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A Spell in Provence
Passion and mystery in the hills of Provence when an ancient spell weaves its dark magic.
After losing her job in England, Amy Carter uses her redundancy payment to start a new life in France, turning Bellefontaine, an overgrown Provençal farmhouse, into a successful hotel. Though she has big plans for her new home, none of them involves falling in love — least of all with Fabien Coste, the handsome but arrogant owner of the nearby château.
As romance blossoms in the beautiful Provençal countryside, disturbing events at the farmhouse hint at a dark mystery — a destructive, centuries-old attachment between the ladies of Bellefontaine and the ducs de Coste. As Amy struggles to unravel the mystery, she begins to wonder if it may not just be her heart at risk, but her life too.
After losing her job in England, Amy Carter uses her redundancy payment to start a new life in France, turning Bellefontaine, an overgrown Provençal farmhouse, into a successful hotel. Though she has big plans for her new home, none of them involves falling in love — least of all with Fabien Coste, the handsome but arrogant owner of the nearby château.
As romance blossoms in the beautiful Provençal countryside, disturbing events at the farmhouse hint at a dark mystery — a destructive, centuries-old attachment between the ladies of Bellefontaine and the ducs de Coste. As Amy struggles to unravel the mystery, she begins to wonder if it may not just be her heart at risk, but her life too.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 5, 2015
About the author
Marie Laval
25 books68 followersOriginally from Lyon in France, Marie studied History and Law at university there before moving to Lancashire in England where she worked in a variety of jobs, from PA in a busy university department to teacher of French in schools and colleges. Writing, however, was always her passion, and she spends her free time making up stories. She writes contemporary and historical romance. Her titles include A SPELL IN PROVENCE, ANGEL HEART, THE LION'S EMBRACE and DANCING FOR THE DEVIL, published by Accent Press. Her new romantic comedy, LITTLE PINK TAXI, is published by Choc Lit.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
March 1, 2015
A Spell in Provence is a romantic suspense set in Provence, France. Amy Carter has left her life in England and come to set up a hotel providing homemade organic food at Bellefontaine. During the purchasing stage the estate agent filled her in on the local stories which surround the house, local legend and some quite scary rumours yet it didn't put her off.
On her very first day she meets local landowner Fabien Coste who runs Manoir Coste an upmarket hotel and whom the locals call Le Duc. He warns her of the hardships of setting up a hotel business with no experience at all, but he also offers his assistance and friendship.
Whilst clearing her garden Amy discovers a statue and calls in some archaeologists who find evidence of a Roman temple and the connection to the cult of Bona Dea. But Amy has run after run of bad luck and sinister experiences. Locals tell her it's the curse surrounding her house and it's connection to the Coste family.
When her opening party is sabotaged, guests leave early and Amy wakes up in her nightdress in the forest it's time to find out more about the mysterious Goddess and an ancient Gallic tribe.
Lots of sinister events happen in this book to keep you on your toes.
On her very first day she meets local landowner Fabien Coste who runs Manoir Coste an upmarket hotel and whom the locals call Le Duc. He warns her of the hardships of setting up a hotel business with no experience at all, but he also offers his assistance and friendship.
Whilst clearing her garden Amy discovers a statue and calls in some archaeologists who find evidence of a Roman temple and the connection to the cult of Bona Dea. But Amy has run after run of bad luck and sinister experiences. Locals tell her it's the curse surrounding her house and it's connection to the Coste family.
When her opening party is sabotaged, guests leave early and Amy wakes up in her nightdress in the forest it's time to find out more about the mysterious Goddess and an ancient Gallic tribe.
Lots of sinister events happen in this book to keep you on your toes.
October 25, 2020
This author’s books are a mixture of some delicious things that result in a great book.
She takes a pinch history, adds a measure of suspense and pours a tasty romantic sauce over it. Mmmm, it makes you smacking your lips and your eyes glued to the pages.
But often in history things were not always very bright and cozy. Many times horrible things took place and some people want to keep those traditions and beliefs alive. To do that though, others have to suffer and how.
Things people do for money and religion are not the loveliest ones. On the contrary. Greed and power more than once take over from common sense.
Who will take the upper hand? Will the good ones save the day or will the bad ones succeed this time?
A wonderful story that kept me entertained from the very beginning until the very last word. More, please. 🙂 5 stars, no doubt about that.
Thank you, Marie Laval and Choc Lit
She takes a pinch history, adds a measure of suspense and pours a tasty romantic sauce over it. Mmmm, it makes you smacking your lips and your eyes glued to the pages.
But often in history things were not always very bright and cozy. Many times horrible things took place and some people want to keep those traditions and beliefs alive. To do that though, others have to suffer and how.
Things people do for money and religion are not the loveliest ones. On the contrary. Greed and power more than once take over from common sense.
Who will take the upper hand? Will the good ones save the day or will the bad ones succeed this time?
A wonderful story that kept me entertained from the very beginning until the very last word. More, please. 🙂 5 stars, no doubt about that.
Thank you, Marie Laval and Choc Lit
May 20, 2015
Hard-working Amy Carter cashes in her British chips to buy a farmhouse in southern France and turns it into a charming inn, complete with organic gardens and homemade jam. What Amy doesn’t realize is that her plan was doomed from day one. Fabien Coste owns the finest chateau in Provence, and he’s also into innkeeping, on a much more elegant, grander scale than Amy can ever hope to achieve.
Not that the duc de Coste is upset by Amy’s arrival. He is, in fact, enchanted by his closest neighbor. Or so it seems. Amy cannot be sure because there is so much happening that indicates the handsome lord has it in for her and her budding enterprise. On the other hand, the two houses have long enjoyed romantic pairings. Centuries of love or not, something strange is happening down on the farm.
Things go bump in the night. Real physical events and other, more mystical manifestations. Amy might just lose her mind, her heart, and her home. Or she can unpack centuries of ancient goddess mythology with the help of a professional archeologist who is keen to see the antiquities she’s uncovered.
Marie Laval is very good at painting a quaint Provencal setting, braiding elements of ancient pagan mythology with modern romance and a hint of mystery. Just who is behind the mysterious happenings is not a very big surprise, but the pleasure here is not so much whodunit as the journey.
March 7, 2015
I’m pretty sure Marie Laval must have had me in mind as her target reader when she wrote this book. It has everything I love about a good story, firstly it’s set in Provence so what’s not to love? You can almost smell the lavender as you turn the pages. Then there’s a handsome French hero by the name of Fabien and I can totally understand how he makes Amy feel when he calls her Aimee in his sexy French accent. Apart from that there is a centuries old mystery, strange things happening and mysterious stories of rape and murder all connected to the house Amy is trying to run as a hotel. This is story telling at its best. It didn’t matter that there were enough clues to work out pretty much who was responsible from the start, the beauty was in the narrative, the way the story flowed and watching the characters as they tried to work it out for themselves. There were a couple of surprises though which neatly tied it all together. Fantastic story of romance, suspense and magic amid sleepy Provencal villages.
March 8, 2015
A Spell in Provence is one of those books that makes you almost believe you are there. Marie Laval's descriptions of the French countryside, the sights and sounds and the wonderful food transported me to Provence! Despite Bellafontaine's dark history and on-going mysteries I was intrigued by the place. Add into the mix a very handsome French Duke, an unsolved mystery spanning through many generations and passion, then this is a perfect book for me.
Marie Laval has spun an intriguing tale of affairs, cults, murder and mystery into this book that will hook the reader instantly. Throughout the story we are given little snippets of information to try to solve the mystery of Bellafontaine and there are a few creepy scenes in the book that did make the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Amy is a likeable character who appears to be plagued by bad luck and Fabien is her dashing Duke, always coming to her rescue. But, is he to be trusted? Can Amy trust anyone at all, even herself? You'll have to read the book to find out! Highly recommended.
Marie Laval has spun an intriguing tale of affairs, cults, murder and mystery into this book that will hook the reader instantly. Throughout the story we are given little snippets of information to try to solve the mystery of Bellafontaine and there are a few creepy scenes in the book that did make the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Amy is a likeable character who appears to be plagued by bad luck and Fabien is her dashing Duke, always coming to her rescue. But, is he to be trusted? Can Amy trust anyone at all, even herself? You'll have to read the book to find out! Highly recommended.
October 20, 2020
This is one of those books that makes you want to pack up all your stuff and head for the French countryside in the hope that you’ll discover your own Fabien!! Swoon!!
But that’s not why Amy finds herself in France – she’s determined to make a big success of opening her own farmhouse hotel. No mean feat considering she’s new to the country and hoping to do everything herself! Her dreams and determination will have you on her side from the get go, and the gorgeous setting she finds herself in is just an added bonus!
Fabien is the owner of the swanky local chateau, and is a big name across the world for first class establishment so he’s well aware of the work needed to run a business so tries to offer some friendly advice to Amy, of which she isn’t too keen to take on board! You get the idea she doesn’t like being told how to do things, even if that makes her appear a little stubborn and ungrateful!
But this isn’t a straightforward romance story, as there is a much darker side to the goings on especially within the area and Amy finds herself in the middle of it. It is clear someone doesn’t take too kindly to her being there and there are a number of threats that are very sinister.
There’s a lot for Amy to learn, both about running a business, and also the local folklore and history and with the help of Fabian she uncovers some disturbing details of the lady of the forest! You are just hoping that this dream move for Amy doesn’t turn into a nightmare!
I loved the dark and light of this story! It added so much edge to it and it was often quite shocking to see how dark things got! A bewitching tale!!
But that’s not why Amy finds herself in France – she’s determined to make a big success of opening her own farmhouse hotel. No mean feat considering she’s new to the country and hoping to do everything herself! Her dreams and determination will have you on her side from the get go, and the gorgeous setting she finds herself in is just an added bonus!
Fabien is the owner of the swanky local chateau, and is a big name across the world for first class establishment so he’s well aware of the work needed to run a business so tries to offer some friendly advice to Amy, of which she isn’t too keen to take on board! You get the idea she doesn’t like being told how to do things, even if that makes her appear a little stubborn and ungrateful!
But this isn’t a straightforward romance story, as there is a much darker side to the goings on especially within the area and Amy finds herself in the middle of it. It is clear someone doesn’t take too kindly to her being there and there are a number of threats that are very sinister.
There’s a lot for Amy to learn, both about running a business, and also the local folklore and history and with the help of Fabian she uncovers some disturbing details of the lady of the forest! You are just hoping that this dream move for Amy doesn’t turn into a nightmare!
I loved the dark and light of this story! It added so much edge to it and it was often quite shocking to see how dark things got! A bewitching tale!!
September 24, 2017
Book 68 of my Goodreads Challenge
This author conjours up some beautiful imagery with this wonderful romantic suspense novel.
Amy Carter is starting a new chapter in her life by moving from the UK to open a guest house in France She is not seeking love but she finds herself drawn to the enigmatic Fabien Coste lord of the manor or rather duc of the chateau.
There are some strange goings on at the bottom of the garden leading into the dark forest behind Amy's new home 'Bellefontaine' she see's lights in the middle of the night, she starts hearing things and perhaps she is getting a little forgetful leaving taps running or maybe it's just stress. For Amy does not seem to be having much luck.
Then she begins to hear the dark stories of the lost temple and an ancient goddess. Is there some sort of cult following in the area and is Amy's life in danger. Could Fabien be behind all the bad things that have started happening?
This book turned into a real pageturner for me and I simply could not put it down. Very highly recommended.
This author conjours up some beautiful imagery with this wonderful romantic suspense novel.
Amy Carter is starting a new chapter in her life by moving from the UK to open a guest house in France She is not seeking love but she finds herself drawn to the enigmatic Fabien Coste lord of the manor or rather duc of the chateau.
There are some strange goings on at the bottom of the garden leading into the dark forest behind Amy's new home 'Bellefontaine' she see's lights in the middle of the night, she starts hearing things and perhaps she is getting a little forgetful leaving taps running or maybe it's just stress. For Amy does not seem to be having much luck.
Then she begins to hear the dark stories of the lost temple and an ancient goddess. Is there some sort of cult following in the area and is Amy's life in danger. Could Fabien be behind all the bad things that have started happening?
This book turned into a real pageturner for me and I simply could not put it down. Very highly recommended.
August 23, 2017
I liked the way this story was written, I felt as though it was very descriptive with a romance but mystery element involved. I found it fast moving but with a predictable ending. The setting sounded beautiful and almost makes me want to go to Provence. The cover looks lovely with a hint of mystery.
March 7, 2023
I found this story very far fetched. I feel that the first 80% of the book was rather slow, I kept having to put it down and come back to it as I was getting very easily distracted while reading it. Everything seemed to happen in the last 20% of the book, and it felt rushed and very much like information overload. The story itself was quite interesting, however it just seemed to get a little silly towards the end, like too many twists were added and it was all just too much.
2 stars from me.
2 stars from me.
March 16, 2015
I was lucky enough to win a copy of this book in an online promo party & I'm so glad to be introduced to another new author for my list of good authors.
The storyline gives the hint of romance, battling emotional feelings & a beautiful setting with a very rich owner of a Chateau & a struggling first time owner of a bed & breakfast old but newly renovated farmhouse, Bellafontaine, but there is so much more a very dark & sinister side connected to the forest owned by the duc de Coste the very rich chateau owner.
After being made redundant Amy Carter uses her money to start a completely new life as a farmhouse bed & breakfast owner but little does she know what lies ahead for her with her new venture. Meanwhile Fabien Coste the man known to the locals as Le Duc, making life as the chateau restaurant business owner look as if it's easy but then he has his PR, who is, I think, secretly in love with her boss, numerous other staff but when he first meets Amy he warns her starting a business like this with no experience is going to be hard but he offers her his friendship & gives her help with her business throughout the story.
Amy is told about many old stories going back generations on the Coste family side & the women who have owned Bellafontaine & dark mysterious tales of men & women disappearing into the hands of a dark cult supposedly still being run now in the dark forests of the Coste family land. Amy at first puts them down to old stories made up to stop children going into the woods until suddenly strange things start happening to her, could her new business & home be at risk from these dark forces, could the handsome Fabien really be part of this strange cult, Amy begins to wonder after she has weird dreams of being dragged down tunnels & hearing a voice that sounds so much like Fabien, will Amy work out what is going on, is somebody trying to kill her or do they want her to leave Bellafontaine?
I had never heard of this author but have since bought two more of her books & would highly recommend this book to anybody who loves a good mystery with a little romance included.
The storyline gives the hint of romance, battling emotional feelings & a beautiful setting with a very rich owner of a Chateau & a struggling first time owner of a bed & breakfast old but newly renovated farmhouse, Bellafontaine, but there is so much more a very dark & sinister side connected to the forest owned by the duc de Coste the very rich chateau owner.
After being made redundant Amy Carter uses her money to start a completely new life as a farmhouse bed & breakfast owner but little does she know what lies ahead for her with her new venture. Meanwhile Fabien Coste the man known to the locals as Le Duc, making life as the chateau restaurant business owner look as if it's easy but then he has his PR, who is, I think, secretly in love with her boss, numerous other staff but when he first meets Amy he warns her starting a business like this with no experience is going to be hard but he offers her his friendship & gives her help with her business throughout the story.
Amy is told about many old stories going back generations on the Coste family side & the women who have owned Bellafontaine & dark mysterious tales of men & women disappearing into the hands of a dark cult supposedly still being run now in the dark forests of the Coste family land. Amy at first puts them down to old stories made up to stop children going into the woods until suddenly strange things start happening to her, could her new business & home be at risk from these dark forces, could the handsome Fabien really be part of this strange cult, Amy begins to wonder after she has weird dreams of being dragged down tunnels & hearing a voice that sounds so much like Fabien, will Amy work out what is going on, is somebody trying to kill her or do they want her to leave Bellafontaine?
I had never heard of this author but have since bought two more of her books & would highly recommend this book to anybody who loves a good mystery with a little romance included.
March 31, 2015
Wow, what a page-turner! I was spell bound by this dramatic read from the very first chapter. I started reading on an afternoon and I had to force myself to stop a few chapters from the end, as it was already way past my bedtime. It was a book that had to be read to conclusion and even then it played on my mind long after I’d finished reading it.
Set in a small town in Provence, we meet Amy Carter at the start of a new adventure. Following her redundancy, she leaves the UK and uses all her savings to restore a run down farmhouse, Bellefontaine, and fulfil her dream of running it as a small and friendly guesthouse. Although she has made a few friends, not everyone in the village is pleased to see her and at times she feels very alone, especially when strange things keep happening to her and the house. She is determined, strong and although the village stories about centuries old religious practises on her land intrigue her, she is not about to believe them or be intimidated by them.
Her neighbour, Fabien Coste is a very important landowner whose family history is surrounded in local mystery and who Amy tries to distance herself from, but with little success. When things go wrong he always seems to be just around the corner offering her help and advice and although falling in love was never in her plan she finds it hard to fight her feelings. There is passion, mystery, dark goings on, history, myth and fantasy all woven into Amy’s new life. When she learns of mysterious but deadly links between the men from the Coste family and the ladies of Bellefontaine she is determined to investigate the past, but at what cost to her future?
Set in a small town in Provence, we meet Amy Carter at the start of a new adventure. Following her redundancy, she leaves the UK and uses all her savings to restore a run down farmhouse, Bellefontaine, and fulfil her dream of running it as a small and friendly guesthouse. Although she has made a few friends, not everyone in the village is pleased to see her and at times she feels very alone, especially when strange things keep happening to her and the house. She is determined, strong and although the village stories about centuries old religious practises on her land intrigue her, she is not about to believe them or be intimidated by them.
Her neighbour, Fabien Coste is a very important landowner whose family history is surrounded in local mystery and who Amy tries to distance herself from, but with little success. When things go wrong he always seems to be just around the corner offering her help and advice and although falling in love was never in her plan she finds it hard to fight her feelings. There is passion, mystery, dark goings on, history, myth and fantasy all woven into Amy’s new life. When she learns of mysterious but deadly links between the men from the Coste family and the ladies of Bellefontaine she is determined to investigate the past, but at what cost to her future?
September 11, 2015
Even though after reading the blurb on this book, for some reason I had it in my head that it would be a bit of light hearted chick lit reading, boy was I wrong.
I have read a few books now where a single female buys a property abroad, wanting to make a fresh start and within a day of moving in she instantly falls head over heels in love with some handsome hunk of a man and yes, to a certain extent A Spell in Provence is one of those books, BUT, it is also SO much more.
A Spell in Provence is actually quite a dark read. As soon as Amy moves into her new home, it isn't long before strange and weird things start to happen. Someone is making it very obvious that Amy is not welcome and they seem to be doing what ever they can to make it very obvious.
Amy is a very strong and and ambitious woman. She has her dreams for the wonderful property that she has moved into and she is determined to not let anyone change that.
Fabien, the love interest is quite dark and mysterious and his family background is very intriguing.
A Spell in Provence is set in the very picturesque area of Provence and is wonderfully brought to life by the author. Through the descriptions of Amy's new home, Bellefonatine, it felt almost like my home also as could easily visualise it and felt like I was walking into the same rooms as Amy.
This is one of those reads that has you wanting to shout at the character. You just know in certain parts that something is going to happen and you want to protect Amy from it.
A Spell in Provence was certainly a very surprising read for many reasons and highly enjoyable.
Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have read a few books now where a single female buys a property abroad, wanting to make a fresh start and within a day of moving in she instantly falls head over heels in love with some handsome hunk of a man and yes, to a certain extent A Spell in Provence is one of those books, BUT, it is also SO much more.
A Spell in Provence is actually quite a dark read. As soon as Amy moves into her new home, it isn't long before strange and weird things start to happen. Someone is making it very obvious that Amy is not welcome and they seem to be doing what ever they can to make it very obvious.
Amy is a very strong and and ambitious woman. She has her dreams for the wonderful property that she has moved into and she is determined to not let anyone change that.
Fabien, the love interest is quite dark and mysterious and his family background is very intriguing.
A Spell in Provence is set in the very picturesque area of Provence and is wonderfully brought to life by the author. Through the descriptions of Amy's new home, Bellefonatine, it felt almost like my home also as could easily visualise it and felt like I was walking into the same rooms as Amy.
This is one of those reads that has you wanting to shout at the character. You just know in certain parts that something is going to happen and you want to protect Amy from it.
A Spell in Provence was certainly a very surprising read for many reasons and highly enjoyable.
Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 13, 2015
Amy Carter relocates to the beautiful Provencal countryside to run a guest house at the mysterious, but beautiful, Bellefontaine. It’s a place that is riddled with the secrets of its ancient past and bound up in the shadows of local folklore. Right from the start Amy discovers that running the guest house isn’t going to easy; there are too many unexpected happenings which rattle her confidence. Added to the mystery of Bellefontaine, is the allure of the enigmatic Fabien Coste, an arrogant owner of a nearby chateau, whose own family history is connected with Bellefontaine’s mysterious past.
What then follows is a nicely written romantic suspense story which uses the beautiful allure of the French countryside to take the reader, not just on a journey into the past, but also combines a love affair which is firmly placed in the here and now. I enjoyed getting to know the characters; Amy is a feisty heroine, and Fabien, the quintessential sexy hero, is a welcome distraction from some of the darker elements of the story.
The story flows well and whilst there are no great surprises in who is behind some of the events which take place, there are more than enough thrills and spills in the story to keep you turning the pages in order to see how the story eventually plays out.
I enjoyed it and look forward to more stories from this author.
What then follows is a nicely written romantic suspense story which uses the beautiful allure of the French countryside to take the reader, not just on a journey into the past, but also combines a love affair which is firmly placed in the here and now. I enjoyed getting to know the characters; Amy is a feisty heroine, and Fabien, the quintessential sexy hero, is a welcome distraction from some of the darker elements of the story.
The story flows well and whilst there are no great surprises in who is behind some of the events which take place, there are more than enough thrills and spills in the story to keep you turning the pages in order to see how the story eventually plays out.
I enjoyed it and look forward to more stories from this author.
September 14, 2015
Although this novel is mostly set in Summer in the Luberon, it would be a great novel to read as the nights get darker and winter closes in. Then the 'events' which overtake the heroine Amy will be even spookier. I mean, wouldn't you be frightened by a dead rabbit nailed to your door and ghostly lights which appear at the bottom of your garden; not to mention dreams which turn into vivid nightmares. I won;t say any more for fear of spoiling things for you. As a bit of a history buff I loved all the archaeology - the cult of the goddess, the hidden spring etc. I also liked the developing love story between Amy and Fabien and how the author described the beautiful setting for the book and Amy's B&B. Recommended.
October 11, 2015
A Spell in Provence by Marie Laval
Amy Carter uses her redundancy payment to start a new life in France, turning Bellefontaine (an old farm house) into a hotel. Soon disturbing events at the farmhouse begin. It seems centuries old horrific acts happen to the ladies of Bellefontaine. Amy decides to solve the mystery, she fears her life may be in danger.
A very original story, of love, tragedy, mystery and secrets. Amy is very likable, she has a love interest, and struggles with the frightening events that are occurring in her life. Filled with drama, suspense, mystery and romance A Spell in Provence is a fantastic story, I highly recommend to all.
Amy Carter uses her redundancy payment to start a new life in France, turning Bellefontaine (an old farm house) into a hotel. Soon disturbing events at the farmhouse begin. It seems centuries old horrific acts happen to the ladies of Bellefontaine. Amy decides to solve the mystery, she fears her life may be in danger.
A very original story, of love, tragedy, mystery and secrets. Amy is very likable, she has a love interest, and struggles with the frightening events that are occurring in her life. Filled with drama, suspense, mystery and romance A Spell in Provence is a fantastic story, I highly recommend to all.
March 8, 2015
I loved this book! I’m a sucker for anything set in France so this one fit the bill right away. Couple that with the strange happenings at Amy’s farmhouse, Bellefontaine, and I HAD to read it.
Marie’s descriptive narrative drew me in right away and kept me turning the pages. I could visualize the places easily and her characters were strong and believable.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves books set in France with mystery and romance combined.
Marie’s descriptive narrative drew me in right away and kept me turning the pages. I could visualize the places easily and her characters were strong and believable.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves books set in France with mystery and romance combined.
April 21, 2015
I really enjoyed this book, the setting was beautifully described and the story intriguing. My only issue was towards the end where it seemed to become a little farcical. But a well researched and absorbing novel.
September 5, 2017
A thrilling and deeply mysterious read! I really enjoyed the romance between Amy and Fabien too.
February 5, 2023
Confusing. Okay but not my best read this year. Through out the whole book there was never a part that made me want to not put it down.
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February 2, 2021Well, I wasn’t expecting that! Reading the blurb, I thought this was going to be another single girl meets single aristocrat and they fall in love type of book. Wow! I couldn’t have been more wrong. Have you ever read a book that you can’t wait to find out what happens in the end but don’t want to finish? This is one of those books. The story is set in Provence and the beautiful description of some of the places had me doing searches on line to investigate the areas that Marie Laval writes about. This book is full of intrigue with ritualistic murder, dark historical mysteries and of course romance. The subject of rape is also dealt with but without being graphic and with care and sensitive writing. In my opinion it takes a very talented writer to come up with this type of story without it becoming too dark and heavy going.
Amy Carter leaves her old life behind in England and moves to France to open a guesthouse. On arrival she meets Fabien Coste the owner of the neighbouring chateau and hotel, who at first seems less than welcoming. Pretty soon strange things begin to happen, taps running all night, freezers defrosting, doors left open and terrifying nightmares. Amy blames all these things on her forgetfulness but it’s far more threatening than she could imagine. Then there are, the strange and eerie lights at the bottom of her garden on the edge of the forest. Some of the villagers are openly hostile towards her but Amy is not easily intimidated, refusing to be driven out of her new home. Oh, how I would love to go on to tell more of the story but that would spoil the book for future readers. This is a must read, far superior to the usual chic lit novels I often go for. Congratulations to Marie Laval on producing another fabulous book.
Amy Carter leaves her old life behind in England and moves to France to open a guesthouse. On arrival she meets Fabien Coste the owner of the neighbouring chateau and hotel, who at first seems less than welcoming. Pretty soon strange things begin to happen, taps running all night, freezers defrosting, doors left open and terrifying nightmares. Amy blames all these things on her forgetfulness but it’s far more threatening than she could imagine. Then there are, the strange and eerie lights at the bottom of her garden on the edge of the forest. Some of the villagers are openly hostile towards her but Amy is not easily intimidated, refusing to be driven out of her new home. Oh, how I would love to go on to tell more of the story but that would spoil the book for future readers. This is a must read, far superior to the usual chic lit novels I often go for. Congratulations to Marie Laval on producing another fabulous book.
May 27, 2023
I was absorbed reading this book. It isn’t at all what I expected though. I think the cover image , title and blurb for this book aren’t well pitched at all. It is definitely far too “dark” to be deemed romantic fiction with a pretty cover suggesting a happy wee trip to Provence. It is not a rom com / cosy crime / historical fiction/ mystery it straddles several genres including horror. The book did include romantic tropes that make for a good read enemies to friends to lovers with plenty misunderstandings in between. It also had aspects of mythology and folklore added, which created a super backstory for the action. However although I enjoyed reading, I was uncomfortable with the racier sex scenes and in particular the addition of storylines including cults, rape & murder. Had these themes just been in the historical sense as the characters looked into the family curse and location of a long destroyed temple then it would be perfect but unfortunately the cult theme traversed into the present day.
It did make for an exciting read but it wasn’t what I expected and felt it went a bit too far from reality for me. I am interested in history and ancient mythology but the way it was included felt a little too far fetched for me. I might read more by this author but would be wary as am not really keen on a chilling read when I am only looking for a jolly escape to the chateau!
It did make for an exciting read but it wasn’t what I expected and felt it went a bit too far from reality for me. I am interested in history and ancient mythology but the way it was included felt a little too far fetched for me. I might read more by this author but would be wary as am not really keen on a chilling read when I am only looking for a jolly escape to the chateau!
October 20, 2020
Losing her job has given Amy the incentive to leave her old life and move to France. Using her redundancy she purchases an abandoned farmhouse in Provence and, with no previous experience, intends to renovate and run it as a small hotel.
On her arrival at her new home, there's not the welcome she'd hoped for, locals are unfriendly and anonymous threats begin to arrive. The owner of the neighbouring chateau hotel is extremely hostile, anticipating her business venture to fail and treating her with suspicion. Although Le Duc frequently comes to her rescue, does he genuinely care about her or is he behind all her troubles.
During the night mysterious lights appear in Amy's garden and she senses an evil presence in and around Bellefontaine. There are rumours about people who've disappeared without explanation and tales of treasure hidden in a Roman temple where sinister rituals were practised. Her business is sabotaged when expected guests cancel their bookings for no apparent reason. Amy's life as an hotelier becomes tougher than she expected. Her French dream is rapidly becoming a nightmare - then her life is threatened.
A mix of murder, mystery and romance set in beautiful Provence.
On her arrival at her new home, there's not the welcome she'd hoped for, locals are unfriendly and anonymous threats begin to arrive. The owner of the neighbouring chateau hotel is extremely hostile, anticipating her business venture to fail and treating her with suspicion. Although Le Duc frequently comes to her rescue, does he genuinely care about her or is he behind all her troubles.
During the night mysterious lights appear in Amy's garden and she senses an evil presence in and around Bellefontaine. There are rumours about people who've disappeared without explanation and tales of treasure hidden in a Roman temple where sinister rituals were practised. Her business is sabotaged when expected guests cancel their bookings for no apparent reason. Amy's life as an hotelier becomes tougher than she expected. Her French dream is rapidly becoming a nightmare - then her life is threatened.
A mix of murder, mystery and romance set in beautiful Provence.
December 29, 2020
Having read this romantic suspense novel during the winter and lockdown I enjoyed being transported back to the summer. And a summer in Provence at that. Amy has been made redundant and bravely decides to strike out on her own, buying Bellefontaine and trying to make a commercial success of it. Ms Laval’s description of the interior of the chateau made me want to book a room straightaway ! That was until that a rabbit is nailed to the chateau’s back door and lights start appearing at the bottom of the garden. That’d make a tourist think twice about staying there. Perhaps that’s just the reaction ‘someone’ wants, someone who means Amy harm and wants to send her packing. Then there are rumours about people who've disappeared without a trace, tales of treasure hidden in a Roman temple where sinister rituals were practised, a goddess who stands silent guardian over hidden springs. Hardly surprising that Amy is haunted by unsettling dreams which soon turn into vivid nightmares. Luckily, she Fabien, the owner of the Manor ‘next door’ to turn to. As the old saying goes: handsome is as handsome does. Sure, he’s sexy and the intimacy between them is handles with aplomb. BUT, can she trust him? There is much in this story to keep you turning the pages, so hunker down for a five star read.
March 31, 2023
I picked this book up as I was looking for a romantic comedy and, according to both the blurb and the jolly front cover, this was it. Sadly not. It starts off well enough, but quickly turns into an over-melodramatic and very dark suspense novel with (sadly) a very passive and weak heroine. It contains sexual assaults, historical rape stories and two attempted present-day rapes (one of them very violent). Fabien our hero has his work cut out in saving our heroine from all this, poor man. There's also a sex cult and a lot of Roman history included. So not a romantic comedy then!
I do think publishers should get the blurb and the cover right for this kind of novel - it can't be that difficult to do so. Anyway, because of all this, I became very disheartened and mildly hysterical(!) at the unremitting horror of it all and so skipped desperately through a lot of the last half. All this said, I think this author can write, but she just needs a decent plot and a more active heroine, and a lot less melodrama! Not recommended.
I do think publishers should get the blurb and the cover right for this kind of novel - it can't be that difficult to do so. Anyway, because of all this, I became very disheartened and mildly hysterical(!) at the unremitting horror of it all and so skipped desperately through a lot of the last half. All this said, I think this author can write, but she just needs a decent plot and a more active heroine, and a lot less melodrama! Not recommended.
October 30, 2020
I read this under the title - Escape to the Little Chateau.
I love the way Marie adds history and mystery into her books and this one was no exception. Amy has decided to move to France and has bought a lovely old house for which she is going to turn into a small scale hotel. Unfortunately others may not want her to be very successful and so this book takes us on a journey of what appears to be nightmares and forgetfulness but in fact is reality and evil at work.
Luckily Amy had the wonderfully handsome Fabien, the owner of the Manor ‘next door’ who Amy finds herself drawn to, but can she trust him?
This book will keep you reading for more, wanting to get to the bottom of the ‘curses’ and what secrets will be revealed.
Thank you to Choc-Lit for the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review, which is completely my own.
I love the way Marie adds history and mystery into her books and this one was no exception. Amy has decided to move to France and has bought a lovely old house for which she is going to turn into a small scale hotel. Unfortunately others may not want her to be very successful and so this book takes us on a journey of what appears to be nightmares and forgetfulness but in fact is reality and evil at work.
Luckily Amy had the wonderfully handsome Fabien, the owner of the Manor ‘next door’ who Amy finds herself drawn to, but can she trust him?
This book will keep you reading for more, wanting to get to the bottom of the ‘curses’ and what secrets will be revealed.
Thank you to Choc-Lit for the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review, which is completely my own.
September 18, 2022
With strong elements of gothic suspense threaded throughout, the storyline of this book went to dark and mysterious places I hadn’t expected. It was, however, an enjoyable read, and I found myself reading into the night as I didn’t want to put it down. There is a good sense of place and history, and the author brings the chateau and French countryside to life wonderfully. Fabien Coste and Amy were both strong, likeable lead characters, and I loved the puppy Fabien gifted Amy. I enjoyed the unfolding of the mystery and the range of characters introduced along the way. It is a great read to suspend reality for a while and let yourself be swept along by the revelations. I definitely recommend it but with an awareness that there are elements of threat.
October 6, 2020
This may look like a light, summery read, but the scary things that start happening to Amy when she opens a guesthouse in a pretty Provençal village, disregarding rumours of a curse on the place she now calls home, makes it suitable for a near-Halloween publication. And it may be easy to figure out who the "bad guys" are, but the plot is still full of little surprises. I greatly enjoyed it... also because, as it's a romance, I knew that, no matter how much danger they would have to face, both Amy and Fabien would be alive and well in the end, ready for a happy future together.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 21, 2020
This is the third of Marie Laval's books that I have read and each time she evokes a place so well that you are truly immersed. In Little Pink Taxi there is grey, cold Scotland in winter and in Escape to the Little Chateau there is warm, light France in summer, real opposites. The book develops quickly from a fairly standard set of circumstances into an interesting and excitingly different story. Using the history of the area where the book is set and real touches of French life that visitors do usually experience this is more than a 'beach read'. Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy your visit to Bellefontaine and to savour the details while you live the dream with Amy.
November 18, 2020
When Amy gets made redundant she decides to follow her heart and buys a lovely old house in the forests of Provence to turn into a B&B, but once she arrives it is suddenly not the idyll she was expecting. From the start she faces hostility, threats and and a sinister undercurrent of the occult with stories of human sacrifice, hidden temples and lost treasure..... her gorgeous neighbour, the Duc, seems to be there to help her at every turn but can she trust him or is he part of the cult?
A great story with good characters, atmosphere and plenty of action as well as romance, lots of clues and red herrings to keep you guessing and all in a stunning setting.
A great story with good characters, atmosphere and plenty of action as well as romance, lots of clues and red herrings to keep you guessing and all in a stunning setting.
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