A group of expats get together to form a book club in a small village outside Bordeaux. None of them know each other and each have their own stories. Leah, her husband Nathan and their daughter Scarlett dreamed of the good life and being self-sufficient only its proving harder work than they anticipated. Nathan keeps taking out “ me time” and Leah suspects something else is going on. Monica has been left holding the baby, literally as her husband, a pilot, is away for weeks at a time and she can't get why the life she dreamed of isn't quite what she expected. Grace is divorced and thinks she has things sorted, only she hasn't really. The two men are keeping their cards rather close to their chests but each have their own issues. This tells of how the group helps each other to see the things in life they are all missing in different ways not least of all through the books they read which they discover perhaps have life messages within the pages.

I really enjoyed this. It's a reflection on life in many differing ways and things I feel we may all relate to one way or another. About being who you are and not what you are as we get older, the reflection in the mirror doesn't tell of the true person inside. There is humour and drama, and even wisdom and so much more in characters many will relate to, and there are also reflections on life through the books the group reads. An uplifting, life affirming read with a smile and drama. One I would highly recommend.


For more reviews please follow me on Twitter or Threads @nickisbookblog
----------------------------------------------------------

In her latest novel, “The Bordeaux Book Club,” Gillian Harvey transports the readers to the picturesque countryside of France. Protagonist Leah uproots her life to move there with her husband and teenage daughter, expecting to live out an idyllic existence growing their food. But Leah soon realizes that farm life is not the romantic ideal she envisioned.

Seeking connection, Leah joins a newly formed book club at the urging of her friend. This ragtag group of members initially seems to be very mismatched, yet they all bond over the stories they read and the intimacy of sharing their struggles. Leah forms many meaningful female friendships through the club to sustain her when her marriage shows many cracks.

Harvey excels at creating relatable characters and immersing the readers in the beauty of the French landscape. The themes of friendship, new beginnings, and reinvention give the story depth. Yet the pacing falters when Harvey lingers on the descriptive details at the expense of the plot movement.

Overall, the bibliophiles will delight in this story-within-a-story exploring the power of books to unite the people. Through the book club members ‘ literary discussions, Harvey delivers witty dialogue, well-crafted metaphors, and an aesthetic escape. For fans of female-centered fiction examining life’s inevitable ups and downs, “The Bordeaux Book Club” makes for a charming and quintessentially beach read.

Thank you to Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Gillian Harvey is one of my ‘go to’ Authors for varied and relatable characters, beautiful settings, overseas adventures and much much more. Based in France having relocated from the UK herself, she is very methodical and accurate with what she writes in her books. She always brings reality to the chapters and uses her knowledge and research to highlight the challenges of relocating a life to another country.

This is perhaps my most favourite of her books published so far, and they’re all my favourites. But this is a book about books, and that just about trumps it all. The Bordeaux Book Club has an eclectic mix of characters, wine, book club chatter and warmth. This is a book for ex-pats, bibliophiles, and everyone else just contemplating life too.

There’s humour, heart-break, wisdom, a beautiful escape but the challenges that come with it too. It’s a brilliant read and one to add to your list for this year.

I was excited for this book but realized very quickly that I sisnt care for it. It felt choppy and to me is boring, I had a very hard time finishing it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Highly entertaining and engaging novel. I enjoyed this one immensely

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This talented author has written a page turner. A cast of characters who would make a great movie cast. A book club...I enjoy reading about book clubs...the group of readers who get together to discuss the books they have read...often reading the same one...different opinions on the same story...makes for an enjoyable read.…friends and family.…the setting…the recipe for a journey with the people in the book…fun and entertaining. That being said, there are secrets and red herrings. …thanks Netgalley.