What Happens in France

Will Bryony and Lewis win the TV contest and will Bryony find her long lost sister? Loved it, couldn't wait to finish it to find out and then was really sorry it was finished!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Bryony has been looking for her sister for a long time and this book is about her adventures. Absolutely great read

What happens in France is an entertaining read with many humorous moments. After her father has a stroke Bryony is desperate to find her sister Hannah who left home 30 years ago at the age of 16. Bryony has a blog that she uses to try find Hannah, hoping that someone may know Hannah and direct her to the blog. To put herself more in the public eye and knowing how much Hannah loved quiz shows she applies to star in a reality quiz show taking place in France.
An uplifting story, well told and with a satisfying ending.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Bryony Masters has a mission. Her father has suffered a serious stroke. He gets better to a degree, but Bryony feels that she must now do the impossible. Thirty years ago her older sister Hannah ran away from home. Her family has never been the same since. Bryony feels that she must find Hannah before her father has any further health issues. She comes up with a fantastic idea. She decides to apply for a game show, hoping that this may be a way to appeal to the public in order to find her sister. Bryony knows that there very well may be several media opportunities that she can take advantage of.

Bryony has a blog dedicated to her search for Hannah. However, although she leaves regular blog posts, her reach is rather limited. Meanwhile, Bryony enjoys time with with her best friend Melinda. This turns out to be a blessing, because Melinda‘s husband has a new friend named Lewis. Due to ideal circumstances, Lewis ends up becoming Bryony’s partner on the game show, which is called, What Happens in ...

As expected, Bryony gets plenty of opportunities to talk about Hannah and about how much she is loved and truly missed. During the show quite a bit happens and each activity is really enjoyable to read about. I loved the trivial aspect of the show, all the characters in the story, and the beautiful landscapes that were described during the events.

Carol Wyer has written an engaging women’s fiction story that develops into a wonderfully-endearing romance. I really enjoyed the humor that was peppered throughout the story. One thing that really worked for me was a twist that was funny and very surprising. The story was very well-balanced as there were sensitive moments that kept me keenly interested. What Happens in France flowed very well because it was rich with delightful characters, including a dog with a strong media presence of his own. This delightful read is done with excellent pacing, thus showcasing the marvelous talents of this prolific author.

What an enjoyable read. This book made me smile, laugh and cry.
I particularly liked the authors style of writing. She was able to change between past and present tense very easily.

This book is funny, romantic and very very entertaining

Not usually my read........But when this brilliant author Carol Wyer writes a book I have to read it. So when What happens in France came up to read I requested it.
WoW.............WoW...........and Double WoW............What a Fantastic, Fun and beautifully written book this was. I was hooked from the title as I have just moved to France to live and this book was just calling me to read.

Bryony Masters is looking for her long lost sister called Hannah who is a lot older than her. She left home when Bryony was a young child. Bryony has been looking for Hannah for years and has written a Blog searching for her on Social media. Their loving father has had a severe stroke and this search has taken on new meaning as their father is very poorly. A new reality game show is about to be made and they are calling out for unusual contestants. Bryony remembers that Hannah loved reality game shows and has to apply to be on it. Hopefully by being on this new show, this will help find Hannah before it's too late.

So when What happens in France was a brilliant read. You become apart of this book. All the characters play their parts so well and they are all likeable I even liked Professor Potts character even though I wanted to punch him in several bits of the book lol.

The last few Chapters you will find out why Hannah left home. You will understand why Bryony wants to see her again. I did need a tissue at the end of this book and that's all I am saying.

This is a book that is a fun read and you can relate to. I hope there's a follow up, as I feel I would like to learn more about Hannah's life.

Carol's books are just a must read and I highly recommend you to read them. A author that just gets better and better. Her books are just brilliant.

Well done Carol. Your Books have been my Favourite books of This year.....Looking forward reading more of them

A massive Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read this and review it.........Big Fat 5 stars from me.

A fun read with plenty to enjoy. A game show! Set in France, a chance to spend time in a French city with some fun people, the cutest and funniest dog ever!

Carol's writing is nice and easy to read. Full of passion for France and game shows. She did a lot of impressive research during the writing of the book and you can tell. I went on a game show once and reading this did bring back some very funny memories. You get to meet some really fun people and although it can get pressurized it's a unique experience.

I would like to start highlighting the original plot of this story. Since you can be a participant of any kind of a contest to win the prize so as to pay your mortgage once and for all, buy a new car, do the trip of your life, or something like that. However, Bryony, the main character of the story, decides to sign up to the widen-known contestant “What happens in...” to keep on looking for her long-lost sister Hannah. Bryony’s father is seriously ill after suffering two heart-attacks, and the only words who is capable to stutter are: “Is that you, Hannah?” A desolated Bryony encourages herself to roll on in this adventure to appeal her sister Hannah that come back home, in front of the cameras. In the case she is still alive, since it’s thirty years ago she ran away from home, leaving a goodbye-letter and three broken hearts.

Carol Wyer lets us enjoy two main stories that run along together: the insatiable searching of Hannah, and the growing love between Bryony and Lewis ,her team-mate in the contest. Lewis is such an adorable man that you the only thing you can do is to fall in in love with him. For what the interest in this romantic story never decreases, in fact, sometimes you’ll think you are another participant of this amusing show, nervous before the live events and expectanting to know the scores. Besides, you will be a direct witness of the stunning landscape of the belle France.

It is a totally recommendable reads, you’ll be able to cry and laugh at the same time.

Bryony Master’s sister, Hannah ran away from home years before and Bryony is still desperate to find her. Her dad isn’t in the best of health and she really wants her to come back and see him.
As Hannah loved quiz shows Bryony thinks it will be a good idea to go on one to try and get her story out there and maybe Hannah will see.
This book is lighthearted and fun with the sadness of her and her parents not seeing her sister for years.
The characters all have strong personalities that really come to life. I really felt I was with there with them. The quiz show is genius and should be a real show, I would definitely be hooked.
This book made me laugh and shout and cry.
Loved it.

This story follows Bryony Masters, whose sister Hannah ran away when she was sixteen. Thirty years later Bryony and her parents had accepted that as much as they all missed her, she would not be returning to them. When Bryony and Hannah's dad has a stroke, Bryony decides that she must find Hannah before their father deteriorates any further. Bryony had previously set up a blog to help find Hannah, but realises that she needs to do more, and when the opportunity arises to take part in a game show set in France, with the potential to have millions of viewers, Bryony throws herself into it, determined to find Hannah.

Bryony's best friend Melinda introduces her to a neighbour Lewis, who by chance is also selected for the game show, and they both set out to get Hannah's story out to the millions of viewers every night, as they travel around Brittany in France, taking part in a number of tricky, and often hilarious, competitions, as they and the other pairs of competitors become friends. whilst also trying to win each section to allow Bryony to make another appeal for people who might know Hannah. Oscar, one of the competitors, brings his Insta-famous pug, Biggie Smalls along for the ride too.

I found this an absolute pleasure to read, particularly enjoying the trip around a part of France I know and love, and giggling at the reference to Erik Monkman too! This book was an endearing story about the loss of a sister, but also developing into a gentle romance too. Thank you to Netgalley and Canelo for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

With thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

I am a big fan of Carol Wyers`s DI Robyn Carter and DI Natalie Ward series. When I saw Carol had written a Romcom I thought I would give it a try.

English teacher Bryony Masters had been searching for her long lost sister Hannah who disappeared thirty years ago. Over the years Bryony and her parents had hired private detectives and set up a website but they could find no trace Hannah was still alive.

After her father had a massive stroke Bryony wanted to find Hannah before it was too late. With time running out she decided to enter a game show called What Happens In. Hannah hoped with access to millions of viewers someone would know what happened to Hannah.

Bryony was shocked when her best friend Miranda`s neighbour Lewis was at the audition. Bryony and Lewis sailed through the audition and were picked to appear together as a team on the show. During the trials Bryony and Lewis got on like a house on fire. However she knew they could only be a friends as Lewis was gay and had recently split up with his partner Maxwell.

Firstly Carol is a talented writer. able to turn her hand to chick lit and crime. I absolutely loved What Happens In France, I enjoyed the descriptions of the attractions in France and would quite like a holiday there myself.

I also liked the characters in the book. I especially liked the rival contestants, Jim a carer and walking enyclopaedia, ballerina Oscar and his pug Biggie Small an Instagram star.

My only small criticism is I thought the long winded medical jargon in the first chapter was a bit forced.

What Happens In France was a fun book with a serious message. I hope Carol does a sequel to this story.

I’d like to thank Canelo and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘What Happens In France’ by Carol Wyer in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Bryony Masters applies to take part in a new TV quiz ‘What Happens In …’ and is delighted to be chosen, as she intends to tell the audience about her missing sister in the hope she’ll make contact again. Hannah ran away from home thirty years ago aged just sixteen and as their father is seriously ill following a stroke Bryony needs Hannah to be reunited with her parents before it’s too late.

I’m a great fan of Carol Wyer’s police thrillers and this is the first romantic novel I’ve read by her. ‘What Happens In France’ is the story of Bryony joining ‘What Happens In…’, her friendship/romance with neighbour and fellow-panellist Lewis and the search for her sister. The narrative is interspersed with Bryony’s blog ‘Searching For Hannah’ describing her thoughts, hopes and recollections of the past, hoping her sister will read it and make contact. It’s light-hearted, easy to read and amusing, although I had a lump in my throat towards the end. I think I prefer Wyer’s police thrillers but it’s good to read another side to her talents.

What a fun , lighthearted well written book this was !
It was the first time I have ever read anything by Carol Wyer, but i would look for other books by her.
Bryony was a very likeable character who with the help of her teammate Lewis , takes part in a prime time Tv show “What happens in France”
Bryony has been looking for her sister Hannah for years, and uses the game show to try and find her reality tv obsessed sister , add in a cast of unique characters , a social media star dog, and laugh out loud adventures and you have the spirit of this book
Pure lighthearted fun!
Thank you to netgalley and Camelo for allowing me an advance copy of this book in return for an unbiased review

Bryony is desperate to find her sister, who ran away over 15 years ago after a terrible accident. Their father is dying and she wants to reconnect them. She gets the idea to enter a reality game show, in order to publicize her search. She talks a new friend, Lewis, into being her partner on the show. The novel documents their experience.

I'm not a fan of reality shows, so didn't think I'd care for this story line but wanted to try something different from the typical romance or mystery novel. I'm glad I read this delightful book. In particular, I enjoyed the emphasis on the comradery that forms among the participants in this reality challenge. The setting in France was described in so much detail that I want to visit the places mentioned! The underlying stories, of Bryony's search for her sister and her relationship with Lewis, add depth to the book, as did the unique characters. Loved this!

If you are looking for a fun escape, this book has it all. I loved the premise of contestants on a game show, their individual stories and what the win means to them. Bryony is a teacher, applying for the game show to publicize her search for her sister, Hannah, who ran away from home years earlier. Bryony meets Lewis, and as they partner to win, they discover what is most important to them. It doesn’t hurt that all events take part on France, enhancing the appeal of the story. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Loved, loved, loved every moment of this book!!!

Carol Wyer has really brought the story to life making you feel every moment that the characters are going through. It has its tense moments, the will they won't they and, of course, will the grand plan work....

Loved it! How can you not like a book featuring a crazy quiz show, a pug named Biggie Smalls and an actual furry car? I’m a huge fan of the author’s Detective Natalie Ward series and couldn’t wait to read this, even though it’s a completely opposite type of story. The book was a fun read with a bit of romance. Loved Bryony, she had a few setbacks as a child and would do anything to find her sister.

Bryony wants to go on a quiz show, hoping it will help her find her sister. Bryony hasn’t seen Hannah in 30 years, not since her sister left home at sixteen. Bryony becomes friends with a few of her fellow contestants, Oscar, Jim and Lewis.

Loved the story, characters and writing. Loved Jim and his flip phone. He loved and adored his wife and just wanted to make her happy. From the start I wanted to know why Hannah left. The quiz show seemed fun, maybe not driving blind folded. I’m not sure how a furry car would hold up in the rain. I wanted Melinda as a friend. Her and Sean were fun and I wanted to be at the murder mystery party and with them when they were wheeling their friends around in a wheelbarrow.

Definitely recommend the book. It was fun, full of humor and a bit of romance. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

Thanks to NetGalley, Canelo and the author, Carol Wyer for a free electronic ARC of this novel.

What a fun, feel good book this is! Okay I usually don't read much other than thriller/suspense books, hence the name of my blog. I love Carol Wyer's books and I have only read her writing "my type of books." I saw this and couldn't resist it! First of all, it is Carol Wyer and also it just sounded like it would be fun! I mean who doesn't love a stinking cute pug in a berit!!! Love this cover!!!

Bryony Masters is searching for her sister that she has not seen in 30 years. Her sister fled their home at the tender age of 16 and Bryony feels responsible. Bryony's father recently had a stroke and this has prompted her to find her sister before it is too late. Except she has no idea what has happened to Hannah, is she even still alive? She launches a plan to get on a game show that has 4 million viewers, to hopefully reach Hannah or someone that knows what happened to her.

Along the way she befriends a wonderful, witty, fun guy that seems to be her soulmate. They are like two peas in a pod and I wanted them to be together so badly. Sadly we found out quite early on that Bryony was "not his type." As a mutual friend told her that he just broke up with his boyfriend Maxwell. Sigh.....I was so heartbroken as I thought they would be adorable together.......

I highly advise reading Carol's acknowledgments, it is a wealth of information and shows you how much thought was put into the research of this book. Even though this was a fun, feel good read, it has some very personal and serious things behind the inspiration of this book. Thank you Ms. Wyer for another fantastic book!

Thanks so much to Carol Wyer, Canelo publishing and Netgalley for this ARC!

This was a good read. Love all the quiz show detail, can tell the author has done a few!
She's clearly also spent some time in France which gave an added depth to the book
Loved the whole idea of a search within a search just a bit different.
The characters were engaging and more details were revealed as the book went on.
Hope there is a follow up

A funny romantic comedy of a book. Full of lovely warm moments. I didn't want the story to end. So feel good. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

A bittersweet tale blending quiz shows, a fabulous location in France, and a runaway sister. After Bryony’s dad suffers a stroke she enters a quiz show to raise the profile of her search for her missing sister. An amusing story, with bittersweet backdrop as you learn more about Bryony’s childhood.

I’d have liked to learn more about Hannah and her story but understand that the book is mostly from Bryony’s perspective. I really enjoyed the game show sections and the race around Brittany. The characters were good fun and different enough to create a vivid picture of the goings on...

A warm and sweet tale tinged with sadness. I would have preferred a longer ending with more detail surrounding how they got to the outcome (including what the particular character had been doing and how they ended up there) but a good book nonetheless

4*

I loved every moment of “What Happens in France”. The main appeal of this book was that all of the action and events took place in France.

I loved that the author, Carol Wyer, placed great emphasis on the camaraderie between the participants of the reality challenge.

The author’s descriptions of the setting were first class and I wish I could have been there, on holiday, myself!

This book was a great pleasure to read and I would definitely recommend it.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my own request from Canelo via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

What a fun read, with a serious side to it too. Really enjoyed thus easy read book, with a few laugh out loud moments. Would recommend

This is the most entertaining book I have read for ages. A light read but fast paced and there are a few interesting characters. Bryony is desperate to find her long lost sister Hannah. Clutching at straws she decides to go on a game show where she hopes to get the chance to publicise her search.

I started this on the plane and finished on the beach.
A different take on a romance story which made for a great holiday read.

Loved this book. Makes you want to move over to France. It also has you laughing and crying . Love Carol’s books can’t wait for the next one.

Such a lovely, warming story about a woman trying to find her sister through the help of game shows, whilst also finding herself swept up in a whirlwind of romance. From start to finish, this had me hooked!

I enjoyed this - a great funny read. Didn't grip me as such but an enjoyable, relaxing read with some great touches of humor throughout. I would recommend.

Little bit of a slow start to get into. Once I did I really enjoyed this book! Byrony and Lewis were so fun to getting to know.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

This was a really enjoyable read, warm, funny & lighthearted. It was just what I needed after the usual crime books I’ve been reading lately. I would definitely recommend this author & purchase more books in future.

Enjoyable romcom - using a game show as a platform, Bryony Masters sets out on her mission to reunite her family. A very enjoyable and engaging read which succeeds in being witty, moving and empathetic all at once.

Funny and heartwarming book with great writing. The writer writes really funny dialogues and the reader feels sad when they finish this lovely book.

This is very much a relaxing and light-hearted read that creeps up on you after you finish the book to think about certain aspects much deeper. Thanks to Netgalley for my ARC.

This book is quite different from lots I have read.. The story is based around a TV show and the adventures/romance that ensues. There is an additional path in that the lead character is searching for her sister who ran away years before.
I enjoyed the fun and difference of this book. The characters are well written and very varied.. The story take the reader on a journey to France and back again to round up any loose ends for a tidy ending.
All in all fun and easy reading.

This book is a little bit romance, a little bit comedy, a little bit mystery and a little bit rock n roll!

What a treat this was! The characters were warm and likeable, especially Biggie Smalls and Oscar. The back Story of the missing sister was a Little too repetitive throughout the Gameshow. I loved the Gameshow, but thought they could have done a Little more with it, and less going on about the sister. However, I am being picky. Overall, a fun enjoyable read. Looking Forward to the next one...

Light and fluffy like a soufflé, but also like a soufflé, hiding a variety of flavours. An easy read, but somehow I never quite linked to the characters, and there were times when I wondered "just how old are these people ?"; the dialogue occasionally read more like a teenager than a mature person. But that's a quibble - it took me gently back to France, which is always a gold star for a book, and I really did want to find out who was going to pick up the prize (not that it mattered, there were more important things on offer. Would I read it again ? Possibly, maybe probably. Would I look out for more books by Carol Wyer ? Not so sure - that's not a "no", only that the jury's out. Thanks anyway for the chance to read it and the chance to revisit some familiar places.

Carol Wyer’s What Happens in France is a light hearted, somewhat predictable, romantic novel which has both a missing sister and a game show set in Brittany at its heart. Carol Wyer, a self confessed Francophile (as indeed I am) takes us through some of the delights one can visit in Brittany, as contestants in the game show do the touring for us in search of clues and treasure. From recollection only the Barrage de la Rance and the oyster farms at Cancale were missed. I even learnt a few things….the set location (near Saint-Nazaire) for Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot a Jacques Tati favourite of mine.
A great book to bring back memories or indeed as a primer for a trip to Brittany plus of course the romance between two contestants.

Wyer can turn her hand to any genre! A great crime novelist and now a great contemporary fiction writer too. I really enjoyed this. We follow Bryony as she hunts for her long lost sister. Her determination and doggedness make her a really likeable and believeablr character, so much so I didn’t want this to end.

A fun, light read with plenty of amusing episodes, this was just the tonic I needed on the very grey day on which I read it! I liked the characters, and it would be nice to revisit some of them in future books.

This is the first book I've read by Carol Wyer and I thoroughly enjoyed it - I understand she also writes police procedurals, so will be checking those out too!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for my honest review.

Boy meets girl Chick Lit, but with a difference. Bryony is trying to trace her long lost sister, so has the rather unlikely idea of going on a virtual reality game show to attract Hannah’s attention....
The story rattles along at a good pace, nothing very taxing, but all great fun.