📖 Blog Tour ~ Making Waves at River View Cottage by Jennifer Bohnet

Boldwood Books
21 September 2022

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of the book
and to Rachel's Random Resources for the invitation to the blog tour

Cassie Lewis, a widow for over 20 years has begun to realise there must be more to life. In-between working at the family boatyard in picture perfect Dartmouth and raising two children, she wonders where the years have gone.

Both her children, Tom and Polly, have inherited their father’s love of sailing and currently Tom is preparing for a gruelling round the world race. When an accident forces Tom to pull out, Polly, to Cassie’s horror, insists she is capable of taking his place.

As Polly prepares for the race, Cassie unexpectedly finds herself with two keen and eligible men vying for her love.

With her BIG 5-0 birthday approaching Cassie knows she has some big decisions to make but will the worry over Polly’s safe return, cloud her judgement.

📖 My review..

Cassie Lewis, a widow of twenty or so years, is at a cross roads in her life, she is about to turn 50 and with her two children, Tom and Polly grown up she wonders at the direction of her life. The family boat yard in Dartmouth and the Lewis family's love of sailing, and the sea, plays a huge part in the story especially when, after a terrible accident, Polly volunteers to take her brother's place in a gruelling round the world boat race. When the race gets underway the Lewis family watch anxiously as Polly undertakes her lone voyage and Cassie is surprised to be supported by not one but two eligible suitors who are each vying for Cassie's affection.

As always this clever author gets right into the heart of the story and brings her characters to life in such a lovely heart-warming way. I loved Cassie from the start and welcomed her presence throughout the story and yet I was equally fascinated by nineteen year-old Polly whose stoicism and bravery as she takes on a gruelling personal challenge, is admirable. I know absolutely nothing about the sea, or sailing, but that didn't matter at all as the author gives just the right amount of detail without overloading the story with too many sailing facts.

Making Waves at River View Cottage is a lovely, heartwarming story about love, loss, family, and going forward in life, taking on new challenges and making the most of every day. 

About the Author

Jennifer Bohnet is the bestselling author of over 12 women’s fiction titles, including Villa of Sun and Secrets and A Riviera Retreat. She is originally from the West Country but now lives in the wilds of rural Brittany, France.

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📖 Blog Tour ~ Villa of Second Chances by Jennifer Bohnet

Boldwood Books
1 March 2022

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book
and to Rachel's Random Resources for the invitation to the blog tour

Everyone deserves a second chance…right?

Run by sisters Rebecca and Delphine, Villa Sesame is a popular venue for small intimate weddings on the sparkling French Riviera. Beautiful terraces and a horizon pool all over look the Mediterranean setting the scene to make memorable days and dreams come true.

When recently widowed Delphine unexpectedly announces her desire to retire and live a different life, Rebecca feels her own life could be slipping into free fall.

How can she possibly carry on with the business without her sister at her side? Could this be the beginning of the end for Villa Sésame and Rebecca’s life as she knows it?

As the guests gather for the June wedding of Freya and Marcus, Freya’s two childhood friends bring their own problems to the villa and cousin Verity has her own agenda.

But it's the arrival of a certain guest who throws Rebecca’s whole world into turmoil and she finds herself asking the question, where do I go from here?

📖 My Review..

Sisters, Delphine and Rebecca, have run the Villa Sésame for twenty five years and have turned the once neglected estate into one of the most fashionable wedding venues in the South of France. When Freya and Marcus invite an intimate group of friends and family to share in their second marriage to each other it opens up a whole range of emotions not just for the guests at the wedding but also for Rebecca and Delphine who are considering important changes for Villa Sésame.

Everyone gathered at the wedding of Freya and Marcus have the perfect reason to take a second chance, all are of a certain age, in their mid-fifties, and each are carrying some sort of regret, of secrets hidden, friendships lost, and sadness unexplored. I liked how each individual character brought something different to the story and whilst some are more likeable than others, they each have an important decision to make about their lives, going forward.

I've now read several books by this talented author and I am always delighted to be given a wonderful story in a glorious romantic setting with relatable and authentic characters. The warmth of the sunshine and sparkling nature of the French Riviera combined with the wonderfully comfortable Villa Sésame is just the most perfect escape for a dull, grey day. Filled with an abundance of sunshine, friendship and warmth the Villa of Second Chances is a lovely story about being brave enough to take a second chance at life and of helping your friends in the process.

Best read with...sparkling Prosecco and a dip in the infinity pool

About the Author

Jennifer Bohnet is the bestselling author of over 12 women’s fiction titles, including Villa of Sun and Secrets and A Riviera Retreat. She is originally from the West Country but now lives in the wilds of rural Brittany, France.

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Bookbub 

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@jenniewriter #VillaOfSecondChances

@BoldwoodBooks #BoldwoodBloggers #BookandTonic

@Rararesources

 

Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo ~ Jennifer Bohnet

On this quiet Sunday morning why don't you put the kettle on, make your favourite breakfast and settle down for Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo

I'm delighted to welcome Jennifer Bohnet to our Sunday Brunch today

Welcome Jennifer. What favourite food are you bringing to Sunday brunch?

Well, as we’re in France, a selection of cold meats and saucisson, a cheese board with some creamy brie, Roquefort, and a mature Cantal, a bowl of olives and a crusty baguette or two.

Would you like a pot of English breakfast tea, a strong Americano, or a glass of Bucks Fizz?

Oh definitely a glass of Fizz - with or without the Bucks!

Where shall we eat brunch – around the kitchen table, in the formal dining room, or outside on the patio?

The terrace at the front of our small cottage isn’t suitable for patio doors but we’ve invested in some heavy duty foldaway plastic - like lots of cafes have here - and even when the weather is not good we can still be cosy sitting out there in November, with a view of the garden.

Shall we have music playing in the background, and if so do you have a favourite piece of music?

I’d probably put some Miles Davis on in the background - I’m not very musical I’m afraid but I do like him.

Which of your literary heroes (dead or alive) are joining us for Sunday Brunch today?

I’d invite Lucinda Riley - I love her Seven Sisters books. Such a sad loss. Maeve Haran a favourite author, Stephen Fry because I think he’d keep us all entertained with his wit and Donna Leon, her books set in Venice are a firm favourite.

Which favourite book will you bring to Sunday Brunch?

A book I read a couple of years ago, The President’s Hat by Antoine Lautain. I read the English translation because my French is abysmal and thoroughly enjoyed it - I’ve re-read it a couple of times now. President Mitterrand leaves his hat in a restaurant and the story follows its subsequent owners. One of the reviews (not mine) describes it as nostalgic, affectionate, funny and wise.

Gallic Books
2013

When you are writing do you still find time to read for pleasure? And is there a book you would like to read but haven’t had time for …yet!

I read every evening in bed. I read on my e-book app on my iPad because finding new English books here is difficult and I like to keep up with the trends etc. and read friend’s books. I haven’t had time to read Milly Johnson’s latest one, The Woman in the Middle, yet. I think I’ll keep it for December now when hopefully there will be time.

Where do you find the inspiration for your novels?

Ah inspiration. Where does it come from? Well it can be very elusive! Magazines, newspapers, conversations with friends, TV. Only last night a YouTube documentary about a walk along the French coast mentioned a villa owned by an eccentric woman which was notorious in the past for wild wild parties but is now derelict. The villa’s name, along with the woman’s is now in my little notebook for further research.

Have you a favourite place to settle down to write and do you find it easier to write in winter or summer?

I write upstairs in our cottage in what is technically a second bedroom but it’s been so long since we had anyone staying because of Covid that it’s now more office then bedroom. I have a large desk with my iMac placed underneath the two dormer windows overlooking the garden and I write mostly up there, although I do have a laptop I take downstairs sometimes simply for a change. I find it much easier to write in the winter months than in the heat of summer.

When writing to a deadline are you easily distracted and if so how do you bring back focus on your writing?

I’m guilty of allowing a deadline to creep up and get so close that I have a mad panic to get it done in time. I prefer to have a shorter deadline which makes me concentrate rather than one that is in the distance and allows me to prevaricate until I simply have to get it done!

Give us four essential items that a writer needs?

I don’t know about other writers but I like a quiet house - no radio in the background, no barking dog, no interruptions like deliveries or phone calls. As you can guess, a quiet house doesn’t happen often here. Notebooks and pens are other essential items as I love to write by hand to kickstart things at the beginning of a book and also if I get stuck - I don’t plan so getting stuck happens quite frequently.

What can you tell us about your latest novel or your current work in progress?

Falling for a French Dream (originally published as French Legacy) has been re-issued by Boldwood Books with a gorgeous new cover. It was rather short for a novel so I edited and tweaked it, added new chapters, and generally went deeper into the story - particularly the story of one of the older characters. It tells the story of widow Nicole who, not entirely willingly, takes her son Oliver to live in France with his paternal grandfather and aunts.

Boldwood Books
2021

One reviewer on Amazon said: A thoroughly enjoyable read that leaves you with a glow in your heart.

Jennifer, where can we follow you on social media?

Twitter @jenniewriter

Facebook page 

Instagram: jenniewriter https://www.instagram.com

Website

More about Jennifer

Jennifer Bohnet is the international bestselling author of seventeen novels, including 'Villa of Sun and Secrets' and 'A Riviera Retreat’ and ‘Summer at the Château’. Jennifer's stories usually span the generations with characters ranging in age and having to cope with unexpected problems in their lives - but there is always a hopeful ending, even if there are tears before. Living in France for over twenty years she has happily adapted to the French lifestyle -especially the long lunches with friends and the wine.

Thank you, Jennifer for taking part in Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo.

Thank you so much Jo for inviting me today.

Follow us on Twitter @jaffareadstoo #SundayBrunchWithJaffareadstoo

Summer Read 2017 ~ The Little Kiosk by the Sea by Jennifer Bohnet

HQ
6 June 2017

What's it all about..

Meet Sabine, desperately fighting to save her little kiosk from closure whilst turning down her friend Owen’s proposals, time and time again.

Cue Harriet, returning to Dartmouth after thirty years, haunted by the scandal that drove her away and shocked by a legacy that threatens her relationship with her journalist daughter.

Enter Rachel, the mysterious newcomer who has an unexpected chemistry with a local widower, and who sets in motion a chain of events she could never have predicted…

What did I think about it..

From the very start of this lovely story I was taken right into the very heart of the community who live in this coastal harbour town, and felt immediately immersed in the way Sabine runs the little kiosk by the sea organising the boat trips run by her friend Owen, and of how everything in Sabine's life is about to be altered forever by the arrival of a couple of facea from her past.

This light and easy read blends all that is good in summer writing. A lovely seasidey feel to the story is combined with more than enough twists and turns to keep you turning the pages. I enjoyed the drama of what was going to happen when all the secrets were finally exposed and think that the author did a great job of weaving together all the different story strands, so that when everything finally comes together there is a real sense of everything coming full circle.

Family drama, combined with long buried secrets all combine to make this a lovely summer read.

More about the author can be found on her website

Twitter @jenniewriter

Read an interview with the author by clicking here 

My thanks to the HQ for my copy of The Little Kiosk by the Sea

Blog Tour ~ The Little Kiosk by the Sea by Jennifer Bohnet

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be part of the  Blog Tour


on Publication day of Little Kiosk by the Sea

I am thrilled that the author, Jennifer Bohnet is spending time with us today

Hi Jennifer. Tell us a little about yourself and how you got started as an author.

I’m English but I’ve lived in France for over 16 years. Six years ago we moved from the Riviera to a quirky little cottage in rural Brittany. I’m allergic to housework and gardening. I love reading, cooking and having friends round for lunch - lunches that follow the French tradition of lasting for several hours.

I started writing lifestyle features in various magazines and papers, including my own column in the Dartmouth Chronicle. When we came to France I started writing short stories for the women’s magazine market and I’ve now had hundreds published both nationally and internationally. It seemed a natural step to write serials and then novels - I’m currently writing my eleventh.

Without giving too much away what can you tell us about us about The Little Kiosk by the Sea?

It’s a story of secrets and the effect the past has on the present.

Where did you get the inspiration for the story from? Were you inspired by people, places, or did you draw purely from your imagination?

We lived in Dartmouth for many years, my children were born there, and I love the place. The places and the historical events in the book are factually correct but I confess I was inspired by certain people to create the characters in the book.

Whilst you are writing you must live with your characters. How do you feel about them when the book is finished? Are they what you expected them to be? And do you have a favourite character?

I miss them. It’s like saying goodbye to friends. I think my favourite character in Kiosk is Sabine - I might well go back and see how her life has turned out.

Do your characters ever dictate how the story progresses or do you stick with a writing plan from the beginning and never deviate?

I just dive in and yes I do find the characters start to tell me their story. The Little Kiosk By The Sea has four women and two men all of whom could be regarded as main characters, and several of the story-lines are linked. Halfway through I did find I had to make notes and plans to keep myself sane.

What would you like readers to take away from The Little Kiosk by the Sea?

Firstly to have enjoyed reading the story. After that, I’d hope they’d been captivated and moved by the character’s stories. I’d also hope they’ve learnt something about Devon in World War II, through ‘BB’ the American researching his family history.

HQ
6th July 2017

Harriet and Sabine were inseparable as girls growing up in seaside town of Dartmouth. But growing up, Sabine stayed to support her family and save her little kiosk from closure, while Harriet was driven away by scandal

Thirty years later, Harriet and Sabine are together again. Their friendship has stood the test of time, and though everything else has changed, Dartmouth hasn’t.

Sabine must confront her future, and finally say yes to her secret dream of adventure.

Harriet must confront her past, and, let go of a secret that has kept her trapped for years. The only worry is how her journalist daughter will handle the news.

One thing’s for sure, as the autumn tides turn, there’ll be more than one secret laid bare…

The Little Kiosk by the Sea by Jennifer Bohnet is out 6th July (HQ, £7.99).


About the Author

Originally from the West Country, Jennifer Bohnet now lives in the wilds of rural Brittany, France. Always a writer, Jennifer has contributed short to many of the UK women's magazines including, The People's Friend, Candis, My Weekly, Best and Yours, and has been published in The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Home and Country and Devon Life. For over three years she wrote a newspaper column in The South Hams Group of Newspapers where she took a wry look at family life. She is now also published in Australia, Sweden, South Africa and Ireland.

Find out more about Jennifer’s writing at www.jenniferbohnet.com 
Twitter @jenniewriter

My thanks to the author for taking the time to answer my questions so thoughtfully and also to the team at Midas pr for the invitation to be part of this blog tour.

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