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A Year in the Château

Escape to France with this hilarious novel

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A Year in the Château

By: Sarah Long
Narrated by: Helen Lloyd
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The hilarious and feel-good novel about escaping the rat race, friendship and new beginnings

When Nicola's husband, Dominic, retires they decide not to spend their days finding hobbies to fill the time until Countdown is on channel 4. Instead, they fulfil their life-long fantasy of buying a house in the French countryside 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?

The perfect read for fans of Jo Thomas, Cathy Bramley and Veronica Henry! Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Romance Women's Fiction Witty
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It took me a while to get into this book. The first part sets the scene and at first I was not on board with these middle class middle aged folk approaching retirement. However, I would urge listeners to stay with the novel and as it is charming and thought provoking . The clichés grow on you . At first the narrator grated on me but her voices define the characters well.

If I were to define the novel, I would say Peter Mayle s Year in Provence with a cast of Joanna Trollope's middle class characters. The intended audience is probably the retired or those dreaming of retirement.

This would make a good TV series

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This is a lovely easy book to listen to. Perfect for a holiday read or when you are doing housework. It made me want to move to a chateau and live a different life. The narrator was very good.

Nice Easy Listen

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Wasn't to sure initially but it became more and more appealing, enjoyed it. Thanks

A pleasant and interesting story.

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this was an easy listen. Well read. Funny Emotional and very enjoyable. A good insight to Chateau living.

Fabulous

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Lovely story of second chances somewhat reluctantly taken by a group of friends. Initially I was worried that this was a story about a group of stereotypical upper middle class, self-satisfied wealthy Brits lording it in France, but the skilled and sensitive narrator breathes life into all of the characters so that I came to care about them, despite my initial concerns. There is humour and compassion here ... and encouragement and inspiration to anyone who feels life might be passing them by to seize the day and take a few risks.

Lovely 2nd chances story, well written, sensitively told.

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