's a somewhat famous travel documentarian).

From here, what follows was an absolutely delightful rom-com with a lot of charm, romance and French flair. We have a few slightly over-the-top comedy moments with a lively lobster, but this book also had quite a lot of depth, introspection and character growth as well.

It even kinda sorta had a bit of a mystery to it, too!

And I guess if we're being really technical about the tropes, this is an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, which is quite the journey to go through with our two main characters.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. I found it to have the perfect balance of heart and heat and I really enjoyed the French setting.

I listened to the audiobook which had fabulous narration by Kelly Navarro.

Thank you to Netgalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for providing the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've also posted a quick Booktok review (link below).

https://www.tiktok.com/@lynseyisreading/video/7226448542880075035

Merry has been in love with her best friend for years—until he marries her sister. Needing a break, she summers in her godmother's romantic but dilapidated French castle. Her dreams of a perfect holiday are shattered when she finds that Noah—her new brother-in-law's condescending best man—is also staying there. They agree to a truce for the duration of their stay. But as secrets come to light, will their relationship turn to love?

This charming novel is clever, heart-warming, and funny. It includes quirky, unexpected characters and some over-the-top physical humor. The plot is multilayered and fast-paced, with some poignant moments.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Sarah Ready has done it again. I loved Josh and Gemma Make a Baby and was excited to read her new book.
Merry's little sister is getting married with Leo, a man Merry secretly loves. After some unpleasantness she also quits her job and hatches a flight plan with the aid of her godmother Jupiter. A three month vacation in France living in an adorable chateau. Except for Noah, an old enemy, who is also staying at the chateau. And there is only one bedroom and one bed.
This story is quite atmospheric. I fell in love with the descriptions of France and especially the food. The romance was slow burn and I enjoyed the build-up. The chateau was old and charming, but also dilapidated and housed some groovy pets like rats, bats, cocroaches and last but not least Louis the Lobster. There were funny moments and adorably romantic moments. I really liked Merry and Noah. They were passionate but also very level-headed individuals with baggage that did not bring them down. The only thing I did not like was the continuous use of the word toasty. I grew to detest that word.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kelsey Navarro. Her narration was very good. Her raspy voice irritated me now and then, but it did not hinder my enjoyment of the story.

At the beginning of French Holiday, Merry is having a less than stellar day. She finds herself at the wedding of her best friend and secret crush, Leo, to her younger sister. Seeking an escape, Merry decides to travel to France, where she'll stay in a picturesque chateau and indulge in the perfect vacation she's been daydreaming about. However, upon arrival, she discovers a crumbling chateau and a less-than-friendly acquaintance in Leo's best friend and travel documentarian, Noah. To complicate matters further, there is only one bed in the chateau, and Merry and Noah must share it.

The story takes us on a journey of self-discovery, with plenty of laughs and a dash of mystery. One of the highlights of the book is the witty banter between Merry and Noah, which evolves from a somewhat contentious relationship to one of friendship and then romance. I also thoroughly enjoyed the various critters that make an appearance in the crumbling chateau.

Kelsey Navarro's narration is superb, and her performance brings the characters to life. French Holiday is an adorable book that is perfect for a relaxing spring or summer read. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC for the copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Unfortunately this story didn't quite live up to my expectations. It was cute and light, with some more serious topics thrown in, but it was no where near as funny as I had expected.

After Merry's best friend has married her sister Merry needs a fresh start and a break from it all, so goes to France, but it seems she was not the only one meant to be staying at the castle at this time.

This forced proximity with someone Merry really dislikes led to some funny moments, but others were a little OTT. Both Merry and Noah were likeable characters, but I didn't love either, nor was I super moved by what they were going through. It was, however, still a cute story.

I have never physically visited France, but I am pretty sure I was mentally on vacation in France for about a week. French Holiday was the perfect spring/summer/beach/pool read! This was my first audiobook and definitely will not be my last. I read the ebook as well. Out of the two options I would highly recommend the audiobook.

This was a super cute frenemies to lovers story. I love these kinds of romance novels because I am able to escape reality. The characters were well developed. I loved Jupiter! That crazy funny godmother that lives the artistic life! The twist in the second half of the book is really what kept this story going for me. Although I figured it out it was a great part of the story. The angst between Merry and Noah was everything. The little gestures throughout the book were just enough to keep any reader wanting more and making this story extremely readable.

If you’re looking for an audiobook/book that transports you to a very desirable location with delicious food & wine, amazing art, and a chateau in the countryside then definitely pick this one up! This was my first time reading a novel by Sarah Ready. Thank you NetGalley & Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC for this advanced copy of French Holiday in exchange for my honest review.

Adorable! Fun! Lighthearted but also deeply moving. I loved the characters and especially how the main character was able to share such complicated human emotions in a way that made the delivery of her thoughts feel like personal "aha" moments for me. I will definitely be reading more books by this author!

This is my second reading of this story and I must say that listening to it on audio really added something to the whole experience. The narrator was fantastic and really brough it all to life.

Highly recommend!

I am not a big fan of this story. I didn’t attaches to the characters and the story.
But it was funny to listen to a book with french words when I am from Belgium and that french is my first language.

The following review was posted on my blog on Tuesday, April 25th, one day before publication. The blog post includes links to order the books and to its Goodreads page, so readers can add it to their to-be-read books.




Author: Sarah Ready
Narrator: Kelsey Navarro

Genre: Romance, Fiction
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Mentions parental death and disappearance. Discusses sexual assault, terminal illnesses, and abandonment. Contains some sexual content.

“French Holiday” follows Merry DeLuca, as she moves to France in an attempt to escape the fact that Merry’s little sister just married Merry’s best friend and unrequited love for years. Little did she know that her stay at her aunt’s old castle came in a package deal—Merry was being forced to coexist with Noah Wright, the best man at her sister’s and best friend’s wedding, and her lowkey archnemesis. Well, an archnemesis she thinks she hooked up with during said wedding? But oh well, that’s a story for another time. Together Merry and Noah will not only make the castle livable again, but they will try to uncover the truth about the castle’s history and its previous owners.

Let’s touch on the narration first—at first I thought I had never heard a book narrated by Kelsey Navarro, and oh have I been missing out, but it turns out I was wrong. Kelsey Navarro has actually narrated some of my favorite books, like All The Feels by Olivia Dade, it was just her voice variations are so spot-on that I didn’t even recognize her. Without her voice and inflections, I don’t think this book would’ve been half as fun as it was.

Now moving on to the actual story. If you’ve been following my reviews, it is no secret Sarah Ready is one of my new favorite authors. Her Josh and Gemma series have most definitely defined my year. So perhaps take my opinion on “French Holiday” with a grain of salt.

That being said, I absolutely loved this story and audiobook. Is it objectively unrealistic? Um, yes? But isn’t that what we’re looking for in fiction sometimes? “French Holiday” was a lovely enemies to lovers romance that carried along a fun mystery on the side. Set in Franch (duh), this is the perfect summer read if you’re looking to escape reality for a bit. I would highly recommend this audiobook.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: April 26, 2023

FRENCH HOLIDAY by Sarah Ready ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really loved this book. I love a good enemy to lovers, forced proximity story. After watching her sister marry her best friend/secret crush and feeling despondent about her HR job, Merry decides to flee her life and take a break at her godmother's castle in France. When she gets there, she discovers that her godmother has also rented the castle to Noah, her best friend's other best friend who does not like her. Merry and Noah soon discover that the castle is barely habitable, and they might just have to fight the mice for the best room in the house. Merry is looking to have a romantic holiday fling to help ease her heartbreak. She gets the chance with a local neighbor, and Noah doesn't seem to be pleased, dare I say jealous. As Noah and Merry spend more time together, they discover that maybe there is more than dislike between them. Noah is in France to research for his television show and to solve a mystery. Will Merry find the romance she is looking for, and will Noah solve the mystery... This book was so funny... I will never look at lobsters the same way again. It was a sweet, funny, and easy love story...

The was a hilarious laugh out loud (literally) book!! French Holiday by Sarah Ready, read by Kelsey Navarro (who did an AMAZING job) seriously cracked me - my family must have thought I was on drugs lol I cheered for Merry from page 1. I hated her beloved sister - who is a jerkface from birth it appears. And Leo - he's kind of a weiner. Such a tremendously slow build to the REAL love story between Merry and Noah <3 OH!! I would have PAID to actually see the cucumber incident when Merry discovered her arch nemesis upon arrival at the castle lol (sorry - that's just a side note lol) Add in a few extra couples that really don't need to be in the story, a great mystery, absolute slap stick comedy - hello little lobster friend!!! and you have an utterly pleasurable audio. I was given an advance listeners copy of French Holiday by Netgalley, Sarah Ready and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC in exchange for an honest review