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  We are returning to France for another  great summer read by Gillian Harvey . The Village Cafe in the Loire  was published by Boldwood on July 12th.   High-flyer Becky Thorne cannot believe what she’s being told. She doesn’t need to be signed off for burnout! Life has been a bit chaotic lately, that’s all. As if dealing with her enviable job and permanent meddling from her mother aren’t enough, she’s also inherited a café in the Loire from an estranged great-aunt, complete with sitting tenant who refuses to budge. But nobody stands in Becky’s way! Ignoring her best friend Amber’s advice, she decides to storm over to France and sort the tenant out. Then she can finally get the café sold and jump back on the career ladder. What she doesn’t count on is the tenant being Pascale, who is six feet of tall, dark, handsome and extremely grumpy about her plans for change. Not to mention the village and the secrets it holds about her past. Becky’s path to succes...
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Cartes Postales from Greece by Victoria Hislop, Photographs by Alexander Kakolyris

    I received a sampler of Cartes Postales from Greece and a beautiful thing it is. With its brilliant white hardback cover and stunning colour photographs, it begs to be opened. The story starts in London. Ellie notices that a series of postcards, addressed to the unknown S. Ibbotson, start to arrive in her building. Signed only with an initial A, they intrigue her and she looks forward to each one arriving. Each shows an image of Greece, with its blue skies and bright colours - so different to her rather gloomy city life which has so far disappointed her. After some months, they stop appearing but she cannot forget their images and on a whim, decides to take a holiday in Greece. Picking up a package which has arrived from A, just as she leaves, she discovers that it contains a notebook which tells the story of a man's journey through Greece and recounts stories he has been told by strangers along the way. 

    A,it transpires, is writing and researching a book on Cycladic Art. Let down by S Ibbotson, he has decided to continue his plans to travel around  Greece.  I found the concept of following A's journey interesting and my appetite was whetted to read more. I loved the 'picture book for adults' angle which added so much to the story. As he travels around, he meets the locals who tell him a variety of stories - some old, some new and each illustrated beautifully. 

In short: a tapestry of stories mixed with the sights and sounds of Greece- gorgeous!

Thanks to the publishers Headline Review for a copy of the sampler. 
 
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