3.5 Stars

One Liner: Nice… has some loose ends (first in the series)

 When the Gilchrist sisters inherit an old house in Provence, it allows Ellie to focus on something other than her grief. The old stone house and its messy garden ignite a tiny spark she thought she had lost forever. 

When Ellie meets her neighbor, Julien, it is not a meet-cute moment but still sends out some sparks. However, both of them are dealing with a sad past and are wary about letting another person into their lives. Julien cannot risk his three-year-old son, Theo, facing another disappointment. 

But Provence has something else in store for them. After all, it’s a place to hope for a brighter future. 

The story comes in Ellie and Julien’s third-person POVs. 

The plot development stays true to the genre but manages to throw in a couple of twists. Of course, I didn’t take this hoping for an intricate plot. 

For me, the setting is the focus. The book scores well in this aspect. The beauty of Provence comes alive on the pages without distracting from the plot. Ellie’s artistic talent (painting), her gradual growth, and the beauty of the setting blend seamlessly. 

The dual POV, though we get fewer scenes from the MMC, makes it easy to see his thought process and feelings. I liked how much he loved his little son (even if the kiddo doesn’t get a lot of space due to valid reasons). 

Animal lovers will be delighted to find two donkeys and a cute doggy in this one. They have names too! 

If I had known earlier about the series part (it wasn't updated when I read the book), I’d have gone in prepared for the family track to stay in the background without resolution. Since I didn’t, I was annoyed to see the book end with many unanswered questions. At least now I know these are likely to be answered in the next two books (Ellie has two sisters – Laura and Fiona). 

Quite a few elements are convenient and happen easily but that’s expected of the genre, so I didn’t mind. However, the aspects about grief, loss, moving on, second chances, etc., are done well (check TW at the end). At the same time, the writing is not so heavy that it feels overwhelming again and again but does enough to make you feel something. 

To summarize, Falling for Provence is a steady-paced and touching story about loss, hope, and finding love (and inspiration) in a beautiful location. 

Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley