Summer at The French Cafe – Sue Moorcroft

Published By: Avon
Pages: 368
Released On: 12/05/2022

Sparkling sun, strolls in the gorgeous French countryside, that first sip of cool, crisp wine – Summer is Kat’s favourite season. And this year should be no exception…

As soon as Kat Jenson set foot in the idyllic French village of Kirchhoffen, she knew she’d found her home. Now she has a dreamy boyfriend, a delightful dog and the perfect job managing a bustling book café in the vibrant Parc Lemmel.

But when she learns her boyfriend isn’t all he seems, it’s the start of a difficult summer for Kat. Vindictive troublemakers, work woes and family heartache follow, and the clear blue sky that was her life suddenly seems full of clouds.

Then she gets to know the mysterious Noah, and her sun begins to shine brighter than ever. But Noah has problems of his own – ones that could scupper their new-found happiness. Together, can they overcome their many obstacles, and find love again?

*****

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the gifted copy of this title in return for an honest review

Is there such a thing as a bad Sue Moorcroft book? I don’t think there is.

I love that her inspiration for this book was Wicksteed Park and theme park. I agree it is a beautiful, family friendly place to visit, and whilst I do prefer the greenery of England, I do agree that France is also beautiful and fits perfectly with her storyline so I understand why she moved it.

Whilst Sue is known for her happy, uplifting stories, she doesn’t hide from the more intense themes such as marital affairs, abandonment, cancer, controlling behaviour and cyber crime for example.

I did think there was potentially a few too many characters to give them all the time they deserved, which meant some of them felt a bit 2D as they didn’t have enough to work with, but Kat’s story was very clear and passionate she is strong, loyal and friendly.

I couldn’t decide if I felt the ending was a bit rushed. It seemed to from everything being a nightmare to happily-ever-after very quickly, but I think if it had been slower then there’s a chance it might have felt like it dragged on too much. So I’m undecided here, but it didn’t hinder the story.

If I’m being completely honest, I do prefer her wintery Christmas books but that’s because me and Christmas go together like salt and pepper. Having said that, this was enjoyable and fun to read and has given me the push to explore more of her summer-themed stories.