You can only love the beautiful writing style of Judy Leigh, It's light, fresh and breezy, She gives aging a sparkle, that doesn't make it seem scary but something to embrace and enjoy to the maximum.
The story centres around Fliss who is wealthy, lonely and finds her fun in a glass or two too many wines. Shirl is her friend, driver, cleaner and voice of reason, She has a daughter who is a young, naïve single mother of the ever so cute Macey Roux and causes Shirl no end of worry.
One day, Shirl, led by Fliss end up on a French adventure, discovering that you can live a fabulous life when you are in your golden years, Through her work Fliss had a friend where she'd have an open invitation to stay and explore what she'd and they'd truly been missing. How will their lives change? You'll have to read to find out.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This heartwarming novel follows two best friends in their sixties, Fliss and Shirl. Both feeling that they just need a little bit more from life, they decide to go on a trip to Brittany together.

After reading just the first two chapters, I found that I was smiling. I immediately warmed to Fliss and Shirl, as I found them both really fun and likeable. I chuckled at the dialogue, as some of Fliss and Shirl's conversations were really funny. They also had deeper, more meaningful exchanges that I enjoyed. It occurred to me that I might aspire to have a friendship just like Fliss and Shirl's, as I think that's what true friendship is about - friends that you can laugh with, but also confide in and support each other.

I also warmed to some of the other characters that appeared later in the story, and the French setting felt like a little escape. This book was a great mood booster for me, and I really enjoyed escaping with it for a while.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

As usual Judy Leigh drew me in with a beautiful setting and fabulous characters. The village in Brittany was so well described I felt like i was there along with them all! I love that these stories are about people of retirement age who are still trying to find their own happiness and excitement. It gives hope that it is never too late to try something new or make a change, as Maurice says "my name is not in the obituaries so today is a good day"!

Fliss and Shirl are poles apart from each other in how they see the world and play their part in it. However both are lonely in their own way and the trip to Brittany helps them to see a new way of loving life. It helps them find a second chance at happiness and makes them realise there is a lot to.be celebrated and much more to be done. They are surrounded by a cast of loving, whimsical, funny and sometimes frustrating characters who help them to realise that life is not over and it is OK to try and become a better person no matter what age you are.

The whole story has a message of living life to the fullest, making the most of every opportunity that comes your way and embracing simplicity, happiness and the love of family and friends.

I hope you too pick up this heart warming, fun filled frolicking story of friendship and love. It is well worth a read.

After all..... when a hog sees water, he washes.... IYKYK

I have been a big fan of Judy Leigh’s books for a while now and have read quite a few, all of which I have loved. So it was an easy decision to read her latest – The Golden Gals’ French Adventure.
Fliss (Felicity Beaumont) is 69 years old, rich and lonely. She has been married twice, but is now single and spends some evenings getting drunk and flirting with men in bars to try to stem the loneliness for a time.
Fliss employs Shirl (Shirleen Booker, 65) as her chauffeur and cleaner. Shirl is poor, has always worked hard and has two daughters. Leonie, 40, is married with two kids in Edinburgh and Gemma, 29, who still lives at home with her six-month-old baby daughter Macey Roux. Gemma’s conflicted between wanting to be a good mum and wanting to go out and have fun, so Shirl is often left holding the baby.
Fliss goes to Paris and meets up with old flame Emmanuel ‘Manu’ Barron who has left Paris and now lives in the idyllic-sounding Plouvannec-sur-Mer in Brittany. He is retired too, but is really enjoying life and is full of praise for the people he lives near. Fliss is anxious to try his style of life, so invites Shirl to go to France with her.
Manu lives with his father Maurice (94) and we soon meet the other residents. My absolute favourite is Bernard Barthez with his idiosyncratic grasp of the English language. (Think the French policeman in ‘Allo ‘Allo played by Arthur Bostrom!) Oh, I was laughing out loud, it’s absolute genius!
I really enjoyed this book, it felt just like I was there in beautiful, picturesque Brittany with all the great characters. While I am naturally drawn to Shirl from the start, you soon realise why Fliss is like she is and feel sympathy for her. In fact, you really hope both women find happiness.
Judy Leigh’s great strength is her wonderful, full-of-life characters. I especially love how so many of her starring roles in her novels go to strong women, and particularly older women. I’m in my fifties and don’t always find much common ground if I’m reading about twenty-somethings, but I can easily empathise with older characters who have seen a few things in their lives.
As always, another gorgeous book from Judy Leigh. Highly recommended.

The Golden Gals' French Adventure by Judy Leigh

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Sixty-nine-year-old Fliss has lived a life! A career running her own successful business, a beautiful home, a wardrobe full of designer clothes – Fliss has everything she ever wanted. So why does she feel so lonely?

Sixty-six-year-old Shirl didn’t expect to be looking after a baby again, let alone a grown woman who should know better. But with her daughter Gemma struggling to adapt to motherhood, and her boss Fliss increasingly reliant on Shirl to run her life, Shirl never gets a moment to herself.

Fliss might not be great at life’s chores, but she is great at seizing opportunities, so when the chance for a jaunt to France’s beautiful Brittany comes her way, she decides it’s just what she and Shirl need. And as the sun-soaked town of Plouvannec-Sur-Mer begins to work its magic on the women, they realise there’s another way to live.

From cake-laden patisseries, to joyous local fetes, from food, views and beaches to die for, to a community quick to embrace them, not to mention some rather fine French men for company, perhaps it’s not too late for Fliss and Shirl to embrace a new adventure and look forwards to a totally different future.

My Opinion

Judy Leigh is back with another delightful novel. Judy has once again written about some older characters, but in no way does the reader suffer - our lead characters still keep us our toes.

Overall this was a nice, relaxing book to read and it will whisk you away to France. This is going to make for a great holiday read. I have read quite a few books by Judy Leigh and I always keep coming back for more - they all make for lovely reads.

Rating 4/5

Both Fliss and Shirl are stuck in their own ruts. Fliss drinks too much and has no direction. Shirl is a doormat for her no account daughter and rearing her granddaughter.
A trip to France is transformative because it open up new avenues for the women and also new love interests.
It’s never too late in life to change course and choose new goals for oneself.
I had more of an affinity with Shirl but hated the way she kowtowed to Gemma.
I loved the locale of France and all the new people the ladies encountered.
Sometimes a shake up is just what one needs to enjoy life.

A roller coaster ride through new relationships and
emotions. A heartfelt look àt changing moods and attitudes of older Brits abroad. I enjoyed reading this atmospheric book immensely.
A true page turner.

I am sure that you all know that I am a sucker for anything to do with France. It turns out I am a sucker for Judy Leigh books too, so a Judy Leigh book set predominantly in France....winner, winner!!

69 year old Fliss appears to have it all. Appearances can be deceiving though. She has run a successful business, she has amazing shoes, a glamourous wardrobe, a lovely house, she can pop over to Paris whenever it suits her, and she can attract unsuitable men without even really trying. What she doesn't have is any true friendships, or anyone to share her life with.

Thankfully Fliss has a Shirl. Shirl is her cleaner, driver, confidante and anything else that she needs. Shirl is also a mum, and grandma. She is the kind of woman who will do anything for anyone, to the point that it might seem as though she is being taken advantage of. She's been known to pick up an inebriated Fliss from late night drinking session, and still be on call to be chief babysitter for her cute granddaughter, Macey Roux.

Shirl also challenges Fliss to do better, to be better. After Fliss meets an old flame in Paris, she is impressed by his change of outlook. Manu invites Fliss to his hometown of Plouvannec-Sur-Mer in Brittany, and so she convinces Shirl to come with her, even if it means that Macey Roux has to come with them.

In the town of Plouvannec-Sur-Mer, Fliss and Shirl get to meet a wide array of French characters including Manu's feisty father Maurice who is doing his best to hide from Clotilde, who wants to kiss him whenever she can, Manu's grumpy brother Theo, Joel who owns the local restaurant, and not to forget Bernard who learnt English from an old novel and therefore has quite an odd grasp of the language.

We get to explore the food and culture of Brittany through Fliss and Shirl's eyes, and this is one area where the author excels. It is not her first book where the characters end up in France and her love of the area shines through. I also enjoyed the way that learning the language was portrayed. I am currently learning French through Duolingo, just a few minutes each day, and I found myself able to follow on with the basics at times, which was lovely.

Whilst some of the characters have some real soul searching to do, it is done in such a way that it is balanced with humour and charm!

This is another fun read from the prolific Judy Leigh, who writes under more than one name! She is described in her bio as the doyenne of the ‘it’s never too late’ genre, and it is in apt description.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog.

Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Check out some of the other stops on the blog tour.

As a more mature reader, one of the (many) things I love about the author’s books is how very easy she makes it to identify with her wonderfully drawn older characters. But Fliss at first, I’ll admit, was rather more of a challenge – jetting off on a whim, predatory with every man who crosses her radar, living in her posh house, driving her e-type Jag (when she hasn’t drunk herself under the table), splashing her cash around. But it didn’t take me long to view her very differently – she’s also desperately lonely, has no idea what she should be doing with her life of leisure, and relies really heavily on the friendship and emotional support of her cleaner Shirl.

Shirl herself doesn’t have the easiest life – as well as being at Fliss’s beck and call, her daughter Gemma is constantly taking advantage, dumping her with baby daughter Macey Roux while she heads off to live her life. But she’s such a lovely woman, never without her smile – and Fliss really does appreciate her more than she knows. So much, in fact, that when she has the opportunity to stay at a friend’s home in Brittany, there’s no-one else she’d rather take with her – and hey, why not, the baby too. And their stay in Plouvannec is an absolute joy from beginning to end, as they become very much part of the small and tight community while strengthening their friendship, opening themselves up to new experiences, and discovering what makes them both happy.

And they’re surrounded by the most fantastic cast of characters. Manu has already embraced the slower pace of life, sharing his home with his 94-year-old father, while helping him fend off the over-enthusiastic attentions of widow Clothilde (who really could teach Fliss a thing or two) – while brother Theo can’t see, at first, just how good it can feel to take your foot off the accelerator. Although language can sometimes be a barrier (but more so for Fliss, although she tries so very hard), Shirl immerses herself in village life – helping out Joel, owner of the Le Shack restaurant, as he prepares for a crucial cookery challenge, making a friend of shy boulangerie owner Gisele, resisting the attentions of ex-mayor Bernard who rather mistakenly (and entertainingly) thinks he has a particularly good grasp of English. At first, Fliss just enjoys salivating over hunky young Bastien doing his yoga moves on the beach, counting the minutes to her next drink, and wondering whether there’s any chance of rekindling her former affair with Manu – but as Brittany begins to work its particular kind of magic, her whole focus changes, and the warm and loveable person she really is begins to emerge.

There was so much I loved about this book – the humour as sparkling as ever, those moments of poignancy that sometimes brought a tear, the community that was such a delight to be part of, the way the characters evolved, the focus on family and friendship, the light touches of romance. And, most certainly, the Brittany setting. The descriptions are so vivid and detailed that they really bring it to life, make you feel you’re there sharing the characters’ journeys – and all those festival events really took me back to my memories of my time there, dancing at the Fest Noz as an exchange student in the dim and distant past.

There’s a realness about every single individual in this story – and while I grew to entirely love both Fliss and Shirl, feeling so deeply invested in their respective happy endings, reaching the end honestly felt like leaving my own friends behind. And yes, I know, every book the author writes becomes my new personal favourite, but this one was such a special treat – one that any reader would thoroughly enjoy, but an absolutely essential addition to every older reader’s summer reading list.

I do enjoy books written about the more mature ladies antics, and this one is no exception. Ticks all the right boxes for me.

Shirl works as Fliss’ cleaner however their relationship is more than just employer-employee because Fliss realises what a good friend she has in Shirl. Shirl shares her home with her Daughter and Granddaughter however her Daughter is struggling as a single Mum but Shirl provides as much support as she can. Fliss is lucky to be fairly wealthy having owned her own business but she is lonely, when she bumps one of her previous occasional lovers Manu who tells her he has retired and she is welcome anytime to stay at his home in France should she ever want to. Fliss decides to take him up on his offer and asks Shirl to accompany her, Shirl decides she deserves a break and accepts although also ends up taking her Granddaughter with her too.
During the stay they have many adventures and meet lots of different people but also gives them both a chance to reflect on their lives.
I enjoyed this book which had some wonderful characters both young and older, romance and fun.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book, all thoughts are my own.

What a treat to be reading another book from the mind of Judy Leigh. Packed with the kind of women that I would love to grab a drink with and try to absorb their life experiences. We meet Fliss and Shirl who know each other as a result of Shirl working as Fliss’s cleaner. That makes their relationship sound light as Shirl has become much more than a cleaner to Fliss, she’s like a best friend.
Fliss has worked hard and amassed a fortune, which means she will never need to work again. Sadly, she isn’t able to enjoy her retirement as she has no friends left to share her fun with. She loves going out and attracting men, but she craves the depth that a good friendship can offer. She’s lonely.
I just adored Fliss and imagined her a bit like Blanche Devereaux in the US TV series, The Golden Girls. Just the character as I didn’t envisage her that way. She was a hoot, though, and I genuinely laughed at some of her antics. Despite all of that, she had a generous heart and was determined to share her good fortune with her friend.
Silv, on the other hand, was from the opposite end of the scale. A hard worker with a modest home, a daughter, and a granddaughter, her family was her world and the centre of it. She was loyal to Fliss but remained mindful of the fact that she worked for her. The addition of Shirl’s granddaughter brought a delightful dimension to this terrific book.
As usual, Judy Leigh excelled at imagining her characters, and it was a treat to follow their adventures. Of course, I don’t include spoilers, but I can certainly promise a story filled with the very best kind of people, love, and a reminder that age is just a state of mind.

With its seaside setting, its lovable cast of characters, and its feel-good story, The Golden Gals’ French Adventure makes a charming summer read. No matter how you’re spending your hot summer days (and nights), following Fliss and Shirl on their journey will make you feel like you’re on a summer holiday every time you pick up the book.

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery.

Deux Femmes Dorée.
First of all, regarding the title of this review, please pardon my French, or rather, pardon Google Translate’s French! That said, I was pretty surprised at how much of the French in this novel wasn’t difficult for me to understand. But even if I was totally clueless regarding the French insertions, I’d feel that I got everything. That’s because, as Fliss reminds us, there are many words in French that are almost the same in English. So, if you’re worried about too many foreign words, you need not be troubled with this book.

Obviously, this is far more than a story about women who study a bit of a new language and then travel to that country for a little bit of rest and relaxation. In any case, Fliss doesn’t need much R&R seeing as she’s financially independent and retired. Shirl, on the other hand is near enough to retirement age, but still needs to work, and that’s how these two get together – originally as employee and employer. Neither of them is typical in these roles, so when Fliss meets up with an old flame who invites her to visit him in Brittany, she decides to take Shirl with her, even though Shirl has to bring her granddaughter along with them.

You know, every so often since I retired, I’ve gone down rabbit holes of properties available in various countries abroad. The idea of living in some quaint cottage on a hill, near a babbling river, that’s just a short walk or ride to a small, friendly town has always seemed so idyllic to me. Maybe that’s why I enjoyed this book so much. The advantage that Fliss and Shirl have here is that Brittany isn’t all that far from certain parts of England, and taking the ferry between the two countries is a lovely way to cross the channel (I did it once in 1981, on a shorter ride between Dover and Calais). Furthermore, Leigh portrays them both with such affection and care that we can easily picture them in our minds, and we can quite quickly learn to love them just as much as Leigh does.

Again, that’s not what is important here, but rather the lovely way that Leigh brings these very diverse women together, then plonks them down in an unfamiliar setting, and then watches them transform from awkward tourists to much more comfortable (albeit not fluent) visitors. Into this, it would be stupid for us to not expect a little romance, and Leigh knows just how to include that without ever getting sappy or allowing either of her protagonists to become “man crazy” along the way. Okay, so Fliss is a bit of a flirt, while Shirl is the shyer one, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is how Fliss and Shirl become closer as friends, and how they both warm to the people, and atmosphere of this picturesque part of France.

Most importantly, Leigh knows how to end her stories with just enough emotion, and without detailing every aspect of everyone’s lives after the story has ended. In this way, these characters live on after the last page, and allow us to decide what might or might not happen in their futures. This is why I can very warmly recommend this novel, which was so much fun, and described such a lovely place, with such enjoyable characters. For me, I think it deserves 4.75 stars out of five.

I must say I love a good Judy Leigh book and this one didn't disappoint. Fliss is 69yo, she has had a good and successful life but she is lonely, Shirl is 66yo and she is looking after her daughter and grandchild. So where does all this lead these two very different women? On a holiday in France of course....

This is such a wonderful, fun, humorous and very entertaining book. I loved every minute of it and it put a smile on my face and a spark in my heart. I love these two women and the way they explored France. They provided much insight, adventure and brightness. A great read with great characters and one I highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Another fabulous book by Judy Leigh that has you hooked from the start.

We meet Fliss, she is in her retirement, has money to spend, but, she’s not too happy, is feeling the loneliness.

Shirley, is her friend and also cleans for her.

Shirley, her granddaughter and Fliss go to Brittany. Whilst there, enjoying themselves, they realise how life is for them now, and what they have become.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story of family and that being old doesn’t mean you can’t have adventures.

I highly recommend this book.

A wonderful read Fluss &Shirl are so much fun a multi layered read.I was drawn in to their lives their world ,perfect setting delightful book.#netgalley #boldwoodbooks

This book felt like coming home and putting on your favourite dressing gown! Two very different elderly women throw caution to the wind and explore what France has to offer. I enjoyed every moment it was highly entertaining with lively characters and laugh out loud antics. The story does have a few serious scenarios but is mostly lighthearted. A emotional fun filled adventure with life's obstacles thrown in the works. I came to relate to the characters particularly Shirl despite the age gap which just goes to show that age doesn't really mean much. Especially if you are like Fliss and Shirl.

This is a wonderful feel good book, The relationships between characters change and develop as the book goes on, and the French coastal setting is almost a character itself (making it the perfect holiday read). Fliss is quite annoying at first, but reasons for her flaws become apparent, and it’s very realistic that the characters aren’t perfect. I loved this book and feel sad to have finished it, I feels like leaving friends behind.

As usual in my reviews, I will not rehash the plot!

This is a nice, easy read with a good, multilayered plot and some engaging characters. The action moves from Devon to France, and the French settings are beautifully described, with a real flavour of all that's great about the country!

I loved Shirl and Maurice in particular. Other characters were slow-burners - I started off disliking Fliss, Gemma and Theo but rather liked them all in the end. I think the characters have more stories to tell...

This would be a great holiday read (or could be read - as I did - to brighten up a gloomy rainy day!)

I've read quite a few books by Judy Leigh now, and I'd happily read further titles.

My thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC. All opinions my own.