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A Year in the Château
When Nicola's husband, Dominic, retires they decide not to spend their days finding hobbies to fill the time until Countdown is on. Instead, they fulfil their life-long fantasy of buying a country house and filling it with their dearest friends. Reliving their youth and spending their children's inheritance.
Joined by seven of their friends they club together to invest in a château in Normandy. Group dinners, fine wine, beautiful scenery - they're living the dream!
But la vie en rose is harder than it first appears. Is there a reason why only teenagers take gap years?
This is sharp, irreverent and very funny women's fiction for grown ups. If you love Dawn French, Sue Townsend and Veronica Henry, this book is for
Joined by seven of their friends they club together to invest in a château in Normandy. Group dinners, fine wine, beautiful scenery - they're living the dream!
But la vie en rose is harder than it first appears. Is there a reason why only teenagers take gap years?
This is sharp, irreverent and very funny women's fiction for grown ups. If you love Dawn French, Sue Townsend and Veronica Henry, this book is for
400 pages, Paperback
Published October 17, 2019
56 people are currently reading
438 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Long
43 books22 followersSarah Long worked in publishing before giving it all up to move to Paris with her husband and three children. She is the author of And What Do You Do? and The Next Best Thing. Following several years of the Parisian experience, she now lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
March 14, 2020
4☆ A Heart Warming Story about Friendship and Following Your Dreams!
A Year in the Château is a Story about Friendship, moving on to a new chapter in life, taking chances, Drama, discovery and following your dreams.
Nicola and Dominic are fed up with there life and want to retire to enjoy the finer things in life.
So the decide to retire to France where they move into what appears to be a delightful Château with a few of their closest friends.
Leaving everything behind.
The idea sounds crazy, but each of the friends have their own private space in the Château, so although they live together they can have some me time.
Oh and did I mention that the so called delightful Château might just need some TLC when things start to go wrong, with leaks, dodgy plumbing, power issues... what are they letting themselves in for!
But as always when you put a group of friends together things are going to come out, things will fester, friendships will be put to the test, things will go wrong and is their so called retirement really all it's cracked up to be! Or have they made one of their biggest mistakes?
The Characters are certainly an eclectic bunch, which I always enjoy, especially with multiple characters in books. They fit together brilliantly and make up a quirky and endearing bunch of friends.
I enjoyed the story line, I'm not too sure I would want to move in with several of my friends, to a place I barely knew, but then again I guess some risks are worth taking aren't they!
A Year in the Château is a heart warming, light hearted, fun read that kept me entertained, I enjoyed the lil twists and turns, It had me giggling and wondering what was going to happen next!
Overall an enjoyable read I would recommend reading.
Thank you to Compulsive Readers Tours and Zaffre Books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/0...
A Year in the Château is a Story about Friendship, moving on to a new chapter in life, taking chances, Drama, discovery and following your dreams.
Nicola and Dominic are fed up with there life and want to retire to enjoy the finer things in life.
So the decide to retire to France where they move into what appears to be a delightful Château with a few of their closest friends.
Leaving everything behind.
The idea sounds crazy, but each of the friends have their own private space in the Château, so although they live together they can have some me time.
Oh and did I mention that the so called delightful Château might just need some TLC when things start to go wrong, with leaks, dodgy plumbing, power issues... what are they letting themselves in for!
But as always when you put a group of friends together things are going to come out, things will fester, friendships will be put to the test, things will go wrong and is their so called retirement really all it's cracked up to be! Or have they made one of their biggest mistakes?
The Characters are certainly an eclectic bunch, which I always enjoy, especially with multiple characters in books. They fit together brilliantly and make up a quirky and endearing bunch of friends.
I enjoyed the story line, I'm not too sure I would want to move in with several of my friends, to a place I barely knew, but then again I guess some risks are worth taking aren't they!
A Year in the Château is a heart warming, light hearted, fun read that kept me entertained, I enjoyed the lil twists and turns, It had me giggling and wondering what was going to happen next!
Overall an enjoyable read I would recommend reading.
Thank you to Compulsive Readers Tours and Zaffre Books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/0...
March 4, 2020
A sweet book about 9 semi retired friends moving to a French Chateau in the countryside for a gap year, expecting it to be a bed of roses, but it turned out to be quite a welcome back to reality.
My first book by author Sarah Long, the prose kept me amused with the different scenes of the crumbling house as managed by the eclectic group. The plumbing and the former owner provided their own entertainment. The story moved sedately with a few twists and turns.
The author was quite nifty in showing the group dynamics as the rocky stay escalated their tensions, and it was fun to see the characters come onto their own. Secrets were revealed down the story which captured my interest.
Overall, a sweet beach read.
Onto my thrillers...
My first book by author Sarah Long, the prose kept me amused with the different scenes of the crumbling house as managed by the eclectic group. The plumbing and the former owner provided their own entertainment. The story moved sedately with a few twists and turns.
The author was quite nifty in showing the group dynamics as the rocky stay escalated their tensions, and it was fun to see the characters come onto their own. Secrets were revealed down the story which captured my interest.
Overall, a sweet beach read.
Onto my thrillers...
February 9, 2021
Yes, maybe not a great deal of excitement in this book but I thoroughly enjoyed it. 😁
Maturely written and I felt drawn into the characters personalities. Descriptive and warming.
Maturely written and I felt drawn into the characters personalities. Descriptive and warming.
September 29, 2025
Nine friends pool their money and buy a dilapidated chateau in France, and that's more or less it. Lots of descriptions of food and shopping, a bit of sadness, lots of happy times. It was a bit bland for me but an easy read.
March 9, 2020
One of the things I look for in any book featuring rather older characters is that feeling of identification – and I must admit that I did struggle a little with this book at the start. They’re all from professional backgrounds, distinctly selfish and self-obsessed, and I really didn’t particularly like any of them – had I identified with any of them I’d really have had serious cause for concern. But don’t worry, that didn’t last!
The whole idea of buying a home they could all share – four couples and one singleton, living separately but supporting each other – is a fascinating concept that inexorably draws you in. And of course, their relationships are further complicated by some dangerous undercurrents – former relationships, a touch or two of jealousy, the new partner that none of them really like (“useful to have one person who annoys everyone: it gives the others someone to bond against”).
After an abortive UK search for a suitable property, as the characters become more identifiable individuals and some of their “differences” become clear, they find and buy a dilapidated château – with potential – in Normandy. And they buy it without having a survey done – it seems they learned little from their professional lives. At first, they live the dream – enjoying all the period touches (other than the run-down bathrooms and the neglected kitchen), delighting in restoring the walled garden, planning for a croquet lawn and a cricket pitch, drinking the wine, eating the cheese. And then the dream becomes a rather increasing nightmare – a few tensions, some pretty major secrets – and they realise that their purchase is something of a money pit when the tiles fall off the roof and the scaffolding goes up.
Although I did perhaps find them rather an amorphous mass at first, there were actually some excellent characters in this book. The considerably younger Fizz isn’t the nightmare she first appears – and is the source of much of the gentle humour as she captures the adventure for her Mademoiselle Bovary blog and insta posts. I warmed to both Nicola and Beth after a slightly shaky start, enjoying their friendship despite Simon’s sometimes embarrassing and inappropriate attentions, and particularly after the story takes a more dramatic turn. Leo’s perhaps the only one of the group who’s likeable from first encounter – an interior designer, with an eye for decor, a slightly outlandish dress sense, moving on from a broken relationship with particular aplomb. And the cast of characters in the French part of the story – particularly the wonderful ex-chatelaine who continues to treat the place as her own – are excellent.
This book might not have been entirely what I was expecting, but there was a lot I very much enjoyed. Go on, give it a try, see what you think…
The whole idea of buying a home they could all share – four couples and one singleton, living separately but supporting each other – is a fascinating concept that inexorably draws you in. And of course, their relationships are further complicated by some dangerous undercurrents – former relationships, a touch or two of jealousy, the new partner that none of them really like (“useful to have one person who annoys everyone: it gives the others someone to bond against”).
After an abortive UK search for a suitable property, as the characters become more identifiable individuals and some of their “differences” become clear, they find and buy a dilapidated château – with potential – in Normandy. And they buy it without having a survey done – it seems they learned little from their professional lives. At first, they live the dream – enjoying all the period touches (other than the run-down bathrooms and the neglected kitchen), delighting in restoring the walled garden, planning for a croquet lawn and a cricket pitch, drinking the wine, eating the cheese. And then the dream becomes a rather increasing nightmare – a few tensions, some pretty major secrets – and they realise that their purchase is something of a money pit when the tiles fall off the roof and the scaffolding goes up.
Although I did perhaps find them rather an amorphous mass at first, there were actually some excellent characters in this book. The considerably younger Fizz isn’t the nightmare she first appears – and is the source of much of the gentle humour as she captures the adventure for her Mademoiselle Bovary blog and insta posts. I warmed to both Nicola and Beth after a slightly shaky start, enjoying their friendship despite Simon’s sometimes embarrassing and inappropriate attentions, and particularly after the story takes a more dramatic turn. Leo’s perhaps the only one of the group who’s likeable from first encounter – an interior designer, with an eye for decor, a slightly outlandish dress sense, moving on from a broken relationship with particular aplomb. And the cast of characters in the French part of the story – particularly the wonderful ex-chatelaine who continues to treat the place as her own – are excellent.
This book might not have been entirely what I was expecting, but there was a lot I very much enjoyed. Go on, give it a try, see what you think…
March 9, 2020
I have a little confession to make- yes yet another one. Although I have Sarah's previous book ('Invisible Women') on my ever increasing 'to be read' pile, I haven't actually read it yet. What a mistake to make. Having enjoyed reading 'A Year In The Chateau' as much as I did, I can guarantee that 'Invisible Women' will not be on the 'to be read' mountain for very much longer. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'A Year In The Chateau' but more about that in a bit.
The main characters are a set of friends, who have reached a certain age and they want to take things a bit easier, so they decide to all chip in and buy a property in the country. Although they were going to have separate living quarters, I did wonder if perhaps they would end up falling out or living in such close quarters would be a step too far for some of the characters. I can't say that I particularly warmed to any of the characters but at the same time I didn't particularly dislike any of them.
It didn't take me all that long to get into this story. As soon as I started reading, I knew that this was one book, which would prove extremely difficult to put to one side for any length of time and so it proved to be. Whilst reading this book I became totally wrapped up in the lives and stories of the people, who were all moving to the country. I had an inkling of how the story was going to develop and of course I had to keep reading to see if I was going to be proved right or not. My need to know what happened in the story meant that I read this book in under 48 hours, which is pretty good going for me. Usually I have the attention span of a gnat and I am easily distracted but not in this case. For the duration of the story, I was able to shut out all other distractions and focus solely on this book.
'A Year In The Chateau' is well written. Sarah has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. Reading this book felt more like a chat or gossip among a group of friends than reading an actual book. I hope that makes sense. I loved being a fly on the wall to all the shenanigans that the group of friends in the book got up to. Sarah writes so convincingly and realistically that I did feel as though I was an actual part of the story. I loved this charming and witty read, which served as a distraction from the pain I was in and it was the tonic I needed at that moment in time.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'A Year In The Chateau' and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Sarah's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
The main characters are a set of friends, who have reached a certain age and they want to take things a bit easier, so they decide to all chip in and buy a property in the country. Although they were going to have separate living quarters, I did wonder if perhaps they would end up falling out or living in such close quarters would be a step too far for some of the characters. I can't say that I particularly warmed to any of the characters but at the same time I didn't particularly dislike any of them.
It didn't take me all that long to get into this story. As soon as I started reading, I knew that this was one book, which would prove extremely difficult to put to one side for any length of time and so it proved to be. Whilst reading this book I became totally wrapped up in the lives and stories of the people, who were all moving to the country. I had an inkling of how the story was going to develop and of course I had to keep reading to see if I was going to be proved right or not. My need to know what happened in the story meant that I read this book in under 48 hours, which is pretty good going for me. Usually I have the attention span of a gnat and I am easily distracted but not in this case. For the duration of the story, I was able to shut out all other distractions and focus solely on this book.
'A Year In The Chateau' is well written. Sarah has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. Reading this book felt more like a chat or gossip among a group of friends than reading an actual book. I hope that makes sense. I loved being a fly on the wall to all the shenanigans that the group of friends in the book got up to. Sarah writes so convincingly and realistically that I did feel as though I was an actual part of the story. I loved this charming and witty read, which served as a distraction from the pain I was in and it was the tonic I needed at that moment in time.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'A Year In The Chateau' and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Sarah's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
May 20, 2022
this was a cute book! 3.5stars because it was good, it wasn't a really exciting book but the writing drew me in and i felt almost connected with the characters, even though they were much older, and i kind of hated them at the beginning;; they all seemed self-obsessed.
HOWEVER, this was an unusually comforting book which gave it 3.5stars. it gave me reading on rainy days energy, and even though its my mums book and i only read it bc i had nothing else to read, it was still sweet and heart warming (:
HOWEVER, this was an unusually comforting book which gave it 3.5stars. it gave me reading on rainy days energy, and even though its my mums book and i only read it bc i had nothing else to read, it was still sweet and heart warming (:
March 4, 2020
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from Netgalley.
Who hasn't dreamed of giving up the rat race and humdrum of everyday life, and moving to the French countryside to retire in style? Well, in A YEAR IN THE CHÂTEAU by Sarah Long you don't have to dream as you get to experience it all with some cracking characters along the way to keep you entertained.
Fed up of the constant go, go, go of life, Nicola and Dominic hatch the perfect plan for their retirement now that their children are all grown up and shouldn't need them as much - they will move to France and buy a château with a group of their closest friends, where they will each have their own apartment but a communal area for socialising, and they can live off the land and truly relax for the first time. Paradise, right? But what happens when old crushes resurface alongside some secrets that were never meant to see the light of day? Or when their historical home starts to look more like a crumbling ruin as time goes on?
I loved the premise of this story from the very beginning and that didn't change by the end of the story - the idea that a group of friends could live together, with their own space too, and enjoy each other's company even though they all have very different personalities, tickled me throughout and was a unique take on the retiring abroad dynamic. The characters are all fresh, unique, and likeable (some more likeable than others), and I enjoyed getting to know each one. The setting is excellently depicted and I could picture the château in my head with great detail which I always enjoy, and there are some surprises along the way to keep you entertained.
A YEAR IN THE CHÂTEAU by Sarah Long is not a fast-paced story but rather a story that slowly unfurls at a relaxed pace and I found it to be an enjoyable tale of growing older but still wanting to follow new dreams and have an exciting future. An enjoyable story from start to finish.
Who hasn't dreamed of giving up the rat race and humdrum of everyday life, and moving to the French countryside to retire in style? Well, in A YEAR IN THE CHÂTEAU by Sarah Long you don't have to dream as you get to experience it all with some cracking characters along the way to keep you entertained.
Fed up of the constant go, go, go of life, Nicola and Dominic hatch the perfect plan for their retirement now that their children are all grown up and shouldn't need them as much - they will move to France and buy a château with a group of their closest friends, where they will each have their own apartment but a communal area for socialising, and they can live off the land and truly relax for the first time. Paradise, right? But what happens when old crushes resurface alongside some secrets that were never meant to see the light of day? Or when their historical home starts to look more like a crumbling ruin as time goes on?
I loved the premise of this story from the very beginning and that didn't change by the end of the story - the idea that a group of friends could live together, with their own space too, and enjoy each other's company even though they all have very different personalities, tickled me throughout and was a unique take on the retiring abroad dynamic. The characters are all fresh, unique, and likeable (some more likeable than others), and I enjoyed getting to know each one. The setting is excellently depicted and I could picture the château in my head with great detail which I always enjoy, and there are some surprises along the way to keep you entertained.
A YEAR IN THE CHÂTEAU by Sarah Long is not a fast-paced story but rather a story that slowly unfurls at a relaxed pace and I found it to be an enjoyable tale of growing older but still wanting to follow new dreams and have an exciting future. An enjoyable story from start to finish.
February 7, 2021
When 9 people decide to sell up and live together in a Chateau in Normandy, the chances for tension, deception, love etc. are unlimited yet despite the cover blurb this is a book where very little happens apart from eating and shopping.
My Weekly said - 'Wittily perceptive' and Lancashire Post said - Irreverent, witty and emotionally charged' having read this book I'm sure they either read something different or would say something similar about a telephone directory. Originally this book was on course for a three star review but the final chapters let it down and so it dropped to two stars.
The text is littered with author intrusion into the storylines, and Ms Long's obvious dislike of the EU Referendum result was evident throughout. She would berate people as 'Leave voters' moan about Brexit and even make a point about a character wearing yellow and blue EU colours. Personal convictions have no place in a work of fiction and just show a lack of professionalism.
Having moved and relocated to another country I understood the comparisons with the UK, how food tasted better, the weather etc and having experienced this, know that it's partially 'rose tinted'. But the way it's expressed in the novel makes every comparison doubly negative towards the UK. Yes France has a vast range of lovely cheeses but so does the UK, it's not all slabs of cheddar. Yes you can buy lovely seasonal produce in France, but also it's available in the UK. Her points about buying things in plastic in Britain is silly, has she never been to a French supermarket and see their vast array of processed food in plastic wrappers?
The main characters are fleshed out while minor ones are mostly two dimensional or stereotypes, Will the ageing ex-lawyer with a young wife, Fizz the dizzy young thing, Douglas and Mary the old crumblies. Leo although an entertaining character (and I'm sure there are lots of older camp gay men out there like him) was a very 1970's Mr Humphreys creation, I often waited for him to say, 'I'm Free'. Simon was a creep and we got that, but why did he have to made out to be the corpulent, unattractive one while our hero had a flat stomach and oozed charm. Surely a cuddly hero and a gorgeous creep would be much more true to life and make the reader dislike the creep more, rather than feel sorry for the sad-sack he was portrayed as.
The clumsy hinting about Dom's affair was tedious, just say he regretted his affair years before then give us the reveal it wasn't as if we didn't know what was in the metal file.
Finally, much of this book reads like a travel document, something to tell you about Normandy, the food and customs. There was too much detail about the food they were eating, and places they visited. Also I assume the author is well read, but to pop in passages about paintings, literature and Norse legends about mistletoe etc. did little to move the story along and just makes you look smug.
The book is called A Year in the Chateau, but coming to the end Chapters 18-20 it could have been called, a pointless diversion to London for a story about the dull daughter splitting up with her equally dull boyfriend that brought nothing to the story but print on paper.
Sadly I cannot be more positive, it's obvious Ms Long is a talented writer but she needed to, in this instance, separate her own personality from that of her characters and remember it's a story not a travel guide.
My Weekly said - 'Wittily perceptive' and Lancashire Post said - Irreverent, witty and emotionally charged' having read this book I'm sure they either read something different or would say something similar about a telephone directory. Originally this book was on course for a three star review but the final chapters let it down and so it dropped to two stars.
The text is littered with author intrusion into the storylines, and Ms Long's obvious dislike of the EU Referendum result was evident throughout. She would berate people as 'Leave voters' moan about Brexit and even make a point about a character wearing yellow and blue EU colours. Personal convictions have no place in a work of fiction and just show a lack of professionalism.
Having moved and relocated to another country I understood the comparisons with the UK, how food tasted better, the weather etc and having experienced this, know that it's partially 'rose tinted'. But the way it's expressed in the novel makes every comparison doubly negative towards the UK. Yes France has a vast range of lovely cheeses but so does the UK, it's not all slabs of cheddar. Yes you can buy lovely seasonal produce in France, but also it's available in the UK. Her points about buying things in plastic in Britain is silly, has she never been to a French supermarket and see their vast array of processed food in plastic wrappers?
The main characters are fleshed out while minor ones are mostly two dimensional or stereotypes, Will the ageing ex-lawyer with a young wife, Fizz the dizzy young thing, Douglas and Mary the old crumblies. Leo although an entertaining character (and I'm sure there are lots of older camp gay men out there like him) was a very 1970's Mr Humphreys creation, I often waited for him to say, 'I'm Free'. Simon was a creep and we got that, but why did he have to made out to be the corpulent, unattractive one while our hero had a flat stomach and oozed charm. Surely a cuddly hero and a gorgeous creep would be much more true to life and make the reader dislike the creep more, rather than feel sorry for the sad-sack he was portrayed as.
The clumsy hinting about Dom's affair was tedious, just say he regretted his affair years before then give us the reveal it wasn't as if we didn't know what was in the metal file.
Finally, much of this book reads like a travel document, something to tell you about Normandy, the food and customs. There was too much detail about the food they were eating, and places they visited. Also I assume the author is well read, but to pop in passages about paintings, literature and Norse legends about mistletoe etc. did little to move the story along and just makes you look smug.
The book is called A Year in the Chateau, but coming to the end Chapters 18-20 it could have been called, a pointless diversion to London for a story about the dull daughter splitting up with her equally dull boyfriend that brought nothing to the story but print on paper.
Sadly I cannot be more positive, it's obvious Ms Long is a talented writer but she needed to, in this instance, separate her own personality from that of her characters and remember it's a story not a travel guide.
September 4, 2020
This was a really good easy read and witty and you get hooked straight away and it's emotional at times to but the characters are good and the setting is brilliant.
Nicolas husband retires so they want to do something different and to buy a country house with a group of friends and live with friends and they can go over there past together and of course the children are not happy as they are spending the inheritance. They move to France and all live together will it work or not.
Nicolas husband retires so they want to do something different and to buy a country house with a group of friends and live with friends and they can go over there past together and of course the children are not happy as they are spending the inheritance. They move to France and all live together will it work or not.
May 6, 2024
A lovely book about friendship,following your dreams and starting a new chapter in your life.Nicola and Dominic are fed up of life they want to retire and enjoy the finer things in life.they come up with a plan to move into a building. With a group of friends and move to France.i really enjoyed getting to know the characters this won't be the last book I read by Sarah it was a lovely paced. Book I didn't want to put it down
August 8, 2021
A nice easy read. A lot of characters that are all couples - take note of which man and woman form a couple! Haha. An interesting story with lots of lovely ideas and themes throughout.
May 19, 2022
A nice book, enjoyed the change of genre from what I normally read and the pace of this book. Relaxing and warm.
July 25, 2023
I really struggled getting into this book and nearly gave up on it, but continued to plough through and felt it got better in the second half
July 13, 2025
Loved this book
March 16, 2020
Nine people, not so young, with a dream . This is a book of mature romance, but not of the usual kind. Nine people, all early retired or at least looking for a new start after full time work, decide that they want to spend more time with their friends than living separate lives as couples in their pleasant but boring houses. They have all got reasons why they find their current lifestyle unsatisfactory; boredom, frustration, lack of appreciation. Two couples have adult children who they find overwhelming, one couple feel unappreciated in their academic work. One man has divorced his first wife in favour of a much younger woman. The ninth member of the group is a gay interior designer who has just been left by a long term partner. They decide to put their resources together to buy a large house in the countryside and live together with separate apartments. It is only when they cannot find a suitable house in Britain that they decide to look in France, and find the chateau of their dreams.
This is a funny, well handled book that deals intelligently with the issues of older people who are looking for a second start in life. Although there are nine characters they are all individual, well developed people. The settings, whether the original houses or the chateau of the title, are beautifully realised, and consistently described in a very tempting way even when France is not well known. I was really pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this life affirming book.
This book begins with one couple, Nicola and Dominic, realising that early retirement has limited attractions and frustration with an office job is painful. They realise that a “gap year” has its drawbacks for older people used to comfortable homes. They ponder on a dream of “communal living” in a building large enough to include private apartments. On their list of possible sharers are Beth and Simon, the latter having given up his job to write a novel, and already driving his wife to despair. Doug and Mary are likely contenders, as their academic interests can be followed in any location. Will and his young wife, Fizz, are soon added to the list, with Leo as the only but much loved singleton. When their joint search in Britain proves fruitless, they discover a chateau in France which seems ideal.
When they arrive they soon discover that like any form of home ownership, there are maintenance issues to consider before there is a disaster. Fortunately their combined skills are soon put to good use, including financial wizardry, interior design, cooking meals and gardening to produce vegetables. Generally the locals are welcoming, even if the original owner of the chateau visits to take away items. This happy existence is sometimes shaded, but friendship is always strong.
This is a lovely book to escape into, as Long handles her large cast well, while also showing how it takes an entire team to begin and maintain a dream. It is a well written story of love and solidarity in later life, and a true tribute to friends being supportive and generally positive. I recommend it to many people who enjoy a contemporary read with life affirming themes.
This is a funny, well handled book that deals intelligently with the issues of older people who are looking for a second start in life. Although there are nine characters they are all individual, well developed people. The settings, whether the original houses or the chateau of the title, are beautifully realised, and consistently described in a very tempting way even when France is not well known. I was really pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this life affirming book.
This book begins with one couple, Nicola and Dominic, realising that early retirement has limited attractions and frustration with an office job is painful. They realise that a “gap year” has its drawbacks for older people used to comfortable homes. They ponder on a dream of “communal living” in a building large enough to include private apartments. On their list of possible sharers are Beth and Simon, the latter having given up his job to write a novel, and already driving his wife to despair. Doug and Mary are likely contenders, as their academic interests can be followed in any location. Will and his young wife, Fizz, are soon added to the list, with Leo as the only but much loved singleton. When their joint search in Britain proves fruitless, they discover a chateau in France which seems ideal.
When they arrive they soon discover that like any form of home ownership, there are maintenance issues to consider before there is a disaster. Fortunately their combined skills are soon put to good use, including financial wizardry, interior design, cooking meals and gardening to produce vegetables. Generally the locals are welcoming, even if the original owner of the chateau visits to take away items. This happy existence is sometimes shaded, but friendship is always strong.
This is a lovely book to escape into, as Long handles her large cast well, while also showing how it takes an entire team to begin and maintain a dream. It is a well written story of love and solidarity in later life, and a true tribute to friends being supportive and generally positive. I recommend it to many people who enjoy a contemporary read with life affirming themes.
July 21, 2020
.Thank you to Netgalley for a pre publication copy. In return for an honest #ayearatthechateau #netgalley
Four sets of couples are fed up with their habituous London life. As they all retire they decide that moving to a large country house together would allow them the freedom, fun and experience they are craving. The only property they find suitable is in France. This is the story of their life for the first year in their chateau. Will they survive? Or will this test their love?
The title drew me into this beautiful cover design. I love being at the bottom of the drive with the characters looking up the drive to the chateau looming up ahead!, it gives it a real feel for its size.
This story ihas a good plot line. A fun all year round story which warms the cockles and allows you to escape. The subject makes you want to read on.
Their are some emotional subjects included such as infertility, single parenthood, affairs and death amongst many more. However the author very cleverly Incorporated this into being part of the characters lives. However only finding out about these subjects a few per season.
However the writing style is difficult to get into in the beginning. It reads terribly like a high school essay where the author is mixing between French and English. This detracts from the flow whilst making it a flat read. If it wasn't for the storyline you'd give up.
The narrative changes multiple times per chapter eg paragraph for Beth, paragraph for Florida and then next paragraph for Dom. Even though this does slow it down every so often. It gives a rounded story from multiple perspectives.
Furthermore the characters were very 2d. There was very little in the story that you felt alongside the characters. It was just you being told the information. There was potential for this to be a very beautiful emotional read and it did not provide me the emotion I expected particularly during the middle.
I also felt the characters had many problems which we do in present day however these were easily rectified with minimal emotion, thought or heartbreak being felt to the reader. Eg Nicola and finding out about Doms affair. This draws away from the realism of the story.
Four sets of couples are fed up with their habituous London life. As they all retire they decide that moving to a large country house together would allow them the freedom, fun and experience they are craving. The only property they find suitable is in France. This is the story of their life for the first year in their chateau. Will they survive? Or will this test their love?
The title drew me into this beautiful cover design. I love being at the bottom of the drive with the characters looking up the drive to the chateau looming up ahead!, it gives it a real feel for its size.
This story ihas a good plot line. A fun all year round story which warms the cockles and allows you to escape. The subject makes you want to read on.
Their are some emotional subjects included such as infertility, single parenthood, affairs and death amongst many more. However the author very cleverly Incorporated this into being part of the characters lives. However only finding out about these subjects a few per season.
However the writing style is difficult to get into in the beginning. It reads terribly like a high school essay where the author is mixing between French and English. This detracts from the flow whilst making it a flat read. If it wasn't for the storyline you'd give up.
The narrative changes multiple times per chapter eg paragraph for Beth, paragraph for Florida and then next paragraph for Dom. Even though this does slow it down every so often. It gives a rounded story from multiple perspectives.
Furthermore the characters were very 2d. There was very little in the story that you felt alongside the characters. It was just you being told the information. There was potential for this to be a very beautiful emotional read and it did not provide me the emotion I expected particularly during the middle.
I also felt the characters had many problems which we do in present day however these were easily rectified with minimal emotion, thought or heartbreak being felt to the reader. Eg Nicola and finding out about Doms affair. This draws away from the realism of the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2020
This is my first introduction to the work of Sarah Long and after reading A Year in the Chateau I am keen to catch up with her other books.
I really enjoyed this novel by Sarah Long; maybe it's because the idea of living in a historic chateau in France sounds appealing, maybe it's the small community with the numerous boulangeries, delicatessens and roadside cafes were you can wile away a few hours people watching. Or is it the romantic notion of France having a more relaxed approach to life? I didn't care as I was sold with the dream as soon as the word chateau was mentioned!
Nicola and Dominic are fed-up of the rat-race in London and a dream emerges of escaping to the country and living their very own good life. This dream evolves into clubbing together with close friends and buying a chateau in France. These nine friends were so diverse in character it made for an interesting story as even though the couples had different backgrounds and interests they blended beautifully as a group. When life hit an all time low for one of the friends the group sprang into action to offer support where and when needed.
I loved how the author split the story up into seasons and we got to experience the changing sights, sounds and aromas of chateau life for the first time through the eyes of the characters.
A Year in the Chateau is a story of new beginnings and new adventures albeit at a slower more relaxed pace giving the time for our characters to re-evaluate their lives and learn to appreciate the important aspects of life. But life wasn't all rosy for our intrepid new chateau owners and life's struggles and financial upheavals felt so much easier to handle within such an idyllic setting. But when tragedy strikes life for all of the friends will never be the same again.
I do feel like there's lots more to learn and look forward to about the characters we've grown to love and that the author could run with this storyline for a good few further stories. I also don't want to particularly leave the Chateau yet, maybe I'll be inspired to dream up my own French adventure?!
I really enjoyed this novel by Sarah Long; maybe it's because the idea of living in a historic chateau in France sounds appealing, maybe it's the small community with the numerous boulangeries, delicatessens and roadside cafes were you can wile away a few hours people watching. Or is it the romantic notion of France having a more relaxed approach to life? I didn't care as I was sold with the dream as soon as the word chateau was mentioned!
Nicola and Dominic are fed-up of the rat-race in London and a dream emerges of escaping to the country and living their very own good life. This dream evolves into clubbing together with close friends and buying a chateau in France. These nine friends were so diverse in character it made for an interesting story as even though the couples had different backgrounds and interests they blended beautifully as a group. When life hit an all time low for one of the friends the group sprang into action to offer support where and when needed.
I loved how the author split the story up into seasons and we got to experience the changing sights, sounds and aromas of chateau life for the first time through the eyes of the characters.
A Year in the Chateau is a story of new beginnings and new adventures albeit at a slower more relaxed pace giving the time for our characters to re-evaluate their lives and learn to appreciate the important aspects of life. But life wasn't all rosy for our intrepid new chateau owners and life's struggles and financial upheavals felt so much easier to handle within such an idyllic setting. But when tragedy strikes life for all of the friends will never be the same again.
I do feel like there's lots more to learn and look forward to about the characters we've grown to love and that the author could run with this storyline for a good few further stories. I also don't want to particularly leave the Chateau yet, maybe I'll be inspired to dream up my own French adventure?!
March 1, 2020
A Year in the Chateau is a lighthearted and entertaining tale following 9 friends as they move to a run down chateau in the French countryside, looking for a new pace of life as they reach/approach retirement age. As you can imagine, their adventure is not all wine, Camembert and roses. Not only do they have dodgy plumbing and a leaky roof to contend with, there's also the elderly former owner of the chateau who has no qualms in pinching anything that isn't nailed down! As the friends come to terms with mounting expenses and simmering tensions, they can't help but ponder whether their plan of an idyllic French life was too good to be true...
The author has provided a great cast for the story. From fusty academics, Dougie and Mary, to flamboyant designed Leo and social-media wannabe Fizz, they certainly are an eclectic mix and it is great fun getting to know each of the characters in turn. As the story flows, there are interesting changes in dynamic within the group as those characters find their place within their new household.
There are a few twists and turns within the plot which held my attention as the story meandered gently along. If I'm being completely honest, there were a few points within the story where something struck me as being somewhat unrealistic (such as whether the characters would really have bought a crumbling chateau in foreign lands without a full survey), however those issues were few and far between, and did not affect my overall enjoyment of the book.
A Year in the Chateau was the perfect choice for a lazy Sunday morning and I think it would make a great holiday read, particularly if vacationing in France. It is an easy and enjoyable read, which left me glued to my computer as I googled "French chateaus for sale"!!
The author has provided a great cast for the story. From fusty academics, Dougie and Mary, to flamboyant designed Leo and social-media wannabe Fizz, they certainly are an eclectic mix and it is great fun getting to know each of the characters in turn. As the story flows, there are interesting changes in dynamic within the group as those characters find their place within their new household.
There are a few twists and turns within the plot which held my attention as the story meandered gently along. If I'm being completely honest, there were a few points within the story where something struck me as being somewhat unrealistic (such as whether the characters would really have bought a crumbling chateau in foreign lands without a full survey), however those issues were few and far between, and did not affect my overall enjoyment of the book.
A Year in the Chateau was the perfect choice for a lazy Sunday morning and I think it would make a great holiday read, particularly if vacationing in France. It is an easy and enjoyable read, which left me glued to my computer as I googled "French chateaus for sale"!!
February 24, 2020
When a group of retired or semi-retired friends mostly in their fifties decide they are fed up with city life, they have the idea of buying a big country house and living together. After not quite finding what they are looking for in Britain, they buy a chateau in Normandy and head off excitedly to begin their new life. Well as you can imagine whenever a large group start to live together, however friendly they have been, it's not quite la vie en rose. Problems arise almost immediately and it's not all wine and roses.
As the friends settle into the French way of life before long old niggles, old jealousies, old attractions and old insecurities rear their heads. Very quickly there are unexpected difficulties and expenses, with plumbing issues, power cuts, roof repairs. Their French idyll is not quite as easy and laid back as they expected and the strain begins to show.
This was a really diverse group of characters to get to know. Interior designer Leo was a sweetheart and definitely my favourite. The only singleton of the group, he did make me smile with his way of talking and his love of beautiful (expensive!) things. It was interesting getting to know the group, finding out what made them tick and observing the changing dynamic of the group in their new surroundings.
Although you can guess at some of the things which will happen there are more a few surprises along the way too. A Year in the Chateau is a light and entertaining read. It would be perfect holiday reading especially if you are going to France or have dreams yourself of living 'la vie en rose'.
As the friends settle into the French way of life before long old niggles, old jealousies, old attractions and old insecurities rear their heads. Very quickly there are unexpected difficulties and expenses, with plumbing issues, power cuts, roof repairs. Their French idyll is not quite as easy and laid back as they expected and the strain begins to show.
This was a really diverse group of characters to get to know. Interior designer Leo was a sweetheart and definitely my favourite. The only singleton of the group, he did make me smile with his way of talking and his love of beautiful (expensive!) things. It was interesting getting to know the group, finding out what made them tick and observing the changing dynamic of the group in their new surroundings.
Although you can guess at some of the things which will happen there are more a few surprises along the way too. A Year in the Chateau is a light and entertaining read. It would be perfect holiday reading especially if you are going to France or have dreams yourself of living 'la vie en rose'.
August 3, 2021
Not the cosy, warm book I expected. I expected a summer read to take me away from my mundane life, if anything it made my life seem more exciting.
I was bored im sorry to say. My sassy margin edits were the only thing keeping me going.
The plot didn't move. Only one thing happens of note. And is easily forgotten. The characters are also very unlikeable for the majority of the book and become miraculously more tolerable by the end. Mary was the only character I liked throughout. The rest were clearly just embarking on a midlife crisis.
Unfortunately a very predictable, anticlimactic ending. Not worth the long drawn-out hours of reading.
To add insult to injury the writing was...disappointing. The language was clichéd and often cringey. The speech was unnatural and unrealistic.
I did not lose myself in this book, it was not the comfort read I hoped for. If anything, it stressed me out given the amount of cheating going on. These people are not friends I would want.
In summary, not terrible. Give it a quick read if you have the time. But does not warrant a re-read.
I was bored im sorry to say. My sassy margin edits were the only thing keeping me going.
The plot didn't move. Only one thing happens of note. And is easily forgotten. The characters are also very unlikeable for the majority of the book and become miraculously more tolerable by the end. Mary was the only character I liked throughout. The rest were clearly just embarking on a midlife crisis.
Unfortunately a very predictable, anticlimactic ending. Not worth the long drawn-out hours of reading.
To add insult to injury the writing was...disappointing. The language was clichéd and often cringey. The speech was unnatural and unrealistic.
I did not lose myself in this book, it was not the comfort read I hoped for. If anything, it stressed me out given the amount of cheating going on. These people are not friends I would want.
In summary, not terrible. Give it a quick read if you have the time. But does not warrant a re-read.
March 5, 2020
A sweet tale about a group of older people - and one younger- who decide to follow their dreams and move to a beautiful but dilapidated château in Normandy. The group of nine includes Nicola and Dominic, the driving forces behind the plan, the looking for love Leo, Will and his new bride Fizz, the studious Dougie and Mary and to round out the group Beth and Stephen – who seems to still be in love with Nicola.
This is an amusing story about settling into life in a different country as this eclectic group confront life, love and family issues. I wanted to like this book and to be honest, there is little to dislike – simply put, the story just did not hold my interest. It is a well-written tale and there are several laugh out loud moments. It is just not to my taste.
I am grateful though for the opportunity to read this story and discover a new author. I received an ARC of ‘A Year in the Château’ from Zaffre via Netgalley in return for an honest review.
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This is an amusing story about settling into life in a different country as this eclectic group confront life, love and family issues. I wanted to like this book and to be honest, there is little to dislike – simply put, the story just did not hold my interest. It is a well-written tale and there are several laugh out loud moments. It is just not to my taste.
I am grateful though for the opportunity to read this story and discover a new author. I received an ARC of ‘A Year in the Château’ from Zaffre via Netgalley in return for an honest review.
’
March 16, 2020
A Year in the Chateau takes a light-hearted look at a group of friends who decide to pool their resources and who find themselves the owners of a dilapidated chateau in Northern France. Their early confidence does take a knock as they realise just how rundown their dream house is, but you see them working together and gaining confidence. There are some delightful secondary characters, especially the last chatelaine who always brings a smile to your face.
All the characters have different expectations of life in France and different ties back in Britain. I found Fizz, the youngest, to be the most amusing with her attempts to build a You Tube channel and to become an influencer. The different personalities are well drawn but I would say my favourite was probably designer Leo, the King of Style. I found this to be an easy, feelgood read with enough in the different characters to keep my interest to see how it was all going to pan out.
All the characters have different expectations of life in France and different ties back in Britain. I found Fizz, the youngest, to be the most amusing with her attempts to build a You Tube channel and to become an influencer. The different personalities are well drawn but I would say my favourite was probably designer Leo, the King of Style. I found this to be an easy, feelgood read with enough in the different characters to keep my interest to see how it was all going to pan out.
October 4, 2021
This is the first book I've read by Sarah Long, and very good it was too.
Nine friends, most of whom are either retired or semi retired, decide to pool their resources and buy, a large country property, but failing to find anything to their liking in England, decide to extend their search to France, and end up buying, Château Lafarge in Normandy Northern France.
The idea was to convert various parts of the Château into individual, living spaces leaving all the main rooms as communal areas.
Unfortunately at the time of purchase they failed to see quite how dilapidated the Château actually is, leaky roofs, old plumbing and septic tanks, being just a handful of the problems they encounter.
The characters are a very mixed bunch, and naturally there are many trials along the way, and not just with the Château itself.
It's a story of friendships, and taking chances whilst moving on to the next stage in life.
A very enjoyable read.
Nine friends, most of whom are either retired or semi retired, decide to pool their resources and buy, a large country property, but failing to find anything to their liking in England, decide to extend their search to France, and end up buying, Château Lafarge in Normandy Northern France.
The idea was to convert various parts of the Château into individual, living spaces leaving all the main rooms as communal areas.
Unfortunately at the time of purchase they failed to see quite how dilapidated the Château actually is, leaky roofs, old plumbing and septic tanks, being just a handful of the problems they encounter.
The characters are a very mixed bunch, and naturally there are many trials along the way, and not just with the Château itself.
It's a story of friendships, and taking chances whilst moving on to the next stage in life.
A very enjoyable read.
January 30, 2022
A sweet story focusing on 9 retired friends who sell up and move to France, and decide to invest in a broken down, albeit beautiful Château together. A fairly solid read, I did enjoy reading a story which involved older than usual characters at the centre, and it made me imagine how it’d be to house share with your uni mates again when you’re all old and grey - my mind is stuck between whether it’d be a never ending dream, or nightmare?! 😂😂
I have to say I didn’t really feel like I connected with any of the characters, personally I found them to be a bit 2-dimensional, and therefore found a lack of empathy at times. I also found it quite confusing to differentiate between the characters with ease (as there was quite a few of them), until I got to the halfway point of the book - unfortunately none of them really stood out to me, and I didn’t particularly have a favourite character which is super rare!☹️ However, this was a fairly relaxing story, and though it’s not the most exciting book, it did have a twist that I wasn’t expecting.
I have to say I didn’t really feel like I connected with any of the characters, personally I found them to be a bit 2-dimensional, and therefore found a lack of empathy at times. I also found it quite confusing to differentiate between the characters with ease (as there was quite a few of them), until I got to the halfway point of the book - unfortunately none of them really stood out to me, and I didn’t particularly have a favourite character which is super rare!☹️ However, this was a fairly relaxing story, and though it’s not the most exciting book, it did have a twist that I wasn’t expecting.
June 14, 2024
I read this book after a friend passed it onto me & judging by the description on the back, it looked an entertaining & exciting, easy read.
Whilst I did enjoy it I can't say I found it exciting - yes it was fun to read, yes it was easy to read, but it wasn't a book that I just couldn't put down!
I enjoyed reading it & it was a good book to curl up with & read, however I did find stories of the friends' time at the Chateau somewhat boring. They just seemed to eat, play games, act child like or spend days just holed up in their bedrooms- it could have been more exciting!
I really enjoyed the characters, especially Leo & Fizz, and I think without them it would have made the story so much more boring -the other characters were very well defined and slightly stereotyped!
Whilst I did enjoy the book and the characters, I can't say its a book I will be returning to - but its a decent enough book to read if you want something easy & comfy to read.
Whilst I did enjoy it I can't say I found it exciting - yes it was fun to read, yes it was easy to read, but it wasn't a book that I just couldn't put down!
I enjoyed reading it & it was a good book to curl up with & read, however I did find stories of the friends' time at the Chateau somewhat boring. They just seemed to eat, play games, act child like or spend days just holed up in their bedrooms- it could have been more exciting!
I really enjoyed the characters, especially Leo & Fizz, and I think without them it would have made the story so much more boring -the other characters were very well defined and slightly stereotyped!
Whilst I did enjoy the book and the characters, I can't say its a book I will be returning to - but its a decent enough book to read if you want something easy & comfy to read.
March 18, 2020
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I love the cover for this book, it is perfect too for the book!
I really enjoyed this story, the pace was good and I thought that the characters were well developed too, it is a great story about friendship and following your dreams.
It was a heart-warming read and I loved the characters and how they worked well together and I loved finding out more about the back stories as the book progressed too.
It was all very well planned out and well developed – and best of all, it was very well written and a book that completely hooked me.
It is 4 stars from me for this one, I thought it was a fabulous story and the author has definitely put herself on my radar now as one to watch! Highly recommended!!
I love the cover for this book, it is perfect too for the book!
I really enjoyed this story, the pace was good and I thought that the characters were well developed too, it is a great story about friendship and following your dreams.
It was a heart-warming read and I loved the characters and how they worked well together and I loved finding out more about the back stories as the book progressed too.
It was all very well planned out and well developed – and best of all, it was very well written and a book that completely hooked me.
It is 4 stars from me for this one, I thought it was a fabulous story and the author has definitely put herself on my radar now as one to watch! Highly recommended!!
February 3, 2020
This is an entertaining women’s fiction book.
Based around an older than usual cast of characters (a crowd of retirees and one younger member who is married to one of said retirees) who leave London and move to a Chateau in France. The premise of the story is simple, how will they cope with leaving the UK and living together in a rundown Chateau? I did find myself get frustrated at parts (seriously, who would buy a Chateau that needs a lot of work without a survey? Get a grip of the ex-owner!) and a lot of the plot was obvious (an affair, a younger man), but there was one twist I did not expect.
It is slow to start, but stick with it. A solid, entertaining read.
Based around an older than usual cast of characters (a crowd of retirees and one younger member who is married to one of said retirees) who leave London and move to a Chateau in France. The premise of the story is simple, how will they cope with leaving the UK and living together in a rundown Chateau? I did find myself get frustrated at parts (seriously, who would buy a Chateau that needs a lot of work without a survey? Get a grip of the ex-owner!) and a lot of the plot was obvious (an affair, a younger man), but there was one twist I did not expect.
It is slow to start, but stick with it. A solid, entertaining read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 25, 2020
I mostly wanted to read this book because I am a tad obsessed with Escape to the Chateau and harbour a secret desire to buy a lovely chateau over in France and live a wonderful life; I had both high hopes and low expectations for this book because I knew that ultimately, it wasn't a book that was my sort of thing but I hoped it would be an unexpected joy.
Sadly I didn't love it; there just seemed to be a complete lack of emotion in this book and the actions are just sort of brushed over with no depth. We don't really get to travel on a journey with any of them, despite going on this journey with them.
It's an easy reader with a lack of depth for me; despite quite serious things happening in this book.
Sadly I didn't love it; there just seemed to be a complete lack of emotion in this book and the actions are just sort of brushed over with no depth. We don't really get to travel on a journey with any of them, despite going on this journey with them.
It's an easy reader with a lack of depth for me; despite quite serious things happening in this book.
August 21, 2020
I really tried to go through this, but it is incredibly boring and with a huge amount of useless details. At the beginning of chapter 7, we are just in the Chateau and after the grocery shop, I thought I'd hade enough of this. The characters are so many that you easily mix them up, the reader, unfortunately, is not helping on this matter, she was quite monotone and none of the characters had a distinguishing voice or tone feature, so they just all look the same.
Pity, as the story seemed to be nice.
Pity, as the story seemed to be nice.
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