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...
Is this for real? by Kathy Strobos #Review #NewYorkFriendshipBook2
An opposites attract, friends-to-lovers, slow burn, fake
dating romantic comedy
Love is all fun and games until somebody gets hurt. Usually me. I admit it, I’m a relationship-recluse. Ironic, given that I write romantic comedies. So, I’m on a sabbatical from dating.
Which is why fake dating my best friend Rory is fool-proof. Rory suggested it because he needed a date for work functions. And I can use our experiences as fodder for my romcom novel. Plus, my sister doesn’t know it’s not real and she is thrilled that I’m not walling myself off emotionally. Her words, not mine. But I do wish she would stop saying that she always suspected there was something more between me and Rory. She should realize that we’ve been friends forever so I’m immune to his appeal.
We would never work. Rory is such a romantic; he still believes in that perfect love similar to his parents’ marriage. My parents fought bitterly. So, we are better off as friends. I can’t risk losing our friendship, even if this might be my chance—before his ex-girlfriend wins him back.
Those flickers of attraction? Easily extinguished by cold water reality—like a two-mile hike in drenching rain over sand with wheelie luggage.
But our relationship is not sticking to the plot—or is it?
My Thoughts
This is one of those gentle romcoms which you can relax into and which makes for an entertaining and fun read. I did appreciate the references to several 'romcom tropes' which were reflected in the story itself. Rory and Penelope are both likeable characters and the chemistry between them is obvious from the start. An aspiring romcom writer, you get to follow Penelope's journey as she faces rejection after rejection and at the same time, juggles all the creative projects she has on the go.
Written in the first person, you see the story through Penelope's eyes and get to hear her thoughts. This makes her seem very approachable and sympathetic. Seemingly the polar opposite of the romantic Rory, she does all she can to protect her feelings and puts up defences. She gets to express her true feelings through her writing and her creative tasks. There are plenty of characters in the story to add life and humour.
In short: Will they, won't they?
About the Author
Kathy Strobos is a writer living in New York City with her husband and two children, amid a growing collection of books, toys and dollhouses. She grew up in New York City and graduated from Stuyvesant High School, Harvard-Radcliffe University magna cum laude, and Columbia Law School. She spent two semesters abroad at the Universiteit van Amsterdam. She previously worked as a lawyer. She left law to pursue her dream of writing fiction full-time and getting in shape. She is still working on getting in shape.
You can follow Kathy here: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Book links: Amazon UK | Amazon US
Thanks to Kathy Strobos, Strawbundle Publishing and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
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Thanks so much for your review!
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