
Member Reviews

I am not sure what happened but when I went looking to read this book earlier in the year, I could not find it anywhere. All of a sudden, I saw it in my library and jumped at the chance to read and review. I loved the original story of Gina and Dorothy and their friendship. They found each other at delicate times in their lives and Gina, 71, and Dorothy, late 80s, found their best mates.
Gina is still trying to figure out what to do with her life after her husband Douglas left to “find himself”. She lives in Dorothy’s boat house so when Dorothy asked her to go to Provence to be a companion to two old friends of hers, Gina accepted. Dorothy and the friends have been estranged for decades and her friend Meredith is writing her memoirs. There is something that Dorothy did for which she is ashamed and wants to ensure the story will not be revealed in the book.
The characters are rich and fully formed. Gina, the bastion of caring and good sense, once again solves problems and brings people together. And in a wonderfully satisfying bit, she finally gets a chance to give Douglas some of his own back. You go girl. I love the old girls and hope they continue to behave badly. It is so much fun when they do. Five purrs and two paws up.

The follow up to Old Girls' Behaving Badly and another good romp through life. Gina is one of life's fixers and doesn't know it. Newly separated, aged 71, she became companion to the incorrigible Dorothy in the first book. Now Dorothy is encouraging her to to sign up as companion to her estranged friend Meredith in the south of France for a few weeks. And so begins another adventure, investigation and lovely story. It's heartening to see Gina discover the woman she can be. #netgalley #oldgirlschateauescape

Another brilliant light read from Kate Galley!! Another favourite author added to my list. I do hope these tales keep coming from “the old girls”

The Old Girls' Chateau Escape is a delightful and fun stories about two senior women who are living their lives to the fullest, even when they're up there in age. It's really a celebration of women friendships, humanity, and how we all relate to each other.
This was such a lighthearted, funny book that I found myself enjoying The characters were wonderful, the splashes of mystery were fun, and the entire plot felt refreshing. I particularly loved the relationship between Gina and Dorothy- it felt authentic, raw, and like I would fit in despite being generations younger.
Kate Galley's writing is very easy to relax with, making this a perfect vacation read. At no point did the story feel too heavy and left me feeling quite warm and fuzzy.

Gina is beginning to wonder if she can really justify her position as companion when Dorothy asks her if she would do something for her In Dorothy’s somewhat checkered past there are things she would rather keep quiet about. Now one of the group, who is a famous author is about to write her memoirs. She needs assistance caring for her husband, who has dementia as well as helping with the memoirs. Can Gina go and find out what is in this story.
Gina goes to France and finds herself in the midst of a mystery.
This was a fun read with some interesting characters and a great setting. It was an enjoyable read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this book.

The Old Girls' Chateau Escape is book two of a series, but can be read independently. 71 year old Gina serves as a "companion" to Dorothy, who is 89. Dorothy asks Gina to go to Provence to temporarily serve as a companion to her old friend, Meredith, whose daughter and son-in-law have been called out of the country after their son suffers an accident. Apparently, Meredith is writing her memoirs, and Dorothy is concerned that something in her past will be shared by Meredith in her book.
This book serves up a little mystery as we follow the happenings at the hotel in Provence where all this takes place. A fun read!
Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of this title!

In the latest book starring Gina Knight and Dorothy Reed, readers travel to France with Gina as she takes on a new position as a companion to Dorothy’s friend Meredith Harper, a successful writer in Provence looking after her ailing husband. However, Dorothy has left out some important information that Gina needs to know, since Meredith is writing her memoirs and Dorothy needs to know what is in it before they are published. Gina must negotiate her friendship with Dorothy, her developing working relationship with Meredith, and her own adventures in Provence in this funny, charming, and deeply enjoyable continuation of the Old Girls series. Once again, the characters are the star of this novel, and readers will love this new location and new adventure that Gina explores with a host of new faces. As the spy mission for Dorothy and local mysteries in Provence appear, readers will love the different storylines that Kate Galley weaves throughout this fantastic and fun new read. Excellently written, deeply enjoyable, and absolutely chaotic, this book is a great mix of female friendships, ridiculous hijinks in the name of friendship, and emotional and personal growth for a host of characters that readers are sure to love.

Once again the author delivers a fun story with a mystery or two. Dorothy is off on a cruise and persuades Gina to take a companion job in the south of France for an old friend of hers. One she hasn’t spoken to in decades. Being a pushy busybody employer/ friend, Gina agrees to Dorothy’s request. Of course she also wants Gina to discover what Meredith is writing in her memoirs. There is a secret that Dorothy doesn’t want revealed and doesn’t even tell Gina what it is.
A difficult task if you don’t know. Once in France and she meets Meredith and her husband Gerald, who has early stages of dementia. She feels guilty with her promise to Dorothy and still undecided if she will do it. Meredith is a bit standoffish, but being that she broke her arm and needs help she relents and allows Gina to help.
There are other mysteries surrounding Gina stay at the hotel and she is drawn into helping solve them. To me it’s fun to read about senior citizens, as one myself. There is still a lot to enjoy in life and the author gets that message nicely across. Thank you #NetGalley and #BoldwoodBooks for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own. #OldGirlsChateauEscape

Sequel to Old Girls Behaving Badly, an old friend of Dorothy's is planning to write her memoirs and Dorothy, afraid of what might come out about herself in Meredith's book, urges Gina to take a job as Meredith's companion and find out what she is planning to write. Gina heads to France to help out with Meredith's husband who has dementia, while Meredith herself recovers from an injury at a hotel owned by her daughter. There are also various dramas going on at the hotel itself, with the acting manager owing money to someone and things disappearing from guests' rooms. There were kind of a lot of smaller plotlines and maybe too much about the stuff at the hotel. Overall on par with the first book, a mostly light, quick read. 3 stars.

The Old Girls Chateau Escape is the second book by Kate Galley featuring octogenarian Dorothy Reed and septuagenarian Gina Knight. In this story Dorothy asks Gina to apply for a short stint as companion to Dorothy’s old friend Meredith Harper and her husband Gerald. Dorothy is recovering from a broken arm and Gerald is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. While Gina is in Provence at the Hotel and Spa du Cezanne, Dorothy has asked Gina to report back to her on the memoir Meredith is rumored to be writing.
Upon arrival in Marseilles, Gina is picked up from the airport by the interim hotel manager Lucien DuBois, nephew of Meredith’s son-in-law Hugo, hotel owner. Rose, Meredith and Gerald’s daughter, has insisted her parents relocate to France so that she is available to help them. However, soon after Meredith and Gerald’s arrival, Rose and Hugo are called away when their son, Oliver, is involved in a serious accident, which is why Gina has been engaged to help in their absence.
While at the resort, Gina has been tasked to get the elderly couple out in their new surroundings and to help them adjust in their new home. With Dorothy’s broken arm, another task of Gina’s will be to transcribe the daily recordings Dorothy does. Gina’s tasks are not too time intensive so to fill her days she befriends Lucien as well as fellow cottage guest Adele. Both seem to have mysteries to solve, and Gina is very good at problem solving.
This is another lovely tale with some important serious threads woven through a fun adventure. With well crafted characters and a lovely Mediterranean setting, this beautifully plotted story is a real tribute to the joie de vivre of ladies of a certain age. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

This is the second book in the Old Girls Behaving Badly series, and follows up after the first book, with Gina now settled in living in her friends back apartment. Well, that is until Dorothy needs her to go on a mission- to France! This charming book will quickly have you enraptured as Gina tries to not only do her new job correctly, but adapt to living in a foreign place, while her life is still upended. Add in a few mysteries to be solved, and you have an adorable page turner featuring charming elder characters! I can't wait to see what the girls get up to next!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it's a real page turner. Full of mystery, secrets and good people, I couldn't put it down.

What a lovely story. Gina takes a companion job looking after Meredith and her husband, however they end up finding out so much about each other and Meredith’s background. A feel good read, made me tear up a few times.

The Old Girl’s Chateau Escape by Kate Galley is an entertaining story of a young (71) woman who has accepted a short-term position as a companion to a woman and her husband who is in the throes of dementia. Her friend, Dorothy, has sent her to determine if Meredith, her employer, is going to include a secret from their pasts in the memoir she is writing. Meredith is a romance writer of some fame so the book would be widely read. Gina, the companion, had no idea what she was looking for. Dorothy said she’d recognize it if she read it. At the chateau/hotel in France they all met a myriad of interesting people and it is those people and their stories that made the book such fun. Gina was finally able to persuade Meredith to let the both of them join her on some excursions and that proved to be highly successful. Gerald was not as far gone as Meredith assumed, and she lightened up and became friendlier. It was a fun read.
Gerald, Meredith, and Dorothy are all nearing 90 so 71 is young, to begin with. And they all seem young as the story is told. There is a loose plot, but it is more about the people and their problems than anything. Simply by being observant, Gina helps Lucien, the interim manager of the chateau, solve a strong of robberies that made the place look bad. Entertaining story, good characters, light reading. Just plain fun!
I was invited to read The Old Girl’s Chateau Escape by Boldwood Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BoldwoodBooks #KateGalley #TheOldGirlsChateauEscape

A multi-layered storyline, wonderful characters with stacks of hilarity and emotion thrown in for good measure. Such an easy read.

The Old Girls' Chateau Escape by Kate Galley is a heartwarming and witty tale about friendship, second chances, and the secrets we keep. Gina Knight, a woman facing life’s unexpected challenges at 71, finds herself thrust into an adventure that turns out to be far more complicated than she anticipated. After her husband of four decades leaves her, Gina meets Dorothy Reed, an energetic, free-spirited woman who convinces her to take a job as a companion to a famous writer in Provence.
Gina’s task seems simple enough—help Meredith Harper, a successful author, with her husband’s health. However, Dorothy has other plans. She’s asked Gina to spy on Meredith, who is secretly writing her memoirs, and Dorothy wants to know what’s in them before anyone else. As Gina settles into her new role at the grand chateau, the story unravels with humor, intrigue, and a touch of mystery.
Galley skillfully explores themes of loyalty, trust, and personal reinvention, especially for women who may feel their best years are behind them. The charming setting in Provence adds a layer of magic to the story, and the dynamics between Gina, Dorothy, and Meredith are both heartfelt and suspenseful. The Old Girls' Chateau Escape is a delightful read that proves it’s never too late for a new adventure—especially when it involves uncovering secrets and discovering the strength within yourself.

I had no idea this was part of a series when I started, so promptly purchased Old Girls Behaving Badly to get the full picture of just how bad Dot and Gina actually are.
It's such a refreshing change to have a couple of elderly ladies at the helm, they're usually written off after a certain age. But septuagenarian Gina and octogenarian Dot dispel those rumours and are filled with joie de vivre!
I absolutely loved it! It's thoroughly enjoyable, fun and written with humour and charm.

Uplifting and engaging, The Old Girls’ Chateau Escape by Kate Galley is sure to delight!
Gina Knight got the shock of her life when her husband walked out on her after four decades of marriage! At seventy-one, she never imagined that she would be starting over, but just when she thought that everything was hopeless, she meets Dorothy Reed who, at nearly 90 years old, puts women half her age to shame with her zest for life and her joie de vivre. Dorothy had rescued Gina when she was most in need and when she asks her for a favour, Gina doesn’t hesitate. But does she know just what she has let herself in for?
Going to a French chateau to be a companion to writer Meredith Harper was a no-brainer for Gina. However, on her arrival, Gina finds Meredith in ill health and in the throes of writing her memoirs! Realising that she was sent by Dorothy to spy, Gina needs to get the scoop on what Meredith is putting in her book before anyone else! But just what is the writer plotting to put in her memoirs? And can Gina discover Meredith’s secrets before her cover is blown?
What a joy it is to read Kate Galley’s The Old Girls’ Chateau Escape! Warm, witty and gloriously escapist, this wonderful tale is full of Gallic flavour, larger than life characters who prove that there is no age limit to being fabulous and plenty of humour, drama and secrets to keep those pages turning! A must-read for Judy Leigh fans, The Old Girls’ Chateau Escape by Kate Galley should not be missed!

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.
I enjoyed “Old Girls Behaving Badly”, so I was looking forward to this next instalment. When Gina accepts a job as a live-in companion to Meredith and Gerald, she finds herself on an aeroplane to France. I was keen to follow her adventure, and also pleased to see the return of her friend Dorothy. I also really liked Lucien; he was an awesome character.
It made me smile to read this. Once again, I found Gina's narrative humorous, but there was also something about it that made me feel connected to her on a deeper level. I also enjoy Gina and Dorothy's friendship.
This was fun, entertaining and heartwarming. If you haven't read the first instalment, “Old Girls Behaving Badly”, I do recommend that one too, but this is enjoyable on its own.
Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

Seventy one year old Gina Knight was eighty nine year old Dorothy Reed's companion, and they had struck up a close friendship. Now, while Dorothy was on a cruise with some other friends, Gina was heading to France to be companion/carer for Meredith Harper and her husband Gerald, who was in the early stages of dementia. Meredith and Gerald had recently moved to a chateau owned by her daughter and son in law, and the plan was Rose would take care of them, while working in the chateau. But when Rose and Hugo's son was seriously injured in an accident, they flew to be by his side, which was where Gina came in.
Meredith was a writer and was going to do her memoir. But she had broken her arm, so Gina would be her typist - a fact Dorothy knew about; she wanted Gina to spy on Meredith as many years ago she and Dorothy had been close friends. There had been much mischief in their young pasts, and Dorothy didn't want certain secrets coming to light. That put Gina in a spot...
The Old Girls' Chateau Escape is the 2nd in the Old Girls series by Kate Galley and I loved it! I read and fully enjoyed the first - Old Girls Behaving Badly - and was delighted to find a second book featuring the fearless, caring and full-of-life Dorothy and Gina! I certainly hope Ms Galley is writing more about these wonderful old girls! Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for my digital ARC to read and review.